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December 2013
U.S. VETERANS REMEMBERED AT STOKESDALE MEMORIAL SERVICE
Local Veterans Remember WWII, Cold War Battles By R. Gregg, The Star
In Stokesdale, the community remembered those who have served and those who gave the ultimate sacrifice by giving their lives for their country. Photos: The Star Newspaper.
By R. Gregg, The Star STOKESDALE – A Veteran’s Day service on November 11th in Stokesdale drew a large crowd to the Veteran’s Memorial Park on Highway 158. As part of the service, two veterans carried a wreath to be placed on the memorial which is a tribute to those who have served in the American services including the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and U.S. Coast Guard. Flags fluttered high in the air as those in attendance listen to music and also speakers talk about the sacrifices that veterans have made to their country. One veteran speaker, Mr. Friddle, spoke about an American officer who was told by one military outfit he was not fit to serve because he had a limp. But then he went to another outfit during the
war where he rose to the rank of general. The speaker also mentioned that this leader borrowed money to make sure his troops had the right equipment and as a result, incurred large amounts of debt. The speaker revealed that the person he was talking about was General Nathanael Greene, the namesake of Greensboro, who dealt a crippling blow to British General Cornwallis’ troops here during the Revolutionary War. General Greene served the entire eight years of the Revolutionary War which saw many ups and downs for the American troops. “We fight, get beaten, rise, and fight again,” said Greene in a famous quote. Veterans at the service included soldiers from WWII, the Korean War, the Cold War, Vietnam, the Iraq Wars, Afghanistan, and other conflicts. ::
STOKESDALE – At the Stokesdale Veteran’s Day service, two local veterans said they remember serving in the military like it was yesterday even though their service was decades ago. Although he is in his 90’s now, Sample Anderson of Stokesdale was just a young man when he joined the U.S. Army in 1942 to fight in the European Theatre in World War II. Anderson said he was there on the beaches on D-Day. He then later fought in the Battle of the Bulge as the American and British forces moved across France. During that battle, Anderson said he was injured when a mortar shell exploded in some trees above a jeep. He was hit in his backside and injured, while two other soldiers near him were killed. During his service, Anderson said he carried the formidable Browning Automatic Rifle or BAR. The heavy duty weapon was a portable machine gun that fired the large 30-06 round and had a tough reputation on both sides. Anderson said the Germans feared the powerful weapon. “They hated that gun,” said Anderson. Veteran J.B. Hallyburton of Oak Ridge said that he served in the Navy onboard the U.S.S. Intrepid aircraft carrier during the Cold War. He said there was an international incident involving a close call with a Russian ship that almost served as a flashpoint during the height of tensions between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. In the Mediterranean, the American ship was trailing a Soviet task group and Hallyburton also said that a Soviet airplane came too close to the Intrepid. Hallyburton said that they didn’t learn how dangerous the situation was in terms of brinksmanship until later on. ::
J.B. Hallyburton (left) served on the USS Intrepid in the Cold War and Sample Anderson served in the Army on D-Day in World War II. Photo: The Star.