2D

SALUTE TO VETERANS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2015

limaohio.com THE LIMA NEWS

About this section

The Lima News feels strongly that the service of veterans living in this area should be recognized.
This is why this Salute to Veterans section was created and it continues yet today.
This special section honors the many men and women who have served our country in the past or who are currently serving our country.
Stories from all eras are here, including World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Cold War and those currently or recently serving. Stories
from veterans, told in their own words, are published here along with the photos that they shared. Some stores are serious and tell of
horrors of war, and some stories are lighthearted.
For this years publication, The Lima News asked veterans to share their experiences with veterans reunions. We asked them to explain
what kind of friendship occurs during the service and what that friendship means to them today.

Thank Day
You
2015Veterans
Veterans!
The forgotten ones - 3

10 - My ships reunion

Reunion memories - 4

11 - Reections on serving in Vietnam

www.FICDealerships.com/specialoffers

Serving aboard a Flying Fortress - 5

Giving proper credit - 5
Lima man served in MASH unit - 6
Learning from those who came before - 7
Man has made career of military - 7

12 - Vietnam vets still have each others back

13 - Reunions important to vet who served in Korea
14 - Military friendship still holds true
15 - Proud of familys service, all servicemen and women
16 - Reunion of 2 Navy veterans 70 years later

My time as a tin can sailor - 8

18 - My time as a WAC

Thank you for your service - 10

19 - From a blessed Vietnam vet

Thank You
Veterans!

SIX LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU!

www.FICDealerships.com/specialoffers

FINDLAY

WOOD

NORTHWEST

419-352-4908

419-538-7072

BAY

WYANDOT

TIFFIN

419-862-3969

419-294-2349

419-447-6633

IMPLEMENT

COUNTY IMPLEMENT

419-424-0471

TRACTOR & TURF

TRACTOR

IMPLEMENT

AG & TURF

40810456

SIX LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU!

FINDLAY

WOOD

NORTHWEST

THE LIMA NEWS limaohio.com

SALUTE TO VETERANS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2015

3D

The forgotten ones

From Todd Meier

As the United States declared war on

Japan and Germany after Pearl Harbor
in 1942, little was known of the losses
already suffered at the hands of German
submarines to our merchant shipping in
the North Atlantic. By the end of 1941,
the U.S. had lost 66 merchant ships, and
in 1942 the number reached over 500.
These slow-moving cargo ships were
easy targets as they carried military supplies to the struggling allies in Europe.
Many were sunk within sight of American ports.
The cause of these losses to our merchant vessels was because the U.S. did not
arm our ships or provide escorts. Also,
there were no blackouts of port cities, so
ships sent out under the cover of darkness
were silhouetted against the shoreline,
easily spotted by German subs.
As beaches became littered with bodies and wrecked ships, changes were
made. Blackouts on port cities were
ordered and ships were organized into
convoys with what military escorts could
be spared.
In an effort to arm these ships, the
Navy formed a branch known as the
Armed Guard to serve on merchant vessels. Typically, each ship was to have a
guard made up of 15 to 20 gunners and
a signalman commanded by an ensign.
These young sailors with only three
weeks training were given the dangerous
and nearly impossible job of defending
their ship with only antiquated weapons
left over from World War I against the
well-armed German subs.
In spring 1943, a 19-year-old Wapakoneta resident named John Anthony volunteered for the Navy and found himself
assigned to this little-known branch as
a signalman. A year earlier, his greatest excitement was playing high school
basketball for the St. Joe Dragons. Now
here he was participating in the Battle
of the Atlantic.
John would tell of how the ships would
travel in convoys of 50 to 80 vessels.They
didnt travel in a straight line like in the
movies but in a box formation. The ships

on the outer sides of the box were most

vulnerable to submarine attack. Every
few days, the ships would rotate position
in the convoy so they would each have a
turn on the outside of the formation.
John would say when your ship was on
the outside, you were really aware of the
danger you were in, but when your ship
moved to the inside of the formation,
you could relax a little.
The ships traveling in convoy were
safer but could only travel as fast as the
slowest ship. Also, if the ship you were
on had mechanical problems, the rest of
the convoy could not wait for you. The
crew had to make repairs while the convoy went on. Hopefully, you could catch
up, but in the meantime, your ship was a
sitting duck.
It was on Johns third voyage in 1944
that he had the most harrowing experience of his life. He was aboard the SS
Pan Massachusetts II, a Liberty ship carrying 80-octane fuel when an explosion
caused the ship to catch fire and begin
to sink.
John was below deck when the order
was passed to abandon ship. As he raced
to get to the upper deck, other crew
fell in behind him. As the ship began to
list and smoke fill the passageways, it
was easy to get disoriented and trapped
below. Somehow every passage and
hatch he took was always the right one
as he led the other crewmen topside.
Unfortunately, not all the crew made it
off the ship, including the ships mascot
a little pup named Jitterbug.
John rarely spoke of this experience,
but when he did, he always said, Someone up there was really looking out for
me that day. I must have had a guardian
angel watching over my shoulder.
After the war everyone spoke of the
great battles that led to our victory in
World War II, but the public soon forgot of the heroic men who risked their
lives so the weapons of war could be
delivered. This small branch of the Navy
known as the Armed Guard was dubbed
the Forgotten Ones.
John L. Anthony, Signalman Second
Class, USN, was discharged March 12,

John Anthony

1946. He earned a degree at the University of Dayton and returned to his hometown of Wapakoneta. He worked as a
bank officer in Lima, married and raised
four daughters. Staying in touch with

his surviving shipmates, he was able to

attend a 50-year reunion in 1996.
John died Nov. 21, 2014, age 90, with his
family by his side. He was laid to rest at St.
Joseph Cemetery with full military honors.

4D

SALUTE TO VETERANS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2015

limaohio.com THE LIMA NEWS

Reunion memories

Ray Bernacchi and his wife, standing fourth from left, enjoyed a 1998 Caribbean reunion cruise with his shipmates.

From Raymond P. Bernacchi, Lima

Raymond P. Bernacchi served in the

Navy from 1945 to 1948, aboard the USS
Holder from 1946 to 1948. He is now 88
years old.
In 1990, being of retirement age,
I started to think about the past and
where I was today. I kept going back
and thinking about the three years that
I spent aboard the USS Holder DD-819
in 1946, 1947 and 1948. I kept thinking
about the day when I was part of the
USS Holder Commissioning crew, and
I kept thinking about the many shipmates and the camaraderie that we had

established. I concluded that now was

the time to do something about it. After
several months of tracking down various
leads about my ship, I was able to find
out that the USS Holder did indeed have
a yearly reunion. It was known as the
USS Holder Association.
My wife and I have been attending the
yearly Holder reunions since 1991 when
I first learned about it. Through these
reunions, I have been able to once again
relive the life aboard ship and renew the
friendship of our remaining shipmates.
One of my most memorable reunions
was in 2004 in Las Vegas when after
55 years I was able to unite with one of

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Walt Buell and Ray Bernacchi pose for a photo with Skipper in October 1946 at Norfolk prior to leaving
on their first Mediterranean cruise.

my closet plank owner shipmates, Walt

Buell. It was in October 1946 in Norfolk
prior to leaving for the first Mediterranean cruise we decided together that
we needed a pet aboard the ship. We
went out, found a small puppy and snuck
it aboard the ship. We named it Skipper and kept it down in our sleeping
compartment. Our captain did not know
anything about it until several days later
when we were out at sea on the way to
Italy. It was at that time we were given
strict orders to remove the dog from the
ship as soon as we got to Naples, Italy.
This was a hard thing to do as many
shipmates had become attached to Skipper. However, we were able to find an
Italian family that took him in and promised to keep his Skipper name.
Walt and I left the Navy when our time
was up in 1948 and never kept in touch.
I ended up in Ohio, and he ended up
in California. What a surprise when in
October 2044 we met again in Las Vegas

Raymond Bernacchi, pictured in 1946.

