Veterans groups to honor 3 local men on Flag Day
Three local men will receive the prestigious Chapel of Four Chaplains Legion of Honor Award Thursday during a presentation at Texarkana College.
The Legion of Honor Award program publicly recognizes and honors outstanding members of society whose lives model the giving spirit and unconditional service to community, nation and humanity without regard to race, religion or creed exemplified so dramatically by the Four Chaplains.
To be considered for any of the awards, the selfless and transformative achievement must be above and beyond that of a professional resume or organizational position.
The awards will be given in conjunction with Texarkana American Legion Twin States Post. The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. with a reception and refreshments in the Truman Arnold Student
Center Great Room. The program starts at 6 p.m. The public is invited to attend.
Honorees are veterans Walter DeVore and Bill Norton and civilian Greg Bischof.
Making the presentation will be Army Lt. Col. Bill Smith and Army First Sgt. John Lindsay.
Dr. Dan Bookout, a 2003 recipient of the Four Chaplains service award for his efforts in recovering the remains of lost U.S. military servicemen, said the award can only be recommended to a potential recipient by a recipient of the same award. The recommendation has to then be vetted by two committees before the organization’s Board of Directors can approve recommendation.
DeVore is a veteran of the Air Force, where he flew planes on classified missions. After his service, he worked for Pete Mankins as a maintenance supervisor and is an “absolute wizard” with cars, planes and boats, Bookout said. DeVore is also known for helping fellow veterans and others in need with any maintenance work they need done, Bookout said.
“He is always helping others,” Bookout said.
Norton, a veteran of the United States Navy, served on a river patrol boat in Vietnam.
“I’m in awe of these river boat guys because they had a really interesting job. It was a dangerous job to say the least,” Bookout said.
After Vietnam, Norton went to college on the GI Bill and became a teacher and superintendent.
“He influenced the lives of thousands of kids and has been a role model to so many people,” Bookout said.
Bischof is receiving his award for his work writing about veterans and military issues for the Texarkana Gazette.
“I think of him like (famous war correspondent) Ernie Pyle. He is unassuming and a journalistic hero. He knows his military,” Bookout said.
He said Bischof writes details of veteran’s military experiences “like he was really there.”
The evening is sponsored jointly by Texarkana College and the Texarkana Gazette and purposely is being held in conjunction with Flag Day.
At the event, more will be shared about the significance of the Four Chaplains and their heroic efforts in saving many men from a sinking ship in 1943.
The Chapel of Four Chaplains is quartered at The Navy Yard in Philadelphia.