Called to SERVE Honoring our local veterans
May 26, 2014 Newton
Daily News May 23, 2014
2 Called to Serve, Friday, May 23, 2014
For the past year, the Newton Daily News has published the weekly feature “Called to Serve.” These features tell the stories of our local area veterans. We have compiled these stories for this special Memorial Day edition. We are grateful to those who have and continue to serve our country.
Mel Allen Red Atwood Gary Barrett Tony Beck Elmer Booth Herschel “Pete” Briles Bill Brown Charlie Brown Max Butler Rhonda Buys Greg Christianson Joe Conley
Pg 5 Pg 16 Pg 17 Pg 7 Pg 27 Pg 18 Pg 10 Pg 9 Pg 12 Pg 18 Pg 9 Pg 3
Veterans Featured
Richard Cross Leo Draegert David Elliot Norman Ellsworth Madeline Engle Junior Ekins Ferdinand Foch Marta Ford Lowell Halfhill Steve Heerema Vinnie Hoskins Bernie Lammers
Pg 3 Pg 23 Pg 17 Pg 26 Pg 13 Pg 6 Pg 30 Pg 11 Pg 29 Pg 28 Pg 19 Pg 10
Merlin Lanphier Ryan & Jennifer Maki Randy Marchant Jim Marconi Fred Martin Dave Mast John McNeer Jerry Miller Francis Moore Levi Pence Aaron Peter Mike Poston
Larry Schmidt Andrew Shipley Steven Suter Craig Thorson Robert Van Elsen Ed Van Zante Gene Vande Lune Brock Walaska Paul Walters John Wenniham Melvin Wicker Nathaniel Whitten Sandy Young
Pg 21 Pg 25 Pg 4 Pg 16 Pg 8 Pg 8 Pg 31 Pg 6 Pg 29 Pg 23 Pg 24 Pg 22
Pg 21 Pg 20 Pg 22 Pg 15 Pg 28 Pg 15 Pg 14 Pg 26 Pg 14 Pg 17 Pg 12 Pg 20 Pg 25
If you love your freedom... thank a veteran and the men and women currently serving.
Thanks to all who support our club.
NEWTON AMERICAN LEGION Post 111 1101 W. 4th St. S., Newton, 641-792-3353
“We will always remember. We will always be proud. We will always be prepared, so we may always be free.” - Ronald Reagan On Memorial Day, we reflect upon the memory of so many brave American soldiers whose lives were cut short in the line of duty. The debt of gratitude we owe to them can never be repaid, but their service and sacrifice will never be forgotten.
In memory In honor
of those who SERVED . . .
Thanks hardly seems enough to say, but we truly appreciate your service to our country.
of those who serve us NOW.
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REMEMBERING
Display your American Flag with pride on Memorial Day, as we salute the brave soldiers who keep us safe at home, and those who have sacrificed their life for this country.
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Until they return home, we keep the men and women of our nation’s Armed Forces in our thoughts and prayers.
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A Tribute to Our Soldiers on Memorial Day
Today we honor the memories of the brave American soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice for this country. Their courage, commitment and selflessness will always be remembered with gratitude. We will never forget that freedom is not free.
BARNEY’S
24-HOUR TOWING AUTO & TRUCK REPAIR 641-792-1505
It is our honor to salute the heroes, past and present, of our Armed Forces this Memorial Day. Their dedication to our country and to the defense of freedom will never be forgotten. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you.
John’s Barber Shop 220 E. 8th St. N. 792-6677
We honor the memory of all the men and women who gave their lives in defense of our country’s freedom.
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Called to Serve, Friday, May 23, 2014 3
Baxter veteran recalls his service in U.S. Navy By Daily News Staff Seaman Richard Cross had grown up surrounded by military men and their stories. The glory and horror of war was close at hand for the remaining members of the Ira Five, a group of five young men from Ira who all enlisted in the Army to serve in World War I. One died abroad, the other four returned. One of the men lived close to Cross, and according to him, was an influence on his own decision to enlist once he was old enough. After training in a local radio school and gaining a bit of proficiency with the craft, Cross enlisted in the United States Navy on Jan. 8, 1952, where he would have the opportunity to use his specialization to serve his country. The Navy initially wanted him to join a construction regiment due to his expertise as a brick-layer and mason, but Cross wanted to employ his radio skills. He went to radio school in San Diego, entrusting his radio and television repair
business to Jack Sell of Marshalltown in his absence. His young wife, Beverly Cross, initially stayed in Baxter to work in a doctors office. Leaving home was hard for Cross, especially only three years after his wedding, but he enjoyed the experience of being able to travel in the service of his country. “When you’re in the military, you do what they tell you and they go exactly where they tell you. You don’t have a lot of control that way. Everyone who serves will have that experience. Well, I got my orders to go to Puerto Rico,” Cross said. Richard deployed to a suburb of San Juan, where he was joined by Beverly. While there, Cross worked on a base outside of town where him an a number of other seaman were bussed each day. His radio work there was highly classified, and he can remember an instance of one man being sent home on a moment’s notice after talking too freely during their commute. On Feb. 10, 1954, Cross was discharged
from the service and returned home with Beverly. He returned to his work as a mason. Chances are, you’ve seen his work around Newton and Jasper County, as he has worked on a number of churches and businesses on the square. Towards the end of his career, Cross also worked for seven years on the reconstruction of the Iowa State Capital building. He took up blacksmithing as a hobby, continuing his lifelong interest of working with his hands. He also maintained an active involvement with his local American Legion Post #493. Cross said that he could recommend the service to young people who might be interested. “It gives you an experience that you wouldn’t have otherwise, and it lets you get out and see places that you probably would never see.” For the Cross family, those are experiences and places that they will never forget. Ran May 24, 2013
Joe Conley wants people to remember the names By Ty Rushing Daily News Staff Writer On his wrist, Joe Conley wears an eye-catching black metallic wristband. That band is engraved with the names of everyone from his Army unit in Vietnam who died in 1968. Conley came home from Vietnam in 1969 but still has vivid memories of his time in the 199th Infantry Brigade. “I was drafted in 1967 from Maytag,” Conley said. “I worked at Maytag for a year before I got drafted. I went to Fort Campbell, Ky., and did the usual boot camp training there. Then I went to Fort Polk, La. for AIT, which is advanced infantry training. That was a precursor to ending up in Vietnam. If you got orders from Fort Polk, you pretty much knew where you were going from there.” After he graduated from AIT, he said he went home for Christmas break before going to Fort Lewis, Wash., for
an additional four weeks of training. Once he left Fort Lewis, he arrived in Vietnam, with a few stops along the way. “It seemed like everything got quiet when the pilot said, ‘That’s the shore of Vietnam,’” Conley said. “Everyone was just looking out the windows and trying to see what they could see.” When his plane landed in Vietnam, he said two things instantly overtook his senses. “In that city, the humidity, the heat and the smells just hit you the minute you step off (the plane), and in a minute you are soaking wet,” Conley said. “You just start sweating instantly.” While in Vietnam, Conley and his unit fought heavily in the Tet Offensive campaign, which began after the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army staged a series of surprise attacks against the South Vietnamese, the U.S. and their allies. Conley said his unit operated primarily at
night to counteract the VC, which attacked mostly at night. “You were just exhausted most of the time,” Conley said of working at night. “If you sat down, you could fall asleep just about anywhere you were. It was quite an adjustment, but we had been in training for about 12 weeks with very little sleep. They kind of oriented us to that before we even got to Vietnam. You learned how to live on four or five hours of sleep a night.” During the offensive, Conley said his company participated in various forms of combat. “There was a lot of jungle fighting the first week we were there,” Conley said. “Then, when we got into the city, it was street fighting from building to building. “I think the jungle was more difficult. You couldn’t see where a rifle flash or the shooting was coming from a lot of the time when it would break out,” Conley continued. “In the buildings, you
Submitted Photo Joe Conley stands in front of bamboo in Vietnam. He said he chewed cigars in Vietnam because smoking them would give away his position to enemy troops.
pretty much knew where they were if you started taking fire, and you could pin them down in that building and take care of it. In the jungle, they would shoot at you and disappear.” He also mentioned he had a lot of firefights in the rice paddies.
Conley took an emergency leave from combat in March after his father had a heart attack and wasn’t expected to make it. His father pulled through, and Conley returned to Vietnam once his father was in “good shape.” “When I got back
there (Vietnam), things were pretty quiet,” Conley said. “During Tet, we did a lot of damage to the Viet Cong and the NVA’s whole infrastructure. They were trying to regroup and heal up, and CONLEY See Page 4
4 Called to Serve, Friday, May 23, 2014
Conley Continued from Page 3 we had a fairly quiet period there after Tet until April. But then May came around.” Conley said that May started out fine but that it was the beginning of monsoon season. “Charlie loved to work in the monsoon season. He knew most Americans didn’t want to get wet and be out in the mud,” Conley said jokingly. Conley said that the VC and NVA organized and, on May 13, started another uprising that he and his fellow troops dubbed “mini-Tet.” His unit was assigned to secure a village that was along a river and that he said was being harassed by enemy troops. He said the village was also by a two-lane concrete bridge that was a main route for supplies and convoys. In order to protect the village, he said they would send out roaming patrols to go out and cover around 4,000 kilometers of land around the village at night. Another platoon would be in the village, another on the bridge and two other platoons would cover the perimeter and the inside of their base camp they created out of an orchard they called, “Fire Support Base Han.” “It was set up in an orchard, and naturally around the orchard there were canals for irrigation,” Conley said. “We used the banks of those canals as our perimeter. We put our four strong points on the four corners and had firing positions in between those. Beyond the canals, we set out concertina wire. We had claymores, trip flares and everything just outside the perimeter that could be fired if we were attacked.” Conley said they thought they had a pretty secure base and that it was well fortified. “About the 13th of May, we went up to the bridge — that was our night position — and between 1:30 or 2 in the morning the Viet Cong started hitting the orchard,” Conley said. “We could tell it was a big unit because of what was being fired. It looked like RPGs, B-40 rockets and a lot of small arms. The whole perimeter just lit up, and we could see it from up on the bridge.” “The minute that it started, it was a steady downpour,” Conley said. “Right as the attack started, the rain started, and it was pouring like you can’t believe. As soon as the fighting started, the sky just opened up. Our trip flares were just going off, and the parachutes, they were shooting up. We were just getting drowned, so there was very little illumination up ahead.” Conley said because of the weather, they couldn’t get air
support and that everything was grounded. He said his platoon tried to go down to reenforce the base, but all along the ditch the VC popped up and started opening fire on them. “They pinned us down up at the bridge,” Conley said. “We couldn’t even get down that 150 to 200 yards down to the orchard until we took care of who was shooting at us alongside the road.” Conley said fire was coming in from the village and that the VC must have been hidden in the village and waited on that battle to start. “They were being hit down the orchard from pretty much all around, plus from inside,” Conley said. Conley said that they were still pinned down, and the rain fell so heavily that it felt like they were going to drown. His unit crawled, trying to get to the village and fight the VC, who were still attacking them. He said the VC attacking them must have run out of ammo, and they used that opportunity to get the orchard. “The minute we got into the orchard, it was chaos, just total chaos,” Conley said. “It seemed like everybody in there was hurt. They had turned our M60 machine guns towards the center of the base camp. They couldn’t even fire mortars. They would shoot one in the air, and it would basically come back down on our own positions.” In response, Conley said that he, his lieutenant and another member of the unit stocked up on weapons, ammo and grenades and began a sweep of the orchard. “It was hairy all the way through there,” Conley said. “Pouring rain, you’re sloshing through mud and you’re trying to keep your head up to see what’s ahead of you. And all this time, this battle ahead of you was going on, and it was intense. “I mean bullets popping everywhere and over your head,” Conley continued. “Buzzing, you could just hear them buzzing everywhere. It was like a swarm of bees.” Conley said that he and the other troops proceeded to fight VC trying to catch up to Captain Alakulppi and his unit. He said that Alakulppi had been his captain since he came into Vietnam and that he was a “great guy.” “He had grabbed a bunch of guys out of their firing positions and moved them down to take out the VC in the bunkers,” Conley said. “We could tell that they were doing well. They were throwing a lot of bullets out.” “Everything seemed to be going in slow motion,” Conley said. “We couldn’t make any headway to move forward because we were harassed by the VC all the way through. Finally, it seemed like it was all day, but two hours later ...
we could tell that it was starting to get daylight, but it was still pouring.” “It must have been four o’clock or four thirty or so, and we finally caught up with were Alakulppi was,” Conley said. “But it was too late. He had got pinned between NVA crossfire, and he and four guys were just laying there when we caught up with them and found them.” Conley said although the fighting was still going, they moved their comrades’ bodies into a trench and then proceeded to take out their own bunkers that the NVA and VC had taken over. He said that the he fired his M72 into what was originally his own bunker, but they remained pinned down by their own VC-occupied machine guns. “Finally, we got air support,” Conley said. “The rain was starting to slow down, and as soon as the helicopter showed up, they (VC) knew they had done the damage they had come to do and started taking off.” Conley said as the VC fled, they fired with whatever they had available to ensure their retreat wasn’t a feint. He said that whatever VC remained still tried to fight but were “taken care of.” After the battle, Conley said they started to fully recapture their base and reestablished the perimeter. He said that as the sun came out and the rain vanished, they had to do a count of both sides for headquarters. “We had six dead, 27 wounded, and we collected somewhere around 50 NVA around the perimeter,” Conley said. “It was the 275th NVA Battalion. How much of that battalion was still left, I don’t know.” He estimated that the battalion that attacked them had to be more than 200 soldiers. “That was the most miserable night,” Conley said. “Ever since then, my attitude changed. I thought we had things under control there after Tet. All it takes is a few hours and one day, and you have six dead men. Captain Alakulppi was on his last week.” Although he survived that battle, Conley said that he carried guilt about the men they lost throughout the rest of his tour. The men they lost are immortalized on the wristband that Conley wears as a reminder. Before his discharge in 1969, he spent time in Texas, which he credits for adjusting him to civilian life after Vietnam. Despite what he has seen, Conley is still positive about his time serving his country and shared his story to convey a message. “I didn’t want it to be about me,” Conley said. “I wanted people to understand what is represented by every name on any war memorial.” Ran May 31, 2013
Colfax Veteran recounts his service at Arlington National Cemetery By Daily News Staff Randy Marchant, a Colfax resident and Vietnam veteran, recently related his experiences at the Memorial Day ceremony in Colfax. Part of his message detailed his experiences at the Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C., and how they shaped his views on the service. “I was just getting to my barracks at Ft. Myer. I got up to my assigned room, and laid down my things before I started looking around. Immediately I saw this large window letting in sun, and I crossed to it,” Marchant said. “I got to that window, and when I looked out, I was shocked. There was row after row of these white headstones stretching on.” Arlington National Cemetery’s 624-acre spread is the final resting place for more than 400,000 of the nation’s casualties and deceased veterans dating back as far as the Civil War. Marchant described his first exposure to Arlington as “aweing” as he stood there contemplating exactly how many soldiers had been buried in the massive cemetery. “I didn’t want to walk through it for a while … I remember thinking ‘I don’t know anyone here,’ and how strange it would be … I just walked around the outside of it for the first weekend that I was at Ft. Myer.” Eventually Marchant did enter the cemetery, recalling
his continuing curiosity the first time he saw one of the funeral processions coming through and how he stood in respect of the fallen soldier along the pathway. “It played a big part in my decision to re-enlist, seeing all of these people coming back from Vietnam,” Marchant said. “I’d go back and forth in my head about what I wanted to do, but I kept wanting to go.” He had already served a 13-month deployment in Korea where he worked as a motor messenger, relaying classified materials from Seoul to the Korean Demilitarized Zone. Ft. Myer was his first post upon his return, and he worked there for six months with telecommunications. At last he got the posting that he desired, being sent to Vietnam in January of 1972, but it was not long-lived. Five weeks later, Marchant was then reassigned to a nine-man communications detachment in Thailand, and seven months later he would be assigned as an acting sergeant of a similar three-man installation. Marchant’s military career ended with a medical release on April 6, 1976, and yet his service was far from over. After receiving a degree in Journalism from DMACC, Marchant worked several jobs before finally landing at a position with the Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center in Des Moines. MARCHANT See Page 5
Submitted Photo Randy Marchant graduated from DMACC in 1980, four years after he was honorably discharged from the United States Army. Marchant previously served in military communications.
Called to Serve, Friday, May 23, 2014 5
Allen walked more than a line in ‘Operation Totem Pole’ By Ty Rushing Daily News Staff Writer Johnny Cash wrote a hit song about walking a metaphorical line. Army veteran Mel Allen could write a catalogue of music based on his “walk.” Allen and his unit, the 196th Regimental Combat Team, walked 872 miles in 1951 as a part of “Operation Totem Pole.” The walk is considered one of the longest recorded modern military marches in history and consisted of troops, trucks and artillery units. “I originally grew up in Lake City, Iowa, and I was just a farm boy,” Allen said. “My whole world was within 10 miles of home.” Allen said shortly after high school, he got a draft notice for the Army. “No one in my family had ever been in the service,” Allen said. “I didn’t have anybody to tell me anything or what to expect of anything within this nature. I went in with some friends I knew and, of course, we were like all the others guys, and we were going to try to stay together.” Allen arrived at Fort Riley, Kan., and said he was one of 38 soldiers picked at random to join an RCT at Fort Carson, Colo. The RCT was the aforementioned 196th, with which he would go on to walk. “They were preparing that combat team to go to Korea,” Allen said. Allen explained what an
RCT was. “It’s a little miniature army made up of about 4,000 men,” Allen said. “In a big army, you have a division of tanks, artillery and different things. We had our own tanks, our own artillery, just really a miniature army.” Allen said when he arrived in Colorado, he was certain that he was destined to go Korea and paid close attention to his training. “This three striper (sergeant), who was a World War II veteran, told us ‘Your lives are going to change,’” Allen said. He said, ‘Probably, most of you are going to get killed in Korea.’ Then they said, ‘Forget about your girlfriends, forget about your wife, forget about your families. Learn as much as you can, because it might save your life and you might be one of the people coming back.’” “(Then) he told us, ‘If you live through this training, it’s only because I let you,’” Allen continued. “I didn’t believe him. Then, two weeks later, I believed every word that he said. They got on us like you can’t believe.” Allen said that a general came to watch his RCT perform a demonstration and decided that they should go to Alaska instead of Korea. “The reason they did this was he said, ‘There were 40,000 Red (Soviet) troops massed across the Bering Strait,’” Allen said. “During WWII, the Japanese had taken some of the Aleutian Islands and they
Marchant Continued from Page 4 His career working with veterans lasted 23 years, and during this time, he was able to help people suffering mental problems, having issues readjusting to civilian life and coping with the traumas of their time in the military. In 2010, Marchant’s military experiences came full circle as he had the opportunity to visit Arlington National Cemetery once more. Marchant had been part of organizing three Freedom Flights for the VA Medical Center, and
Submitted Photo Mel Allen (left) and other members of the 196th Regimental Combat Team pose in Alaska in October of 1951. The unit spent 43 days walking across the state in case of a USSR attack.
didn’t want Alaska taken. That was where most of the planes that flew to Japan and Korea landed for fuel.” The 196th traveled to Seattle and then took a ship north. Allen said they had no idea what was going on, and they docked in the Port of Haines in Alaska. “We unloaded all of our stuff that was slated to go to Korea and set it up,” Allen said. “Nobody knew we were coming.” Allen said they had miles of convoy and it affected the route they were walking. In order to get to their final destination of Fort Richardson, they had to walk northwest to Tok from Haines, from Tok back southeast to Delta Junction and then proceed from
Delta Junction southwest towards Fort Richardson. “We went under full combat conditions,” he said. Allen said they had a 30mile convoy and, to keep pace, they had to walk at 120 steps per minute, which he described as closer to running. While keeping that pace, he carried a M1 rifle, a 40-lb. pack, an additional weapon and was wearing “Jump Boots.” “The most difficult part is we never changed clothes, we never took a bath and we never relaxed,” Allen said. “We get in at night and you would have to set up your weapons and get in position. The sleeping bags were made of wool and the first time it rained we just threw them away.” “You slept in a hole at
on the third, it was suggested that Marchant travel along with the patients. The group of nine, including Marchant, used the three-day trip as a therapeutic opportunity. After each day of visiting war memorials and cemeteries, the patients were to discuss their experiences and feelings. Marchant can still recall their time at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. “We got there, and everyone had a name or two that they were looking up on the wall … I found mine fairly quickly, and then I was just watching everyone else,” Marchant said. “I went to help one guy from our group, and I asked him how he was
night,” Allen said. “There wasn’t any motels are anything, you would dig your foxhole and stay there that night.” In all, Allen said they spent 43 days walking. He said the experience wasn’t all bad and that they got overseas pay since Alaska wasn’t a state yet. Allen acknowledged that he wasn’t the biggest fan of his duty, but realized he could’ve had it worse and has nothing but respect for troops that had to deal with combat situations. “The thing I disliked the most, was the duty that we had,” Allen said. “What we had was lousy, cold, wet and miserable duty, but there were some guys who had it worse. We weren’t getting shot.” Ran June 14, 2013
coming along. He pulled out this list and he told me, ‘well, I’ve found two, but I’ve got 19 more.’ I spent the day with him, and for each name he had stories that he told. It was truly incredible.” Soon after, he retired from the VA, but Marchant still stays involved with the veteran community. He is an active member of his local AmVets and American Legion posts, serving as an Adjutant on both. “I have absolutely no regrets for my service, and I think it’s a good opportunity for anyone,” Marchant said. “If I still had my health and was able, I’d sign up today.” Ran June 7, 2013
Because Freedom doesn’t come free... Thank you to all who have served and are serving. Here's how you can actively remember and honor the brave men and women who have died defending our nation: • Decorate the graves of soldiers with flowers or flags. • Visit or learn about some of our country's war memorials. • Fly the American flag at half-staff until noon. • Support a charity serving veterans and their families. • Discuss the meaning of Memorial Day with your children. • Take time to reflect on the sacrifices made by our fallen heroes. 412 W. 8th St. N., Newton 641-521-1764 Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat. by appointment
Thanking All Men and Women for your sacrifice.
