Triumph THrough Transition
At Platoon 22, we are working to combat the ever-rising veteran suicide rate. Each day, more than twenty of our veterans are lost to suicide. To combat these numbers, civic engagement is key. Platoon 22 serves as a liaison connecting Veterans and their families to necessary resources. Whether you are an active-duty service member facing transition, newly separated, or have been navigating civilian life for years, we can help.
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www.platoon22.org
1750 Monocacy Blvd | Suite A Frederick, Maryland 21701 A special supplement of The Frederick News-Post
A special supplement of The Frederick News-Post
A Tribute to Veterans ı November 2023 3
532 E. Church Street • Frederick, MD 21701
301-695-4754 • PJsRoofing.com
HAPPY VETERANS DAY HONORING THOSE WHO SERVED
HONORING All Who ho S h Served Se
9501 Catoctin Mountain Hwy, Frederick, MD 301-450-8533 • www.resthaven.us 4 A Tribute to Veterans Day ı November 2023
A special supplement of The Frederick News-Post
VIETNAM
50 YEARS REMEMBERED The Vietnam War was a long, costly and divisive conflict that pitted the communist government of North Vietnam against South Vietnam and its principal ally, the United States. More than 3 million people (including over 58,000 Americans) were killed in the Vietnam War, and more than half of the dead were Vietnamese civilians.
A special supplement of The Frederick News-Post
A Tribute to Veterans ı November 2023 5
50 YEARS REMEMBERED
BY PEPPER VAN TASSELL
T
he United States’ involvement in the Vietnam War – the nation’s most protested war and arguably its most controversial – ended 50 years ago.
More than 8.7 million American men and women served in the Armed Forces in the Vietnam era between 1964 and 1973 – about 2.7 million of whom served in the crosshairs of the Republic of Vietnam’s dense jungle battlefields, according to Veterans Affairs. The war claimed the lives of 58,220 American troops, according to the National Archives. The originating conflict bubbled in the 1950s between the communist Viet Cong from North Vietnam led by Ho Chi Minh and the capitalist republic of South Vietnam led by Ngo Dinh Diem. The men led territories divided by the 17th parallel following World War II. Infighting over the territories drew U.S. aid and interest due to concerns of expanding communism in Asia while the
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U.S. battled communism in the Cold War with the Soviet Union. In 1964, North Vietnamese boats attacked a U.S. Navy destroyer, the USS Maddox, which was patrolling the Gulf of Tonkin off the North Vietnam coast. Though there were no U.S. casualties in the strike, the attack led to the United States’ direct involvement in the conflict. In 1965, the first U.S. regular combat units arrived in Vietnam, according to the Department of Defense. Four years later, the selective service draft was reinstated – the first time since 1942 – conscripting about 1.9 million service personnel to serve in the U.S. military over the course of the war. While U.S. soldiers battled the Viet Cong’s ruthless guerilla tactics, U.S. citizens clashed over American involvement in the fight. Protestors claimed it was a tragic intervention in civil war and lacked morality, while supporters saw it as a noble struggle against Communist aggression. A special supplement of The Frederick News-Post
Did you know?
VIETNAM WAR MEMORIAL IN DOWNTOWN FREDERICK The Vietnam-era antiwar movement included popular protest songs and sparked record-breaking and – separately – deadly demonstrations. On April 17, 1965, the March on Washington to End the War in Vietnam broke national records – drawing up to 25,000 protestors. When President Richard Nixon announced U.S. operations’ expansion to invade Cambodia in 1970, peaceful protests at college campuses turned deadly: the National Guard killed four students at an antiwar protest at Kent State University in Ohio; the police killed two students at Jackson State University in Mississippi. In April 1971, Vietnam Veterans Against the War famously threw their medals and combat ribbons on the steps of the U.S. Capitol in an antiwar rally. On January 27, 1973, the United States, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, the Republic of Vietnam, and the Provisional Revolutionary Government (Viet Cong) signed the Paris Peace Accords – otherwise known as the “Agreement on Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Vietnam.” The agreement stipulated a ceasefire and officially ended the United States’ direct military involvement. Nixon signed an executive order the following day, ending the draft and inaugurating an all-volunteer military. In Vietnam, the fighting continued, and in 1975, communist forces seized control of South Vietnam. In 1976, the country was unified as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.
The signing of the proclamation marked the 50th anniversary of the departure of the last American troops from Vietnam – March 29, 1973. The Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017 was signed into law by President Trump, designating every March 29 as National Vietnam War Veterans Day.
