20 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017 The Dispatch www.cdispatch.

com SALUTE TO VETERANS

2 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017 The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com SALUTE TO VETERANS SALUTE TO VETERANS The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017 19
18 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017
Bishop recalls harrowing time in Korea
Columbus business owner escaped death multiple times
E
arly in his mili-
tary career, John-
ny Bishop sat in
a small window-less
room, working as a
cryptographer.
Back then, he couldnt imagine
lasting the week, much less three
tours of duty in Korea, including a
14-month deployment when the
Chinese army overran the Korean
Peninsula, and another stint in
Germany.
I hated it, said Bishop, re-
calling the events of his career in
the U.S. Army from 1949-69. All
my buddies were outside, talking,
doing whatever. I was stuck in
that room. It was awful.
Mercifully, Bishop managed to
talk himself out of that little room
and, as it turned out, right into the
Korean War.
Almost a full year after enlist-
ing, Bishop found himself heading
to Korea, which was originally
thought to be a small skirmish
involving a portion of the 24th
Infantry Division.
When I was going through
training, everybody wanted to go
to the Far East, Japan, recalled
Bishop, now 84. By then, I was
working in supply when a guy
comes in and says, How many of
you guys volunteered for the Far
East? and everybodys hand goes
up. He says, You got your wish.
Youre all going to Korea. We say,
Wait a minute. Korea. No, we
want to go to Japan.
In Korea
Bishop did go to Japan, but it
proved to be short stay.
We had only been there a few
days when they said, Hey, weve
got to get you guys to Korea.
BY SLIM SMITH | ssmith@cdispatch.com
Weve lost the whole peninsula.
Aboard the transport, Bishop
and his outfit were equipped with
two bandoliers of ammo and a
rifle. They were going to the front
as soon as they stepped ashore,
he was told.
As Im going down the
gangplank, a guy asked if any of
us had ever worked at a service
station, Bishop said. I said I had
so he told me to come with him.
Everybody else got on the trucks
to the front.
Suddenly his job, he was told,
was a POL dispenser (petroleum,
oil and lubricants).
They took me about 20 miles
up the MSR (main supply route)
with some barrels of gasoline and
a hand-pump and told me my
jobs was to put gas into the vehi-
cles as they came up and down
the MSR, he said.
The next day, he was joined
by two young black soldiers from
Detroit, who were friends.
They were digging a latrine
ditch and go to arguing, playing
really, he said. One of them
pulled his knife and was joking
about was going to stick the other
guy. Then the other guy pulls his
gun, pops the clip out and points
it at the guy and tells him hes
going to shoot him. He points the
gun, pulls the trigger. There was
a bullet in the chamber. It hit him
right in the chest and killed him.
That was the first casualty I saw in
Korea.
A few days later, Bishop was
promoted to driving truck, hauling
barrels of gasoline to the front -- a
job he was told wasnt dangerous
unless, of course, the truck was
hit, which wasnt much comfort.
I remember the first time up
the MSR I began to see a fire,
Bishop said. At first it looked like
a house fire, but after I got closer,
The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com
Deanna Robinson/Dispatch Staff
Johnny Bishop tells stories from
his days in the war at his office in
Columbus Wednesday afternoon.
to about a few hundred feet, I
could see what it was North
Korean solders stacked up, maybe
eight or nine high. They were
burning the bodies. You cant
believe the smell. It was awful. Ill
never forget that.
Most memorable moment
But, by far Bishops most
memorable experience in his
14-month tour in Korea was in
October 1951, near the end of
his tour, when Chinese soldiers
overran Pyongyang.
We were there when they
came in, Bishop recalled. I was
standing on a hilltop, watching
with my outfit. My outfit pulled
out and me and my company
commander were the only two
left. I kept telling him, Come on,
we better get out of here, but
he said, I cant get in touch with
Battalion on the radio. Finally,
about 10 oclock, they blew the
ammo dump, which was our sign
to pull out. Our job was to blow
our signal to abandon post.
We had all our signal equip-
ment stacked up and wired up
with barrels of drums of gasoline
and dynamite around it, he
added. I had the detonator, and I
had strung about a quarter-mile of
Johnny Bishop shows his certificate of retirement from the Army his
office in Columbus Wednesday afternoon.
Pictured is one of Bishops certificates.
wire. I hit the detonator. Nothing
happened. I hit it a second time.
Again, nothing. By the third time
I tried it, I was sweating bullets
because I know if it doesnt work
this time, Im going to have to
go out there in the pitch black
and wire it up again. Thankfully,
it went off looked like a small
atomic bomb. We got out of
there.
SALUTE TO VETERANS SALUTE TO VETERANS The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017 3
Another European tour
About the cover
Area veterans Joyce Jones
from Columbus, Ron Novy
from Starkville, Calvin Bo-
swell from Columbus, Law-
rence Lee from Columbus,
Jerry Gibson from Columbus,
Thelma Novy from Starkville
and Shirley Smith from Co- Bradford Freeman, 93, salutes the cemetery of a fallen soldier
lumbus. at a World War II cemetery in Europe. Freeman was one of the
101 Airborne Divisions Band of Brothers which was part of the Bradford Freeman, 93, visits a World War II memorial in Bastogne,
invasion of Normandy and the fight against Germany in 1944-45. In Belgium with Band of Brothers actor James Madio. Freeman was
September of this year, the National World War II Museum in New a private first class in the 101st Airborne Division which was part
of the invasion of Normandy and Battle of the Bulge in World War
Orleans sponsored a trip through western Europe, giving Freeman
the chance to retrace his steps for the first time since the war. I IIs European theater. The division was also the subject of the HBO
miniseries Band of Brothers.
enjoyed the whole thing, Freeman said of his trip.
Deanna Robinson/Dispatch Staff
Deanna Robinson/Dispatch Staff
Today, Bishop looks back on
his military career, especially his
time in Korea, as a key period in
his life.
I think the main thing I
learned was discipline, said Bish-
op, who has been in the auto/RV
sales business for 44 years since
retiring from the Army in 1969.
Ive been blessed in life and in
my business, all these years.
4 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017
Veterans who bowl
Senior veteran bowling league to host fundraising event for VA
S
hirley D. Smith loves
hanging out with her
friends at the GTR
Lanes bowling alley in Co-
lumbus.
The U.S. Navy veteran likes it even bet-
ter when she wins, especially if she takes
down her cohort Thelma Novy, 65, of
Starkville who served in the Air Force.
But in the two womens friendly rival-
ry both say they average scores between
120 and 130 on the lanes Novy said she
has two not-so-secret weapons that help
her in the intimidation department.
Im a loud-mouth, and Im also hyper,
she said jokingly.
Novy and Smith, 61, of
Columbus, work together
each year to organize a
Bowl for Vets fundraiser at
GTR Lanes, in which they
honor local veterans and
raise money for the Veterans
Affairs Hospital in Jackson.
Smith
The fourth annual Bowl
for Vets event is scheduled
for 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Nov. 11 at GTR lanes. Cost
is $15 per person to play,
and that includes shoe rental
and three games. Novy
said anyone is welcome to
participate.
Roughly $10 of each Novy
entry fee will go to the VA,
Novy said, and past events have raised
more than $1,000. Donations beyond the
entry fee are also encouraged.
