Dear Editor:
RE: 1945 Honor Roll Billboard -A powerful standard bearer message
The Pocahontas Times issue of May 29, 2014 pictured the huge 1945 public billboard, listing well over 1,200 young men and women who served in World War II. It is humbling to see all the names.
What patriotism was shown, what disruption of lives, heartaches, losses of loved ones, permanent scars – a special story behind every name. And yet, with the passage of time and our failure to recognize or celebrate the heroic feats of these special young Pocahontas people, we quickly forget. Only those who were there or their remaining families seem to know of their magnificent and important contribution to saving our country.
And to those who have continued to serve us in Korea, Viet Nam, Iraq, Afghanistan and all peacetime support roles, we are all indebted.
Our country made a solemn promise years ago to assist our military veterans as they return to public life, providing assistance to continue their education, job training, provide healthcare, housing loans and other such programs.
By and large, we as a country have treated our Vets with great respect and continue to show our appreciation.
However, our Veterans Administration fails dismally in providing healthcare to our Veterans. And it has been a third-class provider for years. Urgent changes are needed. Recent news reports are now highlighting the failures to care for our Vets.
I am hopeful all our Veterans will soon be allowed to be served by our non-government doctors and hospitals – fixing this mess. I do not see an alternative.
We all need to be reminded of the personal sacrifices made by our many young people who serve(d) this country and protect us and our freedoms. The image of that large 1945 billboard is a powerful standard bearer message. In today’s busy world, we tend to forget.
Perhaps it’s time to update the billboard and post it conspicuously on the grounds of our courthouse and every public school in Pocahontas County, that we may remember.
May God bless the United States of America and all our Veterans.
Kind Regards,
Owen S. Higgins
South Charleston
Dear Editor:
The article, “Unearthing Durbin’s Past, One Page at a Time” published in the May 14, 2014 edition of The Pocahontas Times about Jason Bauserman reading the old Durbin jail books was of great interest to me.
I have also read these books.
It was the summer of 1993 and I read the books while sitting on the jail floor before the books were transferred to the mayor’s office. In fact, I wrote an article for Goldenseal magazine about one of the cases. The article, “Death in Durbin: New Questions About an Old Case,” was published in the Goldenseal Spring Edition 1994 Vol 20:1, Page 20. The case is about a gunfight that occurred in the west end of Durbin in 1900, and the trial that followed.
As Mr. Bauserman mentioned, there are some very interesting cases tucked away in these volumes. There are, however, a few volumes of these court cases that have apparently gone missing. Rumor has it that some Durbin residents quietly removed the books because they didn’t want the public reading about their kin.
Elaine Hodges
Durbin