WORLD WAR II 75 Years Later
A supplement to The Ironton Tribune • Weekend Edition, July 25-26, 2020
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WORLD WAR II
WEEKEND EDTION, JULY 25-26, 2020
Brothers served on opposite sides of globe Neville pays tribute each year with bridge walk By Heath Harrison
S
OUTH POINT — In summer of 1945, Bill Neville, a Deering native, was wrapping up his Army training in preparation for what he and those enlisted thought would be an invasion of Japan by allied forces. But in the first half of August, the U.S. dropped two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, bringing about the surrender of the Japanese empire on Aug. 15. “The war ended on my last day of training,” Neville, now 93 and living in South Point, said.
He still was shipped to Japan, where he took part in the post-war occupation of the country by the U.S. Neville was a technical sergeant, 4th grade, and handled postal duties for the military while in Japan. He said he got the chance to see the country during his stay there, including the chance to climb one of the country’s highest mountains. He said he did not tour the two cities hit by the bomb, as conditions going there were strict. Though he did recall getting a chance to see one of the war’s most prominent commanders in person, Gen. Douglas MacArthur, the five-
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Bill Neville, 93, a South Point World War II era veteran, carries an American flag across the Oakley C. Collins Bridge in November 2019. Neville makes the walk each year in honor of his brother George, who served in Europe during the conflict. (The Ironton Tribune | Heath Harrison)
WEEKEND EDTION, JULY 25-26, 2020 star general who accepted Japan’s surrender. Following his time in Japan, Neville said he was stationed at Port Columbus airport in Ohio, where among his duties was escorting the bodies of fallen troops back to their hometown. He said they would meet with the funeral director and, if requested by the family, would take part in a ceremony for the services of each. Following his 18 months in the Army, Neville served in the Army Reserve. From 1951-52, he served in the Air Force Reserve in Ironton, where he said he was under Col. William Lambert, the famous World War I flying ace. Neville worked as an industrial engineer at ARMCO for 40 years and he and his late wife of 62 years, Genevieve, had six children — Brenda, Kathy, Debbie, Beverly, Teri and Stephen (deceased). He is a longtime member of the congregation at Community Missionary Baptist Church in Deering, since he
WORLD WAR II
was a child in 1937, where he has worked hard on the grounds, maintaining his latest project, a giant cross formed of the shrubbery on the lawn. While Neville was preparing to go to Japan, his older brother, Fred, was serving in the war’s other major theater of operations in Europe. Fred died in April 2017, not long after the opening of the Oakley C. Collins Memorial Bridge and was too ill too attend that ceremony. The previous bridge, which closed that day, had significance for Fred. His mother, Birdie Neville, and grandmother, Lucinda Blankenship, carried him across it in her arms as an infant shortly after it opened. And the bridge has served as a basis of a tribute to Fred each year that Bill conducts. On the opening day, he walked the span of both bridges, stating it was “one for me and one for my brother.” And each year since, he has returned to the bridge on the week of Thanksgiving, the anniversary of
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its opening, to make the walk, carrying an American flag. He hopes to do it again this fall. “I do it for my brother and my fam-
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ily,” he told The Ironton Tribune in 2019. “And I do it for all veterans and for those who worked on the bridge. It’s to keep the memory alive.”
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WORLD WAR II
WEEKEND EDTION, JULY 25-26, 2020
Ironton veteran took part in D-Day landings By Heath Harrison
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awrence Rudman, 97, of Ironton, was one of the first into Europe as the Allies pushed to liberate France and other nations from Nazi occupation. Drafted in 1943, Rudman underwent training in England and was a paratrooper with the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division during the air assault in the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944. Casualties were heavy, with 5,245 troopers killed by the time the division was relieved in July, a figure
that accounted for 46 percent of the force. Jumping out of a C-47 twin-engine cargo plane, Rudman landed in a tree and had to cut himself free of his parachute lines. Finding his friend, George Hickey, of New York, the two joined with others and took part in the liberation of the French village of SainteMere-Eglise. After five days of the mission, Rudman, a 20-year-old corporal and infantry rifleman, was captured by the enemy and marched to a prison camp in Germany, where he spent 11 months there until the war’s end.
Lawrence Rudman, 97, a World War II veteran who, as part of the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, was a paratrooper during the D-Day landing at Normandy, France, is seen at his home in Ironton on July 10. (The Ironton Tribune | Jeremy Holtzapfel)
WEEKEND EDTION, JULY 25-26, 2020 Lawrence Rudman shows off a pair of boxing gloves that his friends gave him as a 97th birthday gift in January. (The Ironton Tribune | Mark Shaffer)
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Hickey was killed in the fighting. Rudman told The Ironton Tribune earlier this year about the conditions in the camp, where he said he was headbutted by one of the Germans. “We were served grass soup with maggots in it,” he said of the meals, which did not come often enough. “I started pulling the maggots out, but, if I did that, there would be nothing left.” Awarded two bronze stars, he returned to civilian life and made a career working at Allied Chemicals at South Point and Haverhill. Earlier this year, Rudman got a surprise at the Ironton McDonald’s, when friends he had made at the restaurant threw a joint birthday party for him, along with Korean War veteran Bill Kerns. The two became friends at the restaurant and, after Kerns found out that German soldiers had taken Rudman’s silver jump wings and hat as prizes in the camp, he ordered him new wings and a ball cap with his unit logo on it. Rudman is a member of the congregation at St. Lawrence O’Toole Church. He and his wife Margie, who died in 1986, had five children
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WORLD WAR II
WEEKEND EDTION, JULY 25-26, 2020
Ironton institution rooted in owner’s WWII-era service Gene Unger started shoe store in 1937 By Heath Harrison
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nger’s Shoes has been a fixture of downtown Ironton for decades and the store came about as a result of its founders World War II service. Eugene “Gene” Unger was born in 1915 and was born and raised in Ironton. “He was going to go to college, but, when the Depression hit, they lost all their savings,” Joe Unger, his son, said. He then took a job working at the Selby Shoe Factory. But, after some time, he got tired of that position
and decided to go into business for himself. He talked Gabler’s Department Store into giving him a space in their shop, launching “Gene Unger’s Shoe Department” in 1937. A year later, he married Laverne Yvonne Brummette and the couple rented an apartment on South Fourth Street. He continued running the department until 1941, when the news hit that the Japanese had attacked the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pear Harbor. Gene then enlisted in the U.S. Army the following year at the age of 27. He trained at Camp Wallace, Texas and was sent to Camp Davis, North Carolina for training in anti-
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WORLD WAR II
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aircraft artillery. He was promoted to corporal and entered Officer Candidate School. He trained on the large 155mm Gun M1, nicknamed “Long Tom” by the military. However, when his unit was shipped to England, Unger contracted pneumonia in two bouts. As a result of that, and the Allied air supremacy that took hold, Unger never rejoined the unit and was honorably discharged without firing a shot in the war, Joe said. Upon returning to civilian life, Unger was told by Gabler’s that they had saved his spot while he was away. “He said ‘They didn’t keep it open for me, it’s because shoes were being rationed and no one was buying them,’” Joe recalled his father
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telling him. And, it was at this point in his life that he decided to go fully into business for himself, opening Unger’s Shoe Store at 304 S. Third St., where it remains in business to this day, now under Joe’s ownership. Gene, who died in 1995 at age 80, had five children with his wife, Joe, Francis, Bonnie, Mary and Teresa, as well as 12 grandchildren. He attended St. Joseph Catholic Church and was a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Elks, United Commercial Travelers, the National Shoe Retailer Association and the American Board of Practipedics. For his service, he received a marksmanship award, a Good Conduct medal, a European Victory Medal and the Honorable Service Lapel Button.