See Reunion |5

THE LIMA NEWS limaohio.com

SALUTE TO VETERANS

5D

Serving aboard
a Flying Fortress

Reunion
From page 4

at our reunion. We relived a lot of good

and bad memories aboard ship, and we
shared a lot of photos.
A lot of pros and cons can be said
about reunions. Let me share a few
things good about our reunion and why
it is so successful. The first reunion was
held in Cleveland in 1979. Since then we
have held 37 yearly reunions in 23 states,
35 different cities and on a Caribbean
cruise. Today we have 310 active members that served on the USS Holder during the 30 years that it was in commission. I have served as president for three
years and as chaplain for 11 years.
Our reunion is normally a four-day
event that includes registration, getacquainted session, sightseeing, fun
things to do, memorial service, business
meeting and concludes with eloquent
banquet and picture taking for our
yearly reunion book. The third day is
a solemn day when we hold our yearly
memorial service for our departed shipmates who have been transferred to the
staff of the Supreme Commander. We
read the names, the shipmates rank and
the years that he was aboard the USS
Holder, followed by a tolling of a bell,
after each name, concluding the ceremony with a bugler playing Taps. We
have held our memorial service aboard
various Navy ships, military bases,
Arlington National Cemetery, at sea and

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2015

Ray Bernacchi and Walt Buell pose for a photo

at the 26th Holder reunion, in October 2004 in
Las Vegas.

various chapels throughout the reunion

sites. We have had 21-gun salutes by
military personnel, ship gun salutes
and even had Blue Angels fly over at
one of our memorial service.
The question always comes up on
why are our yearly reunions always
such a success. The best answer came
from one of the USS Holder captains
who said, the Holder reunions are
always great to get together, renew old
friendships, have fun, see some sights
and eat good. This helps to bring the
shipmates and the first mates (wives)
back. The USS Holder was always
considered a happy ship, had a fleet
reputation as one of the better ships
to serve on and was always considered
a good assignment among destroyers.
The Holder sailors always kept a good
reputation and team spirit that still
exists in the Holder Association today.
Yes the shipmates will depart, but the
memories through these reunions will
always remain with me.

From Thomas L. Tarz Daley, Findlay

I entered the U.S. Air Force in October 1943. I was sent to England in
February 1945. I was a flight engineer
on a B-17 Flying Fortress and our crew
of nine men flew 19 combat missions
over Nazi Germany to the wars end on
May 7, 1945.
My birthday was June 10, 1925,
which makes me 90 years of age. I was
born in Lima and attended St. Gerard
School, graduating in 1943. In 1952,
I entered the Highway Patrol, serving
Findlay until 1962. I then joined the
US Marshals Service, leaving there in

1964. I worked for Steels Automotive in

Lima for more than 19 years and in 1983
worked for the state (ODOT), retiring in
1987.
My wife and I spent many years in
Sarasota, Florida, during the winter
months. We now reside in Findlay, and
have since 1952.
We have seven grandchildren and 12
great-grandchildren.
All the crew members I served with in
the 8th Air Force are dead and gone. For
90 years old, I feel great, doing activities around the house, playing golf and
taking care of my beautiful house-bound
wife, Pat.

Giving proper credit

From Ralph Ellis, Lima

Who protects our freedom?

Who protects our freedom?
Sometime back, this article was sent
to me by an unknown author. I thought
this message would be appropriate on
Veterans Day.
It is the soldier, not the reporter,
who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the soldier, not the poet, who has

given us freedom of speech.
It is the solder, not the campus organizer, who has given us freedom to demonstrate.
It is the soldier who salutes the flag,
who serves beneath the flag, and whose
coffin is draped by the flag, who allows
the protester to burn the flag.

A Place to Remember

Gethsemani
Cemetery & Mausoleums

Thanks and God Bless our Veterans

A photo of the men who assembled for the 2003 USS Holder reunion. Bernacchi is standing in the back
row in front of the middle flag.

Dan & Noah Gallagher www.gethsemanilima.com 419-233-0484

40815142

6D

SALUTE TO VETERANS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2015

limaohio.com THE LIMA NEWS

Lima man served in MASH unit

From George E. Byerly, Lima

George E. Byerly was with the 33rd

Hospital, a MASH unit, stationed in
Italy. The unit treated soldiers who were
hurt between their necks and hips. He is
now 94 years old.
The first eight men met in Bucyrus,
Ohio, in August 1947. By the third meeting, there were 45 soldiers and wives
present. We met every year at places
like Chicago, Toledo, New Philadelphia
(Ohio) and others. We meet two years
at a place then go to another city. The
wives always wanted to go to Pigeon
Forge, Tennessee, to go to shopping.
We had a nurse who lived in Arizona
who would come about three or four
years. She always cut a line if you came.
She wrote to one of the men.
After we returned, the men from Ohio
would meet at Der Dutchman restaurant
in Plain City the first weekend of March
and first Monday of October. The last
reunion was 2002 with seven soldiers.
We lost four the last year so that makes
two of us
Most of our members come from Ohio,
Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, some close
that its easy to get together.
The Fightin Thirty-Third
When the roar of battles over and our
guns are in their rack,
When weve finished washing mess
kits and wearing GI slacks,
Dad, who won the War, our kids will
ask, tell me, I never heard,

And well proudly give the answer,

Why, the Fightin Thirty-Third!
Yup, the Fighting 33rd, my son, an outfit bold and strong,
With sulpha drugs and penicillin we
sang the victry song,
With thermometers and bandages, we
carried on the fight,
Winter, summer, spring and fall, morning noon and night.
We landed down near Napoli, an Italias bloody shore,
And we healed the sick and wounded,
healed them by the score,
Doctors, nurses, and enlisted men too,
united in their creeds,
Bring life to suffring broken men;
Give them the help they need.
In January Nineteen Forty-four, to
Anzio we came,
That brave historic monument of shot
and shell and flame,
In Deaths grim holocaust we worked,
regardless of the strife,
Twas wars stern task to make men die,
ours to give them life.
And so we fought with mercys tools,
we fought to make men life,
We carved our niche in history, each
one his all did give,
And if you didnt know, my son, if you
had a doubt before,
Twas the Fightin 33rd, my son, who
won the Second World War

40814483

WiTh RespecT, honoR and gRaTiTude, Thank You veTeRans

RemembeRing Those Who seRved

Woodlawn Cemetery

..

1751 Spencerville Road Lima, Ohio

419-223-9831
woodlawncemeterylima.com

George E. Byerly poses for a photo during his service.

