November 5, 2015 The Valley Reporter 23

2015 Veterans Issue

By Brent Pearson.

I left for Marine Corps boot camp, Parris Island, June 20, 1988, one day after graduating from high school. The four years I spent in the Marines ... it seems like a whole different lifetime ago.

Upon my discharge from the Ma-rines, I led a bit of a transient lifestyle and stashed my sea bags (the Army calls them duffel bags) with all my uniforms and memorabilia overhead in my brother’s garage and completely

forgot about them. That was 1992. I have been far removed from that life for the past 23 years.

About a month ago, the people that bought my brother’s house were go-ing through the garage and found my sea bags. Through social media they were able to track me down and re-unite me with that former life. Open-ing the two sea bags was like open-ing two small time capsules. There are things all veterans have done and seen that can only be attained by being in the military. The memo-ries, sensations and all the places I traveled to as a Marine came flood-

ing back to me as I pulled items from my sea bags.

I jammed my feet into the boots I wore in Korea while on a multination-al training exercise. I was transported back to the Korean Peninsula. I feel the half frozen mud giving way under my feet as I walked to the mess tent in the morning. With my boots on, I can clearly visualize standing on a bluff overlooking a beautiful Korean beach lit up by the rising sun. I can see im-ages of the sand and surf exploding, as

Navy Seals clear the beach for a mock amphibious landing. Hundreds of amphibious vehicles, launched from Navy ships just over the horizon, land on the beach, jets scream overhead and the unbelievably amazing sunrise came back to me, like I am there. I can feel the sun on my face.

In the sea bags were my desert cam-ouflage fatigues, from the year I spent in the Persian Gulf during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. See-ing the desert camouflage and putting my helmet on my head sent me back to the air base on the island of Bahrain, where my work as an intelligence ana-lyst had me planning combat air mis-sions for F-18s and A-6s.

I watched thousands of F-18s, outfit-ted with 500-pound bombs and Aim-9 Sidewinder missiles, taking off in af-terburner in the black of the night. The long, translucent blue flames stretching out of the back of the plane and the deafening roar of jet engines are sights and sounds that are imbed-ded in me. I will never forget them.

I spent nearly a year on that air base living in a wood-framed tent with

10 other Marines. We each had just enough room for a cot, a sea bag and some pictures from home. We slept with our rifles and the thoughts of our “sweeties” back in the states. In that year, I turned 21 and, being in a Muslim country, we were not allowed alcohol. I celebrated with Black Swan (a non-alcohol beer from Australia). I can still taste it.

When I think of veterans, I wonder what experiences they had. I have two great uncles who served in the Army during World War II. One was a cook stationed in Italy and the other parachuted into Normandy on D-Day. I have an uncle who was a Marine ar-tilleryman and my father served in the Air Force as a photo interpreter. All veterans have experiences, trig-gered by some cue that most of us are never privilege to. What being a veter-an means to me is that I share the ca-maraderie of experiences, sensations and memories with these veterans, with all veterans.

Pearson lives in Waitsfield.

What being a Marine means to me

service is challenging yet empoweringJust three days after graduating

from her all-girls high school in Mil-waukie, Rebecca Baruzzi of Fayston entered the U.S. Coast Guard – a branch of the armed forces that often tackles medical emergencies, human and drug trafficking, the regulation of fisheries and pollution crises.

Baruzzi was one of two women work-ing as a professional boat driver in New York Harbor. At just 19, she man-aged a 41-foot utility boat on search and rescue missions, oversaw a crew of older men, and was even given a gun – an “eye opener,” she said.

In joining the Coast Guard, one must be “up for an adventure,” Baruzzi said, and she was.

Baruzzi’s four years of active duty in the U.S. Coast Guard were followed by time spent in the Navy Reserve, the Coast Guard Reserve and the Nation-al Guard. After September 11, 2001, when troops were headed to Afghani-stan, she was called to conduct patrols in New York Harbor and Sandy Hook, New Jersey.

Along the way, Baruzzi had her

bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and a year of law school fully funded through the G.I. Bill. Education is im-portant to her, Baruzzi said, and she believes that becoming an educated citizen is an act of patriotism in itself.