111 E. 2nd St. S., Newton 792-4118
6 Called to Serve, Friday, May 23, 2014
Colfax resident recounts his service during Vietnam War By Daily News Staff Like many from his generation and his war, Jerry Miller didn’t really talk about it much when he came home. Over the last several years, more than 40 years since his service concluded, Miller says it feels like people are finally interested in the history of the Vietnam War and that talking about it has become more acceptable. “It was an unpopular war,” Miller said. “It was just one of those things, we were as likely to get spit on as we were to get a pat on the back.” Miller had graduated from Colfax High School in 1963, and he attempted to enlist in the military the same year. They wouldn’t take him at the time, citing his color-blindness as an impediment to his service, but that didn’t stop them from sending out his draft notice in April of 1968. “I got my notice, so I turned up for formation … they wanted me to be in the Marines,
but my notice said I was for the Army,” Miller said. “They asked me if I was a trouble-maker, I said no, I just want to be in the Army, so they sent me off to Ft. Bliss, Texas, for eight weeks of basic training.” After his time at basic concluded, Miller had the option to obtain additional training or ship out as a basic infantryman. He accepted nine additional months of schooling in exchange for a one-year extension to his enlistment, and he trained to become a helicopter gun maintenance specialist which granted him the rank of Specialist (E5). After his training concluded, he spent several months helping teach at the school before he was finally called up for deployment to Vietnam. He shipped out in the fall of 1969. Miller was shifted around the country often, serving where they needed him, but a large portion of his time was spent in the Central Highlands with the 4th
Infantry. “I loved to fly up in the choppers,” he said. Most of his duty was spent on the ground, keeping the helicopters in serviceable condition and maintaining the guns, but he was able to fly out on some patrols. “We would get shot at from time to time … One time, we got back to base camp and after counting we had taken 52 rounds … They shot out the transmission, which is usually enough to bring the chopper down, but we made it back.” Miller returned to the United States in December of 1970 and went back to work on a local farm and at Maytag, but the effects of the war came back with him. Over the years, he has had a number of health problems which were recently attributed to the harmful effects of Agent Orange, to which he was exposed during his duty. Miller struggled to receive treatment or aid through the Veterans Affairs hospitals,
Daily News File Photo Colfax resident Jerry Miller served as a helicopter gun technician during the Vietnam War, working primarily with the AH-1 Cobra among other aircraft.
being turned away several times before a staff member found an irregularity with his admissions and interceded on his behalf. “They told me that it seemed like someone had been trying to keep me out of there … We never found out what was going on, but I’m able to go now,” Miller said. Miller stays involved
with a number of veterans’ groups, including AmVets, the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans and the VFW. Despite the hardships of the military, he is able to look back fondly on most of his service. “I enjoyed my time in the Army. I met a lot of interesting people and got to do great stuff,” Miller said. “I’d recom-
mend it … It’s a real growing-up experience that forces you to learn a bit.” Not only would he recommend it, but Miller suggests that two years of mandatory military service for young adults could reap positive rewards, both for the country and for the young adults enlisting. Ran June 21, 2013
Ekins’ Marine Corps service epitomizes valor of ‘Greatest Generation’ By Daily News Staff If one were to look at Junior Ekins, he or she might see an elderly, God-fearing man. He or she might see a man who who retired several years ago after a lengthy career as a maintenance foreman with the Maytag Corporation. Or, he or she might see a man who helped others in his community, particularly those who were disabled. But if one took the time to dig a little deeper — and one might have to prod him to get the unassuming Junior to talk about it — he or she would likely be amazed by the story that unfolds. No doubt, one would gain a much better appreciation of the “Greatest Generation.” Junior and his brother Jack were orphaned when Junior was just a year old, and went to live with their grandparents in Ogden, Utah. When Junior was in the second grade, his grandmother passed away, as well. “I did chores during the day,” he said. “At night, I helped with the cooking and cleaning
... and, I still went to school in the winter.” Junior’s grandfather passed away when he was in the fifth grade. So, from that time until he turned 17, Junior and his brother were wards of the State of Utah, and were passed along to a couple of different foster families. “I was in 10th grade, and my brother was in 11th,” he said. “We decided one day we were going out go out on our own. For $50 a month, we became aircraft mechanics ... I worked my way up to a journeyman, working on the B-17s.” Not long after joining the Aircraft Repair Branch at Hill Air Force Base, with World War II raging, Junior and Jack began reading the newspaper accounts of the Marines fighting at Guadalcanal. Despite
their deferment status with the War Department, they decided to join the fight. Together, with a friend named Dave, Junior and Jack traveled to Salt Lake City to enlist. They first attempted to sign up as U.S. Army Air Corps cadets. “I wanted to fly ... [But] our friend couldn’t pass the test, and we wanted to all go together,” Junior said. “So, we tried to sign up for the Marines. I passed, but he didn’t. They had me at that point, though.” Following boot camp at U.S. Marine Corps Depot San Diego, Junior went to school to learn how to operate and maintain machine guns. Jack, meanwhile, went to tank school. “One night, they had us grab our seabags and put them on trucks,” he said. “We thought we were going to Camp Pendleton, but they took us to the docks and loaded us on ships. We didn’t know where we were going — nobody was supposed to know — because loose lips sunk ships.” Thus began Junior’s three-year stint — without so much as a day of
Submitted Photo Newton resident Junior Ekins, pictured with his wife, Velma, will be this year’s Fourth of July Parade Marshal, representing all veterans of Jasper County. He asked Doug Bishop, Jasper County treasurer and Freedom Flights organizer, to accompany him in a 1964 Corvette — which was refurbished by a Jasper County Vietnam veteran — during the parade.
leave time — in the war zone of the Pacific Theater. The brothers wound up at New Caledonia, an island about 1,100 miles northeast of Australia. There, they were separated — truly separated — for the first time in their military enlistment. “At New Caledonia, my brother had to get off,” Junior said. “So, I jumped ship and went
down on the dock and talked with him.” After a short pause, “That’s the last time I ever saw him.” Jack — the only family Junior had left — was killed off the Philippines when the ship he was on was hit by a kamikaze plane. Jack was buried at sea, and Junior didn’t find out for a while. At New Caledonia, Junior was sent to Mel-
bourne, in the southern part of Australia, where he was eventually attached to “I” (India) Company, 3rd Battalion, First Marines. From there, he took part in the “island hopping” sweep across the South Pacific. First stop: Goodenough Island, about 50 miles off the eastern tip of New Guinea, for EKINS See Page 7
Called to Serve, Friday, May 23, 2014 7
Beck is proud to be an American By Ty Rushing Daily News Staff Writer If you have ever been to the Scoreboard on a Thursday night, then you know that Tony Beck is proud to be an America — after all, it’s his signature song. Beck is an Army veteran, who served in Desert Storm, and provides a much needed boost of patriotism to the Newton establishment. “I started off in the Iowa Guard and then in February ’85, I started active duty in the regular army,” Beck said. Beck had originally signed up 1982 and explained what inspired him to join. “Finances, mainly. I planned on getting married. Needless to say, that fell through,” Beck said jokingly. “But I had fun in the military, believe me. One of the smartest things I did in high school was join the military.” Like many vets, Beck said the ability to travel was one of the best parts of service. “Seeing the countryside,” Beck said, “The scenery — I was seeing spots that I’ll never see again in my lifetime.” Beck maintains a sunny disposition and even carried it throughout boot camp. “It wasn’t so bad, other than the drill sergeant in your face” Beck said jokingly. “It was like go-
ing to PE for me. That’s what it seemed like it. Between basic training and AIT (Advanced Individual Training), basic was a joke. AIT was a lot stricter.” “It’s not as laid back (as basic),” Beck said. “You have to be there to do stuff, they are right on you. They want to make sure you get it done right for when you leave. You are putting those work skills to actual (use).” Beck said he went to AIT to become a light and heavy welding mechanic and truck driver. “Between basics and AIT, I would rather go through basics again,” Beck said. During his time in the service, the U.S. had conflicts in both Grenada and Panama. Beck said he was ready and willing to go to either, if necessary. “I wasn’t worried at all. If it was time for me to go, it was time for me to go,” Beck said. “Our post was on standby. Then when I was stationed at Fort Lewis, (Wash.) our unit was on standby. We knew we were going, we just weren’t for sure of the actual dates we were going.” Beck never went to Panama or Grenada, but was deployed. “I went to Saudi Arabia. I think it was August of ’90 when we shipped out,” Beck said.
Ekins Continued from Page 6 staging and training. The trip there — a jaunt of some 2,000 miles — was the hardest part. “They sent us on liberty ships,” Junior said. “They didn’t have heads (bathrooms), showers or galleys ... the construction engineers built some up on the weather decks.” The only quartering space on the liberty ships, which were made for short, couplehour excursions, was in the upper hold. Most of the Marines had to fashion their own sleeping arrangments — rain or shine — topside on the open weather decks. Eventually, when the beach landing at Tauali at Cape Gloucester on the island of New Britain was launched, Junior and the 69 men of “I” Company were ready to fight. Their commanding officer had a somber warning for the Marines. “The colonel said to us guys going in there, ‘You might as
Ty Rushing/Daily News Tony Beck stands near a mural in the Newton VFW, where he serves as post commander. Beck served in the U.S. Army for nearly a decade.
“Hot, hot, it was 140 degrees in the shade. Just very hot, when we first got over there it would be like 70 or 80 degrees, and we would just have sweat pouring off of us.” “After we got used to the climate change, that 70 degrees was cold, just cause of the temperature drop,” Beck said. “You wouldn’t think that 70 is cold, but in the desert it’s cold. If you don’t mind being in the desert, (Saudi Arabia) it’s a
well write home to your folks and tell them you’re dead,’” Junior said. “We just laughed at him.” War, he soon learned, was no laughing matter. With less than 900 men, the Marines at Tauali were charged with preventing 1,000 Japanese troops from joining the 10,000 stationed at the Cape Gloucester Airdrome. As soon as that battle ended, the Marines watched as nearly 130 Japanese planes flew overhead on a bombing run. “They just dropped their bombs and moved on,” Junior said. “The could’ve broke off and got us, but they didn’t.” Next came Pavuvu, and island where it rained for 28 straight days — day and night — and the Marines used coral mined from the hills of the island itself to “pave” their own pathways and mustering spots in camp. Junior said it was no use to change clothes, because those would just become rainsoaked, as well. “Oh, we showered,” he quipped. “It rained every day.”
neat spot to be.” Other than the weather, Beck said a moment in January of ’91 is what stuck with him about his time over there. “I do remember, that a Patriot and a Scud missile took out each other,” Beck said. “They took each other out right above our camp site. It was loud, very loud. They collided in mid-air and it looked like a big ol’ firework in
After a few months at Pavuvu, Junior and the First Marines boarded ships bound for Peleliu, an island at the southern tip of the island nation of Palau, approximately 2,100 miles northwest of Pavuvu. Once they arrived offshore, the Marines climbed into their landing craft to begin the beach landing. “We had four LVTs in a group, parked just outside the range of their artillery,” Junior said. “’K’ Company was supposed to be on our left flank. But, when we were going in, I looked over to the left, there were no vehicles there.” Of the 69 men in “I” Company who initiated the beach landing at Peleliu, only 14 survived the first day. Vic Case of Colfax — Junior’s best friend — was among the casualties that day. “He took up a gun and began spraying the machine guns,” he said. “They gave him the Navy Cross.” The next morning, the 14 remaining men were told 13 Japanese tanks were headed
the sky.” “I think our whole company was in their MOPP (Mission Oriented Protective Posture) gear in five minutes,” Beck said. “That was something you learned in basic training. It don’t take too long to put that stuff on when you need to.” Another thing that stuck out to Beck was the fires that Iraqi forces started in the Kuwaiti oil fields.
toward the airport at the north end of the island. They were ordered to move out to defend the airport. “We had only gone 25 or 30 yards and the guy right behind me got shot and killed,” Junior said. “So, the 14 became 13. When we got off that island, there were only eight of us left.” Junior sustained a shrapnel wound in his arm during the Battle of Peleliu, which resulted in him being awarded his first Purple Heart. As his unit recovered and was replenished with new Marines, they sat out the invasion of Iwo Jima. Instead, their reinforced unit prepared for the invasion of Okinawa. “Okinawa was a lot bigger, but it turned out the same way,” he said. “I was a squad leader, because I was the only one left who was experienced.” In the meantime, Junior struck up a conversation via letters with Vic Case’s fiancee, Velma. His intent was to simply tell her what a good man Vic was, and how sorry he was
“It was so black out,” Beck said. “We had to have our headlights on in the day.” Beck said he left the military in 1991 and in that same year he joined the VFW. “I got my lifetime membership in ’92,” Beck said. “I have been the (Newton) Post Commander the last two years. I still got some military in my life.” Ran July 5, 2013
that his friend was now gone. The two continued to exchange letters for the remainder of Junior’s time in the Marine Corps. He received a second Purple Heart after suffering a chest wound from the shrapnel of a Japanese mortar shell. In the process, his trousers were cut away, and Ekins lost his wallet, as well as two months’ pay. “They took me to an Army hospital, then to Saipan,” he said. “After several days, a corpsman finally went out and found me a pair of pants to wear.” After leaving Saipan, Junior went to Guam. From there, he was transported back stateside. He then found a way to Iowa, where he and Velma could meet face-to-face. Thus began a love affair that has lasted nearly 70 years. “We met in June and got married in August,” Velma said. “They said it would never last.” Ran June 28, 2013
8 Called to Serve, Friday, May 23, 2014
Longtime former serviceman says he isn’t a hero By Ty Rushing Daily News Staff Writer Despite serving his country for more than two decades — with stints in the Army, Air Force and Iowa National Guard — Newton native Fred Martin insists he’s not a hero. He also said he couldn’t choose a favorite branch and explained why he switched branches. “I like to move around. I like to let everybody get ahold of my talents,” Martin said jokingly. “They were all good, and I enjoyed every minute of it, but you reach a point where you can’t do it anymore, and the job becomes too taxing. So I went ahead and retired.” Some of the medals Martin, who is adamant about not being called a hero, has earned include the Vietnam Service Medal, a Vietnam Campaign Medal with the 1960 Bar, and a Bronze Star. He also has a few tales of some the “non-heroic” deeds he’s accomplished. “We pulled a pilot out of the water just north of Okinawa. He was an (F-)86 pilot,” Martin said. “There were four that went down. We picked up two, and the other helicopter picked up two.” Martin has a number of similar tales to share,
which is quite the accomplishment for the man who joined the service looking for another job. “Seventeen (years old), five weeks out of high school, and I was working on a farm — me and a friend of mine — bailing hay,” Martin said. “I said, ‘Enough of this hay bailing. I need out of this. I’m going to join something.’ When you’re on a farm, you are not the CEO.” Martin said, right after they finished working that day, he told his friend to take him to the courthouse. “It was just about five minutes until 5 p.m., and the Navy was the first door, and he had gone home,” Martin said. “So I went down to the next door, and that was the Army, and he had gone home. I was on my way to the third door, because it was my last hope, and the guy came out of the office, and he was with the Air Force.” “I said, ‘I want to join you.’ And he said, ‘When?’ And I said, ‘Well, what’s wrong with right now?’” Martin said. “I wasn’t doing nothing, and I wasn’t going to be doing anything for the next 20 years. Then I had to go say goodbye to Grandma and Grandpa, and then I went two weeks
later.” In his youth, Martin said he worked with his father picking flowers and kept very strange working hours. However, he said this experience actually helped prepare him for boot camp in a very unexpected way. “Every morning, we would be up at three in the morning when the flowers bloomed,” Martin said. “So he had to be at work at Maytag at 7 a.m., and so we got up and cut a load of flowers. I would deliver them to the flower shops in Des Moines, and then I could come back and do my day’s work until about nine or 10 at night. Then get up, do the same thing again at three the next morning. I had done this the whole summer for as long as I could do it. “So I went to basic training, and this guy, he was a littlebitty joker, he would get right in your face,” Martin continued. “He would have to stand on a brick to kick a duck in the (butt). He said, ‘I’m going to have you guys in bed by 10 o’clock at night, lights go out. And I’m going to have you up at six every morning, and don’t you be late.’” Martin said once he heard that from the in-
Newton native Fred Martin served in three branches of the military, but doesn’t want to be called a hero. Daily News File Photo
structor, he actually felt relieved and laughed. “He got right in my face and said, ‘What do you think is so funny?’” Martin said. “I said, ‘I’m going to get about three more hours sleep than I’ve been getting at home. You’re treating me nice.’ I thought he was friendly. It (boot camp) wasn’t bad. You get used to it. It’s like anything else.” Although Martin
experienced multiple branches of the service, he did finally admit he had a favorite one. “The Air Force,” Martin said. “The reason was because I was my own boss. The most people I ever worked with was five.” Although Martin still insists he isn’t a hero and that he didn’t join because of “apple pie and all that,” he still served his country with
pride. He also said he really enjoyed his time as a Southeast Pacific survival school instructor. “I enjoyed every second of it. Well, I didn’t like people shooting at me,” Martin said. “I never cared much for that. I taught a lot of people, I hope, how to stay alive. We all did. That was our job.” Ran July 19, 2013
Colfax man considers himself veteran, among other things By Daily News Staff Dave Mast of Colfax is a veteran. He’s also a community man who has served as a teacher, a city councilor, city administrator and mayor. He’s a family man with a wife and three children. He’s a photographer with his own business, specializing in senior and family portraiture, as well as wedding photography. He was president of the Colfax Economic Development Corporation, and then helped launch its successor, Colfax Main Street, where he is now president of the board. Mast has worn a number of hats over the years, accomplished a great deal and still sees more ahead of him to be done. He doesn’t like to think of any one of those “hats” as being his identity, though. Instead, to himself, he is simply Dave Mast the person rather than Dave Mast the veteran or teacher or
mayor. So, when he was two years into his career as a math and physics teacher at Treynor in 1968 and his draft card got pulled, he wasn’t about to become a “soldier,” the archetype of what Boot Camp is meant to churn out: highly efficient, command-obeying personnel. Instead, Mast said his education and experience allowed him to remain exactly the same person he had been when he went to boot camp as an E1 rank in the United States Army in Fort Polk, La. After boot camp, Mast received training at a clerk typist school before being sent to Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indianapolis, where he worked in personnel. While there, he said he felt pressure down the chain-of-command to stay on longer than his two years so he could enlist in Officer Training School. He was head-hunted for the opportunity due to his
high General Technical score of 156 out of 160. “‘That’s higher than most of the officers get,’ they kept telling me,” Mast said. He explained the opportunity would have required at least one more year of served time, keeping him from pursing his career as a teacher. So, rather than pack off to officer training, Mast met with the base’s Protestant chaplain, a corporal who was
impressed with him and provided him with the opportunity to work as his assistant rather than continuing in personnel. Mast excelled in the position, rising from an E1 to E5 ranking over the course of his 18 months of service. He continued on as the chaplain’s assistant until the conclusion of his service in May of 1970. Despite several sets of orders calling him up to Vietnam, happenstance served to keep him on the base in Indianapolis. When Mast was discharged, he enrolled in summer classes. He was married to his wife, Lois, Aug. 8, 1970, and started teaching at Colfax High School later that month. Since then, Mast has served a number of roles in the community beyond his 30-year career as a teacher. He became mayor on Jan. 1, 2008, presiding over a period marked with two historic, major floods.