We do this for the men and women
who served our country, Smith said. We
appreciate them, and we want them to
know their service will not be forgotten.
(Military personnel) sacrifice a lot when
they are in the service, and sometimes it
goes unnoticed. We especially want the
younger folks to understand the reason we
have the freedoms we have is because of
The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com
BY ZACK PLAIR | zplair@cdispatch.com
Gordon Bomar, 67, bowls every Thursday at GTR Lanes in Columbus as part of a senior
league for military veterans. He served with the Marines in Vietnam in 1969-70.
people who served or are serving.
A ceremony at the fundraiser will honor
area veterans, as well as those who died,
were captured or missing in the line of
duty.
Battle of the Services
If the veterans who participate have
anything to say about it, there will also be
some high-quality, competitive bowling.
Novy said many event participants will
come from the Golden Triangle senior vet-
erans bowling league, which boasts players
with multiple perfect (300 score) games
under their belts. A few of them are even
enshrined in the Mississippi Bowling Hall
of Fame, Novy said.
Veterans bowling at GTR Nov. 11 will
compete in the Battle of the Services,
Luisa Porter/ Dispatch Staff
meaning their scores will go toward a total
score for the service branch they are repre-
senting, and the winning branch will take
home much-coveted bragging rights.
For bowlers like Gordon Bomar, choos-
ing a service branch to represent for the
battle might be difficult. The 67-year-old
was a Navy corpsman in Vietnam in 1969-
70 and earned a Purple Heart serving with
the 3rd Marine Reconnaissance Unit.
Bomars points will be invaluable
though. Hes bowled a pair of 300s lifetime
and holds a strong average in the league.
Ive been bowling since I was 10, he
said. My dad was an avid bowler.
The league
Bomar is one of 68 bowlers in the vet-
eran senior league, all of whom live in or
SALUTE TO VETERANS SALUTE TO VETERANS The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017 17
near the Golden Triangle, and which make
up 17 four-person teams that bowl every
Thursday morning at GTR Lanes.
Judging from the league achievement
patches affixed to his bowling bag, one
would think the competition drives him
to play. But for him and all the men and
women bowlers in the league, its much
more about the camaraderie.
I just like being around the people, and
Im proud of all of them, Bomar said. We
come out here and swap stories. Theres
definitely a mutual respect among every-
body.
Army Veteran David Milons of Craw-
ford, who first enlisted in the military in
1956, joined the league when it first began
more than a decade ago. Now hes the
local chapter president of
Bowlers to Veterans Link a
national organization and
he carries an affinity for
bowling that goes beyond
the score on the screen.
It means a lot to come
here every week, Milons
said. The beauty of this
Milons
game is that anybody can
beat anybody on any given day. It doesnt
always matter how good you are.
For the record, Milons said he is averag-
ing 176 this year, and his best game is 268.
That puts Milons right in the ballpark
with league-mates, 80-year-old James Rat-
cliff and 75-year-old Jim Hager, who met
on a golf course in Tupelo years ago and
have been golfing and bowling together
ever since.
Ratcliff served in the Army from 1954-
75, logging tours in Korea and Vietnam. As
a bowler, his best game of 296 could be
viewed as a painful memory, but the jovial
Ratcliff seems to take it in stride.
I missed the 12th strike, he said. I left
four pins (on the last bowl).
Hager of West Point was an Air Force
missile technician from 1960-68. His best
score is 246.
It really is like a family here, he said of
the league.
16 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017 The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com SALUTE TO VETERANS SALUTE TO VETERANS The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017 5
6 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017
Arthur Alexander
U.S. Air Force
Second Class Airman Arthur Alexan-
der, 82, served from 1956-1962 in the
U.S. Air Force.
He served a tour in Okinawa, Japan.
Alexander joined the military be-
cause the draft was near.
Tramaine R.
Allen
U.S. Marine Corps
Private First Class Tramaine R. Al-
len served from January 2008-January
2012 in the U.S. Marine Corps.
While serving during Operation En-
during Freedom he was shot at multiple
times and blown up by an IED. Luckily,
he had a fast recovery.
Allen joined the military because he
has faced so many adversities in his life
growing up and really wanted to learn
The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com
different morals and values.
I had a blast while I served, he re-
called. I traveled to so many countries
and learned multiple languages, cul-
tures and traditions outside of my own.
I met so many people along the way
that came from all over the country
and other countries. Learning to band
together to form a brother and sister-
hood such as the Marine Corps has for
me forever made an impact on my life.
James R. Burns
U.S. Navy
Chef (Steward) James R. Burns, de-
ceased, served in the U.S. Navy.
He served a tour in Germany.
Jhirrell Bush
U.S. Navy
Logistic Specialist 2 Jhirrell Bush, 26,
has served five years in the U.S. Navy.
He served a tour in Singapore.
Bush joined the military for a career.
Johnny Buster
U.S. Air Force
Master Sergeant Johnny Bust-
er served 22 years and 10 months in
the U.S. Air Force/Military Assistance
Command Vietnam Special Opera-
tions Group (MACV-SOG).
He served tours in Spain and Italy.
Buster gained 18 months of combat
experience in Vietnam.
He joined the military to see the
world and was assigned to the 821st
Combat Security Police.
Buster recalls service in the MACV
(SOG) recon unit working with Kore-
ans, Australians, Army ROTC and get-
ting 12 KIA during an attack on his fine
base.
Willie Byrd, Jr.
U.S. Army
Master Sergeant Willie Byrd Jr., 75,
served 24 years in the U.S. Army be-
fore he retired from the military.
SALUTE TO VETERANS
He served a 10-year tour in Germa-
ny with two years combat experience
in Vietnam.
Byrd joined the military to support
his mother and family.
After two years, he decided to be
a career soldier. He was honored to
serve our nation for the protection of
freedom we enjoy today. After his first
assignment in Germany, he was as-
signed to the 4th Infantry Division in
Vietnam.
He has fond memories of being sta-
tioned in Berlin, Germany. Although
it was a divided city where the Wall
separated East and West Berlin, he was
able to travel into East Berlin for leisure
and shopping.
Willie T. Byrd III
U.S. Army
Specialist Willie Todd Byrd III, 30,
served four years in the U.S. Army.
He served a tour in Cuba with com-
bat experience in Guantanamo Bay,
Cuba.
He is a post 9/11 veteran who joined
the armed forces to serve our nation
during Operation Enduring Freedom.
He was honored to be on a team of
193rd Military Police Company in the
vital security mission at Guantanamo
Bay, Cuba.
When I returned from my last mis-
sion to a conflict zone, I was relieved
to get assigned to U.S. Disciplinary
Barracks at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas,
where I served the remainder of my en-
listment with an honorable discharge,
he recalled.
SALUTE TO VETERANS
Roberto Short
U.S. Air Force
Master Sergeant Roberto Short, 35,
has served 16 years in the U.S. Air
Force.
He served four years in Japan, one
year in Iraq and two 4-month rotations
to Qatar.
Short initially joined the Air Force
to further his education and see the
world. Over time, it morphed from
those selfish wants to serving some-
thing that was bigger than himself.
