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Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Huron post office honors late veteran with new name
SIOUX FALLS S.D. (KELO) — The post office in Huron will now hold a new name. Family members, friends and residents gathered to honor fallen Army First Lt. Thomas Michael Martin by renaming the Huron post office in his memory, a news release from the United States Postal Office said. Buffalo Chip announces rally lineup According to the USPS, Martin was killed in action on October 14, 2007, in Iraq. Martin was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and the Purple Heart Medal posthumously. He's buried in the West Point National Cemetery and his hometown post office will be known as the First Lieutenant Michael Martin Post Office Building. Republican U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds and Huron Mayor Mark Robish attended a ceremony at the post office in Huron along with family members. 'Tom began his life here, died in Iraq fighting for freedom that each of us enjoy every day. Our family is so proud that this beautiful historic facility in what Tom always felt was his hometown, will now be the First Lieutenant Michael Martin Post Office Building,' Martin's father Ed said in a news release. Martin was born October 10, 1980, in Huron and in 1998, he enlisted in the United States Army as a Field Artilleryman. In 2001, he was accepted for admission to the United States Military Academy at West Point, and later graduated from Airborne School at Fort Benning, Georgia. He majored in Military Science, commissioned as an Armor Officer and completed the course at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He reported to the 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment at Fort Richardson, Alaska where he assumed responsibility as the Sniper Platoon Leader and deployed with the unit in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in September 2006, a news release said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Southwick turns out for Memorial Day services
SOUTHWICK — On Memorial Day the nation stops to pay tribute to those who lost their lives while serving in the U.S. military, and the residents of Southwick joined their fellow citizens to give their own thanks for their sacrifice. 'Today is a solemn occasion to reflect on the courage, dedication, and selflessness of those who gave their lives so that we might live in freedom,' said Jason Perron, U.S. Air Force veteran and keynote speaker for the ceremony at the town's War Memorial. 'Those heroes came from all walks of life, different backgrounds, different stories but they shared a common commitment to defend the values and ideals that make our nation strong. They faced unimaginable challenges and dangers and many paid the highest price,' Perron said. 'As we pause here today, let us remember their names, their faces, and their stories. Let us also honor the families who carried their memories with love and pride, even in the midst of loss,' he said. 'Let us live with gratitude and let us strive to build a world worthy of their sacrifice,' he said before recalling the words of former President John F. Kennedy. 'As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them,' Kennedy proclaimed in 1963. Before Perron, state Rep. Nicholas Boldyga spoke of the men from Southwick who paid the ultimate sacrifice, which included Herbert Castle in World War II, Richard Power and William Alamed during the Vietnam War, Stephen Wentworth in the Beirut bombing of the U.S. Marine barracks in 1983, and Travis Fuller during Operation Iraqi Freedom. 'Their courage alongside countless others from our community remind us that freedom is not free. It is paid for with bravery of those who stood in harm's way from the battlefields of World War II to the conflicts of today,' Boldyga. 'Let's carry the spirit of Memorial Day with us. Let's pledge to continue to make our community a place where veterans are supported, where freedom is cherished, and community thrives,' he said. Select Board member Diane Gale also spoke of the men and women who were lost. 'I offer tribute to those who sacrifice life and limb and gave honor to all who fell for the fight for freedom … They all paid a debt they didn't owe and one we can never repay,' she said. As the ceremony opened, Shirley Odell, a Gold Star mother who lost her daughter, U.S. Navy Petty Officer Nancy R. Odell-Liupakka, in 1987 in Italy, placed wreaths on the granite markers inscribed with the names of the town's men and women who served in the military. Father Matthew Guidi of Our Lady of the Lake Parish offered the invocation. 'Let us never forget those who paid so terrible a price to ensure freedom would be our legacy. Their names may face with the passing of generations, but we will never forget what they've done,' Guidi said. And he asked for peace. 'Let us demand that no other young men or women follow them to the soldier's grave unless the reason is worthy and the cause is just,' Guidi said. During the ceremony, the Southwick Regional School Marching Band played a melody of service-related music, and as it closed, the haunting and plaintive melody of taps. The ceremony was organized by American Legion Post 338 and its commander Darcie Rock spoke of the families left behind. 'As we pause to remember our fallen comrades, we need to take time to give thought to their families, their friends and to those who loved them. We cannot measure the depth of their loss nor can we comprehend the true measure of their sorrow. We will never forget their loved ones, their value, their sacrifice and the many good things they have earned for us,' she said. Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Navy SEAL Team 6 operator will be the military's new top enlisted leader
