TO VETERANS November 2012
Yesterday Today Tomorrow
Defenders
of
A special publication of the Sidney Daily News
Freedom
2 • Saturday, November 10, 2012
2012 SALUTE TO VETERANS
Sidney Daily News
Veterans program set for courtsquare Sidney Mayor Mike Barhorst will be the speaker for Shelby County’s 2012 Veterans Day services Nov. 11. Barhorst is president of Lehman Catholic High School. The annual program on Sidney’s courtsquare begins at the World War 1 Armistice’s traditional hour of 11 a.m. Shelby County Veterans services Officer Ed Ball will serve as master of ceremonies. Cermonies will begin as Chuck Craynon and Dick Snider lower the flag, followed the National Anthem per-
formed by Lehman High School student Millie Wildenhause. Dwight Mullins will deliver the invocation and Amvets members will place the memorial wreaths. Mayor Barhorst will be introduced by Services officer Ball. A rifle salute by the American Legion Post 217 Firing Squad and the playing of Taps will follow the speaker’s remarks and Chaplain Mullins will deliver a benediction. Service veterans Craynon and Snider will raise the flag to conclude
BARHORST the services. This year’s program was arranged by Amvets Post 1986 with the assistance of American Legion Post 217 and VFW Post 4239, organized by the veterans service office.
CHUCK CRAYNON raises the American flag during a Veterans Day memorial last year on the court square. SDN Photo/Luke Gronneberg
Local VFW posts actively serve veterans about 9,000 posts worldwide with some 2.4 million members. Local posts are active in Sidney, Versailles and Minster, following the VFW tradition of support and providing veterans a place to enjoy the company of other veterans. Sidney VFW Post 4239 was established in 1945 and is now located at 2841 Wapakoneta Ave. Chicken and fish dinners are held, raising funds to
Many Thanks to All Our Veterans for Our Freedom. 107 E. STATE STREET, BOTKINS, OH
Call 937-693-3263
sponsor scholarships and the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program for youth that is directed by local law enforcement. The Sidney post also provides support for veterans going to the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Dayton. The quartermaster is Roger Morrow and the Commander is Thomas Kinninger. Meetings are at 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month. The VFW Post in Ver-
sailles, established in 1943, meets in the Memorial Building, 106 S. Center St., which it shares with the local American Legion post. It provides military services and assistance to servicemen and women needing transportation to the VA Hospital and the Veterans Service Commission. Versailles VFW also provides flags for poles in downtown Versailles for holidays. The quartermaster is
Dale Dickmann, and the Commander is Timothy Wagner. Meetings are at 7 p.m. in the second Wednesday of the month. Minster VFW members meet in the American Legion Hall at 46 S. Cleveland St. The post provides military funeral
services with a firing squad and participates in Memorial Day services. Members meet at 7:30 p.m. the first Tuesday each month. The quartermaster is Charles Hoying, and the Commander is Norbert Otting.
On the cover... Korean War U.S. Army veteran Richard Evans, of Hardin, waits to perform a rifle salute with the American Legion Post 217 firing squad during Veterans Day services on courthouse square Friday. SDN Photo/Luke Gronneberg
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Veterans of Foreign Wars, the nation’s oldest veterans organization, has been supporting both members and their communities since 1913 when groups founded by SpanishAmerican War veterans, American Veterans of Foreign Service and the Colorado Society Army of the Philippines joined forces to secure benefits. Since then, the organization has grown to
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2012 SALUTE TO VETERANS
Sidney Daily News
Saturday, November 10, 2012 • 3
VETERANS FROM the Vietnam War and World War II participated in a wreath laying ceremony at the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C. in September.
SDN Photo/Melanie Speicher
They didn’t ask to be heroes, but they are By Melanie Speicher
The ninth trip for veterans is planned for Sept. 20-22, 2013. More details on the trip will be released in the new year. The three-day bus trip includes stops at Ar-
September, veterans from the Vietnam War They served their went on the trip. More country in a time of than 35 veterans, along need. And now, thanks to with one WWII veteran the residents of Shelby made the trip. County and the surWreath-laying cererounding area, veterans of World War II, "As we express our gratitude, we monies have been the Korean War and must never forget that the highest held at the Korean the Vietnam War appreciation is not to utter words, War, World War II and Vietnam Wall have had the opporbut to live by them." Memorial Wall. The tunity to visit Wash-John Fitzgerald Kennedy names of all Shelby ington, D.C., to see County residents the memorials built in lington National Cemewho lost their lives in all their honor. tery, where the veterans, three wars are read durThe Shelby County their caregivers and voling the ceremonies. Vets to D.C. organization watch the The trip gave the has hosted eight trips to unteers changing of the guard at Vietnam veterans, who the nation’s capital. the Tomb of the Unfought in a war AmeriMore than 200 veterans known Soldier. They also cans didn’t support, the have made the trips, visit the Marine Memoopportunity to begin a which have been held in May and September for rial and Air Force Memo- healing process which rial. has taken more than 40 the past four years. During the trip in years to happen.
Hero - a person admired for courage, achievements and noble qualities wants to pay to all our Fair Haven tribute heroes, fallen Shelby County Home and living www.FairHavenServices.com
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2012 SALUTE TO VETERANS
4 • Saturday, November 10, 2012
Maurita Riddle
Sidney Daily News
Clarence Riddle
Photos Provided
Riddles proudly served during WWII Maurita “Rita” Riddle served in the U.S. Navy as a WAVE and worked in a hospital in Texas during World War II. She was an Ohio native and married Clarence Riddle, who served in the U.S. Army. Clarence was born in Sidney in 1915 and died in 1980. He served in the Philippines and South Pacific Islands during World War II. The couple married while Clarence was on leave. Rita served as grand marshal for the Sidney Memorial Day parade in 1988 and was a life member of the local Disabled American Veterans.
The Veterans Honorable Service Grant
Prayer for those in active service By E. Rita Heitkamp
O God, we beseech thee, watch over those exposed to the horrors of war, and to the dangers of a soldier’s or sailor’s or airman’s life. Give them a strong faith and may they be ready to meet death, if it may happen.
Be with them on the battlefield, and if they should be called, to make the supreme sacrifice, obtain for them, that they may die in the grace of thy divine son. Amen The writer lives in New Bremen.
Celebrating your service to our country Retired veterans who have faithfully served out country may be eligible to apply for a Veterans Honorable Service Grant for use at an Ohio Presbyterian Retirement Services (OPRS) community.
Dawn Andrews-Clark
1266 Wapakoneta Ave. Sidney
For more information, please contact Lu Ann Presser at 937.497.6542
937-492-6066 2332890
3003 W. Cisco Rd., Sidney 2332861
2012 SALUTE TO VETERANS
Sidney Daily News
Saturday, November 10, 2012 • 5
Most decorated living military man speaks out Medal of Honor hero reveals humanitarianism of flyboys in Vietnam among the children. Brady also tells the forgotten story of America’s indigenous allies in Vietnam, including the Montagnards, a fierce
warrior society that lost half of its adult male population in support of the American effort in Vietnam. Most importantly, Brady tells the story of “Dust Off,” the helicopter rescue program that achieved legendary status during the Vietnam War because of the willingness of pilots to prioritize rapid reaction time even in the face of extreme danger. Maj. Charles Kelly, the almost mythical father of “Dust Off,” set the example of the heroic creed of the air ambulance program. Kelly had to fight both on and off the battlefield to secure the position of “Dust Off” as an independent and autonomous unit with its
own moral code that put patient survival first. Kelly died in combat after flying into thick enemy fire. His last words, “When I have your wounded,” set the example for everyone who was to follow. Brady and his fellow pilots spent the remainder of the war trying to live up to Kelly’s standards. Brady himself personally rescued over 5,000 wounded in over 2,000 combat missions. He credits his survival in the war to God. He says, “I cannot emphasize enough the role my faith played in any success I have had.” When flying helicopters into almost zero visibility, with death all around, Brady says “God’s good will” was indispensable in coming out alive on the other side. Unfortunately, Brady’s thrilling tale of courage and faith in Vietnam has more troubling modern implications. He contends that the U.S. Army has forgotten lessons that so many died for. “I am afraid that Charles Kelly is turning over in his gave,” writes Brady. The Army has placed the “Dust Off ” mission under the control of Combat Arms Aviation. This means that “Dust Off” operations have lost their autonomy and are
subject to a torturous approval process before missions can be launched. According to Brady, risk analysis is prioritized above reaction time and the “Golden Hour” that is critical to the survival rate of wounded soldiers. Most importantly, the essential creed of “Dust Off ” is being compromised. Current pilots see the problems but are afraid of speaking out because of repercussions. For example, a wounded soldier was left overnight in the cold on a mountain in Afghanistan, even though the enemy was on the other side. Even
CARE
relatively safe rescue missions are not being approved. “Dust Off” helicopters are also the oldest in the fleet with potentially deadly consequences for troops. Brady contends that the main problem are “obsessive command and control issues and ignorance among the ASO (Aviation Staff Officers); the lack of a champion and leadership in the Medical Corps are contributing favors.” High ranking officials, including four-star generals and senators, have heard the about problems but seem unwilling to do anything that will actually solve them, he
said. Brady calls for a return to the founding principles of “Dust Off,” with air ambulance operations prioritizing saving patients and wounded soldiers above everything else, and with specialized pilots and equipment wholly dedicated to a medical mission. “Dead Men Flying” is not just a revisionist look at the Vietnam War. It’s a combat thriller, a testimony to the power of faith, and a powerful challenge to the political and military leadership of the United States that is repeating the mistakes of the past.