His best memories from his time in
the Air Force are the people. It does
not matter where you are in the world,
people from all walks of life come to-
gether for a common purpose. Over
time, they become your family, he said.
Jack B. Smith
U.S. Army
Sergeant Jack B. Smith, 67, served
The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com
from 1970-1976 in the U.S. Army.
He served a tour in Vietnam where
he gained combat experience as a
point man.
Smith was drafted into the military.
He recalls being proud to serve his
country and making friends from all
over the United States.
Andy Stewart
Army Reserve
Master Sergeant Andy Stewart, 69,
served in the Army Reserve.
He joined the military to serve our
country.
He fondly recalls his retirement.
Pauline Stewart
U.S. Marine Corps
Gunnery Sergeant Pauline Stewart,
55, served 20 years in the U.S. Marine
Corps.
She served tours in Japan and Korea.
She joined the military to become
Americas finest, the few, the proud, a
United States Marine.
She fondly recalls her retirement in
February 2002.
James Albert
Swartz
U.S. Army
Corporal James Albert Swartz served
from November 1941-October 1945 in
the U.S. Army after being drafted.
He served in the 629 Tank Destroyer
Battalion.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017 15
On July 1, 1944, the 629 Tank De-
stroyer Battalion landed on the shores
able to travel all over Europe and the
friends I have met over the years. My
of Normandy Beach, France in de-wa- last four years I was stationed in Ha-
terproofed vehicles. On May 10, 1945 waii, he recalled.
they made it all the way to Gemunden,
Germany.
Swartz drove a truck that hauled
five gallon cans of gasoline. The truck
King David
was stacked as high as they could be
stacked. He took gasoline to machines Watkin, Sr
on the front lines of war. He didnt
drive at night after it got dark. He and
U.S. Army
his assistant would get under a truck to
sleep.
Swartz was the oldest of five broth-
ers who served in ETO during World
War II. Three of his brothers served
during the same time as Swartz. When
he came home after the war in Octo-
ber 1945, his youngest brother went
over. His father, Hiram Albert Swartz,
served in World War I. His mother,
Gertrude Land Swartz, worked at a
war plant during World War II.
Christopher
Taylor Sergeant King David Watkin Sr., 85,
served from 1944-1946 in the U.S.
U.S. Army Army.
After being drafted, he served as a
sniper.
Command Sergeant Major Christo-
pher Taylor, 62, served 30 years in the
U.S. Army.
He served four tours in Germany
and one tour in Korea.
He received combat experience in
Bosnia 1996, Kosovo 2001 and Af-
ghanistan 2004.
Taylor joined the Army to make a
better life for his wife and children and
to see the world.
The best is while in Germany I was
14 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017 The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com SALUTE TO VETERANS SALUTE TO VETERANS The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017 7

Randolph Putnam best aircraft the world has ever seen.

John H. Reed Johnny A. Reed
U.S. Air Force
He recalls the opportunity to de-
ploy to Iraq with the Air Force Com-
bat Search and Rescue guys supporting
Operation Inherent Resolve.
U.S. Army U.S. Navy
Montgomery Center helps veterans
Michael Randle
U.S. Navy
Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael
at MSU transition back to civilian life
Randle, 43, served from 1992-1996 in
the U.S. Navy during the Gulf War.
He joined the military to become a
Center offers support with academics, benefits, social adjustment
better person and protect his country. BY ALEX HOLLOWAY | aholloway@cdispatch.com

M
ississippi State worked for the National Security Agency.
John D. Reed Universitys G.V.
Pearman is from Tupelo and is in his third
year of studying electrical engineering.
U.S. Air Force Sonny Montgom- Pearman said hes very grateful for the
staff at the center, and hes heard horror
Senior Master Sergeant Randolph John H. Reed served four years in Aviation Ordnanceman 1st Class ery Center for Americas stories from other veterans at other uni-
Putnam, deceased in 2016 at age 69, the U.S. Army. Johnny Reed, 66, served in the U.S. Veterans offers a one-stop versities who have struggled to get proper
served from 1969-1990 in the U.S. Air He served a tour in Germany. Navy from 1969-1979. During that time support. But he said MSUs center runs
Force. he served a 25 month tour in Vietnam. shop for services for veter- smoothly and hes experi-
He joined the military to travel the Reed was afraid the Vietnam War ans who are a part of the
Johnnie M. Reed
enced it firsthand.
world.
Putnam loved the Air Force. He
would be over before he got out of
school so he joined the military at age
university. I decided in June of 2015
The center was established in 2006 to that I was going to come
made many friends and learned many U.S. Army 17. to school in August, he
provide better support for MSUs student
new skills. He loved his job. When he After Vietnam, he was stationed in veteran population. Last year, the center said. Because there was no
retired, he decided to continue his job the Philippines for two and a half years. moved into the newly-constructed Nusz time left, I just had to cram
as a civilian. I loved the travel experience, he Hall, east of Humphrey Coliseum. through everything. I came
recalls. I regret the friends lost in Viet- Interim Director Lt. Col. to the center, they processed Pearman
nam. May God bless them.
Ryan Putnam Brian Locke said the center my paperwork real quick
provides a wide range of no trouble with anything. Because I was so
support for student veterans, Luisa Porter/Dispatch Staff late, it probably took about a month for me
U.S. Air Force from a computer lab and Charles Pearman, Andrew Greenhaw and Lt. Col. Brian Locke are shown in front of the to get my book money, but all the tuition
Senior Airman John Reed, 36, served help with securing financial G.V. Sonny Montgomery Center for Americas Veterans on the Mississippi State Univer- was on time.
aid to providing green zone sity campus. Thats just high praise to the staff and
for three years in the U.S. Air Force.
He served in Iraq with combat expe- training to teachers so they Most veterans feel comfortable around undergraduate school. Now he is working faculty here, Pearman added. They really
rience in Qatar. understand veterans needs. Locke other veterans, so our building allows them toward a graduate degree in health promo- know what theyre doing theyre really
Reed joined the military to serve his MSU has a 680 student to kind of come together kind of helps tion, with the focus on working on veterans good at what theyre doing and they really
country. veterans for the fall 2017 semester, Locke them with the transition so they can talk to health issues and helping veterans transition care about their students.
He fondly recalls most of his time said. However, including dependents, who other veterans who have transitioned into to civilian life.
can be eligible to receive funding through
was spent in Louisiana, the Sportsman
their parents benefits, theres more than
college, he added. In Greenhaws eyes, the center offers an
invaluable benefit for MSUs student vet-
More than students
Paradise. Locke said the centers impact extends
Technical Sergeant Johnnie M. Reed 2,600 students at MSU the center can assist. erans. That goes well beyond the services
served in the U.S. Army for five years. Locke thinks the biggest thing the
I dont think it can be measured themselves, he said. The center, which has
beyond the student body.