He also helped water conservation efforts in the town, using his column in the Jasper County Tribune to discuss conservation, which drove the town’s water usage down from 12 to 14 million gallons a month to between 8 and 9 million gallons per month. Later, he helped lead the charge to install water meters in town, which ultimately brought usage down to around 5 million gallons a month. Now that he’s out of city government, Mast stays busy with his involvement in the Colfax Main Street organization. So, while Mast has worn a lot of hats over the years, and doesn’t think of himself as “Dave Mast the veteran,” he is still a lifetime member of the AMVets organization and said he wouldn’t change anything about his life. “I have no regrets,” Mast said. “Service to your country is important.” Ran July 26, 2013
Called to Serve, Friday, May 23, 2014 9
Baxter post commander holds Vietnam veterans in highest regard By Daily News Staff
Daily News File Photo Newton resident Charlie Brown spent 17 months and 25 days in the U.S. Army. He returned to Newton and to his original trade of cutting hair.
‘Good Grief’: Local veteran Charlie Brown recaps time in Korea By Ty Rushing Daily News Staff Writer In Newton, Charlie Brown isn’t just the name of the main character from the “Peanuts” comic strips. He’s a retired barber who came home after 17 months and 25 days in the U.S. Army as a decorated soldier and with a commendation letter from former Gov. Leo Hoegh. Brown said that at 18, he was the youngest licensed barber in Iowa at the time, but then he received his draft notice and reported for duty from Newton in 1952. “Well, they didn’t care for it,” Brown said of his family’s reaction to him getting drafted. “All three of us served. I served in Korea, one brother in Germany and one brother never got out of the States.” As the oldest brother, Brown said he imparted BROWN See Page 11
Over the years, Greg Christianson, commander of Baxter’s Post 493 of the American Legion, has begun to define himself more and more as a “Vietnam-era veteran” rather than a “Vietnam veteran.” When he was in the Navy serving from 1973 to 1977, the distinction wasn’t so clear to Christianson. Christianson enlisted in the United States Navy in the spring of 1973 just after he graduated from high school. The Navy quickly sent Christianson to boot camp in San Diego, after which he attended a specialized training school in San Francisco to hone his skillset as a welder and firefighter. Following his training, the rest of his enlistment was spent aboard the USS Longbeach, a nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser equipped with an unprecedented amount of antiaircraft ordinance. During his tenure on the ship, the Longbeach was deployed on Western Pacific cruises, where it helped to safeguard the USS Enterprise, the
first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in the United States’ fleet. Christianson was serving as a firefighter on the USS Longbeach during the Mayaguez incident, a famous three-day conflict between Cambodian communists and the United States that marked the end of the Vietnam War. The Cambodians had seized a U.S. container ship and its crew on May 12, 1975. The crew was subsequently released unknown to the United States Marines and their command, which laid siege to a Cambodian base. U.S. forces suffered
heavy losses with 15 dead, 41 wounded and three missing in action. Despite being a part of the Mayaguez Incident and other action during his western Pacific cruises, Christianson has a hard time placing his service on the same level as those of those who fought on the ground in the Vietnam War. “My real passion working with the Legion is for the Vietnam veterans,” Christianson said. “I get chills just thinking about them and what they did.” He described the conflict as incomparable to the ones that preceded it, saying that the veterans of Vietnam endured more on the ground and even upon their return to the United States than any of their predecessors. So now, the veteran who has held his position as post commander for 10 years tries to help and engage the Vietnam veterans in whatever way he can, thankful for their service in a fashion that grew out of hearing their personal accounts of the war over the years. Ran July 12, 2013
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10 Called to Serve, Friday, May 23, 2014
From Cyclone to Corporal: Lammers recalls time in Air Force By Ty Rushing Daily News Staff Writer Sometimes in life you have to cross a path you don’t want to visit. However, Bernie Lammers chose his own detour when he chose to join the United States Air Force instead of returning to college. “It was kind of funny, though,” Lammers said. “I went to Iowa State just one quarter, and I came home that Christmas. I was thinking about it (joining the military). I was checked with the draft board, and they said, ‘You may, get through to the next quarter (without being drafted).’ “Dad was taking me back up to school, and I was driving. When I went across to get to Highway 69, I turned south,” he continued. “He asked me, ‘Where the heck are you going?’ And I said, ‘I’m going to join the Air Force,’ and that’s where I went.” Lammers went into the service in February 1951 and got out in February 1955. He said he spent time in eight to 10 locations within the U.S. and spent one year in Korea. Lammers said he met a lot of famous servicemen while in Korea. “A lot of people have probably heard of this,
but Ted Williams crash landed on our base K-13 in Suwon,” Lammers said. “We got to meet him. They told us who was coming, and we were watching it. And before the plane stopped moving, he was out on the wing.” “As soon as it got stopped, he was running down that wing and jumped down off it and took off across the field,” he continued. “’Cause he was afraid it was going to blow up. He talked to us and told us he was sorry he tore up the field.” Lammers said there were too many guys there for any of them to try and get an autograph from Williams, who is a Major League Baseball Hall of Famer and primarily known for his time with the Boston Red Sox. “Very nice guy,” Lammers said. “He had the eyesight. They said
Daily News File Photo Bernie Lammers joined the United States Air Force in February of 1951. He spent time in eight to 10 locations within the U.S. and spent one year in Korea.
he could tell whether a ball was going to be a curve by watching it rotate coming down.” While he admired Williams’ abilities, Lammers said his time spent in Chicago’s then O’Hare Air Defense Command field made him a Cubs fan. “Then I went to Chicago, which was a great liberty town,” Lammers said. “(A liberty town) is time off, three day passes, etc. It’s a Navy term, really. In fact, I
can’t really remember a time ever in downtown Chicago where we had to buy a drink. You walk into a bar, and somebody was going to buy you a drink, and you wouldn’t even know them. A drink would just magically show up.” Lammers said being a man in uniform helped them score the free drinks. “When you left the base, you didn’t wear civvies,” he said.
Although he enjoyed the perks of becoming a corporal and free drinks while in Chicago, his father, who was a Newton policeman for more than 35 years, helped get him through Korea. “I was very lucky in the fact that almost every night, he would write me a letter,” Lammers said. “One time he didn’t think I was writing back enough, and he sent me a piece of paper and pencil in an envelope.”
He said his father also developed a habit of making fudge and would send him coffee cans full of it, which made him very popular around base. His father even sent fudge to another soldier who had no parents. “If people realized how much those letters from home meant, I think a lot more would be written,” Lammers said. Ran Aug. 16, 2013
Colfax American Legion post commander looks to the future By Daily News Staff When then-Colfax American Legion Post 175 Commander Harold Hill approached Bill Brown, stating he was planning to retire from the position, Brown knew he wanted the opportunity to lead. Bill’s military career began serving in the Army National Guard in 1949 while he was still in high school. By 1954, he had missed a few of the mandatory meetings and he received a letter in the mail, calling him up to active duty. So, in July on 1954, Bill reported to his basic training at Fort Smith, Ark. He said the experience was good for him, helping him settle down and tame his rambunctious youthfulness. The Army provided advanced training with artillery. But before long, orders came up that placed Bill on a ship disembarking from Seattle along with 20,000 of his fellow soldiers, their futures uncertain. They awaited their assignments aboard the USS Hancock. Some were slated to go to Korea, others would be deployed in Japan. Bill was one of those destined for Japan, where he was stationed at the port in Yokohama. His post was quiet, but the freight he handled was far from usual: he was tasked with “bringing the soldiers’ remains back home.” “We made sure they got sent to the right port,” he said. The work he performed, he added, instilled further discipline in him, as well as respect for those around him. “When I looked up at those soldiers we were sending home, I thanked every one of them for my freedom,” Bill said.
When he got out of the service in 1956, joining the American Legion was a logical step for him. He wanted to continue helping veterans and their fami-
lies while being involved in the military community. While there were gaps in his Legion activity over the years, Bill always kept up to date on what was going on. When he moved back to Colfax in August of 2009 and discovered Post 175 newly reenergized, he wanted to get involved. In addition to the American Legion, he also served the Amvets and Knights of Columbus, while also volunteering at the Colfax Senior Center from time to time. Now, as the Post Commander, having been elected in May and placed in command in July, Brown is looking ahead to how he can create the most change in the organization. Support from the community hasn’t been an issue for the post, particularly after its Memorial Day fundraiser, which brought in enough fund a major project. Brown is more concerned with people power and the longevity of the post. “We have a lot of members already,” Brown said. “We are trying to get the younger guys to come to the meetings and be involved in what we’re doing.” During his tenure as commander, Brown wants to reach out to those non-active members while also bringing new people into the organization who meet the eligibility requirements. He explained that as the veterans of World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War start to age more and more, the community will require younger veterans to step up and accept the responsibility. Ran Aug. 9, 2013
Called to Serve, Friday, May 23, 2014 11
Former U.S. Army nurse Marta Ford reflects on years of service By Ty Rushing Daily News Staff Writer Marta Ford feels she is busier these days than she was when she was an active duty member of the Army Nurse Corps in the ’60s. She recently became the first female commander in Newton American Legion Post 111 history, served on the Freedom Flight Committee and is the chair of the Jasper County Commission of Veterans Affairs. Marta, whose father was a World War II veteran, was an active duty nurse from 1966 to 1969 and also spent nearly three decades as a member of the Army Reserves, where she retired as a lieutenant colonel. “We were doing our psych affiliation up in Independence, Iowa, and we were playing hearts,” Marta said. “If you lost, you had to sit on the floor. There was a brochure laying there about the Army Nurse Corps, and I picked it up, and I read it and decided, ‘I think that’s what I want to do.’” Marta was 19 and still in nursing school at the time, so she needed her parents’ signature to sign up. “My dad wasn’t real thrilled,” Marta said. “During World War II, he was a bombardier in Europe and flew missions over there. When I was born, in fact, they had just come back from a bombing run on Munich, Germany. His buddy came running out to the airfield with a telegram that said I had been born. Dad said he knew that it was
a girl and that I would never have to serve in the military.” Marta, of course, would go on to prove her father’s proclamation wrong. “So he wasn’t real gung ho about it, but my mother convinced him,” she said. Although she is a Vietnam-era veteran, Marta said she had never heard about the war before joining the service. “As I recall, the recruiter, who was a major and a nurse and the recruiter for the state of Iowa, never mentioned it,” Ford said. “I didn’t hear the word ‘Vietnam’ until I went to basic training in early 1966. Then they were asking for volunteers. “A lot of nurses volunteered,” she continued. “That was the one thing my dad had told me before I went in: ‘Don’t volunteer for anything.’ So, I didn’t volunteer.” Marta went to Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas, for basic training for eight weeks. “Basic training consisted of nurses and doctors, and the doctors had all been drafted. They were not happy campers at all,” Marta said jokingly. “They
Brown Continued from Page 9 some knowledge on his younger siblings as they prepared for their stints in the service. “‘Don’t volunteer for anything,’” he said to them. “‘When you volunteer for something, it’s never what you think it is.’ They were college graduates, so they didn’t get the hard jobs.” The hard job Brown alluded to was from his own personal experiences. He said he was a sergeant 1st class in the Army Infantry and worked as a forward observer. In that duty, he would scout ahead on the frontlines and call in A1 mortar strikes.
Submitted Photos Marta Ford is pictured being promoted to a captain in the U.S. Army in 1968. Ford served as a member of the Army Nurse Corps for several years.
acted horrible, that’s what I can remember a lot about. (Basic) consisted of orientating you to the military, a lot of classes — which we paid no attention to at all — and marching.” With most of the people attending basic with her being in the medical profession, Marta said other soldiers laughed at them for kicks. “That’s how everybody at Fort Sam got their entertainment every day. They would stand out on the balconies and watch all these doctors and nurses drill in ceremony,” Marta said. “We didn’t have a clue what we were doing. Not a clue. It was horrible.” After her training was complete, Marta was stationed in Fort Lee, Va., which was her
“They made sure I was up close to see good,” Brown said. However, the thing he remembered most with his time in Korea was the weather. “Terrible,” Brown said. “It was very cold in the winter and very hot in the summer and dusty and dry. It was bad. I had my mother send me long underwear to keep me warm.” More than 5,300 veterans of the Korean War conflict suffered frostbite in the first year alone. Many vets lost limbs due to the weather conditions in Korea and many vets don’t know they can qualify for benefits from those circumstances. Brown and some friends
second choice. “I had never been out of the state of Iowa, except on vacation. Texas, Colorado, Chicago was all I could remember. But that was with my folks,” Marta said. “I grew up in Killduff. There were a 150 people in Killduff. I went to country school from kindergarten through eighth grade. There were four kids in my class. Going to Des Moines was a big deal, and going there to school was a bigger deal.” Being on the East Coast allowed her to experience many different cultures, she said. This also exposed her to some of the significant cultural events happening at the time. Marta said she was in Washington, D.C., during the riots after Martin
suffered from frostbite, but he never witnessed any weather-related casualties. “The weather, the cold, and the wind,” Brown said. “It’s one of those things I wouldn’t want to do again, but I’m glad I did it. It was good experience. My friends did it, so I could do it. To sleep out in the night when it’s 15 below, you don’t do that for any other reason, unless you are in the Army.” Brown went to Basic Training in Fort Richardson, Calif., and spent two weeks there undergoing additional training in the woods. However, he credits Iowa with preparing him for the harsh, unpredictable weather of North Korea. “It was about the same,
Luther King Jr. was assassinated. She met and treated many of the injured who were coming back from war and saw how segregated Virginia was at that time. Once her active service was up, she remained in the reserves until 1975. She then rejoined the reserves again in 1980, remaining a member until 2004. During her time in the reserves, she served in multiple roles and received numerous awards. Her former commander, Arthur Bean, was thoroughly impressed with Marta’s help in combining the services of the Army hospitals in Des Moines and Cedar Rapids. “(She) was instrumental in developing unit cohesion between the 830th Station
except I was sleeping outdoors over there and here I sleep in the house,” Brown said. “You see the 38th Parallel; it’s down about like Albia. So it’s similar. You don’t know what being cold is.” As Brown recalled the events, he was enjoying a glass of orange juice, which prompted an exchange. “There was no orange juice over in North Korea,” Brown said. “One thing I did miss was milk. I was a farm boy. I was used to having milk all of the time.” Brown also kept up his barbering skills while in Korea. He said he once cut hair wearing only one glove while it was snowing. In addition to extreme haircutting, the way Brown
Hospital and the 73rd Combat Support Hospital when they merged to form the 4224th United States Army Hospital,” he wrote. “(She) personally traveled numerous times to Cedar Rapids to maintain the morale of all soldiers during and since the transition.” At that time she served as chief nurse and directly supervised 60 officers and 150 enlisted medics. Marta credits family support for enabling her to serve her country for so many years and stresses its importance to military families. “Both of my children are proud of my military service,” Marta said. “I just did my job. I didn’t think it was a big deal.” Ran Aug. 23, 2013
was evacuated from Korea was just as impressive. “A twin-engine Cessna dropped this rope and we swung out to it,” Brown said. “They pulled us out, that’s kind of a unique way of getting out, but it worked. We was going to get captured if we hadn’t. That was quite the time.” Brown came back to Newton after the service and went back to his original trade of cutting hair but still remains patriotic. “Eating,” Brown said was his favorite part of serving. “I didn’t mind the service. I had been away from home (Centerville area) for two years anyway.” Ran Aug. 2, 2013
12 Called to Serve, Friday, May 23, 2014
Baxter veteran served during bombing of Japan By Daily News Staff Max Butler beat the draft. When he saw the threat of the draft hanging over his head, he made the same choice as many from his generation. Max took destiny into his own hands and enlisted in the Army Air Force in December of 1942, just as gasoline rations took effect in the United States and American bombers struck the Italian mainland for the first time. He was ordered to basic training in the newly opened training facility at Sheppard Field, Texas. Upon completion, Max was able to spend three months at the University of Minnesota, where he studied world history and other subjects, before being called into active duty on April 3, 1943. He received his orders to report to a school for mechanics in Amarillo, Texas. While
there, Max learned to work with the various aircraft in the Army Air Force’s arsenal, and he later received training in Amarillo to work with the B-29 Superfortress, the iconic bomber used by the United States at the end of the war to drop ordinance over Japan, including the atomic payloads over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He was sent on to Inglewood, Calif., where he was trained to perform maintenance on the North American B-25 Mitchell, a twin engine medium bomber that came into service in 1941 and was used across all theaters of the war. Max received the last of his training in Pyot, Texas. His young wife, Lela, moved there to live near the base as Max worked aboard a B-29 in combat training, preparing him and the rest of the crew for their impending deployment to Japan.
Well after the famous battle of Saipan, Max and his crew were hauled to the island base which was then used as a forward strike location for the Army Air Force. The key base put them within 1,300 miles of the Japanese islands, placing the majority of Japanese cities within striking distance of the B-29 bombers. “We flew on eight combat missions while we were there,” Max said. He described the weapons used on the B-29 during the island hopping campaign in the Pacific Theatre. “Whenever our recon said that the runways were good enough, they’d send us in there,” Max said. “We came home once with holes in the wings … they had good [anti-aircraft] shells that they fired at us.” Max’s time in the Pacific Theater was not long lived. After several months of deployment, on the crew’s way back
from its last bombing mission, they heard about the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. “We were lucky as hell … America was lucky as hell.” Max returned to the United States in October of 1945, the same month the Nazi war crime trials began in Nuremberg and the United Nations charter came into effect. “They gave us 45 days of rest and recuperation, so I came home,” he said. Max rejoined his wife, Lela, in Iowa. When the choice to re-enlist or to come accept his discharge came down the wire, there was little choice at all for Max. He accepted his discharge from the United States Army and rejoined the civilian world. Max and his father operated a mechanic’s shop in Baxter for several years, until a fire claimed their business in October of 1952. Af-
Submitted Photo Baxter resident Max Butler enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force in December of 1942. After the war, he returned to Iowa and worked at the Baxter Post Office for 33 years.
ter that, Max worked for a year in Newton and then for Standard Oil in Baxter. Eventually, the postmaster position opened up in Baxter, and Max got the job, which is how most people in the
community still remember him. He worked in the Baxter Post Office for 33 years, helping to raise his sons, Dan, Jack and Dave, before retiring in January of 1988. Ran Aug. 30, 2013
Prairie City veteran hesitated to attend Freedom Flight By Daily News Staff Melvin Wicker, a Korean War era veteran from Prairie City, was concerned his service might not qualify him for the Jasper County Freedom Flights. “I called Doug Bishop, the guy putting it together, and I told him that I didn’t do a damn thing,” Wicker said. “Well, he said, ‘You went, didn’t you? You did what they told you to do, didn’t you?’” With the support of Bishop and a number of people from the community, Melvin decided to sign up for the Oct. 25, 2011, Freedom Flight. Melvin had graduated from Prairie City High School in 1951, right around the time the United Nations began its counter-offensive in Korea. He went to work for Maytag for awhile, securing a position in its Newton location, where he worked for just over a year and a half. Then, on Dec. 7, 1952, he was drafted into the armed forces. Melvin reported for duty, receiving his assignment from the United States Army to
report to basic training at Camp Roberts in California. He spent a grueling 16 weeks in California, substantially longer than the basic training programs in place today. During this time, Melvin had no idea where he would end up deployed to, and he had just as much chance to be sent off to the 38th parallel as anywhere else. “It was tough … It made a man out of you,” Melvin said. He was able to return home for a short leave before he received his official order to report to Anchorage, Alaska, where he would work in an office with the Headquarters Company. After a few months in Anchorage, the United States, along with the other nations involved in the war, signed the Armistice Agreement, which effectively ended the Korean War. Melvin rotated back from his tour of duty in November of 1954 and received an honorable discharge. He signed up for the American Legion soon after and has been a member of the organization since. He returned to work at Maytag for several
Submitted Photo Melvin Wicker (far left) stands with the other Prairie City veterans attending the October 2011 Freedom Flight. Standing with Melvin (from left) are Norman Havel, Gene Vandelune, Duane Clark, Bob Jennings and Wilbur Vander Kraan.
years before investing in a Phillips gas station in Prairie City. Melvin met his wife, Marilyn Barr, through his sister and the two of them were married on Dec. 7, 1958. They had a boy, Todd, a little over a year later. After helping to run the station for several more years, it was bought out by the co-
op. The co-op hired on Melvin, and he worked there for more than 30 years until his retirement. When Melvin heard about the Freedom Flight from a friend, he was interested but uncertain whether or not he was qualified for the flight or if others were more deserving of his spot.