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America’s most decorated living veteran is presenting a radical new perspective on the Vietnam War with important lessons for American foreign policy today. WND books is reissuing “Dead Men Flying – Victory in Viet Nam, The Legend of Dust Off: America’s Battlefield Angels,” by Gen. Patrick Henry Brady and his daughter, Capt. Meghan Brady Smith. Gen. Brady, a recipient of the Medal of Honor, says that America’s greatest victory in Vietnam was humanitarianism. As commander of the 54th Medical Detachment, Gen. Brady led his unit as it rescued over 21,000 wounded – enemy and friendly – in 10 months, while sustaining injuries that resulted in 26 Purple Hearts. It’s a story that Gen. Brady says has been all but neglected as many historians and pundits seem determined to view the Vietnam War as a terrible American crime. By contrast, Brady provides many examples of how American servicemen and medical personnel risked their lives to care for the Vietnamese people. They also brought new technology and technical know-how to win the “hearts and minds” of the Vietnamese civilians, including introducing basic dentistry and solving protein deficiencies
2012 SALUTE TO VETERANS
6 • Saturday, November 10, 2012
RALPH KEMP
ARTHUR KEMP
DONALD KEMP
JAMES KEMP
DAVID KEMP
Sidney Daily News
THOMAS KEMP
STEVE KEMP
ROBERT FRIDLEY
Kemp family quick to answer call to duty Don recalls her reaction the day Ralph left for basic. “Mom took him to the top of Sulfur Hts. Hill here in Sidney and let him out of the car to hitchhike to Fort Knox in Kentucky,” states Don. “She said watching her baby go off to war was the hardest thing she ever had to do. But one by one, all four of us that were able to enter the military followed in his steps.” Ralph was followed by is brother, Art, who was a tail gunner in a B-17 as a part of the 351st Bomb Group, 508th Squadron in the United States Air force. He flew 35 missions with his first mission flying over Berlin. Art now lives in Bellefontaine. Another brother, Jim, also went into the Army and spent his four years in the Signal Corp. as a tele-typewriter. His job required very high security clearance with a complete FBI check from the Shelby County Law Enforcement agencies before he could get the job. He served in Hawaii for three years. Don was drafted in 1952 and served his two years in the motor pool and as a mail courier. “I was headed for Korea, but was fortunate enough to be one of the few men who were held back in Japan,” adds Don. Four brothers from the same family, four unique experiences. But as the Kemp men came back from their stint in the military, they knew it was their duty to do what they did. There was no question about what they had done and no regrets. But the casualties did hit close to home. One young man who had lived next door to the Kemps, Richard Gump, was one of those casualties. “I remember Rich sitting on our porch shortly before he went into the service,” recalls Martha Kemp Skeens, sister to the Kemp brothers. “He told us that he didn’t think he would make it back alive. He was so certain.”
The Staff and Members a t t he Seni or Center Sa lut e an d Ho no r Ou r W o nd erfu l Veter an s .
“He was only over there for a few weeks before he was killed in action during WWII,” adds Don. As the young men and Martha began their own families, they would once again experience that moment when it would become necessary to watch their babies leave home to go to war. Ralph had three sons along with Martha’s son who also answered the call to military. “Robert enlisted into the Navy where he was a boiler technician,” recalls Martha. “He spent four years, from 1966 to 1970 and during the Vietnam War, on the USS Wasp and the USS Little Rock in the Mediterranean Sea in Italy. We were fortunate he wasn’t sent into Vietnam.” Ralph had to say those good-byes to his three sons, Dave, Steve and Tom. Steve went into the See Kemp page 7
The Pavilion extends a big thank you to all the troops and veterans.
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BY MARY ELLEN EGBERT On a day when the United States takes a moment to say thank you to its veterans, there is a family in Sidney that pays extra attention to the message. Within two generations of the Kemp family, eight of their young men have bravely served their country when called. Ralph, Art, Don and Jim Kemp were brothers who served during the 40’s and 50’s and witnessed history as it unfolded. Ralph, the oldest, knew he was going to be drafted. He also knew that a group of young men from the Sidney State Highway Department were being sent to a unit where his skills as a combination welder would help keep him out of harm’s way, so he enlisted in the Army to be assigned to that unit. “Back then you didn’t get drafted for a specific number of years,” begins Ralph. “You served for the duration of the war plus six months. I was fairly certain I would get into the unit out of the Highway Dept., but in November of 1943, I was sent overseas. “My first stop was England for seven months. I was in the 329 Harbor Craft Unit. Then my orders took me to Omaha Beach just three weeks after the invasion. I remember the first night there like it was yesterday. We had to dig foxholes on the beach and in the night, German planes flew over us. “We couldn’t see it at the time, but we had a 90mm anti-aircraft gun covered with camouflage that began shooting and brought the plane down. I was sweating bullets all night. “We could see another unit building a cemetery on top of the hill off the beach where American soldiers were buried. There are about 6000 graves up there. I spent the next two years in the European Theatre of operations before I came home.” Being the first of her sons to go into the military,
2012 SALUTE TO VETERANS
Sidney Daily News
Saturday, November 10, 2012 • 7
Vornholt husband and wife serve nation BY KAREN VORNHOLT Our son, Wayne, and his wife, Amanda, have been serving in the U.S. Army since December 1996. Both are majors and currently are at Ft. Leavenworth, KS. Each has had three deployments to Iraq or Afghanistan and each has served in Korea. Amanda just left Iraq, and subsequently Kuwait in May 2012. Their daughter, Chloe, was three years old when we first flew to Germany to bring her to
live with us while Wayne and Amanda were deployed to Iraq. She’s 13 years old now. As Americans we have it so good in this country - able to go on about our lives almost without realizing we have been in “wartime” for years. Past generations have felt a definite “wartime” and “peacetime”— an end of war or a treaty would be celebrated. An end to rationing could be anticipated, homecomings were cause for jubi-
lation. Many Americans seem separated from the realities of war and our troops who are serving. We have great gratitude that we do not have these conflicts at home. Here are a few comments that help put things in perspective for me: The War on Terror— the longest war in US history—-we just began our 12th year in this war. War in Afghanistan began Oct. 7, 2001
War in Iraq began March 20, 2003 and ended December 2011. Americans Over 6,000 U.S. troops killed Over 49,000 U.S. troops wounded Additional civilian and non-US coalition troop casualties as well Less than 1 percent of Americans are currently serving in the military Photo Provided compared to over 9 per- THE 115TH Support Brigade Battalion, with Major cent who served in Amanda Vornholt standing at left, front. WWII. Unlike WWII, now ceased making cars and coupon for one pair of there is no draft and the began turning out tanks shoes per year. When I think about current war is not na- and bombers. Everyone participated not having actual conflict tionalized. Examples: In in the WWII effort be- on our soil, not having WWII typewriter compacontinued from page 6 nies had to make rifles cause of rationing of rationing, manufacturers sugar, butter, gasoline, being able to make whatArmy but was injured during his and photos they have forgotten they and piano manufacturrubber, etc. Example: ever I need - I am truly ers produced airplane training that kept him from going into had, they share what they consider an Each person received a happy and thankful! combat. He served his country sta- evolution of the military as they un- engines. Ford Motor Co. tioned state side for two years. derstand it. Besides being glad that “Dave and Tom were both in Viet- all their loved ones came home safely, nam at the same time,” adds Ralph. they observe that the enemies our sol“Dave enlisted in the Navy and Tom diers face today are very different into the Air Force. Dave and his wife than when they served. “There are not distinguishable had a