10 Best Vietnam War Movies Platoon (1986) Apocalypse Now (1979) The Deer Hunter (1978) Full Metal Jacket (1987) Good Morning, Vietnam (1987) Born of the Fourth of July (1989) Hamburger Hill (1987) We Were Soldiers (2002) Rescue Dawn (2006) Casualties of War (1989) SOURCE: MILITARYTIMES.COM
REMEMBERING ALL WHO SERVED 301 1-75 50--220 08 bulle etp proofex xterio orss.com m 8 A Tribute to Veterans Day ı November 2023
A special supplement of The Frederick News-Post
HONORING OUR VETERANS
As you drive around Frederick County, you will notice more than a dozen signs along roads and near bridges that honor many veterans and their service. This Veterans Day, The Frederick News-Post delves into the stories behind those names and signs. The Maryland Transportation Commission considers requests for dedicating roads or bridges in honor or memory of individuals or groups of significance to the state. Nominations can be made for: • A distinguished person who died or retired from public or community service and is known for exceptional achievement A special supplement of The Frederick News-Post
• Groups or associations with special relevance • Aspects of life or areas that are unique to Maryland. A person or group may be honored at a rest area, visitor center, building, section of highway, tunnel or bridge. Dedication is preferred to renaming. The secretary of transportation decides whether to approve a nomination.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT HTTPS://TINYURL.COM/BN49NUHU A Tribute to Veterans ı November 2023 9
HONORING OUR VETERANS
SPC Erik W. Hayes US Army – Iraq Campaign
Thurmont resident was killed in action in Al Miqdadiyah, Iraq on November 29, 2004, while supporting Operation Iraq Freedom. BY JACK WALKER
This bridge connecting Frederick and Carroll counties commemorates a local soldier whose legacy transcends county lines. On the outskirts of Emmitsburg, a bridge carries vehicles across the Monocacy River and into Carroll County. A sleek brown sign sits on each side of this bridge, elevated above brush surrounding the river. Erected in 2017, the signs dedicate the bridge to the memory of a Maryland veteran who called the two counties home. Eric W. Hayes was one of the 4,411 United States military service members who died in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Born in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Hayes grew up in Thurmont and Harney, Maryland. In 1998, he graduated from the Living Word Academy, located in Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania. After hopping between jobs on a dairy farm and doing electrical work, Hayes joined the United States Army as a specialist in 2001 to attend college and save money for his future, The Associated Press reported following his death. Hayes was stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia, followed by stints in Germany, Bosnia and Kosovo. Soon thereafter, he was deployed to Iraq. He was assigned to 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division.
Tragedy came early in Hayes’s military career when he was killed by a roadside bomb in Al Miqdadiyah, Iraq. He died on Nov. 29, 2004, as reported by the United States Department of Defense. Military officials flew Hayes’s body to Delaware, where family members prepared for his burial service. He was the nineteenth military service member from Maryland killed in action in Iraq. Hayes was survived by his father Dennis, his mother Deborah Reckley and his younger brother, Bradley, who was left permanently disabled following a devastating car accident in 2002. After completing his military service, Hayes had hoped to return home and help care for his brother. “Erik loved him with all his heart,” Douglas Hayes told The Associated Press in 2004. Back in his native Frederick County, Hayes’s family hosted a flag-waving funeral at the Evangelical Bible Church, honoring the legacy of a young man described as quiet and faithful by speakers. “He has honored his country. He has honored his family. He has honored his friends,” his father said in a service covered by The Associated Press. “When Erik was born, in Gettysburg, Pa., he was born an American,” he added. “On Nov. 29, in Iraq, when Erik died, he died an American.”
Located on Md. 140 at Scenic Monocacy River Bridge.
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A special supplement of The Frederick News-Post
HONORING OUR VETERANS
SGT David James Smith
United States Marine Corps – Afghanistan Frederick resident was killed in action in the Helmand province of Afghanistan on January 26, 2010, while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. BY PEPPER VAN TASSELL
U.S. Marine Sgt. David J. Smith was only 25 years old when he was killed in a suicide attack in the Helmand province of Afghanistan in January 2010. The 2002 Frederick High School graduate enlisted in the Marine Corps in December 2003, and was assigned to Company B, 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, out of Camp Pendleton, California, serving as a light armored vehicle crewman. He was pursuing a degree at East Carolina University. He served in Iraq in 2006 and 2007 and was on his first deployment to Afghanistan when he was wounded Jan. 23, 2010. He died three days later at a military hospital in Landstuhl, Germany. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery. According to the Community Foundation of Frederick County website, Smith’s parents – Mary Jane McWilliams, John Jones, Leonard Smith and Olga Smith – founded The Sgt. David J. Smith Veterans Relief Fund in their son’s memory. The fund allows nonprofit organizations to apply through the rolling grant process on behalf of a household for support for honorably discharged veterans and their families who are faced with unforeseen financial distress. Smith’s honors include the Combat Action Ribbon, Selected Marine Corps Reserve Medal, National Defense Service Medal,
Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal.
