Remembering Our Military A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO THE ARCADIAN Plus Highlights of DeSoto's Memorial Day Ceremonies Personal Tributes to War Heroes and All Who Served in Our Military MAY 29, 2014 The Veterans Council Of Desoto County, Inc. salutes all veterans and their families on this Memorial Day. The Veterans Council’s mission is to (1) communicate the Veterans’ viewpoints and act as a means for disseminating information on issues before local, state, or national legislative bodies which affect Veterans, their families and surviving spouses; (2) to plan, cooperate and coordinate with local authorities, government officials, and other interested parties on matters of parades, veterans recognition events, and social functions; (3) to plan, coordinate and implement any other programs to serve the best interests of the military veterans, their families, surviving spouses, and orphaned children; and (4) to cooperate with local, state, and national social services and welfare agencies in programs related to the welfare of veterans, military personnel and their dependents. We meet the 2nd Thursday of the month at 6 pm at The Arcadia Elks Lodge, 1028 W. Oak Street. Come join us at the next meeting!!! For further information, contact Tom Damron at 863-206-5966. 50456985
Transcript
RememberingOur Military
A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO THE ARCADIAN
Plus Highlights of DeSoto's Memorial Day Ceremonies
Personal Tributes toWar Heroes and All Who Served in Our Military
MAY 29, 2014
The Veterans Council Of Desoto County, Inc.salutes all veterans and their families on
this Memorial Day.The Veterans Council’s mission is to (1) communicate the Veterans’
viewpoints and act as a means for disseminating information on issues before local, state, or national legislative bodies which affect Veterans, their families
and surviving spouses; (2) to plan, cooperate and coordinate with local authorities, government officials, and other interested parties on matters of
parades, veterans recognition events, and social functions; (3) to plan, coordinate and implement any other programs to serve the best interests of
the military veterans, their families, surviving spouses, and orphaned children; and (4) to cooperate with local, state, and national social services and welfare
agencies in programs related to the welfare of veterans, military personnel and their dependents. We meet the 2nd Thursday of the month at
6 pm at The Arcadia Elks Lodge, 1028 W. Oak Street. Come join us at the next meeting!!! For further information, contact Tom Damron at 863-206-5966.
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Page 2 Thursday, May 29, 2014
The Open Road Bar and Grill of Arcadia is sponsoring a “Run for the Wall,” a fundraiser to support bringing the Traveling Wall to DeSoto County in
December. The Traveling Wall is a 3/5 size replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C.
The 500-mile motorcycle ride takes place July 12 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The cost to enter is only $20 per participant,
and those who don’t ride can still help by sponsoring a rider either by the mile or by the run.
Breakfast will be served for all the participants before the run starts, and at the end all participants will enjoy a
pulled pork dinner. Preregistration is required. For more
information, call Rick at 863-494-0140.Do your part to bring the Wall to
DeSoto and honor those who served in the U.S. Military.
500-mile bike run fundraiser plannedStaff RepoRt
A replica of the The Wall is coming to DeSoto County in December. DeSoto is fortunate to have The Vietnam Traveling Wall here from Dec. 4 through Dec. 7, allowing the county to hold its annual Pearl Harbor Day ceremony next to this replica, a commemoration of our entry into World War II in front of a symbol of the Vietnam War.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial — more commonly just called “The Wall” — has been a destination in our nation’s capital for countless veterans, their families and friends since its dedication in 1982. Commissioned in 1979 to honor service members who died or were missing in action during the Vietnam War, it includes more than 58,000 names engraved on two panels of gabbro (a dark, coarse-grained rock) whose surface is highly polished. Visitors can see their own reflections as they gaze at the names engraved on the wall.
The original Wall is in Washington, D.C. in Constitution Gardens, north of the Lincoln Memorial. While three million people visit the wall annually, not everyone can make the trip.
The Vietnam Traveling Wall was de-signed to be 3/5 the size of the original Wall in Washington, D.C. It is six feet tall
and almost 300 feet long from one end to the other. It is made portable so that it can be transported to any place in the country, making it accessible to many. It is sponsored by the Vietnam and All Veterans of Brevard, a nonprofit veter-ans organization formed in 1985.