Although Baruzzi faced many chal-lenges as a young woman working pre-dominantly with men, she says that the experience empowered her. “I certainly felt like I could do anything I wanted,” she said. “I didn’t feel like there was any kind of ceiling and any-thing seemed achievable.”

In the armed forces, “I learned that you need to get things done with what-ever you have,” Baruzzi said. She used this lesson later in her life, when she opened a deli in Providence, Rhode Island.

In June of 2014, Baruzzi and her hus-band – an active Coast Guard member currently stationed in Burlington – de-cided that they would move to Fayston with their young son. They were drawn to the quality of life in The Valley – the school system, the availability of healthy food, the creative economy and that they could “be connected to the land,” she said.

Baruzzi started working as a mem-bership services coordinator for the Mad River Valley Chamber of Com-merce and last spring became the Economic Vitality Series coordinator. In that role, she connects with busi-nesses to better understand what they need to thrive in The Valley and she hopes that her efforts will result in more collaboration between towns.

While her work at the chamber is about creating relationships and ex-ploring the nuances of owning a busi-ness in The Valley, in the military “there wasn’t a lot of space for second guessing,” she said. “It was structured – you just went and you did.” That Ba-ruzzi has shifted from serving in the armed forces to being a small busi-ness owner herself to helping other business owners in The Valley flour-ish shows her adaptability.

For women in the armed forces to-day, “the climate is changing,” Baruzzi said. More women fill positions of cox-swain, boatswain’s mate and board-ing officer than when she entered the Coast Guard, although people aren’t always aware of this.

“I think there’s an obligation, if

you’re a woman doing something dif-ferent,” Baruzzi said. “You should let people know that it’s a thing.”

Baruzzi is proud to be a veteran and adds, “I mostly think that people just need to recognize that there are women who are doing it and it doesn’t always have to be combat experience. There are so many roles for them.”

Photo: Jeff Knight

By Tracy Brannstrom

24 The Valley Reporter November 5, 2015

Don AlterFayston

U.S. Army 1962-1964Ethopia - Iran

Guy AmundsenMoretown

U.S. Marine Corps1955-1959

Capt. Manny G. Apigian Jr.Waitsfield

US Army Corps of Eng.1969-1971

Harold “Hoover”AustinMoretown

305th SFC US Army Res.1965-1972

Bernard Viens, Wendal Sykes, Norman Neil

WaterburyVt. Nat. Guard 1954-1957

Dick Viens,Cedric Dunbar (dec.)

WaterburyVt. Nat. Guard 1954-1957

Ken BackusWWII 1941-19452nd Armored Div

Andrew Baird Jr.Waitsfield

U.S. Air Force 1956-1959

Bill BandyBurke, VT

U.S. Army - Master Sgt. E8Vietnam 1961-1981

John J. BasileWaitsfield

U.S. Marine Corps1952-53

Al BenjaminWarren

World War II & Korea

Lawrence Bennett Occupation Forces, 1946-47

Japan & Korea

Alden BettisWaitsfield

U.S. Navy 1945

Gene Bifano United States Marine Corps

1962-1965

Alfred H. BodwayU.S. Navy

1956-1986 Vietnam

Cpl. Gene Boudreau Moretown

USMC 1967-1971Vietnam 1968-1969

Bob BrightbillWaitsfield

U.S. Army 1954-1956

Kenneth BrothersFayston

T. Sgt. USAF 1949-1969Korea, Vietnam

Mst. Sgt. Sherwood V. Brown Jr.Moretown

U.S.A.F./U.S.A.N.G. Ret

Chuck AllenWarren

36th Infantry Div., 1952-1954

Ronald BruceA2C, U.S.A.F. 1961-1965

Pease AFBPortsmouth, N.H.

Leon BrunoWarren

Counter Intelligence, U.S. Army 1952-1954

James BurbankUnited States Air Force, Korea, Vietnam 1966

Robert BurbankWaitsfield

VT Air National GuardSaudi Arabia, 2003-2004

Monte BellWarren

Royal Canadian Navy Cadets 1953-1958

The Valley Reporter Honors

IN MEMORIAM

IN MEMORIAM

IN MEMORIAM

IN MEMORIAM

IN MEMORIAM

IN MEMORIAM IN MEMORIAM

IN MEMORIAM

November 5, 2015 The Valley Reporter 25

Capt. Micah W. ChapmanWaitsfield

U.S.A.F. – 2002-2006

Sgt. Frank W. ChapmanWaitsfield

U.S.A.F. 1965-1968

Staff Sgt. David ClarkWaitsfield

USAF 1969-1972

Eugene CorlissWaterbury Ctr.

