Starke County WWII Veteran Part of Honor Flight This Week

  
 
A World War II veteran from Starke County was part of an Honor Flight from Midway Airport in Chicago to Washington, D.C. with 90 other veterans to visit the World War II Memorial on Wednesday.

Wayne Emigh of Knox served a little over a year in Japan during World War II.

“I was in Occupation Forces. Occupation Japan. I was with the Signal Service Battalion keeping communications going for our troops,” recalled Emigh.

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WWII Reenactment Quickly Approaching

The sound of gunfire and the hustle and bustle of military life during World War II will soon fill Wythogan Park in Knox.

The US 1st Infantry Division, known as the “Big Red One,” is hosting a WWII reenactment as part of the World War II Historical Reenactment Society. The sounds of battle will be heard coming from Wythogan Park, where the reenactors will try to offer visitors a feel of what this exciting period of history must have been like. Chaplain Jay “Sky Pilot” Shuttz says the reenactors are collectors and serious students of history, representing several different nationalities who will try to dress, equip, and conduct themselves in proper 1944 manner.

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The Fire Mission Controller – Part Three

Jim Hardesty

This week we have followed Jim Hardesty of Hamlet from his time at Purdue University to the invasion of Germany during World War II. It is part of a story written for “Generations the Magazine,” a publication dedicated to telling the stories of those people who shaped our nation one generation at a time.

This final episode features Hardesty’s experience with the allied army as it fought the Germans in the Hurtgen Forest along the German-Belgian border.

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The Fire Mission Controller – Part Three

James Hardesty

We have been following the military career of Jim Hardesty of Hamlet this week after he was featured in the latest issue of Generations the Magazine, recounting his military experience in World War II. D-Day was June 6, and every day after that had a number attached. Hardesty landed with the 172nd Field Artillery Battalion on D-8 – June 14.

Today, however, the story focuses on the battles fought in hedgerow country.

Hedgerows were mounds of dirt covered with trees or bushes that were so thick that a tank couldn’t get through them. As the American forces worked their way through this terrain they were forced to endure a considerable cost in lives. The Germans took full advantage of these barricades. Initial attempts at fighting through these barriers consisted of American tanks charging the hedgerows. When it reached the mound it would lift up, exposing the unprotected underbelly. This unarmored part of the tank was vulnerable and, Continue reading

The Fire Mission Controller – Part Two

Jim Hardesty

Generations the Magazine recently presented an article on Jim Hardesty of Hamlet, a World War II veteran. The article chronicled Hardesty’s Army service during that war, and this week WKVI is presenting excerpts from that article.

Hardesty and his group landed in Swansea, Wales, and relocated to the south of England. Hardesty detailed his travel from the states to England.

“We boarded a cargo ship to take us across the Atlantic,” said Hardesty. “It took two weeks in rough North Atlantic weather worrying about submarine attacks. Nothing much happened except being sea sick. I was never so glad to see land in my life.”

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Joe Smrt Turns 96

Ursula and Joe Smrt

Today is Joe Smrt’s 96th birthday. He is known by many in Starke County for his patriotism.

On this date in 1916, Joe Smrt was born. He was born two weeks before the singer Dinah Shore and one week before the World War I Battle of Verdun began that claimed the lives of 698,000 French and German soldiers.

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From the WKVI Archives

Did you know that Walter J. Paulsen was the first North Judson resident to die in WWII?

It was on this date in 1974, that ground-breaking ceremonies were held in North Judson for the new Walter J. Paulsen U.S. Army Reserve Center. Over 500 people attended the festivities. General James G. Freeze, Commander of the 123rd Arcom Division, was the main speaker. Col. Jerry Paras of North Judson was the Master of Ceremonies for the ground-breaking festivities.

World War II Veteran, Harvey Hammerlund, Dies

Harvey Hammerlund

If you ever visited the Knox VFW during celebrations of patriotism you probably saw Harvey Hammerlund. Dressed in his Navy Blues with a pipe in his mouth, Harvey Hammerlund was the epitome of what’s good about this country.  Hammerlund passed away Wednesday, June 14th.

“It’s probably appropriate that Harvey died so close to Flag Day, June 14th, because Harvey honored that flag and he honored his country,” said WKVI’s Ted Hayes. “If the definition of patriotism is feeling, expressing or inspired by love of one’s country, then you could put that tag on Harvey Hammerlund. He and Joe Smrt flew to Washington, D.C. on one of the first Honor Flights. While there, they visited the World War II monument. Like a slow drum beat, the World War II veterans are leaving us, but they’ll never be forgotten. They’re wonderful people, like Harvey Hammerlund.”

For a complete obituary notice, visit the Obituary page on this website.

Jim Shilling to be Featured on Friday’s “Ted Hayes Remembers” Program

Jim Shilling

TED HAYES REMEMBERS-6-3

This week on “Ted Hayes Remembers”, Ted will talk with Jim Shilling.

Jim and Melba Shilling have been in the forefront of collecting and maintaining a history of Starke County for decades. Jim has shown the Starke County Courthouse to hundreds of people, and taken hundreds more on tours of the Starke County Museum.

Ted asked Jim to talk about historical events over the past 50 or so years that have impressed him.

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World War II and Korean Veterans Can Register for Honor Flight

Congressman Joe Donnelly greets Joe Smrt and Harvey Hammerlund during their Honor Flight visit in 2009

Last year, two Starke County World War II veterans, Joe Smrt and Harvey Hammerlund, were flown to Washington, D.C. to visit the World War II Memorial by a veteran’s service organization called “Honor Flight”.

John Jordan, of Honor Flight, was asked if there will be an opportunity for additional World War II veterans to make the trip.

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