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Eugene “Gene” Unger, of Ironton, was honorably discharged from the Army in 1945. (Submitted photo)
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WORLD WAR II
WEEKEND EDTION, JULY 25-26, 2020
Ironton vet’s unit took part in pivotal battles of European war’s end By Heath Harrison
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ames R. Gallagher began adulthood by answering his country’s call. On his 18th birthday, in 1943, with his country two years into World War II, he volunteered and enlisted in the Army. He was in officers training school at College of Puget Sound in Washington state, but that was cut short as men were needed immediately for the war effort, so he was sent to training at Camp Roberts, in California, then to New York, where he was due to be shipped out. But, it was at that point that he had to get an appendectomy and his departure was delayed. It was in the hospital where he met
Warren Gillespie, of Cleveland, who was in for the same procedure. The two men became close friends, like brothers, his family said. So much so that it was deemed necessary by higher ups to separate them when they were sent to Europe. Gallagher served as a machine gun squad leader for the 415 Infantry Regiment of the Timberwolves, a squad which saw fighting in France, Belgium and western Germany. He took part in the Battle of the Bulge, fighting against one of the last major German offenses and was among the first to go into Germany itself, approaching with the Allied troops from the west, while the Soviet Union’s Red Army entered from the east, with the forces eventually meeting and defeating the Nazi state.
James Gallagher, 95, with his wife, Margaret, at their home in Ironton. Gallagher served as a machine gun squad leader in the U.S. Army in Belgium, Holland and Germany during World War II. (The Ironton Tribune | Heath Harrison)
James Gallagher, 95, of Ironton, wears his Army jacket with his Timberwolves regiment patch. He served as a machine gun squad leader in the U.S. Army in Belgium, Holland and Germany during World War II. (The Ironton Tribune | Heath Harrison)
WEEKEND EDTION, JULY 25-26, 2020
WORLD WAR II
James Gallagher, 95, of Ironton, served as a machine gun squad leader in the U.S. Army in Belgium, Holland and Germany during World War II. (The Ironton Tribune | Heath Harrison)
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Gallagher recalls the first time he saw the Soviets. “Evidently, there was an agreement we wouldn’t go further and take the German capitol,” he said, remembering the Red Army at a creek crossing. “The tanks were being driven by Russian women. I was a bit to surprised to see that.” His family recalls a favorite story of how, when Gallagher and his unit were in foxholes with gunfire all around them, he began laughing hysterically. The others kept asking him why he was laughing and he replied, “Last Christmas, I asked my mom for a BB gun and she said it was too dangerous for me.” The Timberwolves were known for their night fighting abilities and Gallagher’s unit received a presidential citation for their actions. The fighting across Europe took place under a harsh winter, with many nights spent in foxholes.
Gallagher’s family said he vowed never to sleep outside again for the rest of his life and they said, as a result, they never took a camping trip. At one point, Gallagher’s unit was supposed to capture a German town and they made so much noise, many of the Germans surrendered. Others retreated to a barn. Knowing there was hay in the barn, the unit used tracer fire to set the hay on fire, causing the German to come out and surrender. As a result, the small American squad captured the much larger German forces. Gallagher’s unit took part in the liberation of Mittelbau-Dora, a Nazi concentration camp located in Thuringia, Germany. The camp was known for its brutal treatment of prisoners, with those there forced to work 14-hour days and being denied basic necessities like bedding or food. Of the 60,000
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prisoners sent to the camp, one third perished. ”It was a horrible sight,” Gallagher recalls of the emaciated prisoners and the bodies he saw. One of the darkest days of the war for him began as what was expected to be a joyful reunion, when his squad was to meet with Gillespie’s. As the forces met up, Gallagher began asking soldiers if they knew where his friend was or if they had seen him. Finally, one of them approached to him and told him that Gillespie had been killed the day before. When asked what he would say to younger generations about the war, Gallagher takes a long pause to reflect. “It’s changed a lot,” he said of his thoughts on the experience over the years “When I think of some of the things I did, I can’t believe I was doing what I was doing. You don’t enjoy thinking about killing as anything pleasurable. You do what you have to do. Its not something that’s joyful or celebrated.” Like many who served, his family said he had to work through the traumatic memories. They recall he had nightmares often and did not talk about the war until they were adults. They credit two things with helping him to heal — his extended family hosting a German exchange student and the friendship he developed, as well as his visits to Germany, where he got to know the German people and be treated with warmth and hospitality. After returning from Europe after the war, Gallagher enrolled at Marshall University. For many returning veterans, they had trouble relating to other students there who were younger and did not have the shared experiences. Gallagher and several friends formed the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity at the school, intended as a way for veterans to have the community they needed there. His career took him into banking and he
WORLD WAR II
WEEKEND EDTION, JULY 25-26, 2020
WEEKEND EDTION, JULY 25-26, 2020
WORLD WAR II
James Gallagher, 95, of Ironton, served as a machine gun squad leader in the U.S. Army in Belgium, Holland and Germany during World War II. (The Ironton Tribune | Heath Harrison)
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worked at Liberty Federal Savings Bank. He and his wife, Margaret, celebrated 66 years of marriage earlier this year. They have four children — Mary Beth Conkle, James Gallagher, Patricia Harris and Linda Piller. Gallagher, who recently celebrated his 95th birthday, has been a member of the Lions Club and the Knights of Columbus and attends St. Joseph Catholic Church. He plays piano and has been a band leader and performed on WIRO radio. While his unit received citations, Gallagher did not receive medals for his experience, due to a paperwork delay and his going on a trip to visit family when the war ended. But he does not want the accolades for himself. “I was supposed to be the leader of two squads,” he said. “What we did wasn’t what I did. It was what my whole squad was able to do. There were people on each side who saw the danger. It wasn’t my accomplishment — it was our accomplishment.”