THE LIMA NEWS limaohio.com

SALUTE TO VETERANS

Learning from those

who came before
From Patrick OConnor

My father, Gerald D. OConnor, of

Lima, was a World War II U.S. Navy veteran serving for three years in the South
Pacific and had a number of memorable
stories he would share with us about that
time in his life. I hope this helps readers
appreciate the sacrifices our military has
given for our countrys freedom.
Letter to the editor published Sept. 29,
1995, in The Lima News:
A-bomb decision not complicated
Regarding letters regarding Peter
Jennings argument and the atomic bomb
issue at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, its
amazing and amusing that somebody
who was never there, who was not alive
or at an adult level at that period in
world history has such beautiful, clearcut opinions as to how and why we did
what we did.
I had the delightful occasion to be in
the Pacific at that time and was aware
of the pending invasion of Japan. And
a cousin of mine in Lima, John McFarland, after having gone through western
Europe with combat engineers, then was
loaded aboard a troop ship and taken
around the Pacific to conclude his career
with the invasion of Japan. Both of us
applauded dropping the bomb on Nagasaki and Hiroshima.
People seem to forget some basic
things:
1. Japan started the war;
2. War, unfortunately, is a process of
killing people, and whoever kills the
most seems to win the war;
3. We wanted to win the war
4. None of us wanted to die at that
time, anyplace in world, much less in
Japan.
I dont see whats so complicated about
the bomb issue.
Published in Salute to Veterans, The
Lima News, Nov. 11, 1999:
LST saved by sailor from the brig
Most any veteran if they began telling war stories could go on endlessly
most of them authentic, but clouded

with the intervening 52 years since the

end of World War II in my case. My
memories consist of typhoons in the
Pacific and the different islands and all
the joys they presented.
We have had memories of frightening experiences, but one that stands
out best in my memory is while serving aboard an LST (a flat-bottomed
ship that carried personnel, armored
vehicles, tanks, etc., pulled up on the
beach, opened the front and discharged
its cargo of personnel, equipment, etc.).
Somewhere way out in the middle of
the Pacific, we were traveling to Guam
with nine other LSTs in our immediate
group when our propeller or screw
failed. It was approximately 3:30 to 4
p.m. with nightfall approaching and
unfortunately the only capable diver we
had aboard was a rather nasty young
man who was in the brig or jail.
Navy procedure apparently required
that the captain, who was a 22-year-old
90-day wonder from Columbia University, first asked the sailor if he would
dive, and when the sailor refused, he
then read some portion out of the Navy
manual that told the prisoner he had
no choice. At that point, we marched
him up to the back of the ship, and as
he was putting his diving gear on, he
was approached by one of the crew to
install the protective headgear.
The rough, nasty sailor looked up
and saw four of us with revolvers or
rifles, which again Navy procedure
required, said in a sarcastic tone, What
the **** reason for the guns? Do you
think Im going to run way, you ****!
With that, the head boatswains mate,
or in the Navy, hes comparable to a
master sergeant, yelled into the gear
that he used to communicate with the
diver, Hell no, but theres sharks out
there. Now get out there and finish
your job!
With that, the sailor jumped over
and fixed the ship. Within an hour and
a half, we were moving again. When
the sailor got back into the boat, he
promptly went back into the jail.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2015

7D

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8D

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2015

SALUTE TO VETERANS

limaohio.com THE LIMA NEWS

My time as a tin can sailor

Art Ranly, from left, Romie Hausfeld and Paul

Bettinger pose for a photo during their service days.

From Roman Romie Hausfeld,

of Maria Stein

Roman Romie Hausfeld, of Maria

Stein, is a 95 year old World War II
veteran. He served aboard the USS Walk
DD517 (Destroyer) as a flag man and
radioman. During battles, his duty was
to arm the No. 1 gun. He served from
1943 to 1946. He was involved in areas
around Gilbert Island, Marshall Islands,
Dutch New Guinea, Marianas and the
invasion of Leyte, Luson and Okinawa.
In the spring of 1943, I joined the
U.S. Navy. During this time period, all
young men were subject to being drafted by the Army. I chose to join the Navy
on my own. If I was going to serve my
country, I wanted to be able to get out
and go places. The thought of being on
a ship also sounded better than becoming a foot soldier and being shot at on
the ground.

Leaving the
farm in Maria
Stein at the age
of 22 was an
adjustment. I
went to boot
camp and was
exposed to
so many new
things. I no longer had to do
farm work but
instead, each
day we trained
Romie Hausfeld
to test our
endurance. We
were also subject to constant inspections
be it our barracks, our clothes, cleanliness, etc. Fortunately I never really had
to suffer any consequences for not doing
something I should have done. The days
were very challenging. The food sure
wasnt as good as my moms, but as each
day went by, I became more comfortable.
In my spare time I read, played cards,
worked on my swimming, attended the
required church services and enjoyed
talking with the guys. Almost every
night we had ice cream, which was
one of my favorite things. After the ice
cream, we wrote letters home. The letters were my only connection to my
friends and my family. How are the crops
doing? Who has gotten married? Has
anyone else joined the service? Does
my little sister Jeanette even realize
that Im gone? The answers would come
days later. I missed my parents and my
brothers and sisters but being away from
home helped me learn a lot about myself.
I was learning that people in general
were good people and that I could stand
on my own. To this day, I still have my
boot camp letters and enjoy reading
about that time period of my life.
After boot camp my first ship assignment was to the USS Hays. This was
a basic troop transport ship. I was so
surprised one day to discover a friend
of mine, Bill Bettinger, of Coldwater,

Romie Hausfeld

was on the ship with me. When we

reached the Marshall Islands, he was
assigned to the USS Midway which was
later renamed the USS St. Lo. I was
transferred to the USS Walker DD517.
The Walker was a destroyer. All sailors
assigned to destroyers were branded
with the nickname of being a tin can sailor. During the remainder of my service
years of 1943 to 1946 I spent my time as
a tin can sailor on the Walker.
My first assignment on the ship was a
flag man. It was an honor to be trusted
to learn how to signal with the flags. I
eventually got the signals down pat. I
must admit, though, there were times
that I would get to swinging those flags
really fast and wouldnt even know what
I communicated. It brings a smile to my
face even now. Its probably good that
someone discovered that I could also
type and they placed me in a new position as a radioman.
We all had new duties when the general quarters alarm went off aboard the

ship. It mean to man your stations

immediately. We dropped everything.
Keep in mind, there were approximately
250 to 300 men on the ship and everyone
went running in different directions, but
when we were under attack, we acted as
one. Our lives depended on each other.
My station was in the No. 1 gun as a
spadesman. This was a small gun compartment in the front of the ship. There
were two sailors below the compartment
that would hand up the ammunition to
us. There were four other sailors with
me that helped load the five-inch gun
and we would discharge it. I still remember how the guns would crack. They
were so loud.
Some of the operations the USS
Walker was involved in during World
War II were the Gilbert Islands, Marshall
Islands, Dutch New Guinea, Marianas
and the invasion of Leyte, Luzon and
Okinawa. I vividly remember after the
Okinawa operation the bombing of the
Japanese homeland started.
Looking back, probably the most
intense situation of all that I remember
was our involvement in the Leyte Gulf
operation. From what I understand, this
battle has been referred to as the most
savage naval battle of the World War II. (I
had to look up some information on this
because my memory isnt the best.) In
September 1944 we sailed from Manus
as part of what they called the Seventh
Fleet for the invasion of the Philippines. The Seventh Fleet was a group of
transports and destroyer ships. During
the next month, the USS Walker was
subjected to air action. We downed an
enemy fighter and also provided firing
support in the Dulag area. We escorted
the transporters and they were rapidly
unloaded the department prior to the
arrival of Japanese Naval forces. We
then proceeded to Hollandia and then
to Morotai to reload support troops for
Leyte. At Morotai, the Japanese sent
See tin can sailor |9

