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Published by Forrest R. Church, 2018-05-25 02:42:50

2018 Memorial Day Tribute

2018 Memorial Day Tribute

Memorial Day 2018

Reporter

Local Memorial Day Events 2018

ARCHBOLD perform, a Gun salute will be given by be held at GAR Monument with invo- WAUSEON
American Legion, and a Patriotic reading cation and benediction given by Pas-
No information was received by from Girl Scout, Aubrey Herman, will be tor Benaiah Harris. Other parts of the Wauseon - The Memorial Day events
press time. presented. ceremony include a special address by are a joint production of the Wauseon
Bill Priest, wreaths by American Legion American Legion and VFW posts. Parade
BRYAN EDON Post 109 and VFW Post 944 and a Boy begins at 9:30 a.m. at the Firehouse and
scout reciting the Gettysburg Address. proceeds down West Elm Street from
This year’s parade will begin at 9 a.m. The Memorial Day parade starts at Montpelier High School band will pro- Clinton Street to the Union Cemetery.
as usual from the Goodwill parking lot Edon State Bank at 11 am, marching to vide music and there will be a pasto- Families and guests gather along the pa-
and march to Floral Grove Cemetery. the Columbia Cemetery at 9 where there ral address by Rev. David Tilly. Veter- rade route watching the Honor Guard,
The parade will include a riderless horse, will be a program, with Dan Gallagher as ans organization will provide a 21 gun the Wauseon High School Band, Boy
color guard, boy scouts, girl scouts and special speaker. Edon High School Band salute and taps will be performed by Scouts, and cars carrying dignitaries
4-H as well as Bryan High School Band. will participate. Blakeslee Cemetery at MHS band. as they pass toward the cemetery. The
The program will start around 9:30 with 9:40. Boy Scouts hand out American Flags
music provided by the band and speech PETTISVILLE and programs for the service at the cem-
given by Dan Bonney. Different organi- FAYETTE etery.The public gathers in the open
zations will lay wreaths in remembrance Memorial Day Program starts at 11 space next to the Wauseon Mausoleum.
of those lost. There will also be Taps and Parade, with Fayette High School a.m. at Pettisville Cemetery. Service will Graves of local veterans will be adorned
a 21 gun salute. Band participating, will begin at 10:00 include Archbold Legion Post the Col- with U.S. flags. Living veterans will take
at American Legion Hall. There will be ors, Welcome – Emcee - Joshua Bock, a position of honor near the front. When
DELTA a special speaker at the cemetery cer- President Student Council 2018 - 19, the parade ends at Union cemetery, the
emony. Invocation – Katarina Hauter President community gathers in the open space
No information was received by Student Council 2017 - 18, Pettisville by the Wauseon Mau- soleum. Flags
press time. MONTPELIER Band Director, Ryan Bailey – “National have been placed at the graves of all
Anthem” , Sophie Sterken (Sixth Grad- who served in America's wars, from the
EDGERTON At 10:30 a parade will start from er Pettisville School) In Flanders Field, Civil War to the most recent conflicts.
town hall, (bicycle judging participants Main speaker – George E. "Bud" John- The stage is decorated with red, white
American Legion, Boy Scouts, Cub need to be there by 10:15), Montpelier son, Jr. Benediction - Katarina Hauter, and blue bunting, and the flowers bloom
Scouts and Edgerton High School Band High School Band will march, along One Minute of Silence (Toll the Bell), Fir- around the speakers and veterans who
meet in front of American Legion Hall at with Cub scouts and Boy scouts. There ing Squad Archbold Legion, Taps – Pet- are gathered at the front of the crowd.
9:30 and parade starts at 9:45. Parade will be stop at St. Joe River bridge for tisville Band members, Program conclu- The ceremony includes posting of the
will proceed to Maple Grove Cemetery a brief ceremony for those who died sion colors and The National Anthem played
where program begins at 10. This year’s on the seas and then will continue to by the Wauseon Marching Band, the
speaker is the new Pastor at Church Riverside Cemetery. Ceremony will PIONEER Pledge of Allegiance, recognition of the
of Christ, Jeff Bookins. The band will veterans and their service, presenta-
Parade starts at 10:30 from the tion of Americanism Medals, recognition
school. Memorial service will be held at of Gold Star Mothers, recitations of "In
Floral Grove Cemetery at 11 with a spe- Flanders Field" and "The Gettysburg Ad-
cial speaker, and music provided by the dress," singing by the Wauseon Chorale,
school band. and the oration by the guest speaker.