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I watched the flag pass by one day. It fluttered in the breeze. A young Marine saluted it, and then he stood at ease. I looked at him in uniform So young, so tall, so proud, He’d stand out in any crowd. I thought how many men like him Had fallen through the years. How many died on foreign soil? How many mothers’ tears? How many pilots’ planes shot down? How many died at sea? How many foxholes were soldiers’ graves? No, freedom isn’t free.
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I heard the sound of TAPS one night, When everything was still I listened to the bugler play And felt a sudden chill. I wondered just how many times That TAPS had meant “Amen,” When a flag had draped a coffin Of a brother or a friend. I thought of all the children, Of the mothers and the wives, Of fathers, sons and husbands With interrupted lives. I thought about a graveyard At the bottom of the sea Of unmarked graves in Arlington. No, freedom isn’t free. — Kelly Strong
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WORLD WAR II
WEEKEND EDTION, JULY 25-26, 2020
John Robbins joined the U.S. Navy after high school and spent three years as an LST operator. He got to see one of the most iconic moments in World War II — the Marines raising the flag on Mount Suribachi in Iwo Jima on Feb. 23, 1945. (Submitted photo)
Robbins saw the American flag raised on Iwo Jima By Mark Shaffer
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ohn Robbins was just 18 when he signed up with the U.S. Navy in July 1943 after getting drafted. He went from Chesapeake after graduating from high school and went up to Huntington to select a branch of the service. “He said he looked at all those doors and thought ‘Well, I can’t kill anybody, so I’m going to join the Navy,’” said John’s wife, Eddie. “I thought that was a good reason to join the Navy.” After boot camp, he became a boatman’s mate
on what the Navy calls a LST (a landing ship, tank), which is a flat-bottomed landing craft that could move men and equipment from a ship to a beach. The LST was called a workhorse, but the Navy men had an unkinder nickname for it. “It’s a slow-moving target,” Robbins said. He said being in the military was a good place for a young man. “I liked the Navy,” he said. “It was enjoyable on the one hand and hard work on the other.” He enjoyed being aboard the ships and seeing other countries and getting acquainted with other people.
“It was a time in life where it was good for me,” he said. He started his Navy career in the Atlantic Ocean. He was assigned to the base in Gulf Port, Mississippi where he was a gunner on a cargo ship. His job was to watch for German submarines that attacked Allied cargo vessels. He spent a year traveling all the way down to South America and going on the Amazon River and travelling to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. When he returned to the U.S., he was shipping out to Boston, when he was asked if he was from Lawrence County. He said yes, and that’s how he met Carl Rose, Eddie’s brother-in-law.
WEEKEND EDTION, JULY 25-26, 2020 They arrived in Boston, but their ship wasn’t ready for another six weeks. By that time, the war in Europe had ended and once the ship was completed, it was assigned to the Pacific Theater. Rose was sent back to the U.S. because of crippling sea sickness. Robbins was assigned to a hospital ship. He was now a master of small boats and it was his job to take people from the ship to meetings on shore. He got to see places like Guam, Saipan, Okinawa and ended up seeing the one of the most iconic moments in World War II — the Marines raising the flag on Mount Suribachi in Iwo Jima on Feb. 23, 1945. “The sailors watched from the deck of the ship,” Eddie said. “It was like the Fourth of July,” John said. After that, Robbins’ ship was part of a convoy headed to Japan and, as far as they knew, they were going to invade the mainland. They were off the coast of Japan when the ships were ordered to stay where they were. It was a full day before they found out that the U.S. had dropped two atomic bombs on Japan. “He said when they found out the Japanese had surrendered, every ship in that convoy blew their horns,” Eddie said. John got leave and was in both Hiroshima and
WORLD WAR II Nagasaki in Japan. He said the land was brown and flat as far as you could see. One of the few objects that survived were bank safes. It wasn’t until after the war ended that John met Eddie. “Carl and John got together after the war and that’s how I met John,” Eddie said. She even remembers the first day that she met John, March 9, 1946. It had a bit of a rough start. Eddie’s dad was a U.S. Marshal and was pretty picky about those he let date his daughters. “He carried a .45 on his hip and he was very investigative,” Eddie said, said with a laugh. John came to Coal Grove to meet Carl and they were going to go out to Firebrick to meet another friend who had just been discharged from the service. “Carl and my sister walked into the house and said ‘Come on, Eddie, go with us.’ And my dad looked up and said I couldn’t go!” She said she was surprised because her dad never said no to her. “So, finally they left and my mom asked my dad ‘Why did you do that?’ and he said ‘I want to go get ice cream and I don’t want to drive,’” Eddie said, with a laugh. Eventually, John and Eddie started dating and
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got married on May 31, 1947. John headed off to Rio Grande University to study and played football. He ended his sports career after getting hit so hard during practice that he woke up in the gymnasium, flat on his back and looking up at the ceiling. He didn’t know where he was at first and when he did, he realized football wasn’t for him. “He said to himself, ‘I fought the Japanese and now I’m letting these guys kill me?’” Eddie said. John went to work at the Allied Signal chemical plant in South Point and was there for 32 years before it was closed. Then he went to work at Ashland Oil in their plant that turned coal into gas. Then he went back to Allied and retired from there after 14 more years. They have lived in the same house in Coal Grove for 70 years. “My brothers built it,” Eddie said. “And John rebuilt it inside and had the brick put on it. We raised three girls here.” John is well known for being a pastor, too. John got his degree from the Tri-State Bible College in South Point. For two decades, he was a volunteer minister at King’s Daughters Medical Center and his picture hangs on the wall in the lobby to commemorate his years of service.