Navy Fleet Master Chief David Isom, a former member of Navy Special Warfare Development Group, or DEVGRU — commonly referred to as SEAL Team Six — has been selected to serve as the U.S. military's next top enlisted leader, defense officials announced on Tuesday. Currently serving as the command senior enlisted leader for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, Isom will become the sixth service member to serve as the senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, or SEAC, since the position was created in 2005. Although the SEAC is considered the U.S. military's most senior enlisted leader, the job involves serving as an advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff rather than as a direct supervisor within a chain of command. Isom enlisted in the Navy in 1987, and after passing Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Training, or BUD/S, he went on to deploy with units that include DEVGRU, Naval Special Warfare Group 10, Special Reconnaissance Team 2, and SEAL Team 1, according to his official biography. 'His combat and operational deployments include Operation Desert Shield, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, as well as deployments throughout the Pacific and the Horn of Africa,' his biography says. Isom's military awards include four Bronze Star Medals, including two with 'V' devices for valor; two Combat Action Ribbons; and a Presidential Unit Citation, according to his service record. Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, selected Isom to be the next SEAC following two rounds of interviews, a Joint Staff spokesperson told Task & Purpose on Tuesday. Isom will replace Marine Sgt. Maj. Troy Black, who is leaving the job after serving as SEAC for two years. The change of office is tentatively scheduled for mid-to-late June. Black previously served as the sergeant major of the Marine Corps before he was selected as the SEAC by Army Gen. Mark Milley, and he initially served as the senior enlisted advisor to Air Force Gen. Charles 'CQ' Brown Jr., whom President Donald Trump fired as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in February. 18 Army Rangers suspended for allegedly firing blanks at Florida beach Hegseth announces accountability review of Afghanistan withdrawal Coast Guard rescue swimmers saved a worker stuck in hardening concrete after roof collapse This National Guard unit went completely analog to simulate a cyber attack Fewer reenlistment options for soldiers amid high Army retention
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Town of Niagara honors fallen veterans, Angelo Onevelo
U.S. Army Private First Class Travis Krege died in service of his country on Dec. 6, 2006. The beloved son of Michael and Sandy Krege was just 24 years old when he was killed by a remote bomb while driving a Humvee in a convoy during Operation Iraqi Freedom in Afghanistan. Today, his mom, Lancaster resident Sandy Krege, speaks on behalf of her son and all those who died during military service as a member of American Gold Star Mothers, a nationwide organization that strives to support veterans and their families, especially loved ones who have a deeper understanding of the pain the death of a soldier brings. On Monday, Sandy Krege encouraged those attending the Town of Niagara's Memorial Day service at Veterans Memorial Park to honor and remember her son — and all the brave men and women who died while serving in the U.S. armed forces — by living their own lives with purpose, kindness and with gratitude. 'My son, Private First Class Travis Krege, wore the uniform proudly just as so many others did. They believed in something greater than themselves and that is freedom and service and protecting the values that we hold dear as Americans. Their courage and commitment are not just memories. They are the legacy of the lives that live on in each of us,' Krege said. Dozens of residents and visitors, many representing various branches of the U.S. military, gathered at the soldiers' monument inside the park to recognize the sacrifices of soldiers, like Travis Krege, who died while serving in the armed forces. The ceremony was organized by the Town of Niagara Lions and the Town of Niagara Helping Hands, a service organization of women formed for the purpose of providing service work in the community. It featured a laying of wreaths by the Lions Club and Helping Hands and the playing of 'The Star Spangled Banner' and Taps by local trumpet player Morgan Giannantonio. It also offered a chance for Retired Army Sgt. First Class and Town of Niagara Lions' President Mike Hoplight to recognize the contributions of his long-time friend and associate, the late Angelo Onevelo who passed away last July. For many years, Onevelo, a U.S. Army veteran who served in the Vietnam War, helped organize and served as chair of the town's Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremonies as well as its annual Citizenship Awards programs. Onevelo's years of tireless volunteer work extended to the Town of Wheatfield Lions Club where he helped operate a loan closet that provides medical equipment to individuals in need. During Monday's Memorial Day ceremony, Hoplight presented Onevelo's wife, Mary, and members of the deceased veteran's family with a plaque dedicated in his honor as the recipient of The Helen Keller Fellowship Award from the Lions Club in St. Catharines, Ont. The award honors outstanding Lions, Lioness and Leos. 