Ultimately, after talking to Bishop, among others, Melvin chose to go on the flight because his service was no less valuable despite not having been in Korea. He, along with several other veterans from Prairie City, attended the October 2011 flight. He had the opportunity to visit all of the war memorials, although he
didn’t get to visit the John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame at Arlington National Cemetery, which he’d looked forward to. “I liked it … I’d never given it a thought that I might go on a Freedom Flight before someone had told me about it,” Melvin said. Ran Sept. 6, 2013
Called to Serve, Friday, May 23, 2014 13
Engle was first female Marine mascot handler By Ty Rushing Daily News Staff Writer Madeline Engle, better known as Mady to her friends, made U.S. Marine Corps history during her time in the service, thanks to an English bulldog named Garth. However, before you find out about Garth, there’s a bit of a background story that needs to be explained. Mady had wanted to be a Marine since she was 14 years old. “At the time, my mom said, ‘You’ll change your mind,’ and I didn’t change my mind. It was what I wanted to do,” Mady said. She said became interested in the Marines after seeing some of the corps veterans walking around at a fair. Mady explained what about them caught her eye. “They were veterans, and they were proud. I wanted to be just like that,” Mady said. “Plus, I always love a challenge.” Once she was in the service, Mady ended up at the Marine Barracks in Washington, D.C., which she said was a great honor. At the barracks, the Marines conduct a Tuesday Sunset Parade at the Marine Corps Memorial and a Friday evening parade. Mady said she was honored to be stationed at such a prestigious place and wanted to be a parade Marine. “The qualifications were that you had to be a grunt, (and) we know women can’t be grunts, and you had to be over
six-foot” Mady said. “I couldn’t qualify for those, so I said, ‘What else is there?’ There was bell ringer — which didn’t sound (like) anything interesting — and they had mascot handler.” This is how she met Garth and made Marine Corps history. Garth is probably better known by his official title as Chesty X, the 10th mascot of the Marine Corps. The Marines have used English bulldogs as their mascot since 1922 because the Germans referred to them in combat as “teufel-hunden,” meaning Devil-Dogs. Teufelhunden were the vicious, wild and ferocious mountain dogs of Bavarian folklore according to the USMC Press. Mady started spending time with Garth before she auditioned for the role of mascot handler. Developing a rapport with him and being able to keep her composure under pressure enabled her to win the job. “He did what the typical dog would do: eat, sleep and play,” Mady said. “During parades, he was licking on the kids and giving out lots of loving. Being an English bulldog, a lot of people told me, ‘That was only a face a mother could love.’” “But he was different. Out of uniform he was a typical dog,” Mady said. “When he was in uniform, it was almost like he knew that he had his job to do.” Mady said Garth’s behavior changed when he was in uniform. She said
he seemed more proud and seemed to comprehend how important his job was. “He wore uniforms just like I did. He got rank just like I did. He retired as an E-3 (lance corporal),” Mady said. Just like regular servicemen and women, Garth also was reprimanded for inappropriate behavior. “Kind of a funny story, the weekend before I got him, a Marine had him,” Mady began. “The weekend I had him, I noticed little blood spots (on my carpet). So, I’m checking his paws and checking everything (out). So, I took him to the vet.” “It turned out that he had the clap,” she continued. “So, I asked the Marine that had him and said, ‘Hey did the dog …’ and he said, ‘Yeah, he broke his leash, and I went after him. I found him, and he was getting acquainted with a poodle.’” As a part of his punishment, the higher ups had to punish Garth. Mady had to hold him steady so they could place his paw print on his forms, and they photographed the entire process. “Needless to say, it took us forever to get that picture and be serious,” Mady said jokingly. “The major and I were just laughing, ’cause he got punished for it. He got (charged with) destruction of government property.” Mady said handlers usually rotated every two to three years, but she kept the position for five
Submitted Photo Madeline Engle is pictured with Garth, better known as Chesty X, the mascot for the U.S. Marine Corps. Engle was the first female mascot handler in Marine Corps history.
years. Also during this time, she said she met a lot of famous people, appeared on the Today Show and even met President Bill Clinton. “The mascot did not like President Clinton,” Mady said. “He bent down to pet the dog, and the dog started backing up, and it got real quiet. Then somebody out in the audience yelled, ‘The dog must be a Republican.’” After Garth was retired as mascot, Mady was allowed to keep him, which was also unheard of at the time. She and Garth remained together until he passed away in
In Their
2001. Mady said he is buried in a pet cemetery in Iowa and, ironically enough, he is next to a poodle. Mady would serve in the corps from 1992 until health problems forced her to step away in 2004 as an E-5 sergeant. “Unfortunately, I got to do 12 years only, and if it was up to me I would have still been in now,” Mady said. “It would have been 21 years, but I had to get out. It kind of stunk, ’cause the Marine Corps was everything to me. It was a huge crush for me when I had to get out.” Although things
didn’t end the way she envisioned with the service, Mady said she has no regrets. “Not one. If I could do it again, I would,” she said. Ran Sept. 13, 2013
A Salute to Our Soldiers We salute the men and women who have served in our Armed Forces, those who serve today, and the future generations who will carry on the honorable duties of protecting and preserving America’s freedom. Their dedication, patriotism, sacrifice and courage will always be remembered.
Honor On Memorial Day, we stand together to respect and honor the American soldiers who gave their lives in defense of our country’s freedom. You can show your gratitude and respect for these heroes by displaying your American flag at half-staff during the morning hours of May 27, and raising it to full-staff at noon.
Jeff Guthrie, Owner Newton, IA (641) 417-0029 • www.woodstylesllc.com
14 Called to Serve, Friday, May 23, 2014
Colfax veteran joined military to see the world By Daily News Staff Paul Walters joined the U.S. Air Force because he wanted to get off the farm and see the world. It was important to him that he experience more of what it had to offer, and he’d already had a taste. In 1959, the year he graduated from Martensdale High School, Paul had the opportunity to travel with his family to Germany and visit his father’s home. Paul’s father had grown up near Berlin. He worked in a creamery with the goal of one day moving to America. As the second son, he’d stood little chance of inheriting and wanted the opportunity to start a new life abroad. When Paul’s father had told his family he wanted to move, his uncle had insisted he first serve his country in the German military, so he did two years of service under the Kaiser several years before World War I. After he completed his service, he immigrated to the United States. When Paul visited Germany with his family, he saw the effects of a divided Germany and what life was like for peo-
ple with little freedom, which instilled him with a high regard for the freedom America has. He enrolled in Drake University, taking part in the ROTC program there, and studied for two years after which he enlisted in Des Moines. Paul received his basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, located in San Antonio. Afterward, he was stationed in Keesler Air Force Base in Beloxi, Miss., where he received further training for work with electronics. His orders came up, and Paul was on his way to getting his wish. He was to be deployed to Ankara, the capital of Turkey and its second largest city; Paul was going to get to see more of the world. “It was rewarding for me, being in a country like that,” Paul said. “I got to see what other people lived like … most people never realize the freedom we have here and what it can be like other places.” Paul’s duty was quiet, and slightly less than 18 months later, he returned to the United States and to Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha. Offutt is the home of the U.S.
Strategic Command, and Paul continued to work with electronics there until his discharge in 1966. American involvement in the Vietnam War was heating up at the time, and Paul was asked if he’d want to stay on to train as a helicopter pilot since he’d already obtained a pilot’s license in the civilian world, but he wanted to return to his education. He continued his coursework at Grand View College in Des Moines, and he was married to his wife, the former Linda Magg, in September of 1968. They had two daughters, Renee and Stephanie, both who work in Des Moines and live close to them. While he was helping to raise his family, Paul worked 23 years for Snyder and Associates, where he worked as an engineer tech, inspecting roadways, sewer systems and other public works. He remains very involved in his local AmVets and American Legion chapters in Colfax, rarely missing any meetings and always lending his voice to the decisionmaking process. Submitted Photo
Ran Sept. 20, 2013
Gene Vande Lune heads up veteran’s memorial By Daily News Staff “I’d been around, and a lot of other towns had a memorial to the veterans. Prairie City didn’t have anything like that, and I knew it’d be a good idea.” Gene Vande Lune is a Prairie City resident, Army veteran from the Korean War, and the man responsible for much of the planning and implementation in securing a veteran’s memorial for the community. Gene had heard about funds coming into several different community organizations as part of a community member’s will. Several churches, along with the Lion’s Club, were going to receive funding that they could use for various projects. After the Lion’s Club, of which Gene is a member, had allocated funding to several different projects it was working on, there was still some money left over. He came forward and proposed the memorial in the town square. “For a lot of people, like those in Korea and Vietnam, they didn’t
get much recognition for what they did,” Gene said. The memorial was a way to remedy that in Prairie City, helping to honor those that served, in any time period or conflict. A committee was put together to help plan the memorial, and while Gene wasn’t on the committee, he was incredibly active in offering his advice and guidance to the project. After a while the reins of the project were handed over and in May of 2011, the Veterans Memorial was purchased from Watts Monument Co. and installed by them. Gene saw the opportunity to continue raising funds for the project, as well as bestow individual recognition for community veterans, so he went about selling bricks. He had determined that if 100 people were to buy a single brick at $100 each, that they would have enough funding to continue with the memorial. He put out a call to pledge in the paper and in no time he had 100. Then he had 120. Eventually
Daily News File Photo Gene Vande Lune lays a brick in front of the existing Veterans Memorial in Prairie City to demonstrate how they will appear when all of the bricks are laid. Applications for area veterans, and donations for the memorial are still being accepted.
he had right around 160 pledges, far exceeding his original goal. “We’ve got the information and everything for around 150 of them so far,” Gene said. “We still have a few pledges that we’re waiting on.” The memorial bricks being purchased represent a huge cross sec-
tion of veterans, from those that are still on active duty in the services to long-dead POW and MIA veterans as well as the famous Herschel Briles from World War II. “There’s applications in the grocery stores, the barber shop and the Roberts brothers,” Gene said. “There
isn’t going to be an end. After they’re installed, people can still sign up to get a brick.” Although the application process will be ongoing, Gene hopes that people will try to get them in before the bricks are placed in the spring of 2014. After that they will have to wait until there are 10
applications at a time for the engravers to come out, which could take significantly longer. Applications for Prairie City area veterans and donations to the project can be sent to P.O. Box 1, Prairie City, IA. 50228. Ran Sept. 27, 2013
Called to Serve, Friday, May 23, 2014 15
Craig Thorson has two military families By Ty Rushing Daily News Staff Writer Craig Thorson is unique in that he has two military families. The first military family he belongs to was started by his father, who is a U.S. Navy World War II veteran and continued by his son who currently serves in the Navy. His other family was the airmen who served at the Des Moines Air National Guard Base. “That unit was different than active duty; it’s like a big family. People don’t come and go. They stay there,” Craig said. “Unlike the Air Force, where everybody plays musical chairs every three years where you get a new assignment and everybody leaves and you never really have a chance to have long-term relationships. Everybody stays for their 20-year retirement. I got four or five guys I
flew with whose sons became pilots.” When the Des Moines Air National Guard Base announced it was discontinuing the F-16 program, it hit Craig hard. “That was a sad day, I didn’t really expect that it would ever happen,” Craig said. “With the budget cuts and the economy the way it is, it didn’t come as a total shock, but it’s pretty sad.” What made the departure of the F-16s even more significant for Craig was that he was one of the few Newton natives to actually fly the F-16s. “I’ve done flybys for the Fourth of July Parade, (when they added) the new part of the airport at the dedication and I flew over a football game when Newton was in the finals,” Craig said. Craig absolutely loved flying and serving his
country, which he did for a 38 combined years in the Iowa Air National Guard and the U.S. Air Force, and he described what flying a fighter jet was like. “It’s not anything at all like the airlines where you go from point A to point B,” Craig said. “It’s a totally awesome experience. In the F-16, they used to call it the ‘Magic Carpet Ride,’ because the canopy rails are very low and you have that bubble canopy, you feel like you’re sitting out on the end of a pencil.” Craig said while piloting the F-16s, you couldn’t see much due to the seat being titled back and the control stick not being in the traditional position between your legs, but on an adjacent console. “You can’t see and you feel like you’re on a magic carpet. That thing had so much power,” he said. While working at the
Submitted Photo Craig Thorson sits in his F-16 fighter jet back when he was stationed at the Des Moines Air Base. Thorson served 38 years total in the military between two branches.
base, he flew multiple planes and took part in a number of missions. “I flew the F-100, which was the first fighter up there and I flew the A-7 when they transitioned to the A-7,” Craig said. “And then before I retired,
for about three years, I flew the F-16. I’ve had the opportunity to make eight non-stop flights where we take off from Des Moines and refuel in the air. “I’ve been to Japan, I’ve been to England, Germany, Norway, I’ve
been lots of places,” he continued. “Just multiple opportunities to spend time overseas and Italy too. Italy was the first big opportunity to deploy in the F-100. It was a great opportunity.” Ran Oct. 11, 2013
Vietnam vet assisted during Freedom Flight to ‘pay it forward’ By Ty Rushing Daily News Staff Writer Ed Van Zandt went into service for the U.S. Army in April of ’68. One year later, he was awarded the Silver Star, which is the third highest military decoration of valor a person can earn in any branch. An excerpt from the paperwork sheds a little light on what Ed did to earn such a high honor. “At approximately 1200 hours, the friendly force entered an area of dense jungle containing numerous enemy bunkers. Almost immediately, the platoon was subjected to an intense barrage of automatic weapons and rocketpropelled grenade fire from an unknown enemy force. “With complete disregard for his personal safety, Specialist Van Zandt exposed himself to the vicious fusillade of enemy rounds as he placed suppressive fire upon the insurgents. He continued to effectively engage aggressors by moving from bunker to bunker, destroying them with hand grenades and satchel charges.” So how does a man go from new enlistee to war hero in one year’s time? Like most things, it’s best to go from the beginning and to hear it straight from the original source. “I didn’t sign up. I signed up after I got drafted actually,” Ed said jokingly. “Me and my buddy went down to
enlist together on the buddy plan. I went to school with him. We got physicals and everything, and he had flat feet so he didn’t get to go. “I didn’t finish signing up, and then about less than 10 months later they sent me a little deal that said: ‘Come and join us at Fort Des Moines.’ I said, ‘Well, this ain’t going to be good.’” he continued. Ed jokingly added that all you had to do was be able to breathe back then to go into the Army. After he got his letter, he reported to basic training at Fort Bliss, Texas, which he fondly remembers. “(It was) hot, hot,” Ed quipped. “Hot, hot, just an old desert down. We spent eight weeks down there doing absolutely Army stuff. Marching, obstacle course — anything they had to do. You didn’t volunteer for anything.” After basic training, Ed was sent to Fort Ord, Calif., for Advance Individual Training. “We were supposed to be there for eight weeks but that cut short a little bit. They needed people in Vietnam,” he said. Before going to Vietnam, Ed said he got to go back home to Iowa for 15 days. After that, he reported back in and prepared for his trek overseas with B Company, First Infantry Division. “Not a whole lot of training when you get there,” Ed said. “They get you with your company, and when they get
you out on patrol/recon, you go with them. You learn in the field.” Ed’s own words came true as he described what happened to him and his unit during recon one day. “We were going down through a river boat site down along the riverbank and ran into some bunkers,” Ed said. “We took some heavy fire and we got some depth chargers into them — mortars and stuff. We had a lot of injured people, and they took a lot of casualties. There was about 20 dead on their part. Our unit didn’t lose any.” The stories shared previously in this article weren’t Ed’s only combat experiences in Vietnam. There was another time in combat where Ed’s lieutenant accidently called a mortar strike on his own men. That incident in particular led to him to transfer into transportation. He hauled everything from steaks to weapons. While Ed worked in transportation, his mother sent him a letter that he found quite amusing. “She said, ‘Can’t you find a safer job?’ I said, ‘This is safe.’ A lot of people didn’t think so. (The explosives) they didn’t have blasting caps on them,” Ed said jokingly. “I got to haul steaks every once and awhile, and they would fall of the truck, and we’d have a big steak fry. We figured the officers didn’t need that batch.” Ed got out of the service in June of 1972 after four years of serving his country. He
Submitted Photo Vietnam veteran and Silver Star recipient Ed Van Zandt is pictured in his younger years with the U.S. Army. Ed served from 1968 to 1972 and has been on Jasper County’s Freedom Flights as both a “yellow shirt” and “red shirt.”
participated in the 2011 Jasper County Freedom Flight as “yellow shirt” and served as a “red shirt” in 2013 as a way to “pay it forward.” “It was a wonderful thing to do,” Ed said. “I was really
impressed with all the monuments; it was good looking at them. It’s a flight that everybody should be able to go on. I’m thankful to the people.” Ran Oct. 4, 2013
16 Called to Serve, Friday, May 23, 2014
U.S. Army veteran enjoys service, hated desert By Daily News Staff
Daily News File Photo After being drafted into the U.S. Army just before the Vietnam War, Jim Marconi served as an engineer on a base in Texas.
Jim Marconi figured one thing out during his two years in the U.S. Army: He doesn’t like the desert. When Marconi was 26, he was drafted into the Army, where he served as an engineer on a base in Texas. The base was in the desert and he said his bunk was often inhabited by critters. One night, he found a scorpion in his duffle bag, which he had been using as a pillow. Marconi got out his trench shovel to kill the scorpion. “I must have beat on that thing for five minutes,” he said. “But I got him taken care of.” Marconi said copperheads and black widow spiders were also more prevalent and bolder in Texas. Aside from the ails of desert life, Marconi said he enjoyed his time in the service. “Really, I didn’t mind it at all,” Marconi said. “I was adaptable, more or less. It was not a bad duty at all, as far as I’m concerned. The military is a lot different than it was back then.” Marconi said some of the changes he’s seen over the years includes higher wages and a lower tolerance for shenanigans. He said while he was stationed in Texas, some of the men decided to play a joke on another man who was afraid of snakes.