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WORLD WAR II
WEEKEND EDTION, JULY 25-26, 2020
Wyngate veteran reflects on lessons learned in Pacific service By Heath Harrison
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OME TOWNSHIP — In his four years in the Navy, a resident at the Wyngate at RiversEdge was on hand for some of the most pivotal moments of the Pacific campaign in World War II. Paul Johnson, 94, a Huntington native, said he lied about his age when he volunteered at 17 and went to the draft board on Jan. 10, 1944. “At that time, young men wanted to go fight and lot of them lied about their age,” he said when he was interviewed by the Tribune for Veterans Day a few years ago. “I was 17 and four months. The girl at the desk, she looked at me and smiled and asked ‘Is there something I can do for you?’” He said he told her she was 18 and he was quickly accepted. By Jan. 28, he was shipping out. “It was fast back then,” Johnson said.
During the war, Johnson served on the USS Lindenwald LSD-6, a dock landing ship, which took him to the Philippines. They landed Marine tanks and repaired small craft. From there, he went on to Okinawa. “It was our last battle,” he said. “They took the island in 91 days.” Following that, he returned home, where re-enlisted for another two years. In 1947, Johnson was discharged and it was at that point that he learned he was blind in one eye. “I didn’t know,” he said, saying it was service-related. “But seven months after it went out, it came back.” Following his service, he got an MBA in management from Marshall University and went to work in insurance sales, as well as building houses. And for 20 years, he ran Paul Johnson Coffee Shop at 875 4th Ave.
Paul Johnson, a resident of the Wyngate at RiversEdge in Rome Township, is a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II and the Pacific theater of operations. (The Ironton Tribune | Heath Harrison)
WEEKEND EDTION, JULY 25-26, 2020
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The USS Lindenwald, an Ashland-class docking ship on which Paul Johnson served in the Pacific during World War II. (The Ironton Tribune | Heath Harrison)
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in Huntington, until the building was taken by Reuschlein Jewelers in 1977. “It was right in the middle of town,” he said of his business. “Then the jewelry store bought out five floors.” Johnson moved into the Wyngate in 2014 with his wife, the late Thelma Jean Tiller Johnson. A popular resident with the staff, he regularly takes part in the veterans ceremonies at the senior living community. “It means a whole lot,” he said. “It makes me remember the good time I had in the Navy. It was really very beneficial to me.” He said he learned a lot in boot camp. “I learned to follow orders and do what I was told,” he said. “Military service is very beneficial for boys 18 and over. It teaches them and it’s a chance for education and experience. It’s very maturing. Most boys at 18 think they can whip the world, but they need a little teaching.”
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WORLD WAR II
WEEKEND EDTION, JULY 25-26, 2020
Ironton veteran saw major events of Pacific in WWII By Heath Harrison
C
larence Boggs spent three and a half years in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II and, during that time, he was a part of some of the most historic parts of that conflict. Boggs, 97, lives in Ironton and is a life-long resident of Lawrence County. “I was born in Warren, but I’ve lived here since I was one and a half,” he said. He was working at Dayton Malleable when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941 and, the following month, he entered the U.S. Marine Corps, where he was a sergeant. Deployed to the Pacific, he took part in the Battle of Saipan in 1944, liberating the Mariana Islands. The battle was considered one of the most decisive in the Pacific, inflicting heavy casualties on the Japanese and leading to the resignation of that nation’s prime minister. It also put Japan in reach of Allied bombers for the first time. The following spring, he was part of the battle of Okinawa, the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific Theater, which set the stage for a planned invasion of Japan by the Allies. Boggs would have been a part of such a mission, however that invasion never came. In August 1945, the U.S. dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, leading to that nation’s unconditional surrender. “Japan was going to be next, but everything ended,” Boggs said of the operation, which would have commenced within 15 days. “There was another outfit designated to be right behind us. They said our casualties
A photo of Ironton resident Clarence Boggs during his time in service in World War II. (The Ironton Tribune | Heath Harrison) would have been 105 percent. We didn’t know that until later, though.” With the war over, Boggs took part in the U.S. occupation of Japan. “We just packed up and went to inhabit,” he said. He was stationed in Nagasaki, where he arrived days after the bomb had dropped and saw the devastation firsthand. “No matter where you stood, you couldn’t see anything but trash on the ground,” he said. “You couldn’t believe what you were looking at.” He recalled a group of Catholic nuns, who lived in a monastery in the hills above the city, where they made chocolate. Their home was seven miles from the bomb’s point of impact. “There was a room there, facing the
Clarence Boggs, 97, of Ironton, served in the U.S. Marine Corps in the Pacific Theater of Operations during World War II, taking part in the battles of Saipan and Okinawa and the occupation of Japan after the war’s close. (The Ironton Tribune | Heath Harrison)
WEEKEND EDTION, JULY 25-26, 2020
Clarence Boggs, an Ironton World War II veteran meets with President Barack Obama on the steps of Air Force One in Reno, Nevada in 2016. (The Ironton Tribune | Heath Harrison)
WORLD WAR II blast,” he said. “It blew out all the windows. There was glass stuck in the walls like daggers. They were lucky no one was in there at the time or they could have been killed by flying glass. That was exactly seven miles away, so that gives you 14 miles of damage all around.” He remained in the military until April 15, 1946, when he returned to Lawrence County. And he wasted no time in returning to his work here. “He was back on Friday, and Monday morning he went back to his regular job,” Boggs’ daughter, Terri Mollett, who lives with him, said. “They had it set up so, when you were working and forced in, when you got home, you were guaranteed to get back to your job,” Boggs said of Dayton Malleable. “But you had to wait until you were drafted to go in.” He worked at the plant until 1983 when it shut down, just as he qualified for a pension. On July 3, 1947, Boggs married Lafern Murnahan, a union that would last 66 years until her death on June 3, 2014. “She was the love of his life,” Mollett said. The couple had five children, Mike Boggs, Mollett, Cyndy McComas, Susan Liming and Patrick Boggs, who is deceased. Boggs has
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eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. He received a special honor in 2016, when he was invited to meet President Barack Obama at a stop in Reno, Nevada. “He asked that I be at the steps at Air Force One when he got off the plane,” Boggs said. Boggs keeps a photo of the occasion on display and carries in his wallet a Presidential Challenge Coin, given to him by Obama. While he says he sees the importance of Veterans Day, Boggs said at his age, he doesn’t take part. “They’ve come and gone so many times, you don’t really pay attention anymore,” he said. Boggs has been active in his community as a member of the VFW, the Moose lodge, the Knights of Columbus and served as Exalted Ruler at the Elks lodge. The Ironton Elks lodge recently had a dinner in his honor, as he is the oldest Past Exalted Ruler in the state of Ohio. “They really did a great thing for him,” Mollett said of the occasion. Mollett said she respects her father and all World War II vets, and values those who are still living for their connection to history. “He has been able to tell us so many stories about what he saw,” she said.