First bridge in Maryland dedicated to a fallen military member. Located at the
intersection of “No one could ever find a bad word to say about Jefferson Pike him,” Caitlin Barton, who grew up with Smith (Md. 180) and and attended church and school with him, wrote Ballenger Creek in a Facebook message after his death. “He is an Pike (U.S. 340). amazing person with such a spirit about him that you can’t help but love David. He loves what he does, he loves being a Marine, but he also loves being a son, a brother, an uncle and a friend to many.”
His younger brother, Daniel Brown, has said that Smith’s drive to make a difference and become a soldier was evident from early childhood when the brothers would build forts and pretend to execute rescue missions. “We would always tear up my mom’s basement, make forts out of cushions and everything, and fight each other and shoot each other,” Brown has said. “And he’d get wounded and I’d fix him up.”
PFC Charles Franklin Brandenburg United States Army – Vietnam Located on Md. 80 bridge on the Monocacy near Buckeystown
Frederick resident was killed in action in the Quanh Ngai province of South Vietnam on August 5, 1967, while supporting the Vietnam War. BY CRYSTAL SCHELLE
U.S. Army Private 1st Class Charles Franklin Brandenburg of Frederick died a hero while serving in the Vietnam War. A 1964 graduate of Frederick High School, Brandenburg was a member of Company B, 2nd Battalion, 35th Infantry when he was serving in Vietnam. On Aug. 5, 1967, Brandenburg was conducting a search and destroy operation near Duc Pho. Broken into smaller teams, his platoon was given orders to search and clear the enemy from concealed bunkers and spider holes. A special supplement of The Frederick News-Post
Brandenburg, who was in charge of the teams, came open a spider hole where it looked as if there had been recent activity of the enemy. He commanded his team to back off and he went into the hole after the enemy. When he lowered himself into the hole, a grenade exploded and he was gravely wounded. He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star Medal with “V” Device. He was 20 years old. Today, he is buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery in Frederick and his name is etched into the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C. His name can be found in panel 24E, line 79. A Tribute to Veterans ı November 2023 11
HONORING OUR VETERANS
PFC James Moore Jr. Paratrooper – Vietnam
Was killed in action on April 2, 1966, while supporting the Vietnam War. BY PEPPER VAN TASSELL
U.S. Army Private First Class and Paratrooper James Moore Jr. was killed in Vietnam on April 2, 1966, but his family didn’t learn of his death until a week later, according to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund. “The day I found out that my brother, Junny, had been killed in Vietnam on April 2, 1966 was not the day our family was told of his death. He had been dead I think about a week before we were notified… Things were going well and I was very happy that day for some reason. But the joy quickly turned to sorrow as the Officer contacted my parents who were at work at the time and told them of the tragedy. It was the worst thing that had ever happened in my life at that time,” wrote Alma Palm, Moore’s sister, on the memorial website. Palm wrote that her brother – who she called “Junny” and who his friends called “Bugs,” all short for Junebug – enjoyed sports and loved to draw, especially designs of old cars. Moore went to high school in Baltimore, but his family later lived in Frederick County. He is buried at Fairview Cemetery in Frederick. James Moore’s friend, Barnett Brooks, wrote on the memorial page: “I went to school with James and I remember the empty feeling in my stomach when I saw his picture in the newspaper. I lost a brother that day. We all did and we must never forget the cost of war.” James Moore was one of 58,220 American troops killed during the Vietnam War, according to the National Archives. More than 50 years after her 19-year-old brother was killed in action during the war, Palm and her mother, Katharine Moore, received the Gold Star pin and Purple Heart medal on behalf of James Moore during a special Vietnam War Commemoration ceremony at Winchester Hall in Frederick. Katharine Moore told reporters at the time of the ceremony that she had only seen her son in uniform once before he was killed.
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Located at the intersection of U.S. 15/40 on the left when traveling south on U.S. 15/40.
“
I thank God that he blessed me and surrounded me with men of honorable character – God fearing men who made a difference in this world. I know it was some reunion when all the soldiers met in heaven.” ALMA PALM, Moore’s sister
Maj. Gen. James Jackson, director of the Vietnam War Commemoration at the time, and several elected officials presented the pins to the family, The Frederick News-Post reported at the time. The Gold Star pin is given to families who have lost a loved one in battle and the Purple Heart medal is awarded to U.S. service members injured or killed in battle. Palm wrote, “I thank God that he blessed me and surrounded me with men of honorable character – God fearing men who made a difference in this world. I know it was some reunion when all the soldiers met in heaven. I thank everyone of you for your service to our country and Junny for his ultimate sacrifice – he gave all he could give for his/our country – his 19-year-old life.”