son, Adam, who was born with a heart deformity which took his life. sides anymore,” adds Jane. “The The family always wondered if it was- enemy is different, they are terrorists. n’t the Agent Orange that Dave was That is very scary. It was scary back exposed to that caused that defor- then too, but not like it is today. I remember I had a calendar that I mity.” Two generations and eight veter- marked off every day that Don was ans in the same family may be con- gone and the date he would be back. sidered rare today, but these young Keeping track of his return helped me men entered into that responsibility get through it.” “Something I find that has changed BROTHER, FATHER, GRANDPA not questioning their roles in history. too is that our country is showing And a little digging exposed that there more respect to the soldiers when OR AMERICAN HERO. • Companion Care were others who came before them in they return home from war,” adds ® At Comfort Keepers , we cherish those who • Housekeeping & Meals their family who lived up to their re- Martha. “I remember when our guys served our country. If you are a veteran or the sponsibilities as well. • Shopping & Errands came home, they just went back to surviving spouse of a veteran requiring Don’s wife, Jane Kemp, recalls the work. And when the Vietnam soldiers • Personal Care Services stories her mother tells of her first came back, well, that was just a in-home care, you may be eligible to receive • Incidental husband. “His name was Clarence shame how they were treated.” additional cash benefits from the Veterans Maxson,” she begins. “And he was As they hand down their legacy Transportation Administration or VA Hospital system. Learn killed in action during WWI. He from generation to generation, the how Comfort Keepers can bring comforting stepped on a landmine and was Kemp family has much to be proud of in-home care home to those who served. buried in Belgium. Even though he and thankful for. And to insure that wasn’t a blood relative to me, he was history is shared, Ralph has begun to still part of my family. organize his thoughts and experiCall For A Free In-Home Assessment “And my great grandfather served ences. 2011 CK Franchising, Inc. | An international network of Troy: (937) 335-6564 (877) 408-4848 ©independently during the Civil War. He was a drum“I’ve had a good life,” concludes owned and operated offices. mer boy. Isn’t that interesting?” Ralph. “I am ready to write my memAs the family brings up memories oirs to the next generation of Kemps.” 2333268
Kemp
2012 SALUTE TO VETERANS
8 • Saturday, November 10, 2012
Sidney Daily News
Bornhorst recalls action-packed WWII Naval service long some one would be fantastic sight. At These memories I’ll bumping their head into Hawaii, we dropped off never forget. We carried my hammock. My job the soldiers. two planes aboard. They aboard ship was a surWe went to the Ulithi would fly over the island face lookout. We were Islands next. From there and spot the targets for placed high up on the a group of ships and the us. By luck, I saw the crow’s nest. We had Idaho went to Iwo Jima, raising of the American strong binoculars that arriving on Feb. 14, five flay on Mt. Surabacki. I we would scan the ocean days before the invasion. never thought the picsurface and sky for We would fire on the ture taken of that event Japanese ships or Japanese military tar- would becomne the most planes. We were taught gets on the island all day famous picture of World how to identify their long. We would go out to War II. After about a planes and ships. sea at night and cruise month, Iwo Jima was seWe left San Francisco around. The next morn- cured. with many other ships. ing we would be back at We went to Guam for There were other battle- the island and bombard repairs, then back to the ships, aircraft carriers, some more. We did that Ulithi Islands for more cruisers, destroyers and for four days, then on the supplies. A group of destroyer escorts. They morning of February 19, ships, including us, all traveled in a zig-zag when we got back to Iwo headed for Okinawa. It route, all flying U.S. Jima, the sea was full of was sort of a repeat perflags. It was quite a sight ships. It was the day of formance like Iwo Jima. to see. At night they all the invasion. Stationed We were there about five traveled without any up in the crow’s nest, I days before the invasion. lights. On a full moon watched the invasion, The invasion was April RALPH BORNHORST See Bornhorst page 9 was a distribution center merton the Idaho went night, it was another like watching a movie. for the Navy. to San Francisco, CaliThey sent me to Bre- fornia to take on supPlease join us UNCH merton, Washington. I plies and a 1,000 or more R at Dorothy Love for B was assigned to serve on soldiers. The Idaho’s regthe USS Idaho. It was a ular crew was about battleship built in 1918. 2,400, so the ship was reIt had twelve 14-inch ally crowded. I had to Free & Open to the Public guns. The shells were sleep in a hammock that AMOS COMMUNITY CENTER about 6 feel high and 14 was tied to the ceiling inches in diameter. It right over a busy pasBU had some 8-inch guns sage way. I never got a NCH and many smaller anti- good night sleep until we In honor of Veterans Day, Dorothy Love and aircraft guns. From Bre- got to Hawaii. All night
“Brunch Bunch”
Thur. Nov. 15th at 9:30am
The Champaign Aviation Museum present...
“For the Love of the Lady” We will tell the epic story of the 8th Air Force and the heroic actions of the B-17 crews during the period of 1942-1945. This will be followed by how the Champaign Aviation Museum restored/re-built the B-17 bomber lovingly dubbed the Champaign Lady. The speaker will be Bill Albers. Bill has been a volunteer on the B-17 project for more than 2 years, is an active pilot with an instrument rating and a commercial license. He has a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering and served his younger days in the Royal Dutch Air Force as a jet aircraft mechanic. His reason for volunteering on this project is to preserve the history of the airmen who served in WWII.
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Dorothy Love Crafters will be holding their annual craft sale!
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Special guest, Jean Vallo, will speak on the "Honor Flight"
Come enjoy a hot brunch and celebrate or veterans! Please call Deb Sanders for reservations at 937.497.6543
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A Sidney area Navy veteran shares his vivid memories of World War II era experiences, including seeing enemy ships being sunk by U.S. forces. The following was written by Ralph Bornhorst of 10200 Fort Loramie Road. I was born Feb. 18, 1922. I left school after my sophomore year to help my father on the farm. I had six sisters and five brothers. I was the sixth one born in our family of twelve. My parents raised our family through the Great Depression, which wasn’t easy. We lived on a farm and we raised all our food. We had plenty of good food. We never had any money and our clothes were hand me downs. When the war started for the United States on December 7, 1941, I was still helping on the farm. I had a farm deferment so I wasn’t drafted into the military early on in the war. I was drafted by the Navy in September of 1944. I was 22 years old at the time. I took my basic training at Great Lakes Naval Training Center, near Chicago. I was on the farm my whole life, so I very seldom got out of Shelby County. My first train ride to Chicago, the basic training, and meeting men from all over the United States, was an overwhelming experience for me. Completing basic training in December, 1944, I went by train to Shoemaker, California, across the Rocky Mountains. I wondered if mountains could really be that big? Shoemaker
2012 SALUTE TO VETERANS
Sidney Daily News
Saturday, November 10, 2012 • 9
Reeves was prisoner of war PORT JEFFERSON - William Earl Reeves of Port Jefferson served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army. Reeves, joining in February, 1943, and went to Alabama for his basic training. After that he went to Virginia where he then left for Casablanca with the Third Division. Reeves was on Anzio and Southern France when he was captured and taken prisoner by the Germans for eight months. He was liberated by the Russians and returned to Lucky Strike, France, and eventually to Norfolk, Va. From there he was sent to Oklahoma and was discharged in October, 1945. He PORT JEFFERSON resident William Earl Reeves was a German prisoner of war. He is shown here as a young soldier and in a current photo. received seeral battle stars.
continued from page 8
Marion A. Vonderhuevel, Sr.
