Virtual Veteran Wall of Honor: Our Residents Who Served

Branch of Military: Army

Years of Service: 1941-1946

Wars or Battles Fought In: WWII / European Theater of Operations

Specialty: Warrant Officer, Top Secret Control

Bio: Claude was among the first troops to land in the British Isles. His responsibilities included set-up and maintenance of the war room and ensuring top secrecy. He worked with General’s Dwight Eisenhower, John Hodges Lee, George Griner, George Patton and Omar Bradley. Claude was stationed in London from April 1941 through October 1944 and in Paris from October 1944 through 1946.

​Branch of Military: Navy

Years of Service: 1944-1946

Wars or Battles Fought In: WWII

Specialty: Pilot

Bio: In the later part of 1944 I flew Submarine patrol in the Caribbean. In the early part of 1945 I flew sub patrol in the Pacific. A special event that I remember regarding my military days occurred when I was stationed at Whidbey Island, WA. Our PBY plane was in the water for takeoff when the tower radioed for us to return. At the base they put onboard our plane the most pregnant woman I ever did see and ordered us to take her to a hospital in Seattle to deliver her baby! Later on into that lonely night flight I thought of that mother and baby and realized what I was fighting for.

Branch of Military: Navy

Years of Service: 1944-1946

Wars or Battles Fought In: WWII / Invasion of Okinawa

Bio: At the age of 18 Orland was drafted into the Navy to serve our country during WWII. While in boot camp he married his 16 year old sweetheart, Wilma, then shortly after was shipped to Pearl Harbor. He served for 30 days in the Battle of Okinawa, the last battle of WWII resulting in the highest number of causalities in the Pacific Theatre. He earned a medal for his service in the invasion of Okinawa.

Branch of Military: Army

Years of Service: 1942-1946

Wars or Battles Fought In: WWII

Specialty: Engineering

Bio: Ted spent most of his military career as a liaison officer for the U.S. Army Signal Corp Engineering laboratories New Equipment detachment. This unit had the job of taking newly invented electronic systems overseas and teaching how to use them. Ted was involved with radar systems, aircraft blind landing systems & the first coast to coast radio telephone towers. He was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation and retired a First Lieutenant.

Branch of Military: Navy

Years of Service: 1944-1946

Specialty: Electrical Technician

Bio: Richard served in the South Pacific. He was trained as an electrical Technician and served on the island of Guam. Richard did repair work on U.S. Navy ships as well as other allied ships. He retired a Private Second Class.

Branch of Military: Marine Corp

Years of Service: November 1942-January 1946

Wars or Battles Fought In:

Specialty: Communications

Bio: Leslie was a corporal in the Marines with weapons qualifications in rifle & bayonet. He had special military qualifications as a field telephone man. He served in the Pacific Theatre. Leslie’s unit was recognized with a letter of accommodation from General Dwight Eisenhower for cooperation with the Navy in field technical communications.

Branch of Military: Army Air Corp

Years of Service: 1942-1945

Wars or Battles Fought In: WWII

Specialty: Rifle Expert / Air Traffic Control

Bio: Marvin served in the Pacific theatre during WW II. He was a rifle expert and earned a letter of gratitude from President Truman. Marvin worked as an air traffic controller on the Pacific Islands of Enowetak & Tarawa. Marvin had a good time with his buddies and made many long lasting friendships.

Branch of Military: Navy

Years of Service: 1942-1945

Wars or Battles Fought In: WWII

Specialty: Aviation Ordinance

Bio: Herb earned a Pacific Theatre Ribbon, two Presidential unit citations and the Freedom Medal. Herb was an Aviation Ordinance Man 1st Class during WWII. He served in the Marshall Islands, Mariana Islands and Leyte Gulf Philippines. One story that Herb related was how his ship took a shell to the bow and a bomb to the fantail that split the bottom of the ship. A bucket brigade had to work for 3 days to keep the ship afloat, until another ship came to their rescue.

​Branch of Military: Army

Years of Service: 1942-1946

Wars or Battles Fought In: WWII

Specialty: Technician / Communications

Bio: Stanley was a Tech. Sgt. And served in the medical detachment. He was in charge of all technicians in the Army hospital in Leominster, England as well as the hospital at Fort Benning, Georgia, where many paratroopers were trained.

Adele was in communications and ran a teletype machine at the hospital. They were married in West Virginia and Adele’s captain, Jean Holm gave her away. Captain Holm was later to become the first female Major General in the Army Air Force.

​Branch of Military: Roayal Canadian Air Force

Years of Service: 1940-1945

Specialty: Pilot / Morse Code

Bio: Alex started his military career as a sergeant who taught Morse Code to signal platoon members. Alex later transferred to the Royal Canadian Air Force & was sent to the University of Edmonton where he graduated as a radio navigator on a two man fighter bomber plane, the De Haviland Mosquito. He also flew Eastern Coastal Patrol in Canada.

