Some of the most riveting and powerful stories are from the veterans and service members in the armed forces. For its ninth year, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Stories of Honor program sought nominations from the public and have featured these stories in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and on STLtoday.
This year’s stories contained accounts of military service, ranging from service during World War II to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. No two stories are alike, but they all shared courage, dedication, sacrifice and service to the country.
Our son knew he wanted to defend America at a very young age. He wanted to make a career of it, but while he was deployed in Kuwait, he suffered a traumatic brain injury. He was honorably and medically discharged after three and a half years. He is currently employed with animal control with St. Louis County. He loves helping everyone and is an honorable man.
I am honoring Warrant Officer Ashly Cox for her 20 years of service in the Army National Guard.
She put herself through the University of Missouri, and then was deployed in 2013 to Afghanistan to repair helicopters. She did graphic design for the National Guard, has been a recruitment officer and teaches yoga to help veterans with PTSD. She is an avid bodybuilder. We are so proud of her.
My name is Bill Smith. I am a seasoned aircraft carrier pilot with 25 years of U.S. Navy service including four tours of Vietnam duty on Yankee Station assigned to the USS Hancock (CVA-19). I have flown various fighter aircraft such as the F9F Cougar as a flight instructor, teaching young pilots to land on the USS Antietam, and the F4 Phantom assigned to the USS Constellation. I have successfully made 217 carrier landings which also included landing on the flight decks of the USS Saipan and USS Ranger.
There probably isn’t any event or activity that excites me more than an aerial dogfight between two jet-powered aircraft. As I am shot into the air by the catapult, it builds a tremendous amount of adrenalin with full anticipation of finding my opponent somewhere in this large expanse of big blue sky. He’s out there somewhere, in the immense space that I call my "office," where I spend the best part of each day!
Cassidy serves as a veterinarian at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan. She is married to her husband Andrew and is the mother of 15-month-old, Finn. Cassidy cares for the service members who never had a choice in their service - military working dogs. These dogs do not choose the military as their life, yet they are loyal, faithful, courageous and efficient. She also cares for the pets of military families. “Military brats” move around often as their service members are reassigned. These pets are often the only stable friends that military children and families have. These pets are loyal members of those families that offer unconditional love.
My dad served for four years during the Vietnam War. He took classes to learn Japanese, after which he was sent to Okinawa and Thailand. There, he would listen to Japanese radio messages and translate them for the Air Force.
Private First Class Edward E. Jones received the Silver Star for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity while serving as a gunner of Company F, Second Battalion, Fifth Marines, First Marine Division (Reinforced), in action against enemy aggressor forces in Korea on November 27, 1950. When a large enemy force attacked the company's defensive position under cover of darkness, Private First Class Jones discovered that the bipod of his mortar had been rendered inoperable by the sub-zero temperatures. Realizing that the use of every possible weapon was necessary to successfully defend the position, he quickly dismantled the mortar and, carrying the tube and several rounds of ammunition, moved through heavy enemy fire to an exposed position on the line. Thank you for your service Private First Class Jones!
USS Hoel (DDG-13), a guided missile destroyer, under the command of Commander Gary Bier participated in “Operation Nimble Archer.” This operation was the October 19, 1987, attack on two Iranian oil platforms located in the Rostam oilfields in the south-central Persian Gulf by U.S. Navy forces. The platforms were being used by Iranian forces as command-and-control posts with radars to track shipping in the area and communications equipment to relay messages between the mainland and Iranian forces operating near the platforms.
Greg went to college on a military scholarship, commissioned as a second lieutenant. He went into action in Operation Desert Storm with 100 men and came out with 100 men, plus some Iraqi prisoners. On January 17, 1991, Operation Desert Shield became Operation Desert Storm. The ground campaign lasted only 100 hours before Kuwait was liberated. Greg was part of the 24th Infantry and that was among the first into Iraq. Therefore, he was among the first to return home – on Air Alaska! They landed in Bangor, Maine, where a group of civilians were meeting every returning plane and had refreshments for them, as well as greeting them all personally by name.