THE LIMA NEWS limaohio.com

Tin can sailor

From page 8

nightly harassing air attacks. Fortunately

our ship sustained little damage. We then
went back and unloaded more troops at
Leyte. During this entire time we were
vulnerable to ongoing air attacks and suicide kamikaze planes. Torpedo bombers
drilled our ship and we had several near
misses. We again came out of this battle
with little damage to our ship.; After a
short trip to Palau, we were given thankful orders to head home. We reached San
Francisco and Mare Island Navy Yard on
Christmas Eve 1944.
Coming in to port on Christmas Eve
was a great relief. I was also excited that
we had 30 days off and I would be able
to see my family. I missed them and after
being through the most recent action, I
did something that was common practice
in those days. I put my thumb out and
hitchhiked home to Ohio. Civilians were
so supportive of the servicemen and
women. I immediately received a ride.
Once dropped off, someone else would
pick me up. This continued across each
state. People provided warm meals, great
conversation and just plain kindness. One
couple traveling with a small child fed me
and then provided a hotel room for me for
the night. They took me further toward
my Ohio destination the next day.
Sometime during this time period, I
was advised that my good friend Bill Bettinger lost his life during the Battle of
Leyte Gulf. After we were moved to different ships, he was assigned to the Midway (later named the USS St. Lo.) The
USS St. Lo was hit by a kamikaze plane.
It crashed into the flight deck around the
fueling area and a gasoline fire erupted.
The ship was then rocked by explosions.
This detonated the ships torpedo and
bomb magazine. The ship was engulfed
in flames and sunk within 30 minutes.
This was very hard time for me but after
spending a couple weeks with my family,
I packed my bag, put my thumb out and
returned to California for duty.
Normally we didnt have time for long
furloughs home. When we returned to
the states for repairs, we would often
dock in San Diego. The ship remained
our home, and thats where we would
sleep each night. During the day and
evening we had the opportunity to get

SALUTE TO VETERANS
out on our own. Many of us that loved
music would jump on buses and head to
Los Angeles. Once there, we would go
to several large dance halls to watch the
top Big Bands like Tommy Dorsey and
Harry James. Those of us that loved to
dance would jitterbug until it was time to
return to the ship.
One night, several of us got onto a
bus to return to the ship. It was late,
and the civilians on the bus looked on
us with watchful eyes. Eventually one of
us started singing. We all joined in and
sang a medley of songs. We continued to
sing until we got of the bus at the ship.
Before we left, all the civilians on the
bus applauded us. This is still one of my
favorite memories.
When we came in for repairs, you
never knew what other ships would be
sitting in the harbor. Once we docked in
San Diego and two ships down from the
Walker was the ship Elmer Hemmelgarn,
of St. Rose, was assigned. Elmer was a
friend from back home. We ended up
making a connection and within a day
or two, we put in for a pass. We went to
Tijuana, Mexico, for some rest and relaxation (R&R). Another time, we docked
in Pearl Harbor and I met up with Art
Ranly, of Cassella, and Paul Bettinger,
of Coldwater. Paul was Bill Bettingers
brother and was stationed at Pearl Harbor. It was always great to find people
from Mercer County so far from home.
My faith remained strong during my
time in the service. Every night I said
my night prayers. In the midst of an
operation, I prayed to myself. Im sure
everyone was praying at some point
or another. At times I was scared but I
never, ever, lost faith that God would not
pull me through the war.
My wife, Maude, who died two years
ago, also did her part during the war.
She went to work at Buckeye Apparel,
where she sewed cuffs on the sleeves of
mens service jackets. We did nothing out
of the ordinary. We were both grateful
for what we had and mirrored what all
the US citizens did back then.
Two years ago, I attended by first USS
Walker reunion in Charles, South Carolina. Three of my daughters joined me for
the weeklong event. Approximately 18
men attended that were on he USS Walker
during the ships commission. Although
there are other World War II Walker veterans, I was the only one that was able to

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2015

attend. We had a great time talking, touring and we even sang Anchors Aweigh.
The group of Walker veterans and their
spouses/sons were just exemplary!
One of the days, we spent touring
Patriots Point Navy and Maritime Museum. We toured the USS Laffey destroyer,
which was similar to the USS Walker. I
was able to show my daughters the No. 1
gun. Another veteran with our veterans
group, Jim Cleveland, of Dunwoody,
Georgia, walked with us. He too was
assigned to the No. 1 gun on the Walker
in the 1950s. We then visited the museum on the USS Yorktown aircraft carrier.
It was docked next to the destroyer.
They had a whole section dedicated to
the Battle of Leyte Gulf. We happened
upon a really nice memorial in honor of
the sailors who had lost their lives on
the USS St. Lo. There on the memorial
plaque, the eighth name listed was William A. Bettinger, F2C. Just seeing his
name was quite moving.
Viewing this memorial was with us
another veterans, Doug Damron and his
wife Ellen, of The Villages, Florida. Ellens
father was also on the USS St. Lo that

9D

fateful day. Fortunately, he survived. He

floated in the sea until he was rescued.
Next to this display was a memorial
to the sailors of the USS Gambier Bay.
This was the ship that fellow Maria Stein
Charlie Heinl was assigned. The USS
Gambier Bay was lost to enemy fire and
sunk into the sea. Charlie along with
many of his fellow shipmates floated in
shark-infested waters with their injuries
until they were rescued. Reading the
accounts that happened to other men
during the Battle of Leyte Gulf and seeing all the listed names that didnt come
home reminded me of what a great price
others have paid serving our country.
They made the ultimate sacrifice. To all
of them, as well as the men and women
who have served or who are presently
serving, I am so very grateful.
When I was young, I always appreciated my family and friends but after getting out of the service I appreciated life
itself so much more. I am thankful for my
freedom and all that this great country
has provided to me and my family. It was
an honor to serve. The good Lord saw
me through.

LAND OF THE FREE,

home of the brave.

This Veterans Day, we hold the courageous men and women who served this country
in our hearts and offer our deepest gratitude. Thank you to those who have defended
our freedoms. And thank you to the families who have trusted us to serve them.

Siferd-Orians Funeral Home

506 N. Cable Rd., Lima, OH

419-224-2010
www.siferd-oriansfuneralhome.com
40815391

10D

SALUTE TO VETERANS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2015

Thank you
for your
service

limaohio.com THE LIMA NEWS

My ships reunion
From Philip S. Meeks, Lima

From the Hodge family

My veteran tribute is to Lt. Col.

Matthew S. Hodge. Hodge has served
in the U.S. Army for 25 years. His
deployments include Guantanamo
Bay, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and
Kosovo. Hodge is currently serving
as Commander at the Joint Systems
Manufacturing Center, also known as
the Lima Army Tank Plant.
I am honored to call Lt. Col. Hodge
my spouse of 21 years. We have two
children, a son and daughter. The children have lived in Texas, Iowa, Hawaii
and Ohio. With the help of social
media, our family is able to maintain
relationships that have lasted for more
than 20 years. Any time a trip is available, we make sure to try and connect
with friends from prior duty stations.
Two years ago our family went to Washington, D.C. to run the Army Ten Miler.
One night was set aside to meet at a
restaurant and reunite with old friends
and introduce the children to families
they had never met but often hear
about. The childrens godparents are
old Army friends. The children have
grown up knowing that their godparents were chosen because of the special
relationship their parents had while
serving together in the Army.
Lt. Col. Hodge is a dedicated soldier,
husband and father. On Veterans Day,
or any other day, take a minute to
thank a veteran for their time and service. God Bless.
We thank you and love you,
Matt/Dad.
Karee, (spouse)
Grant and Anna (children)
Philip S. Meeks

