Page 3 - The Wayne Dispatch
P. 3

Air Force veteran speaks at memorial flag raising



          By Carolyn Marnon
             A  large  crowd  gathered  around
          Wayne’s  new  Veteran’s  Memorial
          Wednesday, September 30, for the of-
          ficial flag raising ceremony. The ma-
          jority  of  attendees  wore  masks.
          Chairs were socially distanced. Many
          stood encircling the space.
             Over $100,000 was raised over
          the  last  four  years  to  bring  this
          dream to honor our military veter-
          ans to life. The memorial is accessi-
          ble year-round. Three benches look
          towards  the  memorial  to  provide
          space  for  contemplation.  Several
          parking spaces face the memorial for
          those veterans who are unable or do
          not wish to get out of their vehicle.
          It’s a place where veterans can pon-  Retired Air Force Colonel Charles L. Cone, the guest speaker, talks to Mayor Rhaesa about his dad John A. Rhaesa being a
          der thoughts they can never share
          with anyone else.                  veteran. Photos by Doug Bargerstock
             As the Pledge of Allegiance was re-                                                                  his throat and a tear in his eye when-
          cited  on  a  cool  autumn  day,  occa-                                                                 ever  he  hears  The  Star-Spangled
          sional  raindrops  fell  from  the  sky,                                                                Banner and Taps. Taps means a vet
          like teardrops for all who gave their                                                                   has gone to glory, he said. He told the
          lives during their military service.                                                                    crowd  that  we  cannot  accept  the
             Wayne Mayor John Rhaesa spoke                                                                        burning and disrespect of our flag.
          about the courage, pride, determina-                                                                    Men and women of the armed serv-
          tion, selflessness, dedication and in-                                                                  ices are there to protect you, he said.
          tegrity of those who have served this                                                                   Service  members  and  vets  have
          country.                                                                                                taken on special responsibilities to
             Mayor Pro-Tem Tom Porter, who                                                                        maintain our way of life.
          is a veteran himself, was unable to                                                                        Col. Cone remembered eleven of
          be at the ceremony as he is fighting                                                                    his crew members who were killed
          his own battle, a private one, with                                                                     in a plane crash as they were prepar-
          cancer. He did send a message that                                                                      ing to go on leave. One of those killed
          was read saying in part “It’s a place                                                                   was his roommate. He had experi-
          to say thank you to all who served.”                                                                    ences where he had to inform a wife
             Pastor  Seth  McDonald  of  Hill                                                                     of  the  death  of  her  husband,  and
          Crest Bible Church praised the me-                                                                      then had to visit the man’s parents to
          morial as a place where future gener-                                                                   inform them. He knew a World War
          ations  will  know  of  the  sacrifices  Retired soldier U.S. Army Sergeant E8 Paul and Ginger Cook of Wayne listen to Re-  II paratrooper who had a newborn
          made before them.                  tired Air Force Colonel Charles L. Cone at the Memorial Dedication.    son. He had made jumps in Africa,
             Retired Air Force Colonel Charles                                                                    Italy, Normandy and then was killed
          L.  Cone,  the  guest  speaker,  ap-                                                                    in Belgium. He never “met” his son.
          proached the podium to share his                                                                           In an ironic twist, as soon as Col.
          thoughts.  “Most  of  us  can  hardly                                                                   Cone was done speaking, the clouds
          move  around!”  he  chuckled  to  the                                                                   opened up and rain started coming
          crowd.  Col.  Cone  wanted  to  be  a                                                                   down over the gathered crowd.
          naval aviator when he was growing                                                                          Wayne Police Officer and veteran
          up; his passion was flying. He raised                                                                   Jordan Arndt, Wayne Police Officer
          and sold beans to earn the money                                                                        and  veteran  Joshua  Priebe,  and
          needed for flying lessons. He grew up                                                                   Wayne Fire Department and veteran
          and became a Naval Aviator. He later                                                                    Captain Dave Wylie raised the flags,
          transferred  his  commission  to  the                                                                   the American flag and the POW/MIA
          Air Force in time to serve in the Ko-                                                                   flag, over the Veterans Memorial to
          rean War. He completed his military                                                                     close the ceremony.
          tour in Vietnam and retired in 1973.                                                                       The Wayne Memorial High School
          He became an active flight instructor.                                                                  Zebra  Marching  Band  played  an
             In  speaking  of  his  service,  he                                                                  American  medley  of  songs  as  the
          choked up and paused for a moment                                                                       skies  opened  up  and  a  downpour
          as he shared how he gets a lump in           Wayne Memorial High School JROTC  before presenting of the Colors.    began.

                                                                                                                 The Wayne Dispatch · October 2020 · 3
   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8