Vietnam & Korea

Larry CorthellWaitsfield

U.S. Navy 1964-1968

Frank CovinoFayston

Sgt. U.S. Air Force 1953 - Korea

Cdr. Eddie CrossmanWarren

Captain U.S.S. Carney

Sgt. Paul CunninghamWaitsfield

U.S. Army 305th Civ Aff Mil Gov 61

Gary E. DalleyWaitsfield

U.S. Army SpecialistVietnam

Sgt. Martin Louis De HeerWaitsfield

U.S. Army 1966-1968European Theater

John De JesusWaitsfield

Korea 1953

Henri & Claude de MarneWaitsfield

WWII French Resistance, French Red Cross

Vic DumasWaitsfield

U.S.A.F. 1950-1971

Gilbert S. EdwardsFayston

U.S. Navy 1968-1988

Sgt. Thomas J EidU.S.A.F. 1970-74

Pease A.F.B.

SSG. Matthew Emelett Waitsfield

VTANG Afghanistan

Conrad EmmonsWaterbury

Scott EmmonsWaterbury

US Army, 27th Infantry

Dave EstyWaitsfield

U.S.A.F. 1950-1967Capt., Pilot Active/Reserve

William E Carnright Jr. Waitsfield

U.S. Navy 1958-1962

Shelia and Kevin EurichDuxbury

US Navy 1965-1969 (K)US Navy 1967-1969 (S)

Staff Sgt. Todd Farnham Waitsfield

186th Artillery VTANG

Ken FeldermanFayston

U.S.A.F. 1953-1955Japan

Robert BurgeWaitsfield

86th Blackhawk Infant. Div.1943-1946

Adrian K. FerrisSgt. U.S. Army

1941-1944Panama

The Valley Reporter Honors

26 The Valley Reporter November 5, 2015

Waylan FreemanTaken 1942Ft. Still, OK

Daniel GabareeWaitsfield

U.S. Army - Vietnam

George GabareeWaitsfield

U.S. Army - WWII

George Gabaree Jr.U.S. Army1965-1967

Joe GabareeMoretownU.S. Army

WWII

Joe GabareeMoretown

U.S. Army 1967-1970

William GabareeWaitsfield

U.S. Marine CorpsVietnam

Robert & Norris Gallagher10th Combat Zone, 10th

AAF C.B.I. Theater1943-1945

Russ GauslinWarren

U.S.A.F. Maine & Japan 1950-1954

Vincent Gauthier Waitsfield

U.S. Army 1965-1968 Germany

1st Lt. Alfred C. Gilbert IIIFayston

U.S. Army1970-1972

Fred GillenDuxbury

CTI 2 U.S. Navy1988-92 Gulf War 1

Jane GoodwinWaitsfield

WWII

Bruce G. FowlerWarren

U.S. Army1970-20075th & 8th Infantry, U.S.A.R.

Donald FosterMoretown

U.S. Army Infantry 1942-1945 European Theater

PFC Robert F FielderWaitsfield

Marine Corps 1964-1966 Killed Vietnam 1966

Teresa Grandfield FreemanCTO U.S. Navy

1978-1982Japan

Stuart T. FerrisSgt. U.S.A.F.1955-1959

529th Bomb Squadron

Howard F. Ferris A/IC US AIR FORCE

1954-195858th Fighter Squadron

Glen A. FerrisSp4 US Army 1959-62

101st Airborne DivisionCo. D 502 Fort Campbell, Ky.Co. B 27th Infantry, Korea

Christopher H. FerrisSgt. U.S. Army

2001-04VT Natl Guard

Eldon R. FerrisVermont National Guard

1964-1968

Albert K. Ferris Cpl. - U.S. Army

1941-1944Post Office - England

Albert E. Ferris Sr.Cpl. U.S. Army

1917-19TROOP E - 2nd Cavalry

IN MEMORIAM

The Valley Reporter Honors

Ronald GerenWarren

U.S. Army 1959-62

IN MEMORIAM

November 5, 2015 The Valley Reporter 27

Earl HarringtonWaitsfield

U.S. Army 1944-1945South Pacific

Martin JohnsonWarrenU.S.M.C.