STRYKER WEST UNITY

Stryker - There will be a breakfast From 9:15 to 9:30 parade partici-
served at American Legion from 7-9:30. pants gather at American Legion and
At around 10:00, participants will form parade will start at 10. Parade route will
up for parade in front of American Legion be to the park, to Rings Cemetery and
and march to the school where Stryker then to Floral Grove for a program. The
High School Band will join and all will speaker is a West Unity minister and the
march to cemetery. The program will Hilltop High School Band will perform.
begin at 11 and include special speak- Wreaths will be placed at each stop on
er, Don Carol, long time Stryker legion the way to the program.
member, retired navy. Special music will
be provided by the High School Band.

Memorial Day BBQ Tips

VETERANS OF Memorial Day weekend marks the un- the grill so vegetarian guests are not hesi-
WILLIAMS COUNTY official start of summer. For many, Me- tant to eat. And while grilled meat tends to
morial Day weekend also signifies their be popular at backyard barbecues, don't
Do you need help with VA claims first chance to invite friends and family overlook recipes for grilled fish that can be
or financial assistance? over for a backyard barbecue. While some both nutritious and delicious.
never put their grills away for the winter,
The Veterans Services Office braving the cold so they can keep grilling · Get guests home safe. Memorial Day
is here to serve you! year-round, many may need a refresher gatherings tend to be festive, but keep an
to ensure their Memorial Day BBQ starts eye on guests to ensure that no one con-
Call 419-636-8812 for an appointment summer off on the right foot. sumes an excessive amount of alcohol.
Keep a list of local cab companies on hand
The Williams County · Stock up on supplies. Before hosting or download a car service app to your
Veterans Service your first backyard barbecue, take inven- smartphone so safe means of transporta-
Commission tory of your supplies, making sure you tion are always within reach.
have a spatula, tongs, oven mitts, a stur-
Veterans helping Veterans since 1886 dy grill brush, and other accessories you A Memorial
may need during grilling season. Check Day Salute
Visit our website each item to make sure it's not worse for
wear and do the same with the grill as On Memorial Day, we pause
www.co.williams.oh.us well. Replace supplies that have too much to honor the memory of the
wear and tear in advance of Memorial Day brave men and women who
weekend so you have one less item on your have given their lives in the
to-do list come the day of the barbecue. service of our country. Our
thoughts, our prayers and
· Designate some time to do some our eternal gratitude are with
cleaning. Even if you cleaned the grill and them and their families.
patio furniture before putting the items in
storage for the winter, they likely will need We will never forget.
to be cleaned again before you host your
first soiree of the season. Remove any dust
and check for spider webs or signs of other
critters that might have made your furni-
ture home over the cold winter. Droppings
from rodents can be dangerous, and spi-
ders can bite unsuspecting grillmasters.
Clean patio furniture before putting it out
as well.

· Find some new recipes. Hot dogs and
hamburgers are perfectly acceptable back-
yard barbecue fare, but hosts who want to
treat their guests to something new this
summer can find a host of recipes online.
Consider recipes for grilled vegetables so
vegetarian guests can enjoy freshly grilled
foods alongside your other guests. Just
be sure to separate veggies from meat on

Remember… Thank You.
Freedom Is Not Free
Reporter
On Memorial Day, we dedicate our thanks to those who
dedicated their lives to this great country. Their courage, 115 Broad Street
service and sacrifice will never be forgotten. Montpelier, Ohio 43543
419-485-4851
We salute the military heroes we have lost, and www.thevillagereporter.com
those who continue to protect our freedom today.

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2 - Memorial Day Tribute THE VILLAGE REPORTER Wednesday, May 23rd, 2018

Hilltop Carnival Raises Money To Pay For Honor Flights

By: James Pruitt school students brought their own mon-
THE VILLAGE REPORTER ey and paid for tickets at the event.

Hilltop students spent May 18 having The goal was to raise $800 to $1,600
fun and raising money to send another to send one or two people on an Honor
local veteran or two on an Honor Flight. Flight to Washington D.C. Williams had
Senior Chase Williams organized a car- led an earlier fundraiser which paid for
nival held behind the school which fea- another veteran to make the flight.
tured food, games and fun for students
in the elementary and high schools. The carnival featured cornhole
games, hula hoop toss, a dunk tank,
The elementary school students games for the younger students and
brought money to school beforehand to food.
participate in the games, while the high
James can be reached at

[email protected]

PHOTOS BY JAMES PRUITT, STAFF

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Wednesday, May 23rd, 2018 THE VILLAGE REPORTER Memorial Day Tribute - 3