They tricked him into thinking a snake had entered his tent and so he took off running, while in the tent, and ran into the field sergeant’s tent. The next day, the man didn’t show up for formation, but luckily some of the other men called his name for him. Marconi said what he liked most about his time in the service was the diversity among the men. “Everyone’s different, and everyone got their ways down from where they live,” he said. “You just adapt and get along.” Marconi’s last day in the service was the day of the Bay of Pigs. Marconi was told he could go home but not to unpack because he might be called back in the event of a catastrophe. After his time in the service, Marconi married a woman from Texas and moved back to Newton. Marconi said he and his wife were later divorced, but it wasn’t a bad separation. He went back to work in Newton as a mechanic, and worked for a while at Maytag. He finally settled on work at Manatts. “I really didn’t like the desert down there,” he said. “I really didn’t like the idea that you could be in your backyard and you might be approached by a rattle snake.” Ran Oct. 18, 2013
Trainland’s owner recounts his time in The Old Guard By Daily News Staff Colfax’s Red Atwood was a member of the famous Old Guard, the Third U.S. Infantry Regiment, tasked with conducting memorial affairs to honor fallen comrades as well as ceremonies and special events to represent the United States Army. Red had enlisted in the Army Reserves in 1953, while the Korean War was still on, and he was informed he could be called up for the draft at any time. By 1955, Red and his friend Joe Morgan were tired of waiting with the draft hanging over their heads, so they went to Newton to volunteer. Red and Joe, along with several other Iowans, were sent off to Fort Chaffee Maneuver Training Center in Arkansas, where they received their 10 weeks of basic training. “It was so tough, it’ll grow you right up … They were so disciplined, they had us out picking up rocks in the rain,” Red said. “After the 10 weeks, you’d grown up enough to know how smart your parents really were.”
He finished his training in Chaffee and was sent off to serve in the infantry in Fort Carson, Colo. The fort was home to nine divisions, many of them earmarked for Korea, but Red’s stay there was short-lived. “They needed 22 people to go to Ft. Myers, Va., where we’d served in the Third Infantry Regiment,” Red said. “We had to meet all sorts of requirements. You had to be unmarried, a certain height and in good shape.” Red and his comrades embarked on a cross country train-ride which brought him to his final posting in Arlington, Va. Of the group from Fort Carson, Red and 11 others ended up meeting the stringent requirement to serve in the elite regiment. A full half of his group didn’t make the grade. “I was on funeral detail, shooting at the ceremonies,” Red said. “Five days a week and every half hour, we buried somebody.” He stayed in Arlington for 18 months, serving in countless funerals throughout his time there, and still some of the ceremonies stand
out for him. “The worst funerals were the ones with no mourners, when it was just us and the minister.” Red recounted one funeral he still remembers vividly. A woman threw herself upon the casket, and Red and his comrades were unable to touch her or assist in any way, standing by while the other mourners pried her loose, getting one hand free at a time just to have her latch back on to the casket. For Red, his time at Arlington and in the Army helped to mold the person he would grow into, teaching him the importance of discipline and taking care of one’s self. He returned to Iowa and went into business selling seed from his dad’s old farm, where he still lives and works today. In 1981, he opened the museum which he is still famous for today. After a lifetime of infatuation with trains, beginning as young as 5 when he can still remember watching them go by Ira on their way between Colfax and Mingo, Red opened Trainland USA. Trainland, which is
Submitted Photo Red Atwood’s cousin visited him while he served in the Third Infantry Regiment, taking this photo of him on base in Arlington, Va.
open over the summer season, is well known for its toy train museum and the Lionel O Gauge trains Red collects.
The museum allows him to work with trains and children, two of the things he loves most, and he often visits with
schools in the area to talk to them about the old trains and railroads. Ran Oct. 25, 2013
Called to Serve, Friday, May 23, 2014 17
Army helped two men form longtime friendship By Ty Rushing Daily News Staff Writer John Wenniham and David Elliot have been best friends for almost 40 years. Yet, oddly enough, the two Newton natives had never even met until they were both in the U.S. Army and had a chance meeting at Fort Sill, Okla. When they started developing their friendship, it was during David’s second stint in the Army. He first saw John while serving in Vietnam. “I knew the draft was coming up, so I said, ‘To heck with this,’ and I enlisted on the 180-day delay program,” David said. During this initial stint, David was doing clerical work when he was moved to Fort Lewis, Wash., which is where he received his orders to go to Vietnam. “Man, I was scared. Scared stiff,” David said. “I wasn’t sure what to expect and I got into the country and was supposed to be assigned to the 43rd APU, which was the Army’s postal service. They didn’t even have anything there for the 43rd APU.” Without a job for him to do, David said he was temporarily assigned to work for the U.S. Air Force during his first three months in Vietnam. “Finally, we got an area for (where) the 43rd APU was supposed to be,” David said. “We had to go build our own hooches and post office, which was interesting. I almost got an Article 15 over that ‘cause I got sun burnt (from) working
on a tin roof.” In total, he spent 18 months in Vietnam, and David said after the first six months, he felt he was “pretty well seasoned,” which was a good and a bad thing. “Things were going on, that I got to the point where I wasn’t very sure I was going to make it back home,” David said. “I’d go out and take chances that I really shouldn’t have been doing, but I did.” Despite his internal conflicts, and at times reckless behavior, David made a very brave choice. “I went ahead and extended for six months, to stay there,” David said. “I felt I was already there and knew what was going on. Why send some other poor green troop over here that might get his head blowed away?” Once David finally left the service, he tried his hand at living a civilian life. He got married and started a family, but was having trouble finding work. After a couple of unfortunate years, he and his brother, who was eight years younger, signed up for the Army on the “Buddy Plan” and wound up in Fort Sill. “That’s where we ran into John,” David said before he let out a chuckle. “40 years ago this summer,” John said. “We had never met. I went to school with his brother, and I ran into him (David’s brother) first.” John had wound up at Fort Still after first starting his military career in the National Guard. He said after going to
Submitted Photo David Elliot and John Wenniham sit together in Washington, D.C., during the 2013 Jasper County Freedom Flight. Both men are Newton natives and veterans of the U.S. Army, but didn’t began there almost 40-year friendship until they went into the service.
a summer camp, he tried a position he didn’t like and asked to be switched to active duty. When his request was met, John went to Fort Sill to be a cook. “I ran into (David) standing in the chow line,” John said. “I was out there to bust up a skirmish in the chow line. Somebody had cut in line. I saw his name taped on his jacket and asked him, ‘Where are you from?’ He said, ‘Iowa.’ And I said, ‘Well, I know an Elliot in Newton, Iowa.’ And he said, ‘Well, that’s my brother.’” “That was kind of coincidence, the three of us from Newton and in the same battalion,” he continued.
It didn’t take long for the two to start hitting it off and John soon became a frequent guest at David’s home. “For some reason, we just became good friends and have been good friends ever since,” John said. “I never had any kids, so his kids were the closest things I had to kids. Growing up, I would cook for them and that kind of stuff for them. It was kind of fun watching his kids grow up and now his kids got kids.” “My kids loved him for sure,” David said. The fraternity of sorts they built in Oklahoma didn’t last forever as eventually both men’s careers splintered off.
However, after the service, both men wound up back in Newton and the friendship was just as tight as ever. In fact, both men traveled together on the 2013 Jasper County Freedom Flight and got to pay tribute to all who served by visiting the different memorial sites. “Freedom Flight meant a lot to me,” David said. “In a manner of speaking, seeing the Vietnam Wall was like going back in time. Some of the names on that wall were friends I lost and it was a way of saying good-bye.” Ran Nov. 1, 2013
Gary Barrett wants other veterans to share their stories By Ty Rushing Daily News Staff Writer “Veterans, don’t be afraid to tell your story,” is the message Gary Barrett, a 32-year U.S. Army veteran, wants to convey to his fellow vets. Gary will the be the keynote speaker Monday at the DMACC Newton Campus Veterans Day service, which begins at 1 p.m. in the Fred Maytag II auditorium. Gary has vowed not to talk about his own experiences in the service but rather that of other veterans. “The theme of the whole things is: ‘Veterans, Tell Your Story,’” Gary said. “There’s a lot of veterans who don’t tell their story. When you look at the thousands that we are burying each and every day, those stories become extremely important.” Submitted Photo While Gary doesn’t plan Gary Barrett (left) said he was proud to have his pictured taken with on sharing his story with the Olan Brassfield because Olan wasn’t afraid to share his story. audience, the start to his own stellar military career began on what was essentially a at the Bud Tent at the Iowa smart recruiter is what it was. dare. State Fair,” Gary said with a My wife’s uncle was the bar“Too many Budweisers laugh. “A big brain storm and tender in the Bud Tent and
we ducked in there to get out of the rain.” Gary said he and his wife stayed in the Bud Tent for about an hour and half and waited out the storm with select refreshments. Once the rain stopped, they began to walk toward the Varied Industries Building at the Iowa State Fair when they ran into the aforementioned “smart recruiter.” “I had hair down to my shoulders and beard down to my belt. (The recruiter) said, ‘Hey hippy, you got the guts to serve your country?’”Gary said. Not one to back down from a challenge, Gary signed up and when his head became more clear, so to speak, he didn’t regret his decision. “(I thought) well, I better do this. I signed on the line, I better do this,” Gary said. “I was still dating my wife at the time and I remember telling her, ‘I could do this for three years.’” Gary’s “three year” stint began in August of 1977 as a member of the National
Guard and ended in August of 2009 after 32 years, two days, and he had attained the rank of Command Sergeant Major. “Initially, it was employment. I mean, I’m not going to lie,” Gary said of why he kept re-enlisting. “Those weekend checks were nice ,and when I got the opportunity to go on active duty, that was at a point in time where the (economy) was almost identical to today’s. The unemployment rate was running high and I had gotten laid off for the second time in two years, so I took it.” Whatever his original intentions in continuing to serve may have been, Gary became accustomed to and enjoyed the military life. “My greatest memories are just the conglomeration of all the fine men and women that I served with,” Gary said. “You know, to narrow it down to a single story or two, it’s absolutely impossible.” BARRETT See Page 19
18 Called to Serve, Friday, May 23, 2014
PCM teacher brings Navy values into classroom Daily News File Photo Rhonda Buys, a special education instructor at Prairie City-Monroe Middle School talked to the student body and the community about her experiences in the Navy. Buys discusses courage with the students, telling them that it can take many forms to include standing up for what is right when a peer is being bullied.
By Daily News Staff Rhonda Buys is a long-term substitute teacher at Prairie-CityMonroe Middle School, and she strives to bring honor, courage and commitment to every interaction as well as impart them on the students in her special education classes. Rhonda learned the importance of those core values in her time in the United States Navy, and
she still brings her Navy experiences and lessons to the table each day. She enlisted in the Navy’s Delayed Entry Program in the summer of 1995. Her grandfather had served in the Navy through World War II, and it was an experience that he didn’t often talk about. Through her own personal research after his death, she was able to find out that he was stationed aboard the USS New Mexico
during its tour in the Pacific Theater when it sustained multiple kamikaze attacks. For her, the Navy was an experience she could never regret because of the connection it gave to her grandfather. It wasn’t until a year later, in the summer of ’96, that Rhonda was ordered to her basic training with the Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes, Ill. After the conclusion
of her eight-week training regimen, she was selected to continue her training with the Basic Engineering Common Core. She was eventually stationed on the USS Platte, a supply ship that mostly saw harbor during her tour of duty. Soon after she concluded her service, the Platte went on a number of international tours, docking in Nova Scotia among many other in-
ternational destinations. Rhonda didn’t miss out on her opportunity to go abroad though. During her service, she married a fellow crewman, Jonathan Buys, and the two of them moved together to his new post in England, where they lived for several years. During that time, Rhonda started taking classes and she had her first experience working with children at a youth center which served the children of military personnel. She finished out her education at the University of New Mexico and Simpson College, and after the two moved to Prairie City, she began volunteering in the school. After working as an associate with special needs children, Rhonda was once again called to serve when the special education instructor took a long-term leave. “I think I use a lot of the lessons that I learned in the Navy in school,” Rhonda said. “It’s important for me to earn the respect of my students rather than automatically getting it due to my position … If I can be honest and
respectful with them, we’re on the right path.” In a talk she gave to the middle school students on Veterans Day, Rhonda talked about courage and how it came in many forms. “When you think about courage, a lot of people associate it with a warzone, with guns and killing people … That’s not the Navy that I was in,” Rhonda said. “That takes guts, true, but there are so many ways to be brave … We use the military to provide aid, we’re not just there to defend but also to help. We’ll be in the Philippines soon, helping there, and that is bravery that the students can have.” She addressed the students about the need to stand up for their peers in the face of bullying, to not only help the victim but to also address why bullying is wrong. She gave them lessons that she not only preaches, but puts into practice every day. “Sometimes you have to fight for your kids. I have to stand up for them, or who will?” Ran Nov. 15, 2013
Recounting the service of a Jasper County legend By Daily News Staff “By his heroic initiative and complete disregard for personal safety, [Staff Sgt.] Briles was largely responsible for causing heavy enemy casualties, forcing the surrender of 55 Germans, making possible the salvage of our vehicles, and saving the lives of wounded comrades.” That is the final line in the official Medal of Honor citation for Herschel “Pete” Briles, Colfax’s renowned First Sergeant who served in the 899th Tank Destroyer Battalion in World War II. Pete earned the commendation leading a platoon of tank destroyers outside of Scherpenseel, Germany, on Nov. 20, 1944. One of his armored vehicles was struck by a direct artillery hit, taking the life of one man and wounding two others. Without hesitation, Pete jumped from the safety of his own destroyer and navigated a field showered in small-arms fire and artillery. He lowered himself into the turret, removing the two wounded comrades before extinguishing the fire. The next morning, Pete observed German infantry approaching his position. The citation reads that he poured down such deadly fire with his machine gun into the enemy ranks, that an entire pocket of 55 Germans surrendered themselves, clearing the way for American reinforcements.
On that same day, Pete repeated his previous exploit, leaving protection to give assistance to a destroyer that was struck by a concealed German tank. He evacuated two wounded soldiers with the help of his comrade, and then returned to the burning vehicle to extinguish the flames. When he returned to Iowa, Pete didn’t talk often about his military exploits. “He was like a lot of the others that way,” said Robert Briles, Pete’s nephew. “He always said that he didn’t deserve the honor, and that there were others who had done more than he had.” Robert recalled that the few occasions when he would reminisce back to the days of his service, he would sometimes break down into tears as he recalled his fallen comrades and what they had gone through. State Senator Dennis Black, who published a book about Iowan Metal of Honor recipients, echoed that sentiment in an opinion piece that he’d written for the Des Moines Register. “Briles downplayed his deeds when he was honored on Aug. 21, 1945, in a ceremony in the East Room of the White House,” Black wrote. “Briles looked directly into the president’s eyes and responded: ‘Mr. President, I am no hero. I only did what I had to do. The real heroes never made it home.” Robert Briles remembers his uncle for far more than his military accomplishments, recounting his days in
Submitted Photo Herschel “Pete” Briles (right) donned his uniform for the first time since his discharge to have his picture taken with nephew, Robert Briles, who had just finished his Marine boot camp.
Iowa upon his return, living the life of a farmer and a community man. He was dedicated to his wife, Wilma, and his three sons, James, Jerry and Randy. He also worked towards the best for the community of Colfax, becoming co-owner of the Colfax Livestock Sales Co. to help keep the business afloat while also maintaining an active presence in the local American Legion post, Disabled American Veterans and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. The AMVETS Post 50 in Colfax,
upon opening in 2001, named their post after the famous soldier. Always, his thoughts remained with the men and women who continued to serve in the Armed Forces. In an article with the Des Moines Register, as the United States drew closer to the Gulf War, then-76 year old Pete said, “I’m as scared as the guys over there … They’re going to fight. I hope they don’t, but it’s just as sure as anything.” Ran Nov. 22, 2013
Called to Serve, Friday, May 23, 2014 19
From Cardinal to Cavalry Scout Hoskins chose to serve his country after high school By Ty Rushing Daily News Staff Writer In a matter of months, Vinnie Hoskins went from walking across the stage as a 2013 graduate of Newton Senior High School to graduating from both basic training and advanced individual training as a member of the U.S. Army National Guard. “A couple of National Guard recruiters came to my school in the beginning of October (2012) and they talked me and asked me, ‘What job do I want to be in?’” Vinnie said. “After viewing the options, I asked them, ‘What’s on the frontlines?’” The answer the men gave Vinnie was Calvary Scout, which they described as essentially “an infantry on wheels.” Calvary Scouts also serves as the eyes of their commander when out in the field and are also responsible for reporting information on enemies, terrain weather. “I thought, ‘That
sounds pretty cool.,” and I signed up for that,” Vinnie said. “October 26 is when I signed the papers and I became a U.S. Army National Guard member.” Vinnie said that his decision shocked a lot of his classmates at the time, but for the longest time he said he knew wanted to serve his county. He even foresees himself becoming a “lifer” in the service. “It was a quick decision and I don’t regret it either,” Vinnie said. “When I was little, I think for like eight Halloweens in a row I dressed up as an Army guy. I bought a hallowed out grenade from a surplus store, I had ammo boxes and stuff like that. I was all ‘hooha’ before I even joined.” Although he displayed a penchant for the military lifestyle as a child, Vinnie said his parents were just as caught offguard by his decision as his classmates were. “They were a little rash about it, but once
Barrett Continued from Page 17 Gary and his wife moved to Newton in 1984 and were drawn to the town because of the courthouse’s Christmas light display and the friendly, easy-going nature of the community. They have been here ever since and once
Dan Hardenbrook Army
Submitted Photo Vinnie Hoskins is pictured in his formal attire just before his advanced individual training graduation ceremony in November. Hoskins graduated from Newton Senior High School in May and had signed up to join the U.S. Army National Guard last October.
they saw the dedication I had for it and how it made me feel as a person…sometimes in life you go, ‘I need a purpose,’
Gary retired from the service, he began taking classes a few years later at DMACC. Gary used his influence as a DMACC Honor Student to help get this year’s Veterans program scheduled. “I said, ‘We need to have some kind of program on Veterans Day to let these kids now what Veterans Day is all about,” he said. “They
and for me, this is the perfect purpose,” Vinnie said. While Vinnie knows the military provides him
were either never told or they have forgotten and we can’t forget out veterans.” His passion for all things veteran stems grew from a chance meeting with a homeless Vietnam veteran he met in Philadelphia. This encounter led to Gary becoming an even more vocal advocate for veterans and helped fuel his fire for sup-
with his perfect purpose, it’s still tough for any person to go from playing Perch in “Fiddler on the Roof ” for the school play in March to attending basic training in the middle of the summer at Fort Benning, Ga. “It’s called ‘Day Zero’ and Day Zero lasts for 72 hours and its 72 hours of pure hell,” Vinnie said. “You don’t get any sleep, you get yelled at a lot, everything you do is wrong and nothing you do is right. The initial 72 hours are supposed to break you as an individual and turn you into a team player.” For just about any career path being able to work as a member of a team is essential, but in the military teamwork is absolutely critical. Vinnie said it took a while for him and the 133 other fresh recruits to mesh together and the toll of the situation was harder on some than others. “You learned to adjust very quickly and if you didn’t, you went pretty crazy,” Vinnie said. Luckily for Vinnie he
porting all those who served, including First Responders, who he said gladly bestows the label of veteran upon as well. He’s hoping Monday’s service will educate young people about the service veterans have done for this county and encourages other veterans to come forward with their stories.
was able to make the necessary adjustments to his situation and finished his 16 weeks in basics. He even got a nickname out of the ordeal. “They call me ‘Flower Girl.’” Vinnie said. “I’m paying for a wedding right now and I had no idea that flowers cost $600 and I was like, ‘Are you kidding me?’ and the sergeant were like, ‘That’s crazy. What’s up Flower Girl?’ And I’m like, ‘Oh, great.’” The aforementioned wedding is with his high school sweetheart Lily Brazelton and is set for early-January. With his wedding coming up and knowing that he could be shipped any minute, Vinnie is still pretty composed about the whole situation and is looking forward to his new life. “I want to thank my family and friend s for supporting me during this training and I’m looking forward to what may come with this job,” Vinnie said. Ran Dec. 6, 2013
“I’m going to talk about four distinct veterans that I’ve met that made an impact on me, a large impact on me. I’m going to tell their stories because they told it to me,” Gary said. “If you don’t walk up and ask a veteran about their story, it’s never going to be told.” Ran Nov. 8, 2013
Harold Harned Army
N ELSON MANOR
Privately Owned & Operated
1500 1st Ave. E., Newton
641-792-1443
120 N. 3rd Ave. E., Newton, 641-792-7950
20 Called to Serve, Friday, May 23, 2014
Shipley overcomes anything through faith, support By Zach Johnson Daily News Staff Writer Sometimes in life unexplainable events can have the greatest impacts on our lives. For former Newton graduate Andrew Shipley, E-5 Sergeant of the Iowa National Guard, his unexplainable event left him without his sight. “I woke up one day realizing that I couldn’t see out of one eye, and as time went on, I couldn’t see out of both eyes,” Shipley said. “I went to see specialist after specialist to find what caused me to lose my sight, and to this day, no one can completely explain why I lost my sight.” Shipley was set to be
deployed with the military police to Honduras, but due to his loss of sight, he was unable to go. During this time, Shipley also lost his job, and other things that left Shipley in a rough spot. Shipley credits faith and the support of his family and friends with helping him get through his difficult time. “I’m sort of a proud person (and) don’t really like asking for help, but my friends and family stepped in, which really helped,” Shipley said. “It has made me very humble. I always step in and help a friend or family out because I know now what it’s like to truly struggle.” In July, Shipley’s eyesight came back, and he was restored to active
duty ready to get back to his “normal” life. Shipley lives in Ankeny, where he works at Rising Star Wholesale. In September, Shipley transferred to Public Affairs. In January, Shipley will be heading to Fort Mead in Annapolis Junction, Md., to attend radio and broadcasting school. Although Shipley lives in Ankeny, he remains active in Newton, as friends and family are still in town. Shipley hopes his this story reminds people of the “golden rule” — treat others as you would like to be treated. He is set to get back to active duty and spend the holidays with his son, Donovan. Ran Dec. 20, 2013
Submitted Photo Iowa National Guard member Andrew Shipley (right) stands standing outside of Camp Ripley in Little Falls, Minn. Shipley lost his sight for a time but got through the difficult time with support of family and friends.
