At the 2006 Veterans Day Program, readers told a story of patriotism in Villisca. The readers were: in the front row Lori McAlpin and Jackie Herzberg; in the second row Austin Cooper, Trever Shipley and Jake Gillespie; and in the back row Clark Dolch and Michael Dolch.

Below is the story, written by Melissa Feilmeier, they told:

The Poens show the colors

Thank you to these
National Guardsmen and all those who serve in the
military for their service to our country and to their families who wait at home.

Captain Brenda White speaking at the 2005 Memorial Day Service in Villisca. Captain White is the daughter of Marvin and Julie White

Vince Else decorates one of the many family graves he and his wife decorated on Memorial Day. A tradition that was started by decorating the graves of those who died in the Civil War, it has become a day here in the midwest when people remember family members and loved ones who have come before us.

First known as Decoration Day, Memorial Day has its roots in the practice of women of decorating the graves of their loved ones who had died in the Civil War.

Memorial Day was celebrated on May 30 after 1868; since 1971 it has been celebrated on the last Monday in May, though a few states have kept to the May 30 date.

In 1864, a women's association decorated the graves of both Union and Confederate soldiers. In a nation trying to find a way to move on after a war that split the country, states, communi-ties and even families, this gesture was welcomed as a way to lay the past to rest while honoring those who had fought on both sides.

On May 30, 1870, General John A. Logan, Commander in Chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, gave an address in honor of the new commemorative holiday. In it he said: "This Memorial Day, on which we decorate their graves with the tokens of love and affection, is no idle ceremony with us, to pass away an hour; but it brings back to our minds in all their vividness the fearful conflicts of that terrible war in which they fell as victims.... Let us, then, all unite in the solemn feelings of the hour, and tender with our flowers the warmest sympathies of our souls! Let us revive our patriotism and love of country by this act, and strengthen our loyalty by the example of the noble dead around us...."

Today, here in the midwest, graves are still decorated - not just the graves of those fallen in the line of duty - but of all loved ones. This quote from General Logan reaches out to us today

The following was provided by the Hometown News Service of the Department of Veterans Affairs:

"The Importance of Memorial Day"
By the Honorable R. James Nicholson, Secretary of Veterans Affairs

WASHINGTON (May 26, 2005) -- There was a time when the notion of all people having rights was an untested dream and democracy was a concept bandied about by philosophers, not a way of life for real people. One of the architects of the American Revolution -- Thomas Paine -- wrote that "those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."

In the 229 years since Paine's comment, time and again Americans have looked to the men and women who wear the uniforms of the U.S. armed forces to "undergo the fatigue," bear the burdens and frequently make the ultimate sacrifice to safeguard our freedoms and our way of life.

In fact, since the founding of our Republic, more than 1.2 million military personnel have died during the armed conflicts of our nation.

This Memorial Day, we pause to remember their sacrifices and the sorrow and pride of their families and friends. Whether on battlefields that shaped the course of human history or in skirmishes that have largely slipped from the minds of men, they stood true to their convictions. They gave, what Abraham Lincoln called, "the last full measure of devotion." They did not fail us.

Now, it is our time to shoulder a responsibility. We must not fail to remember them.

This Memorial Day, I urge Americans to join their neighbors at the 120 national cemeteries run by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). There, amid the broad lawns and sturdy markers, we will remember the heroes who sacrificed all their tomorrows so we could enjoy freedom today.

To walk among those silent sentries of stone, to read the names and details of their lives and military service, is to touch the raw determination, heart-felt suffering, unparalled valor and abiding faith of these fallen heroes.

Another way to show your respect and gratitude for those who died to protect our freedoms is to participate in the National Moment of Remembrance on Memorial Day. At 3 p.m. on May 30, wherever you are and whatever you are doing, please pause in your activities for a moment to reflect upon their sacrifice.

Respect isn't something reserved for fallen heroes. At VA, caring for the living is also an important mission and has been since our founding nearly 75 years ago. This year, we expect to treat 5.2 million veterans in our 157 hospitals and more than 850 outpatient clinics. We will send monthly disability checks and pension payments to 2.8 million veterans and nearly 600,000 survivors and family members. We will provide educational benefits to more than 500,000 people and administer life insurance coverage for nearly 6 million.