Personal Reflections On Memorial Day USS Constitution Pays Tribute
To Vietnam War Veterans
All we have of freedom, ing that they only want to protect
All we use or know, a certain portion of the population, AP PHOTO/BILL SIKES
This our fathers bought for us the portion that agrees with them. PAYING TRIBUTE... The USS Constitution glides through
Long, long ago. Instead they fight for the American Boston Harbor past the city skyline on a cruise to honor
ideal, the promise that we will wake Vietnam veterans, Friday, May 18, 2018, in Boston. The
up free to disagree again tomorrow. I U.S. Navy vessel known as "Old Ironsides" is the world's
~Rudyard Kipling find it remarkable. Men and women oldest commissioned warship still afloat.
have put their lives on the line to pro-
By: Chelsie Firestone stand, risking their lives, to protect tect not only some of us, but all of us. BOSTON (AP) — The USS Constitution has paid hom-
THE VILLAGE REPORTER this great land. Not all of these wars age to Vietnam War veterans with a 21-gun salute in Bos-
have been popular, not all are taught It is that thought which has so of- ton.
Over the last several years I have in school. Few people, including me, ten silenced my pen. Silence is the
enjoyed a career as a writer who has really know what the Quasi-War or only way I know to pay my respect. The world's oldest commissioned warship still afloat
bounced through genres. Sometimes the First Barbary War was really all Words themselves could never say left its berth at the Charlestown Navy Yard on Friday and
I am a journalist, sometimes a philo- about. Some discount some wars as what lies on my heart. was guided across Boston Harbor by tugs to Fort Inde-
sophical theorist, sometimes a poet, mere conflicts. Some claim that the pendence. It directed the salute toward the South Boston
sometimes a researcher, and some- United States is too aggressive; oth- Still, I do feel an immense need to Vietnam Memorial.
times a creative writer. Regardless of ers claim that the United States is try to find some words, even if they
what genre my thoughts take me to too passive. I don't personally know. are too weak, to express my gratitude The Concord Battery and 101st Field Artillery from the
at any given time, I am able to write I doubt anyone really does. for those men and women whom Massachusetts National Guard returned the salute.
the words I choose because I am free have served our nation and never re-
to do so… I enjoy history but I am much more turned home. Because they cannot The trip was made in honor of Vietnam veterans and
a student of literature. Still, the two read or hear my words, I speak them to mark the 50th anniversary of U.S. involvement in the
…Because men and women have are forever intertwined. What I have to someone else instead. Vietnam War.
given the most precious gift of all, learned about history from my stud-
their lives, to make sure that I – and ies of literature is that many came To those families whom have lost Nearly 500 Vietnam War veterans were on board.
every other American – continue to before me who felt the same way as I a loved one as he or she has fought The Constitution was launched in 1797 and earned its
have such freedoms. do. All of the wars and conflicts mat- for this nation, your loss humbles nickname "Old Ironsides" during the War of 1812. Its cur-
ter. War affects us all and it’s not me and you, the same as the soldier, rent crew members are all active duty sailors.
It is these men and women who likely to end any time soon. have my deepest respect. In some
have, at times, silenced my pen when ways your loss was shared by us all. Celebrate All Military This May
not much else could. No words that The thought that lives have been In other ways, your loss has been the
I can ever find seem adequate to ex- given to uphold our freedoms has si- gain of the entire nation that your Memorial Day is celebrated each May to commemo-
press the gratitude that I feel for their lenced many a pen that has some- loved one fought so valiantly to pro- rate the people who died in service of the United States
ultimate sacrifice. No sentiments how felt desperate to find the words tect. of America.
that I will write on this page will come that few of us have ever found. We
close to giving the thanks that I have, are grateful that we are given these To those soldiers whom have Even though barbecues and visions of the upcoming
at times, been so desperate to give. freedoms… to think, to ponder, to fought, or continue to fight, to keep summer weather may command much of the attention
Where would I be without the men write, to argue, to progress. We America the Land of the Free, thank come Memorial Day weekend, the holiday really serves as
and women of our military who have writers are grateful to the men and you. Whether in peace time or in war a remembrance for those military members who paid the
fought and risked everything so that women who have given their lives to time, you have kept our borders safe ultimate sacrifice for their country, as well as the person-
our nation could maintain its free- allow us these freedoms despite the and let the American people maintain nel who continue to protect and serve today.
dom? I have no way to answer that fact that some of us have used what their freedom. I know that I cannot
question – because such men and many, particularly those in my pro- understand some of the sights you MEMORIAL DAY ORIGINS
women have always been there. fession, see as the hallmark of our have seen or the internal conflicts Memorial Day was first known as Decoration Day and
rights – free speech – to speak out you have faced. All that I can tell you was borne out of the Civil War. on May 30, 1868, General
The United States has been at war against them. is that you are the hero of an entire John Logan, a national commander of the Grand Army of
for 217 years since 1776 and in not nation. I stand silent in my somber the Republic, decreed General Order No. 11, which des-
one of those years did someone not No soldier goes into battle say- respect to you as well. ignated the day for the "purpose of strewing with flow-
ers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who
To all of those men and women died in defense of their country during the late rebellion,
whom have stood at the ready, whom and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and
have suffered losses most of us can- hamlet churchyard in the land." May 30th was chosen
not comprehend, it is your efforts because it wasn't the anniversary of any particular battle.
which took the idea of life, liberty, It took several years for the first state to recognize the
and the pursuit of happiness, repre- holiday, which New York adopted in 1873. By 1890, all
sented by mere words, off of the page northern states recognized Decoration Day. When the
and turned it into something real. holiday changed from commemorating those who died
fighting the Civil War to honoring Americans who died
I stand silent and my pen falls si- fighting in any war after World War I, the South began to
lent as well. It is not that I do not recognize it as well.
wish to speak. It is only that, in this
instance, the words could never be
enough to equal the actions others
have taken that have allowed me to
speak.