The Traveling Wall crisscrosses the
United States. Over Memorial Day week-end it was in West Virginia; next it will head to Illinois, then Mississippi, and will be in Ohio over the Fourth of July.
The Traveling Wall accurately rep-resents the original after which it is pat-terned. Although it is made of materials that are easier to transport, each name carved on the original also appears on the replica.
Bringing the Wall hereDeSoto County’s Veterans Service
Officer, Lee Gallagher, said, “We are very fortunate to be able to host the wall over Pearl Harbor Day. A lot of people in the county worked hard to bring it here. But now, we have to raise the money needed to fund it.”
A little less than half of the roughly $25,000 needed has been raised thus far, Gallagher said. Several fundraising events are being planned and donations are being solicited. If more funds are raised than needed to display The Wall, the balance will be donated to organizations which help veterans and their families.
“When it arrives in our area, the Traveling Wall will be escorted by the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office, the Arcadia Police Department and DeSoto County Fire Rescue, along with several motorcycle groups and veterans organi-zations,” Gallagher said. It will be set up in front of the Turner Agri-Civic Center on Dec. 3 and open for the public Dec. 4 through Dec. 7.
The Traveling Wall will be the cen-terpiece of what Gallagher anticipates will be a community event. Military vehicles, a car and bike show, and a POW/MIA ceremony will all be part of the occasion, along with a Vietnam-era helicopter display. Other organizations, businesses and vendors can participate as well. A committee of veterans is working on the details, and the Vietnam Brotherhood is coordinating staffing. Gallagher said someone will be at the wall to escort people to see it, and they will be able to help visitors find particular names on the wall. They will also have materials for people to make pencil-and-paper rubbings of names etched on the wall.
“We want to make people aware
the freedoms we enjoy are not free,” Gallagher said. They have been paid for by the sacrifices, sometimes the lives of the members of our armed services. The Traveling Wall is a stark reminder of the debt we owe to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.
Traveling Wall coming to DeSoto in DecemberBy SUSAN E. HOFFMAN
ArcAdiAn Editor HOW TO HELP:Several fundraising events are being planned.
Watch The Arcadian for details.Donations to bring the Wall to DeSoto can be
given to DeSoto Co. Veterans Service Officer Lee Gallagher, County Administration Bldg., Room 105, Arcadia FL 34266. Email [email protected] or call 863-993-4860.
Vendors interested in reserving space for the community event can call Jodi Sullivan at the Turner Agri-Civic Center, 2250 NE Roan Street, Arcadia, FL 34266; or call 863-993-4807.
USED WITH PERMISSION OF WELSH PHOTOGRAPHY
®
mosaicco.com/florida
The work we do at Mosaic is critical to helping feed the world. We provide farmers with phosphate crop nutrients that enable them to produce more food on less land.
Essential crop nutrients — like phosphate mined and manufactured in Florida — are responsible for 40-60 percent of the crop yields farmers produce worldwide.* That translates into more abundant and affordable food here at home. As our world keeps growing, Mosaic keeps working to help put food on the table, for all of us.
We help the world grow the food it needs.
IMAGINE A WORLD WITH HALF AS MUCH FOOD.
Without crop nutrients, that would be our reality.
*Source: Agronomy Journal
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Page 2 Thursday, May 29, 2014
The Open Road Bar and Grill of Arcadia is sponsoring a “Run for the Wall,” a fundraiser to support bringing the Traveling Wall to DeSoto County in
December. The Traveling Wall is a 3/5 size replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C.
The 500-mile motorcycle ride takes place July 12 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The cost to enter is only $20 per participant,
and those who don’t ride can still help by sponsoring a rider either by the mile or by the run.
Breakfast will be served for all the participants before the run starts, and at the end all participants will enjoy a
pulled pork dinner. Preregistration is required. For more
information, call Rick at 863-494-0140.Do your part to bring the Wall to
DeSoto and honor those who served in the U.S. Military.