'He did more for the community than you could ever think of, in the back,' Hoplight said of Onevelo. 'He didn't want that pat on the back. He didn't want anybody to know about it, but he was there for everybody.' Onevelo's legacy will soon be remembered inside the park in the form of a bench that Hoplight said will be installed across the road from the town's soldiers' memorial later this year. The bench was made possible with funding provided by the Niagara County Legislature. Fellow Lion John Teixeira said his long-time friend Angelo was active in many efforts outside of honoring veterans, including support for Old Niagara Days and the Strawberry Festival. Teixeira described obtaining the funds to build and install a bench in Onevelo's honor as a 'slam dunk,' saying nobody hesitated to chip in and get the job done. 'He touched thousands of lives,' Teixeira said. Niagara County Legislator Chris McKimmie, R-Niagara Falls, attended Monday's ceremony and offered a few thoughts on Onevelo's service as written by fellow Legislator Chris Robins, D-Niagara Falls, who was unable to attend. Robins described Onevelo's life as 'remarkable,' noting that he touched many lives while serving as 'the heart' of the Town of Niagara Lions Club. 'He didn't do it for recognition or praise,' Robins wrote. 'He did it because he loved and believed in service. He believed in people.' 'This park bench we dedicate today is more than a place to sit,' Robins continued. 'It is a reminder. It is a reminder of a man who showed us what it means to give with joy, to lead with humility and to live with purpose. May all who rest here feel a little of his spirit.' In accepting the plaque and the bench in her husband's honor, Onevelo's wife, Mary, said that Angelo was guided by many sayings and one in particular stood out to her as reflective of the kind of person he was as a husband, a father and as a dedicated community member and American. 'One saying he always said was 'Don't ever do anything for anybody expecting something back in return.' Do it because you want to do it. He wouldn't expect the bench, but he would have loved the bench,' she said.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Greenville hosts Memorial Day celebration
GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) — On Monday May 26th, 2025, the city of Greenville hosted its annual Memorial Day celebration at River Park North. Multiple veteran organizations, groups, and non-profits attended the service on Monday. Music and sound rang out throughout the service with songs like 'God Bless America', the national anthem, and taps. During the ceremony a presentation of the American flag being folded described what each fold was for and why the flag is treated with such respect as a symbol to honor those that died for it. Brigadier General James R. Gorham served as the main speaker today started his speech with a proud sound-off chant that he would give during his time as an NCO. He was supported at the service by his five older sisters and his mother who he said made him who he is today. Gorham Serves as the Director for the Joint Staff of the North Carolina Joint Force Headquarters. General Gorham was commissioned in 1980 through Officer Candidate School, North Carolina Military Academy at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Prior to receiving his commission, he served as an enlisted member both on active duty and with the North Carolina Army National Guard for a total of 6 years. His previous military assignments include commanding at the company, battalion, and brigade levels, as well as various staff positions. General Gorham's most recent assignments include mobilization in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom as Commander, 130th Finance Battalion; Deputy Commander, 130th Combat Support Brigade (Maneuver Enhanced), Commander, 113th Sustainment Brigade; and Assistant Adjutant General-Army, North Carolina National Guard. 'It's definitely a day to remember those who sacrificed their lives. I don't know a lot, but I know a few, I'm deeply indebted to them, and happy that I was able to make it through seven years on nuclear submarines with them and come back home to my family,' Mike Dicken, a Navy veteran, said. Dicken served from 1971-1978. He was able to receive training and spend 34 years in nuclear weapons programs and nuclear power plants. His hope is that the new generations see this and take advantage of these benefits too. 'Being in the service is an excellent opportunity for individuals, men and women, to gain a foothold and get a good job and excellent training,' Dicken said. For more information about the event and for more conversations with veterans and people taking part in the service today click on the video above. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