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WEEKEND EDTION, JULY 25-26, 2020
Ratliff flew 30 missions as B-17 bomber gunner By Mark Shaffer
R
oy Ratliff is well-known for his years of being in the hardware business in Ironton. The 95-year-old was in the repetitive business for six decades before selling the Central Hardware and Furniture a couple of years ago. But before he got into the hardware business, Ratliff was a member of the U.S. Army Air Forces. He enlisted in 1943 and was sent to Mississippi for basic training. He was then sent to Las Vegas for gunnery school. “I was going to be the bottom turret gunner on a B-17 bomber,” he explained. He was trained to fire two .50 caliber machine guns as part of the Flying Fortress’ defensive weapons. After that training, Ratliff was sent to Tennessee and assigned to a 10-man bomber crew of a pilot, co-pilot, navigator, bombardier, radio operator, two side gunners, a tail gunner, with Ratliff as
one of two bottom turret gunners. The crew flew night missions over the United States before being sent overseas in October 1944. “I had my 19th birthday off the coast of Africa,” Ratliff said. The bomber was assigned to an airbase in Allied-occupied southern Italy and was sent out to bomb Axis targets in Germany, Austria Yugoslavia. Northern Italy was still under control of the German army. The American forces preferred to bomb during the day as opposed to the British forces which preferred night missions. “I flew 30 missions,” Ratliff said. “We flew out of an airbase in Foggia, Italy.” Their airbase was primitive. They lived in tents and didn’t have electricity. “We did have a mess hall they built for us,” he said. The crew got up about 5 a.m. and ate, then went to a daily briefing to find out what their mission
was and then started engines about 7 a.m. They spent an hour and a half getting into squadrons at 25,000 feet. About 75 miles from the target, they got into their heading and kept on it until they were over the designated bombing area. “If you saw anti-aircraft fire coming across your line, there was nothing you could do about it. You stayed on that line regardless,” Ratliff said. “If the fire got closer and closer, that was just your bad luck.” They didn’t have radar or GPS in the planes in the 1940s so all the bomb runs were based on using their eyes. If the weather was overcast and couldn’t identify their target, they didn’t drop their bombs. “And if the bombs weren’t dropped, then it didn’t count as a mission,” Ratliff explained. They generally were over their target by noon and back to the base about 3 p.m. “It was about eight-hour round trip,” he said.
WEEKEND EDTION, JULY 25-26, 2020 Roy Ratliff, who owned Central Hardware and Furniture in Ironton for six decades, served as a bottom turret gunner on a B-17 bomber in Europe during World War II. He was also the honorary grand marshal of the 150th annual Ironton-Lawrence County Memorial Day Parade in 2018. (The Ironton Tribune | Mark Shaffer)
To those who lost their lives serving the country they loved. To those who left behind wives, husbands, children, mothers, fathers and friends. To those who bravely battled with everything they had. To those who understood better than anyone the importance of freedom and justice for all. To our honored dead, go our undying gratitude and utmost respect.
CHARLIE’S TIRE SALES, INC. 413 S. Third St. • Ironton • 533-0677 Open Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sat. 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
WORLD WAR II Being a bottom turret gunner was not an easy position on the plane. Being on the bottom of the bomber left the gunner exposed to enemy flack, among other things. And the bottom turret guns were encased in a small ball that a person could barely fit into. “It was so small, I had to leave my parachute up in the plane,” Ratliff said. “Fortunately, I never had to use it. Thankfully, I never got shot down.” Ratliff flew as part of a seven-bomber group and it was his job to defend the planes from enemy fighters. The bombers flew in a staggered combat box formation at different altitudes so the planes could defend each other with their six .50 caliber machine guns. “So, we had a lot of firepower to protect ourselves,” he said, adding that by that point in the war, Germany was also fighting with Russia and in France, so they didn’t have a lot of fighter crafts left. “They were pretty scarce,” he said. After the war in Europe ended in 1945, Ratliff was stationed in Florida. Ratliff and the crew had thought they were going to be trained on the B-29 bomber, which was a longer-range bomber that was being used in the war against Japan. “We thought we would have to go the Pacific, but Harry S. Truman was president and we had the atomic bomb and of course, that ended the
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war with Japan. So finally, the war was over.” Instead of being retrained, Ratliff was released from the military and returned to Ohio. His family had moved from Birmingham, Alabama to Gallipolis, so he decided to go Ohio State University and graduated in 1949. His father had bought the business in 1950 and Roy had a store in Portsmouth. “So, I’ve been here for 69 years,” he said. Although he sold the business to Rich Donohue, he can still be found in the store most mornings. “It’s home,” he said. “And it gives me something to do when I get up. I have to stay busy, I have to have something to do every day.” He said he has enjoyed living in Ironton and being in the hardware and furniture business. “It’s just been a nice town, a nice community and a nice county,” Ratliff said. And the community has remembered Ratliff. In 2018, he was the honorary grand marshal of the Ironton-Lawrence County Memorial Day Parade. “It was a surprise to be given that privilege to be the honorary chairman of the 150th parade,” Ratliff said. “It was quite an honor for me. Memorial Day is a special day, because my life is a gift from people like my cousins who gave their life to defeat our enemies.”
The Laidback Bar & Grill, your hometown veteran family owned establishment, salutes all veterans of foreign wars. We thank each of you for your years of dedication and service. The Laidback is doing a wall of heroes – if you would like to submit anything, please come see us!