As we approach the 75th anniversary of VA this July, we reflect with pride on our decades of service. But on Memorial Day, we honor the fallen. We remember that their sacrifice made it possible for our nation to become a guardian of human dignity and the planet's oldest constitutional democracy. In gratitude and respect, we say to our departed veterans, "Rest in peace, brave souls. Yours is truly the sleep of heroes."

World War II Veteran "Bud" Newberg receives his Villisca High School Diploma on his 80th birthday.

Burleigh "Bud" Newberg received his high school diploma from Villisca High School sixty-one years after he attended school. "Bud" was due to graduate in June of 1943 but it was wartime and, in January 1943, like so many young men at that time, he joined the Army never finishing his senior year. He served in the Philippines during WWII.

Newberg's daughter writes: "We were so proud to present him his actual Villisca High School Diploma forhis 80th Birthday and Graduation Surprise Party in July. He also received an Honorary Diploma from the Iowa Commisions of Veterans Affairs, but, the one from Villisca was the one that meant the most. There wasn't a dry eye at the party when he saw that Diploma. He was thrilled.

"My husband and I would like to thank everyone at the Villisca High School who helped with getting my Dad (Burleigh "Bud" Newberg's) Villisca High
School Diploma after 61 years. Both the previous Superintendent as well as the current Superintendent and the Principal were all involved and very helpful. The Principal even wrote a nice note along with the Diploma. We are so grateful for all their time and effort and we would also like to thank the School Board for taking time to sign the Diploma. The school officials had to search through files that
were 61 years old, to prove that Dad was entitled to the Diploma."

In 2000 the Iowa Legislature passed a bill code name "Operation Recognition." The bill authorized the Department of Education to award high school diplomas to all honorably discharged World War II veterans who interrupted their high school education to serve their nation. Many WWII veterans were called to duty before completing high school. The Department, in conjunction with the Iowa Commission of Veterans Affairs, developed an application for veterans or families to apply for the honorary diploma. High schools were encouraged to award diplomas from their school districts.

Editor's note: Below is a reprint of the speech Elzene Gourley gave at the Memorial Day Service 2004 at Villisca. She was kind enough to share it with us because many attendees could not hear her. Elzene was the speaker for the 2002 services; her brother, Lee, had been listed as missing in action during the Vietnam War.

Thank you for asking me to join you today. I have so much I want to tell you.

First, an update on Mother. Betty's mental abilities diminish with her dementia, but she continues in good health and pleasant disposition in Kansas City. If she could understand I am here today, she would be very pleased.

Next, I owe you a report since I was here two years ago. After three 30 day excavations in Souvannahket Province of Laos and extensive laboratory work, my family was presented with a forensic report and a determination that Major Laurent Lee Gourley died in a plane crash on August 9, 1969.

This leads to all sorts of problems, like: What do we do with the information that he had been taken prisoner of war? What do I tell myself after spending so many years chasing what is now only a dream?

And some practical considerations like: what date(s) do we put on the tombstone?

He deserved to come home from that War and we all deserved to have him come home, but God's plan was far different from mine. I'd like to tell you a little bit about Lee's journey home:

My brothers and I traveled to the Army Central Identification Laboratory in Honolulu to meet people who did the excavation and those who identified the remains uncovered at the crash site. That lab is an amazing place. Picture tables lined up in a rather large room - each table with different remains - some with very little material - eight tables had the bones of a Civil War Confederate submarine that sunk a Union ship.

I traveled under military orders to escort Lee's casket home. Such care was taken to assure that I could see the casket as it traveled on the ground, and was loaded in and out of the planes on which I flew.

The tarmac has been closed in Honolulu since 9/11, but airport personnel created a new baggage route so that I could watch the safe transport of that casket.

In Dallas I was driven around the tarmac on a little tractor pulling the casket. As the casket was loaded into the belly of the aircraft, one of the baggage handlers stood back and saluted. Lee's remains were laid-to-rest next to my Dad on October 5, 2002 with full military honors since he is now believed to have died while on active duty.

Thank you to all who allowed us to deal with this privately in October '02. I could not have talked with any of you at that time. We had seven members of the family present and about two dozen military personnel to handle the ceremony. If you saw the Offutt Air Force bus driving around town mid-afternoon that day, that is because they got lost and couldn't find their way out of town. But they were not confused during the ceremony. Lee's full military honors were conducted by a young first-time honor guard who volunteered to practice overtime in preparation for the ceremony. They did beautifully.