Andrew Greenhaw is a graduate as- One thing about the center that a lot
He served tours from Africa to Ger- center offers is a place where veterans can several veterans on staff, offers a built-in
sistant who works at the veterans center. of people dont know is we also have
many, France and Italy during which he connect with other veterans. Those connec-
The 37-year-old staff sergeant served in
camaraderie thats not available anywhere
tions, he said, can be especially helpful be- else on campus. a veterans services officer here on staff,
served with General Patton. the Army from 2004-12.
cause the student veteran population tends I dont think it can be measured, he he said. Now she works for the state of
Reed joined the military after Pearl He served three tours in
to be older than the general student body, said. Its not just the one-stop shopping Mississippi not necessarily Mississippi
Harbor was bombed. Iraq, totaling nearly three
and having access to people with similar with helping the kids get through the red State University but she offers services to
He shared memories with his son of years first in the countrys
backgrounds can help transition to civilian tape to get paperwork going, the services any veteran thats in the area, if they have a
First Lieutenant Ryan Putnam, 27, almost freezing to death in Germany northern mountains, then
and university life. like the computer lab center offers, but the medical issue or a claims issue.
has served in the U.S. Air Force since and the loss of friends. for 15 months as part of the
I think the main thing that we offer is environment itself. I think thats a tremendous resource
2015. Even though he was in National surge in Baghdad, and then
just a comforting place for them where they Charles Pearman is the president of for any veteran in the area, not connected
He served a tour in Iraq in February Guard, he would have enlisted, his for nearly a year in the Anbar with Mississippi State, that can come in and
can feel connected with other veterans, MSUs Student Veterans Association. Pear-
2017. family said. He had three brothers in Province in western Iraq. Greenhaw
meet with her, he added. Its great for us
Locke said. Every veteran is an individual man, 30, is from Tupelo and was a petty
Putnam joined the military to get out the same war and all came home safe. Greenhaw hails from Co- because we love bringing in veterans its
and has different experiences, whether officer-second class in the Navy. He served
and see the world and work with the theyve been in combat or not. lumbus and joined the Army after finishing from 2008-14 in Hawaii, where he primarily what we do.
8 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017
Kenneth Carter
U.S. Air Force/U.S. Army
Sergeant First Class Kenneth Dwight
Carter, 69, served from October 1968
- March 2008. He retired after more
than four years in the U.S. Air Force
and 19-1/2 years in the U.S. Army.
He served tours in Okinawa and
Vietnam. He gained combat experi-
ence in during Desert Shield/Desert
Storm.
Carter joined the military to serve
our country.
He enjoyed working with the men
and women of out armed forces, de-
fending the freedom our forefathers
fought to preserve and pass down to
future generations. It was an honor to
serve, he recalled.
Andrew J. Clardy
U.S. Army
Specialist Andrew J. Clardy, 81,
The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com SALUTE TO VETERANS SALUTE TO VETERANS The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017 13
served from 1958-1961 in the U.S.
Army. James Edwards U.S. Army.
He served a tour in Europe with James Henley, Jr. in 1991.
Horning joined the military to gain Otis G. Lancaster 1986-1997 in the U.S. Army.
He had combat experience in field
He served a tour in Germany where U.S. Navy combat experience from June 6, 1944 U.S. Army opportunities for school and job train- U.S. Army Air Forces artillery.
he gained combat experience and he to May 7, 1945. ing. McCoy joined the military to serve
performed welding repair on vehicles. Freeman was attending Mississip- He recalls military service as a won- our country and enjoy the excitement.
Clardy joined the military to protect pi College when he signed up for the derful experience for a former ranch He recalls shooting the tanks, meet-
our country, protect our people and draft and was told if he joined he could hand with many opportunities for ed- ing new friends and scouting.
the USA. finish school. ucation, travel and making lifetime
He recalls service was not easy but He recalls his first jump in France friends. It was a great opportunity to
he is proud that he could help protect
our homeland from war in the USA.
and remembers when Germany sur-
rendered on May 7, 1945.
serve and defend this wonderful coun-
try of ours.
Amanda Putnam
He served our country with pride and U.S. Navy
love so proud of our flag, leaders and
the support of our people. McArthur Harris Kimberly
Eric Edwards
U.S. Army
Andrews Howard
U.S. Army
U.S. Navy
Sergeant First Class James H. Hen- Second Lieutenant Otis G. Lancaster
Petty Officer 1st Class James Ed- ley Jr., 64, served 42 years in the U.S. served one year in the U.S. Army Air
wards, 67, served from 1970-1978 in Army. Forces during World War II.
the U.S. Navy. He served tours in Iraq, Germany, Lancaster was a B-17 pilot with the
He served submarine classified pa- South Korea, Honduras, Italy, Japan, 8th Air Force 490 Squadron. While
trol tours. Jamaica and Barbados. serving, he was awarded he Distin-
Edwards joined the military because Henley spent 365 days in Iraq. guished Flying Cross for extraordinary
he was about to be drafted and he He said he joined the military be- achievement while serving as pilot of a
wanted to choose the branch of ser- cause it was the right thing to do. B-17 aircraft on a heavy bombardment
vice. I made a lot of friends who loves mission to Kolin, Czechoslovakia. Prior Amanda Putnam, 29, served from
He remembers all the ports of call, out country as much as I do, he re- to reaching the target he lost altitude 2011-2014 in the U.S. Navy.
all the friends he made during his ser- called. when he drew only partial power from She joined the military to travel the
vice time and the locations where he one of his engines. Noticing his posi- world.
was stationed. tion beneath the formation, an enemy
I am still in contact with several of
my shipmates today, he recalled.
Sergeant McArthur Harris, 70, served
from 1967-1973 in the U.S. Army. Mark Horning fighter attacked, hitting another engine
rendering it inoperative. Lancaster
I made great friends and learned
life long skills from the Navy. I love my
He served two tours in Vietnam and U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Kimberly Andrews country, she said.
Aviation Boatswains Mate Airman one tour in Germany. safely landed his plane on the English
Howard, 32, has served 10 years in the coast without incurring further damage
(ABEAN) Eric Edwards, 25, served from
2010-2014 in the U.S. Navy during Bradford C. Harris was drafted for the first two
years of service and re-enlisted for four
U.S. Army.
She served tours in Afghanistan and
to plane or crew.
which he was deployed on the U.S.S.
Enterprise in the Middle East. Freeman more years.
He remembers his two tours in Viet-
Kuwait, with combat experience during
Operation Enduring Freedom.
Dale R. McCoy
Edwards joined the military because nam saying his thought is never fight She joined the military because she
U.S. Army
he wanted to serve our country. a war if youre not allowed to win. comes from a family of military veter- U.S. Army
He liked being able to see many his- Vietnam was the best America had. ans.
torical sites at the ports of call his ship, We fought without Americas support. Without the veterans who served
U.S.S. Enterprise, went to and all the We returned without welcome, he re- before, I could not do what I do now,
friends he made during his time of ser- called. she said. I find great honor in wearing
vice. this uniform everyday.
Sergeant Major Mark Horning, 71,
served from 1964-1993 in the U.S. Ma-
rine Corps.