A special supplement of The Frederick News-Post
HONORING OUR VETERANS
CPT John Ryan Dennison US Army Ranger
Urbana High School alumnus was killed in action in Balad, Iraq, on Nov. 15, 2006, while supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. BY JACK WALKER
This I-270 memorial bridge is just one way Frederick County honors a fallen Ijamsville veteran. Between exits to Northern Virginia and Hagerstown, a bridge on the segment of I-270 passing through Frederick County might go unnoticed to some drivers. But for those who knew Ijamsville native John Ryan Dennison, it memorializes a son, brother and friend who sacrificed everything in service to the United States military. The bridge was dedicated to Dennison in 2018 as part of a statewide effort to commemorate the legacies of Maryland veterans who died in action. Dennison was killed in the line of fire on Nov. 15, 2006, while serving in Balad, Iraq. But Dennison’s story began long before his deployment, with an early childhood move from Europe to southern Frederick County. Dennison was born in Germany, but adopted by his parents, Jack and Shannon, when they were deployed in the country as part of their service to the United States Army, The Asso-
ciated Press reported in 2006. Coming from a military family, Dennison was eager to serve his country in the Army. He graduated from the United States Military Academy in West Point in 2004, and was deployed to Iraq in the summer of 2006 – but not before tying the knot with a fellow alum, First Lieutenant Haley Dennison. “He wanted to go. He was excited to go. He wanted the chance to lead,” Shannon Dennison told The Baltimore Sun in 2006. “It was sort of the culmination of all the training. It was his moment.” At age 24, Dennison ultimately died in the line of fire, killed from small arms fire during his Iraq deployment. But his legacy lived on for family, friends and the broader community back home, where Frederick County honored his memory. In 2011, Frederick County resident Jonathan Sanderson, a childhood friend of Dennison, wrote a letter to the Frederick County Board of Commissioners asking them to dedicate the new Urbana Park to the fallen veteran. In March 2012, Sanderson and others directing the project established the John Ryan Dennison Memorial Fund,
which raised money to create a monument and flagpole in a park near the place Dennison called home. Three years and tens of thousands of dollars later, the Memorial Fund amassed enough money to construct the memorial. Located on one of the park’s highest peaks, it has a flagpole boasting the United States flag, surrounded by a pentagon-shaped, granite base that features Dennison’s story, and the stories of other fallen Frederick County veterans including Robert A. Seidel III, Charles I. Cartwright, Lance H. Vogeler, Kurt S. Shea, David V. Williams, David J. Smith, and Ronald H. Wildrick Jr. Today, the memorial site and bridge dedication both stand tall, memorializing the story of a young local veteran whose impact still resonates with community members across Frederick County and beyond. “Ryan served our family and his country with tremendous honor and courage,” Shannon Dennison said in a 2006 press release from the 82nd Airborne Division, the infantry division to which Dennison was deployed. “He was a risk-taker,” Jack Dennison told The Baltimore Sun in 2006. “He had very little fear and, to my knowledge, he never showed it.”
Photos of John Ryan Dennison Memorial located in Urbana District Park A special supplement of The Frederick News-Post
A Tribute to Veterans ı November 2023 13
HONORING OUR VETERANS
SSGT William J. Kundrat United States Marine Corps (Raider)
Frederick resident was killed in action during a military training accident in Mississippi on July 10, 2017. BY PEPPER VAN TASSELL
At four months old – as soon as his neck was strong enough – William “Billy” Kundrat was strapped to his father’s back. From his perch in a baby backpack, the young Kundrat got his first glimpse of life as a U.S. Marine, watching his father – Marine Sgt. Major Joe Kundrat – run six miles a day, chanting military hymns around their Whittier neighborhood in Frederick. “I just took it for granted that he was going to enlist,” Joe Kundrat said. “He knew all three verses of the Marine Corps hymn when he was six.” Billy Kundrat graduated from Gov. Thomas Johnson High School in 2002 and was fighting in the Iraq War in 2003. “I went to Vietnam right after high school and he did the same thing in Iraq,” said Joe Kundrat, who deployed to Iraq in 2004 as his son left it. Billy came from a long line of soldiers – family on both sides served in World War II.
14 Marines and one Navy corpsman killed in a KC130T aircraft crash in Northern Mississippi. The Raiders were headed to Yuma, Arizona, for pre-deployment training.
Located on U.S. 15 bridge over Rosemont Avenue.
The state of Maryland flew flags at half-staff the day of Billy Kundrat’s funeral at Arlington National Cemetary, and within a year dedicated a bridge over Rosemont Avenue in Frederick in his name. The bridge is two miles from his childhood home, a site his parents helped choose.
“Both of our sons were givers who allowed the rest of us the freedom that only America allows.”
