Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Preble County Veteran Services Officer Keith Carr salutes the flag during Eaton’s annual Memorial Day services.
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
The Preble County Honor Guard provided a 21 Gun Salute and played “Taps” to close the Eaton Memorial Day ceremony Monday, May 29.
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Communities across Preble County remembered those individuals who have lost their lives in service while protecting the nation’s freedoms during Memorial Day parades and ceremonies held last week. Ceremonies were held in New Paris, West Alexandria, and Lewisburg and Gratis in the days leading up to Memorial Day, and on Memorial Day in Camden, Eaton and West Elkton. Gratis speaker Lt. Scott Detling is a 37-year veteran with the Ohio National Guard. Detling, a Darke County native, is currently the Deputy Commander of the 147th Regional Training Center in Columbus. During his career, Detling spent 21 years serving in the 1487th Transportation Company and has been deployed twice.
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
During the Gratis ceremony held at Fairview Cemetery, Gary Moore introduced the local veterans who helped with the parade, many with decades of service: Nick Combs, Skylar Dougherty, Sean Dougherty, Chip Baker, Glen Salem, Steven Rhinedell, Phil Bush, and himself.
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald
PREBLE COUNTY — Communities across Preble County remembered those individuals who have lost their lives in service while protecting the nation’s freedoms during Memorial Day parades and ceremonies held last week.
Ceremonies were held in New Paris, West Alexandria, and Lewisburg and Gratis in the days leading up to Memorial Day, and on Memorial Day in Camden, Eaton and West Elkton.
Gratis’ parade and ceremony were held on Sunday, May 28.
During the ceremony held at Fairview Cemetery, Gary Moore introduced the local veterans who helped with the parade, many with decades of service: Nick Combs, Skylar Dougherty, Sean Dougherty, Chip Baker, Glen Salem, Steven Rhinedell, Phil Bush, and himself.
“If you total all those up, there’s quite a few years of service there. So these guys, especially the last five, have been doing it 30-plus years, and I really appreciate it. I think the five of us have only missed two times, one was during Covid, but the other one was when they went to Desert Shield or Desert Storm,” Moore said.
Moore went on to introduce the speaker for the day, Lt. Scott Detling, a 37-year veteran with the Ohio National Guard. Detling, a Darke County native, is currently the Deputy Commander of the 147th Regional Training Center in Columbus. During his career, Detling spent 21 years serving in the 1487th Transportation Company and has been deployed twice. He and his family currently live in Springboro.
“I appreciate the opportunity to speak to you in Gratis on this Memorial Day,” Detling said. “I spent so many years here in Preble County, serving as a truck driver with the 1487th Transportation Company. We are the Iron Camels. It’s really good to be back again, today especially, on this solemn occasion. Being Memorial Day, there is one thing you can count on, is our squad he’s talking about, to salute our nation’s heroes.”
“We’ve got many heroes to remember, today, right here from Gratis, from Preble County, the Miami Valley and from the tri state area itself. Long before our service and years of commemoration in the aftermath of the Civil War, citizens in both the north and the south established days of remembrance. There have been many funerals and burials to tend to, in fact the National Cemetery system was established and grew as both sides left war behind. The first Memorial Day was actually called Decoration Day, the day set aside to decorate and dress up those cemeteries beginning in 1868,” Detling said.
“One of those local heroes from the Civil War was a Boston Indiana Pastor, John Milton Whitehead, who grew up about 25 miles from Gratis across the state line,” he continued.
“Reverend Whitehead survived the war. But what is noteworthy is that what he did during the Battle of Stones River, Tennessee. Though obviously a noncombatant, Whitehead carried mortally wounded Union soldiers from the battlefield, comforted them in their dying hours and stayed with them until they passed. He returned to the battlefield repeatedly to retrieve more of the wounded and provide the same for them. For his bravery and care of those soldiers, John Milton Whitehead became the first chaplain in U.S. history to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for service to the Union and to the men he led spiritually. Truly, his service is to be commended.”
“As the years passed, with Americans fighting the Spanish American War and World War I, Decoratoin Day became more than just a Civil War Commemoration Day, but a day to remember all who gave the ultimate sacrifice, though it was not formally endorsed as a national observance until 1971,” Detlinger said. “Memorial Day had become an annual observance for all in this last week of May in the years leading up to World War II. In the year’s that followed, to maintain the memory of the fallen for all wars became commonplace, including World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Afghanistan, Iraqi Freedom and the War Against Terrorism.
“Another local hero from Gratis, was recognized for his service and gallantry in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Private First Class Lowell Wolfe, who’s interred at this place of rest was recognized for knocking out two enemy machine guns in Okinawa. Of course, it took more than 60 years for Mr. Wolf to be awarded his medals, but he was conferred the Bronze Star for his actions, and two Purple Hearts for separate engagements with a Japanese. What made him perform under all the pressures of battle? Though I didn’t have a chance to meet him, I’d say it was a commitment to duty. It was important to Mr. Wolf to do his job for his country, his family and his buddies. Wolf was like many survivors of the war, they wanted no big fanfare made of themselves. They simply wanted to return home to raise families and make a life for themselves. And hoping as Mr. Wolf once said, men quote, ‘find a way to have peace and glory without words,’ unquote. Mission accomplished, well done soldier,” Detlinger said.