Taekwondo’s focus, determination help Whitten in Navy By Zach Johnson Daily News Staff Writer
Submitted Photo Petty Officer 2nd Class Nathaniel Whitten of Newton (left) most recently deployed to Afghanistan with other members of Naval Mobile Construction Batallion 15. He is an 11year veteran of the U.S. Navy and Naval Reserve. He also served on an aircraft carrier.
Looking out at the ocean can elicit different feelings for various people, but for Nathaniel Whitten, a Petty Officer 2nd Class in the U.S. Naval Reserve, it’s always a reminder of serving his country. Nathaniel has served in the Navy for 11 years, during which he has served four years active duty. He served aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman from 1999 to 2003 before becoming a reservist. He was on the Truman during the invasion of Iraq in March of 2003. “Heading out into the Atlantic, seeing nothing but ocean, is something I will never forget,” he said. “I love the water. It’s the main reason I joined the Navy over all other branches that I could have served.” Nathaniel is now a logistics specialist with Naval Mobile Construction Batalion 15. He has “shipped out” on two deployments with his unit. The first was in Iraq at the end of 2006. The second — in Afghani-
stan — just ended recently. The stress and speed of “sea days” can be overwhelming for anyone. But, for Nathaniel, taekwondo trained him to remain focused and disciplined in every move he makes. His ability to overcome through his training made his tours go smoothly. “Being trained in taekwondo played a great advantage in the work I did overseas in the aspects of control and focus,” Nathaniel said. “The ability to ignore all the pressures and stress to remain focused at the task at hand keeps you from getting injured or killed.” Nathaniel returned to Iowa last month, and went to work at Triumph Martial Arts. He was the chief instructor of the Newton chapter, but he recently purchased it, and changed its name to Pinnacle Martial Arts. “We been doing youth classes for the most part, but I have had parents ask about adult classes for getting a great workout without having to learn all the forms, so we’re exploring those options
for the future,” he said. Nathaniel and his wife Vicki will have a child just in time for the holidays. He was deployed to Afghanistan during the early stages of the pregnancy, but was able to keep in contact with Vicki on a daily basis through emails and phone calls, which made his first deployment with family easier. “We did much better than I thought,” he said. “The ability to email every day and call when I could made things much easier. I couldn’t imagine how it would have been if I wasn’t able to do that.” Homecomings and deployments for the Navy are usually much smaller events, as individuals and small groups deploy and return home with only family waiting at the airport. During his last homecoming, Nathaniel was greeted by his students and parents on hand for a small party. “They brought cookies and food,” he said. “Also they painted on my windows, which I really wasn’t expecting, so it was a great surprise.” Ran Nov. 27, 2013
Called to Serve, Friday, May 23, 2014 21
Former Cardinal standout left a legacy in WWII By Ty Rushing Daily News Staff Writer When Merlin Lanphier graduated from Newton Senior High School in 1943, he was already considered something of a local legend, two years later, he would be immortalized as a national hero. Merlin left for the Army Air Corps (Air Force), one month after graduating from NHS and was well known for his athletic prowess. His athleticism most likely helped him ascend the ranks quickly, because by the time he was 20, Merlin was a second Lieutenant. As a member of the Army Air Corps, Merlin was involved in the China-Burma-India Theater of World War II and served as a pilot on a North American B-25 Mitchell, which is a medium sized bomber and considered a highly equipped armory on wings. B-25s were the primary plane of choice for the “Rough Raiders” of the 500th Bomb Squadron, a division of 345th Bombardment Wing.
Merlin belonged to this group of aerial warriors and according to a website dedicated to all things 500th, the squadron dispersed 12,586,000 rounds of ammunition, dropped 6,430 tons of bombs put in a little less than 60,000 hours of flight. This squad was as an essential unit in the war efforts in Southeast Asia in WWII and sacrificed 588 personnel to ensure America’s success in the war. Merlin was one of the men who made the ultimate sacrifice for his country, and a report from the Air Corps details the moment. “On August 6, 1945, five men were killed in action due to (their) airplane being by hit by (anti-aircraft fire) from an enemy gunboat, causing the plane to cartwheel in the air and explode as it hit the water alongside the gunboat, near Fusan Harbor, Korea. No possible survivors.” Merlin’s unit was there was a part of an overall mission to find and engage a reported convoy of 25 enemy vessels. Another report from the Air Corps de-
tailed this operation. “The first flight of six B-25J’s sighted an estimated 20 vessels in the Fusan area of southeast Korea. Because of the position of this squadron in the group, it was in the best position to make an attack on the gunboat. Taking four passes at this vessel, the squadron scored at least two direct hits and the ship was seen to roll over and disappear.” “The second flight of 5-25J’s did not attack the convoy, but made its search east of Fusan, where the vessels had found refuge in the harbors. (Two armed Japanese merchant ships) were sighted and sunk. Eight bombs were also dropped on the southern tip of Orono Snina starting many small fires.” Officials declared the bombing raids, for the most part, a success and said all targets were “strafed with accuracy” as was a 35 foot long enemy ship that was anchored close to the east coast of Crono Shinia. However, one portion of the mission didn’t go as well. “One plane and crew
were lost over the target,” read the last portion of the report. Merlin’s quick ascension and honorable death resulted in him being posthumously being awarded the Purple Heart, Air, World War II Victory and AsiaticPacific Campaign medals as well as an Honorable Service in WWII pin. At the time of his death, he left behind both of his parents, three brothers and one sister and was labeled a “wellknown Newton Athletic Star” in a 1945 edition of the Daily News. Merlin is buried at Mount Zion Cem-
Submitted Photos Pictured is Merlin Lanphier, a former Newton Senior High School graduate, and his gravestone. Lanphier made the ultimate sacrifice as a pilot in World War II.
etery in Newton and his gravestone reads his name and “500th Bomb SQD,” proving that he
was truly a Rough Raider until the end. Ran Dec. 27, 2013
Baxter man recounts his time in Korea By Daily News Staff
The year was 1955, the cease-fire in Korea was on, but tensions were still running high. Larry Schmidt wanted nothing more than to marry his sweetheart, Janice Shore, but they were both worried about what would happen with the potential of a draft. Larry decided that the best thing to do for his future family would be to get his two years of obligation out of the way so that he could hurry home and marry Janice with no threats looming over their heads. Following in the footsteps of three brothers, two of whom served in World War II and one who served in the Korean War, he went to Newton to sign his enlistment papers. Soon enough, he found himself in a hotel room waiting for the bus ride the next morning that would deliver him to Camp Chaffee in Arizona. Once there, Larry excelled in his basic training program and was selected to train at the camp for an additional eight weeks so he could serve in the artillery. He was trained with a 10-man crew to work with a 105 mm Howitzer ar-
tillery piece. “I was on the panoramic scope, which could only traverse 12 degrees in each direction … If you shifted a degree or two, you could shoot over miles away from the first spot which gave us a good range,” Larry said. After concluding his artillery training, the Baxter man who had never been much farther away from home than the Missouri border soon found himself on a ship carrying him to a conflict thousands of miles away. Upon touching ground in Korea, Larry was moved around briefly before being stationed in Camp Santa Barbara, only a few miles away from the Demilitarized Zone. “We would rotate up to the edge of the DMZ for a few months … You could look through the lens, and see them just a few miles away looking right back,” Larry said. After a while, Larry was transferred into a Provost Platoon, serving as military police personnel, and then he was again transferred to work on the supply chain for petroleum, oil and other vehicle necessities. After a thankfully uneventful two-year tour, Larry rotated back to the states in March
of 1957. He didn’t waste much time, marrying Janice just three months later in June of ’57 and starting the rest of his life. He soon found work at Maytag. As Janice said, he was out the door the day after their wedding to stop by the offices and secure himself a job. Due to the time of his service, Larry is one of the many veterans who isn’t qualified for entry into the American Legion, an oversight which upset him for many years before he decided that he would get involved in every way he could despite it. “I was angry for a while, and I still am a little. I didn’t want to go on the Freedom Flight at first, because I felt like they didn’t want me and they didn’t care about my service,” Larry said. He did, however, attend the Freedom Flight, an experience which he enjoyed. Over Submitted Photo the last few years, Larry says Larry Schmidt, along with the other members of his crew, clean up he believes there has been a their Howitzer during their down-time in Korea. shift in the public’s views toward veterans and that he has Schmidts are a key part of the despite the fact that he can’t seen more acceptance of Ko- Legion’s activities, helping to be an official member, he anrean and Vietnam war veter- organize and run soup dinners swered simply, “Our serviceans. and other events in the com- men are important, and we want to help however we can.” Greg Christianson, the munity. post commander of the AmerWhen asked why he is such Ran Jan. 3, 2014 ican Legion in Baxter, said the a help to the organization
22 Called to Serve, Friday, May 23, 2014
‘In the Blood’
Poston traces family’s military history to Revolutionary War By Ty Rushing Daily News Staff Writer
Ty Rushing/Daily News Mike Poston, a Marine veteran, wanted to learn more about his family and discovered how deep their military roots run.
Tracing his family’s genealogy started as a hobby for Marine veteran Mike Poston, and as he uncovered more information, it became a passion. “My fifth great-grandfather (Elias Poston) was in the Revolutionary War,” Mike said. Mike said, as a child, he had always heard stories about Elias but really couldn’t fathom the concept of someone in his family playing a major role in American history until he started researching his family and discovered the book “West Virginia: A History” by Otis Rice. “The idea of being able to open a book that you can get from the library and see your fifth great-grandfather’s name (is unbelievable),” Mike said. “You want to believe it, but until you see it in black and white, it’s really hard to say it’s true.” A passage from another book, “History of Hampshire County, West Virginia,” showcases the reason Mike has become so fascinated by his family’s history and, specifically, the life Elias. “No history of Hampshire County would be complete without the inclusion of Col. Elias Poston. Poston holds
the all-time record for most offices in Hampshire County, which include surveyor, census taker, sheriff, attorney, justice of the peace, ferry operator, delegate to the Virginia Assembly and an officer in the Militia.” While Elias is easily Mike’s favorite historical ancestor, the Poston lineage almost reads like that of fictional character “Lt. Dan” from the critically-acclaimed film “Forrest Gump,” and his lineage is one he is proud to be a part of. Mike himself joined the Marines in 1977. “I’ve felt it was a part of my duty as an American,” Mike said. “I’ve wanted to join the military since I knew what the military was. My dad was in the Air Force. My greatgrandfather was in the Spanish-American War.” Mike said his father served in Germany during the Korean War, one uncle was a Marine, another uncle served in the Navy, and somehow his actual grandfather became the odd man out in the Poston military tradition. “My grandfather — he was too young for World War I but too old for World War II. So he was right in the middle,” Mike said. As his researching skills have improved, Mike is discovering even more about his family, including additional
information about his favorite ancestor. “I discovered that Elias’ son, Samuel, was a Lt. Colonel with 114th Militia during the War of 1812,” Mike said. “It’s almost like military is in the blood.” With this heritage, it’s no wonder Mike ended up serving six years in the Marines before stepping away with the rank of corporal. He can still perfectly recall the moment he told his father that he intended to join the service. “He was all for it,” Mike said. “When I told him I wanted to join the Marines, he looked at me, and he said, ‘Are you serious?’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, but I need your signature.’ I was only 17 at the time, and he goes, ‘Where do I sign?’” Mike has two daughters, but neither decided to join the military. He is hoping that someday maybe some of his future grandchildren will maintain the Poston military legacy, but he is extremely proud of his family’s accomplishments. “Their names may not be on the Constitution itself, but to know they were a part of the structuring and development of it, it makes your pride in America even greater,” Mike said. Ran Jan. 17, 2014
Newton man remembers his Navy veteran father By Zach Johnson Daily News Staff Writer The bond between father and son is one of the strongest relationships between two men. It teaches loyalty, responsibility and respect for those around you. Newton resident David Suter remembers his relationship with his father, U.S. Navy veteran and former Petty Officer 3rd Class Steven Suter. “I will always remember his love for me and him wanting the best for me,” David said. Steven Suter served two tours during Vietnam on the USS Fox. Steven worked as a machinist
mate, and he worked in the bowels of the ship. Steven was honorably discharged from the Navy in 1979. He went back to home to San Diego and married his wife Jane. In 1982, Jane and Steven had David Suter. “During Veterans Day and Memorial Day, I always watch old war movies and think of my father,” David said. “I will always remember his stories of the brotherhood and companionship on the boat.” In 1995, the Suter family relocated to Newton. Steven worked for the Best Western and Pella Corporation in the maintenance department. “I couldn’t imagine if I had to
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go through my dad leaving on a tour of duty, but I know he would tell me to be strong,” David said. In 2001, Steven lost his wife Jane. The constant doctors appointments and tending to her brought Steven and David closer as father and son. “It was rough, but his love and strength made us grow closer together,” David said. In 2003, David would put his father Steven to rest in the family plot in Rock Valley. David still lives in Newton, remembering the values his father bestowed upon him before passing away.
Submitted Photo Steven Suter served with the Navy on the USS Fox.
Ran Jan. 10, 2014
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Called to Serve, Friday, May 23, 2014 23
Pence served his country, now serving vets across county By Zach Johnson Daily News Writer Being part of a war effort that required a draft, Vietnam veteran Levi Pence has become a firm believer in having everyone serve their country. “They don’t have to be infantry or anything like that, but take whatever skills they have and utilize them,” Pence said. “I knew people back when I was in the service when I was drafted who worked in hospitals, so its one of those things where everyone can serve, finding the position which matches their skills.” Pence served with the 101st Airborne Division 327th Infantry Headquarters Company. “I went over as infantry. I was drafted and went to Fort Polk, Louisiana, for my basic training,” Pence said. “I spent an additional six
weeks for advanced infantry training.” Pence was transferred to Vietnam after basic training. “I remember being transferred on a deuce and a half was dropped off at the 327th Battallion,” Pence said. “They were in need of a clerk typist, so I told them I was a typist.” Pence was transferred out of the infantry after being tested as a typist. His MOS changed to 71B, and he was stationed 15 miles south of the Demilitarized Zone in Vietnam. “I graduated with my degree from AIB College of Business, so I had the skill set to fill the needed position,” Pence said. The structure of life in Vietnam made an impact on Pence’s life. “The military training — it was the chain of command type of mentality — I found
was very useful in life in general,” Pence said. “It was having structure in my life.” Pence has been a long-time resident in Newton and has grown an appreciation for how Newton loves those who have served their country. “When I came home from Vietnam, it was very subdued. I think the Korean Veterans realized that when they came back as well,” Pence said. “It has become a love that has achieved a renewed awakening because what Jasper County has done for its veterans in the last several years with the trips to Washington, D.C.” Pence commented about how much the citizens of Jasper County are willing to invest in their veterans. “It’s an indication that they’re willing to spend their finances to
recognize veterans in this county and it tells me that the people of Jasper County are willing to spend their assets to recognize those veterans who perhaps didn’t receive the recognition when they left the service,” Pence said. “It tells me they recognize what the veterans have done for them in maintaining freedom in this country.” Pence is now a funeral director, who has been planned many final services for the men and women who have died after serving their country. “The idea of final services has changed since the days of Vietnam with traditional funeral services, but now services have become more personalized towards the individual being celebrated,” Pence said. PENCE See Page 24
Zach Johnson/Daily News Funeral director Levi Pence stands next to the displays at the Pence-Reese Funeral Home. Pence served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam.
Baxter man served as radiation control monitor in U.S. Navy By Daily News Staff Leo Draegert of Baxter doesn’t think there was anything exciting about his service in the United States Navy. After all, it only involved working with nuclear submarines, certifying other servicemen for hitting their lifetime radiation allowance and working as a radiation control monitor. Leo enlisted a few weeks after graduating from Marshalltown High School in 1964. “It was the best chance for me to get started in my life, to make a career for myself,” he said. “I also knew that I was going to end up getting drafted before long, so this let me
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have a little more choice in what I’d do.” Leo had negotiated to receive training as a machinery repair man to help build a life for himself once he was out of the service. Upon completion of basic training, rather than being assigned to “A” School, he served a six-month tour out of Long Beach, Calif., on the USS DeHaven, a Fletcher Class destroyer. Because he hadn’t received his machine repair training yet, he was limited in what he could do. At the end of the six months, the DeHaven was assigned a new duty: the bombardment of Vietnam. “When you get on a ship and stay there for a while, it becomes your
home,” Leo said. “I volunteered to go with them, but they denied my request, saying I had to go to A-School … That’s probably the luckiest time I’ve been told ‘no’ in my life.” He went back to San Diego for “A” school, then applied for duty on the East Coast. He went a little father than that, getting assigned to the USS Holland, a submarine tender homeported in Rota, Spain. The Holland’s job was to take of the nuclear submarines in the U.S. fleet. Leo’s job changed, too. He became a radiation control monitor, charged with supervising radioactive areas DRAEGERT See Page 24
It is our honor to salute the heroes, past and present, of our Armed Forces this Memorial Day. Their dedication to our country and to the defense of freedom will never be forgotten. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you.
Honoring Freedom’s Fighters
In remembrance of the fallen heros who will forever live in our hearts, we celebrate Memorial Day. Thank you to all of the veterans who bravely served and selflessly sacrificed to protect our freedom. We are forever grateful.
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24 Called to Serve, Friday, May 23, 2014
Brotherhood is what it’s all about for Peter By Ty Rushing Daily News Staff Writer
Submitted Photo Aaron Peter, an Army veteran, is pictured in full combat gear during his stint in Afghanistan. Aaron is now a full-time student at Iowa State University.