1953-1973

Merrill JohnsonWaitsfieldU.S. Army1942-1945

Eric HaskinWaitsfield U.S. Navy

1979-1982

SPC 4 Ted HengstenbergWaitsfield

U.S. Army 1966Vietnam

Lt. Col. David HerlihyFayston

VT National Guard - JAGIraq - 2005-2006

James Allison HopperFayston

West Point 1960U.S. Army 1960-1976

George HutchinsMoretown

Mst Sgt. U.S. Army 1957-77Awarded: ACM, SM, BS, PH

Douglas HarringtonWaitsfield

U.S.M.C. 1969Vietnam

Forest JohnsonWaitsfield

VT Air Guard1957

John JohnsonWaitsfield

U.S. Army 1968-1970Drill Sgt. E5 Ft. Campbell

Marvin JohnsonWarren

U.S. Army WWII2 Purple Hearts

Steve JoslinSgt. U.S. Army

1965-1967Germany, Bavaria

Ted and Peter JoslinWaitsfield

U.S. Army 1968-1971USAF 1969

Ned KelleyFayston

U.S. Coast Guard1961-1965

James Robert KelleyLt. Cmdr. U.S. Navy

1941-1945Atlantic & Pacific

Donald S KenneyFayston

Ft2 U.S. Navy 1952-56U.S.N.R. 1956-60

Stanley KenyonWaitsfieldU.S. Army

WWII

Robert GowWarren

U.S. Navy - WWII, Korea

Ron GravesWaitsfield

U.S.A.F. Korea 1955

Douglas Merrill GriffithSgt., U.S. Army

1969-1971Fort Dix, Vietnam

E 5 Sgt. Bob Henry Fayston

43 Infantry DivisionA Battery - Combat Support Co. VTNG

The Valley Reporter Honors

Kenneth W. IrishMoretownSgt. USA1965-71

IN MEMORIAM

Ozzie GossMoretownU.S. Army1949-1952

IN MEMORIAM

IN MEMORIAM

Peter JenningsWaitsfield

US Navy 1957-62Cuban Missile Crisis

IN MEMORIAM

IN MEMORIAM

28 The Valley Reporter November 5, 2015

IN MEMORIAM

Capt. Philip KiendlFaystonU.S.A.F.

Pilot B-29 Pacific Theater

Allen KimbleFayston

Ele.Tech Sgt. 1955-1975-KOREA

Clayton KingsburyWaitsfield

U.S. Army WWIIForward Observer

Phil KingWaitsfield

U.S. Army 1943-1946

IN MEMORIAM

Leo LaferriereWaitsfield

Spl. 716th Military Police Btn. FORT DIX NJ 1956-58

Don La HayeNATO’s Cent. Army Group

1962-1964Germany

Henry John LaneRoyal New Zealand Air

Force1943-1946

Lt. Norman LangevinNorth Fayston1942-45 WWII

976th Field Artillery

Donald E. LaRock Warren

Tec. Sgt. US ArmyWWII

Everett “Jack” LarrowWaitsfield

U.S. Army 1944-46Infantry WWII, Germany & POW

Albert LaVanway Jr Waitsfield

U.S.A.F. 55-59 SAC Mech U2

Chris LaVanway DuxburyU.S. Navy

1985-1991

Robert A. LawlissWaitsfield

U.S. Army 1950-1952Korean Conflict, Tokyo

Jim LeytonWaitsfield

U.S. Army 1945

Jack LindnerAviation Cadet,

U.S. Army Air Corps WWII 1945

Bertrand LuceWarrenPvt. USA

WWII Germany

Elwin KingsburyWarren

U.S. Army, WW IINational Guard, 1945

Peter KochWaitsfield

1st Lt. U.S. Army Vietnam 1967-1968

Louis KoonzSouth Duxbury

U.S.A.F. 1951-1955Westover AFB

Dick KingsburyWaitsfieldU.S. NAVY

Vietnam, 1967

Eng. Offic. Joseph M. KochFayston 1948

Merchant Marine Acad. Commission Naval Res.

