While a group of local military veterans is seeking funds to build a new monument in Holton’s Linscott Park to honor Jackson County’s recipients of the Purple Heart medal, The Holton Recorder is seeking the stories of how those veterans received their Purple Hearts for publication.
More than 70 names have so far been submitted for inclusion on the Purple Heart monument, which Holton American Legion Post 44, the local American Legion Riders, the Sons of the American Legion and Holton VFW Post 1367 would like to see built in Linscott Park by this coming Memorial Day.
Each of those veterans has a story to tell, and in the past, The Recorder has told some of those stories. However, some of the names to be placed on the monument may not be as well known, but their stories are no less worth telling.
The Recorder invites surviving veterans and their family members to share those stories. Information, including photos of the soldier, may be brought to The Recorder office on the south side of Holton’s Town Square; sent by regular mail to The Holton Recorder, P.O. Box 311, Holton, KS 66436; or e-mailed to holtonrecorder@embarqmail.com
Purple Heart recipients whose names are slated to appear on the new memorial are listed below.
• Afghanistan killed in action (KIA):
Pfc. Cody G. Baker.
Sfc. Bernard L. Deghand.
Cpt. Jason T. McMahon.
• Iraq wounded in action:
Lt. Col. Erich Campbell.
Lance Cpl. Justin Martinez.
• Vietnam KIA:
Pfc. Dennis A. Denton.
Lance Cpl. Victor Hale.
1st Lt. Kerry E. Hess.
Pfc. Martin Jim Jr.
1st Lt. Dale Melbrant.
Sgt. Floyd C. Nevins.
Spc. Danny J. Peterson.
Cpl. James C. Strube.
• Vietnam wounded in action:
Spc. Merle Houlabugh.
1st Lt. William Hoppes.
Sgt. Norman Jepson.
Sgt. Gary Knott.
SSgt. Walt Niemeyer.
Sgt. Arnold Robertson.
Csm. Brad Stauffer.
• Korea KIA:
Pfc. Lee R. Barnes.
Pfc. Harland D. Jenkins.
Major Robert T. Letta.
Pfc. Robert J. Lewelling.
2nd Lt. Burt A. Robson.
Pvt. Donald E. Wilson.
• World War II KIA:
SSgt. Earl E. Bengtson.
1st Lt. Godfrey H. Bernhardt.
Pfc. Leonard Boyd.
Pvt. Neal A. Bunton.
Pfc. Wayne B. Cole.
TEC 5 Merle G. Couch.
Pfc. John V. Cunningham.
Sgt. Buford N. Edwards.
TEC 5 Harmon J. Fernkopf.
2nd Lt. Charles R. Fletcher.
TSgt. James O. Gatewood.
SSgt. Phillip H. Gatewood.
Sgt. Theodore I. Glotzbach.
1st Lt. Hollis D. Harold.
1st Lt. Charles E. Harris.
SSgt. Claud W. Osborne.
1st Lt. Ivan Salts.
Cpl. Lehland Staufford.
TEC 4 Lowell E. Venneberg.
Chaplain Eunace A. Wallace.
SSgt. Paul G. Wamego.
Cpl. Marlin W. Wilson.
• World War II wounded in action:
Sgt. Raymond Gardner.
RT1 Harold Hewitt.
SOM3 Russell L. Ireland.
Pfc. Milton LaClair.
Pvt. Raymond McKee.
Pfc. Paul Moudoek.
Pfc. Alvin Pelton.
Cpl. Claude Rieschick.
• World War I KIA:
Pvt. Frank Cadue.
Pvt. William Lasley.
• Other KIA:
Francis Shoptese.
LaVern Thomas.
• Other wounded in action:
Joseph Hale.
Mirl W. Hollabaugh.
Joe Jessepe.
Larry Mitchel.
Leroy Mzhickteno.
Marvin Mzhickteno.
Vernon Mzhickteno.
Everett Noble.
Tom Ramirez.
Elwin Shopteese.
Jack Shopteese.
For more information on the monument or an order form for personalized bricks to be placed at the monument, contact Mike McManigal at 364-3131. Donations for the monument’s construction are tax-deductible and may be sent to the American Legion, P.O. Box 184, Holton, KS 66436.