The bridge honoring him is near the bridge dedicated to his childhood friend, classmate, and fellow Eagle Scout Army Sgt. First Class Lance Vogeler, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2010.
Billy Kundrat – like his father – — Lynda Kundrat, referring to her always wanted to be a Marine. The young Kundrat returned home, married his high school son and her son’s childhood friend, He took great pride in laying sweetheart, Ashley Cregger, wreaths for fallen soldiers at who was also killed in action. and had two children, Ethan the American Legion Francis and Alea. After his service in Scott Key Post 11 in Frederick. Iraq, Billy Kundrat joined the elite Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command If Billy were alive today, his proud father said, he’d (MARSOC) 2nd Marine Raider battalion at Camp Lejeune probably be a retired master sergeant, working as an independent contractor for the government – maybe in Jacksonville, North Carolina. even at the Pentagon. Billy Kundrat served eight overseas tours and worked as a weapons and tactics instructor for MARSOC before “Whatever it would have been he would have been volunteering to serve as a battalion leader. The need for making a lot of money,” he said. a new leader arose after a 2015 helicopter crash claimed When Lynda Kundrat was asked what she wanted others the lives of seven Marines off the coast of Florida, Joe to consider when they view the memorials to her son and Kundrat said. to Vogeler, she said, “Both of our sons were givers who Sadly, 33-year-old Billy Kundrat would meet the same allowed the rest of us the freedom that only America fate. On July 10, 2017, the Marine staff sergeant was one of allows. Enjoy the freedom that our sons died for.”
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A special supplement of The Frederick News-Post
HONORING OUR VETERANS
SFC Lance Vogeler
US Army (Ranger) – Afghanistan Frederick resident was killed in action in Afghanistan on October 1, 2010 while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. BY GINA GALLUCCI-WHITE
Growing up in Frederick, Lance Vogeler would often serve as a communications bridge between his deaf parents and the hearing world. Today, his name adorns the bridge on Opossumtown Pike over U.S. 15. The location is fitting given that the bridge is just several hundred feet away from Governor Thomas Johnson High School, where he was an alumnus. A Boy Scout, he would often play war with his younger brother Chris. Vogeler joined the U.S. Army in 2001 and graduated from the Ranger Assessment and Selection Program the same year. He was assigned to the Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment in Georgia, where he held roles such as squad leader, mortars section leader, gunner, and fire direction chief. Vogeler, whose wife’s name is Melissa, was a father of three and would spend all his free time while stateside at home with his children. With a strong faith, he was ordained a minster at the
request of a fellow Ranger who asked him to lead the wedding ceremony for him and his bride. The 29-year-old was on his 12th deployment when he Located on Opossumtown Pike bridge over U.S. 15. was killed on Oct. 1, 2010, during a heavy firefight by enemy indirect fire in Helmand Province in Afghanistan. He had previously completed four tours in Iraq and seven in Afghanistan. Through his nearly decade of service, Vogeler was highly decorated. His honors included the Bronze Star Medal, the Ranger tab, Purple Heart and the Joint Service Achievement Medal. He was described as an exceptional leader and man by his fellow soldiers.
CPL William Kyle Ferrell United States Marine Corps
Ferrell was struck and killed on U.S. 15 while assisting a disabled motorist. Sign is located at the Catoctin Furnace Trail bridge over U.S. 15.
BY CRYSTAL SCHELLE
U.S. Marine William Kyle Ferrell had risen to the rank of corporal when he was tragically killed Sept. 29 in a hit-and-run crash in Frederick County. He was 21. Ferrell was from Carthage, N.C. There, he was a 2012 graduate of Union Pines High School. He was an active member of Carthage A special supplement of The Frederick News-Post
Fire and Rescue, which he joined at age 16. He hoped to become a police officer. After he graduated, he enlisted in the Marine Corps. He was stationed at Camp David in Frederick County, where he was assigned to the presidential security detail. He was assigned to the responsibility of Sergeant of the Guard. Ferrell was helping a stranded motorist when he was hit by a passing heavy-duty pickup truck on northbound U.S. 15 during a rainstorm in 2015. The driver has yet to be caught. After his death, a GoFundMe page was set up to purchase safety equipment in his name at the Carthage Fire Department. He was the son of John Daniel and Donna Frye Ferrell. A Tribute to Veterans ı November 2023 15
HONORING OUR VETERANS
A2C Gary Wayne Cosgrave United State Air Force – Vietnam
Frederick resident was killed in action on May 12, 1967, while supporting the Vietnam War. BY JACK WALKER
Frederick bridge remembers fallen veteran who was ‘always happy,’ wise ‘past his years’ Near the Jug Bridge Monument, a bridge passing over Md. 144/I-70 East displays a brown sign memorializing the legacy of a Frederick veteran who died in the line of fire at age 19. Gary Wayne Cosgrave was born in 1947, and grew up in Frederick County. Those who knew Cosgrave described him as family-oriented and caring. He taught his sister to drive, and encouraged his siblings to take care of their parents during his deployment.
the new location. Nevertheless they made the move, waiting at the halfway point until another vehicle could transport them to their final destination. Ultimately, they were attacked and killed on May 12, 1967. Beyond touching the hearts of his immediate family, Cosgrave’s legacy resonated with community members across Frederick County. Frederick County Sheriff Chuck Jenkins and other county officials helped Bruchey-Hamalainen with the application to have the bridge dedicated.