Josh Crawford
Corporal, Third Air Wing Veteran of Korea 1952-1954
Sgt., 2/2 Warlords Veteran of Iraq 2003 OIF II - 2004 OIF III Two Purple Hearts
UNITED STATES ARMY
UNITED STATES ARMY
William A. Sieberg Technician Fourth Grade 562nd Ordinance Heavy Maintenance Company Tank Veteran of World War II 1943-1945
UNITED STATES ARMY
Art Pequinot
PFC, Engineer 665th 5 Bronze Stars Veteran of World War II
Gary L. Gross 2310156E
UNITED STATES MARINES
2310156B
UNITED STATES MARINES
the news came that the war was over there was one fantastic celebration in Leyte Gulf. All the ships were shooting rockets in the air and blowing horns. We went to Tokyo Bay to help secure Japan. We were there when they signed the Peace Treaty. We left Tokyo Bay and returned to Hawaii. We passed through the Panama Canal on our way home. The ship was so very wide, I could have stepped on either side of the walls of the canal. Then we went to the Norfolk, Va. Navy Yard. There we started to put the Idaho into so-called moth balls. We put plastic covers over all the guns, etc. Some years later the Idaho was sold to the Gillette Company, which I’m told made razor blades out of it. In early May they started taking all the crew off. I hitchhiked all the way home with my big seabag of all my belongings. That was another experience. I was discharged from the U.S. Navy May 29, 1946.
Sgt - Btry B - 8th /4th Arty Veteran of Vietnam 1967-1968
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was pumped full of air pressure. When the suicide plane blew this hole in our side, it just blew a hole in that tank. The high air pressure stopped a lot of the concussion. If the suicide plane would of hit about 40 feet higher, it probably would have taken me out. Lucky me!!!! These suicide planes would come over every day and all the ships would be firing their anti-aircraft guns at them. It was like a big Fourth of July fireworks display. There were some shot down. They would fly real low over the water making it hard to hit them for fear of hitting the other ships. I have a piece of the suicide plane about as big as a dinner plate. Okinawa was secured in July. We went to the Leyte Gulf, on the southern part of the Philippines. There they repaired the hole that the suicide plane blew in our side. On August 14, 1945 Japan surrendered, after two atomic bombs were dropped on Japan. When
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1, 1945, Easter Sunday. I watched the invasion again like on Iwo Jima. I could tell where the battle front line was located. The United States side had trucks, tanks, Jeeps, soldiers walking around and lights on during the night. Watching the Japanese side, you would never see any movement unless our troops would force them out into the open. While the battle was going on day after day, the Japanese started to send suicide planes (Kamikazes) over the Navy. They came nearly every day. I saw many small ships and aircraft carriers get hit and sunk. One day it became our turn, and one suicide plane hit us right above the water line. It blew about a 10 foot by 10 foot hole in our side. It didn’t bother us much, because our ship had 14 inches of solid steel around the outside. To give us more protection, they had a four-foot wide tank welded on the outside of the 14 inches of steel. It
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Bornhorst
2012 SALUTE TO VETERANS
10 • Saturday, November 10, 2012
Sidney Daily News
Staley family long on military service Several members of a local family have served their country in the U.S. military, two or whom are now deceased and two who survive. Frederica Staley, wife of Harry Staley, offers the following: Master Sgt. Harry W. Staley was awarded two Bronze Stars for service above and beyond the call of duty in World War II while serving in Reyensburg, Germany. The citation noted, “He distinguished himself by meritorious service as a platoon leader in a manner far superior to that normally expected for an individual. He volunteered and completed missions of great importance to communications.” Harry Staley was born and raised in Sidney and was an engineer for Dayton Power and Light Co. for 35 years. He died in California in 1976. The Staley’s’ son, Douglas A. Staley, was born in Sidney in 1947 and served in the U.S. Army at Ft. Lewis, Wash. and in Germany (1972). After his discharge he became a sheriff’s deputy in California. He died in 2000. John F. Staley, another son, was born in Sidney
i n
JOHN STALEY VIRGINIA MCMILLIN 1943 and served in the U.S. Army at Ft. Geo Meade, Md., with the Intelligence Division. He was honorably discharged in 1967. He entered California College of Law, Hastings, in San Francisco, and is currently a practicing attorney in California. Frederica Staley’s sister, Virginia A. McMillen, was a first lieutenant in the U .S. Army Nurse Corps, serving in the 124th Army Evacuation Station Hospital in Austria during World War II. She was honorably discharged in 1947, receiving the
DOUG STALEY HARRY STALEY World War II Victory Medal and the Army Occupation Medal. She is now retired, having served as a professor of nursing at the college of San Mateo, San Mateo, Calif. She was inducted into the Sidney City Schools Hall of Fame in 2010. She recently returned from the an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. for veterans to view the World War II Memorial. Frederica Staley and McMillen reside in Fresno, Calif.
Shelby County Draft Board Shown here are members of the Shelby County Draft Board during the 1940s. It was their responsibility to select names of young men to be called up for military service. Shown (l-r) are Lou Marrs, Clem Fogt, Emerson Deam, F. Smith, Janell Wooddell and Bill Milligan Sr.
Photo Provided
T/4 150th, Ordinance M.V.A. Veteran of World War II Served in New Caledonia, India, Australia, Philippines and Japan 1942 - 1946
Fireman 1st Class Veteran of World War II 1944-1946
Alfred H. Schlater
Bobby P. Gross
PFC Veteran of World War II
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Gunney Sgt., Retired Veteran of Grenada, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom and Somalia 21 years, 8 months service
Ralph Bornhorst
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John E. Mader 2310157B
Tim Caudill
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
UNITED STATES ARMY
Corporal 1103rd Air Force Veteran of World War II 1943-1946
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UNITED STATES NAVY
UNITED STATES ARMY
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UNITED STATES MARINES
2012 SALUTE TO VETERANS
Sidney Daily News
Saturday, November 10, 2012 • 11
Bolinger last ONG Vietnam vet to retire
Robert G. Swob
2310158C
A-2C Served 1951-1954 Veteran of Korea
and had to leave in order to make room for other helicopters ready to land. This whole process was further complicated with the helicopters arriving aboard ship flown by Vietnamese pilots. They did not have training to land on a ship so the whole deck had to be cleared because these pilots landed where ever they pleased and with a splat. After these aircraft were unloaded they
UNITED STATES ARMY
John Willard Ike 2310158B
David M. Ike
Photo Provided
Sergeant 1st Class Veteran of Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom 1983-2003
were immediately pushed overboard into the sea. Meanwhile the CH53’s were waiting for the all clear to land having used most of their fuel. I wondered what happened to all the refugees once they were onboard the ship. The Marines had to give up their bunks for the refugees. The Marines slept on the hangar floor. He assured me they had enough emergency ra-
tions to feed everyone. Andy doesn’t remember, but thinks they were dropped off in Thailand a couple days from the evacuation. It is so amazing that we have actual pictures of an event that is so often portrayed in movies. But what is even more amazing is that my husband was there. Andy was honorable discharged from the Ma See Bolinger page 12
UNITED STATES ARMY
UNITED STATES ARMY
Jarrod Howell
Everett McMaster
Sergeant 82nd Airborne, Ft. Bragg, NC Veteran of Iraq 9/05-1/06 and Afghanistan 1/07-4/08
Sergeant 832 Amphibious Creek Comp. Veteran of World War II 1944-1947
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BOLINGER chaotic without these soldiers maintaining order at the pickup sight. In fact, it was very hard to ascertain if there was room to land amidst the sea of people. Taking off became tenuous as well, as some of the evacuees would grab onto the back of the helicopter as they were leaving. It was about a 45-minute trip from the UPH, USS Okinawa to the pickup area. They airlifted the evacuees back to the ship. The day became more tense with each trip. After dropping off evacuees, the aircraft were given a “splash” of fuel
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
UNITED STATES ARMY
Major 3 tours OIF Currently AC/RC Fort Dix, NJ Vetern of Iraq 2000 - Current
ANDY BOLINGER is shown with a helicopter crew in Vietnam.