THE BAR & GRILL LAIDBACK Hanging Rock, Ohio
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WORLD WAR II VETERANS FROM THE TRI-STATE WHO ARE LIVING The following are World War II veterans who are living here in the Tri-State, submitted by our readers: Name: Jack Baker Age: 100 Hometown: Olive Hill, Kentucky Branch of service: First Army Where served: D-Day, Battle of Aachen, Battle of Hurtgen Forest, Battle of the Bulge, liberation of Paris Medals: Five Bronze Stars, French Legion of Honor Name: Bob Brammer Hometown: South Point Where served: Combat in World War II Name: William Cignoni Age: 93 Hometown: Springfield, Massachusetts; now Ironton Branch of service: Navy Duties: Was radio operator on ship Rank: Radioman, second class Where served: Atlantic, Pacific, Mediterranean Sea Years served: Six years Medals/Honors: Good Conduct Occupation after service: General contractor and airplane pilot Civic groups/organizations: The 5220 Club, where veterans who made it home received $20 a week for 52 weeks (Back then, that was a lot of money enough to survive); Central Christian Church
Name: Buel Collins Age: 96 Hometown: South Point Branch of service: U.S. Army, Infantry 422 Regiment, 106th Infantry Rank: Corporal Where served: Germany, France and the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium, was captured by the Germans and was a POW for six months. Years served: 1943–1945 Medals: Purple Heart, Battle Star Occupation after service: U.S. Post Office in Ironton and served as the postmaster at South Point Post Office. Civic groups: VFW Post 6878 Proctorville, DAV Ironton, Golfs two or three days a week. Name: John Kinney Age: 94 Hometown: Stockport, Ohio, now Catlettsburg, Kentucky Branch of service: Navy Specialty duties: Served on gun crew Rank: Seaman 2nd Where served: South Pacific Years served: 1944 Occupation after service: 43 years with AEP Family members: Eloise, wife (deceased), one son, one daughter Civic groups/organizations: Rose Hill Baptist Church, Masonic Lodge 235, Catlettsburg
Name: Joseph R. McCollister Age: 96 Hometown: Ironton Branch of Service: Army Specialty/duties: Medical Rank: Corporal Where served: Europe, France, Germany Years served: 1943-45 Occupation after service: Production manager – Dayton Malleable Name: Frederick C. Roush Age: 98 Hometown: Coal Grove Branch of service: Army Air Corps Specialty/Duties: Airplane maintenance technician Rank: Technical sergeant Where served: Pacific Theater – Australia, New Guinea, Philippines Years served: 1942-46 Medals/Honors: American Theater Ribbon, Asiatic Pacific Theater Ribbon with Bronze Star, Good Conduct Medal, World War II Victory Medal Occupation after service: Industrial engineer - ARMCO Family members: Phillip Roush, Jeff Roush, Joyce Hogsten - children Civic groups/organizations: graduated from The Ohio State University, Dawson-Bryant School Board (president), past president of Coal Grove Little League
Name: Carl Stroud Age: 98 Hometown: Dunlow, West Virginia, now Ironton Branch of service: Army – 8th Infantry Division Duties: Served on the front lines for four months and 19 days Medals: Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Occupation after service: Carpentry work Name: Forest Wireman Age: 95 Hometown: Ashland, Kentucky Branch of service: Army – 79th Infantry Division Where served: Normandy, France, D-Day Medals: Bronze Star, French Legion of Honor Name: Charles Emerson Wiseman Age: 95 Hometown: Pedro Branch of service: Navy Specialty/duties: Radioman Rank: Petty officer, 2nd class Where served: Pacific – submarine “Puffer,” eight patrols Years served: 1942-1946 Medals/Honors: Dolphins, Navy commendation, American Theater Campaign, Asia Pacific, Philippines Liberation, Navy Unit Commendation, World War II victory Occupation after service: Dairy farmer – refinery worker operations Family members: Wife, 4 sons, 2 daughters
WORLD WAR II VETERANS FROM THE TRI-STATE WHO HAVE PASSED ON The following are World War II veterans from the Tri-State who have passed on, as submitted by Tribune readers: Name: James Akers Hometown: Ironton Branch of Service: Navy Where served: Guam
Branch of Service: Army Name: Howard Bruce Hometown: Pedro Branch of Service: U.S. Army Where served: Fourth Armored Division – Europe – Germany
Branch of Service: Army, SFC/E&, retired after serving 11 ½ years Where served: Several countries Name: Arthur Clark Hometown: Arabia Branch of Service: Army
Name: William Dewey Burcham, PFC Hometown: McCall Creek, near Athalia Branch of Service: Army – InfantryBronze Star medal Where served: Asiatic Pacific Theater, Philippines
Name: Walter Cogan Hometown: Hanging Rock Branch of Service: U.S. Army PFC Where served: European Theater – liberation of Europe, Battle of the Bulge
Name: Youngy Damron Benet Hometown: Kenova, West Virginia Branch of Service: Army – Drove Jeep for Gen. Dwight Eisenhower.