Three weeks later I was at Arlington Cemetery to bury the remains of Lee's co-pilot, Jefferson Scott Dotson, with whose family we had been in touch for all of those years.

This experience is an acceptance of all that is, all that has been, all that will be, and all that will not be. Now, we enjoy our memories. Isn't that why we came here today? You each came today for a reason - and it wasn't to hear me speak - We are here to honor some who have gone before us.

Our memories are blessings.

In Lee's case friends share their memories with me: I am aware of daughters who are learning about their deceased mother in the 60's through letters that Lee wrote to her while he was at the Air Force Academy.

Dede still goes to St Patrick's Cathedral in New York to pray to St Jude, the patron Saint of desperate, forgotten, impossible or lost causes.

Sam physically traveled to the Vietnam War with Lee, then learned about the discovery of Lee's plane crash when his Cousin Eddie called him from the excavation site.

Paul was in pilot training with Lee in Arizona, then traveled to Villisca recently to pay his respects at this cemetery. Jeff remembers that Lee wouldn't eat candy at Christmas while Lee was in graduate school because he didn't want to risk the sugar slowing down his brain.

Fellow war veteran Joe went back to Vietnam for healing - a trip that was not totally satisfactory.

Jim Crouse remembers that during Lee's second year at the Academy he came home for Christmas break, the old gang was together (you know who you are!), and they were contemplating playing a joke on Policeman Jake Butler. It seems that all the Xmas lights were plugged into one outlet so some thought it would be fun to pull that plug. Lee was true to the Honor Code at the Academy so said "I want you to know that if we get caught and if we get questioned, I'm not going to lie." They did not pull the prank. And Jim says "He's still my best friend, even now. He made a footprint right on my forehead." Aunt Colleen says that when Lee was very small, she asked him to take off his baseball cap to eat, but he assured her that he could eat and wear his cap at the same time.

MIA Bracelet wearer Dorothy keeps Lee's picture in her Bible to mark Psalms 118: "The Lord's love endures forever." I remember that Lee had a scar on his head, a reminder that brother Floyd threw a block at him long before he was school age. Brother Fred and I remember Lee sending money to us from his $100/month allotment at the Academy; each time with a note attached saying "You don't have to mention this to Mom and Dad." Lee, you have given us much to laugh about, much to be proud of, and now that you are gone, something to cry about. All of it is part of life because you are a part of our lives and always will be. We remember you, we love you, we honor you, and we thank you. We are lucky you spent some time with us.

But Memorial Day honors all veterans. Lee is only one example. On behalf of all veterans I want to share with you: my prayer, my challenge, and my philosophy.

My prayer today is for Captain Scott Speicher. It's been more than 13 years since Scott was shot down while on a combat mission over Iraq during the first night of Desert Storm. One week after we buried Lee's remains in this cemetery, Scott's status was switched from Killed In Action to Missing In Action, an acknowledgment by the Department of Defense that he may be a prisoner of Saddam Hussein in Iraq. Let's bring him home.

My challenge for you today concerns those who dishonor veterans like Yolanda Huett-Vaughn who was part of the military forces called up for the Gulf War but she refused to serve. She is still practicing medicine in Kansas City despite my protests. Today we honor those who serve with honor. Let's take a pledge to speak up against those who do not serve when called.

My message for today is quoted from Leo Gourley's response to my request for assistance when preparing for this presentation: "I think the people of this country are able to make a distinction between the conflict and those who fight it, but a reminder might not be amiss. Since WW II, we have engaged in a number of 'wars' of greater or lesser magnitude, and those wars have had varying degrees of support. Current hostilities are no different. No matter what we think about the war itself, the men and women who are fighting it -- and too often dying in it -- deserve our full loyalty and support. When they make the final sacrifice, it is for us. We sent them there. We, as in "We, the people.'"

Those flag-draped coffins arriving today are the same as those that came back from Europe and from the Pacific in WW II; the same as those that came back from Korea, from Vietnam, from Beirut, from Panama, from Africa, from Kosovo, from any and all the places our service men and women have died around the world, doing what we asked them to do. We can argue about whether what we asked of them was right, but we cannot argue about their dedication and their devotion to us. We can only honor them and be humbled by their courage. They deserve our utmost respect.

Today is a good day: The National World War II Memorial now stands in Washington, D.C. as a tribute to 16 million who served to ensure our freedom. We remember.

