Latest news with #Hodak
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
PSP warns of potential traffic delays caused by motorcade on Friday
(WJET/WFXP) — Police are warning residents of possible traffic delays later this week as they honor a veteran. On Friday, May 16, a Pennsylvania State Police motorcade will be traveling through the Commonwealth between 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Police memorial service held in Erie to honor National Police Week The motorcade will bring home Glenn H. Hodak, a World War II hero and prisoner of war. Hundreds of vehicles are estimated to participate and will travel from the Pittsburgh International Airport to Youngsville, Pennsylvania, where Hodak will be buried in his final resting place. Around 6 p.m., the motorcade will travel on South Route 8 into the City of Franklin. Police warn that delays may occur during this time. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Star
11-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Bojan brings out the best in his boys
Man with Midas touch: Bojan Hodak is all smiles with his players after winning the league title. — Persib Bandung PETALING JAYA: Bojan Hodak is stamping his authority as one of South-East Asia's most successful coaches and his latest conquest has come in style, leading Persib Bandung to back-to-back Liga 1 Indonesia titles. The 54-year-old Croatian, who began his head coaching career in Malaysia with UPB-MyTeam in 2006, has transformed Persib into a dominant force since joining them midway through 2023. Back then, Persib were languishing in 16th place but Hodak's arrival has sparked a remarkable turnaround. They surged to finish second in the regular season and stormed into the Championship Series final, eventually crushing Madura United 6-1 on aggregate. This season, with the league format reverting to a single-table format (no playoffs), Persib clinched the Liga 1 title with four matches to spare, a feat underlining their dominance. With two games remaining, they have 65 points from 32 matches, a full eight points ahead of second-placed Dewa United. Asked about his secret to success, the ever-affable Hodak offered a typical self-effacing quip: 'Probably I'm just lucky.' But as he elaborated, it became clear that luck alone didn't build champions. 'I will say it again, luck is part of life, I have my superstitions but the most important thing, in football and in life, is man management,' said Hodak, who previously helmed Kelantan, Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) and Kuala Lumpur. 'If you can't get a group of people to follow you, you can't achieve anything. They need to work together, follow the same ethos, be a family. Only then do fitness and tactics come in.' Hodak cited Kuala Lumpur as an example of how belief and unity can conquer odds. 'We had a small budget, a unique setup, but every player was ready to die for each other. That's how we won the Malaysia Cup in 2021 and reached the AFC Cup final in 2022.' 'It's a similar situation in Bandung. When I arrived, the dressing room was fractured. I brought in my philosophy, changed a few players, and here we are.' Hodak's approach to the game is refreshingly simple. 'Don't complicate football. Keep it simple and focus on winning each game.' Despite his success, he admits the Indonesian league presents unique challenges. 'This league isn't like Malaysia, where one team dominate. Here, anyone can beat anyone. We've dropped points against teams near the bottom and mid-table. 'Travelling is a big test too, getting to Papua can take 11 or 12 hours. In Malaysia, the longest trip is maybe 2.5 hours to East Malaysia.' 'Also, some training grounds and stadiums need improvement, though things are getting better since the Under-17 World Cup.' Hodak sees promise in Indonesia's youth talent but notes a gap between emerging and senior players. 'The talent is there, but they need to work really hard to break into the first team.' Though Croatian by birth, Hodak's heart is clearly tied to Malaysia. 'There's a saying in Croatia – you're from where your wife is. So I'm Malaysian thanks to my wife,' he said. 'Wherever I go, I want to win. I won the treble with Kelantan in 2012, helped JDT win their first league title in 2014, won the AFF Under-19 title for Malaysia, and now back-to-back titles in Indonesia.' And with his trademark humour, Hodak summed it up best – 'I guess I'm just lucky.'
New Straits Times
06-05-2025
- Sport
- New Straits Times
Do KL City regret letting Hodak go?
KUALA LUMPUR: Kuala Lumpur FC must be wishing they had hung on to Croatian coach Bojan Hodak. The man who won the Malaysia Cup for the City Boys in 2021 apart from taking them to several major finals, has proved to be a winner with Indonesian club Persib Bandung, whom he joined after leaving KL. The astute Hodak has just guided Persib Bandung to Liga 1 triumph. His team clinched the Liga 1 title without kicking a ball after rivals Persebaya Surabaya were held to a 3-3 draw by Persik Kediri yesterday. Persib currently top the Liga 1 standings with an unassailable 64 points from 31 matches, with three more games remaining. Hodak said he woke up to pleasant news. "Some of my players went to watch the Persebaya match, but I opted to sleep. When I woke up, I got the good news," said the burly Hodak, who also won the Liga 1 title last season with Persib. "I'm happy to win the title again this year. I hope we can defend the title next season and also do well in the AFC Champions League 2." But Hodak said there is a need to reinforce Persib with more players. "When your team is successful, the players will attract better offers from other clubs, so we need to be prepared." The 54-year-old Croat has established himself as one of the top coaches in the Asean region. He has tasted success in the M-League, guiding Kelantan to a historic treble of Super League, FA Cup and Malaysia Cup in 2012 and Johor Darul Ta'zim to their first Super League title in 2014. Hodak said the Liga 1 is one of the toughest competitions he has ever been involved in, and he expects it to be even more competitive next season, with rival clubs ready to challenge. "Next season, we aim to do better. I want to push harder in the ACL 2 — we beat this season's finalists Lions City Sailors at their home ground, so I believe we can improve further in the Asian competition."