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Marine Helicopter Squadron, Andy was a participant of Operation Eagle Pull and Operation Frequent Wind in April of 1975. These operations were the evacuation of Phnom Penh, and Saigon. The U.S. Ambassador to Cambodia, John Gunther Dean, was a passenger aboard Andy’s aircraft during Operation Eagle Pull. Andy tells me that Operation Eagle Pull was very organized. They were given their mission and it was completed with order. Operation Frequent Wind however is a different story. He related to me that it was a very long, hectic, and tense day. Andy tells me that the Marine helicopters were landing between buildings on a paved area. They were to pick up refugees who were assembled there. Midway through the day, it appeared that some of the Vietnamese soldiers figured out that time was running out for their families to have the opportunity to leave. So it became extremely
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EDITOR’S NOTE The following account is provided by the wife of CW3 Andy Bolinger of Sidney, the last Vietnam veteran to retire from the Ohio Army National Guard. BY CLAUDIA BOLINGER In March of this year, the last Vietnam Veteran retired from the Ohio Army National Guard. He was CW3 Andy Bolinger, who retired from four years of active duty in the Marine Corps and 26 years of service in the OANG. CW3 Bolinger joined the Marine Corps in 1972. After boot camp at Paris Island he went to Millington, Tenn. to study helicopter maintenance. Then he completed a heavy helicopter maintenance course. During his four-year enlistment, Andy spent almost two years aboard LPH ships as a crew chief of a CH53 helicopter. The other two years were spent at Marine Corps Air Stations Cherry Point, New River and Santa Ana. Assigned to a heavy
2012 SALUTE TO VETERANS
12 • Saturday, November 10, 2012
continued from page 11
Donald J. Davis
Bob Berger
Donald Billing
TRP-L, 3 ED. SQDN, 3 ED. ACR, ARMOR. 1963-1965
Sgt. E-5 25th Inf. Div. Veteran of Vietnam April 1968 - April 1970
1st Lieutenant - Pilot 1942-1945 Veteran of World War II
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Donald T. Puthoff of Minster salutes the military service of his brother, Francis U. Puthoff . Francis was born March 2,1922, near St. Patrick, son of the late Bernard and Bertha (Menker) Puthoff. He served on active duty in World War II, volunteering in the U.S. Army on Nov. 1,1942 and being honorably discharged on July 7, 1946. Puthoff served in the South Pacific Luzon, New Guinea, and the Philippines. He was awarded the American Theater Service Medal, Asiatic Pacific Service Medal, Victory Medal and Philippines Liberation Service Medal with one star. Puthoff died April 26, 2009 and is buried in Interment Popular Hill Cemetery, Murlin Heights, Dayton.
UNITED STATES ARMY
Jim Loop 23110159B
Puthoff saw action in WWII
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
2310159D
UNITED STATES ARMY
UNITED STATES ARMY
DONALD T. PUTHOFF
Staff Sgt. 71st Infantry Regiment - 44th Infantry Division Veteran of World War II 1943-1945
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
James Gill
PFC 27th Air Force Base Randolph Field 1947-1949
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-rine Corps. After10 years of civilian life, he joined He was activated again in December of 2007. the Ohio Army National Guard in order to build a After training at Ft. Hood until March, he spent retirement income. He was allowed to keep the the remainder of 2008 at the Kuwait Naval Base rank he had attained in the Marine Corps. He as the battalion maintenance officer in the 134th started in the Guard as a Sergeant and worked his Field Artillery Battalion. The mission this time way to First Sergeant and then Warrant Officer. was as a security force. So the equipment he was Over the course of his Guard career, he became a charged with maintaining was hwmmvs. At the civilian technician and belonged to many different Naval Base, he worked with many different people units. He started his career as a heavy equipment there. He met a most interesting Marine who operator in the refueling unit in stayed in a room down the hall Oxford. Then after he was hired as It is so amazing that we from him. Captain Ken Bevel had a technician working on helicop- have actual pictures of an a prominent role in the movie ters, he joined the 107th Armored Fireproof. Andy tells me he is the event that is so often Calvary Regiment eventually befirst person to request an autoportrayed in movies. coming the First Sergeant of Comgraph from Captain Bevel who But what is even more also starred in Courageous which pany R. When it was time to go to amazing is that my Sergeants Major Course he opted was released last year. While at for Warrant Officers Course inthe Kuwait Naval base, he was husband was there. stead. Since becoming a warrant honored as the oldest Marine officer, he has worked on trucks, tanks and any- present at the Marine Corps Birthday Ball even thing with wheels, finishing his career with the though he belonged to the Army at the time. This 134th Field Artillery and the 1487th Transporta- honor gave his the privilege of cutting the birthday tion Company. cake with the youngest Marine in attendance. This When the war in Iraq began, he filled in as the proves the adage, “Once a Marine, always a MaUnit Maintenance Officer of the 1485th trans- rine”. portation unit and arrived in Balad Iraq in April At his retirement luncheon I was very proud to of 2003. He served at Anaconda until June of 2004. hear his commanders and colleagues speak about When they first arrived they were hauling cargo him. One commander mentioned that he had asked from Bagdad to Anaconda. And then when the air- for words describing Andy from guys in his unit. field was opened at Anaconda they hauled cargo They used words like, dedicated, tireless, and Macfrom Anaconda to Bagdad. Upon arriving at Ana- Gyver. Major Banta who was Andy’s commander in conda, Andy had to search for scrap metal to rein- the 1485th reminded me of a letter he had sent me force the doors on the cabs of the trucks because in which he said that they had an average operathey were not armored. He was able to keep 185 tional readiness of 95%. And that they were the pieces of equipment in working order. One thing I only unit to attain a 100% operational readiness found interesting was that although they arrived rate, which reflected highly on his maintenance ofin April, their tents did not have wood floors until ficer, my husband. I thought that was a fitting end November. to a very lengthy and interesting career.
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Bolinger
Sidney Daily News
2012 SALUTE TO VETERANS
Sidney Daily News
Saturday, November 10, 2012 • 13
USS Cod played major role in World War II; now open to visitors near Cleveland
Richard Naseman
2310160C
2310160B
Spec 4 278 Signal Corp. Veteran of Vietnam 4/1963 - 4 /1965
UNITED STATES ARMY
Marion P. Barton
Jerome Barton Master Sergeant 4 years of service European Theatre Veteran of World War II
Photo Provided Dutch sub from the grip of the reef. After removing the 56 Dutch sailors to safety, Cod destroyed the O-19 with two scuttling charges, two torpedoes, and 16 rounds from Cod’s five-inch deck gun. The Cod was home to 153 men for the two and a half-day run to the recently liberated Subic Bay naval base. After delivering the O-19 crew, Cod returned to her patrol area off the coast of Vietnam where she resumed See Cod page 14
UNITED STATES ARMY
UNITED STATES ARMY
Brian Naseman Master Sgt., Army National Guard, 108th Fwd. Support Co. Attached to 127th Inf., 32nd Inf. Brig. Combat team, Operation Iraqi Freedom 1990 - 2009 Killed in line of duty in Iraq.
war patrol that she would carve a unique niche for herself, not for destroying enemy ships, but for performing the only international submarine-to-submarine rescue in history. On the morning of July 8, 1945 Cod arrived at Ladd Reef in the South China Sea to aid the Dutch Submarine O-19 which had grounded on the coral outcropping. After two days of attempts at pulling O-19 free, the captains of both vessels agreed that there was no hope of freeing the
Private 6 months of service prior to being killed in action in North Africa Veteran of World War II
James Barton 18 months of service in Phillipines Veteran of World War II
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UNITED STATES ARMY
THE SUBMARINE USS Cod is shown tied up at the pier in Lake Erie near Cleveland. It is now open to visitors.
