By Paul Gable Gary Watson After graduating from high school in Buffalo, NY, Gary Watson joined the U.S. Navy where he was trained in the Advanced Electronics Program. After completing nearly two years of schooling, Watson was stationed at Naval Security Group Activity Edzell, Scotland where he maintained and repaired a variety of cryptographic equipment. [...]
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Thank You Veterans!
By Paul Gable Vaught Looking to Help Disabled Veterans Local veteran James Vaught (Lt. Gen. USA – retired) has a vision for using some of the land on the former Myrtle Beach Air Force Base to help disabled veterans. Certified 100 percent disabled himself, due to injuries and PTSD resulting from the Vietnam War, Vaught [...]
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By Paul Gable Don Wolford Don Wolford enlisted in the Air Force after graduating from high school in his native Roanoke, Va. “I was 18 years old and I wanted to get some training,” said Wolford. “It was 1958 and I didn’t have the money for college. I thought I could gain some skills and [...]
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By Paul Gable Walt Meierdierks A native of Brooklyn, NY, Walt Meierdierks enlisted in the U.S. Navy after graduating from high school in 1949. “I was only 17 and I wanted to go into the Navy,” said Meierdierks. “My parents had to sign for me to join.” Meierdierks was inducted on June 2, 1949 and [...]
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By Paul Gable Guy Moulton Guy Moulton enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in early 1942. “The draft was getting increased and I wanted to be in the Air Corps, so I enlisted rather than waiting to be drafted,” said Moulton. After completing basic training, he was sent to school near St. Louis, Mo. [...]
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By Paul Gable Andrew Hornbuckle This issue’s veteran profile highlights a person who is involved in providing help to American veterans and also is a veteran of the New York City Fire Department who was on the scene at Ground Zero on 9/11. Andrew Hornbuckle is the son of both a military veteran and a [...]
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By Paul Gable Herb Bellamy Born and raised in Longs, Herb Bellamy was a member of the last class to graduate from Chestnut High School in 1970, one year before integration came to Horry County schools. “I was hoping through my high school years that I would be able to go to an integrated school [...]
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By Paul Gable Pearl Harbor As a Navy veteran, Dec. 7 has special meaning to me. Seventy years ago, without first declaring war, the Japanese Imperial fleet attacked the U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor causing considerable damage to the Navy’s Pacific Fleet and bringing America into World War II. A total of 2,402 American [...]
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By Paul Gable Jim Murph Born and raised in downtown Loris, Jim Murph decided to join the military before graduating from high school. “I believed the service would help me mature by learning to be out on my own,” Murph said. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1962, immediately after graduation. Sent to [...]
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By Paul Gable Richard Cote Richard Cote entered the U.S. Navy after graduating from high school in Glens Falls, N.Y. He spent four years on active duty as a parachute rigger, including an assignment with the helicopter unit assigned to the Iranian hostage rescue attempt in April 1980. “I enjoyed my time in the Navy,” [...]
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By Paul Gable Jim Boswell This week’s veteran, Jim Boswell, is a local guy with interesting long-range connections. “I am a direct descendent of eighteenth century Scottish author James Boswell, most famous for being Samuel Johnson’s biographer,” said Boswell. A native of Tabor City, N.C., Boswell attended the Wake Forest University after graduation. “I was [...]
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By Paul Gable Bill Matthews Bill Matthews enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1965, shortly after graduating from high school in his native Bristol, Pa. “I knew when I was in high school that I wanted to go into the Army,” said Matthews. Entering the Army just as the U.S. was significantly increasing its troop [...]
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By Paul Gable J.C. Schubert In order to pursue a future baseball career, J. C. Shubert enlisted in the U. S. Army in 1948 to get his service obligation out of the way. “I was ready to go into professional baseball, but none of the teams wanted to talk to me because of my potential [...]
