Donald Eugene Gray October 19, 1924 January 14, 1962
(ILL TEC 527 AIR SVC. GP AAF WWII)

Victor Hicken, Lt(jg), U.S.Navy. First wave, Omaha, D-Day. Was 22 yr old captain of 120 ft. vessel (I had never been on anything bigger than a rowboat on Gillespie Reservoir). Our boat was an LCT(landing craft tank). It carried 12 crewmen and one officer. I had never seen one until shown in Liverpool, Eng. and told: "It's yours. Sail it around to southern England." It could carry three Sherman tanks plus a lot of personnel (if they didn't stay on board too long). Most unwieldy piece of equipment ever put on water. We did get to the sands of France though, but we didn't get off. That two week argosy was a comedy of errors but I made it. It was sunk on Omaha beach, June 6, l944. By the way, the regiment following my ship into Normandy lost every man but 15 of them. After I got done winning the war in Europe, I went to the Pacific on an LST. In WW II slang, it was known as "Large Slow Target." We hit every island paradise(found no sweet leilanis), and took part in last phase of Okinawa. Even got kamikazied at Okinawa. Sorry Gloria to unload all these details upon you. Just wanted you to know how I won the war. Victor Hicken

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Regarding my service in the U.S. Navy during WWII, I was a Navy Seabee. I spent approximately 11 months in 1945 on the island of Samar in the Philippine Islands. After the Japanese surrendered, my Naval Construction Battalion was ordered to the largest naval base the Japanese had in the South Pacific in the Caroline Islands, located on the island of Truk. Truk was only heavily bombed in February of 1944, but was never invaded by the navy and marines. There were some 39,000 Japanese military forces there. Since they had been cut off from their supply lines, they were happy to surrender and get a free ride back to their homeland. If you are interested, I have a large number of Japanese military items stored in the Nokomis, IL Library - I selected this library, as I graduated from Nokomis Township High School in the spring of 1944 and immediately volunteered for the Navy. Bill Schneeberg, Garland TX
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Frederick J. Hochmuth retired from the Navy as an Aviation Ordinanceman Chief.

My great grandfather was William Sanford (b. 1834 Ky) who was married to Racheal Davidson (b. 1836 Ill) and they were married in Carlinville on March 2, 1854. My grandfather, John Sanford (b.1856) eventually left Illinois and moved to Oklahoma during the "Run" in 1893. His son was Major General Teddy H. Sanford (1907-1992) who served in the US Army for 44 years (1923-1967). His son (me) is Lieutenant Colonel Teddy H. Sanford, Jr (1942- ) who served in the US Army for 22 years (1964-1986). General Sanford was one of the original members of the 82nd Airborne Division, and fought throughout WWII with the unit as a battalion commander, and regimental executive officer. He later commanded the 7th Division and the XIX Army Corps. LTC Sanford was one of the original members of the 1st Air Cavalry Division in Vietnam and was a airmobile reconnaissance platoon leader. He was wounded and spent most of his career in armor research and development including the development of the Abrams tank that was such a great success during Desert Storm. General Sanfords brother, John Sanford was a colonel in the Army National Guard and his brother-in-law, Lawrence Kelley was a CAPTAIN in the Coast Guard Reserve.

Ted Sanford

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Lt. Col. James Alfred McBrien Born 12/31/01 Stauntion, Illinois Died 10/08/61 Alton, Ill. Married: Helen Briggs Rahm from Gillespie, Illinois.
My father was from Staunton.. served in WWII in Oran, North Africa.
Was an Oral Surgeon assigned to the 180th Station Hospital. Don and Mick Admire

Robert M. Homer,Carlinville,IL -drafted into the Army as private 10/1/1942 -Went to OCS & commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant QMC-AUS on 6/18/43- served in ETO as 2nd and 1st LT, - Promoted to Captain, QMC-AUS and released from active duty on May 25, 1946


I had the honor of serving in the United States Army Nurse Corp from 1971 to 1976 and was a Captain when I got out. Spent most of my time stationed in Belgium and Germany. This is how I met my husband who also made the military a career and retired after 28 years as a CW 4. His name is Bobby G. Cormack. It is his great great grandparents who were some of the earliest settlers of the Macoupin area around Staunton.
Bobby was a helicopter pilot his entire Army life. Bobby went to Viet Nam twice and made it back in one piece. He has been in Air Cav units, training units for the South Koreans, Special Operations, you name it, he has done it. Just went down to visit him over the weekend to celebrate our 24th anniversary. He is flying in south Texas for a geological/oil company. He loves being high in the air. I never made it to Nam, they sent me to Europe instead, but I dealt with those that had been there and feel a kindred spirit. I am still involved.......I am a nurse at the Kerrville VA hospital, here in south Texas. Love swapping stories with my guys.

Kathleen Cormack

George Roy "Roy" Mirabella retired form the Naval reserves as a Commander from Patrol Squadron 66 (VP-66) out of Naval Air Station ,Willow Grove, PA. He was navigator on a Lockheed P3-A "Orion" aircraft. They searched for submarines and did ocean survellinace. He served two terms in Viet Nam. Kathie Mirabella





John Buck, Jr. - RD-3 (Radarman 3rd Class) USN I served on the ship: USS Everglades - AD-24 - a Destroyer Tender.

MU2 William Bruce Hart USN (Ret.) dates of 1976-1996


Lloyd C. Leonard "Chuck" USN Rank - SK3 - Grade - E-4. Decorations: National Defense Service Medal Vietnam Service Medal with Two Bronze Stars. Vietnam Campaign Medal With Device (1960-) Released from active duty: 1 May 1970. Released from Reserve Duty: 31 January 1972. Last duty assignment: NAVSUPPACT SAIGON DET NHA BE. Two tours of duty - Vietnam. Historical note: Chuck signed on for tours in Vietnam because he wanted to and also because he knew his brother couldn't be sent there at the same time. Had the U.S. Navy & the U.S. Army had their ducks in a row, as I understand it, Chuck wouldn't have been there either since his Dad (Lloyd Leon Leonard) was stationed only about 20 miles away. We didn't find this out until 1977 when we made contact with his Dad and he told us about his military service. Cindy Leonard

Corporal Robert Fletcher, US Army, served in Korea 7 March 1953 - 22 June 1954 - of Modesto IL

1999 - I am currently serving as an F-15E Weapon Systems Officer at Seymour-Johnson AFB, NC. I am a Major with 13 years on active duty. I graduated from Jerseyville HS, Lewis & Clark Comm College, SIUE, and have a Master's from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
Major Gregory C. Watson, USAF, Chief F-15E Plans,
4th Operations Support Squadron

(sent to me by a friend, Kent)
It is the VETERAN, not the preacher, who has given us freedom of religion.

It is the VETERAN, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press.

It is the VETERAN, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the VETERAN, not the campus organizer, who has given us freedom to assemble.

It is the VETERAN, not the lawyer, who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the VETERAN, not the politician, Who has given us the right to vote.

It is the VETERAN, who salutes the Flag,

who serves under the Flag,

ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.