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UNITED STATES ARMY
sailors (watching for submarines) were tossed high into the air. The enemy ship started to sag in the middle, with both bow and stern rising, just as the second torpedo hit near the main mast causing the whole rear half of the Karukaya to disintegrate. A minute later, all six of Cod’s bow shots hit targets among the columns of enemy ships. Cod submerged to her 300-foot test depth and ran at her top underwater speed of 8.5 knots for 10 minutes to clear the firing point, which was clearly marked by the white wakes of Cod’s steam-powered torpedoes. The high-speed run had to be kept to 10 minutes to preserve as much of the submarine’s electric battery as possible for later evasive maneuvers. The firing point was quickly saturated with aircraft bombs and depth charges dropped by enemy escort ships. Between the explosions of enemy depth charges, Cod’s sonar operators could hear the sounds of several Japanese ships breaking up and the distinct firecracker sound of an ammunition ship’s cargo exploding. Cod’s own firecracker show soon followed: a barrage of more than 70 Japanese depth charges shook Cod in less than 15 minutes. After 12 hours submerged Cod surfaced 25 miles away from the attack area in the midst of a heavy night thunderstorm. It was on Cod’s seventh and final
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BY PAUL FARACE, Curator USS Cod Memorial CLEVELAND—U.S.S. Cod (SS 224), named after the world’s most important food fish, is a World War II era GATO class fleet submarine. The 312ft, (95-m) 1,525-ton submarine began her life on July 21, 1942 when her keel was laid at the Electric Boat Co., Groton, Conn. Cod was launched on March 21, 1943 under the sponsorship of Mrs. Grace M. Mahoney, wife of a veteran shipyard employee, and was placed in commission on June 21, 1943, under the command of CDR James C. Dempsey, USN. Dempsey had already won fame by sinking the first Japanese destroyer lost in the war while in command of a tiny, World War I-era submarine. It was on Cod’s third patrol, Dempsey’s last in command, that Cod fought her biggest battle. Tracking a massive Japanese convoy heading for Subic Bay in the Philippines on the night of May 10, 1944, Cod maneuvered into firing position just after sunrise. Cod fired three of her four stern tubes at the Japanese destroyer Karukaya before unloading all six of her bow tubes at two columns of cargo ships and troop transports. Dempsey watched as the first torpedo exploded under the destroyer’s bridge after a short, 26 second run. Both smoke stacks collapsed and dozens of enemy
2012 SALUTE TO VETERANS
14 • Saturday, November 10, 2012
continued from page 13
Robert C. Sargeant
2310161B
Cletus A. Link
Veteran World War II 1944 - 1946
Sergeant Veteran of World War II 1943-1946
UNITED STATES ARMY
UNITED STATES NAVY
Daniel Joseph Barhorst
OB Lindsey
3rd Class Gunnersmate USS Mobile Veteran of World War II 1942-1947
Sergeant Veteran of Iraq 5/1/02 - 3/13/09
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UNITED STATES ARMY
UNITED STATES NAVY
Robert L. Supinger Veteran of Korea 1953 - 1957
serve her as a memorial on the city’s lakefront. In January, 1976, the Navy gave guardianship of the submarine to the group. Cod began her career as a floating memorial in May of 1976 when she opened for public tours and quickly established herself as a popular tourist attraction. In 1986, the U.S. Department of the Interior designated Cod a National Historic Landmark.
Today, Cod is one of the finest restored submarines on display and is the only U.S. submarine that has not had stairways and doors cut into her pressure hull for public access. Visitors to this proud ship use the same vertical ladders and hatches that were used by her crew. Cleveland can claim partial credit as Cod’s birthplace, since the submarine’s five massive diesel engines were built by General Motors’ Cleveland Diesel plant on Cleveland’s west side. Cod is credited with sinking more than 12 enemy vessels totalling more than 37,000 tons, and damaging another 36,000 tons of enemy shipping. All seven of her war patrols were considered successful and Cod was awarded seven battle stars. Patrols 1, 2, and 3 were under the command of CDR James C. Dempsey, USN; patrols 4, 5, and 6 were under the command of CDR James “Caddy” Adkins, USN; and patrol 7 was under the command of LCDR Edwin M. Westbrook, Jr., USN. When recommissioned in 1951, Cod was under the command of CAPT. Francis E. Rich, USN, and was placed out of commission by CAPT. Joseph Adelman, USN. During WW II, U.S. submarines sank more than 55 percent of the Japanese ships lost, including more than 70% of her merchant fleet and more than 220 warships. They also conducted secret intelligence gathering missions and rescued more than 550 aviators who were forced to ditch at sea in enemy waters, including former President George Bush. The U.S. Navy lost 52 submarines with a loss of more than 3,500 men, or 22 percent of the submarine force. Cod is now docked in Lake Erie at Cleveland and is maintained and operated as a memorial to the more than 3,900 submariners who lost their lives during the 100 year history of the U.S. Navy Submarine Force. The public is invited to visit the boat daily between May 1 and Sept. 30 each year. School field trips are encouraged and can be arranged by telephone at 216-566-8770, or via e-mail at usscod@en.com .
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UNITED STATES NAVY
USS Cod hours of operation The USS COD Submarine is open for visitors every day — without exception — from May 1 through September 30. Our daily hours are 10am - 5pm Eastern time. (1000 - 1700). Please note: In order to allow even minimal time to visit the submarine our entrance gate will be closed at 4:30pm (1630). School field trips to COD have been very popular and are encouraged as an educational and entertaining experience for area youngsters. Free parking and substantial discounts from the already nominal admission fees are provided. Please call (216-566-8770), or use the e-mail address below to make arrangements for field trips. During our off-season our telephone is not answered, so please use e-mail to contact us. We are located on Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio at the western edge of Burke Lakefront Airport and about one block east of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Our Latitude/Longitude is: N 41° 30.6’/W 81° 41.5’ Admission charges are: Adults $7; Seniors and college students $6; Students (K thru 12) and active military with ID, $4; Children under 6 years, and military in uniform and wives and family of active duty submariners are admitted free; Inactive/Retired military $6. COD has limited free parking for our guests for the time of their visit to the submarine.
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boarding and sinking Junks carrying enemy supplies. During one of these “pirate-like” operations, a fiveman boarding party was stranded on a junk after Cod was strafed by a Japanese plane and forced to crash dive. It was several hours before Cod could surface to retrieve her boarding party. When she did, the horizon was littered with Junks. After a two-day search involving several U.S. submarines, the lost crewmen were recovered by the submarine Blenny. Highlights of the patrol, including the O-19 rescue and return of the lost boarding party, were recorded in color movies made by Norman Jensen, a Navy photographer, who was assigned to film Cod’s war patrol. The films were discovered in the National Archives in 1992. Cod returned to her Perth, Australia base on August 13, 1945, and was met at the dock by the men of the O-19 who invited their rescuers to a thank-you party. It was during the party that word of the Japanese surrender was received. Today, Cod’s battleflag and conning tower both carry a cocktail glass above the name “O-19” to commemorate the rescue and the party. Mothballed in 1946, Cod was recommissioned in 1951 to participate in NATO anti-submarine training exercises. Her Cold War voyages took Cod to St. John’s Newfoundland, as well as ports in Cuba and South America. During LANTFLEX’ 52 fleet exercise, Cod was credited with “sinking” a U.S. aircraft carrier. Cod was decommissioned in 1954 and placed in reserve. In 1959 she was towed through the newly opened St. Lawrence Seaway to serve as a naval reserve training vessel in Cleveland, Ohio. The veteran submarine was an instant hit with school children who visited her on field trips. In 1971, no longer useful as a training ship, Cod was stricken from the register of Navy ships. A handful of Clevelanders formed the Cleveland Coordinating Committee to Save Cod, Inc., to pre-
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Cod
Sidney Daily News
2012 SALUTE TO VETERANS
Sidney Daily News
Saturday, November 10, 2012 • 15
Other veteran organizations exist in Shelby county
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Specialist Veteran Iraqi Freedom 2004 - 2006
Staff Sergeant Veteran of Korea 1950 - 1954
support. However, they must constantly remember that, as Catholics, they are bound to serve God. Sidney AMVETS Post 1986 is also located on Fourth Avenue. Terry Cupp is AMVETS commander. Founded more than 60 years ago, the organization endeavors to provide fellow veterans the type of support they deserve. The effort takes many forms from the professional advice service officers offer on earned veterans benefits, to legislative efforts in Washington, D.C., to the work done by their hospital volunteers. Other AMVETS members involve themselves in a range of initiatives aimed at contributing to the quality of life in their local communities. The local post participates in Veterans Day and other events with its honor guard. The post can be reached at 497-1986.
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
UNITED STATES MARINES
James A. Short
Kristopher J. Short
Arthur W. Maurer
Tech Sergeant 9/9/1942 - 9/9/1945
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
UNITED STATES ARMY
UNITED STATES ARMY
CUPP
Dennis Hansey
William Carpenter Corporal - Combat Engineer Rescue Veteran of Vietnam 1960-1964
A2C 45th Tac Recon Veteran of Vietnam 1960-1964
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Willard Stombaugh served in the U. S. Army from 1942-1945. He drove food trucks to front line soldiers in the Philippines. Stombaugh's daughter is Brenda Riddle of Sidney and his son is Brent Stombaugh of Anna. After Stombaugh was discharged from the service, he drove for Shell, covering the Shelby County area. Stombaugh was born in 1915 and died in 2002.
