WASHINGTON – A Shoals business owner and Vietnam War medal awardee has been named “Veteran of the Month” by U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville.
Retired Army Sgt. Alvin Lynch, who received the Purple Heart and Bronze Star, was recognized for the monthly honor by Tuberville (R-Auburn).
Sgt. Alvin Lynch of Muscle Shoals credits his time in the Army for teaching him discipline and how to deal with stressful situations.
But the most important thing he took away from his service was his faith.
It’s my honor to recognize him as the June “Veteran of the Month.” pic.twitter.com/VpG9585Nbm
— Coach Tommy Tuberville (@SenTuberville) June 4, 2024
A native of Hamilton, Lynch was drafted at the age of 21 and deployed to Vietnam with the 82nd Airborne Division, participating in some of the most intense combat operations in Vietnam, Tuberville said. Lynch was wounded in action and had multiple brushes with death.
“On one particular night, he decided to sleep on the small air mattress provided to him instead of sleeping on the ground as he normally did,” Tuberville said. “This decision to sleep on an air mattress would save his life. The mattress absorbed the blow of a piece of shrapnel from a nearby explosion — keeping it from hitting him instead.
“Another time, he escaped a battle in the jungle with a shoulder wound that left him in the hospital for three weeks. He was one of the few men in his platoon to survive the encounter.”
Lynch said he credits the prayers of his wife and local church members for bringing him home safely. He received several awards for his heroism, including a Purple Heart and Bronze Star.
Several years after returning home, in 1981, he began working at C&H Cooling and Heating in Sheffield and, in 2006, he bought the company with Mitch Parrish and they still own it.
Lynch said he credits the military for teaching him discipline and how to deal with stressful situations that business owners often experience.
“I’d have a tendency to think ‘Well, I’ve faced a lot worse. This is not too bad’,” he said. “So, in that respect, the military teaches a lot of discipline.
“That’s certainly something you need in business.”
But the most important thing Lynch said he took away from his time in the military is his faith and he does not shy away from sharing his testimony with others.
He serves as an elder at Grace Life Church in Muscle Shoals.
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