Newton
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Friday, November 22, 2013
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Newton, Iowa
Open House at Armory
OBITUARIES Lea Chabot, 68 Dorothy Swihart, 87
INSIDE TODAY
Pharmacist retires after 40 years of service to Hy-Vee Special to the Daily News
Education
Excellence in Education recipients Page 7A
Ty Rushing/Daily Newss Newton Mayor Mike Hansen and Jasper County Emergency Management Coordinator Jim Sparks strike up a conversation Thursday at the county’s open house for the Jasper County Annex/Armory. The building houses Spark’s office, Jasper County Conservation, and the Jasper County Emergency Operations Command Center.
Sports
C-M winter teams warming up Page 1B
Weather
Saturday
High 21 Low 11
Sunday
High 29 Low 23
Sunday
High 39 Low 23 Weather Almanac
Thurs., Nov. 21 High 39 Low 20 ⁄4 to 1⁄2 inch of snow .06 melted
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Calendar Page 3A Classifieds Page 4B Comics & Puzzles Page 6A Dear Abby Page 6A Opinion Page 4A Obituaries Page 3A Police Page 3A
Our 112th Year No. 132
98213 00008
DALLAS (AP) — A half dozen Irish soldiers toting guns with brilliantly polished bayonets formed a guard of honor outside the U.S. Embassy in Dublin as the U.S. flag was lowered to half-staff in one of several solemn ceremonies planned Friday to mark 50 years since the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas. More than a dozen retired Irish army officers who, as teenage cadets, had formed an honor guard at Kennedy’s graveside in November 1963, gathered in the front garden of the embassy in the heart of the Irish capital to remember the first Irish American to become leader of the free world. Together with Irish Foreign Minister Eamon Gilmore and embassy staff, they observed a minute’s silence and lay two wreaths from the Irish and American governments in memory of JFK. Similar events were
planned for Boston, Washington, and in Dallas. That city will mark the day with a solemn ceremony in Dealey Plaza, through which the president’s motorcade passed when shots rang out on Nov. 22, 1963. Shortly after sunrise, with the eternal flame flickering in the early morning light, Attorney General Eric Holder paid his respects at Kennedy’s grave at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va. In Dublin, an Irish army commander at the embassy drew a sword and held it aloft as a lone trumpeter played “The Last Post,” the traditional British salute to war dead. A bagpiper played laments including “Amazing Grace.” A U.S. Marine raised the flag again as the bugler sounded an upbeat “Reveille.” All the while, busy Dublin traffic continued to pass by outside the iron-fenced
embassy. The day was crisp, windless, with trees full of autumn leaves and a cloudless blue sky, the sun blindingly low on the horizon. The former Irish army cadets invited by Jacqueline Kennedy to serve as the graveside honor guard described the awe — and fear — they experienced as they traveled to the United States 50 years earlier. “We were young guys, all pretty much 18. We had no passports, no visas. None of us had flown before,” said Retired Col Brian O’Reilly, 68. “We were told on the Saturday night we were wanted for the funeral. The next day we were on the plane with our own president (Eamon de Valera) heading for Washington.” Retired Commandant Leo Quinlan said he had felt mixed emotions. JFK See Page 5A
Spierenburg patients told to contact Newton Clinic Patients of Dr. Ruth Spierenburg are encouraged to begin the process of selecting a new physician, and the Newton Clinic recommends patients schedule an office visit to establish care with their preferred provider in the very new future.
Recounting the service of a Jasper County legend By Matthew Nosco Daily News Staff Writer
Astrograph Page 5B
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Reverent memorials mark JFK 50th anniversary
Pharmacist Ron Hawk has announced his retirement for the end of the month after serving Hy-Vee for more than 40 years. In 1973, Ron began his career at the Ankeny Drugstore and transferred to Newton in 1974. He was promoted to pharmacy manager in 1979. Ron will retire from the Newton grocery store, where he has been since 2009 as a registered pharmacist. “It has been a great pleasure to have gotten to know Ron. He has been a huge asset in the success of the Newton pharmacy. He will be missed by his customers and pharmacy team,” Newton Hy-Vee Store Director Jason Crocker said. Ron and his wife, Susan, have two children, Ben and Gina. In his free time, he enjoys hunting, reading, traveling, and working on his farm. His retirement plans include enjoying his hobbies and interests, volunteering, and spending more time with his grandchildren. Ron has enjoyed his tenure as a pharmacist for Hy-Vee. He especially has enjoyed working with his interns and youth over the years and watching them grow and mature into caring employees. Cake will be served for his retirement party from 2 to 4 p.m. Monday at Hy-Vee.
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“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 smallarms 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 Ameri-
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.
can 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.” BRILES See Page 5A