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Yahoo
Thumbs, March 29
Thumbs up to the work of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency and all those involved in the work in positively identifying the remains of World War II veteran Cpl. Glenn H. Hodak of Cambridge Springs. Hodak, a gunner on a B-29 bomber was just 23 when he was shot down over Japan and captured on March 10,1945. Hodak later perished in a fire at the Tokyo prison on May 26, 1945. The remain were positively identified by DPAA scientists through dental and anthropological analysis and circumstantial evidence. Thumbs down to the withdrawal of charges in a case against convicted killer Johnny Henry. Sentenced to just five to 10 years for the 2022 murder of Joseph DeTello of Meadville, Henry had also faced a first degree felony count of drug delivery resulting in death in the death of Terrance Walker of Meadville. That charge and four others were withdrawn last week in a move the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General said 'was based on witness availability.' While that's understandable, the AG's office declined to respond to questions about what this means for the future of the case and whether charges could be refiled at some point. The families of both DeTello and Walker, as well as the community as a whole, deserve a complete and transparent pursuit of justice. Thumbs up to the Ainsworth Foundation and ApSeed, an early childhood education nonprofit working to provide 900 prekindergarten touchpads. The devices will be distributed in the coming weeks through nine Meadville-area nonprofit groups. The pads are filled with educational games focusing on four building blocks of reading — letters, numbers, shapes and colors. Hopefully the pilot program will be a success and continue for years to come. An ongoing thumbs down to the PIAA officials responsible for disqualifying Meadville' boys basketball team from the playoffs after a brawl started by fans in the stands spread to the court earlier this month. Crawford Central officials submitted their required action plan last week as part of the required measures to make sure the team is eligible for next year's tournament. The steps outlined in the plan, most notably an increased police presence and designated seating areas for home and visiting fans, cheerleaders, seniors and others, all seem reasonable. What still seems unreasonable, in contrast, is punishing team members who did not participate in the fighting and simply moved away from where it was taking place. The PIAA's ruling sends a message, and it's one that has been heard many times before from the organization: Maximum accountability and transparency for member schools, but no accountability and transparency at all for PIAA. Thumbs to those who paid tribute this week to Rod Wise of Meadville, a local law enforcement whose career spanned more than 50 years, stretching back to the 1970s. Wise was known for being a good officer who also was good with people. The large turnout this week for his funeral call hours and service is a lasting symbol of the respect he had earned from the community. Thumbs down to the downward spiral on display at the Asbury Manor mobile home park in Meadville. On a tour there this week, residents told local officials of their repeated attempts to engage with the park's owners regarding what they described as an ongoing lack of general maintenance and the dangers posed by about 20 abandoned mobile homes. While company staff members occasionally contact residents regarding late rent, one resident said, they consistently ignore resident concerns about maintenance, safety and other issues.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Remains of captured WWII U.S. airman identified as Cpl. Glenn Hodak
March 27 (UPI) -- Forensics investigators identified the remains of U.S. Army Air Forces Cpl. Glenn Hodak nearly 80 years after his B-29 bomber was shot down over Tokyo in March 1945. Hodak, 23, was from Cambridge Springs, Pa., and a gunner aboard a B-29 Superfortress bomber when it was shot down during a mission over Tokyo, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced Wednesday. Hodak served in the 93rd Bombardment Squadron, 19th Bombardment Group and was listed as missing in action after his crew's B-29 went down. Post-war investigators learned Hodak survived the bombing mission and was held as a prisoner of war until dying in a Tokyo Military Prison fire on May 26, 1945. The U.S. Army Air Force caused the fire when it launched "Operation Meetinghouse" that sent more than 275 B-29 bombers over Tokyo to drop 1,667 tons of incendiary bombs during the largest firebombing mission in the Pacific Theater on March 9, 1945. The raid used 500-pound cluster bombs, each of which contained 38 M69 bomblets containing napalm that was ignited by white phosphorus, reported. The air raid caused the greatest amount of destruction of any bombing raid during World War II, including the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki that ended the war. "The chosen areas were saturated, [and] 15 square miles of Tokyo's most densely populated area were burned to the ground" by the resulting firestorm, the U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey on the Pacific War reported in 1946. The raid killed between 80,000 and 100,000 Japanese people and many POWs, including Hodak. The U.S. Army Air Forces repeated similar raids over Tokyo and other heavily populated Japanese cities. "If we lose, we'll be tried as war criminals," Commanding officer Gen. Curtis LeMay said as the Japan's civilian death toll mounted due to the repeated fire bombings. Hodak's remains were not immediately recovered or identified following Japan's surrender on Sept. 2, 1945, but American Graves Registration Service personnel searched for and recovered the remains of U.S. service members throughout the Pacific Theater. AGRS personnel recovered 62 sets of remains from the Tokyo Military Prison in early 1946 and identified the remains of 25 service members. Hodak's remains were among 39 sets that were unidentified and eventually interred among unknowns at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in the Philippines. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency in 2022 disinterred the remains of the 39 unknowns and subjected them to modern forensics testing, including DNA analysis. Investigators also examined dental records and prison reports compiled in Japan and from the memories of other U.S. military personnel who were transferred from the Tokyo Military Prison prior to its destruction. Hodak's remains were positively identified on Sept. 25, 2024, but the announcement of the discovery was delayed pending notification and receipt of his remains by his family. Hodak will be buried in Spring Creek, Pa., in May and is one of two service members whose remains were identified since 2022, CBS News reported.