Philip S. Meeks served in the U.S. Navy

from March 1943 to August 1980. He is now
95 years old.
The USS Catamount Ship was commissioned April 9, 1945 and decommissioned in
1970. Ship veterans serving in World War II,
Korea, and Vietnam assemble every year in
various locations to share their experience
aboard ship. My son, Neil, took me in 2013
to Branson, Missouri, for my ships reunion.
Everyone there had tales to tell about their
experiences on the USS Catamount. There
was only one other plank holder from the
World War II time at that reunion, and we
shared experiences with each other. My son
enjoyed hearing and talking to many of the
shipmates. It was interesting to hear that
after the Vietnam War, there was no longer
use of the 5-inch gun on the ship. It was cut
loose, the ship tilted, and the gun was sent
to the bottom of the ocean.
After basic training, I had gone to the
Navys electrical school at Purdue University
in Indiana. Because my grades were the
highest, I was held over as a Navy instructor
for two years. There were 2,000 Navy V12
students, 200 Marine V12 students, and 800
EM students. Dr. Eaton was in charge of the
school. After the war, I found out he was
working on developing the atomic bomb
that I helped with, not knowing it was for
the bomb.
After teaching for two years, I had additional training in Newport, Rhode Island,
before putting the ship in commission.
While there I was a boxer in Amateur Athletic Union and was a finalist in the New
England States boxing champion. I was in
the Pacific on the ship for two years, 10
months and 28 days.
After the war, I was one of the Navy men
who started the Navy Reserve Training Center in Lima. Many of the men trained here
were sent to active duty in the Korean and
Vietnam wars. I come across many of the
men who call me Chief and remember me
as their Chief at the Limas Reserve Training
Center. Total, I served 36 years and enjoyed
it as I look back on my many memories.

SALUTE TO VETERANS

THE LIMA NEWS limaohio.com

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2015

11D

Reections on serving in Vietnam

From Ruth Melson, Cridersville

Kenny Melson, left, poses with an unknown buddy during his time of service.

My husband, Kenny Melson, wrote this

in 1999. He was very proud to be a medic
in the Army, 82nd Airborne, B Company,
4th Medical Battalion. He served from 1967
to 1969. He died in September 2006. I am
sorry he missed seeing how Americans have
finally appreciated the Vietnam veterans
and all the veterans. He told me how bad the
public treated him, especially at the airports
when he came home. God bless Kenny and
all the veterans.
My most memorable moment on Vietnam? Lets see. Was it where:
The plane was circling above Kham Rhon
Bay Vietnam and I was astounded by the
tropical beauty of the beaches.
Or when I was being assigned to various
units and was put with a front-line Airborne Ranger unit as a senior aid man.
Or the first time I saw the sea of mud they
call the rainy season.

THANK

YOU!

I was astonished by the extreme poverty

of the Vietnamese people.
I was touched by the warmth and ingenuity of the local people and worked jointly
with the Mountainyard Tribes.
I became associated with South Korean
Special Forces team and fought with Australian Special Forces unit by my side.
Maybe it was the first time I smelled the
smell of death.
I wondered where my sanity had gone,
when I opened by eyes to see a NVA straddling my chest ready to cut my throat.
Or when I ran into two guys from Lima
Senior (Wallace Mann and Fred Wakefield) at Dakto Forward Fire Base during
stand down for the Bob Hope show.
I became close with a South Vietnamese
family and wondered in disbelief when I
boarded the plane to go home and knew
in my heart they would not live because of
their association with the Americans.

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12D

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2015

SALUTE TO VETERANS

limaohio.com THE LIMA NEWS

Vietnam vets still have each others back

Steve Mendenhall with Shyska. Mendenhall was drafted

at 19 and arrived in Vietnam on his 20th birthday.

of the people you served with and talk to

others that were there before or after you
or in different locations is priceless. Without diminishing any of the later reunions,
I feel the first couple a vet goes to are a
little more special. In a lot of ways that is
where more healing and understanding
and acceptance takes place.

Many of our wives have become very

good friends as well. I think they push
us to remain in contact and keep us
apprised of things on our social networks
and website. We all try to pass along
any information we come across about
anything veteran related, health issues,
retirement, and V.A. info as it is very
easy for one person to miss something
he should know about. In this way, we
still have each others back. After nearly 50 years, it is probably hard for many
people to understand that we are that
important to each other. I think other
veterans and their families know what I
am trying to say.
I want to say thank you to our general
public for the changes you have made
over the years in accepting Vietnam vets.
I am very appreciative of all good words
and thoughts and prayers from each of
you. I was amazed at how many times I
was acknowledged and thanked while in
Washington because people saw my Vietnam veteran cap. I want to say thank you
to the vets that served before my time,
during my time, after I left the service,
and especially those serving now.

Steve Mendenhall with Shyska. He was a dog handler in Vietnam, helping guard provisions and base camps.

From Steve Mendenhall, Van Wert

When my wife and I returned from

Washington, D.C. in early October, I
found the article in The Lima News asking for thoughts from veterans about
their reunions. This really got my attention as our trip to D.C. was for the Viet
Nam Sentry Dog Handlers Reunion, of
which I am a proud member.
I was in Vietnam in 1970 and 1971
with the 981st MP Company and there
were also the 595th MP Company and
the 212th MP Company. We had dogs
there from the early 60s until 1973. We
were for the most part very small units
scattered all over Vietnam. We were
mainly guards to protect provisions and
the perimeters of our base camps for the

safety of our troops. There were other

types of dogs and handlers, such as tracker dogs, scout dogs and mine dogs, but I
am not that familiar with them as, with
a lot of military things, we were kept to
our own small area of responsibility.
I am now 65 years old, and am still one
of the youngest of our group. Many of
us were drafted, but a lot of us had been
to college for a while or just missed the
draft. Others enlisted after college or had
done other things in the military before
becoming dog handlers. I was drafted at
19 and landed in Vietnam on my 20th
birthday.
We have been having reunions for
something like 16 years now. We have a
reunion every other year. I havent made
it to nearly all of them, but to see some

Vietnam veterans Steve Mendenhall, from left, Ed Cotter and Jay Schmitz pose for a photo at a recent reunion.

SALUTE TO VETERANS

THE LIMA NEWS limaohio.com

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2015

13D

Reunions important to vet who served in Korea

During my four-year enlistment I met
many guys that I became friends with.
Not very many remain, as time as taken
its toll on so many of my military buddies. I do belong to a reunion group,
made up of guys that I served with in
Korea. The 5th Communications Group
(reunion, 5th Air Force Korea) has had
yearly reunions now for some 30 years or
more, usually meeting in October in various locations across the United States.
Pat and I were able to attend four of
them over the years, but our last one was
about seven years ago. Traveling, especially by air, is now a chore for me, and
the numbers of guys still attending the
reunions are dwindling. The 5th Comm.
Gp. Reunion is composed mainly of guys
from the 7thn Communications Squadron and two Radio Relay Squadrons, all
of whom served in Korea. Unfortunately,
as time passes, our numbers are reduced
by old age issues and poor health.

I was fortunate enough, last year, to go

on an Honor Flight from Dayton to see
the military monuments in Washington,
D.C. What a splendid trip it was. We
vets were treated royally by the Honor
Flight folks, and we had a beautiful day
for the event. I had never before been to
our nations capital, and I totally enjoyed
every minute of the excursion. To top
it all off, I was honored to have my son,
Bryan, as my guardian. He is a lieutenant
colonel in the Ohio Air National Guard
and has actually served a deployment in
the District of Columbia in the past, so
he knew the territory well. There were
about 50 veterans on the tour, and we
were all so thankful for such an interesting day. It was a great way to top off my
military days, even though it came some
58 years after my separation from the
service. God bless this great nation of
ours, the USA!

Bill Moore poses for a photo in 1955 in the communications center at Paine Air Force Base,
Everett, Washington.