He continued, “And we remember selfless service as a hallmark of so many of us who have either served or have been supportive family members of service members. Private First Class Douglas Dickey was born in Darke County to a farming community who lent him to the Marine Corps when he enlisted in 1965. His service in Vietnam began in 1967. Doug was a fine Marine, like me from Darke County, and he had been with his unit for about four months. One day in Quang Tri Province, while Dickey and his unit engaged the enemy at close range, an enemy grenade rolled into the area where he and his buddies crouched. Having assessed the situation and without hesitation, Dickey did the most selfless thing he could do. He jumped on and covered that grenade to save his fellow Marines. His actions match loyalty and love. He was known back home in Ohio for that. Douglas Dickey was bestowed the Congressional Medal of Honor. His selfless service brought great honor to his family, but as another example of great love for the traditions of this country, as well. Some things are worth fighting and sacrificing oneself for, and we remember Private First Class Douglas Dickey.”
“Combat affects service members in many different ways,” Detlinger told those in attendance. “Everyone tolerates, processes and survives its effects in their own way. I’ve been fortunate enough to survive combat on two separate occasions, and each case, every Iron Camel serving with me returned home safely. But not everyone returns to normal life, it changed and for some, the experience of horror in combat stressors can become unbearable. Certainly since I returned, we’ve lost service members whose lives were undoubtedly shortened and I have no doubt for some of them those combat stressors, their personal sacrifices, and family separation all played a role in those soldiers leaving us prematurely. Of course, others have passed and significant health events happen, but all warfighters serve with distinction. I salute them as well for their service now and think of their families now as well. Please feel free to think and speak the name of the service member you want to thank and remember now, while I execute my roll call ofIron Camels. Post Specialist Steve Schaeffer, Staff Sergeant Chris Na, Sergeant Mike Beeler, Staff Sergeant Robert Smith, Sergeant Rocky Copenhaven, Specialist Cody Suggs, Staff Sergeant Shirley Hoover, Staff Sergeant John Quatro, Master Sergeant Robert Watt, Sergeant First Class Cork Unger, Sergeant First Class Danny Michael, Staff Sergeant Felix Smith and Staff Sergeant Paul Hebler. Well done soldiers, you are not forgotten.
I want to also mention those last three names Danny Michael in the Marine Corps, Felix Smith in the army, and Paul Hebeler, in the Navy. They were already Vietnam-era warriors with operational experience when they volunteered for Desert Storm. Service members in their era were not welcomed home with much fanfare. I want to especially thank them for being willing to lead soldiers into battle again. Their selfless service, combat experience and willingness to teach our younger bunch propelled our trucking companies to success again, brought us all home safe. And it was an honor to share that amazing welcome home at the Preble County Fairgrounds upon our return.
”I believe Memorial Day is important to remembering our heroes, validating that their lives were valuable, and that they made their mark that won’t be forgotten, but also to keep with our American traditions, the very fabric of what makes our country different from all the rest. And yes we’re gonna go out and hang out with family this long weekend. But that’s why are our heroes served – to preserve our freedom. We should do them great honor by celebrating for them and no doubt because of them. God bless our heroes, their families. And God bless America,” Detlinger closed.
The annual Memorial Day Parade and associated services were held in Eaton on Monday, May 29.
At the first stop on the traditional parade route a brief ceremony was held at the Main Street Bridge. Rev. Lowell Spencer provided the invocation at both the bridge and at the Mound Hill Cemetery ceremony.
The Eaton High School Band performed during the parade and at the ceremonies.
Preble County Veteran Services Officer Keith Carr spoke, as did guest speaker Eaton Municipal Court Judge Ed Kalil.
“Memorial Day is all about the soldiers and sailors that gave their lives for our country,” Carr told those in attendance. “Most of these individuals were young, they werein their prime getting ready to to have families and to make the most of their lives, but they sacrificed it all. So this weekend, whenever you’re hanging out with your family and having cookouts and everything, think about those 18 to 40-year-olds that were willing to sacrifice it all. They gave up two lives — the one that they were already living and the one that they could have had as parents, grandparents, and professionals.”
Kalil shared the history of Memorial Day, from its creation in New York in May 1866 to 1968 when the Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act which established Memorial Day on the last Monday in May beginning in 1971. He also challenged everyone to take a look around at the graves of the veterans they passed as they left Mound Hill Cemetery.
“Everybody here has a connection, more than the beginning of summer unofficially starting today, more than the good music that we’re listening to. We all have a connection to this. When you go back to your cars after this is over, take the long way back. Look at some of these graves. Read what they’ve done for us, and you’ll see a connection directly to you for what they’ve done. Even on this side, the old part of the cemetery. That’s your challenge when you go back — just take an extra lap around and read those stones. This way you’ll understand like I did, even if you’re not a native of Preble County. We’re all citizens and these people did this all for us,” Kalil said.
Local singing group Something Good performed, and Boy Scout Troop 78 performed a flag folding ceremony. The Preble County Honor Guard provided a 21 Gun Salute and played “Taps” to close the Eaton Memorial Day ceremony.
Reach Eddie Mowen Jr. at 937-683-4061 and follow on Twitter @emowenjr.
