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Jan/Feb 2013 - Korean War Veterans Association

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last year. He was the top vote getter among eleven candidates.<br />

To his credit, Helix did not start Army parachute school until he<br />

was fifty years old—and he finished at the top of his class.<br />

w w w<br />

Kenneth Hoffman...a member of CID 96, North St Louis County<br />

#4 [MO], who served with the U.S. Air Force during the <strong>Korean</strong><br />

<strong>War</strong>, received the 2012 Florissant Veteran of the Year Award following<br />

the <strong>Veterans</strong>’ Parade on Sunday, November 11, 2012. His<br />

service to the community after his military years was a contributing<br />

factor in his selection.<br />

The Veteran of the Year must be honorably discharged, be a<br />

Florissant resident, and be an active volunteer to the community.<br />

Congratulate Hoffman at 25 Ridgelawn Ct., Florissant, MO<br />

63031, 314-837-7387, Ken.Betty.Hoffman@att.net<br />

Read the entire article at http://www.flovalleynews.com/veteran-of-the-year-award-to-be-presented-after-sundays-parade<br />

w w w<br />

Ralph Yelton...of CID 289, Mountain Empire [TN] was featured<br />

in a November 11, 2012 Kingsport [TN] Times-News article. As<br />

the article states, Yelton, a combat engineer and veteran of World<br />

<strong>War</strong> II and the <strong>Korean</strong> <strong>War</strong>, was shot in the spine by machine gun<br />

fire on May 25, 1951. He became the oldest living paralyzed veteran<br />

in the U.S, although the Paralyzed <strong>Veterans</strong> of America cannot<br />

confirm that.<br />

Carol Shelton noted that Ralph was a very active charter member<br />

of the chapter, but as time has gone on and his eyesight has<br />

worsened they see less of him. “He especially enjoyed our<br />

fundraisers, because everyone would stop to talk to the veteran in<br />

a wheelchair, and were more generous in their donations,” she said.<br />

According to reporter Leigh Ann Laube, “The Tennessee<br />

<strong>Korean</strong> <strong>War</strong> Memorial was erected in 1992 in <strong>War</strong> Memorial Plaza<br />

on the Capitol grounds in Nashville.” Yelton told her, “The work I<br />

did on the monument is one thing I feel more accomplishment<br />

about than anything I did.”<br />

w w w<br />

Legion honors three veterans, columnist<br />

By Mary Wicoff<br />

DANVILLE — All Monroe Melzer wanted when he entered<br />

the American Legion Curtis G. Redden Post 210 on Monday was a<br />

bowl of chili. To his surprise, he also got an award.<br />

Melzer was one of four people honored during a program at the<br />

Legion as part its <strong>Veterans</strong> Day activities.<br />

The honorees were: Melzer, Commander’s Award; Hershall<br />

Lee, Lifetime Achievement Award **: Kevin Cullen, certificate of<br />

appreciation; and Victor Tarquini, Legionnaire of the Year Award.<br />

“I just came to eat chili,” Melzer said afterward, expressing his<br />

surprise at the honor.<br />

The Commander’s Award is given to a person, group or establishment<br />

for services to the post. In presenting the award to Melzer,<br />

Commander Frank Atwood praised him for always being available<br />

to help, whether physically or financially.<br />

Melzer, 83, a <strong>Korean</strong> <strong>War</strong> vet, served in the Army from 1950-<br />

53 as a private first class. He was awarded three bronze stars, three<br />

battle stars and other medals.<br />

Lee said of Melzer, “He’s very supportive and is always there<br />

to donate time and effort. That’s a big help to the Legion.” He was<br />

accompanied by his wife, Helen, and other family members.<br />

Lee, a <strong>Korean</strong> <strong>War</strong> vet, was presented the Lifetime<br />

Achievement Award, which goes to an outstanding person who has<br />

gone beyond the norm in terms of service on the local, state and<br />

national level.<br />

Atwood said Lee does numerous duties, including making sure<br />

pictures and history of the Legion get stored. “Anytime I need<br />

something done, he says he’ll do it,” Atwood said.<br />

Lee served in the Air Force, and recently received the Air Force<br />

Salutes Award, and has won numerous other awards. He is one of<br />

the founders of the Illinois <strong>Korean</strong> <strong>War</strong> <strong>Veterans</strong> <strong>Association</strong>.<br />

Tarquini, also a <strong>Korean</strong> <strong>War</strong> vet, was presented the Legionnaire<br />

Award, which is given to a person for outstanding performance<br />

within the post and the community.<br />

He served with the Air Force from 1948-55, including in Korea<br />

from 1950-51. After leaving the service as a staff sergeant, he<br />

worked 30 years at Chanute Air Force Base.<br />

Tarquini, who was unable to attend the ceremony, said of the<br />

award, “I’m completely in awe.” He tries to help out as much as he<br />

can around the Legion, and calls bingo, among other duties.<br />

Cullen of Lafayette, Ind., a former reporter with the<br />

Commercial-News who now writes a weekly column, was given a<br />

certificate for all of his hard work. He has written columns about<br />

veterans and also wrote a history of the Legion, which has been<br />

made into a pamphlet.<br />

The certificate honors him for “outstanding service and assistance<br />

which contributed to the advancement of the American<br />

Legion programs and activities.”<br />

With <strong>Veterans</strong> Day falling on Sunday, Atwood noted that the<br />

churches did “an excellent job making sure veterans are honored.”<br />

By holding its chili dinner/awards program on Monday, he said,<br />

veterans from the <strong>Veterans</strong> Affairs Illiana Health Care System were<br />

able to attend.<br />

At the ceremony/dinner Monday, students from Schlarman<br />

Academy helped out.<br />

** Lee passed away recently. See Mary Wicoff’s story about him<br />

on page 59.<br />

57<br />

The Graybeards <strong>Jan</strong>uary - <strong>Feb</strong>ruary <strong>2013</strong>

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