“This notion of selflessness and sacrifice, the likes of which are exhibited each and every day is the bedrock of our all-volunteer force,” he said. “Today, we are here to honor you, our brave men and women who have proudly served this great nation.”
Credit: JIM NOELKER
Credit: JIM NOELKER
Among those in the crowd were 104-year-old Ken Snavely, a veteran of World War II. Other veterans served in Korea and other armed conflicts around the globe.
Four local veterans received special recognition. They were:
- Fred Pou, a Cold War veteran who served in the U.S. Marine Corps Ready Reserves and U.S. Air Force.
- Bill Friel, who retired as a colonel after 30 years of active duty service in the U.S. Air Force, including assignments in Pakistan, Turkey and Korea.
- Charles Feicht, a Vietnam veteran who retired as a lieutenant colonel from the U.S. Air Force.
- Timothy Mullen, who served in the U.S. Navy.
Friel and Shaffer both made it a point to recognize the sacrifices of military family members, from parents and spouses who spend sleepless nights worried about their loved ones, to children whose parents are deployed.
Credit: JIM NOELKER
Credit: JIM NOELKER
“I have a daughter sitting here with me today I didn’t see until she was 13 months old. A lot of people here put up with stuff like that through their tours in the military, and the families that stay behind,” Friel said.
Thursday’s event featured an honor guard consisting of members of the Washington Twp. Fire Department and Centerville Police Department. The Centerville Community Band played the National Anthem and service anthems.
Centerville Mayor Brooks Compton and Centerville Veterans of Foreign Wars Post Commander Fred Rojas placed a wreath before the veterans memorial.
“The preservation of freedom does not happen by accident, there is a cost,” Compton said. “The preservation of freedom must be intentional. We owe that to all of you who served our nation so nobly in self-sacrifice to honor you respectfully.”
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