Henry enlisted in 1942 against his parents’ wishes. He served in the 2nd Armored Division of the U.S. Army, also known as “Hell on Wheels.” His division played important roles in North Africa, Sicily and Normandy. He received three Purple Hearts, two Bronze Stars, one Silver Star and was offered the National Order of Merit from France.
Our son Jackson was killed in a vehicle accident while on deployment in Kuwait on March 5, 2019. He was part of the 657th Unit out of Mt. Vernon, Ill. He was a 2017 graduate from Hillsboro, Mo. His family is still part of the community and gives out memorial scholarships in his memory. Jackson was all about helping others and making people smile. His family and friends miss and love him very much. Jackson was proud to serve and protect his country.
My brother James was drafted and arrived in Vietnam in May 1967. He was in 9th Calvary Regiment of the U.S. Army. He was wounded in battle three times receiving one Purple Heart with two clusters. He would get patched up and go back to his unit after being shot in the leg and taking shrapnel in his shoulder during an ambush in the Que Son Valley in the Central Highlands. His captain told my brother he credits him for saving his life. They lost 23 of the 36 men in his unit.
Major Joe Clifton East, who entered the U.S. Army from Virginia, was serving with Battery E, 91st Coast Artillery Regiment (Philippine Scout) in the Philippines during World War II. He was taken as a POW following the Japanese invasion and died while he was a prisoner of war.
Thank you for your service!
In 1993, John enlisted at the age of 17. He went on to serve two and a half years in the Presidential Honor Guard. He also spent time in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2001, fighting in five missions during the hunt for Osama Bin Laden. He retired from the Air Force in 2004.
Joseph served in Korea and was awarded medals for bravery.
My father served in Vietnam from 1967-68. When he left for Vietnam, he had a wife, three little boys and a baby girl on the way. He served at the Da Nang Air Force Base and was there during the Tet Offensive. He is a hero and a true patriot.
My grandfather Louis was stationed in Washington and Alaska.
Nathan served two tours in Iraq in 2003 and 2005. He drove a Light Armored Vehicle (LAV) for the battalion commander of 3rd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, the northernmost Marine Corps unit during the initial war. Impressive as that is, it’s what he has overcome and achieved after his service that really stands out. Losing both of his parents during his active duty, he managed to remain motivated to use the money from the Yellow Ribbon Program to earn his bachelor’s degree. He continued in school even after starting his family to earn his MBA. In 2020, Nathan founded the St. Louis Blues Warriors Hockey Team, which helps injured warriors by giving them a sport to keep them healthy, motivated and connected to those with similar backgrounds. This program is now the fastest growing of its kind. Nathan still hasn’t slowed down. He is also an educator for the Focus Marine Foundation and is dad to four children.
Master Sergeant Roger Marion Pryor, Ret. served in the Air Force from 1957-1975 as part of the 554th Red Horse Squadron, Air Traffic Control, Strategic Air Command. Thank you for your service!
My dad was a radio operator on a B-17 in World War II. He flew over 30 missions and was shot down in France, becoming a POW until the war ended. He then returned to Florissant and got married, raised eight kids and started a construction business.
Terry served as a medic in the U.S. Navy. He was in Vietnam and helped the Marines. He proudly considered himself both a Navy and Marine soldier. He worked tirelessly to help the injured.
Wayne formally began his public service with the U.S. Army from 1968 to 1971. During his Vietnam tour serving in the 25th Infantry Division, he was promoted to sergeant, earning the Bronze Star and Bronze Star with oak leaf clusters. Wayne has continued to be active in the community, serving as board member and chairperson on multiple organizations including Old Newsboys, Vet Net Connect and founding The Kaufman Fund Helping Veterans. Wayne started The Kaufman Fund Helping Veterans in memory of his brother Ralph, who also was a veteran.
Soldiers Memorial Military Museum shares American military history through the lens of St. Louis inside a beautiful art-deco building. Outside, the Court of Honor includes monuments to those who lost their lives in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam.
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