Later today, let's each join the National Moment of Remembrance. The White House Commission on Remembrance wants all Americans to pause at 3 p.m. local time today to remember those who have fought and died for the US. All Gave Some. Some Gave All. Villisca, thank you for welcoming me back.

To all Veterans here today including my brother Lee, for all of the freedoms we enjoy every day, I say, "Thank You!" and "Welcome Home!"

Augustus Harter-Cooper sends a thank you note to Company C. The Soldier Appreciation Day, sponsored by The Villisca Farmers Telephone Company on April 30, 2004, was an activity of the Villisca After School program .

Jessie Taylor and Baillee Warren, first graders from the afterschool program, were among the well wishers who made cards for the troops at the Soldier Appreciation Party, sponsored by the Villisca Farmers Telephone Company. photos by Anne Harter

Mailing tips for sending to our military and civilians in Iraqi follows:

Traditionally, supporting our troops has included sending letters and care packages to them. In this war, the situation is different and it is not as easy as it once was. Printed below are mailing tips regarding Operation Iraqi Freedom. It comes from the United States Postal Service's April 2003 Memo to Mailers and is reprinted here with the permission of the Villisca Postmaster.

Operation Iraqi Freedom mailing tips

The Postal Service is reminding Americans that certain conditions and restrictions apply when mailing items to military and civilian personnel deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom in the Middle East and Persian Gulf areas.

Programs that allowed the general public to send mail addressed to "Any Service Member" were canceled more than a year ago by the Department of Defense (DoD). While popular with the public during Desert Storm and other operations, DoDs concern with security and transportation contraints led to canceling this program.

DoD recommends that individuals and organizations wishing to mail letters and care packages to individual service members overseas refocus their activities into supporting the service member's family members at home.

DoD recommends visiting www.defenamerica.mil and clicking the "Support Our Troops" icon to find ways to support service members.

ADDRESSING TIPS

The Defense Department has requested that those who send mial use the service member'sfull name (with or without rank or rating), unit and APO/FPO (Air/Army Post Office or Fleet Post Office) address with the nine-digit ZIP Code (if one is assigned) and a return address. For packages, mailers are asked to print on one side only with the recipient's address in the lower right portion.

PROHIBITIONS

While there are specific restrictions for each five-digit military post office ZIP Code (APO/FPO), generally speaking. It is prohibited to mail the following to this region:

• Obscene articles (prints, paintings, cards, films, video-tapes, etc.).
• Any matter containing religious materials contrary to the Islamic faith or depicting nude or seminude persons, pornographic or sexual items, or non-authorized political materials.
• Port or port by-products.

Restrictions are updated every other Thursday at www.usps.com. Customers may also obtain this information by calling 800-ASK-USPS, or by visiting their local Post Office.

All military units are assigned an APO or FPO ZIP Code and in many cases that ZIP Code travels with the unit. The Postal Service places APO/FPO mail on special charter flights, commercial airlines and military service aircraft at military and US airports. When planes arrive overseas, the mail is tendered to the military and transported via local military transportation to delivery points.

According to the Military Postal Service Agency (MPSA), depending on where the service member is located, letters and Priority Mail parcels to Kuwait normally take 10 to 15 days. Parcel Post packages take longer since they don't travel by aircraft within the U.S. prior to overseas displatch. There may be size restrictions and customs declaration form requirements to some locations as mail going through MPSA can be subject to the host country customs requirements. The time to deliver varies depending on the category of mail and the country of destination. Delivery may also take longer when armed forces are on the move during periods of heightened activity.

PACKAGING TIPS

It's a good idea to keep the following in mind to ensure that packages are delivered promptly:

Extreme temperatures: Desert temperatures typically exceed 100 degrees.

The box: Select a box strong enough to protect the contents and large enough to accommodate cushioning. If reusing a box, cover all previous labels and markings with a heavy black marker or adhesive labels.

Cushioning: Cushioning the contents with newspaper in a novel way to send news from home. Styrofoam and bubble wrap are also good choices. Close and shake the box. If it rattles, add additional cushioning to keep items from shifting.

Batteries: Occasionally a battery powered item such as a radio or electric razor will turn itself on during shipment. Be sure to remove and wrap the batteries separately.

Sealing: Tape the opening of the box and reinforce all seams with 2" wide tape. Use clear or brown packaging tape, reinforced packing tape or paper tape. Do not use cord, string, or twine as it causes the package to get caught and possibly damaged in sorting equipment.