Name: Charles Carmen Hometown: Pedro, Ironton Branch of Service: Army Where served: France, Belgium, Germany Honors/medals: Bronze Star, Silver Star; served as honorary grand marshal for 2011 Ironton-Lawrence County Memorial Day Parade
Name: Donald Colvin Hometown: Ironton Branch of Service: U.S. Army – 2nd Battalion, 34th Infantry Division Where served: Florence, Italy Medals: Purple Heart with Oak Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star
Name: Charles R. Bishop Hometown: Ironton
Name: Charles E. Chatfield Hometown: Ironton
Harry P. Artis Hometown: Coal Grove Branch of Service: U.S. Navy Where Served: South Pacific Name: Fred Ashworth Medals: Purple Heart, Buried at Macedonia Cemetery
Name: James B. Collier Hometown: Ironton Branch of Service: Army Air Corps – B29
bomber pilot Where served: South Pacific Name: William (Bill) Cooper Hometown: Ironton Branch of Service: U.S. Navy – Seabees Division Where served: South Pacific Name: Arvid Daniels Hometown: South Point Branch of Service: Navy Name: Ervin Daniels Hometown: South Point Branch of Service: Navy Name: Henry Daniels Hometown: South Point Branch of Service: Army Name: Therian “Rabbit” Delawder Hometown: Ironton Branch of Service: Army Where served: Germany
WEEKEND EDTION, JULY 25-26, 2020 Name: Robert Glanville Hometown: Ironton Branch of Service: Army Name: Robert J. Goldcamp Hometown: Ironton Branch of Service: Army Air Corps Where served: Africa Name: Willard (Jack ) Gollihugh Hometown: Ironton Branch of Service: Army, 101st Airborne Where served: Europe Name: Frank Hackworth Hometown: Ironton Branch of Service: Army – earned Bronze Star and Purple Heart in World War II Where served: Combat Name: Henry Ford Hackworth Hometown: Ironton Name: Charles A. Haney (WWII) Hometown: Coal Grove Branch of Service: U.S. Army Air Corps Where Served: Alaska Name: Harold I. Haney (WWII) Hometown: Coal Grove Branch of Service: U.S. Navy Where Served: Sea Bees and Civil Engineering Corps Name: William F. Haney, II (WWII) Hometown: Coal Grove Branch of Service: U.S. Army Where Served: Italy Name: Floyd Harrison Hometown: Sissonville, West Virginia Branch of Service: Army Where served: Europe Name: Ken Hechler Hometown: Roslyn, New York; later Huntington and Charleston, West Virginia Branch of Service: Army Where served: Normandy, Battle of the Bulge, Battle of Remagen, Germany Name: Sgt. James T. Jenkins Hometown: Born in Breatt, Kentucky; moved to Ironton Branch of Service: Army Where Served: Germany/France/Fort Knox, Kentucky Medals: Purple Heart, Good Conduct, American Defense Service, African Campaign, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign, WWII Victory, Army of Occupation, Sharpshooter Badge, Marksman Badge
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Name: Ernest Jones Hometown: South Point Branch of Service: Marines Where served: Hawaii, Iwo Jima, Japan Name: Bill Lambert Hometown: Ironton Branch of Service: U.S. Air Service, Army Air Forces (Also served with Royal Air Force in World War I), U.S. Air Force Reserve after World War II Rank: Lieutenant colonel Name: Roscoe Kearns Jr. Hometown: South Point Branch of Service: Navy Where served: Guadalcanal – mine sweep Name: Norman Kleinman Hometown: South Point Branch of Service: Air Force Name: Sgt. Edward E Layne Hometown: Ironton Branch of Service: Army Air Corps, U.S. Air Force Where served: North Africa, England Name: Auther Millhouse Hometown: South Point Branch of Service: Army - medic Where served: Germany Name: William Miranda Hometown: Ashland, Kentucky Branch of Service: Army Where served: Europe – Normandy, Belgium, Holland Medals: Purple Heart, two Bronze Stars Occupation after service: ARMCO Steel Name: Fred Neville Hometown: Deering Branch of Service: Army Where served: Japan Name: Adam Payne Hometown: Ironton Branch of Service: Army Where service: England – special service Name Lt. Alpha Payne: Hometown: Ironton Marines: Army Where served: Belvoir, Virginia – U.S. Engineers Name: Harry Eugene Payne Hometown: Ironton Branch of Service: Marines Where served: Wounded in service/chest Name: Glen Pinkerton Hometown: Ashland, Kentucky
Branch of Service: Army Where served: Germany, France, Belgium, England Name: William C. “Bill” Pyles Hometown; Ironton Branch of Service: U.S. Army Air Force, staff sgt. Where served: Continental U.S. Army Hospital staff Name: William Rowe Hometown: Ironton Branch of Service: Navy Name: George Stanley Shaffer Hometown: Ironton Branch of Service: U.S. Army 338th Engr. T/Sgt Name: Cosper “Cos” E. Simpson Hometown: Andis Branch of Service: Army Where Served: Sicily, Naples, Rome and Northern Apennines Specialty/Duties: Portable Power generator operator - worked in a 90mm gun battery and operated the power plant. Rank: Technician fifth grade (TEC 5) Medals/Honors: World War II Victory Medal, U.S. Army Coast Artillery Corps, Good Conduct, European African Middle Eastern Service Medal with five Bronze
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Stars and a Bronze Arrowhead Family: Wife, Bonnie (deceased), daughters, Jeanne, Bonita, Kathy and Judy Name: Selvin Stroud Hometown: Dunlow, West Virginia Branch of service: Army Name: Charles Turvey Hometown: Ironton Branch of Service: Army Where served: England, France, Germany Name: Wade Webb Hometown: Ironton Branch of Service: U.S. Navy WW II Name: Georgene Weber Hometown: Ironton, later Greensboro, North Carolina Branch of Service: Army – nurse Where served: Europe Name: Everett Williams Hometown: Franklin Furnace Branch of Service: Army Where served: Rhineland and Central Europe Name: Ralph Winters Hometown: South Point Branch of Service: Army
As Ironton’s oldest fraternal organization, we are proud to honor our veterans and their families, both living and fallen, for the tremendous sacrifices made for our great nation. However, on this Victory over Japan Day, The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Lodge #177, would like to bestow our esteemed and eternal gratitude, to the greatest generation, the veterans of World War II.
We proudly stand at attention to salute one and all.
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Nominations sought for Lawrence County Veteran of the Year judges who assemble as the Lawrence County Veterans Hall of Fame Executive Committee.