IN MEMORIAM IN MEMORIAM IN MEMORIAM

IN MEMORIAM IN MEMORIAMIN MEMORIAMIN MEMORIAM

Steven A LandauWarren

U.S. Navy - 1955-1958Cmdr. U.S.N.R. Ret. 1976

IN MEMORIAM

IN MEMORIAM

The Valley Reporter Honors

Ron KrantzWarrenNJANG1966-72

Jack LonsdaleWarrenU.S.N.R.

1957-1959

IN MEMORIAM

IN MEMORIAM

Walter KenyonWaitsfieldU.S. Army1918-1919

IN MEMORIAM

November 5, 2015 The Valley Reporter 29

Parker Lee McCuinWaitsfield

U.S. Army-Korea WWII 1940-1945

Norman J. McCuinWarren

Master Sgt. U.S. Army1961-1983, Vietnam

Maj Glen MercierWarren

U.S. Air Force

Fred MesserWaitsfield

Army Nat. Guard1971-1979

Lawrence MeyersWaitsfield

Army Air Corp.1942-1945

John MillerFayston

U.S. Navy 1941-1945WWII Gunners Mate

EM2 John D. MoriartyWaitsfieldU.S. Navy

1963-1967 Vietnam

CS2 Richard F. MoriartyWaitsfield U.S. Navy

1968-1972 Vietnam

Brian MoultonU.S. Army1968-1971

Alabama, Germany

Eugene C. Moulton1945-1946Pfc. Army

SC, Alaska, MD, CA.

SPC 4 David G. MoultonUSANG/U.S. ArmyVermont, New York

1991-1995

Michael J. McHughWaitsfield

1973-2000 - U.S.M.C. Sgt. Mjr. Gulf War 27 Yr., Ret.

Lt. Col. Jennifer C. Mercier Warren

US Air Force (ret.)

Col. Jack McDermottMoretown

U.S. Army 1960-1994

SSG. Matthew C. Melen Waitsfield

US Army Iraq 2006-07VTANG - Afghanistan

IN MEMORIAM

IN MEMORIAM

IN MEMORIAM IN MEMORIAM

Jim McCaffreyFayston

1965-1967Sgt. 1st Class U.S. Army

The Valley Reporter Honors

IN MEMORIAM

John MansfieldFayston

1945-1946U.S.N. North Pacific

Paul MarbleFayston

U.S.A.F. 1951-1955A.N.G. 1955-1980

Gerson “Mark” MarkowittWarren

U.S. Navy 1945U.S.S. Alabama

Walter MaynardNorth Fayston

1947-68 U.S.N. - U.S.A.F.Korea - Vietnam

Gordon MarcelleWaitsfield

USAF1964-68

Hugh McIntyreFayston

Army Air Corp1942-46

IN MEMORIAM

IN MEMORIAM

IN MEMORIAM

George LudewigFayston

1952-1953Korea

Allen MehuronWaitsfieldUS Army

1951-1953

Bob McMullinNorth Fayston

Lt. Col., U.S. Air Force, 1957-1977

30 The Valley Reporter November 5, 2015

Sir Alasdair Munro B.t.WaitsfieldU.S. Army1946-1947

Jeffrey J Myers1967-1969U.S. ArmyVietnam

SSG. Christian NooneyFayston

U.S. ArmyIraq, Fort Bragg

Brian OrrWaitsfield

1967-1970 U.S. ArmyPvt., Vietnam - KIA

Jeremy OrrWaitsfield

VT National Guard2004-2006 Iraq

Jim ParkerWarren

U.S. Navy SeaBeesVietnam 1968-1969

IN MEMORIAM

Peter PilieroFayston

Cpl. U.S.M.C. 1963-1967 Vietnam

William PeatmanWarren

U.S. Navy1945-1946

IN MEMORIAM

IN MEMORIAM

IN MEMORIAM

IN MEMORIAM

Brent PearsonWaitsfield

1988-1992 U.S.M.C.Intelligence Analyst Op.

Ken QuackenbushFaystonU.S.M.C.