He served tours in Japan, Vietnam
and the United Kingdom. He had com-
Private First Class Bradford C. Free- bat experience in Vietnam in 1965-
man, 93, served from 1942-1945 in the 1966 and 1968-1969 and Desert Storm Dale R. McCoy, 50, served from
12 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017 The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com SALUTE TO VETERANS SALUTE TO VETERANS The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017 9
10 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017 The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com SALUTE TO VETERANS SALUTE TO VETERANS The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017 11
10 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017 The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com SALUTE TO VETERANS SALUTE TO VETERANS The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017 11
12 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017 The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com SALUTE TO VETERANS SALUTE TO VETERANS The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017 9
8 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017
Kenneth Carter
U.S. Air Force/U.S. Army
Sergeant First Class Kenneth Dwight
Carter, 69, served from October 1968
- March 2008. He retired after more
than four years in the U.S. Air Force
and 19-1/2 years in the U.S. Army.
He served tours in Okinawa and
Vietnam. He gained combat experi-
ence in during Desert Shield/Desert
Storm.
Carter joined the military to serve
our country.
He enjoyed working with the men
and women of out armed forces, de-
fending the freedom our forefathers
fought to preserve and pass down to
future generations. It was an honor to
serve, he recalled.
Andrew J. Clardy
U.S. Army
Specialist Andrew J. Clardy, 81,
The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com SALUTE TO VETERANS SALUTE TO VETERANS The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017 13
served from 1958-1961 in the U.S.
Army. James Edwards U.S. Army.
He served a tour in Europe with James Henley, Jr. in 1991.
Horning joined the military to gain Otis G. Lancaster 1986-1997 in the U.S. Army.
He had combat experience in field
He served a tour in Germany where U.S. Navy combat experience from June 6, 1944 U.S. Army opportunities for school and job train- U.S. Army Air Forces artillery.
he gained combat experience and he to May 7, 1945. ing. McCoy joined the military to serve
performed welding repair on vehicles. Freeman was attending Mississip- He recalls military service as a won- our country and enjoy the excitement.
Clardy joined the military to protect pi College when he signed up for the derful experience for a former ranch He recalls shooting the tanks, meet-
our country, protect our people and draft and was told if he joined he could hand with many opportunities for ed- ing new friends and scouting.
the USA. finish school. ucation, travel and making lifetime
He recalls service was not easy but He recalls his first jump in France friends. It was a great opportunity to
he is proud that he could help protect
our homeland from war in the USA.
and remembers when Germany sur-
rendered on May 7, 1945.
serve and defend this wonderful coun-
try of ours.
Amanda Putnam
He served our country with pride and U.S. Navy
love so proud of our flag, leaders and
the support of our people. McArthur Harris Kimberly
Eric Edwards
U.S. Army
Andrews Howard
U.S. Army
U.S. Navy
Sergeant First Class James H. Hen- Second Lieutenant Otis G. Lancaster
Petty Officer 1st Class James Ed- ley Jr., 64, served 42 years in the U.S. served one year in the U.S. Army Air
wards, 67, served from 1970-1978 in Army. Forces during World War II.
the U.S. Navy. He served tours in Iraq, Germany, Lancaster was a B-17 pilot with the
He served submarine classified pa- South Korea, Honduras, Italy, Japan, 8th Air Force 490 Squadron. While
trol tours. Jamaica and Barbados. serving, he was awarded he Distin-
Edwards joined the military because Henley spent 365 days in Iraq. guished Flying Cross for extraordinary
he was about to be drafted and he He said he joined the military be- achievement while serving as pilot of a
wanted to choose the branch of ser- cause it was the right thing to do. B-17 aircraft on a heavy bombardment
vice. I made a lot of friends who loves mission to Kolin, Czechoslovakia. Prior Amanda Putnam, 29, served from
He remembers all the ports of call, out country as much as I do, he re- to reaching the target he lost altitude 2011-2014 in the U.S. Navy.
all the friends he made during his ser- called. when he drew only partial power from She joined the military to travel the
vice time and the locations where he one of his engines. Noticing his posi- world.
was stationed. tion beneath the formation, an enemy
I am still in contact with several of
my shipmates today, he recalled.
Sergeant McArthur Harris, 70, served
from 1967-1973 in the U.S. Army. Mark Horning fighter attacked, hitting another engine
rendering it inoperative. Lancaster
I made great friends and learned
life long skills from the Navy. I love my
He served two tours in Vietnam and U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Kimberly Andrews country, she said.
Aviation Boatswains Mate Airman one tour in Germany. safely landed his plane on the English
Howard, 32, has served 10 years in the coast without incurring further damage
(ABEAN) Eric Edwards, 25, served from
2010-2014 in the U.S. Navy during Bradford C. Harris was drafted for the first two
years of service and re-enlisted for four
U.S. Army.
She served tours in Afghanistan and
to plane or crew.
which he was deployed on the U.S.S.
Enterprise in the Middle East. Freeman more years.
He remembers his two tours in Viet-
Kuwait, with combat experience during
Operation Enduring Freedom.
Dale R. McCoy
Edwards joined the military because nam saying his thought is never fight She joined the military because she
U.S. Army
he wanted to serve our country. a war if youre not allowed to win. comes from a family of military veter- U.S. Army
He liked being able to see many his- Vietnam was the best America had. ans.
torical sites at the ports of call his ship, We fought without Americas support. Without the veterans who served
U.S.S. Enterprise, went to and all the We returned without welcome, he re- before, I could not do what I do now,
friends he made during his time of ser- called. she said. I find great honor in wearing
vice. this uniform everyday.
Sergeant Major Mark Horning, 71,
served from 1964-1993 in the U.S. Ma-
rine Corps.
He served tours in Japan, Vietnam
and the United Kingdom. He had com-
Private First Class Bradford C. Free- bat experience in Vietnam in 1965-
man, 93, served from 1942-1945 in the 1966 and 1968-1969 and Desert Storm Dale R. McCoy, 50, served from
14 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017 The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com SALUTE TO VETERANS SALUTE TO VETERANS The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017 7

Randolph Putnam best aircraft the world has ever seen.

John H. Reed Johnny A. Reed
U.S. Air Force
He recalls the opportunity to de-
ploy to Iraq with the Air Force Com-
bat Search and Rescue guys supporting
Operation Inherent Resolve.
U.S. Army U.S. Navy
Montgomery Center helps veterans
Michael Randle
U.S. Navy
Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael
at MSU transition back to civilian life
Randle, 43, served from 1992-1996 in
the U.S. Navy during the Gulf War.
He joined the military to become a
Center offers support with academics, benefits, social adjustment
better person and protect his country. BY ALEX HOLLOWAY | aholloway@cdispatch.com

M
ississippi State worked for the National Security Agency.
John D. Reed Universitys G.V.
Pearman is from Tupelo and is in his third
year of studying electrical engineering.
U.S. Air Force Sonny Montgom- Pearman said hes very grateful for the
staff at the center, and hes heard horror
Senior Master Sergeant Randolph John H. Reed served four years in Aviation Ordnanceman 1st Class ery Center for Americas stories from other veterans at other uni-
Putnam, deceased in 2016 at age 69, the U.S. Army. Johnny Reed, 66, served in the U.S. Veterans offers a one-stop versities who have struggled to get proper
served from 1969-1990 in the U.S. Air He served a tour in Germany. Navy from 1969-1979. During that time support. But he said MSUs center runs
Force. he served a 25 month tour in Vietnam. shop for services for veter- smoothly and hes experi-
He joined the military to travel the Reed was afraid the Vietnam War ans who are a part of the
Johnnie M. Reed
enced it firsthand.
world.