“He was way past his years,” Cosgrave’s sister, Susan BrucheyHamalainen, told the Frederick News-Post in 2019.
The dedication was especially meaningful because Cosgrave’s mother, Pauline, was able to see it, Bruchey-Hamalainen told The Frederick News-Post.
Cosgrave joined the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War, serving as an airman second class in Biên Hòa, Vietnam. But with less than a month left until he returned home from the war, Cosgrave was killed by North Vietnam militants.
In January 2019, Cosgrave’s family attended a small dedication ceremony, where they got to see the sign that would soon stand alongside the Md. 144/I-70 East bridge in honor of their fallen loved one.
He was working a night shift at his base when he and other service members received word the location was going to be attacked by North Vietnam soldiers.
During the ceremony, Pauline Cosgrave, who died later that year, told The Frederick News-Post that it was a “wonderful thing” county officials were doing to honor the memory of her son, although it was painful to relive the details of her son’s death.
Cosgrave and a close friend, 20-yearold Eddie Manis, decided to travel to a different base in the middle of the night for cover, but could only find a ride that took them halfway to 16 A Tribute to Veterans Day ı November 2023
“It was terrible,” she said. “Terrible for me as a mother.” But Pauline Cosgrave chose to focus
The dedication was especially meaningful because Cosgrave’s mother, Pauline, was able to see it. SUSAN BRUCHEY-HAMALAINEN TOLD THE FREDERICK NEWS-POST
on the positives, sharing with others present the things she loved most about her son. “He always liked to tell stories,” Pauline Cosgrave recalled. “He was always happy.” A special supplement of The Frederick News-Post
HONORING OUR VETERANS
CPL Kirk J. Bosselmann United States Marine Corps – Iraq Was killed in action in Anbar province, Iraq, on November 27, 2004, while supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Roots trace back to the American Revolutionary War, formed to protect the frontier of Western Maryland. BY CRYSTAL SCHELLE
A huge concrete, mortar and stone monument sits along U.S. 15 in Emmitsburg that simply reads: “115th Infantry Regiment Memorial Highway.” The 115th Infantry Highway Memorial in Emmitsburg is dedicated to a regiment that was active during both World Wars.
BY GINA GALLUCCI-WHITE
Whether he was hunting ducks, foxes or deer, climbing trees, cutting grass on a lawnmower going full speed, riding a bull or learning how to surf, Kirk J. Bosselmann had an incredible passion for living life to the fullest.
115th Infantry Regiment Memorial Highway
A special ceremony was held July 16, 2006, to dedicate the monument, which sits near the Maryland/Pennsylvania border. Located over the Monocacy River bridge on Md. 355 near Urbana
Born in Ontario, Canada, his family moved to Maryland in 1990. He grew up in Dickerson and became a United States citizen at the age of 20. While he was on a family safari trip to Kenya as a teenager, Masai guides were so impressed by his hunting, riding and outdoor prowess, they presented him with a ceremonial tribal sword. During his senior year, he worked for the Upper Montgomery County Volunteer Fire Department in Beallsville for six months because he wanted to help the community. Shortly after graduating from Poolesville High School in 2001, he took a train from Maryland to California with a plan to learn how to parachute from planes to the outer edges of wildfires. Instead, he joined the United States Marine Corps and became a sniper with the 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force based in Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Through his service, Bosselmann earned a number of military honors, including a Humanitarian Service Medal for aiding Iraqi citizens. During his second tour of duty in Iraq, the 21-year-old was killed doing a house to house search on Nov. 27, 2004, while fighting insurgents near Fallujah, Iraq. Before deploying, Bosselmann made all of the arrangements for his funeral wanting the gathering to be a celebration of his life. A bridge over the Monocacy River on Md. 355 near Urbana now bears a plaque for Bosselmann. The bridge is inside the land designated for Monocacy National Battlefield just by the New Jersey Monument. The spot is a special place for his family as they would start canoe trips there years ago.