Chelsie can be reached at
[email protected]

Commercial, Industrial, and Residential HONORING THE MILITARY
Although Memorial Day pays homage to the brave peo-
01978 Co. Rd. 22A • Stryker, OH 43557 ple who perished fighting for their country, it also is an
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their families who continue to work to ensure the freedom
ECKENRODE AUTO REPAIR of Americans.
The United States Armed Forces is renowned for its
Andy Eckenrode National Institute For size and strength. Various sources suggest the size of the
A.S.E. Certified Master Technician United States military is somewhere between 1.4 and 1.6
Josh Eckenrode Automotive million active service people. The military is comprised of
A.S.E. Certified Automotive Technician Service the Army, Army National Guard, Navy, Air Force, Marine
Excellence Corps, and Coast Guard. Each of these military branches
800 E. Main Street • Montpelier also has its own reserves.
Across from Fair Grounds There are many ways to honor active, reserve and for-
mer veterans, as well as those who died in service of their
419-485-0021 country.
• Help Veterans of Foreign Wars distribute red poppies
Brakes • Exhaust • Tune-up • Engine • L.O.F. as a visual reminder of the military's efforts.
Tires • Electrical Repair • Computer Diagnostics • Volunteer at a veterans' hospital or visit a wounded
veteran at home.
M-F 8 am - 5 pm; Sat. 8 am - 12 pm • Offer financial, legal or career expertise through the
Corporation for National & Community Service
• Help to maintain the veteran area of a nearby cem-
etery. Place flags on all of the graves.
• Befriend military families who frequently relocate,
making a concerted effort to welcome them into your com-
munity.
• Educate children about past wars and the services
the military provides.
• Visit a military museum or historic site.
• Observe the National Moment of Remembrance at
3 pm local time for one minute.
• Post a message to the troops at the USO website
(uso.org).

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4 - Memorial Day Tribute THE VILLAGE REPORTER Wednesday, May 23rd, 2018