Putnam loved the Air Force. He
would be over before he got out of
school so he joined the military at age
university. I decided in June of 2015
The center was established in 2006 to that I was going to come
made many friends and learned many U.S. Army 17. to school in August, he
provide better support for MSUs student
new skills. He loved his job. When he After Vietnam, he was stationed in veteran population. Last year, the center said. Because there was no
retired, he decided to continue his job the Philippines for two and a half years. moved into the newly-constructed Nusz time left, I just had to cram
as a civilian. I loved the travel experience, he Hall, east of Humphrey Coliseum. through everything. I came
recalls. I regret the friends lost in Viet- Interim Director Lt. Col. to the center, they processed Pearman
nam. May God bless them.
Ryan Putnam Brian Locke said the center my paperwork real quick
provides a wide range of no trouble with anything. Because I was so
support for student veterans, Luisa Porter/Dispatch Staff late, it probably took about a month for me
U.S. Air Force from a computer lab and Charles Pearman, Andrew Greenhaw and Lt. Col. Brian Locke are shown in front of the to get my book money, but all the tuition
Senior Airman John Reed, 36, served help with securing financial G.V. Sonny Montgomery Center for Americas Veterans on the Mississippi State Univer- was on time.
aid to providing green zone sity campus. Thats just high praise to the staff and
for three years in the U.S. Air Force.
He served in Iraq with combat expe- training to teachers so they Most veterans feel comfortable around undergraduate school. Now he is working faculty here, Pearman added. They really
rience in Qatar. understand veterans needs. Locke other veterans, so our building allows them toward a graduate degree in health promo- know what theyre doing theyre really
Reed joined the military to serve his MSU has a 680 student to kind of come together kind of helps tion, with the focus on working on veterans good at what theyre doing and they really
country. veterans for the fall 2017 semester, Locke them with the transition so they can talk to health issues and helping veterans transition care about their students.
He fondly recalls most of his time said. However, including dependents, who other veterans who have transitioned into to civilian life.
can be eligible to receive funding through
was spent in Louisiana, the Sportsman
their parents benefits, theres more than
college, he added. In Greenhaws eyes, the center offers an
invaluable benefit for MSUs student vet-
More than students
Paradise. Locke said the centers impact extends
Technical Sergeant Johnnie M. Reed 2,600 students at MSU the center can assist. erans. That goes well beyond the services
served in the U.S. Army for five years. Locke thinks the biggest thing the
I dont think it can be measured themselves, he said. The center, which has
beyond the student body.
Andrew Greenhaw is a graduate as- One thing about the center that a lot
He served tours from Africa to Ger- center offers is a place where veterans can several veterans on staff, offers a built-in
sistant who works at the veterans center. of people dont know is we also have
many, France and Italy during which he connect with other veterans. Those connec-
The 37-year-old staff sergeant served in
camaraderie thats not available anywhere
tions, he said, can be especially helpful be- else on campus. a veterans services officer here on staff,
served with General Patton. the Army from 2004-12.
cause the student veteran population tends I dont think it can be measured, he he said. Now she works for the state of
Reed joined the military after Pearl He served three tours in
to be older than the general student body, said. Its not just the one-stop shopping Mississippi not necessarily Mississippi
Harbor was bombed. Iraq, totaling nearly three
and having access to people with similar with helping the kids get through the red State University but she offers services to
He shared memories with his son of years first in the countrys
backgrounds can help transition to civilian tape to get paperwork going, the services any veteran thats in the area, if they have a
First Lieutenant Ryan Putnam, 27, almost freezing to death in Germany northern mountains, then
and university life. like the computer lab center offers, but the medical issue or a claims issue.
has served in the U.S. Air Force since and the loss of friends. for 15 months as part of the
I think the main thing that we offer is environment itself. I think thats a tremendous resource
2015. Even though he was in National surge in Baghdad, and then
just a comforting place for them where they Charles Pearman is the president of for any veteran in the area, not connected
He served a tour in Iraq in February Guard, he would have enlisted, his for nearly a year in the Anbar with Mississippi State, that can come in and
can feel connected with other veterans, MSUs Student Veterans Association. Pear-
2017. family said. He had three brothers in Province in western Iraq. Greenhaw
meet with her, he added. Its great for us
Locke said. Every veteran is an individual man, 30, is from Tupelo and was a petty
Putnam joined the military to get out the same war and all came home safe. Greenhaw hails from Co- because we love bringing in veterans its
and has different experiences, whether officer-second class in the Navy. He served
and see the world and work with the theyve been in combat or not. lumbus and joined the Army after finishing from 2008-14 in Hawaii, where he primarily what we do.
6 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017
Arthur Alexander
U.S. Air Force
Second Class Airman Arthur Alexan-
der, 82, served from 1956-1962 in the
U.S. Air Force.
He served a tour in Okinawa, Japan.
Alexander joined the military be-
cause the draft was near.
Tramaine R.
Allen
U.S. Marine Corps
Private First Class Tramaine R. Al-
len served from January 2008-January
2012 in the U.S. Marine Corps.
While serving during Operation En-
during Freedom he was shot at multiple
times and blown up by an IED. Luckily,
he had a fast recovery.
Allen joined the military because he
has faced so many adversities in his life
growing up and really wanted to learn
The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com
different morals and values.
I had a blast while I served, he re-
called. I traveled to so many countries
and learned multiple languages, cul-
tures and traditions outside of my own.
I met so many people along the way
that came from all over the country
and other countries. Learning to band
together to form a brother and sister-
hood such as the Marine Corps has for
me forever made an impact on my life.
James R. Burns
U.S. Navy
Chef (Steward) James R. Burns, de-
ceased, served in the U.S. Navy.
He served a tour in Germany.
Jhirrell Bush
U.S. Navy
Logistic Specialist 2 Jhirrell Bush, 26,
has served five years in the U.S. Navy.
He served a tour in Singapore.
Bush joined the military for a career.
Johnny Buster
U.S. Air Force
Master Sergeant Johnny Bust-
er served 22 years and 10 months in
the U.S. Air Force/Military Assistance
Command Vietnam Special Opera-
tions Group (MACV-SOG).
He served tours in Spain and Italy.
Buster gained 18 months of combat
experience in Vietnam.
He joined the military to see the
world and was assigned to the 821st
Combat Security Police.
Buster recalls service in the MACV
(SOG) recon unit working with Kore-
ans, Australians, Army ROTC and get-
ting 12 KIA during an attack on his fine
base.
Willie Byrd, Jr.
U.S. Army
Master Sergeant Willie Byrd Jr., 75,
served 24 years in the U.S. Army be-
fore he retired from the military.
SALUTE TO VETERANS
He served a 10-year tour in Germa-
ny with two years combat experience
in Vietnam.
Byrd joined the military to support
his mother and family.
After two years, he decided to be
a career soldier. He was honored to
serve our nation for the protection of
freedom we enjoy today. After his first
assignment in Germany, he was as-
signed to the 4th Infantry Division in
Vietnam.
He has fond memories of being sta-
tioned in Berlin, Germany. Although
it was a divided city where the Wall
separated East and West Berlin, he was
able to travel into East Berlin for leisure
and shopping.
