VETERANS

Tom Ball
Harvey Beasley (USN) Naval Avation Pacific
Bob Bowser (USAF)
Machelle Burke (USA)
Pat Carroll (USA) Ret LTC
Chic Clark
Carl Creed (USN).
Harry Crouch (USA)
Charles Endsley (USA)WW2 Pacific
Marvin Freeland (USN).
Emanuel Harper
James Hazlett
Bill Hall (WW2 Naval Pilot)
Tom Helbing (USA)
Bill Hensley (USA) 82 Airborne Div
Marylee Hensley (USA).
Tom Higbie (USA).
Jack Hoffman (USN)WW2
Jay Hoffman (USN)
Jim Hoskins
George Keller (USMC) 2 Marine Div
Don Knowles (USMC) 2nd Marine Div
David Levine (USMC)
Richard Lung (USA)
Paul Malloy (USA)
John Martin (USA) Ret Maj
Charles McCoy (USA)
John McNatt (USA)
Tom Mock (USA)

BIDDLE, MELVIN E.

Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Army, Company B, 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment. Place and date: Near Soy, Belgium, 23-24 December 1944. Entered service at: Anderson, Ind. Birth: Daleville, Ind. G.O. No.. 95, 30 October 1945. Citation: He displayed conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action against the enemy near Soy, Belgium, on 23 and 24 December 1944. Serving as lead scout during an attack to relieve the enemy-encircled town of Hotton, he aggressively penetrated a densely wooded area, advanced 400 yards until he came within range of intense enemy rifle fire, and within 20 yards of enemy positions killed 3 snipers with unerring marksmanship. Courageously continuing his advance an additional 200 yards, he discovered a hostile machinegun position and dispatched its 2 occupants. He then located the approximate position of a well-concealed enemy machinegun nest, and crawling forward threw hand grenades which killed two Germans and fatally wounded a third. After signaling his company to advance, he entered a determined line of enemy defense, coolly and deliberately shifted his position, and shot 3 more enemy soldiers. Undaunted by enemy fire, he crawled within 20 yards of a machinegun nest, tossed his last hand grenade into the position, and after the explosion charged the emplacement firing his rifle. When night fell, he scouted enemy positions alone for several hours and returned with valuable information which enabled our attacking infantry and armor to knock out 2 enemy tanks. At daybreak he again led the advance and, when flanking elements were pinned down by enemy fire, without hesitation made his way toward a hostile machinegun position and from a distance of 50 yards killed the crew and 2 supporting riflemen. The remainder of the enemy, finding themselves without automatic weapon support, fled panic stricken. Pfc. Biddle's intrepid courage and superb daring during his 20-hour action enabled his battalion to break the enemy grasp on Hotton with a minimum of casualties.

DAVIS, SAMMY L.

Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Battery C, 2d Battalion, 4th Artillery, 9th Infantry Division. Place and date: West of Cai Lay, Republic of Vietnam, 18 November 1967. Entered service at: Indianapolis, Ind. Born: 1 November 1946, Dayton, Ohio. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Davis (then Pfc.) distinguished himself during the early morning hours while serving as a cannoneer with Battery C, at a remote fire support base. At approximately 0200 hours, the fire support base was under heavy enemy mortar attack. Simultaneously, an estimated reinforced Viet Cong battalion launched a fierce ground assault upon the fire support base. The attacking enemy drove to within 25 meters of the friendly positions. Only a river separated the Viet Cong from the fire support base. Detecting a nearby enemy position, Sgt. Davis seized a machine gun and provided covering fire for his guncrew, as they attempted to bring direct artillery fire on the enemy. Despite his efforts, an enemy recoilless rifle round scored a direct hit upon the artillery piece. The resultant blast hurled the guncrew from their weapon and blew Sgt. Davis into a foxhole. He struggled to his feet and returned to the howitzer, which was burning furiously. Ignoring repeated warnings to seek cover, Sgt. Davis rammed a shell into the gun. Disregarding a withering hail of enemy fire directed against his position, he aimed and fired the howitzer which rolled backward, knocking Sgt. Davis violently to the ground. Undaunted, he returned to the weapon to fire again when an enemy mortar round exploded within 20 meters of his position, injuring him painfully. Nevertheless, Sgt. Davis loaded the artillery piece, aimed and fired. Again he was knocked down by the recoil. In complete disregard for his safety, Sgt. Davis loaded and fired 3 more shells into the enemy. Disregarding his extensive injuries and his inability to swim, Sgt. Davis picked up an air mattress and struck out across the deep river to rescue 3 wounded comrades on the far side. Upon reaching the 3 wounded men, he stood upright and fired into the dense vegetation to prevent the Viet Cong from advancing. While the most seriously wounded soldier was helped across the river, Sgt. Davis protected the 2 remaining casualties until he could pull them across the river to the fire support base. Though suffering from painful wounds, he refused medical attention, joining another howitzer crew which fired at the large Viet Cong force until it broke contact and fled. Sgt. Davis' extraordinary heroism, at the risk of his life, are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the U.S. Army.

Nov 9 2007
I recently participate in a veteran's ceremony where I had the pleasure of meeting Major Bob Palmer (Retired) one of our WW2 heroes. Bob entered the Air Force December 8, 1941 (the day after Pearl Harbor Attack) at the age of 19. He was a B-24 bomber pilot from 1941 to 1945 and flew 175 combat missions in the South Pacific in a three year span. After military service he attended medical school and returned to the Air Force and retired after 40 years of service, truly an amazing man. He is now 86 and does volunteer work. He wore his uniform for the ceremony..........
Paul Rogers

Alvin Collum York was born to an impoverished farming family in Tennessee on December 13, 1887, the third of eleven children. On June 5, 1917, at the age of 29, Alvin York received a notice to register for the draft. From that day, until he arrived back from the War on May 29, 1919, he kept a diary of his activities. York was inducted into the United States Army and served in Company G, 328th Infantry Regiment, 82nd Infantry Division at Camp Gordon, Georgia.

After the war:
On June 7, 1919, Alvin York married Gracie Williams. They had 7 children, all of whom were named after famous American historical figures. York founded the Alvin C. York Agricultural Institute, a private agricultural institute in Jamestown, Tennessee, that was eventually turned over to the State of Tennessee. York also opened a Bible School, and later operated a mill in Pall Mall on the Wolf River.

During the Second World War, York was called to active duty with the rank of major. He was involved with recruiting and war bond drives as well as inspection tours of American soldiers in training.

For his military service York received the following military awards:
Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Victory Medal, American Campaign Medal, World War Two Victory Medal, the French Legion of Honor, the French Croix de Guerre with Palm, the Italian Croce di Guerra and the Montenegran War Medal.

Alvin York died at the Veterans Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee on September 2, 1964, of a cerebral hemorrhage and was buried at the Wolf River Cemetery in Pall Mall.
[source: wikipedia.org]