Branch of Military: Coast Guard

Years of Service: 1944-1946

Wars or Battles Fought In: WWII

Specialty: Dental Assistant

Bio: Sallee was a Dental Assistant while in the Coast Guard. Her boot camp consisted of living in the Biltmore Hotel in Palm Beach, Florida. They would march to the beach to go swimming and she lived in the Bridal Suite with six other girls. She served on land not sea while in the Coast Guard in both New York City and Washington D.C. In 1946 she had the honor of being in the funeral procession of President Roosevelt.

Branch of Military: Navy

Years of Service: 1943-1946

Wars or Battles Fought In: Asiatic-Pacific / Philippine Liberation

Specialty: Communications

Bio: Frank served on the U.S.S. Churchill County as a navigator & communications specialist. His first military action was in Manila joining a convey of 100 ships. The ship encountered attacks by Japanese kamikaze’s and mines and thankfully wasn’t injured. He retired a Lieutenant JG.

​Birthdate: 09/24/1925

Hometown: Ceylon, Minnesota

Branch of Military: Navy

Years of Service: 1943-1946

Wars or Battles Fought In: WWII / Battle of Angaur / Battle of Peleliu / Island of TurawaSpecialty: Coxswain for LCM Boats

Bio: Hitler and Japan's Hirohito (Emperor Showa) inspired me to sign up for the military. I was a Coxswain for Landing Craft Mechanized (LCM) boats, which were used to land troops or tanks during allied amphibious assaults. During the first bombing raid on the Island of Nukufetau, I recall going through a typhoon on an LCM boat while winds blew 80 mph. One of my vivid memories from the first bombing raid on Funafuti was the very bright full moon that offered the only light during the night. Bombs were dropped from Japanese airplanes onto the runway where American planes were waiting. Also while on Funafuti, there was a night when I was jolted awake by a man yelling, "Raid!", right outside of my sleeping tent. To hide from the gunshots, I escaped from my tent into a nearby foxhole. I jumped in the hole immediately, but should have looked more closely. As I jumped into the hole, I saw something that looked like a coconut...but soon found out was a fellow soldier's head! Luckily, there were no major injuries but it could have ended very badly. When I was in a very long beer line one night, I saw a man i recognized drive to the front of the line to pick up two cases of beer. Moments later when I met up with the man I realized it was Dick Nicholson, my old high school friend and pilot for a four-engine B-24 Bomber. Dick offered me some b eer and we spent hours that evening talking and drinking. Overall, I enjoyed my experience in the military and do not regret my years of service. My advice: Keep your powder dry, so if you have to shoot you can.

Birthdate: 08/01/1924

Hometown: Tacoma, Washington

Branch of Military: Coast Guard

Years of Service: December 1942-March 1946

Specialty: Guard Duty / Beach Patrol

Bio: This group of kids I hung around with all decided to join so I did too. I didn't get to fight any battles. They held me back. The first assignment I ever had was to install telephone wire into lookout towers at Lake Ozette. One day tat I was there walking on the beach I saw a mother bear and her two cubs. She chased them up a tree as we walked on by. I was also stationed at Bay Ocean, Oregon. We took over a family's house as our base and our meals were mostly Spam. Towards the end of the war we guarded a Russian ship as they loaded up with TNT. That is all they were allowed to do.

Birthdate: 12/22/1929

Hometown: Corinth, New York

Branch of Military: Navy

Years of Service: January 1947-October 1967

Wars or Battles Fought In: Korean War, Vietnam War

Specialty: Salvage Diver / Explosive Ordnance Disposal / Nuclear Emergency Training

Bio: I joined the military to get out of my small town. I was on a rescue and salvage ship in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars. I was on the USS Oriskany off of Vietnam (an attack carrier) on salvage/repair and towing vessels/locating sunken vessels. I provided disaster relief, performed search for downed planes, recovered Jupiter Nose Cone. I was involved in secret work tracking Russian ships during the Cold War. Unclassified information now. After retiring from the military I worked as a Deck Hand on Washington State Ferries and worked my way up to skipper.