The monument was the idea of John Wilcox Jr., who was the national executive director and past national commander of the 29th Division Association. He was inspired by the Korean Veterans War Memorial on Interstate 70. The Maryland General Assembly passed a bill to dedicate the highway in 2004 to the 115th Infantry Regiment. Later, the Maryland State Highway Administration placed temporary signs at the northern and southern ends of U.S. 15. The infantry was formed in 1917 as part of the American Expeditionary Force during World War I. The regiment again served its country during World War II and was part of Operation Overload, which was the first troops ashore during the landings of Normandy, France. Servicemen helped to clear Omaha Beach. After World War II, the infantry became a part of the U.S. Army National Guard after several reorganizations and deactivations. The 115th did not see any action for 50 years. However, as part of the National Guard, the regiment served in Bosnia, Afghanistan and Kuwait. The regiment contains units from Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina and West Virginia. Located in the median of U.S. 15 in Frederick County near the Maryland/ Pennsylvania border.
HONORING OUR VETERANS
SSGT Charles I. Cartwright United States Marine Corps
Union Bridge resident was killed in action in Farah province, Afghanistan, on November 7, 2009, while supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. BY GINA GALLUCCI-WHITE
As a Union Bridge resident, Charles I. Cartwright would take Md. 194 often as a student at Walkersville High School. He was a member of the 2001 graduating class.
DeMolay Frederick chapter, achieving the rank of Chevalier.
Today, just before the Walkersville town line near Devilbiss Bridge Road, a sign dedicates the well traveled road in his honor. There is farmland on both sides and views of the hills as well as the sunrise in the early morning hours. The sign is often decorated with red, white and blue decor.
Inbetween his tours, he Road sign located lived in California, where he just before the loved to be active. Cartwright got married to his Walkersville wife Marissa in 2008 and the couple could often town line on Md. 194 be found walking along the beach with their dog.
Cartwright joined the United States Marine Corps on Sept. 9, 2001 – two days before the deadliest terror attack in United States history. During his eight years of service, he served five tours of duty in both Iraq and Afghanistan and received 22 honors, including three Purple Hearts and the Silver Star Medal. He was a member of the Marine Special Operations Company A.
Cartwright was 26 years old when he was killed on Nov. 7, 2009, in Farah province of Afghanistan during his fifth tour of duty. He was posthumously promoted to staff sergeant.
While living in Maryland, he was a member of the Johnsville Methodist Church as well the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 8806 in Union Bridge. He was also a part of the Maryland
His parents, Howard and Carol Ann Cartwright, created the SSgt. Charles I. Cartwright USMC Memorial Scholarship Fund through the Community Foundation of Frederick County. The scholarship is awarded to Walkersville High School seniors and alumni.
1LT Robert Seidel III Located on Md. 140 bridge over U.S. 15 in Emmitsburg
US Army – Iraq Campaign
Emmitsburg resident was killed in action in Baghdad, Iraq, on May 18, 2006, while supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. BY CRYSTAL SCHELLE
Army 1st Lt. Robert A. Seidel III was 23 when he died during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Seidel, of Gettysburg (formerly of Emmitsburg), was a member of the Class of 2000 at Catoctin High School and graduated in 2004 from the U.S Military Academy at West Point. He was a rifle platoon leader in Company B, 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment of the 10th Mountain Division in Fort Drum, New York. He died May 18, 2006, after sustaining injuries when an improvised explosive device detonated during combat in Baghdad. He was the son of Robert Jr. and Sandra Giannini Seidel. According to his obituary, Seidell loved country music and hanging out with friends. He was also an altar server for St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in his younger years. 18 A Tribute to Veterans Day ı November 2023
In high school, he was a high school representative for the parish council. He played football and baseball for Catoctin High. In his memory, his parents set up a scholarship and another fund through the Community Foundation of Frederick County. The 1LT Robert A. Seidel III Memorial Scholarship Fund awards scholarships to graduating seniors from Catoctin High School who exhibit academic promise, have participated in at least one varsity sport during their senior year, demonstrate an outstanding record of community service, and are active in their faith. The 1LT Rob Seidel Wounded Soldiers Fund awards grants to nonprofit organizations who support wounded soldiers with medical treatment, housing assistance, psychological counseling, physical and occupational therapies, companionship, mentoring and employment training. A special supplement of The Frederick News-Post
HONORING OUR VETERANS
SGT John F. Plunkard United States Army
Frederick resident was killed in action in the Thua Thien province of Vietnam on April 8, 1968, while supporting the Vietnam War. BY GINA GALLUCCI-WHITE
John F. Plunkard was dubbed “The Golden Toe” for his kicking ability as a member of the Frederick High School football team. He broke both legs while playing the game and his brother Joe Plunkard remembers him being in bed with casts on and his brother letting him sign them. After high school, John Plunkard volunteered to join the United States Army during the Vietnam War. A paratrooper in the 173rd Airborne Brigade, he received several honors including, the Bronze Star, and saved a man’s life while on duty. On his second tour of duty, the 21-year-old was killed in action on April 6, 1968. After John’s death, the boys’ mother began writing a poem around the anniversary and would have it published in The Frederick News-Post. When she could no longer write the poem, Joe decided to write one on the anniversary and has continued the tradition for three decades. “I get a lot of comments on it,” Joe Plunkard said. “ People that knew my brother look forward to it.” He’s kept every one he’s had published. Writing the poem gets harder every year. “I’ve often wondered if he had lived what would have happened in his life and how my life would have been affected from it,” Joe Plunkard said. “He was my mentor. He taught me a lot of good things and I still do them today.” In 2018, the bridge on Biggs Ford Road over the Monocacy River became the first Frederick County bridge to be dedicated to a local Vietnam veteran, Sgt. John Plunkard, as noted by The Frederick News-Post. Spearheaded by Joe Plunkard, John’s bridge is the Md. 355 bridge over I-70. The Plunkards grew up about a half a mile from the bridge. John is buried nearby at Mount Olivet Cemetery. Joe Plunkard makes sure to keep a ribbon attached to John’s sign throughout the year.