Include a card describing the contents: Occasionally improperly wrapped packages fall apart during shipment. Including a card inside the package that lists the sender's and recipient's addresses along with a description of the contents helps in collecting items that have fallen open during processing.

The following is from our Program Ideas page. We thought a CD postcard would be fun to include with a CARE package.

CD Postcard. Military personnel, missionaries, college students long for news of home. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. At one time, groups put together scrapbooks to send to those far away. Today, with technology what it is, groups can put together a CD postcard and do it very cost effectively. Using digital cameras, get pictures of special community events, candid pictures of activities not particularly special - just daily events. Gather autographs and greetings. Once all this has been brought to one place, create a presentation - perhaps a powerpoint presentation - and burn it onto a CD and send it on its way. While teenagers would have a good time doing an activity like this, so would young adults, so would empty nesters. Autograph Party. Before you send that CD Postcard, have an autograph party and sign the cover that will go into the CD case. Depending on who it the CD is going to, you may also want to autograph a table runner or a placemat using the permanent fabric pens.

Captain Brenda White was stationed at Kirkuk, Iraq for 4 months. Here she presents to Villisca Mayor Leland Carmichael a flag flown during an American mission and dedi-cated to the City of Villisca at the request of United States Air Force Captain Brenda White.

The full story is in the January 1 issue of the Villisca Review.

AMERICA'S SONS - Both sixth-graders when Sadam was captured, Jacob Eblen and Kyle Rhamy, had fathers deployed. For Jacob, the son of Gina and Jason Hults and John and Shelly Eblen, the capture of Sadam was particularly bittersweet. His stepfather, Villisca science teacher Jason Hults, served in the Army Reserves with the 129 HET CO in Kuwait. His father, John Eblen, with the 407th Quartermaster DET, then left January 4 for one year.

Kyle, the son of Susan and David Rhamy, said goodbye to his father on October 13. David was in the Army National Guard, 113th Calvary, and served in Kosovo. photo by Anne Harter

The homecoming was joyous - an exuberant hug frozen forever by a camera's flash.

A homecoming, though, is more than a happy ending. A war hero and his loved ones receive no exemption from life's heartaches - cancer, strokes, bankruptcy, alcoholism, loneliness, the sudden death of a daughter whose embrace was so warm. ...

At depots across America, the scene was repeated countless times as fathers and sons and husbands returned from battle. Implicit in the joy of each homecoming was the understanding that more than a quarter of a million families grieved for soldiers who would not come home. click here to read the story

The following words were spoken by the late Red Skelton on his television program as he related the story of his teacher, Mr. Laswell, who felt his students had come to think of the Pledge of Allegiance as merely something to recite in class each day.  

Now, more than ever, listen to the meaning of these words.

"I've been listening to you boys and girls recite the Pledge of Allegiance all semester and it seems as though it is becoming monotonous to you. If I may, may I recite it and try to explain to you the meaning of each word?"

Since I was a small boy, two states have been added to our country and two words have been added to the pledge of Allegiance...

UNDER GOD

Wouldn't it be a pity if someone said that is a prayer and that would be eliminated from schools too? God Bless America!

The following was delivered by Mr. Jim Hyink on Memorial Day, 2003.

Jim Hyink is a retired Lt. Col., USA and Professor of History. He was in the Villisca High School Class of 1950 and now lives in Albuquerque, NM.

MEMORIAL ADDRESS, VILLISCA, IOWA 2003

Comrade Legionnaires, fellow citizens, it is a privilege to address you on this Memorial Day, a day set aside to honor the hallowed men and women who gave their lives for this nation and the preservations of American freedoms. In preparing for this occasion I asked Delbert about appropriate dress. He replied that Jerry Greenfield said, "Tell him to wear his uniform, if it still fits." Well, Jerry, I want you to know that some still fits - my beret and socks.

While the central theme of Memorial Day is remembrance of those who lost their life in the service of their nation - Villisca has a number of these - we must go beyond this and remember those who came home and those who remained home in support of our military. They, too, paid a price. This annual ceremony, sponsored by the American Legion Post, testifies to the respect the community holds for the military service of its members. You have observed the salutes rendered by the Legionnaires on the dedication of flags. This salute is a symbol given by the military recognizing common hardships experienced and mutual respect for contributions to the nation. Furthermore, the volleys from the firing squad, the decorations of graves (note the numerous flags displayed here denoting a veteran at rest), the notes of the bugle sounding Taps are rituals carried out this day across the nation and wherever our troops are deployed uniting all military, past and present. Moreover, and of great importance, this ceremony ties the citizens of this nation to those who fought for our freedoms from the Revolutionary War to today's campaign against terrorists.