500-mile bike run fundraiser plannedStaff RepoRt
A replica of the The Wall is coming to DeSoto County in December. DeSoto is fortunate to have The Vietnam Traveling Wall here from Dec. 4 through Dec. 7, allowing the county to hold its annual Pearl Harbor Day ceremony next to this replica, a commemoration of our entry into World War II in front of a symbol of the Vietnam War.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial — more commonly just called “The Wall” — has been a destination in our nation’s capital for countless veterans, their families and friends since its dedication in 1982. Commissioned in 1979 to honor service members who died or were missing in action during the Vietnam War, it includes more than 58,000 names engraved on two panels of gabbro (a dark, coarse-grained rock) whose surface is highly polished. Visitors can see their own reflections as they gaze at the names engraved on the wall.
The original Wall is in Washington, D.C. in Constitution Gardens, north of the Lincoln Memorial. While three million people visit the wall annually, not everyone can make the trip.
The Vietnam Traveling Wall was de-signed to be 3/5 the size of the original Wall in Washington, D.C. It is six feet tall
and almost 300 feet long from one end to the other. It is made portable so that it can be transported to any place in the country, making it accessible to many. It is sponsored by the Vietnam and All Veterans of Brevard, a nonprofit veter-ans organization formed in 1985.
The Traveling Wall crisscrosses the
United States. Over Memorial Day week-end it was in West Virginia; next it will head to Illinois, then Mississippi, and will be in Ohio over the Fourth of July.
The Traveling Wall accurately rep-resents the original after which it is pat-terned. Although it is made of materials that are easier to transport, each name carved on the original also appears on the replica.
Bringing the Wall hereDeSoto County’s Veterans Service
Officer, Lee Gallagher, said, “We are very fortunate to be able to host the wall over Pearl Harbor Day. A lot of people in the county worked hard to bring it here. But now, we have to raise the money needed to fund it.”
A little less than half of the roughly $25,000 needed has been raised thus far, Gallagher said. Several fundraising events are being planned and donations are being solicited. If more funds are raised than needed to display The Wall, the balance will be donated to organizations which help veterans and their families.
“When it arrives in our area, the Traveling Wall will be escorted by the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office, the Arcadia Police Department and DeSoto County Fire Rescue, along with several motorcycle groups and veterans organi-zations,” Gallagher said. It will be set up in front of the Turner Agri-Civic Center on Dec. 3 and open for the public Dec. 4 through Dec. 7.
The Traveling Wall will be the cen-terpiece of what Gallagher anticipates will be a community event. Military vehicles, a car and bike show, and a POW/MIA ceremony will all be part of the occasion, along with a Vietnam-era helicopter display. Other organizations, businesses and vendors can participate as well. A committee of veterans is working on the details, and the Vietnam Brotherhood is coordinating staffing. Gallagher said someone will be at the wall to escort people to see it, and they will be able to help visitors find particular names on the wall. They will also have materials for people to make pencil-and-paper rubbings of names etched on the wall.
“We want to make people aware
the freedoms we enjoy are not free,” Gallagher said. They have been paid for by the sacrifices, sometimes the lives of the members of our armed services. The Traveling Wall is a stark reminder of the debt we owe to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.
Traveling Wall coming to DeSoto in DecemberBy SUSAN E. HOFFMAN
ArcAdiAn Editor HOW TO HELP:Several fundraising events are being planned.
Watch The Arcadian for details.Donations to bring the Wall to DeSoto can be
given to DeSoto Co. Veterans Service Officer Lee Gallagher, County Administration Bldg., Room 105, Arcadia FL 34266. Email [email protected] or call 863-993-4860.
Vendors interested in reserving space for the community event can call Jodi Sullivan at the Turner Agri-Civic Center, 2250 NE Roan Street, Arcadia, FL 34266; or call 863-993-4807.
USED WITH PERMISSION OF WELSH PHOTOGRAPHY
®
mosaicco.com/florida
The work we do at Mosaic is critical to helping feed the world. We provide farmers with phosphate crop nutrients that enable them to produce more food on less land.
Essential crop nutrients — like phosphate mined and manufactured in Florida — are responsible for 40-60 percent of the crop yields farmers produce worldwide.* That translates into more abundant and affordable food here at home. As our world keeps growing, Mosaic keeps working to help put food on the table, for all of us.
We help the world grow the food it needs.
IMAGINE A WORLD WITH HALF AS MUCH FOOD.
Without crop nutrients, that would be our reality.
