Veterans
Day events in Manchester Members
of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, AMVETS, and their auxiliaries,
will gather at the Delaware County Veterans Memorial at the courthouse in Manchester
on Friday, Nov. 11, at 11 a.m. to observe Veterans Day.
Once known as Armistice
Day, it was proclaimed in 1919 by President Woodrow Wilson. It signified the termination
of WWI on the “11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month,” in 1918.
Today,
Veterans Day, as it became known in 1954, is a day set aside to remember all the
members of the military who lost their lives in the wars and conflicts of the
United States, as well as the living veterans who served their country.
A
federal holiday in the U.S., in some states, is observed on the fourth Monday
of October. It is also celebrated in France, Great Britain (Remembrance Sunday)
and Canada.
Also, on Thursday, Nov. 10, the American Legion will host a birthday
party to observe the founding of the U.S. Marine Corps 230 years ago. Festivities
will begin at 5 p.m. at the American Legion Post 45, 206 North Franklin.
The
public is invited to both events. |
| | 
The
Official Newspaper of Manchester and Delaware County, Iowa
Tuesday,
November 8, 2005 | |
Local
foundation receives state funds |
The
Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED) announced Tuesday, Nov. 1, that
the Foundation for the Future of Delaware County (FFDC) is one of 85 community
foundations in Iowa to receive a share of over $5.4 million from the 2005 County
Endowment Fund Program (HF 2302) dollars.
The Delaware County fund will receive
approximately $63,000 in this first year of the program.
The FFDC will
grant 75 percent of these funds to charitable projects within the county and place
the remaining 25 percent in a permanent endowment fund, which is intended to attract
other donations and provide a source of permanent funding for charitable projects
within the county. Local fundraising will be a focus in the near future.
According
to Marilyn Schnittjer, chairperson of the Foundation for the Future of Delaware
County, “The funds will be distributed to charitable and nonprofit groups
throughout the county through an application process, which is being developed.”
The
kinds of projects to be funded will include: health and human services; neighborhood
and community development; advancing education; support of children, youth, and
families; promoting arts and culture, including historic preservation; and protecting
the environment. “We are looking for projects that will enhance the well-being
of citizens of Delaware County,” Schnittjer said.
“Through this
program, community representatives determine their own needs and funding priorities,”
said Mary Lawyer, director of the IDED. The source of funding for this program
is state gambling revenues, of which one half of one percent was designated for
distribution to counties without a state gaming license.
More information
on this program can be found at the following websites: IDED-http:www.iowalifechanging.com/endowiowa/downloads/05recipients.pdf.
Iowa Council of Foundations – www.Iowa
Coun cilofFoundations.org
Contact person for the FFDC is Marilyn Schnittjer
at 563-927-2019, or contact the DCED office at 563-927-3325. |
 | County
assessor to retire |
 Jack
Klaus, Assessor | Delaware
County Assessor, Jack Klaus, has announced his plans to retire effective Dec.
9 of this year.
Klaus has worked for Delaware County for 32 years starting
in 1974 as the Director of the Delaware County Conservation Board before transferring
over to the County Assessor position in 1979.
“I have loved working
for, and with, the people of Delaware County and I will miss the many friends
and contacts that I have made throughout the county,” says Klaus. |
“Just
by its very nature, the job of County Assessor will always be somewhat contentious,
but except for a very few rare occasions, I have always been treated with respect
and acceptance by our property owners and that, along with a skilled and caring
staff, have made this an interesting and enjoyable career and I will miss it.”
“When
I originally accepted this position I intended to stay for just a few years. I
remember thinking that it would look good on my resume and the next time I looked
up I had already been here 10 years. I have had several opportunities to leave
through the years, but with our close family ties to the area and our sons’
commitment to West Delaware and West Delaware sports, this has been the perfect
place for my wife and I to live and raise our family.”
Klaus is looking
forward to taking up some new challenges in the Manchester area in the near future.
In
order to be appointed to the position of assessor an applicant must pass a written
test, administered by the Iowa Dept. of Revenue, which demonstrates that the applicant
has the skills necessary to do the job.
The Delaware County Examining
Board will start out the replacement process by requesting a register containing
the names of all individuals eligible for appointment as assessor. They will then
solicit interested candidates and after conducting interviews they will make recommendations
to the Delaware County Conference Board. |
Students
send letters to soldiers
Latisha Sand |
Sgt.
Milroy in his barracks in Iraq. | Dear
Soldier,
Thank you for protecting our freedom and putting your life in danger
to make sure we are safe…Recently the West Delaware
fifth grade class sent out their second installment of letters and cards to two
soldiers serving overseas.
According to their families, Capt. Tom Oleson and
Sgt. Sam Milroy, both of whom are currently serving in Iraq, look forward to getting
the letters.
“I look forward to getting mail everyday,” Oleson,
who is in the Army Reserve, said in a recent e-mail. He has been gone since July
and will be serving for at least 18 months. “You know that it traveled a
long way to get to you and it takes some effort to sit and write a letter verses
shooting an e-mail.”
But Tom and Sam, a Marine Reserve who left in
September and will return in April or May, aren’t the only ones to get the
letters.
“Some of the letters will be specifically for Sam or Tom,”
said Carolyn Milroy, a fifth grade teacher at West Delaware and Sam’s mother.
“But others are addressed to ‘Sam’s friend’ or ‘Tom’s
friend’ and the guys will pass them out when they get them.” |
The
letters and cards were sent out a few weeks ago so the soldiers will get them
in time for the Nov. 11 holiday.