From Bill Moore, Lima

Bill Moore is now 82 years old.

At age 19, I signed up for a four-year
hitch in the U.S. Air Force. I served
from April 1952 to April 1956. Except
for basic training in Texas (Lackland
AFB) and teletype school in Wyoming
(FE Warren AFB) I only had two other
assignments during my four-year enlistment. In October 1952, I was assigned
to South Korea and served with the 7th
Communications Squadron in Taegu. In
September 1953, with the war ended, I
was assigned stateside for the remainder of my four-year hitch. I was sent
to Washington State and assigned to
a small Air Defense base (Paine AFB)
near Everett, Washington. I worked in
the communications center as a teletype
operator. In April 1956, I was discharged
and returned to my home in Ohio.

My four years in the Air Force was a

very interesting time for me. At age 19,
it was my first time outside the state of
Ohio. My job was new to me, and I found
it very interesting. It was good duty,
and we were always in the know as we
were able to see the latest happenings
through the messages that we received
and sent working in the comm center.
We did not see any classified information, as that came through our crypto
section.
In Everett I was also able to meet a
very nice young Canadian girl, who, in
1957, would become my wife. Pat and I
were married in Canada after my military discharge, and we had 56 wonderful
years together. We raised a family of six
children, all now living in the state of
Ohio. Sadly, Pat died in June 2013, but I
know she is still with us every day.

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14D

SALUTE TO VETERANS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2015

limaohio.com THE LIMA NEWS

Military friendship still holds true

Ron Weaver plays Army with neighborhood friends in the 1950s. Ron is wearing the helmet.

Ron Weaver, pictured in 1965.

From Lisa Weaver

Ron Weaver poses for a photo in 1966 as a member
of the color guard at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

Ron Weaver served in the U.S. Army

from 1965 to 1968, earning Sergeant E5.
He is now 70 years old.

Ron Weaver and Rodney in the Dominican Republic in 1966.

1965: The Vietnam war was escalating and Ron knew he could be drafted.
Rather than wait for that inevitable day,
he enlisted in the US Army his preference of military service.
Following basic training at Fort Knox,
Kentucky, Ron was stationed at Fort
Gordon, Georgia. At Fort Gordon, he
was assigned to Signal Corps and took
crypto school.
Next was Fort Sam Houston in San
Antonio, Texas, working in communications center.
The same year, 1966, Ron was sent
to Dominican Republic. At that time,
Dominican Republic was in political
turmoil. Ron served with the Organization of the American States. There, Ron
met Rodney and other soldiers, and they
became friends.
After the Dominican Republic tour of
duty, Ron and Rodney were stationed at
Fort Bragg in North Carolina. Ron was
still assigned to Signal Corps of the 3rd
Army. The following year Ron made rank
of Sergeant 1968. Rodney had also
worked at Signal Corps.
When duty ended, Ron returned to his
home in Lima and Rodney returned to
Virginia and married his girlfriend, Diane.

Fast forward to 1989. Ron and I got

married. Whenever Ron spoke of his
Army years, he would mention Rodney
and Diane, sharing his memories of their
friendships and hospitality to Ron when
he could go on leave to their home. They
had married before Ron left the service.
A few years later we took a vacation to
Virginia. Ron wondered if Rodney might
still be living in the area, since the two
of them had not maintained contact. Ron
looked up Rodney in the phone book.
Sure enough, they still lived there!
Rodney and Diane were thrilled to
hear from Ron after almost 25 years had
passed. We met at a local diner. How
exciting when the four of us met! For
each of them it seemed like no time had
passed by and their friendships picked
up where they left off long ago. Diane
and I hit it off immediately, thoroughly
enjoying each others company.
Since that initial visit we went back
and met with Rodneys mama, Nannie.
She still lived in the same house where
Ron and Rodney stayed during many
weekend passes. She served up the same
Southern hospitality heaping table of
See still holds true |15

THE LIMA NEWS limaohio.com

Still holds true

From page 14

food that Ron remembered so well with

fondness.
Over the years we have kept in touch
with our friends through letters, phone
calls and visits whenever possible. A
friendship forged so long ago, so far
from home, lives on.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2015

15D

Proud of familys service, all servicemen and women

From Veronica Wende, Cridersville

This year, Veterans Day is very

special to me. This year, two great
heroes in my family are no longer with
us to be celebrated as veterans, my
grandfathers. In the past year, both of
my grandfathers died. These two men
served their country and fought for
our freedom.
It is sad to think that soon there will
be no one left who fought in World
War II, the Korean War or even the
Vietnam War. Think about it. Of the
16 million who served our country
in World War II, there are only about
855,070 veterans alive today. Wow!
This is why it is so important to
document everything that these veterans tell, because one day those documents will be the only way to tell their
stories, and we should want to tell
them considering they are the reason
that we are living in a free country!
My maternal grandfather was an Air
Force Staff Sergeant during the Berlin
Airlift, and my paternal grandfather
was an Army Air Corps Staff Sergeant
during World War II. I am so proud to
be their granddaughter, and this past
year when I heard the 21 Gun Salute
and Taps, and watched them fold up
their flags, it reminded me of all that
the men and women of our Armed
Forces did and still do to keep our
freedom.

Adolph Wende

Joseph Hetzler

40815390

Ron Weaver, pictured in 1965.

SALUTE TO VETERANS

Ron Weaver, pictured in 2014.

16D

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2015

SALUTE TO VETERANS

limaohio.com THE LIMA NEWS

Reunion of 2 Navy veterans 70 years later

Jim Reeves, from left, Bob Winkle and Paul Pickle during their time in the Navy during World War II.

Paul Pickle and Bob Winkle during their service days.

From Janet Winkle, Kalida

Janet Winkle is daughter-in-law of

Bob Winkle and shared this story of a
recent reunion.
Bob Winkle, of Kalida, had always
wondered what happened to his Navy

buddies. It had been about 70 years since

he last saw them. Before Christmas 2014,
out of the blue, he received a special
phone call. His wife, Cleora, answered
the phone when a voice said, Is this the
Bob Winkle who was in the Navy during
World War ll? This is Paul Pickle.

With a shout to her husband, Bob,

he answered the phone. He discovered
it was his old Navy buddy! They spent
hours on the phone catching up.
Apparently Paul Pickles granddaughter, Lindsey, had looked up all the Bob
Winkles in Ohio. The first phone number
he dialed got him in contact with his
Navy shipmate!
Trying to schedule an in-person meeting was a challenge. Bob (90 years old)
and his wife, Cleora, (88 years old)
had some health issues as did his Navy
buddy, Paul Pickle (89 years old).
Finally, on Oct. 21, 2015, the meeting
was arranged. My husband, Stan (Bobs
son) and I took Bob and Cleora to meet
Paul and Betty Pickle. It was a long drive
to Wheeling, Illinois, which is northwest
of Chicago. After six hours on the road,
we arrived at Paul and Bettys home.
With a lot of determination, Bob
and Cleora made it up the stairs to the
Pickles second-floor condominium.
With a hug and watery eyes, Bob
Winkle and Paul Pickle began a tour
down memory lane. Looking through
the albums sparked some good stories.

