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2016 Florissant Veteran of the Year: John ‘Frank’ Demos
John ‘Frank’ Demos Named 2016 Florissant Veteran of the Year
John F. “Frank” Demos has been named 2016 Florissant Veteran of the Year. Demos was born in Pine Lawn, and raised in Bel-Ridge, Mo. Frank left Normandy High early in June of 1965 and joined the Army in September. He completed basic and advanced individual training at Ft. Leonard Wood and after volunteering for airborne training, he was shipped to Ft. Benning, Ga.
He was then assigned to the 501st Signal Battalion of the 101st Airborne Division and also became a drop zone radio operator, all while earning his GED.
In July of 1967 he was relocated to the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Bien Hoa, Vietnam and then to An Khe, in the central highlands of Vietnam. It was there that he saw combat.
Eventually Frank sought and received help for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) from the VA. In 1985, Frank remarried his second wife, Lucy, and moved his family to Florissant.
He became involved in his son Nickoulas’ Boy Scouts and served as Webelo Leader for Troop 749, Assistant Scout Leader, and later Scoutmaster. Frank is still involved as charter Organization Rep.
During Scouting, he became friends with John Daab, another Vietnam Vet, and both joined Vietnam Veterans of America (St.Peters Chapter). Realizing the need for a chapter in Florissant, they worked hard to establish VVA Chapter 794, and it was officially chartered in 1995.
Frank has served as President of Chapter 794 several times and during his leadership more names of men killed in Vietnam from the Florissant-Hazelwood area were added to the Monument at Koch Park, as well as the Chapter bringing the Vietnam Moving Wall to Florissant.
A retired carpenter, Frank is still married to Lucy, and father to Deanna, Jonathon, Nick, and Jennifer. He has six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