Stuart L. RichardsWarren

1966-1972 U.S.M.C.Marine Corps Reserve

Arthur A. RiversWaitsfieldU.S. Army1945-1948

Lloyd RiversWaitsfieldU.S. Army1953-1954

1st Lieutenant Tom RocheWarren 1942-1945U.S. Army WWII

Ghost Army

Jim Roettger Warren

U.S. Air Force1969-1973

Leonard RubinWaitsfield

Army Air Corp 1943Lt., WWII Pacific Theater

Olin PotterWaitsfield

1943-45 U.S. Army AirNavigator, B-29

Albert A. Raphael Jr.Warren

1943-1946 U.S. Army ETO, Field Artillery

James PlumptonWaitsfield

R.A.F.1955-1957

Pvt. David L. PrescottFayston

U.S. Army Air ForcesWWII 1942-1945

The Valley Reporter Honors

Bernie PistilliWarren

USN-ATAN 1952-54USS Lake Champlain

Bill QuinnFayston

U.S. Army1966-68

IN MEMORIAM

IN MEMORIAM

James R. MoultonWaitsfield

SP-4 U.S. Army - 1974-82TX, Germany, Panama, GA.

Keith E. MoultonSgt. U.S.A.F.1969-1973

SE Asia, Vietnam

Gordon N MoultonU.S.A.F.

1974-1978Korea, Okinawa, Ft. Mead

IN MEMORIAM

November 5, 2015 The Valley Reporter 31

Cliff Tiffany FaystonU.S.M.C.

Vietnam 1969-1971

Willeford Thompson“Tex”

Sgt., USMC 1941-1947South Pacific 1942-1943

Cpl. Margaret Bisbee Thompson “Peggy”

U.S.M.C. 1943-1945

Sgt. Armand ViensFayston

VT National Guard43 Infantry Division

Michael ViensU.S.M.C.Vietnam

1968

Genevieve A. VislockyWaitsfield

Petty Ofc. RM3rd Class, U.S.C.G. 1944-1946

John Vislocky, Jr.Waitsfield

1942-1946 USCG Petty Ofc. 2nd Class,

Sgt. Arthur TreziseFayston

1951-1952 U.S. ArmyG-2, 4th Infantry

Charles W Turnbaugh Moretown

U.S. Army 1968-1970 Purple Heart, Service Medal, C.I.B.,

National Defense Service Medal

Robert TracyWaitsfield

U.S. Army 1945-1948Germany-Am. Occupation Forces

Jerry TuckerWaitsfield

U.S. Air Force1969-1971

IN MEMORIAM

IN MEMORIAM

Pat ThompsonFayston

Army Nat. Guard1971-2006

The Valley Reporter Honors

IN MEMORIAMIN MEMORIAM

Charles SnowWarren

E-3 U.S. Navy USS Mount Baker AE34 1973-1976

Geri Streeter SSGWarren

U.S. Army/VTARNG1982-2002 Ret.

Keith Streeter CW4U.S. Army

126 AVN Co.1975-PresentIraq 2010-2011

Floyd SwinkWarren

North Africa & Italy1940-1945

Lt Col Dana M. StabinWaitsfieldU.S.A.F.

1981-2001

Richard S. SmithU.S. Navy 1954-1956

Photographer, Awarded China Service Medal

Harry ShermanU.S.M.C.1968

Vietnam

Jeff SinerWaitsfield

U.S. Marine Corps-2 tours Beirut

Derek W. SmithAE3rd Class U.S. Navy

1989-1998

Alan UrisWaitsfield

U.S. Army Res.1959-65

IN MEMORIAM

Eugene (Gene) D. ShapiroWarren - Framingham, MA1961-1965 U.S. ARMY

Germany

Eugene ScarpatoWaitsfield

USMC 1st Lt.Korea 1953-55

IN MEMORIAM

Vincent SardiWarren

U.S. Marine Corps - 1959 China

32 The Valley Reporter November 5, 2015

Justin B WebsterU.S. ARMY Military Police

Germany

Norris WestonWarren

U.S. Army1955-1963

Arthur & Sewall WilliamsFayston/Stowe

4th French Mt. Div./10th Mt. Div.