Pence Continued from Page 23 The military services in Newton have been shown to be community oriented with the local VFW and American Legion involvement. “The Legion and VFW are dedicated to serving as firing squad for military veterans in Jasper County,” Pence said. “You look at that and say you know its nice, but you don’t realize what kind of commitment those individuals have made. When you think about the number of veterans who are deceased in Jasper County and
At first glance, Aaron Peter seems like any other 20-year-old attending classes at Iowa State University. But unlike most of the other students, he didn’t return from break when classes started back up in January — he returned from Afghanistan. “We used to always joke that it would be a nice vacation destination if it weren’t for the Taliban,” Aaron said. Aaron was in Afghanistan serving as a specialist in the U.S. Army Reserve. That experience helped enlighten him to the country and its people. “It is a pretty beautiful country, except for the unsanitary conditions around the local people,” Aaron said. “But, I found that nearly all of the citizens we dealt with were supportive of the U.S., because they just want a peaceful and normal life like everyone else in the world. One even said to me in good English, ‘Thank you for your service and what you’re doing for our country.’” Aaron, like a number of other young men and women that sign-up, knew he wanted to serve his country
the number of times they have to commit to these events.” Being a funeral director, Pence has seen many older veterans pass away, but the services of the men and women who don’t make it home due to dying in action pulls at Pence’s heart. “We have conducted many services for those men and women who were killed while serving our country,” Pence said. “I think its partially because when a solider is killed action the military step up by sending a major officer to recognize those who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom.” Ran Jan. 31, 2014
for quite awhile before he finally decided to join. Another factor to join was Aaron’s older brother, David. “It was always in the back of my mind, but I really decided to join during my junior year of high school,” Aaron said. “My brother is also in the Army — he’s in Afghanistan right now, actually — and he was the biggest influence on my choices in the military.” Having an older brother in the military has been a boon for Aaron and something he appreciates having the benefit of. “Having someone in the family who’s been there, done that, is more help than I can put into words. He’s one of the first guys I go to when I need advice for something military related,” Aaron said. That advice has seemed to serve Aaron well, as he had a very dangerous job while in Afghanistan. “My unit was tasked with route clearance, which means we helped other units get from point A to point B safely. We dealt mostly with IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices) and worked mostly at night,” Aaron said. “My job was dismounted security. I carried an M14 rifle and kept the guys with
Draegert Continued from Page 23 and chronicling radiation exposure in other servicemen. “I really didn’t get that much exposure while I did it,” Leo said. “The other guys, like the welders, they would come in to do work and then I would have to issue them a lifetime exposure certificate for how much they had been exposed to.” He stayed aboard the Holland for the remainder
My wife, Dorothy, and I both had the opportunity to serve our country in the United States Air Force. When we look through our old photos, memories return of friends and family who also served in the defense of freedom, including those who made the ultimate sacrifice. On this Memorial Day weekend, we and the entire Skiff Medical Center family salute those courageous men and women who gave their all for us. We are proud to be Americans.
the mine detectors safe,” he said. “Less often, I would be a Husky Operator, which is essentially a bomb detecting vehicle that was at the front of the convoy.” Performing such harrowing duties could make transitioning to civilian life rather difficult, but Aaron, who is majoring in criminal justice and psychology at ISU, seems to be managing it well. “Now the Army really recognizes what soldiers are going through during transitioning and they really make sure we are getting any help we need,” he said. Aaron is still a reservist and doesn’t expect to be deployed again. He is looking forward to life after college. “My plan is to try out for Special Forces after graduation. After that, I’ll get into law enforcement, hopefully with the U.S. Marshals or FBI,” Aaron said. Thanks to his time in the service, Aaron is able to help pay for college and feels he is a better person because of it. While his time as an active-duty member has ended, he knows what he will miss most about that. “The brotherhood,” Aaron said. Ran Feb. 7, 2014
of his enlistment. Having previously planned to stay in the service with his original training, he decided he didn’t want a career in radiation control. So, he took an honorable discharge in 1968 and returned to Iowa. It wasn’t long before he landed himself a job and a career at Maytag. He started on the production line, which led to a 30-year career with the company. Leo also remained active with veterans groups since his discharge. After being turned down by the
VFW, he became involved with the American Legion. He said he identifies with veterans who weren’t eligible for veterans organizations due to technicalities. “These guys deserve as much respect and honor as I do,” Leo said. “I felt like I had an obligation to serve, so I did, but it was an easy duty compared to what some have and I wish they’d get the same recognition.” Ran Jan. 24, 2014
We, as a country, owe so much to our service men & women protecting our freedoms. Thanks to all Veterans.
– Steve Long, CEO Air Force lieutenants Dorothy and Steve Long, circa 1994
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Called to Serve, Friday, May 23, 2014 25
For Makis, military made for the perfect matchmaker By Ty Rushing Daily News Staff Writer One weapon Ryan and Jennifer Maki weren’t prepared to face when they served in the military was Cupid’s arrow. Ryan, a Newton native, wanted to join the U.S. Army to protect his country after 9/11 and because it would be a way for him to see the world. He also said it was something he had always aspired to do. His wife, Jennifer, had different reasons for signing up. “Well, mine’s not such a great story like his,” Jennifer said jokingly. “I was kind of floating through life, trying to get through school and working too much and not getting anywhere. I had never had any plans to sign up for the military.” Jennifer’s decision to join the military was so unplanned, she didn’t even join the branch she originally intended to serve in. “I was, honest to God, driving down the highway and saw the recruitment center for Navy and Army sideby-side, and my cousin was in the Navy, and I thought, ‘I’m going to sign up for the Navy,’” Jennifer said. “I walked into the wrong door. I meant to go into the Navy door, and I walked into the Army door. “I was like, ‘Oh, I’m sorry, I walked into the wrong door,’ and they were like, ‘Well, where are you trying to go?’ And I was like, ‘The Navy,’ and he goes, ‘The Navy? What do you want to do? Live your
life on a boat?’ And I was like, ‘No, I don’t,’ and he went, ‘Come on, come on, we’ll take care of you.’” The Makis even took different paths while in the service. Jennifer trained as medic, which provided her valuable training and has helped in her current career as a nurse at Skiff Medical Center. Ryan had a slightly different job. “MLRS — multilaunch rocket systems. It sounds a lot cooler than it is,” Ryan said. “We got thrown in Iraq for 16 months, and basically you worked as a grunt. Everybody is a grunt (there). Even if it’s infantry or whatever you’re doing, you pretty much throw your job title out the window over there.” Things seemed to be going great in the service in both Ryan and Jennifer’s individual lives. Ryan was contemplating possibly becoming a career man in the service, and Jennifer was finding the direction she had sought. But what is success without someone to share it with? In late 2004, Ryan had almost completed his time in the service and was stationed at a base in Germany. Jennifer was at another facility in Germany where they treated soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan before they returned stateside. On a whim one night, Ryan let his friends talk him into going to a country bar — although he doesn’t even like country music — in Kaiserslautern, a U.S. military commu-
nity in Germany. Jennifer’s friends also had talked her into going out that night. “We met there, and we exchanged numbers and stuff. He waited like a week to call me,” Jennifer said teasingly. “I didn’t want to seem over-eager,” Ryan said with a smile. Both Ryan and Jennifer said it seemed like instantly connected. Jennifer said she was attracted to his quiet and confident demeanor and that he was different from his friends, who were a bit too loud and obnoxious for her taste. “She was pretty, funny, easy to talk to,” Ryan said of Jennifer. “My buddy was talking to her friend, and I wasn’t doing much, so I went to see what he was up to. I ended up talking to her, and I just remember talking to her the rest of the night. I guess the conversation and just everything drew me.” Despite a great first meeting, Jennifer was still worried Ryan didn’t like her since he waited so long to call. “He finally called, and we talked on the phone, and we decided to meet-up, and I had to take like a two-hour train ride to meet him,” Jennifer said. “I took that first train ride — he didn’t have a car and neither did I over in Germany — but after that first-time of me riding a train for two hours, he went out and bought a car.” “I only had four months left in Germany,” Ryan added. “That’s how eager I was
Submitted Photo Newton native Ryan Maki met his wife of nine years, Jennifer, while both were serving in the U.S. Army.
to see her again.” “After that, he drove every day to come and see me,” Jennifer said. “I was kind of doubting him liking me — because it took him a week to call me — but then he went and bought a car. I was like, ‘OK, I think he likes me.’” In addition to driving to see her as much as he could, Ryan met another soldier who had modified a Defense Switched Network phone to be able to call any number using a special code. He used it to call Jennifer every day. “I think I told him on our second date that I thought I was going to marry him, which now sounds pretty creepy, but at the time it didn’t,” Jennifer said jokingly. “I had obviously never felt that way before, and I remember
when I told him that, he looked pretty happy about it. That would have been the time to run if he was going to.” Ryan ended up proposing to Jennifer at a party in his barracks on New Year’s Eve with U2’s “It’s a Beautiful Day” playing in the background. “I wasn’t meaning to (propose there), but I just couldn’t wait any longer,” Ryan said. “I didn’t do anything too romantic, but it was special for us.” On Feb. 1, 2005, while they were in Jennifer’s home state of Texas on leave, they got married at a courthouse. “There was a guy at the courthouse that was like, ‘Run man, run. It’s not too late,’ while we were sitting there waiting,” Jennifer said with a laugh.
Jennifer said some of her friends thought it was crazy that she and Ryan got married after only a few months of dating. Ryan didn’t tell his family until he came back home from the service, but it’s hard to argue with the results. They just celebrated their ninth wedding anniversary, have three kids — Taylor, Dawson and Reagan — and still know how to make each other smile. “I fully believe it was meant to be,” Jennifer said. “His mom’s a strong Christian, and she believes that we came into each other’s lives at exactly the right moment at exactly when we were supposed to. Everything worked out the way it was supposed to.” Ran Feb. 14, 2014
Newton veteran held the 38th Parallel By Daily News Staff World War II was in the rearview, but tensions remained and the draft was still on when Sandy Young graduated from Mystic High School in 1946. He had been obligated to register for the draft for the first time in ’45, one year prior to his graduation, but he was a still a safe ways down the list when the draft ended just after his graduation. Sandy registered twice more: once in ’48 when the Berlin Blockade was on, and then again in August of ’50 just a few short months past the beginning of the Korean War. The third time was the charm for Sandy, and almost immediately he was called up to basic
training at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. He left his fiancé, Freda Swarts, behind and went to answer the call of duty without hesitation like so many before him. While at Leonard Wood, Sandy became close friends with Darrell Tibben who was a fellow Iowa recruit. Being with Tibben helped to give Sandy a feeling of home and shared experience, and the two would stick close through their initial deployment to Korea before being separated into different companies. Several months went by all too fast for Sandy. His basic and advanced training at Camp Pickett concluded and soon enough he had his orders for Korea. “We shipped out from Camp Stoneman in California on
March 23, 1951 for Yokohama,” Sandy said. “From there they sent us on to Pusan. We landed on April 10, ’51.” In less than three weeks Sandy had travelled further than he’d ever been in his life, from U.S. soil to the southern tip of the Korean peninsula. He would only be there for another two weeks before he experienced his first taste of combat. As they were processed before being sent north, Sandy’s Iowa contingent was split up with most of the group going into the L Company, Third Brigade in the 21st Infantry Regiment. Sandy was instead assigned to K Company. YOUNG See Page 26
Submitted Photo
26 Called to Serve, Friday, May 23, 2014
U.S. Navy vet Walaska promoted By Zach Johnson Daily News Staff Writer
Submitted Photo U.S. Navy Lt. Brock Walaska served 10 years of active duty service and is now part of the reserves.
U.S. Navy Lt. Brock Walaska and his wife Rae moved into town on Veterans Day. They moved from San Diego, Calif., but were both raised in Iowa. The two ventured to Hy-Vee for the Veterans Day breakfast. “Everyone was very thankful for my service. It was just great to be a part of the community of vets in Newton,” Brock said. “I could tell the town has a real pride in their veterans. I wanted to be closer to family, and the quality of life in Iowa is superb.” Brock, a supply officer and business manager, will be promoted to lieutenant commander in the U.S. Naval Reserve next month. “It was a surprise to me because I wasn’t expecting the promotion for another six months,”
Brock said. Brock served 10 years of active duty service and joined the reserves in November. He had four deployments on a sub, a deployment to Iraq and a deployment to Japan and South Korea. Brock was a member of the USS Maine SSBN741 Gold Crew. Brock was inspired to join the Navy during the turn of the economy after the tragedies of 9/11. Brock is a second-generation veteran, his grandfather having served during World War II. “I was working on my masters’ at UNI when 9/11 happened,”Brock said. “Job opportunities in the field went away due to economy. It was difficult to find a job, and I felt the call to serve after 9/11.” The opportunities for employment in his career field came after his active duty. “I was offered a job while on active duty. The military experience
made it easier to find a job due to the responsibilities as a naval officer,” Brock said. In his 10 years of active duty, Brock has had many meaningful and rewarding experiences. “During my tour to Iraq, I was a contracting officer. I wrote contracts to improve nearby communities in Iraq. Making repairs to sewer and sanitation systems,” Brock said. “I trained local Iraqi business owners on how to do business with the U.S. government and other business owners in the U.S. on meeting government standards — just how business is done. This gave them opportunities to work with the government or other contractors.” Brock is employed by State Farm in the Agency Training Program and plans to open his own branch in Newton. Ran Feb. 28, 2014
Recounting the history of Colfax veteran killed in action By Daily News Staff Norman Ellsworth was an American patriot, called to serve in the United States Navy just before worldwide tensions started to flare up in advance of World War II. He would ultimately give eight years of his life to the Navy and his country; the final eight years. Norman was born in Colfax, the only son in a family of five children, to Earl and Ida Ellsworth. He graduated from Colfax High School with the Class of 1936, having moved ahead in his classes after a mid-year enrollment. His enlistment would come soon after on Feb. 15, 1937. Norman was assigned to the USS Nevada for the majority of his eight-year career, with the first four years served in relative calm even as tensions mounted across the globe. He left the Nevada for a stint though, sent to attend a special training at a Navy school in San Diego. It was
Young Continued from Page 25 He arrived at his posting, just eight miles south of the 38th Parallel. His company started training on the ground, and they had only been there for a few short days when the Chinese army launched the Fifth Phase Offensive, also known as the Chinese Spring Offensive. “The first combat I saw was a general retreat,” Sandy said. He described a flurry of activity as the American army withdrew ahead of a 700,000man offensive. In the chaos he
during this stint that the attack on Pearl Harbor drew the United States into the conflict, and the USS Nevada sustained serious damage in the attack. The ship was struck by six bombs as well as one torpedo, leaving 60 of the crew members dead. The Nevada was out of commission for nearly an entire year, receiving repairs at Pearl Harbor and then at the Puget Sound Navy Yard. After being equipped with a heartier anti-aircraft gun battery in the course of the repairs, the Nevada was deployed northward for the Battle of Attu, the only land battle in the war to be fought on United States’ incorporated territory. Norman returned home after the battle. During his brief respite from the conflict, he married Louise Veronica Villaseno. His rest was not to last, though, and Norman soon found himself in Washington, D.C., where he received further training before being reassigned to the USS White-
was able to link up with part of the 555th Field Artillery, the triple nickel as he calls them, and get to the gathering point. “I saw my first of many dead and wounded. The place smelled of the dead — mostly theirs,” he said. “Some of the enemy were 15 and 16 year old children.” Once he’d made it to the gathering point, him and another soldier he was with noticed an officer standing around guarding a tent. “I had the other guy distract him, and I went around to look in the side,” Sandy recalled. “It was full of our dead.”
hurst, a destroyer escort vessel. The Whitehurst carried out a number of refueling and escort missions in relative safety before being sent on to the Indonesian islands, where an active conflict raged with the Japanese. The Whitehurst was engaged in a patrolling station, monitoring traffic through a channel between two Indonesian islands, when the crew received an urgent call for help. A landing craft was sustaining fire from shore batteries, and when the Whitehurst arrived, she was able to assist in evacuating casualties from the beachhead before serving as an anti-submarine station in the conflict. As things settled down, this would’ve been about the time Norman learned about his daughter. Named for him, Norma Louise Ellsworth was born on June 16, 1944. The two would never meet. ELLSWORTH See Page 27
Later, when Sandy was able to reconnect with the L Company, he would find out that his friend Tibben had died in the action. A member of the company from Illinois recounted to him how it had happened, with Tibben being struck by fire from a burp gun and going into shock. Soon after the Chinese Spring Offensive, allied forces arrived and were able to push back to the line. He spent ten months of his service in total stationed there. On Jan. 28, 1952, Sandy was sent to Incheon where he embarked on the beginning of his voyage back home. He passed the same places along
Submitted Photo
the way, sailing through Yokohama and then hopping an aircraft carrier to arrive back in Camp Stoneman, but two years in the service had made him into a different man. His wife Freda said that his time in the Army changed him, that he became much more open and social with the people around him. When he was released from the service on July 4, 1952, the two hurried to be married. “I told him, that’s it, it’s been two years,” Freda said. Sandy settled down. The couple had three sons named Richard, Robert and Randall as well as a daughter Renee. They moved to Newton, and
he started what would end up being a 38-year career with Maytag working on production. Even all these years later though, he carries the memories of the Korean War closely with him. He’s reached out on online message boards and talked to other people who were involved with the battle in April. He’s chatted with members of the triple nickel and swapped stories. “It was an experience … You met a lot of people from all over, a lot of nice people, and you got to see what life can be like.” Ran Feb. 21, 2014
Called to Serve, Friday, May 23, 2014 27
Daughter left with memories, pride of her WW II veteran father By Zach Johnson Daily News Staff Writer
Elmer Booth, an U.S. Army veteran of World War II, lived a short time in Jasper County before he got married and headed off to war. His daughter, Sharon Temple of Newton, only has stories to remember her fallen soldier. The past for Temple was filled with heartache, but has grown to have a great sense of pride for the soldiers and veterans in Jasper County. “I was just a baby when he was killed,” Temple said. “My biological mother didn’t want me and she wanted to divorce my dad. I was always told she wrote him a letter saying that,
Ellsworth
Continued from Page 26 Routine escort and patrol duties continued between the South Pacific Islands, with the conflict moving readily forward as the Japanese were pushed from one island to the next before the Philippines invasion would ultimately begin. The Whitehurst would play the role of anti-aircraft and anti-submarine screen during the invasion of the islands. While the ship escaped the conflict more or
which was one reason why he let himself be killed because she wanted a divorce and to give me away. That is the story I was always told. Whether it’s true or not, I don’t know.” Temple’s grandparents took her in, raising their first granddaughter, but Temple only knew them as mom and dad. “When I got to be in seventh grade, they told me the truth,” Temple said. “They told me of how my father was killed and my grandmother gave me a whole bunch of stuff that she kept about me. It never made the difference because my grandparents were all that I knew, but I was happy to know the truth and
also sad to know that my father was killed in action.” It was after receiving the news Temple began to learn more about her father. She met one of his brothers named Fritz. They have a continued connection since first meeting. “After that, I began to learn more about him. I met one of his brothers,” Temple said. “I traveled down to their house down by Thayer, Iowa. His whole family is buried in a cemetery in Hopeville, Iowa. I have traveled down there many times and they came up to Colfax to visit me. During these trips, they would tell me stories about my dad that I was interested in. I wanted
to know more about him, like what hobbies did he have, what kind of student he was, what was his favorite colors, if he danced and much more little things.” Although Temple doesn’t tell her story often, many Jasper County Veterans have known it. Temple has four granddaughters, who attend schools in Newton. The Newton Community School District has created days to recognize veterans bringing in local veterans and recognizing those who have passed away. “My granddaughter went to Aurora Heights Elementary School,” said Temple. “Her class was doing a presentation on veterans. I let her bring
in the flag I have that is in a case filled with many memories about my father. The local veterans, who were in attendance at the event told my granddaughter of how great it was to have a veteran in their family. It was great to know the local veterans’ response to my granddaughter.” Private 1st Class Booth was awarded the Purple Heart for his service in World War II. He was killed in the Saipan Islands in the Pacific. His legacy will be remembered by his family and local veterans in town, but simply put by his daughter: “He was a great man.”
less unscathed, it was involved in the rescue mission of the USS Eversole which was ordered abandoned after sustaining two direct hits from torpedos. The Whitehurst and its crew eventually received a short respite from the conflict, escorting convoys, as well as cargo, around Australia for five months before the ship was assigned to engage the enemy once more. In April of ’45, Norman and the rest of the crew were patrolling the Kerama Islands, just southwest of Okinawa. On April 12, a low-
flying enemy plane passed by and was brought under fire, but the plane veered off and flew out of range. The plane heralded the coming of four Aichi D3As, Japanese Navy dive bombers. One of the bombers separated from the pack and engaged the Whitehurst, circling the ship and commencing a 40-degree angle dive. Using the opportunity, two more Japanese bombers engaged, one starboard and one astern. Anti-aircraft batteries attempted to dispatch the bombers, peppering them
with 20 mm ordinance, but the first bomber successfully crashed into the bridge structure where a bomb jettisoned loose and exploded inside of the ship’s superstructure. The entire bridge was enveloped in flames, and the USS Vigilance came to its assistance. While medical care provided by the crew of the Vigilance would ultimately save 21 crew-members, Norman was not fated to be in their number. He lost his life that day, April 12, 1945, the same day as President Franklin Delano
Roosevelt. Norman’s remains were transported back to Okinawa for a period, but he found his final resting place at the Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii. His name, and his legacy, continued to live on through descendants and relatives named in his honor including daughter Norma Louise Ellsworth; nephews James Norman Van Elsen, Henry Earl Van Elsen, Rober Ellsworth Van Elsen and Norman Sutton.
