Loveland WWII veteran finally gets dress blues

Harry Gunther was just 17 years old growing up in Chicago when he saw United States Marine dress blues for the first time when, while sitting outside with friends, a Marine walked past.

“I said, ‘Boy, I’d look good in that,’ ” Gunther recalled more than 80 years later at his daughter’s house in Loveland.

But after 21/2 years of service, where he fought in several key battles in the Pacific theater — earning two Purple Hearts — Gunther never got the dress blues he pined for as a teenager. Now, the 98-year- old veteran has his own set thanks to the work of veteran Brian Ivers and his wife.

Gunther was born in Chicago in 1925 and, as an 18-yearold, joined the Marines during World War II in 1943. During his time in the service, Gunther found himself fighting in four battles, including the infamous Battle of Iwo Jima.

“I had close calls I would say almost every other day,” he later added.

But Gunther’s time fighting in the Pacific came to an end when a piece of shrapnel shot into his foot, and he was taken off the island and out of combat.

Gunther relayed his life’s story in an interview with Brad Hoopes, who has worked for years to preserve the stories of Northern Colorado veterans, several months ago; it is posted to the Remember and Honor Youtube page.

While Gunther answered the call of duty during WWII, he walked away without the dress blues that had enticed him in the first place.

Ivers, who served in the Marines from 1989 to 2016 with four years of active duty, said Marines have to buy the dress blues. He said he imagined there were fewer of the uniforms during Gunther’s time because of the sheer number of Marines in service.

“Even if he wanted them, I wasn’t sure he would have gotten them,” Ivers said.

Making sure that Gunther got his dress blues became Ivers’ mission.

After being approached by Hoopes, Ivers learned Gunther’s story. Not only did they both serve in the Marines, they even served in the same regiment.

Ivers and his wife, Heather, got to work getting together dress blues made specifically for Gunther. This meant not only getting the right size, but making sure to get the right medals to attach to the uniform so they matched what Gunther had done in service, which Ivers said took a great deal of research.

Ivers was able to give Gunther his own dress blues right before Veterans Day, which he was able to wear to the Loveland Veterans Day parade.

JENNY SPARKS — LOVELAND REPORTER-HERALD Loveland resident Harry Gunther, a 98-year-old World War II U.S. Marine veteran, sports his dress blues Monday as retired Marine Brian Ivers, right, listens to his stories about his time in combat. After fighting in four battles and receiving two Purple Hearts, Gunther never got his chance to wear dress blues. Last month, Ivers helped make sure Gunther got his much-deserved dress blues.