The ��Live

Capt. Gilbert H. Fuller’s World War II Journey

Guest Author — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 13:07:39 +0000

Gil and Johna Fuller wedding photo, circa 1945

Article by John Fuller

Four Combat Wounds, Three Invasions, Two Continents and a Beautiful Bride

Like many sons of World War II veterans, I grew up mostly in the dark about what happened to my dad during the war. Sure, I knew he was wounded several times and fell in love with mom in a field hospital in England. The above picture was certainly a cherished part of my youth.

Over time, and with the help of my sister and brother, I’ve learned a fuller story of my father’s wartime journey from the deserts of North Africa to the forests of western Germany. Please allow me to share the story of my personal hero, Captain Gilbert H. Fuller.

Dad was 1st Sgt. for his hometown Army National Guard unit in Ludlow, Vermont when war was declared in late 1941. In February of 1942, the National Guard was put on active-duty status and dad was selected for Infantry Officers’ Candidate School. Upon completion, he was assigned to the First Infantry Division. This was the first combat unit shipped to Europe, landing in Scotland, then later to England for more training.

In November 1942, the “Big Red One” became the first American unit to engage the Germans with a spearhead amphibious landing in North Africa. But before they got to the Germans, they had to battle their way through Vichy French troops and an Italian force.

Dad was wounded twice in North Africa going up against the German Wehrmacht under command of Field Marshall Erwin Rommel, whose nickname was “The Desert Fox.” His first wounds were sustained when he and his Jeep driver drove over a German land mine. The second time he sustained a shrapnel wound during the Battle of Kasserine Pass. This was the only time in World War II that the First Infantry Division, aka the “Big Red One,” had a questionable outcome in head-to-head combat with German forces.

After finally routing Rommel and his troops in North Africa, the “Fighting First” was sent to Sicily for their second spearhead invasion. This time, it was under General George S. Patton. Patton told Gens. Eisenhower and Bradley he would not command this now second amphibious invasion unless they gave him “those sons of bitches of the Big Red One.” Which of course they did.

Dad was wounded a third time. He was shot in the upper thigh by a high caliber round from a German fighter plane while leading the evacuation of the battalion regimental motor pool. For gallantry in action, he was awarded the Silver Star and a third Purple Heart. I often remember seeing the scar on his thigh from being shot by the aircraft round.

After the Big Red One’s victory in Sicily, Dad once told me they felt they had seen enough combat and were certain they would be sent back to the States to train other soldiers. That was not the case; instead, they headed to the south of England to train for their third (and highly secret) amphibious assault.

On June 6th, 1944, they were the driving force on the “first wave” landing at Omaha Beach in Normandy, France, to date the largest amphibious landing in the history of warfare. During the period of the film “Saving Private Ryan,” I listened to a radio commentator interview Capt. Gerry Eckenrod, a family friend. One of the questions asked was if Gerry thought the film depicted what really happened on D-Day. I will never forget Gerry’s response. He basically felt the film was somewhat accurate in detail but of course could never depict the smell of death nor the blood-stained surf along the beachhead. Gerry and Dad served in the same combat battalion throughout the war.

As history shows, Allied forces successfully liberated Normandy from the Nazis, but at a very high cost of lives. I remember standing by and watching Dad read to himself all the names of the fallen on a First Infantry monument erected on the cliffs above Omaha Beach. After a long and somber pause, he told me due to all that went on and confusion within the units, he never realized how many soldiers killed in action were part of his battalion. He assumed during fighting they were probably just separated and later assigned to other units. It was truly a very somber moment for Dad and me.

After stabilizing the beachhead, his unit marched toward another crucial battle with the Germans called “The St. Lo Breakthrough.” At St. Lo, his unit was pinned down and temporarily unable to advance. By this time, Dad was now a 1st Lt. and Executive Officer of G Rifle Company, 2nd Battalion of the 26th Regiment of the “Fighting First.”

It was there that his Company Commander, Captain Al Preston, was sprayed with bullets from a German machine gun pistol and evacuated to spend the remainder of the war at Walter Reed Hospital. Dad and Al were lifelong friends after the war.

Dad was then appointed Company Commander of G Company as they progressed through France, Belgium and up the Siegfried Line at the German border. At this point, after being awarded his second Bronze Star Medal with a V for Valor, Dad was promoted again. This time, he became Captain and took command of H Company, the heavy weapons unit for their battalion.

After enduring continuous fighting since D-Day at Normandy, they were ordered to invade German territory and take the first city in Germany to fall in battle since the days of Charlemagne centuries before. On Oct. 21, 1944, they took that symbolic city, Aachen, the same city Hitler claimed would be fought to the last man and last bullet to remain in German hands.

They became victorious after intense, door-to-door street fighting. Dad’s unit was crucial in the victory thanks to their “pin point” mortar fire as well as high caliber, extremely accurate machine gun squads.

Fame Finds Dad in Aachen

In addition to his highly efficient command techniques, Dad also became the unofficial news press spokesperson for the wire services. One of the reporters, Hal Boyle, a Pulitzer Prize-winning correspondent, dubbed Dad “The Unofficial Mayor of Aachen” in a wire services article published nationwide.

Thus far, The Big Red One had spearheaded three separate D-Day invasions and countless victorious ground assaults. Then, after their victory at Aachen, General Eisenhower and General Bradley dispatched the division to the Hurtgen Forest, a battle site just south of Aachen. This dense forest, heavily fortified by the Germans, had been a nightmare for American forces. Prior to First Infantry Division’s arrival, three American infantry divisions had been brutally repelled.

On November 16th, 1944, the “Fighting First” started their assaults into the Hurtgen Forest. The troops suffered major casualties after gaining only a few hundred yards. The second day was even worse, as Dad was severely injured by a “tree burst” which rained down shrapnel and wood splinters from German 88mm cannons specifically aimed at the crest of trees in targeted areas.

During the prolonged fighting, one of Dad’s men, PFC Francis X. McGraw, played a key role in repelling German forces. This allowed American forces to regroup, thus saving countless soldiers. McGraw was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for bravery. Years later, as a civilian, I listened to a very moving Memorial Day speech Dad gave about the supreme sacrifice paid by PFC McGraw.

The injuries Dad suffered in the Hurtgen Forest left him temporarily paralyzed from the waist down. He was rushed to a field medical station to be stabilized and then evacuated to a hospital for surgery. Years later, Capt. Eckenrod told me he came across Dad on a gurney at the field medical station. Dad told Gerry not to worry because “it was just a lucky shot” by the Germans. I never have been able to comprehend how a major wound of that nature would be called a lucky shot.

Saved by the Providence of God

One last item about dad in the Hurtgen Forest: He told me that as he lay there on a Jeep, in a presumed safe area waiting to be moved to a hospital, an inner voice told him to get off that Jeep. Still partially paralyzed, he managed to roll off and crawl some distance away. Within minutes, that Jeep took a direct artillery hit. He knew it had to be the Providence of God that saved his life at that moment.

Many years later, I had the privilege of walking with Dad into the Hurtgen Forest. There was a huge sign as you enter which stated, in essence, don’t get off the trail because live munitions are still present. He told me he wanted to find the earthen command bunker where he was wounded. I said it would be impossible so many years later because there would not be any remains. Well, knowing Dad and his persistence, he found what remained of the command bunker. We found scraps of burlap sandbags and splintered beams that supported the roof of the bunker.

General Hospital Love Story

Dad was sent from the first aid station to a field hospital in France for a time, before heading to the 82nd Army General Hospital in Pembroke, Wales, for additional neurosurgery and shrapnel removal.

It was in that hospital that he met his soon-to-be bride, and my soon-to-be mother, 1st Lt. Registered Nurse Johna Ferguson of Bakersfield, Missouri. Mom was one of the nurses on his ward.

She once told me the nursing staff disliked attending to officers of the Big Red One because of their loud, boisterous, self-centered arrogance. And, she said, Dad was no exception! But in time they fell in love and were married at a church in the area. The hospital chief of staff was the best man.

After the marriage, the chief of staff arranged for dad to be transferred from the First Infantry Division to the Pentagon for a cushy desk job. Dad would have no part of that!

Unexpected Hospital ‘Discharge’

Instead of accepting the Pentagon transfer, Dad went AWOL from the hospital and somehow worked his way across the English Channel and back toward his beloved company, which was still in combat.

Along the way, he met up with his nephew, David Williams, whose unit was still mopping up operations from the Battle of the Bulge. After deciding to spend the night with David and his unit, an officer informed Dad they had an officer’s tent prepared for him. Dad’s response was: “By God, if I can fight with enlisted men, I sure as hell can sleep with them!” This was told to me and my wife, Elva, by Cousin David while visiting him in 2005.

Dad found his company near the Czech border and resumed his position as Company Commander for the final month of combat before Germany surrendered. After combat, his company liberated a German concentration camp in that area.

The war in Europe ended on May 8, 1945, and Dad was finally able to return to the U.S. in August 1945 to meet up with Mom at Gram’s and Gramps home in Ludlow.

Mom was five months’ pregnant with me (I had been conceived during their London honeymoon), and I officially arrived Dec. 11, 1945, the day my dad was separated from active duty.

I once read an interview given by Col. Dan, Dad’s battalion commander, sometime after he retired as a two-star Major General. The interviewer asked about pictures and why more medals were not given out during World War II. His reply was something like, “Who had time to take pictures or do paperwork for medals when you were fighting just to stay alive and possibly gain a few yards in a day?”

Nonetheless, Dad left the service with four Purple Hearts, two Bronze Stars (including one with a V for Valor), a Silver Star and a Combat Infantryman’s Badge.

Writer, and proud son, John Fuller was a US Army Spec 5 with headquarters of the Fourth Armored Division in Germany in the 1960s.

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From Boy Scout to Soldier

Janis — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 16:31:56 +0000

Guest Speaker WWII veteran Simon Gurdal will tell his story on June 20 at Etowah Library

Simon Gurdal — WWII Belgian Brigade Piron

WWII veteran Simon Gurdal shared his story: “One time, I found myself in a foxhole with two Americans, a Canadian and a Polish soldier. I was wounded but went back into the fight.”

The war began for Gurdal’s family when he was 14 years old. He tells his story:

“The Germans came in 1940 and occupied Belgium. All we could do was hide ourselves. One day our bell rang. It was two ladies with a six-year-old Jewish girl, Annie. One lady said, ‘She’s for you.’ Annie had a piece of paper in her coat pocket which read: I am a Jewish girl. Please take me in and hide me. For four years during the occupation, we hid her in a little room in the basement. She couldn’t go outside. Poor little girl, four years in the basement.

Pictured: Simon (far right) and his Boy Scout friends in Verviers, Belgium.

Let’s Join the Army

“In 1944, I was 17. One of the Boy Scouts in my troop said, ‘Let’s join the army.’ I said, ‘Let’s go!’ Seven of us went to St. Nicolas-Waes and soon…we were in the Army!

After the war

“After the war, I worked in Africa as a fabric designer for a French textile company. Then I emigrated to Canada, got married, and moved to New York. There I owned a design business. I have been an American citizen since 1965. I’m proud to wear the badge of Belgian Brigade Piron. What I tell you comes from my memory, but most of all, from my heart.”

The new book From Boy Scout to Soldier: Simon Gurdal, WWII Belgian Brigade Piron will be available for purchase and signing by Gurdal. Proceeds from the book (on sale for $20) will support the museum’s educational programs. Please call 828-884-2141 or visit the for more information.

From Boy Scout to Soldier, by Janis Allen, will be available for purchase and signing by Simon Gurdal on April 11 at VHMC.

Top Photo: Left, 17-year old Simon Gurdal, Belgian Brigade Piron, 1944
Right, Simon Gurdal with his book, FROM BOY SCOUT TO SOLDIER, 2026

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WWII Vets Meet 82 Years Later

Janis — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 21:26:21 +0000

Eighty-two years after fighting for freedom

Simon Gurdal and George Sarros met on February 28, 2026, two heroes of the WWII European theatre of 1944. Their stories are connected in history and geography. Simon was born November 8, 1926, in Verviers, Belgium. George was born in Chicago on April 17, 1925.

George showed Simon a model of his ship, LST 515.

George Sarros served as a Motor Machinist on LST (Landing Ship, Tanks) 515, landing on the beach in Normandy on June 6, 1944. LST 515 opened its giant door and unloaded tanks, ambulances and hundreds of soldiers as part of the largest amphibious military operation in history. Along with approximately 160,000 of their comrades from the sea and falling from the sky, they successfully began what has been called “the beginning of the end of World War II.” George had joined the US Navy at age 17 (with his parents’ signatures).

George and Simon’s war time roles were connected.

The Allied troops fought their way north through France toward the goal of crossing the Rhine River into Germany. Their “prize” would be Berlin. Joining those Allies in September in the north was the Belgian Brigade Piron. These were soldiers from Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Jean-Baptiste Piron of the 1st Belgian Infantry Brigade—2,200 soldiers.

Simon was interested in George’s mementoes and medals.

The Belgian Brigade Piron moved further north in France, and on September 3, 1944, Piron and his men crossed the French-Belgian border. One day later they liberated Brussels and participated in the liberation of The Netherlands.

Simon Gurdal’s 1c Bataillon also fought in Market Garden, the Allies’ attempt to cross the Rhine (documented in the book and movie, A Bridge Too Far). Simon was 17 years old, having fudged his age to join the army. The Belgian Brigade Piron continued the fight northward beginning three months after D-Day.

From birthplaces 4,000 miles apart, these brave 17-year-olds had joined the fight against tyranny. Simon had felt this through Germany’s occupation of his homeland since 1940. These men now connected their experiences in the geography of Europe from June through September 1944.

Simon and George found something else in common—they both speak Greek. After a short conversation in Greek over lunch of pizza and French fries, Simon said to George, “As soon as I saw your last name, I knew you were Greek.”

Laughing, George said, “I had to learn to speak Greek. My Greek grandmother lived with us in Chicago, and she spoke no English. When she called me in Greek to come to her, I had to know what she was saying or I would’ve been in big trouble.”

Simon learned Greek while living on the shore of Lake Tanganyika, where a large settlement of Greek fishermen made their living night-fishing from the lake.

Painful side of war

The two veterans also recounted the painful side of war—Simon of his injuries, the soldiers from his foxhole who were killed, and the boys from his Boy Scout troop from Verviers who didn’t return home. George told of his and his shipmates’ frantic attempt to rescue hundreds of sailors in the dark, cold English Channel when their LSTs were torpedoed during a training exercise in April 1944. They could only save around 100 out of 900 from the water. Both veterans had tears in their eyes as they shared these sad memories.

As they said goodbye, their parting messages were, “I want to talk with you more.” “Let’s meet again soon.”

The WWII veterans shared their service connection, their fight for freedom, and even a knowledge of the Greek language. When they parted, they vowed to see each other again.

Top photo: Eighty-two years after fighting for freedom, WWII veterans Simon Gurdal (left) and George Sarros met and swapped stories of their war experiences

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Join Us at our 2026 Grand Opening

Michel Robertson — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 21:57:57 +0000

Welcome

The ��Live welcomes the community and area visitors to its 2026 Grand Opening on Tuesday, March 3, from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. “We’re very proud of our recent additions,” said David Morrow, board president, “and we look forward to welcoming the community.”

Curator, Bobby Kotlowski, added: “Incredibly hard-working and knowledgeable volunteers have spent two months preparing new displays, refreshing current exhibits, and cleaning and prepping all spaces for the much-anticipated 2026 opening. I especially want to thank Greg Ehr, Ray Pavlik, Jim Schenfield, and Mike Johnson.”

Visitors will experience a trip through history as they admire our new acquisitions (photos below each bullet):

• New D-Day exhibit, which includes four helmets and part of a parachute found in France close to where the Normandy invasion occurred;

• Artifacts from various submarines and two impressive models of modern submarines and a WWII sub;

• Telegraph from a British warship;

• Additions to the Air Force exhibit, such as artifacts from a B-17 aircraft which includes the auto pilot designed and built by Honeywell;

• Ship’s bell from the quarter deck of the USS Essex, which was the lead ship of the Essex-class aircraft carriers and played a significant role in WWII and later in the Korean War. (not pictured)

Also new in our galleries are attractively displayed biographies with photos of veterans from each conflict from WWI through the Global War on Terror. These bios are especially significant because they reflect the lives and service histories of individuals directly related to Transylvania County.

Posters were designed by board member Greg Ehr.
So join us on Tuesday, March 3, 2026 as we open our doors and proudly embrace our mission to honor veterans and their stories, educate the community, and preserve important historical artifacts.

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Fair Winds and Following Seas

Kenneth Corn — Mon, 08 Sep 2025 16:18:25 +0000

On June 3rd, the Board of Directors renamed the Merchant Marine exhibit to the Harold E. Wellington Merchant Marine of World War II Memorial Gallery in honor of long-time museum volunteer Harold Wellington.

In the words of Alfred Lord Tennyson, Wellington “Crossed the Bar” in December of 2024. Before Wellington passed away, he accomplished one more milestone in a life filled with service to his country and his fellow veterans. Wellington became a centenarian on September 29th, 2024.

Left, Harold Wellington celebrated his 100th birthday in his room at a long-term care facility in September of ’24. Right, Wellington celebrated his 99th birthday with family and friends in a local restaurant.

During 100 years of living, Harold Wellington received the Congressional Gold Medal from the United States Congress, served in three different branches of the military during two major wars, and survived a near-fatal car crash in front of thousands of spectators during a stock car race. Wellington lived every day of his remarkable life to the fullest.

Wellington Campioned for the Cause of the VHMC

Over the past eight years, Wellington’s commitment to the success of the ��Live has not been as well-known as his military service and the accolades he received for volunteering to serve during World War II. In this article, I want to focus on Wellington’s devotion to telling the story of the Merchant Marines of WWII and his drive to preserve artifacts of the Merchant Services in our museum.

Wellington is posing with his Merchant Marine Hat with a visitor in the Merchant Marine exhibit.

Wellington is showing off his Liberty ship model to John Taylor, owner of a local toy store.

I met Wellington when he was well into his 90s. Wellington attended the ��Live’s first exhibition display in downtown Brevard, NC. I covered the exhibition as a reporter for WLOS News 13. Wellington happened to be the first World War II veteran I spoke with during the event. Even in 2016, World War II veterans were hard to find. Interviewing this American Hero was a top priority for my story.

“I feel honored that people remember,” said Wellington during that first interview. His interview lasted a total of five seconds. Neither he nor I knew that those five seconds would lead to several more television appearances and a friendship that lasted until this last December.

Months after the exhibition, Transylvania County offered the Veterans Museum an unused building next to the Historical Courthouse. Wellington attended the opening ceremonies and quickly became an everyday fixture at the Museum.

Wellington is posing with one of his countless awards he received on the lawn of the ��Live.

Wellington sits for a conversation with an attendee of the ��Lives first WWII conference.

The museum volunteers encouraged his presence. Often, visitors would get the extra treat of taking a selfie with a World War II veteran as part of the museum experience. To boost the museum’s social media reach, I posted pictures of Wellington with visitors. I often joked with Harold that he was “the coolest artifact the museum had to display.”

Soon, a new chair arrived in the museum’s reception area. It is a movie director’s folding chair with “Harold” embroidered across the back. A fitting addition to the furniture of the museum and a testament to the amount of time Wellington dedicated to the cause.

Wellington became much more than a visitor favorite as the Museum grew. He advised the Curator at the time that the Museum lacked any mention of a key group of sailors, very important to the war effort in the 1940s.

During WWII, Wellington served as a Merchant Marine on a Liberty Ship in the Battle of the Atlantic. I wasn’t the only volunteer Wellington educated on the almost forgotten service of the Merchant Marine. He donated two of his uniforms and tiny black and white square pictures of himself on a Liberty Ship, along with cards of the medals he earned. We found space for his treasured belongings, and the Museum’s Merchant Marine display came to life.

The addition of his uniforms to the museum’s WWII exhibit made Wellington happy, but not satisfied. He began searching the internet for more artifacts. He used his own money to purchase items like a liberty ship clock, a lifeboat sextant, and a life vest with “U.S Merchant Services” printed across the chest.

Wellington with the singing group “The Victory Bells” at the National WWII Museum in New Orleans, LA.

During this trip to the National WWII Museum, Wellington received the Congressional Gold Medal for serving in the Merchant Marines during WWII.

A trip to the National World War II Museum in New Orleans gave Wellington another idea. I accompanied Wellington on this visit and distinctly remember him saying to me, “Wouldn’t that look good in our museum?” He lifted his cane and pointed at a very large-scale model of a Liberty ship on display. I could tell by the look in his eyes that another internet search was in his future.

Not only did Wellington find a scale model that fit in the museum’s limited space. He also hand-crafted the glass display case that houses the model today. Determined to make the story of the Merchant Marine more prominent in the museum, Wellington donated the rare artifacts and the ship model with no expectation of repayment.

Wellington recieves the Congressinal Gold Medal from the United States Congress

Wellington’s generosity didn’t stop with the gift of his online acquisitions to the museum. In early 2020, President Donald J. Trump signed the Merchant Mariner Act into law. As part of the Act, Congress minted a Congressional Gold Medal in honor of the Merchant Marines of WWII. Every living Merchant Marine of WWII received a bronze copy of the gold medal from the government.

Wellington invited me to travel with him to the American Merchant Marine Veterans Association’s national convention, where the association unveiled the design of the medal to members and their families. In an interview for WLOS TV, I asked Wellington how he felt about receiving such a high honor from Congress.

“It’s great to be recognized ’cause we’ve been disregarded for so long,” said Wellington. “Like I say, we were bad-mouthed and called names…draft dodgers and all this other stuff for so many years. And now, we are finally getting the recognition for who we were and what we did. We are proud of it, and I think the people should be proud of it.”

Wellington caught strolling in downtown Brevard by photographer Baily Rothe.

Left, Wellington receives a quilt from the “Quilts of Honor” quilters in Hendersonville. Above, Wellington at his home in Brevard.

Wellington’s health prevented him from attending the official Congressional Gold Medal ceremony in Washington, DC, a year later. He received his bronze medal in the mail. The next day, Wellington brought the medal to the museum, and we placed it inside the glass case he constructed for the model of his Liberty Ship.

The Congressional Gold Medal is the oldest and highest civilian award in the United States. Yet, Wellington immediately shared the prize with the museum he loved. A selfless act on the scale of his original selfless act when he volunteered to serve America during her time of need eighty years ago.

Wellington loved to work with wood. He had a shop in his basement where he would cut out toys and white squirrels.

Left, Wellington and George Sarros at the National WWII Museum in NOLA. Above, Wellington dressed out for the 4th of July with friends.

Wellington has now embarked on a new journey. To say goodbye, I will use an old nautical phrase as a blessing for a successful voyage. I believe I am speaking for everyone at the museum when I wish Harold “fair winds and following seas”. You, Sir, will be sorely missed.

Above, Wellington on the left on the deck of his Liberty Ship during WWII. Right and far right, two of Wellington’s official Merchant Marine portraits.

Board Member Kenneth Corn is a regular contributor to the “Living Histories” blog. Corn has served as the Vice President of the Board of Directors and is one of the founding members of the ��Live. Before helping create this non-profit honoring Veterans, Corn worked as a journalist for several television stations in the state of North Carolina and deployed to Iraq with the 82nd Airborne as an embeded journalist in 2003 – 2004.

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Message of remembrance – Memorial Day 2025

Commander — Mon, 26 May 2025 13:43:44 +0000

This Memorial Day, we remember those who sacrificed so we could live in freedom, those who gave their lives while serving. And we’re thinking of those who have lost someone they love. Thank you for your sacrifice. Thank you for our freedom!

Charles George: The Korean War Hero from Cherokee, NC

Did you know?

The Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Asheville, NC was renamed the Charles George Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in 2017 after approval by both the US House and Senate. On the grounds of the VA stands a statue of Charles George.

On November 30, 1952, Charles George displayed conspicuous gallantry and outstanding courage above and beyond the call of duty by giving his life to defend his nation, complete his mission, and save his friends.

Here is his story from his Medal of Honor Citation.

Pfc. George, a member of Company C, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and outstanding courage above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy on the night of 30 November 1952.

He was a member of a raiding party committed to engage the enemy and capture a prisoner for interrogation. Forging up the rugged slope of the key terrain feature, the group was subjected to intense mortar and machine gun fire and suffered several casualties.

Throughout the advance, he fought valiantly and, upon reaching the crest of the hill, leaped into the trenches and closed with the enemy in hand-to-hand combat. When friendly troops were ordered to move back upon completion of the assignment, he and 2 comrades remained to cover the withdrawal.

While in the process of leaving the trenches a hostile soldier hurled a grenade into their midst. Pfc. George shouted a warning to 1 comrade, pushed the other soldier out of danger, and, with full knowledge of the consequences, unhesitatingly threw himself upon the grenade, absorbing the full blast of the explosion. Although seriously wounded in this display of valor, he refrained from any outcry which would divulge the position of his companions. The 2 soldiers evacuated him to the forward aid station and shortly thereafter he succumbed to his wound.

A duplicate of this bronze statue of Charles George in the Cherokee Veterans Memorial Park in Cherokee is located outside the Charles George Dept. of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Asheville, NC.

Pfc. George’s indomitable courage, consummate devotion to duty, and willing self-sacrifice reflect the highest credit upon himself and uphold the finest traditions of the military service.

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Art Classes for Military Personnel, Veterans, Families – Questionnaire

Commander — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 16:27:08 +0000

Thank you for your willingness to participate in this Questionnaire.

We have a target date of May 1, 2025 for receipt of the questionnaires.

Transylvania Community Arts Council is developing a program to offer FREE art classes for
veterans, current active duty members of the armed forces, reservists, as well as
veteran caregivers and immediate adult military family members (the Military
Community).

The Arts Council’s initial vision for this program is to offer classes in 4-5 art forms (see
the first question). Classes for each art form will meet 4-6 times, usually once a week.
The classes will be taught by artists/educators with substantive expertise and teaching
experience.

Classes will be open to individuals at any skill level. The classes will be at no cost to
participants. If they desire, military personnel may bring someone to class with them
(spouse, child, friend, etc.).

Once the classes have ended, the Arts Council will sponsor an exhibit in the Arts
Council Gallery where the class participants can, if they choose, exhibit the art they
created in the different classes.

To best serve the Military Community, the Arts Council is gathering information from the
Military Community to determine the types of art that are of interest and optimal ways
for structuring classes.

PLEASE RETURN YOUR COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRE AS FOLLOWS:
– Download and Scan and email to info@tcarts.org
– On-line questionnaire – click the button below
– Drop off at The ��Live, 21 East Main Street, Brevard, NC

If you have questions, or would like additional information, please contact the Arts
Council at info@tcarts.org, or call us at 828.884.2787.

DOWNLOAD

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75 Korean Anniversary Giveaway Entry

Commander — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 19:51:05 +0000

Korean Anniversay Giveaway

If you would like to be entered into our Korean Anniversay Giveaway, please enter your Name, City and State below and you will be automatically entered. Winners will be randomly drawn and announced at the event. Winners need to be present to win.

1st Prize: Korean Celadon Vase
2nd Prize: Dinner for two at the Korean Bowl restaurant
3rd Prize: Dinner for two at Sora’s Restaurant

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Clarke & Buford Ride Again! Pedaling with a Purpose II

Commander — Sun, 06 Apr 2025 16:47:10 +0000

Cycling Fundraiser on the Natchez Trace Parkway

Once again, intrepid athletes Rich Clarke and John Buford are pedaling to benefit the ��Live! This time, their endurance, grit, and determination will be tested on the 444-mile Natchez Trace Parkway which winds from Natchez, Mississippi, to just south of Nashville, Tennessee.
The trek begins on April 12th.

Last year, those who supported the bikers’ 500-mile marathon enabled us to:

Refurbish our library, allowing students and adults to research projects from the First World War through the Global War on Terrorism;
Offer the community free programs which celebrate our veterans’ stories and honor their sacrifices;
Provide private group tours to public school classes, homeschoolers, scout troops, Jr. ROTC, and adult groups; and, most importantly,
Keep our doors open despite a large drop in attendance and donations immediately following Hurricane Helene.

We hope you will pledge your support of these dedicated cycling veterans in their epic ride while ensuring the mission of the museum continues its growth in educating, preserving and honoring the United States military veteran.

10¢ = $ 44

25¢ = $111

50¢ = $222

$1 = $ 444

$5 = $2,200

Here’s how to pledge (billed later):

EMAIL your pledge to museum Treasurer Michel Robertson: mjrobertson@comporium.net
(note second letter is a “j”)
Call 828-884-2141 or drop by the museum: 21 E. Main St., Brevard.
To , click HERE to go to our website; include “bike ride” in your notes.

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Homefront Heroes

Guest Author — Fri, 28 Mar 2025 17:31:55 +0000

Honoring the Service of Veterans’ Families

Joy and Ted Minnick — in love for 58 years.

One Year

He was gone one year. He left on our anniversary, July 2, 1969, and came home on our anniversary, July 2, 1970.

When you say “he was gone one year,” it doesn’t seem like a big deal.

When you say “he was gone 365 days,” it sounds a little worse. How about eight thousand seven hundred and sixty hours? Worse yet, how about five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes? Or yet, thirty-one million five hundred thirty-six thousand seconds? Regardless of how you say it, it felt like a lifetime.

Joy and Ted Minnick — in love for 58 years.

We drove to the airport early in the morning. The radio played “Leaving on a Jet Plane.” We looked at each other with tears in our eyes, knowing we were entering an unknown territory. The hugs were tight, the words few.

The plane left and I watched my hero go. I drove home to our 3-month-old daughter with tears in my eyes. I had to be strong for her. I held her and began the process of talking to her about her Daddy. The doorbell rang. Already tense, I slowly opened the door, fearing what was on the other side. I was surprised by a dozen roses. As I burst into tears, our long-time housekeeper, who basically raised me, comforted me saying, “Honey, he sent them because he loves you, not to make you cry.”

Ted Minnick holds his daughter Kim the day before his departure to Vietnam.

Life went on. Our daughter was my life support. I volunteered at the Air Force base hospital in town to pass some time. I worked at a church as a secretary for a while. Our daughter, Kim, and I spent lots of time playing, reading books, taking walks and missing Daddy.

Ted was able to call me once in a while, and it usually came at noon, so I parked near the phone at that time. Heaven forbid if he should call and I wasn’t there! I would not forgive myself for that.

It was quite an experience learning how to talk. Saying “over” after every sentence was tough. Ted sometimes would quickly say, “Hurry! You have to say OVER!”

After six months, I met Ted for R&R in Hawaii. It was as beautiful as I had imagined. The men were bussed to the welcome center. We all lined up as they exited the bus and walked toward us on a red carpet.

Upon Ted’s departure, Joy made a point of telling lots of “Daddy stories” to their infant daughter, Kim.

I saw Ted, but he walked right past me — I had lost weight since the baby and he didn’t recognize me. I reached out and grabbed him.

It was a great reunion until the next morning when we were awakened by the pounding of a jack hammer at a construction site nearby. As soon as it started, Ted grabbed me and we hit the floor. It was a while before we could breathe again.

Other than that, the week was like a fairy tale. Memories we will hold forever.
Then, back to reality. Six more months of watchful waiting, viewing horrific news reports. Good Morning America received several letters from me asking why they only reported the terrible events. I’m not sure what I thought they should report, but the letters made me feel better.

Kim had her first birthday without her Daddy, but he sent her a letter in a card and made one of the “OVER” phone calls. Somehow, we both survived those 365 days, 8,760 hours, 525,600 minutes. We loved, we wrote, we talked, we cried, we laughed, and we survived. That was one year out of our now 58 years together.

The Minnicks have served their country for more than half a century.

Top Photo: A happy family reunion: after a year’s separation, Ted, Joy, and Kim are reunited.

Editor’s Note: the following essay was written by Joy Minnick, wife of Vietnam War veteran Lt. Col. Ted Minnick, USA, Retired.

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Homefront Heroes

Honoring the Service of Veterans’ Families

Joy and Ted Minnick — in love for 58 years.

One Year

The Minnicks have served their country for more than half a century.

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