Veterans honored with wreath tradition
Ralph Reynolds drove 160 miles Saturday to honor 27 Auglaize County veterans who gave their lives for their country. He — and his family — did that by laying Christmas wreaths on the graves of the dead soldiers.
“We started just before noon and we finished just as it was getting dark,” he said.
Every year since 2008, local veterans have honored their comrades this way. Freedom's Colors of Wapakoneta, represented by chairman Ralph Reynolds and his family, visited the cemeteries again on Saturday, participating in Wreaths Across America, remembering and honoring local veterans and teaching Americans about their service to their country.
The Wreaths Across America program’s mission is: “Remember, Educate, Honor” — Remember the fallen, educate our youth on the sacrifices that were made, honor those who served.
The day honors veterans killed in action and is held to help support the families they left behind when they gave the ultimate sacrifice.
Reynolds, who is also active in the VFW Post in St. Marys, his wife, Joyce, and son, Chase, started at noon to visit 27 grave sites in five counties, including that of Pfc. Michael L. Oen, who died June 9, 1970 in Vietnam. Oen is buried in St. Joseph Cemetery.
Reynolds said participating in this national observance is a commitment to his fallen comrades who served during the Vietnam War and the more recent military conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was joined this year by representatives of the St. Marys American Legion Post 323 and Chained Eagles of Ohio, who
also visited area cemeteries to lay wreaths.
The ceremony includes placing an evergreen wreath at the site, and adding a flag and a photograph of the fallen veteran to the gravesite.
Also honored Saturday by Freedom’s Colors were Michael Armstrong, who died Sept. 22, 1968 in Vietnam; Dennis Dulebohn, Dec. 22 in Vietnam; Gary Derrick, April 13, 1969, Vietnam; Bruce Kolter, June 17, 1969, Vietnam; Ronald Parson, April 3, 1970, Vietnam; Michael Schoolcraft III, Jan. 18, 2008, Iraq; Kevin Bittinger, May 4, 2015, Korea; Sonny C. Zimmerman, July 16, 2013, Afghanistan; William J. Lammers, June 6, 1971, Vietnam; Ronnie Blair, Oct. 10, 1968, Vietnam; Richard A. Doseck, March 10, 1969, Vietnam; William H. Guyer, Jan. 29, 1966, Vietnam; Charles A. Lauer, Dec. 6, 1968, Vietnam; Vernon J. Seger, Oct. 24, 1969, Vietnam; Gordon Sheperd, March 17, 1968, Vietnam; Russell L. Wilcox, Jan. 18, 1968, Vietnam; Frederick P. Ziegenfelder, May 6, 1970, Vietnam; Marvin C. Frysinger, July 12, 1950, Korea; Hiram E. Gilroy, April 9, 1952, Korea; Clifford Hammond, Aug. 31, 1951, Korea; Anthony L. Knapke, July 16, 1950, Korea; Steven Zimmerman, July 20, 1968, Vietnam; Charles Gunther, June 19, 1953, Korea; Robert Griner, Dec. 14, 1944, World War II; Clarence L. Coleman, Feb. 10, 1965, Vietnam; and Richard D. Keysor, Oct. 8, 1951, Korea.
The wreaths were sponsored by Freedom’s Colors, Glacier Hill Lake Campgrounds, Wapakoneta Police Department, American Legion Post 323 in St. Marys, Elm Grove Cemetery, Miller Funeral Home, Lowe’s Home Improvement, veterans Walk and Marsha Mangen, John Brotherhood, Mel Gaza, Scott and Angela Dues, Karl Hagaman and Scott Hammersmith, Sidney Assistant Fire Chief Scott Barga, Elaine Helmandollar Hall, Amber Schoolcraft and Perry and Jeff VanWeort.