‘An eye on our communities’
A monthly product of the
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Cleveland ● Francis Creek ● Kellnersville ● Kiel ● Mishicot ● Newton ● Osman ● School Hill ● Reedsville ● St. Nazianz ● Valders ● Whitelaw ● Branch
VIRGINIA PARLATO MISHICOT
Mishicot plans festive 2010 holiday season
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Willard Matthias of Cleveland stands before the Wisconsin column at the WWII Memorial in Washington, D.C, where he visited Matthias gets a hero’s welcome from his wife, Alice, after returning from Washington, D.C. Photos by Janet Brandes on a Stars and Stripes Honor Flight.
Cleveland vet treated to red, white, blue day W
illard Matthias’s life of service came full circle on Nov. 6 when he visited Washington, D.C., via a Stars and Stripes Honor Flight. The true start of his journey to the nation’s capitol began earlier, in 1944, when he was 18 years old and drafted into the Army. He left Cleveland and a job at his family’s dairy for antiaircraft artillery schools in Texas, California and Washington. His next stop was Hawaii for jungle training and then Okinawa, where he joined the 504th Antiaircraft Unit. World War II ended in 1945, but Matthias’s service continued. He remained in Okinawa doing guard duty, working in the motor pool and supervising Japanese prisoners of war. One of his most vivid
memories is seeing starving Okinawan villagers standing knee deep in the Army dump scavenging for food. “To this day,” Willard says, “I don’t waste food.” The long trip home was also traumatic. His ship ran into a typhoon and half of the 5,000 troops aboard were ill down below. Many had to be carried off on stretchers when the boat finally docked. Willard, however, weathered the storm and was able to work on the top deck. Back in the States, he joined the newly formed Cleveland VFW Post. He has continued to be an active member for 63 years. He also resumed work at the dairy as a licensed cheese maker.
Honor flight An early morning flight from Milwaukee took
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The Mishicot Historical Museum hosts its “Christmas at the Museum” celebration with new decorations this season. Local families, businesses, and
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Matthias, his escort, Janet Brandes of Collins, and his fellow World War II vets and their guardians to Washington, D.C., where they were warmly welcomed. The veterans boarded buses and rode with a full police escort to America’s shrines of freedom.
plane ride home. Willard received a thick envelope filled with letters of appreciation from students at Cleveland Elementary School and members of his family. Despite the intense activities all day, “no one slept on the plane ride home,” said Matthias. One last surprise awaited the veterans. Well-wishers 10 deep lined the airport. Waving flags, banners and pictures, the huge crowd welcomed “The Greatest Generation” home. Matthias reflected recently on his memorable day. He brings out a jacket that all the veterans received for the flight. The words of Joe Demler, a World War II prison camp survivor, are printed on the back. “Please end the story with his words,” Matthias requests. “Every Day is a Bonus.”
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The first stop was the World War II Memorial on the Mall between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. Dedicated in 2004, the monument features scenes from the Atlantic and Pacific fronts, a rainbow pool, massive eagle sculptures, 56 columns representing the states and territories and a wall of 4,000 stars, one commemorating every one hundred Americans who died in World War II. Many hands were shaken and cameras flashed as the vets visited their memorial. The whirlwind day continued with stops at the Iwo Jima Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery for the changing of the guard, the Air Force Memorial and the Glass Contemplation Wall. Culminating the day was a mail call on the
he holiday season in Mishicot is sure to be festive this year. Music will fill the air throughout the month of December. All of the events are free and open to the public. Mishicot schools will help us celebrate with holiday concerts. The Mishicot Elementary School presents its holiday concert on Dec. 14. Students in kindergarten through second grade perform at 1 p.m. and grades 3-5 perform at 6:30 p.m. The high school concert is scheduled for 2 p.m. Dec. 19. This concert includes a performance by the 9th Annual Community Choir. Members of the community will perform Vivaldi’s “Gloria” with the students. The Mishicot middle school concert will be at 7 p.m. Dec. 20. The Mishicot High School swing choir, “Soundwave” will carol throughout the village at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 22, weather permitting.
19th & Franklin Streets, Manitowoc, WI • (920) 684-6353
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