Bob and Paul served aboard Patrol Craft

Escort Rescue 854 which was a hospital
ship converted to a minesweeper. Bob
was the ship mailman and sonar operator. Paul was a gunner. Paul said with a
smile, I cleaned guns! and there was a
picture of that!
They talked about getting some 7mm
Japanese rifles from a partially bombed
factory at Nagasaki. Bob said, Do you
know who sent your rifle home for you?
Remember, I was the mailman!
Paul talked about his granddaughter,
Lindsey. They have a special bond. Lindsey had asked him what was the scariest
part of the war. He told her the night
patrol in Hawaii near a pineapple field.
He was afraid there were Japs hiding in
the field that would sabotage him.
Bobs scariest part of the war was the
Japanese Kamikaze pilots (suicide bombers). He said that once these pilots left
the ground, they were not coming back.
The pilots idea was to crash their plane
into a ship and the explosives in the
plane would cause damage or sink a ship.
Bob said one plane crashed within 500
feet of their ship.

THE LIMA NEWS limaohio.com

SALUTE TO VETERANS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2015

17D

Bob Winkle and Paul Pickle reminisce during a reunion earlier this year.

Paul Pickle in his Navy whites.

Bob Winkle in his Navy whites.

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Bob talked about climbing up above the biggest

gun onboard the ship to
use the guns above that.
Paul said with a big grin,
What were YOU doing
up there? I dont suppose that was the description of a mailman or a
sonar operator.
After the war, Paul
settled into life as an
insurance salesman at
Washington National.
He lived in Johnson
City, Tennessee, Detroit,
Michigan, and finally
the Chicago area. Paul
and his wife raised three
sons, one deceased. They
have six grandkids. After
retirement, he worked for
the Daily Herald for 20
years retiring at age
80. His hobby was golf.
Bob, however, has
Paul Pickle cleans a gun during the war.
lived in Ohio his whole
life moving into the
were very pampered.
home where his wife was born. Bob
Paul and Bettys son, Greg and his wife
retired from Ford Motor Co. Lima
Pam
came over to visit. They checked
Engine Plant, where he was an electriout
all
the photos and more stories were
cian. He gave up his gardening, but
told.
We
took photos and exchanged
still plays in a country band and is on
phone
numbers.
a pool league. Bob and his wife raised
Bobs son, Stan, brought guitars.
seven children. When the whole gang is
They
were hoping to play Bobs song he
present (kids, spouses, grandkids great-
wrote
in the Navy, but the day passed
grandkids), there are 72 people.
too
quickly.
With a five- to six-hour trek
Later, Pauls gracious wife, Betty, proahead
of
us,
we had to leave.
vided us with some wonderful food. She
I am so glad these two special men got
picked up some Lou Malnottis pizza
to meet again, even if it took 70 years to
and Portillos chocolate cake, which
make the reunion happen. It was a long
are Chicago landmarks. Very yummy!
Throw in a salad and snacks and we
trip there, but well worth it.

18D

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2015

SALUTE TO VETERANS

My time as a WAC
From Shirley Hawk Green, Dunkirk

Shirley Hawk Green served in the

Womens Army Corps from 1956 to 1959
in Alabama,Texas, Kentucky and Pennsylvania. She is now 77 years old.
I joined the Army two months after
graduating from Elida High School. I
entered as a young girl but after a few
months I became a mature woman. One
special moment in basic training was
when I went down to the mail room
and the mail clerk ask if I once lived on
Ewing Avenue. I said yes and was then
informed that she once babysat for me.
This was just the first of many meetings
of women during my tour of duty. While
in the army I met some very special and

true friends. We worked, trained and

played together. I still stay in touch with
many of them. After I finished my tour
of duty, I came home but intended to
re-enlist. My family wanted me to stay
home, and soon after I met my husband.
He had just finished his tour of duty in
the Navy.
My best friend, also named Shirley,
made it a career and traveled all over the
world. While on leave she always visited
me and shared stories, photos and many
wonderful things brought back for me
from each duty station. When she came
home she would visit me, and through
her, I was able to travel all over the world
with her while sitting in my living room.
We shared many letters and photos,

World War II in a Flying Fortress

From Robert W. Wilson, as told to
Jeannine C. Roediger

I was standing on the only remaining hardstand, my own No. 44, in June
2000, returning to what was left of the
Great Ashfield Air base, England, which
had been so much a part of my life in
World War II when I was a 24-year-old
pilot.
I joined the Army in June 1941 and by
October 1943 I was training to fly the
B-17 Flying Fortress. They could limp
back to their bases with considerable
damage, as I would prove during my
combat missions.
By August 1944 I was sent to the
550th Squadron in the 385th Bomb
Group of the Eighth Army Air Force,
based at Great Ashfield, which consisted
of four squadrons, the 548th, 549th,
550th and the 551.
Each night the crews were put on
Alert, Standby or Standdown. Breakfast
came at 5 a.m. and attendance at briefing by 6 a.m. When the Group or Flight
Commander raised the screen he had our
full attention as it gave our target for the
day and position in the formation.

Taking turns we taxied to take off position, depressed the brakes and revved up
the engines. The drone and thunder of
those four, big 1,200 horsepower engines
reverberated in the chest and filled your
ears. Bombers were not easy to fly.
When fully loaded they had to be coaxed
and bullied with a firm hand. A loaded
bomber carried over 20,000 pounds of
fuel and bombs, making it difficult to
take off from a 6,000 foot runway and
a nail biter on short 4,800 foot runway.
Any crew that failed to get off the ground
would be talked about in the past tense.
My plane was named the Barbara B,
after the wife of my crew chief.
Heading back to England after that first
mission I suddenly realized that the Germans were shooting to kill so it was a situation of kill or be killed. It was a staggering thought and was hard to comprehend.
Watching planes get hit and losing men,
those you knew and others you knew only
by name, would make an impact.
Oct. 9 saw us heading for Gustavsburg
to a diesel engine factory. We reached
our destination and had just released our
bombs when we were hit by flak. The
flak hit our oxygen bottles located just

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hopes and dreams while apart. We were

not blood sisters but we nevertheless
were sisters.
Another close friend lives in Montana. We graduated from lab school, the
Army Medical Service School in Fort
Sam Houston, Texas. I have been to see
her and able to meet her husband and
children. She has also visited me. We
talked at great length about our time in
the Army. We write letters often to keep
each other informed about our families.
There are also several others who I correspond with and wish I could visit.
We share happenings in our lives, talk
about old times and share our hopes and
dreams for the future. I am very blessed
to have served my country and made
wonderful friends as well as memories.
I am a daughter of a World War II
veteran which drove me to enlist, to
follow in his footsteps, and to proudly
serve. The bonds that I have for the

many women I have served with is very

strong, and I believe they have made
me the person I am today. Last summer
one of my Girl Scouts (yes, I traded my
Army greens for Girl Scout greens),
went to Washington, D.C. and toured the
Women in Military Service For America
Memorial. She came home very excited
because she found me listed there and
brought a wonderful leather folder with
a certificate telling my military history.
That is something I shall always treasure, along with the excitement of my
girl in her discovery of it.
So no, I didnt serve in a war but did
serve at Valley Forge Army Hospital, taking care of wounded service members.
I served during the Cold War, not long
before Vietnam, so we did stand ready.
If I would have gone somewhere I would
have done it proudly and with a great
sense of duty to my country. I can proudly say I was once a WAC.

to the rear and below the pilot and copilots position in the cockpit. A piece of
metal hit the back of my legs and blood
was soaking my flight suit. I was experiencing some pain, not excruciating, nor
did I feel any distress. So, I got back in
my seat and continued on to Great Ashfield. I didnt want to miss any missions
so after getting back to the Quonset I
treated the wounds myself.
After a reunion of the 385th Bomb
Group in Dayton in 1987, a former
crew member brought up the incident.
I received a Purple Heart, 46 years later
at an Eighth Air Force Reunion at Las
Vegas, Nevada the first week of October
1990. Unbeknownst to me I was still carrying a piece of flak in that leg when it
was discovered by an X-ray in the 1990s.

enbacker, as a B-17 instructor pilot.

