Brigadier General John Rhodes told a large audience at the Veterans’ Day program at the American Legion in Calhoun City Monday that life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are uniquely American.
“We cherish these truths and make necessary sacrifices to defend them, even in the face of danger,” he said. “Our forefathers fought and won our independence on these very principles. Since the revolutionary war, the American way of life has been attacked through the centuries, but has endured because of almighty God and the defenders of freedom.”
Gen. Rhodes
“It is appropriate that we remember those that have served our country and honor those whose lives were cut short fighting our nation’s battles,” he said. “The faces of freedom surround us here today as we pay special tribute to those who were awarded the purple heart.”
The Calhoun City program featured the reading of all Purple Heart recipients from Calhoun County from World War I to present day.
Gail Wilson, Vietnam veteran and Post 3978 quartermaster, spoke at the program on the Bruce Square Sunday morning.
“Take time to visit with our sick and disabled veterans in our veterans’ homes and nursing homes and ensure them they will not be forgotten,” Wilson said.
“For me, Veterans’ Day has always been a day of reflection. It’s a day I allow myself to go back to my days in Vietnam and remember and pay tribute to those special men and women with whom I served,” Wilson said. “Pres. Ronald Reagan once summed it up very well. ‘Blessings of liberty which our ancestors secured for us and which we still enjoy are ours only because in each generation there have been brave men and women willing to bear the hardships and sacrifices of serving in the military forces to preserve our freedom. They deserve our recognition for everything they have done.’”
Bob Cook, speaking at the veterans’ day program at Calhoun City High School, urged the students to learn to “get along.”
“You guys have never known a time that we didn’t have soldiers in harm’s way somewhere in this world,” Cook said.
More than 3.5 billion people have died in war throughout history, Cook said. He asked the students attending to learn how to work together and bring peace to the world.
“If your generation doesn’t get it right, it’s probably not going to happen,” Cook told the students. “Your generation must be able to get along together.”
Purple Heart recipients honored at the Calhoun City program included:
World War I – Henry C. Abbot, Sam G. Ashby, Roy L. Barker, James R. Beckham, Robert Cecil Burke, Worther Carter, Marion L. Griffin, George Gulledge, Charles P. Haley, George J. Kappler, Walter I, Nations, Barney F. Poynor, Morris Smallwood, George N. Sprayberry.
World War II – Raymond F. Adkins, John L. Akins, S.T. Bailey, Grady Y. Brannon, Estol Barton, Robert Andrew Beckett, Elam L. Bennett, Jesse R. Benning, Clayton Lee Betterton, Willie A. Bevill, Charles D. Boyles, Adrian E. Bramlett, Ottis L. Bratton, Felix G. Brown, Lemuel Truman Cantrell, Randolph L. Carty, Julius T. Caviness, Melvin H. Clanton, Ray N. Crocker, Claud H. Denton, James W. Dover, Charles Ado Dunagin, Fredrick G. Easley, James W. Edmundson, J.A. Ellard Jr., Robert Lee Embry Jr., Dover C. Fleming Jr., Henry L. Griffin, J.W. Gulledge, Henry L. Gullick, William A. Gullick, Charles C. Gumm, Russell Hancock, Jewel J. Harris, Judge Clayton Hellums, Terrell L. Hollis, Junior Hood, A.G. Hubbard, Arnold Allen Ingram, Euylse Earl Jackson, Jack Bradford James, James W. Johnson, James Walter Johnson, Theron D. Johnson, L.C. Jones, Willie Ray Keenum, Dencil K. Mabus, Stanley Edwain Massey, Buel McGreger, Wayne B. McKelroy, James Harold Miller, Robert A. Morgan, Roy R. Morgan, Perry A. Morris, Adron E. Nichols, Denzel Overby, James P. Phillips, William H. Reeder, James Earl Rogers, Earl Brewer Sherman, John Thomas Simmons Jr., Benford B. Simpson, Everett Ted Skinner, Rex A. Smallwood, Earnest Smith, Fremon C. Taylor, Harrison A. Tutor, Durrell Wade, Mervin R. Williams, Cynclair B. Wilson, Gerald L. Wilson, James Eugene Winter, Robert Young, O.C. Adams, Wilmer A. Bailey, Robert L. Betterton, James E. Blount, U.L. Boland, George B. Boyles, William C. Brand, Georgia Brooks Brasher, Thomas Wilbur Brown Sr., Charles Odie Busby, Fayette Skelton Byrd, Harold Newton Byrd, Carl L. Carrithers, Fred W. Carter, Matelon E. Chrestman, Fred Lee Collins, James Lee Covington, Grafton Buren Crawford, Henry Cecil Doler, Walter Oakley Edington, J.W. G. Estes, G.C. Goar Jr., Raif Goodson, R.L. Goodson, L.V. Gregory, Loy E. Gullick, Harvie L. Hardin, Calvin Dee Harrison, Dwight Hellums, James Truett Helms, Malon Henry, Edsel B. Hitt, Everett D. Hollis, Herman Alton Houston, Charley Therrell Hubbard, Rufus Roger Hubbard, Fern Inmon, James Vardaman Inmon Jr., Curtis H. James Jr., Henry Isaac James Jr., David A. Johnson, Carl M. Johnstone Jr., Ovid Kimbrough, Randall D. Logan, Bill Mallory, Hulon Marshall, James H. Martin, Glen Dale Mayhan, Bryant S. McCluskey, James Odell McCostlin, Richard Ellis Mooneyham Jr., John A. Murphree, Raymond Elion Murphree, Ray Winton Murphree, C.L. Nichols Jr., Daniel L. Parker, John W. Pendergrast, Elton W. Roane, Archie Fairlee Roberts, James Sid Ross, Clinton Ruth, I.W. Ruth, Wesley Bennett Ruth Jr., Fleetwood Smith, Herman Smith, Leamon W. Smith, Lloyd Smith, Rex Spencer, James R. Stewart, James E. Tallant, James Melvin Tedder, Charles Morris Tedder, Grady Bennett Tharp, Doyle B. Thomas, Cecil Ray Tolley, Arthur J. Turner, Ollen Turner, Willis Buford Usry, James W. Vance, William Elvis Vance, Coleman A. Vaughn, Robert Whitworth, James Rudell Willis Sr., J.B. Winter, Robert L. Winter, Doyle D. Wright, Ross E. Young.
World War II and Korea – Walter B. Orr.
Korea – Leroy Baker, Robert W. Clanton, Robert E.L. Kennedy, Arthur G. Parker, Hugh W. Walker, Riley F. Chrestman, R.L. “Bozie” Dye, Howard R. Goodson, Chester T. Inman.
Korea and Vietnam – Paul Ernest Russell.
Vietnam – Melvin Lynn Boland, John Wayne Brown, Charles Ray Jones, Howell Johnson Boyles, Joseph Carnaggio, Charlie Eugene Carter, George E. “Sonny” Casmus, Thomas L. Cole Jr., Elbie Wayne Dickerson, Larry Goodwin, Billy Mac Gore, Thomas “Butch” Harris, Robert Larry Helms, William James Myers, Mark Aaron Nix, James Franke West, Gail Alvin Wilson.
Iraq – Steven Carlson.