Willie T. Byrd III
U.S. Army
Specialist Willie Todd Byrd III, 30,
served four years in the U.S. Army.
He served a tour in Cuba with com-
bat experience in Guantanamo Bay,
Cuba.
He is a post 9/11 veteran who joined
the armed forces to serve our nation
during Operation Enduring Freedom.
He was honored to be on a team of
193rd Military Police Company in the
vital security mission at Guantanamo
Bay, Cuba.
When I returned from my last mis-
sion to a conflict zone, I was relieved
to get assigned to U.S. Disciplinary
Barracks at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas,
where I served the remainder of my en-
listment with an honorable discharge,
he recalled.
SALUTE TO VETERANS
Roberto Short
U.S. Air Force
Master Sergeant Roberto Short, 35,
has served 16 years in the U.S. Air
Force.
He served four years in Japan, one
year in Iraq and two 4-month rotations
to Qatar.
Short initially joined the Air Force
to further his education and see the
world. Over time, it morphed from
those selfish wants to serving some-
thing that was bigger than himself.
His best memories from his time in
the Air Force are the people. It does
not matter where you are in the world,
people from all walks of life come to-
gether for a common purpose. Over
time, they become your family, he said.
Jack B. Smith
U.S. Army
Sergeant Jack B. Smith, 67, served
The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com
from 1970-1976 in the U.S. Army.
He served a tour in Vietnam where
he gained combat experience as a
point man.
Smith was drafted into the military.
He recalls being proud to serve his
country and making friends from all
over the United States.
Andy Stewart
Army Reserve
Master Sergeant Andy Stewart, 69,
served in the Army Reserve.
He joined the military to serve our
country.
He fondly recalls his retirement.
Pauline Stewart
U.S. Marine Corps
Gunnery Sergeant Pauline Stewart,
55, served 20 years in the U.S. Marine
Corps.
She served tours in Japan and Korea.
She joined the military to become
Americas finest, the few, the proud, a
United States Marine.
She fondly recalls her retirement in
February 2002.
James Albert
Swartz
U.S. Army
Corporal James Albert Swartz served
from November 1941-October 1945 in
the U.S. Army after being drafted.
He served in the 629 Tank Destroyer
Battalion.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017 15
On July 1, 1944, the 629 Tank De-
stroyer Battalion landed on the shores
able to travel all over Europe and the
friends I have met over the years. My
of Normandy Beach, France in de-wa- last four years I was stationed in Ha-
terproofed vehicles. On May 10, 1945 waii, he recalled.
they made it all the way to Gemunden,
Germany.
Swartz drove a truck that hauled
five gallon cans of gasoline. The truck
King David
was stacked as high as they could be
stacked. He took gasoline to machines Watkin, Sr
on the front lines of war. He didnt
drive at night after it got dark. He and
U.S. Army
his assistant would get under a truck to
sleep.
Swartz was the oldest of five broth-
ers who served in ETO during World
War II. Three of his brothers served
during the same time as Swartz. When
he came home after the war in Octo-
ber 1945, his youngest brother went
over. His father, Hiram Albert Swartz,
served in World War I. His mother,
Gertrude Land Swartz, worked at a
war plant during World War II.
Christopher
Taylor Sergeant King David Watkin Sr., 85,
served from 1944-1946 in the U.S.
U.S. Army Army.
After being drafted, he served as a
sniper.
Command Sergeant Major Christo-
pher Taylor, 62, served 30 years in the
U.S. Army.
He served four tours in Germany
and one tour in Korea.
He received combat experience in
Bosnia 1996, Kosovo 2001 and Af-
ghanistan 2004.
Taylor joined the Army to make a
better life for his wife and children and
to see the world.
The best is while in Germany I was
16 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017 The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com SALUTE TO VETERANS SALUTE TO VETERANS The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017 5
4 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017
Veterans who bowl
Senior veteran bowling league to host fundraising event for VA
S
hirley D. Smith loves
hanging out with her
friends at the GTR
Lanes bowling alley in Co-
lumbus.
The U.S. Navy veteran likes it even bet-
ter when she wins, especially if she takes
down her cohort Thelma Novy, 65, of
Starkville who served in the Air Force.
But in the two womens friendly rival-
ry both say they average scores between
120 and 130 on the lanes Novy said she
has two not-so-secret weapons that help
her in the intimidation department.
Im a loud-mouth, and Im also hyper,
she said jokingly.
Novy and Smith, 61, of
Columbus, work together
each year to organize a
Bowl for Vets fundraiser at
GTR Lanes, in which they
honor local veterans and
raise money for the Veterans
Affairs Hospital in Jackson.
Smith
The fourth annual Bowl
for Vets event is scheduled
for 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Nov. 11 at GTR lanes. Cost
is $15 per person to play,
and that includes shoe rental
and three games. Novy
said anyone is welcome to
participate.
Roughly $10 of each Novy
entry fee will go to the VA,
Novy said, and past events have raised
more than $1,000. Donations beyond the
entry fee are also encouraged.
We do this for the men and women
who served our country, Smith said. We
appreciate them, and we want them to
know their service will not be forgotten.
(Military personnel) sacrifice a lot when
they are in the service, and sometimes it
goes unnoticed. We especially want the
younger folks to understand the reason we
have the freedoms we have is because of
The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com
BY ZACK PLAIR | zplair@cdispatch.com
Gordon Bomar, 67, bowls every Thursday at GTR Lanes in Columbus as part of a senior
league for military veterans. He served with the Marines in Vietnam in 1969-70.
people who served or are serving.
A ceremony at the fundraiser will honor
area veterans, as well as those who died,
were captured or missing in the line of
duty.
Battle of the Services
If the veterans who participate have
anything to say about it, there will also be
some high-quality, competitive bowling.
Novy said many event participants will
come from the Golden Triangle senior vet-
erans bowling league, which boasts players
with multiple perfect (300 score) games
under their belts. A few of them are even
enshrined in the Mississippi Bowling Hall
of Fame, Novy said.
Veterans bowling at GTR Nov. 11 will
compete in the Battle of the Services,
Luisa Porter/ Dispatch Staff
meaning their scores will go toward a total
score for the service branch they are repre-
senting, and the winning branch will take
home much-coveted bragging rights.
For bowlers like Gordon Bomar, choos-
ing a service branch to represent for the
battle might be difficult. The 67-year-old
was a Navy corpsman in Vietnam in 1969-
70 and earned a Purple Heart serving with
the 3rd Marine Reconnaissance Unit.
Bomars points will be invaluable
though. Hes bowled a pair of 300s lifetime
and holds a strong average in the league.
Ive been bowling since I was 10, he
said. My dad was an avid bowler.
The league
Bomar is one of 68 bowlers in the vet-
eran senior league, all of whom live in or
SALUTE TO VETERANS SALUTE TO VETERANS The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017 17
near the Golden Triangle, and which make
up 17 four-person teams that bowl every
Thursday morning at GTR Lanes.
Judging from the league achievement
patches affixed to his bowling bag, one
would think the competition drives him
to play. But for him and all the men and
women bowlers in the league, its much
more about the camaraderie.
I just like being around the people, and
Im proud of all of them, Bomar said. We
come out here and swap stories. Theres
definitely a mutual respect among every-
body.