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By Paul Gable John Heenan A native of Detroit, Michigan, John Heenan joined the U.S. Naval Reserve after graduating from high school in 1954. “I was a young kid and thought getting some training in the service would help me,” said Heenan. For eight years, Heenan trained one weekend a month and two weeks in [...]
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By Paul Gable Carl Schwartzkopf As a teenager living in Michigan, Carl Schwartzkopf got his first glimpse of U.S. Navy ships and sailors in the Great Lakes. “The St. Lawrence Seaway had just been widened and some Navy ships made a fresh water cruise into the Great Lakes in the late 1950s,” Schwartzkopf said. “I [...]
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By Paul Gable Paul Harrison A native of Charlotte, N. C., Paul Harrison was drafted into the U. S. Army in 1969. “I was in one of the last groups to be drafted right before the draft lottery started,” said Harrison. After finishing basic and advanced infantry training, Harrison extended his enlistment for a year [...]
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By Paul Gable Dick Haggerty A native of Troy, N. Y., Dick Haggerty joined the U. S. Air Force immediately after graduating from high school in order to receive some job training. “I joined the Air Force right after graduating from high school,” said Haggerty. “It turned out to be one of the best decisions [...]
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By Paul Gable Bob Graham A native of New York City, Bob Graham went into the U. S. Navy shortly after graduating from high school in 1943. After basic training at Newport, Rhode Island and advanced training as a machinist mate at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center in Illinois, Graham was assigned to PT [...]
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By Paul Gable Bill Snaden After being classified 4F in the military physical due to a punctured eardrum, Bill Snaden worked his way into the Merchant Marine so he could contribute to the war effort during World War II. “In 1943, I went to work for NACA, but decided after a year that I wasn’t [...]
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By Paul Gable Robert Wilkinson Born in Freeman, W.V. in 1928, Robert Wilkinson was too young to enlist in the military during World War II so he opted to join the Merchant Marine. “I wanted to do something to help the war effort, but I was only 16, so I joined the Merchant Marine,” said [...]
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By Paul Gable John Schmidt Growing up in a poor family during the Great Depression, John Schmidt knew what it was like to go without. “When I say poor, I mean we didn’t have electricity and running water inside our house,” said Schmidt. “The thing I remember most from the Depression was being hungry all [...]
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By Paul Gable Walter Harkin Walter Harkin enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps as a 17 year old high school graduate in 1953. “I wanted to join the service after high school and the Marines were the best of the best in my opinion,” said Harkin. After basic and individual training, Harkin was sent to [...]
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By Paul Gable Michael Fridovich Michael Fridovich, is the ultimate definition of a “free spirit” whose life experiences are many and varied. “I had an interesting childhood where I attended 16 schools before graduating high school,” said Fridovich. “My life has been interesting to say the least.” After graduating from high school in South Bend, [...]
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By Paul Gable Gene Geldziler A native of Newark, New Jersey, Geldziler studied at Montclair State College for a short time before attempting to join the U. S. Marine Corps. “I was at a teacher’s college, but wasn’t sure about being a teacher, so I joined the Marines in 1963,” said Geldziler. However, 1963 was [...]
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By Paul Gable Norfleet Jones A native of Raleigh, N. C., Norfleet Jones enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard in 1961. “I spent four good years in the Coast Guard,” said Jones. “Being under the Treasury Department, we have a different mission than any of the other services.” The Coast Guard protects the coast of [...]
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By Paul Gable Walt Meierdierks A native of Brooklyn, NY, Walt Meierdierks enlisted in the U.S. Navy after graduating from high school in 1949. “I was only 17 and I wanted to go into the Navy,” said Meierdierks. “My parents had to sign for me to join.” Meierdierks was inducted on June 2, 1949 and [...]
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By Paul Gable Scott Whitesell Born and raised in Waynesboro, Virginia, Scott Whitesell parlayed military service into a career with the Transportation Security Administration. After graduating from high school, Whitesell joined the Army, a move which led indirectly to his current career. “I joined the Army out of high school,” said Whitesell. “I didn’t consider [...]
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