At age 17 and fresh out of high school, Ollie applied for the Marine Corps but because of a bad wrist found himself in the Merchant Marines. After a short time he decided that was not what he was looking for, so came home and at age 18 was drafted into the Army. At age … Continue reading test Veteran Salute– Mr. OLEPH A ‘Ollie’ Williams
Scott was born in Kansas City and raised in Oak Grove. In 1990 at the age of 20, Scott hoped to join the Air Force, but was fascinated by the Marine uniform and the opportunity to become a police officer after his four years in the military. So he joined the Marines to become a … Continue reading test Veteran Salute – Scott Grasher
Herbert Harvey was given the name Jack when he went into the Navy at the age of 17. After Jack’s cousin was killed in WWII, he and four of his friends decided the Navy was to be their new home. After basic training, where learning to swim was all he felt he learned, Jack spent … Continue reading test Veterans Salute – Herbert Leon (Jack) Harver Sr.
So you’ve heard about the cat with nine lives. Well, let me tell you about Hans Schultze, a former Marine who has cheated death seven times – twice as a civilian; five as a Marine. Whoever said, “You can’t keep a good man down,” must have had 83-year-old Hans in mind. The longtime Independence resident … Continue reading test Local WWII veteran again defies death
Every Tuesday evening a group of teens and preteens gather at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1000 in Independence to learn the inner values of honor, courage and commitment. Wearing military boots and camouflaged uniforms, these youth represent Young Marines, the focal point for the U.S. Marine Corps Youth Drug Demand Reduction Program. Sponsored by … Continue reading test Answering the call of duty
It’s only a pipe dream, but wouldn’t it be fitting if the proposed Missouri Korean War Veterans Memorial in Kansas City could be dedicated next June on the 60th anniversary of the Korean War? So say members of the Missouri Korean War Veterans Memorial Committee, which is spearheading the statewide campaign to raise $1.5 million … Continue reading test Area Korean War veterans raising funds for memorial
When Charlie Barnes, adjutant of the Simpson-Hoggatt Marine Corps League Detachment, began delving into the lives of James Simpson Jr. and Harry Hoggatt – for whom the Kansas City detachment was named – little did he know his intensive research would trigger a pre-Memorial Day observance involving a group of Cub Scout Webelos. The ceremony … Continue reading test Haight: Curiosity leads to charity
Helen Matson isn’t sure why she’s so committed to capturing the stories of military service veterans. Maybe it’s because she learns best by seeing and listening to the veterans instead of just reading dates in a history book. Or, perhaps it’s because she never really knew the stories of her father and his service in … Continue reading test Helen Matson – Veterans memories are precious to retiring volunteer