Nettle Lake Man Reflects Fondly On Time Spent In Navy

PHOTO BY JIM PRUITT, STAFF Born Feb. 1941, in Massachusetts, Sundberg’s father “best wife I could ask for.” The pair have been married for
HONORED... Lawrence Sundberg of Nettle Lake (U.S. moved the family to Tucson, Arizona, in 1952 and the 35 years, but dated for 13 years while his children from
Navy Ret.) holds the certificate given to him by CHP Hos- family planted roots there. He graduated from high school his first marriage grew up.
pice of Bryan honoring him for his 24 years of military in Tucson in 1958 and by 1960 had joined the Navy.
service. He is a hospice patient and the first person to be They came out to Nettle Lake in 1989.
recognized in Williams County by the agency. “I enjoyed it,” Sundberg said of his time in the service. Lawrence retired in 1999 and the pair became snow-
“It is the best experience a young man can have.” birds, wintering in Arizona. In 2015, they became full-
By James Pruitt time residents of Nettle Lake.
THE VILLAGE REPORTER He served two tours on different aircraft carriers (U.S.S “It’s beautiful here in the winter,” Jan Sundberg said.
When Lawrence Sundberg looks back at his life and American and Randolph) and shore duty in Virginia and As he recalls his time in the military he recommends
recalls his time in the military, he finds his happy place. Morocco. He worked on the landing mechanisms aboard the young people of today spend a four-year hitch in the
The 77-year-old resident of Nettle Lake has nothing ship that caught the hooks on the bottom of aircraft. service, regardless of the branch. He appreciated the ed-
but fond memories of his 24 years in the Navy and Naval ucation he received in hydraulics and electrical
Reserve. The years are among the greatest experiences in He tried to get into the South Pacific (on a PT boat) “It’s the greatest experience in the world,” Sundberg
life. to serve in Vietnam, but the higher-ups said he was too said.
Sundberg is now a hospice patient with CHP of Bryan. valuable where he was.
The agency honored him with a certificate of recognition James may be reached at [email protected]
for his years of service. The Navy offered him great training and places to see,
“He was the first veteran in Williams County to be rec- Sundberg said. Bob Hope Exhibit Opens
ognized,” Jan Sundberg said.
Sundberg rests comfortably in his cabin with his wife In North Africa, he worked as part of cargo transport NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The National World War II Mu-
of 35 years, Jan. They have been together for 48 years and rescue crew for planes making emergency landings. seum is about to open a new exhibit about comedian Bob
after having met while working at Toledo Express Airport. The field was 200-feet wide and 15,000 feet long. Hope and his performances for American troops serving
They have a son and Lawrence has two children from a around the world.
previous marriage. “We served any plane in trouble in the Mediterranean
Sea,” Sundberg said. The exhibit includes wartime correspondence between
Hope and service members, and World War II-era relics
He enjoyed his time in Morocco as the landscape and engraved to Hope. It also includes never-published or dis-
climate was similar to Arizona. played photos taken by a military photographer, wartime
films from his travels, Hollywood Victory Caravan pho-
One tour on the Randolph, the carrier was on patrol tos and scrapbooks, an interactive display and an origi-
for submarines. The aircraft would go on 4-6-hour sorties nal 10-minute documentary. The museum also is host-
from Virginia to Cuba and back. ing free showings of classic movies Bob Hope made from
1939 to 1955.
He got to experience landing on a carrier deck once on
a supply mission. When he got near to the ship, it was the All but two of Hope's radio shows during World War
size of a postage stamp. After a circuit to get in position, II were aired from military bases and camps, throughout
the approach brought him in quick before a sudden stop. the United States and in both the European and South
Pacific theaters of war, according to the Bob & Dolores
He came to Ohio (Toledo) for the first time in the late Hope Foundation's website.