Staff Report The Lawrence County Veterans Hall of Fame recognizes Lawrence County veteran residents who have served with distinction, honor and exemplary service while in the military, or an veteran who has after service continued to contribute to their communities, state and nation in an exemplary manner. These contributions can be in the areas of military service, professional achievements, civic or public service, volunteerism, veterans’ advocacy or other significant achievements over the life of the nominee. The Lawrence County Hall of Fame is a veterans hall of fame that focuses on accomplishments and achievements of individuals before, during and after their military service. The Lawrence County Veterans Hall of Fame recognizes the valor and/or excellence while the veteran was in the military, as well as those veterans with post-military achievements of outstanding veterans and spotlights all veterans, contributions to the civilian workplace or their community. Who is eligible? The veteran nominee must meet the following criteria: • Must be a past or current Lawrence County, Ohio resident • Must have received an “Honorable” discharge for all periods of service • Must be of good moral character
Definition of Veteran Veteran means any person who has completed service in the armed forces, including the national guard of any state, or a reserve component of the United States Armed Forces, who has been discharged as an “Honorable Discharge” from the armed forces or who has been transferred to the reserve with evidence of satisfactory “Honorable” service. For the Nominators: Information in the packets shall not be falsified in any manner. Include final discharge papers, such as DD Form 214. If nominee received several discharges please provide the final discharge paperwork with the nomination packet. Discharge papers can be requested from the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC), 9700 Page Blvd., St. Louis, MO, 63132, http:// www.archives.gov or by calling 866-272-6272. You may also seek the assistance of your Lawrence County Veterans Service Office. The nomination packet
must not exceed 10 pages on 8.5” x 11” single sided paper – excluding nomination form and discharge papers. Packets that exceed 10 pages will be returned to the nominator. Do not include original documents as nomination packets and attachments become the property of the Lawrence County Veterans Hall of Fame. Do not include documents such as newspaper articles that lose legibility when copied. Rather, send a clean, legible 8.5” x 11” copy of the article or document. Posthumous nominations WILL be accepted. The Lawrence County Veterans Hall of Fame Executive Committee will review nominations in the summer. Approved finalists and their nominees will be notified in August. Nominators of Veterans who were not selected will be notified. These are the guidelines for the nomination of a Lawrence County Veteran into the Lawrence County Veterans Hall of Fame. All applications will be voted on by a blind panel of impartial
Who is not eligible for induction into the Hall of Fame? Members of the Lawrence County Veterans Hall of Fame Executive Committee, and members of any current County Veterans Service Commission are ineligible for induction into the Lawrence County Veterans Hall of Fame until after they have left their positions. Nomination Packets For the submission process to uniformly portray the military and/or post-military service achievements and accomplishments of these great Lawrence County Veterans, the nomination packet must adhere to the following format: Section 1 – Lawrence County Veterans Hall of Fame Nomination Form This form requires the signature of the nominator to validate that the information is accurate. And a signature from a sponsoring Lawrence County Nationally Chartered Veterans Organization Commander/ President/Commandant. Section 2 – Verification of Veterans Status Attach a certified copy of the nominee’s final discharge papers, such as DD Form 214. Section 3 – Summary of Military or Post-Military Achievements (if both, Section 3-Tab A for military achievements, Section 3-Tab B for Post-Military Achievements) Examples include awards
for valor, combat, military merit, military outstanding volunteer, exemplary military service and accomplishments, exemplary professional achievements; contributions through educational, fraternal, faith, Veteran and service organizations; political office; public service; volunteerism and more. Section 4 – Military or Post-Military Awards and Honors (if both Section 4-Tab A for Military Awards and Honors, Section 4-Tab B for Post-Military Awards and Honors) Provide a list and highlights of awards and honors. Examples include Presidential awards, military decorations, and honors, Soldier of the Quarter or Year, Citizen of the Year, Veteran of the Year, significant milestones, etc. Section 5 – Summary of Education and Training Accomplishments Include a chronology of education and training accomplishments. Section 6 – Narrative Detailing the Veteran’s Overall Accomplishments and Achievements Provide a comprehensive narrative detailing why this Lawrence County Veteran should be considered for the Lawrence County Veterans Hall of Fame. Approximately 500 words. Nomination packet deadline: Aug. 26 of each year. Send to or drop off in person to: Lawrence County Veterans Hall of Fame, Lawrence County Veterans Service Commission, 111 S. Fourth St., Ironton, OH 45638
WEEKEND EDTION, JULY 25-26, 2020
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Lawrence County Veterans Hall of Fame Committee Members John Turner Teresa McKenzie Matt Jenkins Kayla Brown Lou Pyles Lawrence County Veterans Hall of Fame
740-568-9009 Fax: 740-568-9019
Nominee Information
Full Name: _____________________________________________________________ Address: ________________________________ City: _________________________ County: _________________________________ State: __________ Zip: _________ Primary phone #: _________________________ Email: _____________________________ All periods of service discharged honorably? □ Y □ N Date of birth: ____________________________ Is the nominee deceased? □ Y □ N Dates & location of Lawrence County Ohio residency: ______________________________________________________________________________________ Branch(es) of Service: ____________________________________________________ Years Served: ________ Conflict (if applicable): ___________
Nominator Information (can be same as the Veteran) Full Name: _____________________________________________________________ Email: _________________________________ Address: _______________________ City: _______________________ State: __________ Zip: __________ Primary phone #:______________________ ❏ I hereby affirm the information herein is accurate to the best of my knowledge and in conformance with the guidelines. I also understand that inductees must be available to attend the November ceremony. Signature: ____________________________________ Commander/Commandant/President Information (OPTIONAL)
Full Name: _____________________________________________________________ Email: _________________________________ Address: _______________________ City: _________________________ State: __________ Zip: __________ Primary phone #:_________________ Are you the Commander/Commandant/President of a Veterans organization in Lawrence County, Ohio? □ Y □ N Veterans Organization: ____________________ Post Number: ___________________ Post Phone #: ___________________________ Address: _______________________ City: ___________________________________ State: __________ Zip: __________ Does the nominee attend regular meetings 50% or more yearly? □Y □N
What has Veteran done in the County
Does the nominee participate in volunteer functions? □Y □N In your own words, how does this Veteran distinguish him/herself among others and within the County? ______________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ❏ I hereby affirm the information herein is accurate to the best of my knowledge and in conformance with the guidelines. I also understand that if this inductee is accepted, I may attend the November ceremony. Signature: _________________________________ Please follow the nomination guidelines which can be received at the Lawrence County Veterans Service Commission. Packets must include: 1. Nomination form 2. Discharge papers 3. Nomination packet following guidelines including: typed by section as indicated; 8.5” x 11” single-sided paper; must not exceed 10 pages; do not include original documents such as certificates or newspaper articles, these must be copied onto 8.5” x 11” paper. For complete list of guidelines visit the Lawrence County Veterans Service Commission. Note: Only the nominator will be notified if the nominee does not advance to the finalist stage. Send nomination form, discharge papers and complete nomination packet to:
Lawrence County Veterans Hall of Fame Lawrence County Veterans Service Commission 111 S. Fourth St., Ironton, Ohio 45645 DEADLINE: August 26, 2020
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