This community has done a marvelous job of commemorating its military heritage. In addition to this ceremony, allow me to point out other aspects of your appreciation: the memorial in the city park; the frequent and recent articles in the Review; the collection in City Hall; the old Armory (which I hope you will preserve); the book recently published on the Montgomery County people who served in World War II (pushed to completion by Dennis and Lorene Neal); the Legion Club; the VFW; the Ladies Auxiliaries; and currently an effort by the Montgomery Historical Society to preserve the military heritage of the county. Thus look around and note all the symbols that represent this town's military contributions, they collectively say, "We know, we are grateful, and we will ever honor the memory."

Yesterday, I toured this cemetery as well as those at Tenville and Brooks. Oh, so many of my comrades are there - both close friends and those joined to me by common military service. In Arlington they read the role of veterans interned there - numerous Dunns, Wheelers, and Findleys are interned there. My wife's uncle Doyle Findley was in the assault on Omaha Beach, June 1944. In Brooks I thanked Glen Hossman for being my friend. While here, close by lies my dear comrade Robert Dickey, who joined the Coast Guard fresh out of high school, and former golf partners Doc Croxdale, and George Muller. Here too are men who spent two and a half years in a German POW camp and returned to contribute to Villisca - Bill Day, Glen Fengel, and Fred Bryson. Denny Neal and Ed Reynolds are here, each reached a high rank in the military. Just down the hill is my father who at the age of 37 walked across France and into Germany as a rifleman, carrying the heavy Browning Automatic Rifle. I realize that I have not come close to exhausting the roll call which would take hours. Wouldn't it be grand if Villisca had a memorial wall or walkway with the names of all those who served, whether National Guard, Reserve or Regular. In Albuquerque, the Veteran's Memorial has a walkway made of bricks purchased by veterans or their families. I have seen similar memorials at the D-Day Museum in New Orleans and at the Victory Memorial for World War One in Kansas City.

This community lost two extremely talented individuals in the Vietnam War. I guess I can call it "my war". My classmate, friend and a great athlete, Jerry Ziehe, Maj. USAF, went down when his C-47 crashed. While Maj. Lee Gourley, USAF Academy graduate, was lost when his Fighter was shot down over Laos. They plus others from Villisca who gave their lives in defense of freedom deserve a special place in a memorial. I become quite sentimental when I think of the fine young people we have lost.

When the history of the United States is written it does not feature rock stars, those of Hollywood fame, or athletes. It reads that this nation has sent forth its best young men and women to man the barricades against tyranny. Tomas Paine, writing in 1776 when the cause of American patriots appeared lost, "These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now deserves the love and thanks of men and women." Those who rest here stood and their shoulders held the sky suspended. They deserve our love and thanks.

The story of this nation's past recounts the wars it fought as toppling tyrants, creating liberty, providing freedom of choice, and redeeming society. This nation has gone to war most reluctantly, but when it does our young men and women conduct themselves honorably and with great gallantry.

Members of this community have stepped forward time and time again to answer the call of their country. Recently a number of your citizens have been deployed to the Gulf or in support thereof. Having a friend or relative in the military connects you to this nation in a mystical manner that is a near religious experience. Your heart will stir when you hear the national anthem, view a military formation, or track the flight of a military aircraft. Be proud of this connection.

I will conclude with this reading from a poem written by a veteran and Catholic chaplain, Monsignor Charles R. Fink. These are the last two stanzas of a poem entitled "Bury Me With Soldiers": "So bury me with soldiers, please, though much aligned they be. Yes bury me with soldiers for I miss their company. We'll not soon see their like again; we've had our fill of wars. But bury me with men like these, 'til someone else does more."

Comrades, rest in peace, God is nigh. God bless all here!

Note from Jim Hyink: My sincere apologies to Orvis Wagaman for including his name among those at rest in the Villisca Cemetery. Orvis is alive and well. In addition to my apology I wish to say thank you for your service and honor you for all your months as a POW of the Germans.