A special supplement of The Frederick News-Post
Located on Md. 355 bridge over I-70.
2019 POEM SUBMISSION BY JOE PLUNKARD Time has flown by So very fast My thoughts of you Will always last To an unpopular war You fought and died My memories of you Are buried deep inside Medals were given In your name I’d rather you be here With me just the same My time here Will soon end Then we’ll be together Once again A Tribute to Veterans ı November 2023 19
HONORING OUR VETERANS
Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway Signs were erected to help erase the stigma of “The Forgotten War.” BY JACK WALKER
Today, I-70 commemorates Korean War veterans. Decades ago, local service members were still fighting to preserve their memory. Korean War Veterans Fred Becker, left, and Charles “Chip” Chipley lay the Korean War Veterans wreath during a ceremony in remembrance of the Korean War Armistice at Memorial Park.
A sign sits solemnly in a Myersville median, with the phrase “Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway” printed atop a background of vibrant blue. At its side, a large, stone relief of the Korean peninsula casts its shadow on grass below. Each time that 93-year-old Charles Chipley Jr., travels from his home in Frederick to Hagerstown, he spends a moment looking at the sign, reflecting on the storied past that brought its construction.
Signs commemorating I-70 as the Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway are in Frederick County near the Washington County line and near the Carroll County line.
20 A Tribute to Veterans Day ı November 2023
A special supplement of The Frederick News-Post
Decades before, Chipley followed in the footsteps of his father and enlisted in the United States Navy, setting sail to presentday South Korea to fight in the Korean War. Memories of maritime warfare at the Battle of Incheon still weigh heavy on his mind, but remind him of the value of his service. Years later, the New York native carved a home for himself in Maryland, and found community with local Korean War veterans, too. That’s how he found Chapter 142 of the Korean War Veterans Association, based in Frederick County. And that’s also how he came to play a part in the highway’s designation. In the early 2000s, the chapter formed a committee to determine ways it could honor the legacy of local Korean War veterans, Chipley recalled. He joined eagerly, and the group decided to encourage state lawmakers to name the entirety of I-70 in honor of those who served in the Korean War. Historically, the Korean War has often been referred to as the “forgotten war,” because it was overshadowed by the fallout of World War II. For veterans like Chipley, that meant people at home were not always tuned into what was happening across the Pacific Ocean. “People didn’t know where Korea was,” Chipley said. While family and friends were excited by his safe return, many people had not followed what happened. In the years that followed, pushes from veterans and military service members nationwide bolstered the recognition of the U.S. Korean War veterans. That context helped the Frederick chapter conceptualize ways to cast the memory of local veterans into stone, Chipley said. After discussions, the chapter found lawmakers were only willing to designate a portion of the highway in memory of Korean War veterans — the segment that crosses through Frederick County. In 2002, the Maryland General Assembly passed a bill that named this portion of the highway the Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway. In 2004, ornate stone signs commemorating the road as much were erected near Myersville and Mount Airy. The chapter also spearheaded the creation of a Korean War veterans memorial in downtown Frederick: a small, stone monument in Memorial Park, which lists the names of service members who were killed in action. While it was not all they had set out for, the group counted it as a win, Chipley said. And, to this day, it serves as a source of residual pride for Frederick’s veterans. “Every time I go by the monument, you can see the state keeps it up pretty good,” Chipley said of the highway sign’s quality and its surrounding landscaping. “Naturally, it makes me very proud to have a part in fighting for freedom in Korea.” A special supplement of The Frederick News-Post
—HONORING— HONORING Our Heroes Who Served
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