SHERMAN
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Helped get food to soldiers
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WILLARD STOMBAUGH
Shelby County is also home to other organizations that help veterans and their families. The Disabled American Veterans have more than 1.2 million members focused on building better lives for disabled veterans and their families. Sidney’s DAV chapter meets the fourth Wednesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at American Legion Post 217 in Sidney. Billy J. Knasel is the commander of DAV Chapter 48. Since its founding in 1920, the DAV has been dedicated to a single purpose: building better lives for America’s disabled veterans and their families. Fidelity to that mission has required DAV to respond creatively and flexibly to changing and sometimes unpredictable challenges faced by its constituency. Whether disabled veterans have needed a voice on Capitol Hill, a nationwide service program, a transportation network or unique rehabilitation opportunities, DAV has focused its attention and resources to meet those needs. The DAV is totally funded by dues and contributions, receiving no federal funding. The Catholic War Veterans of Russia Post 661 is located at 2444 Kelch Road in Shelby County. Richard Sherman is the post’s commander. The primary objective of Catholic War Veterans is to make the nation aware of the struggle and needs of many veterans and their widows. The mailing address for the organization is Catholic War Veterans, Post Office Box 52, Russia, OH 45363. As survivors, members believe they have an obligation to their fallen brothers and sisters to inform the nation many veterans and their families need assistance, and their sacrifices for their country deserve to be treated with proper respect and
2012 SALUTE TO VETERANS
16 • Saturday, November 10, 2012
Sidney Daily News
BY LUKE GRONNEBERG Your turn... What can the American public do to support its military veterans?
GARY SOLLMANN
JAMES BRYANT
13977 Amsterdam Rd., Anna
225 West South St., Sidney
Vietnam Veteran, served from 1968-70, Army Artillery. Works at Sollmann Electric. “Support from their community.”
Retired, WWII Veteran, Infantry, 1944-1946. “A new president. Military finances should be built up, not cut down.”
TIM FALKE
RUSS BAKER
RICK PHILLIPS 4971 Hardin-Wapakoneta Rd., Sidney
Army, 1981-1986, AMVETS trustee, “Respect all veterans not just the ones you walk and talk with but the ones that are in the graveyards especially.”
TOM STAHL
JIM KREITNER
6210 North Washington Rd., Piqua
1539 Cedarbrook Pl, Sidney
658 Fair Rd., Sidney
Served 1970-1991, Marine Corps., “Americans can help sponsor legislation to assist veterans with jobs and educational opportunities to make it so that their military specialty training transfers to civilian experiences.”
BRIAN E. RICHARDSON 3236 West Russell Rd., Sidney
1457 Garfield Ave., Sidney
Served 1963-1965, U.S. Coast Guard, served in Vietnam. “Help them find jobs when they come home. That would be the main thing.”
AMVETS Post 1986 member. “We have many groups that supply different kinds of support to our veterans in active duty, from packing boxes for our troops on the front lines to folks that halp our wounded warriors.”
Served from 1972-1974, served in Vietnam, AMVETS Post 1986 financial officer. “We can’t help them unless they let us help them. We would like them to come to the AMVETS club and give us some ideas about what they’d like.”
Served 1978-1983, In the Army 101st Airborn. “Respect them more. On Veterans Day and Memorial Day show that they appreciate our service. Freedom isn’t free.”
UNITED STATES ARMY
Jeff Klipstine
BT3 (E-4) Veteran of Vietnam 1962-1966
BT2 USS Little Rock USS Wasp 1966-1970
Jeff Klipstine Sergeant 1 Bn 23 Inf. 1969-1970
2310163F
E-5, 3 years of service, Veteran of Vietnam 1963-1966
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E-5, MP Sergeant 3 years of service 1986-1989
Robert G. Fridley
James L. Bornhorst
Larry D. Fultz
UNITED STATES ARMY
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Chance D. Fultz
UNITED STATES NAVY
UNITED STATES NAVY
UNITED STATES ARMY
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Sergeant 1 Bn 23 Inf. 1969-1970 UNITED STATES ARMY
2012 SALUTE TO VETERANS
Sidney Daily News
Saturday, November 10, 2012 • 17
Sidney High grad makes ultimate sacrifice Jeff Rieck among three soldiers killed earlier this year One of Sidney’s native sons was among three Ohio National Guardsmen killed in Afghanistan earlier this year. Sgt. 1st Class Jeffrey J. Rieck, 46, was a resident of Upper Arlington, a suburb of Columbus, and a full-time employee of the Guard. He graduated from Sidney High School in 1984. He had served in the U.S. Army and was in Iraq for more than a year before heading to Afghanistan with the Guard’s 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. He had worked full time in the Guard’s Family Readiness unit. Rieck’s parents were the late Jim and Jayne Rieck. Jim was a municipal court judge in Sidney in the 1960s and 1970s. The attack, by a suicide bomber on a motorcycle, killed at least 13 people at a park in a relatively peaceful area of northern Afghanistan. It was part
of an increase in violence at the start of the spring fighting season. The Taliban has claimed responsibility. The bomber’s target was unclear. In addition to the three Guardsmen killed in the attack, four others were injured. “It is truly tough to reflect upon so many brave men and women that have given their lives for this nation and the freeRIECK doms we cherish, but the loss of one of our own has unfortunately finally de-
livered this war to our door step,” said Ed Ball, officer of the Shelby County Veterans Services Commission. Rieck was on the track team at Sidney High School and a member of the art club. He graduated from Sinclair Community College in 1994. He was survived by his sister, Jennifer, his ex-wife, Catherine, and a 15-year-old son. The Ohio infantry brigade has six battalions, with four based in Ohio and two in Michigan. It sent 3,600 soldiers to Afghanistan last summer for what was scheduled to be a yearlong deployment. It was the largest mobilization for the 37th since the Korean War, according to the Ohio National Guard. The soldiers were sent to help with counterinsurgency operations and work with Afghan security forces.
Free veterans employment and training seminars
UNITED STATES ARMY
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
Edward Kupper
E2, 25th Infantry Veteran of Vietnam 5 years of Service
Battery A 324th Artillery Veteran of World War I
Donald Kupper
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Jerry Browning
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Private First Class 2 years of service Veteran of Korea
UNITED STATES ARMY
St. Sgt. Wright Patterson Air Base Veteran of Korea
across from 1 Elizabeth Place. To register, call Robin Brun at 937229-5358 or email rbrun@udayton.edu. Additional Information: Miami Valley Human Resource Association is the Dayton affiliate chapter of SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management). MVHRA’s mission is to provide resources and professional development in HR best practices to its membership and regional businesses. SHRM is the world’s largest association devoted to human resource management. (www.MVHRA.org)
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
Robert Kupper Airman 2nd Class Kimpo Veteran of Korea
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Thomas L. Finkenbine
shop participants need to attend the entire two-day session. Participating employers will conduct mock interviews with attendees. Attendees are encouraged to bring several copies of their resumes. Seminars will start at 9:00 a.m. and end at 3:30 p.m. Lunch will be provided by the Beavercreek VFW Post 8312. The seminars will be held at 1 Elizabeth Place (east side), 627 Edwin C. Moses Blvd., 6th Floor Auditorium. Parking is available in the Welch’s Packaging lot on the corner of Edwin C Moses Blvd. and Albany St.,
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UNITED STATES ARMY
• The mock interviews and the feedback from employers [was] very helpful and informative. • Extremely helpful, helped me [to] find out the so called ‘secrets’ of the interview process. It was a bonus to be able to talk to the employers. Veterans will learn: • What makes you competitive? • How to Find and Create Job Leads • How to Improve Your Resume • How to Get More Interviews • How to Interview with Confidence To get the most benefit from the work-
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DAYTON - Two Dayton organizations are partnering to offer the last session in 2012 of several free two-day Veterans Employment & Training Seminars. Miami Valley Human Resource Association and CareSource are partnering to provide veterans assistance in their job searches. The next session will be held Nov. 14-15. Comments from evaluations completed by participants in earlier sessions this year include: • The seminar really fills a void in the marketplace.