1960s with his best friend who had a sister. Sundberg
married her. Hope's daughter, Linda Hope, will speak at a Thursday
evening kickoff reception for the exhibit, which runs from
Sundberg served on active duty from May 1960 Friday through Feb. 10. She's chair/CEO of the Bob &
through August 1969. He transitioned to the Naval Re- Dolores Hope Foundation , which gave the museum $3
serve because he needed to be home with his wife and million in 2016 to integrate Hope's story throughout its
family. campus.

Unfortunately the marriage did not survive. "I am so pleased that the public is getting a chance
Sundberg served until 1985. He served a total of 24 to understand the role my dad played in keeping up mo-
years. He and Jan had a son together. rale both overseas and here at home during those difficult
“I retired a Chief Petty Officer, E7,” Sundberg said times," she said in the museum's news release Tuesday.
At the Toledo Airport, he worked for 28 years as a crash
rescue worker and police officer. Jan worked for in-flight The World Golf Hall of Fame & Museum is lending
food service and that’s where they met. She would make some of the items, the museum said.
him tea on his breaks.
Jan occupies a special spot in his life. He calls her the The exhibit is titled "So Ready for Laughter: The Leg-
acy of Bob Hope." The title is taken from Hope's 1990
99-Year-Old Us WWII Vet’s Mission: Visit Every State memoir, "Don't Shoot, It's Only Me." Describing his first
military performance, at March Field, California, in May
By Chris Carola, wife died 35 years ago, Walton is ac- PHOTO BY MIKE GROLL/OFFICE OF 1941, he wrote, "We had no idea we were going to discover
ASSOCIATED PRESS companied on the state capital trips GOVERNOR ANDREW M. CUOMO VIA AP an audience so ready for laughter, it would make what we
by son Paul, 62, his caretaker and NEW YORK CAPITOL... In this photo did for a living seem like stealing money."
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A 99-year- housemate in San Diego. The younger provided by the Office of the Governor
old World War II veteran who regret- Walton said he sold his hotel business of New York, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, BEST PRICES OF THE SEASON
ted skipping the chance to meet some several years ago so he could take care right, poses with World War II veteran
of the nation's last Civil War veterans of his father full-time. Sidney Walton, seated, at the Capitol HUSTLER MOWERS
in 1940 is on a mission to visit all 50 in Albany, N.Y., Friday, May 18, 2018.
states so people who've never met a Since then, the two men have vis- The 99-year-old World War II veteran Starting at $57 a month
WWII vet can finally meet one. ited 30 countries and attended bucket who regretted skipping the chance to
list events from Mardi Gras to the Su- meet some of the nation's last Civil NSoPNIoEnPtCeaIryAemsLtetnPitllRTSiIlelCpOItecNtmoGbbeerr
Sidney Walton, of San Diego, met per Bowl. The elder Walton even has War veterans in 1940 is on a mission
Gov. Andrew Cuomo in Albany on Fri- his own website — GoSidneyGo.com — to visit all 50 states so people who've WE SERVICE ALL
day, making it five governors the New which features photos of him with peo- never met a WWII vet can finally meet MAKES & MODELS
York native has visited since launch- ple he has met on his travels, including one. Standing at left is Walton's son,
ing his "No Regrets Tour" in March at Dalai Lama and Britain's Prince Harry. Paul Walton. FREEDOM SALES
the National WWII Museum in New Or-
leans. "It feels so good to do this for my 400 Freedom Drive, Napoleon, Ohio 43545 • (419) 599-7737
dad," Paul Walton said.
The visit to Cuomo's state Capitol MOVING TO A NEW LOCATION BEGINNING JULY 9TH: 335 E. Riverview Ave., Napoleon
office followed statehouse meetings Before meeting Cuomo in his of-
over the past three weeks with the gov- fice, Sidney Walton, who has to use
ernors of Rhode Island, Maine, Massa- a wheelchair, was given a tour of the
chusetts and Connecticut. Assembly and Senate chambers. Gaz-
ing around at the former's ornate sur-
"I just love it," Walton said when roundings, he exclaimed, "I love New
asked about his recent itinerary. York."