*Source: Agronomy Journal
5045
6926
Thursday, May 29, 2014 Page 3
58th Annual British Memorial Service
Several members of Veterans and Patriots of Lakewood Ranch, Fla. traveled to Oak Ridge Cemetery in Arcadia Monday to attend the 58th Annual British Memorial Service. The ceremony commemorates the 23 British pilot-trainees who died while in south Florida for training during World War II.
Ross Allen of The Jacobites Pipe and Drum Band of Sarasota plays the bagpipeduring the 58th annual BritishMemorialService held at Oak Ridge Cemetery on Monday.
Jim Martin of the St. Andrew Society of Sara-sota reads the names of the 23 British student pilots buried at Oak Ridge Cemetery, as flags and crosses are placed on each grave.
DeSoto County Clerk of Courts Mitzie McGavic, left, shares a laugh with Kay Wise and Sheriff Will Wise Monday before the British Memorial Service at Oak Ridge Cemetery. McGavic was injured in a car wreck earlier this year
Richard Eagles came from Margate, Fla. to attend the British Memorial Service sponsored by The Arcadia Rotary Club. He holds a book, “RAF Wings Over Florida” which recounts the time British pilot-trainees learned to fly at airfields in Arcadia and elsehwere in the Sunshine State. Though the book is out of print, he is hoping enough interest can be garnered to issue a reprint of it.
RAF Wing Commander Gary James Walker said the ceremony held at the British Plot in Oak Ridge Cemetery is an “opportunity to reflect on the partnership between our two great nations. ... Just as our alliance was formed during World War I and II, so too we stand side by side to fight terrorism today.”
A Union Jack flag and cross are placed at the grave of each of the 23 British student pilots buried at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Arcadia. The Rotary Club organizes this annual ceremony, now in its 58th year.
Wreaths were presented by the
St. Andrew Society of Sarasota, the
British Amer-ican Car Club of
Charlotte County, the Scottish Clan and Associations
of Florida West, Alumni of Embry-
Riddle Aeronau-tical University
and several other organizations.
Dr. Karyn E. Gary
Superintendent
and School Board Members:
Rodney Hollingsworth
Debby Snyder
Bill Stanko
Karen Chancey
Ronny Allen
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Page 4 Thursday, May 29, 2014
DeSoto County commemorates those who served our country
The participants in Monday’s Memorial Day ceremony pose in front of the courthouse. Nancy and Howard Ward are toward the center, front row, holding the helmet in honor of their grandson, SSgt. Christopher Ward, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2013.
Boy Scouts place flags on the
courthouse lawn; each one symboli-zies one of DeSoto
County’s service members killed in
war. In the fore-ground, the gun,
boots and helmet represent SSgt.
Christopher Ward, an Arcadia native who was killed in
Afghanistan on April 6, 2013.
The DeSoto County Veterans Honor Guard, with Joe MaGee from New York, center, salute the flag during the annual Memorial Day ceremony at the DeSoto County courthouse.
As the names of DeSoto County’s war dead are called out, Marcella Beckwith, left, Sue Freeland and Jessie Alford place a white flower for each one on the cross.
Jackie Tucker and Mary Lyne of the American Legion Auxiliary take part in the Memorial Day ceremony Monday.
DeSoto County Veterans Service Officer Lee Galla-gher, left, thanks Joe MaGee of the American Legion,
a former New York resident, for
participating in the Memorial Day Ceremony in front of DeSoto’s court-
house Monday.
Thursday, May 29, 2014 Page 5
DeSoto County commemorates those who served our country
Lee Gallagher, DeSoto County’s Veterans
Service officer, opens the Memorial Day
ceremony held Monday in front of the DeSoto
County Courthouse.
The participants in Monday’s Memorial Day ceremony pose in front of the courthouse. Nancy and Howard Ward are toward the center, front row, holding the helmet in honor of their grandson, SSgt. Chris-
LincolnWing, 3, waves his American flags during the Memo-rial Day ceremony in DeSoto County.
A sizeable crowd listens as the names of Arcadia’s war victims are read during the Memorial Day ceremony at the courthouse.
The DeSoto County Veterans Honor Guard prepare for the traditional 21-gun salute to honor DeSoto’s heroes of war.