Army Veteran David Milons of Craw-
ford, who first enlisted in the military in
1956, joined the league when it first began
more than a decade ago. Now hes the
local chapter president of
Bowlers to Veterans Link a
national organization and
he carries an affinity for
bowling that goes beyond
the score on the screen.
It means a lot to come
here every week, Milons
said. The beauty of this
Milons
game is that anybody can
beat anybody on any given day. It doesnt
always matter how good you are.
For the record, Milons said he is averag-
ing 176 this year, and his best game is 268.
That puts Milons right in the ballpark
with league-mates, 80-year-old James Rat-
cliff and 75-year-old Jim Hager, who met
on a golf course in Tupelo years ago and
have been golfing and bowling together
ever since.
Ratcliff served in the Army from 1954-
75, logging tours in Korea and Vietnam. As
a bowler, his best game of 296 could be
viewed as a painful memory, but the jovial
Ratcliff seems to take it in stride.
I missed the 12th strike, he said. I left
four pins (on the last bowl).
Hager of West Point was an Air Force
missile technician from 1960-68. His best
score is 246.
It really is like a family here, he said of
the league.
18 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017
Bishop recalls harrowing time in Korea
Columbus business owner escaped death multiple times
E
arly in his mili-
tary career, John-
ny Bishop sat in
a small window-less
room, working as a
cryptographer.
Back then, he couldnt imagine
lasting the week, much less three
tours of duty in Korea, including a
14-month deployment when the
Chinese army overran the Korean
Peninsula, and another stint in
Germany.
I hated it, said Bishop, re-
calling the events of his career in
the U.S. Army from 1949-69. All
my buddies were outside, talking,
doing whatever. I was stuck in
that room. It was awful.
Mercifully, Bishop managed to
talk himself out of that little room
and, as it turned out, right into the
Korean War.
Almost a full year after enlist-
ing, Bishop found himself heading
to Korea, which was originally
thought to be a small skirmish
involving a portion of the 24th
Infantry Division.
When I was going through
training, everybody wanted to go
to the Far East, Japan, recalled
Bishop, now 84. By then, I was
working in supply when a guy
comes in and says, How many of
you guys volunteered for the Far
East? and everybodys hand goes
up. He says, You got your wish.
Youre all going to Korea. We say,
Wait a minute. Korea. No, we
want to go to Japan.
In Korea
Bishop did go to Japan, but it
proved to be short stay.
We had only been there a few
days when they said, Hey, weve
got to get you guys to Korea.
BY SLIM SMITH | ssmith@cdispatch.com
Weve lost the whole peninsula.
Aboard the transport, Bishop
and his outfit were equipped with
two bandoliers of ammo and a
rifle. They were going to the front
as soon as they stepped ashore,
he was told.
As Im going down the
gangplank, a guy asked if any of
us had ever worked at a service
station, Bishop said. I said I had
so he told me to come with him.
Everybody else got on the trucks
to the front.
Suddenly his job, he was told,
was a POL dispenser (petroleum,
oil and lubricants).
They took me about 20 miles
up the MSR (main supply route)
with some barrels of gasoline and
a hand-pump and told me my
jobs was to put gas into the vehi-
cles as they came up and down
the MSR, he said.
The next day, he was joined
by two young black soldiers from
Detroit, who were friends.
They were digging a latrine
ditch and go to arguing, playing
really, he said. One of them
pulled his knife and was joking
about was going to stick the other
guy. Then the other guy pulls his
gun, pops the clip out and points
it at the guy and tells him hes
going to shoot him. He points the
gun, pulls the trigger. There was
a bullet in the chamber. It hit him
right in the chest and killed him.
That was the first casualty I saw in
Korea.
A few days later, Bishop was
promoted to driving truck, hauling
barrels of gasoline to the front -- a
job he was told wasnt dangerous
unless, of course, the truck was
hit, which wasnt much comfort.
I remember the first time up
the MSR I began to see a fire,
Bishop said. At first it looked like
a house fire, but after I got closer,
The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com
Deanna Robinson/Dispatch Staff
Johnny Bishop tells stories from
his days in the war at his office in
Columbus Wednesday afternoon.
to about a few hundred feet, I
could see what it was North
Korean solders stacked up, maybe
eight or nine high. They were
burning the bodies. You cant
believe the smell. It was awful. Ill
never forget that.
Most memorable moment
But, by far Bishops most
memorable experience in his
14-month tour in Korea was in
October 1951, near the end of
his tour, when Chinese soldiers
overran Pyongyang.
We were there when they
came in, Bishop recalled. I was
standing on a hilltop, watching
with my outfit. My outfit pulled
out and me and my company
commander were the only two
left. I kept telling him, Come on,
we better get out of here, but
he said, I cant get in touch with
Battalion on the radio. Finally,
about 10 oclock, they blew the
ammo dump, which was our sign
to pull out. Our job was to blow
our signal to abandon post.
We had all our signal equip-
ment stacked up and wired up
with barrels of drums of gasoline
and dynamite around it, he
added. I had the detonator, and I
had strung about a quarter-mile of
Johnny Bishop shows his certificate of retirement from the Army his
office in Columbus Wednesday afternoon.
Pictured is one of Bishops certificates.
wire. I hit the detonator. Nothing
happened. I hit it a second time.
Again, nothing. By the third time
I tried it, I was sweating bullets
because I know if it doesnt work
this time, Im going to have to
go out there in the pitch black
and wire it up again. Thankfully,
it went off looked like a small
atomic bomb. We got out of
there.
SALUTE TO VETERANS SALUTE TO VETERANS The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017 3
Another European tour
About the cover
Area veterans Joyce Jones
from Columbus, Ron Novy
from Starkville, Calvin Bo-
swell from Columbus, Law-
rence Lee from Columbus,
Jerry Gibson from Columbus,
Thelma Novy from Starkville
and Shirley Smith from Co- Bradford Freeman, 93, salutes the cemetery of a fallen soldier
lumbus. at a World War II cemetery in Europe. Freeman was one of the
101 Airborne Divisions Band of Brothers which was part of the Bradford Freeman, 93, visits a World War II memorial in Bastogne,
invasion of Normandy and the fight against Germany in 1944-45. In Belgium with Band of Brothers actor James Madio. Freeman was
September of this year, the National World War II Museum in New a private first class in the 101st Airborne Division which was part
of the invasion of Normandy and Battle of the Bulge in World War
Orleans sponsored a trip through western Europe, giving Freeman
the chance to retrace his steps for the first time since the war. I IIs European theater. The division was also the subject of the HBO
miniseries Band of Brothers.
enjoyed the whole thing, Freeman said of his trip.
Deanna Robinson/Dispatch Staff
Deanna Robinson/Dispatch Staff
Today, Bishop looks back on
his military career, especially his
time in Korea, as a key period in
his life.
I think the main thing I
learned was discipline, said Bish-
op, who has been in the auto/RV
sales business for 44 years since
retiring from the Army in 1969.
Ive been blessed in life and in
my business, all these years.
2 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017 The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com SALUTE TO VETERANS SALUTE TO VETERANS The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017 19
20 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2017 The Dispatch www.cdispatch.com SALUTE TO VETERANS