Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer
Promptly at 11 a.m. Monday morning, the Veterans Day celebration at the Pocahontas County Opera House began with Pocahontas County Veterans Honor Corps Commander Rick Wooddell directing the crowd’s attention to the stage.
Wooddell welcomed those in attendance on behalf of the Honor Corps, American Legion Post 50 and Commander Barry Sharp; American Legion Post 117 and Commander Duke Fry; VFW Post 4595 and Commander Jay Kniceley; VVA Post 1100 and President Norris Long; and DAV Post 24.
“Veterans Day is set aside to remember every man and woman who has taken up arms to defend our country,” he said. “It is a time when we honor every soldier, sailor, marine, airman and coastguardsman who gave some of the best years of their lives to the service of the United States and stood ready to give life itself on our behalf.
“More than twenty-six million veterans are still with us and, on this day, our nation pauses to remember them all.”
The ceremony began with the POW/MIA recognition in which the crowd’s attention is turned to a table for one on the edge of the stage. This table is set with an empty plate, inverted glass, red rose, lighted candle and Bible to honor the more than 81,000 American servicemen and women who are unaccounted for and are known as either Prisoners of War or Missing in Action.
Next, Wooddell and Honor Corps member Donnie Waybright conducted the annual “Bells for the Fallen” in which Wooddell reads the names of Pocahontas County service members who passed away since November 11, 2023. After each name, Waybright rang a bell once.
James Elza, 84, U.S. Air Force, Cold War
Ed White, Sr., 96, U.S. Navy, World War II
James “Ted” Arbogast, 79, U.S. Army, Vietnam
John Gore, 79, U.S. Air Force, Vietnam
Kenneth Irvine, 89, U.S. Army, Korea
Charles Stanley, 74, U.S. Navy, Vietnam
Joseph Sharp, 75, U.S. Air Force, Vietnam
General Triplett, 99, U.S. Army, Korea
Dennis Doss, 76, U.S. Army, Vietnam
Richard Bird, 88, U.S. Army, Korea
Charles Sheets, 82, U.S. Army, Vietnam
Don Circosta, 78, U.S. Army, Vietnam
Arthur Todd Sharp, 58, U.S. Army, Cold War
Ronald McCarty, 83, U.S. Army, Vietnam
Alvadore Morgan, 87, U.S. Army, Korea/Vietnam
Lee Wolfe, 70, U.S. Army, Vietnam
James Lang, Sr. 84, U.S. Army, Vietnam
Earl Kelley, 83, U.S. Army, Vietnam
Brandon Kelley, 39, U.S. Navy and Army National Guard, Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom
Glade Fertig, 77, U.S. Army, Vietnam
Darrell Workman, 80, U.S. Army, Vietnam
James Riley, 86, U.S. Air Force, Vietnam
Lewis Sharp, 94, U.S. Air Force, Cold War
Charles McNellan, 90, U.S. Air Force, Korea
Steward Galford, 88, U.S. Army, Vietnam
Wooddell also recognized a veteran who passed away this year who not only served in the Marine Corps, but also served in the Honor Corps for 12 years. Waybright rang the bell twice – for his military service and his Honor Corps service.
That veteran was Homer Hunter, 80, U.S. Marine Corps, Vietnam.
Breaking from tradition, Wooddell chose to not share a message from the Department of Defense, but instead, he read the address given by then President Franklin D. Roosevelt on the night of June 6, 1944. The message was:
“My fellow Americans: Last night, when I spoke with you about the fall of Rome, I knew at that moment that troops of the Unites States and our allies were crossing the Channel in another and greater operation. It has come to pass with success thus far.
“And so, in this poignant hour, I ask you to join with me in prayer:
“Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our Nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity.
“Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.
“They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph.
“They will be sorely tried, by night and by day, without rest until the victory is won. The darkness will be full of noise and flames. Men’s souls will be shaken with the violences of war.
“For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice and tolerance and goodwill rise among all Thy people. They yearn only for the end of battle, and for their return to the haven of home.
“Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.
“And for us at home – fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters and brothers of brave men overseas – whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them, – help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice.
“Many people have urged that I call the Nation into a single day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our efforts.
“Give us strength, too – strength in our daily tasks, to redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the material support of our armed forces.
“And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our sons wherever they may be.
“And, O Lord, give us Faith, Give us Faith in Thee; Faith in our sons; Faith in each other; Faith in our united crusade. Let not the keenness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeing moment, let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose.
“With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogances. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister Nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace, a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.
“Thy will be done, Almighty God. Amen.”
~ ~ ~
Wooddell reflected on several events of the past, including the summer of 1944 – 80 years ago – when American troops started the invasion of Europe to defeat the Nazis and liberate France.
“France was liberated by August, and we had nearly one million troops on the ground,” he said. “The war in the Pacific continued with victories in Saipan, Guam and Tinian in 1944 with Iwo Jima and Okinawa on the horizon in early 1945.”
In 2023, it was approximated that a little over 100,000 of the 16 million World War II veterans were still with us. Wooddell mentioned several World War II veterans who passed away this past year.
The last Pocahontas County World War II veteran was Ed White, Sr., who passed away last December.
The last World War II ace, Bud Anderson, passed in May at the age of 102. Colonel Anderson was a triple ace.
Lou Conter was the last survivor of the bombing of the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor. Conter went on to become a naval aviator and passed away in April at the age of 102.
The oldest World War II veteran – Lawrence Brooks – who was a black engineer battalion sergeant, passed away at the age of 112.
The nation also lost the last World War II Medal of Honor winner, West Virginia’s own U.S. Marine Corps Veteran Herschel “Woody” Williams.
Wooddell also recognized veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom – who 20 years ago spent six weeks in Operation Phantom Fury to remove the Iraqi insurgency that was attempting to overthrow the new Iraqi government.
“It’s to veterans like this we say, ‘Thank You For Your Service,’ as so much of our history is slowly going away as these veterans make their final voyage from our midst,” he said. “On the 70th anniversary of the declaration of Veteran’s Day as a federal holiday, we see that our military history marches on. As FDR stated – the military is called upon for many purposes.
“He stated, ‘we pray for the training, resolve, readiness and safety of our troops who are deployed today.’”
In closing the ceremony, Wooddell thanked all those involved in making the dinner happen, including the Northern Pocahontas County Community Assistance, Inc., Dominion Energy and Bath County Pump Storage employees and retirees, Dominion Energy Foundation, Pocahontas County Senior Citizens Center, Marlinton Woman’s Club, Greenbrier Grille and Pocahontas County High School National Honor Society members.