Born in 1919 on Manhattan's Low- After meeting behind closed doors
er East Side to Jewish immigrant par- with the Waltons, Cuomo emerged
ents from Eastern Europe and raised with the two men and presented the
in Brooklyn, Sidney Walovnick later veteran with the Governor's Medal for
changed his last name to Walton. A Public Service. Asked by the governor
year before enlisting in the U.S. Army which state is the most beautiful, the
in 1941, Walton passed on a chance to native New Yorker who summered in
meet Civil War veterans at an event in the Catskills as a youngster didn't
Manhattan's Central Park. He said it's hesitate.
his one regret in life.
"New York!" The globe-trotting no-
Walton was preparing to be sent to nagenarian said.
Europe with his infantry unit in late
1944 when he broke his ankle during The Waltons plan to be at the Cen-
combat training. Instead, he was sent tral Park Boathouse Monday evening,
to Asia, where he served in the Chi- when the 99-year-old will give visitors
na-Burma-India region. He was dis- an opportunity to do something he
charged in 1946. failed to do 78 years ago: meet one of
the last surviving veterans of a long-
A retired chemical engineer whose ago war.

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Wednesday, May 23rd, 2018 THE VILLAGE REPORTER Memorial Day Tribute - 5

Family Style: 14 Sets Of Ohio Brothers Remember Korea

By Shane Hoover, among American veterans of the Korean War, including “family style” on the Korean battlefields, according to a Re-
surviving members of the 987th, the only Ohio National pository headline.
THE CANTON REPOSITORY
tovathauoZphAPtsohheorvrrrooooprrtoeteeeltrnmmidiehiLCANNE“PiiusrtaeclrreErsitliiureesllvnAooeadeukmerohovt,bernrrrdNnuesesorsewwsttorSyeokn.e,aswhhpnrTymtnhtosseyyitwBeiOnanlntunribKtieKctmhniakeeMNhtlP6ootntnoodeediltoesrhw,dr,5segtorerrneweatyieyveEowmafiesOoscyflianniantorvinLeisroeooho,hnddroaiOwp.andnvscnaeiJeSrnareEoavthseilnpasmosrErepewwvfvioeteafuooarea(vaoacsetfe-saAnsudrtahlnoitDrferpcahlt.AndtPiermneeuteshleeaotri)rlyrsinnrlKepwnamfmoSee.frsK—tgoelatontercomryteWhrtlwip.rleairwmlem,dteeweokeie”cmahrNMksiawnaoAssitnfEeTSetaphiJc,u.ofphtngavrintoteeioerlnrahuiananadrdeedontiatrtndmlhwnhtgaikswsgsnothdet2atseptrtoh,enapegeiUC7elhflef8aeceoplesreoanks9Gpkns8amloaaeguntks8oec,Uumeoetpa.ndseom7ret6prae.n,nttfiteS,aprrhtohyeshdK0tcsd.Ctpve,u.ieba0iseKdemArahSamale0urWerlD,honrnoocresswcmnmrKramtaueddeWocemaeoiimnuaoww.vMtionntoaenutth1rsieadsuraot,nhilAwMwe4cs.deltleesnull1RyiaeahrKdo-dse,9(tAw4.cshoSyno4ninaeracotom5oa-we9(inopFdr.echh1fSrl4kcttaWrniwulo5oeda9iaS7haoztNeeoh1eerctas,:gotndeeaHrv)ap93emleS7oiNhienhpdddd0esesO,:rrt--rtH3)S3oeaaah0Orm33SHhHeaaarrwmatGetbtKKr1tatadm-3d5HohHord8hhieoriannsee-upd5ooa4ip-uowocuodr8oeetramtrwgmurr1n4p-ewths3a.TAT“AOEldooceerrplmawe7imC1:gT,.s3Nroehefhhie5ntaavTpdna7aS:inr,d1Hhlcrfe5mtaoeennoAhe6au—aSlre71oghrnereornanAte6tuuass7ne.atfsvAeryehtehanotccssan1.7lnvhcd,ett’rhe11rscievec1rM”Knhoha-dyvoe1i1me8Jtreeeog6ot-e.n8keeEotorm67soriu”21chdnymsdpsvpr-d2ovs9ran4l4eCeeaieesslaheiad4cc8pdaestkptoeMosnnakuus7stnihpellto.leusnkdeoafagotlal-fportmehfpynearnpwusdssiMfedpieeemnoartaalwosdotdensioowaariihucekperaandaifpcsnhSaksineeplcrs.hvnepwebsneieoesatclny“saatrddoalu,uwhTaodhRoeioenrdusugOnleuihdethutseuaynegnlsbyhdd“neh,ot,arbt,9iCbahehCrothaitlalbPo8eSroeanrhaooiuaenseuynen’d7c—ownbdsenypArdv.cgsltubtsiyttehrnASoIaotttohetwte,amnozaornnhoiomknrderoedobabvu’,nry,eKsrnokoeiiueRoKe1tastnoAdnroNddhuetor.eoiw0Aigldrenpodcwldatrt5euiibDKslaohetatntonallfof,ugBoinaeriooinerpom.v”et.dlrteyrbubcnpilbrahneb1neo’muelearrraonoaoledone4geesettallnnndctBoti,desunsntGlboaimasea1hntSahcndTvfueiwruato9aeooeewiiictsryMnramttopa5nrluahemsh,celergti0ls.taoketrltdiemfmhlohbo.aesiumraeogtrnsuylheoNNnloiwtKlh,eilprho.nnisloopoStnaselpcteC(ttoirrrrtongtnahbrerttoioneoosrithhnnddlgys----,..f..) Howard J. Milhoan, 90, was among the band of brothers.
He had joined the Navy when he was 17 toward the end
of World War II and served on landing ships in the Pacific.
He was on reserve status with the Navy when the 987th
was called up.
Milhoan had two brothers in the unit, including his
younger brother, Charles.
“We were very close, and I wanted to go and protect
him,” Milhoan said.
The Navy gave him permission to join the National
Guard. As it turned out, Charles didn’t go to Korea with the
987th, although he later served as a Green Beret.
“I wouldn’t have joined if I had known that,” Milhoan
said.
Evans joined the 987th when he was a high school se-
nior in 1947. His enlistment ended 24 hours before the
unit was activated. Figuring he’d eventually be drafted for
Korea, he stayed on, preferring to fight alongside guys he
knew.
He didn’t have family in the 987th, but his father and
uncles had been in the National Guard between the world
wars and Evans had known many of his officers since he
was a boy.
“They were like relatives,” Evans said. “But you had to
do what the hell they said. That was all there was to it.”
The 987th left Ohio with 505 officers and men, accord-
ing to Mann’s research. After training in Colorado, the unit
moved to California, and finally sailed for Korea on Jan. 29,
1951. Eighteen days later the men landed in Pusan.
Korea’s terrain was mountainous and rugged. It always