Stephen WillisWarren

Captain, U.S.M.C.1966-1969 – Vietnam

Bunker WimbleU.S. Navy WWII

USS Inch1942-1945

Herb WolfeFayston

U.S. Army1943-1945

Stellan WolmarFayston

1959-1962 U.S. Army Intelligence

Wes WrightWarren

U.S. Navy 1953Korean War

Cliff AndersonU.S.M.C.

1971-1974NC, CA, Nam Phong, Japan

Lester MillerWarren

U.S. Navy1954-1964

Freeman WhiteWaitsfieldU.S. Army1947-1950

H. Alden CarpenterWarren

U.S. Navy1942-1945

Steven WhiteWaitsfield

U.S. National Guard1971-1985

Frank VolpiniFayston

1966-1969Vietnam

IN MEMORIAM

IN MEMORIAMIN MEMORIAM IN MEMORIAM

IN MEMORIAM

IN MEMORIAM

IN MEMORIAM

The Valley Reporter Honors

NO PHOTO AVAILABLE

2nd Lt. Mike WareWaitsfield 1957-1958

1st Battalion, The King’s Regiment, Platoon Cmdr.

Stanley WawrzynowiczFayston1970

Vietnam

Mark WalkerU.S. Navy

Desert Storm 1990-1991USS Caron DD-970

IN MEMORIAM

By Rachel Goff

When Vic Dumas, who is 85 years old, of Waitsfield joined the United States Air Force (USAF) in 1951, he was 21 years old and working on what is now the von Trapp Farmstead in Waitsfield. “I was getting up at 3:30 or 4 a.m. to milk the cows,” he said. Upon joining the Air Force, “We were get-ting up at 5:30 a.m. and everybody was complaining,” Dumas said. “And I was like, ‘Geez, this isn’t so bad.’”

“I just wanted to go fly,” Dumas said of his reason for joining the Air Force and at that time “It was either join or get drafted,” he said. So he signed up.

Dumas served in the Air Force from 1951 to 1971, working as a flight per-formance engineer on B-29 bomber planes in the Korean War and cargo planes in the Vietnam War.

“This was back before computers,” Dumas said, and so his job as an engi-neer was to make a map of a flight plan and monitor fuel and altitude, among other factors. “I controlled everything on the plane except the steering,” he

said.When fly-

ing missions in Korea, Dumas was stationed in Okinawa, Ja-pan. Despite being on the front lines, he wasn’t often afraid. “Not most of the time,” Dumas said. “When you see a few fighters coming at you it’s a little disturbing,” he said. “But other than that.”

Dumas married his wife, Anne Du-mas of Waitsfield, eight years after he joined the Air Force and she moved around the country with him from sta-tion to station – from New Hampshire to New Jersey to Newfoundland to Delaware.

“It’s a changing life,” Dumas said.Upon leaving the Air Force in 1971,

Dumas and his wife moved back to The Valley, or as he says, “We came

back home.” He worked for 28 years at Bisbee’s Hardware Store in Waitsfield and she worked at Mehuron’s Super-market in Waitsfield, which her family then owned.

“At that time, we knew virtually ev-eryone in town,” Dumas said.

Dumas retired from Bisbee’s and from his other jobs working at the local redemption center and lawn mower store in 2000, and today in his free time “I putter around outside and mess around on the computer,” he said.

His plan for the next few years? “Survival,” Dumas said.

Flying bomber planes and coming back home

Q. What is the difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day?

A. Many people confuse Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Memorial Day is a day for remembering and honoring military personnel who died in the service of their country, particularly those who died in battle or as a result of wounds sustained in battle. While those who died are also remembered, Veterans Day is the day set aside to thank and honor all those who served honorably in the military – in wartime or peacetime. In fact, Veterans Day is largely intended to thank living veterans for their service, to acknowledge that their contributions to our national security are appreciated and to underscore the fact that all those who served – not only those who died – have sacrificed and done their duty.” www.va.gov/opa/vetsday/vetday_faq.asp.

Q. How do you address a veteran on Veterans or Memorial Day?

A. I have had folks wish me a “Happy Veterans Day.” Both Veteran and Memorial Days are times of solemn remembrance. I was not offended and I most certainly understood and appreciated their thought. A more suitable salutation would be “Thank you for your service.” To which the veteran would most likely respond with “Thank you.” Another phrase I like to use and many veterans and active military members also use is “Thank you for your support.”

FAQ: