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Veterans Honored

23 local veterans inducted into Washington County Hall of Fame

Twenty-three veterans were honored Saturday by being inducted into the Washington County Veterans Hall of Fame.

This is the fourth year for the ceremony, held at the Dyson-Baudo Recreation Center at Marietta College.

Jared Smith, president of the Washington County Veterans Service Commission, said there have been 66 inductees into the hall of fame. This is the largest class to be inducted, as they usually honor 15 veterans.

Dale Ferrell, 85, of Marietta, said he was “surprised” when he was nominated.

“Very much so. It’s a nice honor. There’s a lot of guys that should have had it instead of me,” he said. “I believe that, too.”

Ferrell was born in Washington County and has lived here most of his life.

He laughed when he said he joined the Marines because of “stupidity.” He was one of 16 from his class at Marietta High School that joined the Marines.

“There’s three left of the 16,” he said.

Ferrell served from February 1954 to February 1957 as a U.S. Marine. After boot camp at Camp Pendleton, he was stationed in Okinawa, Japan, for 14 months.

“I was in an engineer battalion. It was the 3rd Engineer Battalion, 3rd Marine Division. We went to Okinawa and we started building quonset huts for the rest of the 3rd Marine Division to come down from Japan,” he said.

Reno resident Reggie Pickering was also one of the 16 of his graduating class who joined the Marines right out of high school.

He was in the Marines right as the hostilities in Korea ended.

He said he joined the Marines because “it seemed like the thing to do.”

Pickering has also lived in Washington County his entire life.

He’s been the chaplain with the Marine Corps League for five years in

Detachment 1087 in Wood County.

Before COVID, he said he would visit a different nursing home each week as part of a project. They would talk about “anything that came up,” he said, including their time in the service.

He visited mostly Marines, but veterans from all branches.

“The people who ran the nursing homes would give us a list of veterans and we’d take the list and go by it,” Pickering said. “We had several World War II veterans that we’d visit. Two of them were in the Battle of the Bulge.”

Along with the 23 inductees, there were four annual awards given out.

“This year the executive committee of the Washington County Veterans Hall of Fame took appropriate action to officially name the Washington County Veteran of the Year Award after the late and great Chad D. Wright, United States Marine and Veterans Service Officer of Heaven,” Smith said. “From 2021 forward, the Washington County Veteran of the Year Award shall be named The Chad D. Wright Memorial Award.”

This year’s recipient was Bernard “Bernie” Lyons, U.S. Marine Corps veteran and adjutant of the Mid-Ohio Valley Platoon of the Marine Corps Veterans Association.

The other Washington County Veterans 2021 Annual Awards were:

∫ Washington County Veterans Distinguished Service Award — Jeanetta Berentz.

∫ Washington County Veterans Community Service Award — KMSN Apartments and Over the Moon Pizza.

∫ Washington County Veterans Committee Chair Award of Excellence — American Flags & Poles and Ron’s Porta Johns.

The 23 inductees into the 2021 Washington County Veterans Hall of Fame are:

John Everett Baker

∫ Rank: Corporal

∫ Branch: U.S. Marine Corps (1966-1968)

∫ Nominated by: Tom Mullenix

∫ Why was he nominated? Distinguished military service: Purple Heart, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, and the National Defense Medal.

Kenneth E. Bigley

∫ Rank: Sergeant

∫ Branch: U.S. Army (1968-1970)

∫ Nominated by: Regis Kern

∫ Why was he nominated? Devoted veterans advocate and distinguished military service: Bronze Star, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and the Army Commendation Medal.

Orval E. Boston (posthumous)

∫ Rank: Staff Sergeant

∫ Branch: U.S. Army Air Corps (1942-1945)

∫ Nominated by: Kevin Boston

∫ Why was he nominated? Distinguished military service: distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, Asiatic Pacific Theater Medal with Bronze Service Star.

Carl J. Carte (posthumous)

∫ Rank: Specialist

∫ Branch: U.S. Army (1943-1947)

∫ Nominated by: Tom Mullenix

∫ Why was he nominated? Distinguished military service: European African Middle Eastern Medal, Army Commendation Medal, WWII Occupation Medal, WWII Victory Medal, Distinguished Unit Badge, Bronze Star Arrowhead and the Expert Infantryman Badge.

Dale E. Ferrell

∫ Rank: Corporal

∫ Branch: U.S. Marine Corps (1954-1957)

∫ Nominated by: Don King

∫ Why was he nominated? Devoted veterans advocate, exceptional civic and community service.

Arthur R. Hall

∫ Rank: Specialist 3

∫ Branch: U.S. Army (1954-1956)

∫ Nominated by: Roy Campbell

∫ Why was he nominated? Devoted veterans advocate, exceptional civic and community service.

William Harpold

∫ Rank: Staff Sergeant

∫ Branch: U.S. Army (1979-1988)

∫ Nominated by: Gary Henderson

∫ Why was he nominated? Devoted veterans advocate, exceptional civic and community service.

Lonnie Lewis

∫ Rank: Specialist

∫ Branch: U.S. Army (1964-1966)

∫ Nominated by: Regis Kern

∫ Why was he nominated? Devoted veterans advocate, exceptional civic and community service.

Robert H. Mason

(posthumous)

∫ Rank: Tech Sergeant

∫ Branch: U.S. Army (1941-1945)

∫ Nominated by: Larry Proctor

∫ Why was he nominated? Distinguished military service: Bronze Star, Purple Heart, European African Middle Eastern Medal, American Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal and the Good Conduct Medal.

Earl A. “Mac” McMullen

(posthumous)

∫ Rank: Specialist

∫ Branch: U.S. Army (1970-1971)

∫ Nominated by: Cindy Ruble

∫ Why was he nominated? Distinguished military service: Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman Badge, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with two Bronze Service Stars, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.

Daniel B. Metz

(posthumous)

∫ Rank: Sergeant

∫ Branch: U.S. Army (1943-1946)

∫ Nominated by: Larry Proctor

∫ Why was he nominated? Distinguished military service: Purple Heart, American Campaign Medal, the European African Middle Eastern Medal with four Bronze Service Stars, and the WWII Victory Medal.

Scott D. Parks

∫ Rank: Corporal

∫ Branch: U.S. Marine Corps (1988-1992)

∫ Nominated by: Tom Kukulka

∫ Why was he nominated? Professional achievement: Buckeye State Sheriff’s Association Medal of Honor, Ohio Attorney General’s Law Enforcement Valor Award, and the 2015 Washington County Ohio Deputy Sheriff of the Year.

Reginald Pickering

∫ Rank: Corporal

∫ Branch: U.S. Marine Corps (1954-1956)

∫ Nominated by: Don King

∫ Why was he nominated? Devoted veterans advocate, exceptional civic and community service: Inducted into the Miami University Hall of Fame, as well as the Mid-Ohio Valley Hall of Fame. Reginald is the 2019 recipient of the Washington County Veterans Hall of Fame “Veteran of the Year” Award.

Daniel L. Quimby, Gold Star Service Member (posthumous)

∫ Rank: Lance Corporal

∫ Branch: U.S. Marine Corps (1968)

∫ Nominated by: Sherry Lynn Saunders

∫ Why was he nominated? Distinguished military service: Purple Heart, National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, and the Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm.

Doug M. Seeley, Gold Star Service Member (posthumous)

∫ Rank: Captain

∫ Branch: U.S. Air Force (1970-1971)

∫ Nominated by: Larry Proctor

∫ Why was he nominated? Distinguished military service: Purple Heart, Air Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, and the Vietnam Campaign Medal with Bronze Service Star.

Roy D. Sees

∫ Rank: Private First Class

∫ Branch: U.S. Army (1943-1945)

∫ Nominated by: Roy M. “Mike” Sees

∫ Why was he nominated? Distinguished military service: The Bronze Star, Purple Heart, American Campaign Medal, the European African Middle Eastern Medal with two Bronze Service Stars, Distinguished Unit Award, Good Conduct Medal, WWII Victory Medal and the French Legion of Honor.

Bruce C. Shover, Gold Star Service Member (posthumous)

∫ Rank: Private First Class

∫ Branch: U.S. Army (1970-1971)

∫ Nominated by: Tom Kukulka

∫ Why was he nominated? Distinguished military service: Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Combat Infantryman Badge, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, and Vietnam Campaign Medal.

John F. Sprigg

∫ Rank: Sergeant

∫ Branch: U.S. Marine Corps (1963-1967)

∫ Nominated by: Don King

∫ Why was he nominated? Distinguished military service, Devoted Veterans Advocate, Exceptional Civic and Community Service: Awarded the Bronze Star with Combat Distinguished “Valor” Device, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, and the Good Conduct Medal. In addition to John’s distinguished military career, he is extremely active in the community and is a passionate veterans advocate.

Alfred E. Venham

∫ Rank: First Sergeant

∫ Branch: U.S. Army (1981-2012)

∫ Nominated by: Jared Smith

∫ Why was he nominated? Distinguished military service, Devoted Veterans Advocate, Exceptional Civic and Community Service: Meritorious Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal (4th award), Army Achievement Medal (5th award), Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Army Superior Unit Award, Army Good Conduct Medal (3rd award), Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal (4th award), War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with M device, and the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with 30-year device Gold. He is extremely active in the veterans community and is the founder of 501(c)(3) Operation Give A Veteran A Car.

Steven Wainwright

∫ Rank: Captain

∫ Branch: U.S. Army (1972-1984)

∫ Nominated by: Jared Smith

∫ Why was he nominated? Professional achievement, exceptional philanthropic endeavors, devoted veterans advocate, exceptional civic and community service.

Christian Duaine Ward, Gold Star Service Member (posthumous)

∫ Rank: Specialist

∫ Branch: U.S. Army (2015-2019)

∫ Nominated by: James Booth

∫ Why was he nominated? Distinguished military service: Next of Kin Lapel Pin Gold Star Service Member and awarded the Army Commendation Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Medal, Global War on Terror Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon and the Army Aviation Crew Badge.

George W. Wulfert

∫ Rank: Private First Class

∫ Branch: U.S. Army (1951-1953)

∫ Nominated by: Ken Blume

∫ Why was he nominated? Devoted veterans advocate, exceptional civic and community service.

Larry Woods

∫ Rank: Petty Officer First Class

∫ Branch: U.S. Navy (1971-1999)

∫ Nominated by: Tom Kukulka

∫ Why was he nominated? Devoted veterans advocate, exceptional civic and community service.

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