2012 SALUTE TO VETERANS
18 • Saturday, November 10, 2012
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
47,900 buried in Dayton National Cemetery
Darrell Applegate
2310167C
Private First Class, served with Gen Patton’s 3rd Army Veteran of World War II
Sergeant E-5 Bravo Battery 1, 134th FA Veteran of Afghanistan,Iraq, Kuwait - 1998-Present
UNITED STATES ARMY
UNITED STATES ARMY
James W. Clayton
Charles E. Thompson
2310167B
E4 PO 3rd Class Veteran of Korea 1948-1952
UNITED STATES ARMY
UNITED STATES ARMY
facility will meet the final needs of veterans and their spouses for the next 14 years. “The difference between civilian cemetaries and the national cemeteries is that we specifically honor the service of our nation’s veterans by giving them a final resting place and a memorial,” Blizzard said. A 26-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force, he was first hired at the site as a laborer in 2002. In 2004, he took a one-year course to become a director and his initial assignment was at the cemetery at Fort Smith, Ark. He has been the director in Dayton for four years. All of his 12-member staff are military veterans. While the major Dayton-area Veterans Day program annually takes place at the VA Medical Center in Dayton, the Memorial Day celebrations cover four days each year at the cemetery. Veterans service organizations begin Friday of the holiday weekend by erecting 400 donated, burial flags to line the streets of the cemetery. There is a program Friday night dedicated to Native American veterans. On Saturday morning, 2,500 Boy and Girl Scouts make sure every grave is decorated. “It takes only about an hour, because the kids are always so excited about it,” Blizzard said. The program on Memorial Day runs from 11 a.m. to noon and includes a U.S. Air Force fly-over, guest speakers, honor guards, wreath layings, a rifle salute and the playing of taps. The Dayton National Cemetery is consecrated ground, a place of distinction filled with sacrifice, with history. Should its keepers ever decide to plant them, poppies would do well there.
Howard Higginbotham
Ernest Davis Private 1st Class Veteran of World War II 1943-1945
Staff Sergeant - Paratrooper 101st Airborne Veteran of World War II
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UNITED STATES NAVY
The Dayton National Cemetery is the final resting place of U.S. service people who had served in one or more of all of America’s conflicts beginning with the Revolutionary War. Five Medal of Honor recipients are buried there. So is the father of Dayton poet Paul Laurence Dunbar. Boxer Kayo Mars and Edmund “Stubby” Burke Magner, who played baseball for the New York Yankees, are also at rest in the cemetery. Although the cemetery was not commissioned until 1867, and its first interment was Sept. 11 of that year, area veterans of the War of 1812 and the Mexican War, who died after 1867, were buried at the site. And in 1990, according to Bernie Blizzard, cemetery director, the remains of a soldier who had served in the Revolutionary War were disinterred elsewhere and reinterred in Dayton. “So there are veterans buried here from every war and conflict the U.S. has ever been involved in,” Blizzard said. All honorably discharged or currently serving members of any branch of the U.S. armed forces are eligible for free burial in one of the country’s 141 national cemeteries. So are their spouses and their children who are under 21. Eligibility is determined at the time of need by the director of the cemetery in which interment is requested. As of Sept. 30, there were 47,900 bodies, including cremations, at the Dayton site. There are 44,206 graves. According to Blizzard, when the last of the cemetery’s 98 acres is developed into gravesites, a process which is in the planning stages now, the
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John J. Bury U.S. Vietnam Veteran (Retired) 508 South Middletown Road Media, PA
BY PATRICIA ANN SPEELMAN
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Support bills to benefit victims of Agent Orange To the editor: Victims of Agent Orange (AO) who are infected, Vietnam veterans, children of Vietnam veterans; then there are spouses and mothers or fathers who are victims by association. By banding together and pressing forward to be heard is the only way we victims can win. We know how to help others, we have been there/are there. Our bodies are proof, our minds are not in denial, our lives are not equal to those without AO. We are strong and build our own quality of life, the hard way. Only we know what it is like to struggle with AO. Each day we live, is a gift. Yes, we suffer as do our loving families who care about we who struggle with AO. Let us not forget, we have friends who care. Our consolation is knowing they love us and care about us. Our worse pain is the burden upon our loved ones. It is the most difficult of all pain to endure. We know the frustrations of not being able to do the things we have in the past.We know the frustrations our family have in having to take up the slack, for us at one time we were able to do for ourselves I know only too well how this feels to me and how it must feel for my family. For these reasons we victims of Agent Orange Dioxins poisoning, our Congress and Senate must understand our needs. There are Bills in legislation that can make our lives less frustrating. Those bills are House Bill HR3612 and Senate Bill S1629. Please urge your members of Congress and Senate to pass the Bills.
Sidney Daily News
2012 SALUTE TO VETERANS
Sidney Daily News
Saturday, November 10, 2012 • 19
Local American Legion posts serve vets
UNITED STATES NAVY
UNITED STATES ARMY
UNITED STATES ARMY
Brad Underwood
Francis U. Puthoff
Corporal 328th Trans. Co. - Hel Served 1953 - 1955
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Samuel Yagle 2310168B
MM2-SS Veteran of Desert Storm 1985 - 1995
Women’s Auxiliary Unit 217 and James Elsass heads the Sons of the American Legion. The phone number is 492-6410. Fort Loramie Fort Loramie American Legion Post 355 is located at 31 N. Main St. in the village. It has a canteen for members and hosts monthly chicken fries open to the public on the second Saturday of every month. Other dinners are sponsored throughout the year. Meetings are the second Tuesday of the month. Hilda Siegel is president of Women’s Auxiliary Unit 355 and Mark Hoying is the head of the Sons of the American Legion. The commander is Joe Seger. He is a veteran of the Ohio Army National Guard, in which he served from 1970 to 1976. The post’s phone number is 295-2851. Jackson Center Jackson Center American Legion Post 493 has a canteen for members and meets the second Thursday of each month at 627 E. College St. Steve Lawrence is the post commander. He is a verteran of the Air Force and the Air National Guard, where he served from 1973 to 1995. Members sponsor a chicken dinner the first Saturday of the month. There is a Sons of the American Legion unit headed by Devon Alexander. The post participates in the Coats for Vets program. The phone number is 5966386. Anna Heiland Post 446, located between Anna and Botkins, serves members of both communities. The canteen is located on County Road 25A north of Anna and is open most Sundays. It is run by the Sons of the American Legion, commanded by Tex Schmitmeyer. The building is available for rent.
Captain Veteran of World War II Nov. 1, 1942 - July 7,1946
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Headquartered in the city of Delaware, the American Legion is the largest veterans organization in Ohio with more than 140,000 members and 605 posts. Worldwide, the organization numbers nearly 3 million men and women in some 15,000 posts. The American Legion was chartered by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic, mutual assistance veterans organization. Posts have been chartered into 55 departments, one each for the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, France, Mexico and the Philippines. The American Legion Auxiliary is the largest patriotic service organization in the world with nearly 1 million members. The organization sponsors volunteer programs that focus on young people and the community, including Girls State and Girls Nation for young women entering their senior year in high school. Sons of the American Legion was created in 1932 as an organization of boys and men of all ages whose parents or grandparents served in the military. Shelby and Auglaize counties are within the Department of Ohio Second District, which includes seven counties and approximately 7,000 members. The following posts and auxiliaries are located in Shelby County and the surrounding area: Sidney Sidney American Legion Post 217 at 1265 Fourth Ave. includes a canteen, daily food service, meeting rooms for clubs and a hall for weddings and other special occasions. There are monthly chicken fries and other special meals. Gary Allen, of Sidney, a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War, 1967-1969, is post commander. Joan Spence is president of
Gary Sollman, of rural Anna, is the post commander. He is a veteran of the U.S. Army, having served as a draftee from 1968 to 1970. Meetings are the third Thursday of every month. The post supports a Boy Scout and Girl Scout building located on the post home’s grounds and a few 4-H clubs have meetings there. Minster Ed Westerheide is commander of Minster American Legion Post 387, located on 46 S. Cleveland St. He is a veteran of the U.S. Army, having served as a draftee from 1967 to 1973. Meetings are held the last Monday each month. The hall can be rented for special occasions. It sponsors a fall festival in November and provides volunteers for the annual Oktoberfest. The phone number is 419-628-4387. New Bremen New Bremen American Legion Post 241 has a canteen and large hall along Ohio 66 on the north side of the village. Meetings are the fourth Tuesday of the month. Nicholas Dicke, of New Bremen, is commander. He served in the Air National Guard from 1970 to 1975. The post sponsors a Boy Scout troop and sponsors occasional chicken fries. During the Lenten season, it sponsors fish fries. The phone number is (419) 629-2357. New Knoxville Donald Schroer, a veteran of the U.S. Army who saw service from 1966 to 1968, is commander of New Knoxville American Legion Post 444, located at 204 Mill St. in the village. Meetings are the third Monday of every month. The post sponsors chicken fries the third Saturday each month and fish fries are held during months with a fifth Saturday under sponsorship of Sons of the American Legion, headed by Gary Schroerlucke. There is a canteen and a hall that can be rented for special meetings and occasions. The phone number is (419) 753-2714.
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2012 SALUTE TO VETERANS
Sidney Daily News