Boy Scouts take part in the ceremony in front of the DeSoto County Courthouse to remember the DeSoto County members of the armed services who died while serving their country.
Page 6 Thursday, May 29, 2014
Commander Robert F. Thomas, U.S. Navy50
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My dad is my hero. He was a Naval Commander, Meteorologist, pilot, and flight instructor. He retired a high ranking officer when I was 10 years old. He then served as a missionary in Japan and eventually earned two doctorate degrees (family counseling and C hristian Education). The most amazing thing about my dad is something far more than his impressive background. He is the Dad, husband, brother, friend an d mentor that EVERYONE wishes they could have. As I grew up, all my friends and even people I did not know called him “Uncle Bobby”. He is the kindest g entlest guy you could ever meet. His dedication to God,
family and country make him a “giant among men” Yep, my dad is a giant in my heart! I love you Dad. Susie (Thomas) Deriso
My Dad has no quit in him! He retired from the Navy when he had nothing but promotions ahead of him. He thought retirement meant to take off the old tires and put new tires on and keep going....so he did! From missionaries to Japan, getting his Doctorate, sch ool principal in several different schools, Dean of a Bible College,
then missionary again, he kept on going! He went through quite a few new “tires”! He still, at 83 ye ars of age is active in the American Legion, administrates an overseas mission, and still even participates in missions work. He has also been a Dad through all t his that I love and respect and don’t think I can ever live without!
Dad, on this Memorial Day (and soon Father’s Day), I honor, respect, and love you with all my heart! You have always been and always will be my hero! Karen Thomas Rayner
Having known this man for 62 years, lived in his home, been on overseas deployments with him, hunted the deer woods and fished coast to coast side by side, I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that this veteran holds and loves Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior above all else. In his life he has loved only one
woman, with all his heart. He served his country with great distinction and without hesitation for m any years. Should the call come today, be sure he stands ready should his country need him once again PERIOD. Thanks Dad, you’re my hero,
Your oldest son, Dan (Dan Thomas)
1 just want to thank my dad for his service to our country, and for the example that he set for me. Jeff Thomas . I Love You Dad.
My father could go by any one of four titles, depending on who he is with. If he’s with the America n Legion, they would call him Cmdr. Thomas. If he was among church people, they would call him Rev. Thomas. If he was among educators, they would call him Dr Th omas. I am among his ranks as a preacher, and I am finishing
up a PhD. Just like he did. “Dad” is the title I value the most and is what I strive to live up to b ecause to me he’ll always just be my Dad! Rob Thomas
Page 6 Thursday, May 29, 2014
Commander Robert F. Thomas, U.S. Navy
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My dad is my hero. He was a Naval Commander, Meteorologist, pilot, and flight instructor. He retired a high ranking officer when I was 10 years old. He then served as a missionary in Japan and eventually earned two doctorate degrees (family counseling and C hristian Education). The most amazing thing about my dad is something far more than his impressive background. He is the Dad, husband, brother, friend an d mentor that EVERYONE wishes they could have. As I grew up, all my friends and even people I did not know called him “Uncle Bobby”. He is the kindest g entlest guy you could ever meet. His dedication to God,
family and country make him a “giant among men” Yep, my dad is a giant in my heart! I love you Dad. Susie (Thomas) Deriso
My Dad has no quit in him! He retired from the Navy when he had nothing but promotions ahead of him. He thought retirement meant to take off the old tires and put new tires on and keep going....so he did! From missionaries to Japan, getting his Doctorate, sch ool principal in several different schools, Dean of a Bible College,
then missionary again, he kept on going! He went through quite a few new “tires”! He still, at 83 ye ars of age is active in the American Legion, administrates an overseas mission, and still even participates in missions work. He has also been a Dad through all t his that I love and respect and don’t think I can ever live without!
Dad, on this Memorial Day (and soon Father’s Day), I honor, respect, and love you with all my heart! You have always been and always will be my hero! Karen Thomas Rayner
Having known this man for 62 years, lived in his home, been on overseas deployments with him, hunted the deer woods and fished coast to coast side by side, I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that this veteran holds and loves Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior above all else. In his life he has loved only one
woman, with all his heart. He served his country with great distinction and without hesitation for m any years. Should the call come today, be sure he stands ready should his country need him once again PERIOD. Thanks Dad, you’re my hero,
Your oldest son, Dan (Dan Thomas)
1 just want to thank my dad for his service to our country, and for the example that he set for me. Jeff Thomas . I Love You Dad.
My father could go by any one of four titles, depending on who he is with. If he’s with the America n Legion, they would call him Cmdr. Thomas. If he was among church people, they would call him Rev. Thomas. If he was among educators, they would call him Dr Th omas. I am among his ranks as a preacher, and I am finishing
up a PhD. Just like he did. “Dad” is the title I value the most and is what I strive to live up to b ecause to me he’ll always just be my Dad! Rob Thomas
Thursday, May 29, 2014 Page 7
Bob RogersBob Rogers served as a First
Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force from 1951-1952; as a Second Lieutenant, Jet Transition (All-weather Fighter Interceptor) at Tyndall Air Force Base, Panama City, Fla.
He was with the 84th Fighter Interceptor Squad (FIS), Air Defense Command, at Hamilton Air Force Base in California.; as well as the 83rd FIS, ADC at Paine AFB, Everett, Washington, and 354th FIS, ADC, at Oxnard Air Force Base, Oxnard California.
Most missions, while on alert status (at night or during adverse weather), consisted of intercepting aircraft that had entered U.S. airspace improperly.
He was honorably discharged in 1955 and now ives with his wife of 60 years, Marie, in Cross Creek RV Resort. PHOTO PROVIDED
George W. Burnham served in the U.S. Army from 1951 until 1971 and retired as a SFC E-7.
During this time, he served in the Korean and Vietnam wars. He loved his country and was proud to serve. We are proud of him for his service and also of others who have served or are still serving now.
God bless Amercia.
George W. Burnham
PHOTO PROVIDED
Richard O. Stewart
Richard O. Stewart, a World War II veteran, is buried in the Hull Cemetery, located in the middle of a private orange grove in the Hull community. His grave, and several others, were overgrown with weeds for many years until Chester Keene uncovered it. He wanted this U.S. veteran to be remembered on Memorial Day.
Kim Brown, left, and Stanley “Cookie” Ferguson help replace American flags at the graves of U.S. Service members at Joshua Creek Cemetery. Ferguson said, “We are celebrating our freedom today by changing the flags, because those who served helped preserve our freedoms.”
Wayman Killmon places an American
flag at the grave of his great-grandfather at
Joshua Creek Cemetery on Monday. A group
of veterans removed old, faded flags and
replaced them with new ones at the graves of
all U.S. veterans buried there.
Burt Bailey helps to place fresh flags at the graves of American servicemen buried at Joshua Creek Cemetery on Monday.
Robert Edwin “Radar” Bailey, a Vietnam veteran, places flags at the graves of U.S. military members buried at Joshua Creek Cemetery. As a Staff Sergeant, he spent two years in Vietnam serving his country.
Veterans honor graves of those who served
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This Memorial Day, McDonalds salutes the heroes of our Armed forces past and present for their courage and
dedication to our country.
McDonalds1203 East Oak St., Arcadia, FL 34266
Page 8 Thursday, May 29, 2014
Veteran Donald Overweig salutes his new flag as Junior Bird raises it during a recent wheelchair ramp dedication and flag presentation ceremony by Habitat for Humanity.
Stairs are not a challenge for many of us, but for Donald and Ethel Overweig stairs lie between them and freedom — freedom to go to the doctor or shopping for food.
But not anymore, thanks to the gen-erosity of the community and Habitat for Humanity’s Critical Home Repair Program, through which a new wheel-chair ramp was built for the Overweigs. At the dedication, Donald related how he has tumbled on his stairs landing face first, trying to get to the doctor. He and his wife Ethel both use wheel walkers to move about and Habitat was excited to work with a neighbor, Bill Rutherford, to build the ramp, providing access for them both.
Each dedication ends with the presentation of a flag and as Donald is a veteran, it was especially fitting. At the ceremony all gathered read a poem reminding us all of our freedoms and those who give of themselves for us.
To donate to or volunteer for the Critical Home Repair Program, call Heather Smith, Community Outreach Director, at 863-494-4118.
Habitat for Humanity honors veterans with a helping handSUBMITTED By JANE BREYLINGER
Habitat for Humanity
PHOTO PROVIDED BY JANE BREYLINGER
Through Habitat for Humanity’s Critical Home Repair Program, Donald and Ethel Overweig were given a new wheelchair ramp. At the dedication ceremony, a flag was presented to the couple.
One weekend a month Florida National Guard Soldiers can be seen in Arcadia during their drill weekend. Many of these soldiers grew up here and continue a long tradition of serving their community and country. According to state records, the Arcadia National Guard unit has maintained a continuous presence in Arcadia since 1893.
In its 121-year history, this unit has been federally activated six times, and served in at least a dozen activations for state duty such as hurricanes, floods, and fires.
The DeSoto Guards, as they were known in 1893, started as an infantry company and drilled in an open lot be-tween DeSoto and Brevard avenues. The official name, Company D, 5th Separate Battalion, was one of only 20 National Guard units at that time in the state of Florida. Just five years after its inception the DeSoto Guards would have to an-swer the call for the Spanish-American
War. The federal government called for volunteers and all 20 Florida units volunteered, but only 12 were selected and the Arcadia unit returned home.
In 1915 the unit was reorganized as Company K 2nd Florida Infantry Regiment, and one year later they were called upon for service in the Mexican Border War. They were deployed for eight months to Laredo, Texas under the command of Captain Rupert Smith (founder of Rupert Smith Insurance). Just five months after returning home, they were activated again in support of World War I as Company K 124th Infantry Regiment.
After WWI, Arcadia put down the rifles and made the move to field artillery. Battery F 2nd Battalion 116th Field Artillery Regiment was organized in 1923 and was equipped with horse-drawn 75mm cannons, and then in 1933 converted to truck-drawn artillery. Battery F served in several state active-duty missions providing flood relief to Moore Haven in 1926 and Okeechobee in 1928.
Battery F was reorganized as Service
Battery 116th Field Artillery in 1937, and in 1940 answered America’s call again for WWII. Most of the Florida National Guard Soldiers were attached to the 31st Infantry Division (Dixie Division) and were deployed to the South Pacific in 1943.
After the conclusion of WWII, the unit was reorganized in 1947 to Battery D 712th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion. Battery D was federally activated in 1951 in support of the Korean Emergency and returned in 1953.
In 1959 the unit was fielded with 105 mm howitzers and was reorganized as Battery A 2nd Howitzer Battalion 265th Field Artillery. This unit responded in response to Hurricane Donna in 1960, and then in 1968 received the 155 mm howitzer as Battery A 1st Battalion 116th Field Artillery.
The artillery piece in front of the armory on Kelly Drive is the M110 8-inch self-propelled howitzer. It was fielded by the unit in 1984 as part of the 3rd Battalion. This unit was activated in 1992 in response to Hurricane Andrew, and later in 1998 in response to wild
fires in northeast Florida. A Battery was the first to receive and
fire the Multiple Launch Rocket System in the Florida National Guard in 1996. The unit was activated for Operation Safe Harbor in Miami 2001, and then in 2005 was deployed to Iraq as the 651 Military Police Company where it received two unit citations. In 2004 the unit was activated for Hurricanes Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne.
Once again in 2012 A Battery was the first to fire a new weapon system. They fielded the HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) and were the first to fire a HIMARS in Camp Blanding. Most recently the Arcadia unit was deployed to Qatar in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as SECFOR A 3/116 Field Artillery.
The Arcadia National Guard has been reorganized eight times, been deployed in five conflicts, and has served Floridians all over the state more than a dozen times. Now, as in 1893, its soldiers are citizens from all walks of life who all come together to serve country, state, and community.
Arcadia National Guard Unit: 121 years of serviceBy SSG JOSEPH H. DANIELSArcAdiA NAtioNAl GuArd
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GROWING TO BETTER SERVE YOU AND YOUR COMMUNITY...
DeSoto Memorial Hospital 900 N. Robert Ave., P.O. Box 2180, Arcadia, FL 34265
Covered by Medicare & Most Secondary Insurances
Renewing the Quality of Life for Seniors
Senior Life Improvement Program Outpatient Counseling Services