We salute all veterans from all branches who have made our nation great.
Ran March 7, 2014
We proudly salute the brave men and women who have served and made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. With courage and conviction these heroes have protected America’s freedom through the generations, and
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28 Called to Serve, Friday, May 23, 2014
Coast Guard showed local pastor ‘The Way’ By Ty Rushing Daily News Senior Staff Writer These days, pastor Steve Heerema leads between 450 to 500 souls to God during his services at Newton Church of The Way on Sundays. But a little more than two decades ago, he was leading citizens to shore as a member of the U.S. Coast Guard. Steve joined the Coast Guard as a way to help strengthen his resume and his original plan was to go into law enforcement. He said a lot of law enforcement personnel told him that having military service would be ideal if he wanted to make it higher up in the field. He joined the guard because one of its primary duties is law enforcement. “I joined the guard in 1991 right before the Gulf War,” Steve said. “I spent the whole Gulf War in boot camp. When I went in, in February of ‘91, is right when it began, and by the time I graduated, in April of ‘91, it was over.” Like most people at the time, Steve said he and the other future guardsman at camp thought the war was going to turn into a major conflict. “We were in camp, think-
ing, ‘This is going to be significant,’ and then it was over,” he said with a laugh. Being in the guard provided Steve many opportunities he would have never been afforded simply because Iowa is a landlocked state. While he was stationed in Seattle, he talked about seeing marine wildlife, providing maintenance to buoys in the Puget Sound and being able to discover various areas of the western U.S. coast. He also enjoyed the stability of the Coast Guard itself provided. “The Coast Guard is the only military service whose mission never changes. Whether the United States is at war, or not at war, the mission in the Coast Guard is always the same,” Steve said. “In other services, your Ty Rushing/Daily News mission might change based Years after serving the U.S. Coast Guard, Steve Heerema said he received his calling and is currently the on the circumstance and in lead pastor at Newton Church of the Way, 2300 S. Third Ave. E. the Coast Guard, you are protecting the shores from “When I joined the mili- figure out what I wanted to the call to become a pastor invasion, you are doing law tary … I didn’t have a lot do,” he continued. “Obvi- in the early 2000s. enforcement, you are doing of focus in life and I didn’t ously there is a lot of ben“After I came to Christ, everything — whether at know what I wanted to do,” efits to being in the service, it made everything come peace or war.” Steve said. “I went to college it’s about teamwork and all together and make sense,” Steve wound up spend- to play football, I got injured these different things.” Steve said. “One of our priing almost seven years in and then my football career Some of the things he mary missions in the Coast the guard. He said the guard ended. After that, I didn’t said he learned in the guard Guard was search and reshelped him in a multitude known what I wanted to do were leadership skills, how cue, and I kind of feel like of ways and soon it became once football was over. to commit to and honor an that’s one of my primary more than just something to “What the Coast Guard ideal and how to save people, missions as a pastor.” help strengthen his resume, did was it taught me disci- all of which would work in it became a guiding force. pline and gave me time to his favor when he answered Ran March 21, 2014
Colfax veteran led 20-year career in U.S. Air Force By Daily News Staff
Oftentimes the entire direction of a person’s life can be altered by the smallest of details or the slightest of decisions. For Robert Van Elsen, it was all a matter of which door he walked through first. Robert graduated from Colfax High School in 1965. The Vietnam War was well underway and a lot of his classmates were quickly called up by the draft. Robert had a save-all though. His dad’s position in Maytag secured him a scholarship, which he used to attend the State College of Iowa, now the University of Northern Iowa, so he was free from the draft. After a year at school, Robert knew that something was wrong. He felt that he was wasting his scholarship, that he had no more right to be home than any of the other men he knew. While visiting his brother in Des Moines, he decided that it was time for him to enlist. He went to the Federal Building, determined to sign up for the military then and there. “I didn’t plan on going into the Air Force. I just wanted in the military. It could’ve been the Navy or the Army too,” Robert said. “The first door that I ran into was the Air Force, so that’s where I went.” That’s how he kicked off a 20-year military career that would segue into a long civilian career in education; a chance of running into the right door. Robert performed well on his enry
tests, and after reporting for basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, he was given the choice of what job he would carry out for the Air Force. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do,” Robert said. “They recommended electronics, and I just went with it.” So, upon successful completion of his basic training, Robert was off to advanced training in electronics at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Miss. His training regimen would go for the next year, carrying him through April of 1967 as he became proficient with the radar systems for various military aircraft. Near the completion of his training, he was allowed to take a brief trip back home to Colfax, and while he was there, he fell in love with Connie Polson. “I was almost done and I had my orders for my next deployment, so I asked how she would like to go to Hawaii when I proposed.” She said yes, but Hawaii was not in their future. Two weeks before he was supposed to deploy, orders were passed down that he was going to Okinawa on an 18-month tour of duty instead, and he would not be able to bring a new wife. He talked it over with her, asked if she would want to wait until he got back instead, but after hashing it all out the two were married on April 17, 1967, just three days before he shipped out. The next several years of their lives were a whirlwind of changes as Rob-
Submitted Photo Robert Van Elsen shakes hands with Brigadier General Thomas G. McInerney on Feb. 5, 1983, in Okinawa, Japan. Van Elsen was recognized as the Most Outstanding Enlisted Person in the Air Force in Okinawa by the USO.
ert continued to get moved around, alone more often than not. When he could’ve satisfied his commitment to the Air Force and left with an honorable discharge, he decided to stick it through and pursue a career. He worked in Thailand, Korea, Vietnam, Japan, Hawaii and locations around the United States throughout the years, flew a total of 78 combat missions over Vietnam despite not being a part of the regular crew and packed up and moved his home 34 times throughout his life. After seven years of electronics in the Air Force, having worked on more
than 10 different models of aircraft, Robert was given the opportunity to go to a field training detachment, where he would teach new enlisted airmen how to run radar. The final 13 years of his career were spent as an instructor. He spent the last six of those in Japan, his first deployment abroad in which his family was able to accompany him. He wanted to stay in the service for another five to 10 years, but he decided when his deployment was up VAN ELSEN See Page 29
Called to Serve, Friday, May 23, 2014 29
Moore found string of luck before, after deployment By Zach Johnson Daily News Staff Writer
Zach Johnson/Daily News U.S. Navy veteran Francis Moore holds pictures from his days of deployment on the USS Oakland.
Francis R. Moore has always felt he had a string of luck with his time of the service during World War II. “I was only injured once during my three years of service, so I have always considered myself lucky,” Moore said. In 1943, Moore was part of the first crew to be on the USS Oakland, which was an Anti-Aircraft Cruiser used during the war. He was active on the 20 mm machine gun gunnery crew on the ship. Moore, a Seaman 1st Class, served in the Gunnery Division. “The ship spent most of the time in Tokyo Bay
during the signing of the peace treaty of World War II,” Moore said. After Moore’s tour of duty, he remembers his brother-in-law offering to take him on a cruise. “I told him that I have seen enough water in my day,” Moore said with a laugh. Moore was born in Metz but his family moved to Newton when he was just a toddler. Moore was employed with Maytag for 37 years before he retired. “Metz truly isn’t what it used to be back in my time,” Moore said. “I went to Woodrow Wilson Elementary School and attended Newton Senior High School when it was located where the library is cur-
rently. I remember when the washing machines were beginning to modernize in 1986. I asked the human resource officer at the time if I could retire, and they agreed.” Moore has never had a chance to travel much outside his tour of duty during World War II, but thanks to the Jasper Freedom and Honor Flights set up by Jasper County Treasurer Doug Bishop, Moore was able to visit Washington, D.C. “It was the chance of the lifetime to take a trip on the Freedom Flight,” Moore said. “Doug has done a lot of work helping veterans take the trip.” Ran April 4, 2014
Halfhill recalls time in U.S. Navy during Vietnam By Daily News Staff Lowell Halfhill had just graduated from Iowa State University in 1968. He had a world of opportunity before him, a promising career to look forward to and plenty of prospects ahead barring one simple problem. “I would go in for a job interview, and they would ask me what my draft status was,” Lowell said. “I’d tell them that I was a 1-A, and they’d say they’d be happy to talk to me once I got back.” He already had a brother who was serving in the Army as an officer in Vietnam, and his father-in-law had served during World War II. Lowell knew the Army wasn’t the branch for him, and he wanted to keep charge of his destiny as much as any young man facing the Draft Board can. So, he met with a Navy recruiter and was able to arrange his enlistment before he his draft notice arrived. By October, just a few short months after his graduation, Lowell
was starting boot camp in San Diego, Calif. His training there continued through December, after which he was posted to Norfolk, Va., for the commissioning of the USS Durham. The Durham was a military cargo ship, specially outfitted to be able to haul Marines, and all of their equipment, for beach assaults. When the ship’s captain was picking his personal staff from members of the crew, he sought out enlisted men who had college educations. Lowell was an easy pick to serve as a yeoman, performing administrative work. The ship’s first full Pacific cruise took it to Da Nang, Vietnam, where it was responsible for picking up Marines to bring home. Afterward, the ship returned to Da Nang, ferrying troops and supplies between Japan, Vietnam and the U.S. “It was easy to forget that we were still in a war zone when you’re out on one of the ships,” Lowell said. “When we were in harbor, they would drop concussion
Van Elsen Continued from Page 28 in Japan the time was right for him to retire from the Air Force and launch his civilian career. He was discharged 20 years, 1 month and 27 days after his date of enlistment
grenades into the water around the boat to make sure we were clear.” Once he was back stateside, Lowell was assigned to Whiting Naval Air Station in Milton, Fla. His duty there was quiet, helping to type up wills and witness signatures to legal documents throughout the time. His father-in-law helped to find him a job with the bank in Mingo before he was out of the service. The bankers flew him home, interviewed him and promised to hold the position until he mustered out of the service in October of 1972. Lowell and his wife, Diana, moved back to Mingo once he was out of the service and Lowell began his work with the bank while selling insurance on the side. His career continued through several different banks and insurance agencies in Mingo, culminating with his purchase of a neighboring agency to launch Halfhill Insurance, which he still owns and operates. Looking back on his service now, Lowell still has a hard time pin-
on July 1, 1986, at which point he launched a civilian career that would have him move around nearly as frequently. Despite never having graduated from college himself, Robert thrived in education after his years instructing younger airmen on radar and electronics. He worked
pointing the impact that it has had over the years. “I wouldn’t want to do it again, but at the same time I wouldn’t have missed the opportunity
with the National Education Center on different campuses across the country, was the dean of students at Brown College in Minnesota, served with ITT Tech in a number of roles, including campus president in Houston, retired and then came back out of retirement for more. When asked if he has any
to do it,” hew said. Lowell plays trombone in the Iowa Military Veteran’s Band, which does events ranging from Memorial Day
regrets, the answer is a resounding “no,” aside from perhaps wishing that he had stayed in the military even longer. “I got into the Air Force completely by chance. It happened to be the first door that I came to. I was a scared young boy, ashamed of what I’d done with my scholarship,
services and the Iowa State Fair to booked out concerts at the Civic Center. Ran April 11, 2014
not sure what to do, just a confused 19-year-old,” Robert said. “The Air Force put my head on straight, gave me a purpose, gave me a skill that was extremely good to me all my life, and it led to a career after the military. Would I recommend it? Absolutely.” Ran March 28, 2014
30 Called to Serve, Friday, May 23, 2014
The man behind the name Newton’s VFW post named after legendary WWI General Marshal F. Foch By Ty Rushing Daily News Senior Staff Writer Like most VFW posts, Newton’s post, which is celebrating its 85th anniversary on Saturday, is named after a veteran. The post’s official name is “Marshal F. Foch Post 1655.” So, who is this mysterious namesake? Marshal F. Foch is better known as Ferdinand Foch, who was a French general in World War I. The Marshal portion of his name is actually from titles bestowed on him, and he was named marshal of France and Poland and appointed as an honorary field marshal in the British Army by King George V in 1919. Foch was such an effective leader, he was later promoted to commanderin-chief of the Allied Forces in World War I. An excerpt from “Source Records of the Great War” detail’s Foch’s appointment to Commander-in-Chief: “Gen. Foch is charged by the British, French and American governments with the coordination of the action of the Allied Armies on the western front; to this end there is conferred on him all the powers necessary for its effective realization. To the same end, the British, French and American governments confide in Gen. Foch the strategic direction of military operations.” “The Commander-in-Chief of the British, French and American Armies will exercise to the fullest extent the tactical direction of their armies. Each Commander-in-Chief will have the right to appeal to his government, if in his opinion, his Army is placed in danger by the instructions received from Gen. Foch.” Foch’s appointment came about during the German Spring Offensive of 1918, in which the Germans attempted to end World War I with a force of more than 500,000 soldiers by attacking the Allies’ weak points in France. A British historical site, historylearningsite.co.uk, broke down the damage the German’s attack inflicted on the Allied forces: “On March 21, 1918, (German General Eric) Ludendorff launched the offensive. In just five hours, the Germans fired one million artillery shells at the British lines held by the
Fifth Army — over 3,000 shells fired every minute. The artillery bombardment was followed by an attack by elite storm troopers. These soldiers travelled lightly and were skilled in fast, hardhitting attacks before moving on to their next target. Unlike soldiers burdened with weight kits and etc., the storm troopers carried little except weaponry (such as flame throwers) that could cause much panic, as proved to be the case in this attack. “By the end of the first day of the attack, 21,000 British soldiers had been taken prisoner and the Germans had made great advances through the lines of the Fifth Army. Senior British military commanders lost control of the situation. They had spent three years used to static warfare and suddenly they had to cope with a German onslaught. (British senior officer Hubert) Gough ordered the Fifth Army to withdraw. The German attack was the biggest breakthrough in three years of warfare on the Western Front.” Despite the severity of the attack and odds stacked against them, Foch rallied the Allied Forces and in the Second Battle of Marne, under his leadership, the Allies turned the tide of the war. Firstworldwar.com, a site dedicated to all things WWI, broke down this battle: “With the Germans having ultimately failed in their efforts to break through, Ferdinand Foch, the Allied Supreme Commander, authorized a counter-offensive on July 18, 1918, launching 24 divisions of the French Army alone, in addition to U.S., British and Italian troops and some 350 tanks.” “His aim was to eliminate the large German salient among the French lines. In this, he was entirely successful.” By Aug., 3, 1918, the German forces had lost most of the ground they gained during their Spring Offensive. As a Frenchman, Foch certainly had plenty of motivation to push the Germans farther out of his homeland. After this staggering blow delivered by the Allied Forces, many German military leaders feared the end was near and their worse fears where confirmed when the Allies launched the Hundred Days Offensive, which began on Aug., 8, 1918 and ended on Nov. 11, 1918 —
Submitted Photo Marshal F. Foch, who was the Allied Commander-in-Chief during World War I, is the namesake of Newton’s VFW Post.
which is now known as Armistice Day and marks the day Germans asked for a cease-fire to negotiate their surrender. Historical accounts vary about what happened during the negotiations for surrender, but a large measure of them, said Foch refused to shake hands with any Germans during the process and he only appeared twice during the three days it took to arrange the peace. His first appearance was to ask the Germans, “what they wanted,” when they arrived and the second appearance was to verify they had signed the armi-
stice agreement. Throughout his career, Foch received numerous awards and titles. He is one of history’s most decorated soldiers and his legacy even lives on in Newton thanks to his namesake VFW post. Newton’s Marshal F. Foch VFW Post is planning events all day Saturday to commemorate its 85th anniversary. The VFW is located at 315 First Ave. W. Ran April 18, 2014
A Salute to Our Heroes
Thanks
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Called to Serve, Friday, May 23, 2014 31
McNeer’s time in the service inspired his world travels By Zach Johnson Daily News Staff Writer Retired U.S. Army Military Police Sgt. John D. McNeer has lived a life filled with travels and service, not just for the community of Newton but for his country. Before being drafted into the service, McNeer was working his way up in Newton Manufacturing and had begun a life with his wife, Mary. “I remember getting my papers to begin basic training on Valentine’s Day 1956, and I had to leave for basic training on my wife’s birthday,” he said. McNeer began his basic training at Camp Carson in Colorado and left when the camp turned into a fort. McNeer would become a member of the military police. After his training, McNeer got on a train with 20,000 other troops heading to New York City. It was from New York City that McNeer would begin his travels outside the country by taking the USS Buttner, an old World War I ship, across the Atlantic to Germany. “It was an eight-day journey across the ocean to ‘gyro’ with the ninth division,” McNeer said. “I knew it was going to go under at some point during the two storms that happened during our journey.” McNeer’s wife Mary, came over to live with John off-post in June 1956. They found a single room in a house in a village close to the Army post. “It was a small room with one window, and we had kitchen and bathroom privileges as well,” McNeer said. “To this very day, I still keep in touch with the family that shared their house with us.” While in Europe, McNeer decided to take his wife on an adventure, one they would repeat at every opportunity in the future. McNeer bought a new “fully loaded” 1958 Volkswagen that had a radio, sunroof, chrome, white wall tires and “moxnix-sticks,” which was used as a turn signal. “I bought that car for $1,310,” McNeer said. “Everyone loved that car. When we got back to Newton, everyone thought that I bought it from a fancy dealership. I had the chance to take the president of Newton Manufacturing at the time, Clyde Angus Peck, on a ride in the car. He stood at about 6-foot-6, so we always had to have the sun roof
Zach Johnson/Daily News Since moving to Newton, John D. McNeer has served his community and country. McNeer has traveled to 65 countries and four provinces. His family gave him a poster of the world, putting pins on each of the countries he has traveled to. McNeer turned 80 this year on Jan. 1. He plans on celebrating all year long.
down.” The first two weeks of the adventure were spent heading north, making stops in various countries, including northern Germany, Holland and France. The final two weeks of the trip was spent heading south, making stops in southern Germany, Austria, Italy and Monaco. “Every year, we would make the trip over to see our friends and (those we called) family,” McNeer said. “We had a chance to take our children on the same journey we took when we lived over in Eu-
We would like to Honor all U.S. Veterans, especially our own at Newton Village. Thank you for helping to maintain our freedom and thank you for teaching us that we have a truly precious gift in these United States. Our appreciation goes out to you who have given so much to all of us.
Thank You and We Salute You.
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rope. We’ve had a chance to take our children to Ireland, England and France, which was fun.” McNeer turned 80 on Jan. 1 and plans to celebrate all year to continue living life to the fullest. McNeer has retired from work and the service but still continues to serve the Newton community by serving on multiple volunteer boards and groups. “I don’t want to hibernate,” McNeer said. “I feel sometimes people die because they just decided to stop living.” Ran April 25, 2014
We salute
A Tribute To Our Veterans
It is on this day, that we remember the contributions of the men and women who fought for freedom in our armed forces. To those who are still with us, we offer our deep thanks. For those who are gone, their spirits live on in the hearts of those for whom they fought.
P.O. Box 312, Newton, IA 50208 Phone: 641-792-7574
the heroes of our Armed Forces past and present for their courage and dedication to our country. Bev Rossow Agency, Inc. www.brossow.com 2617 1st Ave E., Newton (641) 792-8438
32 Called to Serve, Friday, May 23, 2014
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