seemed like you were looking up at someone or they were
looking down at you, Evans said.
The weather was worse. Monsoons turned dust into mud.
Winter temperatures dropped below minus 30 degrees.
“The place is just one big mountain — a mountain with
rice paddies,” a soldier from the 987th told the Repository
on a visit home. He had fought in the Pacific during WWII.
Korea was worse, he declared. “It’s a lousy place.”
Many of the officers and men in the 987th were WWII
vets or “retreads.”
“We looked up to those guys,” Evans said.
The “retreads” could be sarcastic and some were upset
to be back in combat or resisted authority, but they knew
how to act under fire.
Evans, who had never gone through basic training,
stuck close to a soldier who won a Silver Star fighting in
Europe.
“To tell you how stupid we were when we first got in
(Korea), we wondered why they were so nervous,” Evans
said. “We found out why.”
“The line is 5 miles behind you.”
The words crackled from a radio in the command tent.
It was early morning. For several hours, the 987th had
been shelling Chinese and North Korean troops from a
place called Sanchang-ni.
Evans, who was hauling fuel and ammunition, ducked
into the tent for a cup of coffee when he heard the omi-
nous news. It was April 22, 1951, and the Red Bull Bat-
talion was about to be overrun.
“That was the ‘Battle of Bull Run,'” Milhoan said.
Retreating South Korean soldiers, traveling with their
girlfriends and wives, fled from the front line in trucks,
one vet told the Repository upon his return to Canton two
months later.
Without protection by the South Korean infantry, the
M7s were exposed to enemy soldiers who “came forth like
ants.”
Falling back, part of the 987th got stuck on a moun-
tain road that was little more than a cart path. Soldiers
reinforced the road with logs and rocks, but the M7s were
too heavy. Their crews dropped grenades into the howit-
zers and abandoned them.
In the confusion of the retreat, 10 howitzers were lost
and a 987th soldier from Oklahoma was killed. Four oth-
ers were wounded and two went missing.
Some of the men escaped with just the clothes they
were wearing and their weapons.
“You probably have heard of our retreat, but every-
thing is O.K. …” one Canton soldier wrote to his mother.
“I am fine but tired. I went for more than 48 hours with
no sleep until last night. Sleep sure is fine.”
Nearly 1.8 million Americans served and 36,574 died
in the Korean War from 1950 to 1953, including 69 from
Stark County, according to the U.S. Department of Veter-
ans Affairs and the National Archives.
The Army released the 987th from service on Sept.
27, 1954. By then, most of the local soldiers had rotated
home, replaced by men from other parts of the country.
Queens. Philadelphia. Chicago.
The unit fired more than 300,000 artillery rounds in
Korea; five men were killed and eight were missing in ac-
tion, according to the Ohio Army National Guard. None
of those soldiers appear to have been from Stark County.
Evans, who was injured when his Jeep went off a cliff
during a supply run, sailed home in early 1952. Fireboats
welcomed his ship to Seattle, and the locals held a pa-
rade, but that wasn’t the norm.
“People were tired of war,” Evans said. “World War II
had just done it.”
He returned to his job in the Repository pressroom
and settled into life in Canton with his wife, Helen, and
their son, Stanley Jr., who was born two days after Evans
landed at Pusan. Three daughters followed.
Milhoan had a tougher time finding work. He moved to
Michigan, where he spent 40 years working for a cement
company. He retired to South Carolina.
Milhoan’s voice tightened as he talked about com-
ing home. Going overseas a second time caused a lot of
heartaches and friction, and cost him a wife, he said. But
others didn’t seem to notice the sacrifices.
“When we came home from the Second World War, we
were welcomed,” Milhoan said. “And when we came home
from Korea, nobody cared.”
Evans lives in Massillon but still keeps in touch with
Milhoan, who resides in McCormick, South Carolina.
Most of their comrades from the 987th have died.
The last reunion was about 20 years ago, Evans
guessed.
His lasting memory from the war is of the Korean chil-
Ace Hardware dren he saw wandering without clothes or food, looking
A14c9e5HNaSrhdowoparAeve for their parents. He wonders: “What happened to those
little kids?”
W1a4u9s5eoNn,SOhHoo4p35A6v7e1824 Both veterans take pride in the role they played in

WwWawwu1aAww4su1e9(Aw4.cs4ao5e9(.ec14cano59Ne1ec,nH)9SNheO,tH3)SoaahOr33SHheaarr3d5HhHordrd54-owodowu14-w3orpaw71s35pa7a:r15Ae6ar71rAe67.vrec.7vee1coe18o8m2m244 stopping Communist aggression, and said they hope the
Korean people finally find peace.
WawMuowMsno-e(wS4noa-(.1S4tana9S71ct,:t)937oe0O:r3)3eah0m33HHaam-35or8-ud54p-8rm1p-ws37m1:,5a7S,16uSr71neu7n1.11c1-186o-62m4
www.acehardware.com “Nobody wants war, nobody likes war,” Milhoan said.
“It would be nice if we could find a solution to it and get
it settled. Yes, it would be wonderful.”

Information from:
The Repository, http://www.cantonrep.com

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6 - Memorial Day Tribute THE VILLAGE REPORTER Wednesday, May 23rd, 2018


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