Birthdate: 04/17/1926

Hometown: Cape Girardeau, MO

Branch of Military: Navy

Years of Service: 1944-1946

Wars or Battles Fought In: South Pacific

Specialty: Signal Man

Bio:I signed up for the military when I was in high school so I would have a choice of what branch of the military I joined. When I was 18 I was aboard a ship and we went under the Golden Gate to sail to the South Pacific, Philippines and Shanghai. I was a Signal Man. I used lights to flash Morse Code to other ships. I was as the Navy men referred to as a "Scivvy Waver." We got our orders through Morse Code. I was on a transport ship - transporting Marines. I remember having liberty for 3 hours and I drank 3 warm beers. I loved the sun rises and sun sets out at sea. I didn't get home the whole 2.5 years I was aboard the ship. It was very hot in the Pacific. Some nights you could stretch your hammocks from the gun turrets and sleep outside. It was a bummer when it rained. We were very isolated on the ship. I didn't know when Roosevelt died or when the war was over. I benefited from my time in the Navy. It was where I learned how to live outside of what my parents taught me.

​Birthdate: 11/07/1928

Hometown: Harrisville, New York

Branch of Military: Airforce and Navy

Years of Service: Airforce 1950-1958; Navy 1960-1977

Wars or Battles Fought In: Korean War (Air Force) / Vietnam War (Navy)

Specialty: Supply / Weapons Engineer

Bio: I got my draft notice so I joined the Air Force. I joined the Navy because the Air Force wouldn't take me back in as an officer after I finished school because they said I was too old. I was stationed along the roadside of the bataan death march. If I was young again today I would join again.

​Birthdate: 0/23/1922

Hometown: Minneapolis, Minnesota

Branch of Military: Air Force

Years of Service: 1942-1970

Wars or Battles Fought In: WWII, Korea, Vietnam

Specialty: Pilot - B24, B29, B36, B52

Bio: I wanted to fly airplanes so I joined the Air Force. If I hadn't have done that I would have been drafted anyways. I remember my first time in England flying a B24 during the war and one of the guys didn't make it. That made me realize how real war is. I flew 118 missions in Vietnam flying B52's. The military is a good solid career and you're serving your country on top of it. If you follow the rules they will take care of you.

Birthdate: 03/10/1926

Hometown: Indianapolis, Indiana

Branch of Military: Marines

Years of Service: August 1944 - August 1946

Wars or Battles Fought In: Okinawa, Japan / Occupation of China

Specialty: Machine Gun Crewman

Bio: WWII was going on so it was common to join the military. As soon as I came of age I did too. I don't know what to say. If people want to ask me about my time in the service I'll tell them. It was not a pleasant place or time. I don't want to send anyone off to war. I would encourage people to complete school and graduate first before joining.

Birthdate: 11/20/1916

Hometown: Chingford Essex England

Branch of Military: The Royal Tank Regiment

Years of Service: 6 1/2 Years

Wars or Battles Fought In: WWII / Invasion of Normandy

Specialty: Tanks

Bio: I was the Commanding Troop Officer for the Flame Thrower Church Hill. My advise to current military members: stay brave

Birthdate: 09/10/1928

Hometown: Modesto, California

Branch of Military: Air Force

Years of Service: 27 years

Wars or Battles Fought In: Korean War / Vietnam War

Specialty: Chaplain

Bio: I was inspired to join the military out of a sense of duty. Others were responding to the needs of our Country and I thought I should too. I enjoyed my work as a Chaplain assisting young servicemen overseas on their commitment to God. I was never issued a weapon to protect myself because I was a non-combat position. I basically spent a lot of my service time in the Philippines. I was with an intelligence gathering group during the Vietnam War. My advice to current and aspiring military: Do not forget your commitment to your Church or denomination as a person even though you're serving for the United States in a uniform.

Birthdate: 11/18/1923

Hometown: Fargo, North Dakota

Branch of Military: Army Air Force

Years of Service: 1943-1946

Wars or Battles Fought In: WWII - North Pacific, New Guinea, Phillipines

Specialty: Gunner

Bio: I volunteered for the Coast Guard but ended up in the Air Force. I started as a pilot but ended up as a gunner. One of my first missions was flying down into a canyon in New Guinea. The plane I was in got hit by an exploding shell that was fired into it. Hit just below the turret in a place that was unusual. A rare spot to hit. I got hit in the jaw but my friend wasn't so lucky. He got hit with about 100 pieces of shrapnel. I was told the day before that if I was hit to shoot off the turret just in case we landed in the water so we could get out. The pilot was not told this. He thought I was crazy. My plane was the most damaged. The best description I can give is that war is hell.

Birthdate: 12/01/1920

Hometown: Toledo, Ohio

Branch of Military: Coast Guard

Years of Service: 1943-1946

Specialty: Electrician / Lineman

Bio: I was going to be drafted so I joined the Coast Guard and sailed Great Lakes. I was an Electrician Mate Second Class - Lineman. I strung lines for telephone poles. I didn't want to go into the Army or get drafted so joining the Coast Guard was the best thing to do. All the pay was the same no matter what military branch you joined. When I was in Cleveland, Ohio doing beach patrol the Caioga River caught fire because of so much oil.