Germany surrendered on May 7 then in
August we heard about the huge bomb
being dropped on Hiroshima, Japan.
I had applied for release from active
duty in October, but decided to enlist
in the Army Air Force in January 1946
spending the rest of my career as a noncommissioned Air Force officer, retiring in October 1971 as a chief master
sergeant after completing 30 years, two
months and 25 days of active military
service. During that time I received
numerous awards including the Distinguished Flying Cross with two Oak
Leaf Clusters, Air Medal with five Oak
Leaf Clusters, Air Force Commendation
Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster and
the Army Commendation Medal.
World War II changed the lives of
everyone in America in some way
from a very minor influence to losing a
loved one or being lost in combat. For
most the end of the war was a time of
great celebration, for others who had lost
loved ones, it was a time of deep sorrow.
My crew was fortunate as no lives
were lost in those 35 missions; only one
other man was slightly wounded, our
ball turret gunner. I dont think back
on those years very much; at the time
I knew I had a job to do and followed
orders to accomplish that job. It was
what we had to do.

It was one of the hardest things to

endure and really shook you up to see an
empty bunk in your hut and look on as
supply personnel came in and took away
all the personal possessions of someone
who didnt come home. These were men
you ate with, played poker with or had
a beer with, friends that would never
return. They didnt want to be killed any
more than I did.
I left Great Ashfield in March 1945
and was assigned to Lockbourne Army
Air Force Base, later to become Rick-

THE LIMA NEWS limaohio.com

SALUTE TO VETERANS

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2015

19D

From a blessed Vietnam vet

Dave Polter served as Ammunition
Specialist, 571st Ordnance. He is now
62 years old.
My name is Dave, and Im writing this
letter to all veterans who served in the
Iraq and Afghanistan war. Many people
shook the hands of these solders and
voiced how proud they should feel and
thanked them for their service, but it
wasnt always that way.
You see, after high school I was hired
to work at a local factory, but soon after
I was drafted to fight in the Vietnam War
in 1968 and was promised to get my job
back after I got back to the states. I was
sent home on honorable discharge in
1969 and suffered many illnesses, including Agent Orange. When I got back to
the states, no one shook my hand. Not
one person said, Thank you for your
service and for protecting our country.
Within two months after I returned
from the war I was fired from my factory
job, because I was called a baby killer
and this left me feeling sad and angry.
Without a job, I almost considered reenlisting into the Army. Since I was not
married and felt I had nothing or nobody
to keep me here in Ohio, I considered
traveling. Filled with despair, regret, sadness and anger I decided to buy a 1973
Harley and travel the country.
When I broke the news to my parents
that I was leaving, I immediately felt
regret because my dad was very saddened to hear that I was leaving, yet
again. I think my dad thought that I
would never come back at least not
alive. With many things to work out on
my own, I had to get away. I was afraid
that I would end up hurting myself or my
family. Running away from my problems,
running away from the nightmares of
the war that plagued me every night and
memories that Id rather forget was the
demons that I dealt with every day. So
I packed up all my belongings and my
Army clothes and put them in storage
because I didnt feel proud of what I had
become.
Riding my Harley for three and a half

years, I told no one that I had fought in

the war. Traveling along the West Cost
in rain, heat and even snow I met many
people, some in bike gangs, some good
and bad. Many times I didnt have two
pennies to rub together, working just to
fill my bike and my stomach. But I only
rode with these bike gangs and since I
was always traveling and went my own
way, I never joined the gangs. Because
of my constant traveling I never had the
time to build friendships or relationships
with anybody.
After returning from the war I had to
deal with a lot of emotional issues in
my life. I had no fear of death for I felt I
had nothing or nobody to live for. Since
I had no fear, my heart hardened to the
world and I gradually felt my soul slip
from my body. You see back then there
was no such thing as Desert Storm
sickness, there was no emotional support or counseling for solders coming
back from the war. I was drowning
in my own self-pity and madness and
drinking was my outlet to feeling normal, to help forget my problems, to end
my nightmares. Since I was angry all
the time no one could get close to me,
and bar fights were the norm for me.
One day I was traveling with a bike
gang and noticed a woman being physically abused by a man, who was probably her husband or boyfriend. I felt this
was wrong, for my parents raised me to
respect women. I put a .45 to his head
to put a stop to this womans suffering.
Many people just turned their heads and
refused to help. The next thing I know I
hear guns going off all around me. I was
back in the war, so I thought. Thats all I
remember. Later, I woke up in a hospital
bed with tubes and cords running all
over my body. I felt my life had ended
and questioned God, Why am I alive? I
begged God to end my life right then and
there. But God had other plans for me.
Six bullet wounds later and a few
weeks of being laid up in the hospital,
I had a lot to think about. Maybe this
was my second chance, or in my case,
my third chance. Maybe God was trying
to tell me something. He didnt end life

here. I felt I was given another chance to

start over.
Later, that woman who I had saved
from being abused had found me at the
hospital and stayed by my side for two
months until I got my strength back.
Then after that, a few policemen escorted me out of their town on my Harley.
On the passenger seat of my Harley was
the woman that stayed by my side, the
woman that I saved from an abusive
relationship. We both were running
away from our demons and needed a
new start in life.
Sitting up in my hospital bed, I prayed
to God that if I pulled out of this I would
change my life and I would change for
good. The lady that stuck by my side for
two months while I was in the hospital
is now my wife of 39 years. We started a
new life together and because we needed
each other, I now had a reason to live.
My heart softened and my soul returned.
Soon after our fresh start in life, new life
was born. God blessed us with a beautiful daughter who is now married and has
blessed us with two wonderful grandchildren. I now have a blessed life filled with
a loving family of daughters, son-in-laws
and grandchildren.
The government did not help me to
get where I am now, but my friends and
family are the ones who cared enough
about me to get my soul and my life
back. If you are coming back from the
war, lean not on the government but God

and your family and friends to help you

through. For 50 years Ive been dealing
with all this in my head. Ive had not one
government official shake my hand and
say thank you for your service but Ive
had many strangers, friends and family
that have. So maybe it doesnt matter if
no government official had. What matters is whos still with you when you
come home, whos still by your side
through all that youve been through.
I felt abandoned by God when dealing
with all this, but once I came out of the
hospital, I realized that God was always
with me, carrying me though.
To all the soldiers who fought in the
U.S. wars, dont lose hope, dont lose
your soul and dont give up the fight.
Youre not in this alone. Dont make the
same mistakes that I have and dont forget who you were before the war because
you can find that person in you again.
I have been blessed with the life I
always wanted and thank God for that
every day. But now that Im dealing with
the effects of Agent Orange. I now have
Non-Hodgins Lymphoma and only have
weeks to live. I sometimes get angry and
blame the government for the diseases
that I have, but all that doesnt matter
now. What matters now is my faith in
God because Ill be meeting him soon
and spending as much time with my family as I can now.
Sincerely,
From a blessed Vietnam vet.

A TRUSTED NAME

Proud to have Served

Vietnam Veteran
Honoring all Veterans
with a Special
Discount!

Only One can be the BEST!

1305
Allentown
We
also
engraveRoad
yard rocks
next to Dairy Queen
419-228-4796
bob@johnsmemorials.com

IN THE
MONUMENT BUSINE
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From Dave Polter, Sidney

Weve engraved on over 60,000 monum

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20D

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2015

SALUTE TO VETERANS

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