“Sam said the mail is slow because
the Iraqis are afraid of driving there,” said Carol Dighton, another fifth
grade teacher at West Delaware. “So the guys are excited for any mail they
receive.”
Before the students wrote the letters, Carolyn talked to
them about her son and asked them what they liked about democracy. The students
then put their answers in the letters so the soldiers knew the children appreciated
what they are doing for the country.
“They wrote wonderful letters
saying ‘thank-you’ for their gift of service,” said Carolyn.
Although
the students are curious as to what is going on overseas, the teachers encouraged
them not to ask questions.
“The purpose of the letters are to brighten
their (the soldiers) day,” said Dighton.
The students did, however,
list their name and the address of the school so the soldiers could write back
if they wanted too. | 
Capt.
Oleson in Iraq. |
“With
the long days and limited free time it makes it hard to respond to all the letters,”
said Oleson, whose family resides in Ryan. “I’ve shared many of the
letters with others in my unit who were thrilled to get them and promise to respond
back to them.”
Carolyn, whose class has had several discussions about
the soldiers, can’t believe how many people have connections to the war.
“Other students have relatives who are serving and they share their
stories too,” she said. For those students, the option was given to write
to their own relatives instead of Tom or Sam.
“The war is more real
to the kids” because of the discussions, letters and personal connections
said Dighton.
The letters have been good for the kids not only because
they learn about the war, but they are also practicing their writing and geography.
The
students will be writing to the soldiers throughout the year with the help of
Dighton, Carolyn and two other teachers, Kevin Harbaugh and Terry Larson.
“Thank
you Mrs. Dighton and the rest of the fifth graders for the letters,” said
Oleson. “Keep them coming. Any reminder of home is warmly welcomed.”
As
for the community, Margie Oleson, Tom’s wife, said they have been overwhelming.
“We’ve had friends and neighbors bring food by the house which
the kids (Ashley, Emily and T.J.) very much appreciate since Tom did most of the
cooking,” said Margie. “Captain Crunch and Tucan Sam have developed
a whole new relationship at our house.”
And she can’t stop saying
‘thank-you.’
“Some day I hope I can somehow repay all the
generosity and sincere kindness that has been extended to me and my family,”
said Margie.
The West Delaware fifth grade class will be traveling to Ryan
for the Veterans Day services at the Veterans Living Memorial on Main Street.
Services are Friday morning at 9:15 a.m.
…we are grateful for everything
you do and hope you are safe. |
Tribute
to a World War II veteran
Julie Sunne |
JULIE
SUNNE/The Press
World War II retired Staff Sergeant Henry Leonard holds his
service decorations and an autographed portrait of General Douglas MacArthur. | As
Veteran’s Day approaches we find ourselves reflecting on the soldiers that
put their lives on the line to protect everything we hold dear. Retired World
War II Staff Sergeant Henry Leonard of Manchester is one of those men worthy of
our respect and honor.
Leonard not only fought in the Philippines during
the war, but also served in General Douglas MacArthur’s Honor Guard. His
story of service and heroism began in April 1944 with his draft orders.
Following
basic training at Camp Roberts in California, Leonard’s first deployment
was to the Philippines at Luzon north of Manila where he was attached to the Bushmasters—158th
Regimental Combat Team, formerly the Arizona National Guard.
“It
scared the pants off me, but I never thought about dying,” Leonard said of
his first experience with fighting. |
Later,
Leonard vividly recalls sailing through the islands and landing at Legaspi in
the southern Philippines on Easter morning, April 1, 1945. His company, L Company,
was ordered to make landfall and travel north approximately five miles to prevent
a flank attack around the Mayon volcano.
“This is when the war really
started for me,” Leonard said.
The Japanese pinned them down on several
occasions. During certain times a retreat needed to be called. Leonard smiles
as he recalls the name they gave these retreats, “strategic withdrawals.”
“During
a ‘strategic withdrawal’ we would just run, get our butts out of there,”
he said, and then explained that there was actually some order. “Some would
guard, while others ran, then they would stop and guard to allow the first guards
to run.”
Leonard remembers a harrowing time when the Japanese trapped
them for three days and there was no possibility of a strategic withdrawal. An
artillery observer in a small plane called a “Piper Cub” managed to
drop them some supplies.
“Air strikes were also a joke,” Leonard
stated. Every time an air strike was called, L Company had to leave their position
and go two miles behind them until it was over.
“One pass and they
were gone,” he said. Then they would have to walk all the way back to their
original position.
However, Leonard has nothing but praise for the crew
that delivered their supplies and especially their food. “They were the world’s
best service people,” he insisted. “We had hot chow morning and night,
enemy permitting.”
Adding to the difficulties of jungle fighting was
the fact that Leonard’s company was extremely short staffed. A company should
have been around 200 soldiers and a squad 12, L Company never had more than 45
in the company or five in a squad.
Leonard emotionally relived a string
of tough days. He was a bazooka man, carrying a four-foot bazooka. A soldier,
who had his wife send him a pump shotgun for the short range shooting that was
common in the jungle, was killed and the Japanese got his shotgun.
A short
time later, during a strategic withdrawal, Leonard had trouble getting out his
foxhole with his bazooka. A Japanese soldier was bearing down on him when a buddy
noticed what was happening and shot the enemy soldier first. The next day, the
shotgun that had been sent from home was used to kill the buddy that had saved
Leonard’s life.
“My buddies that died. I can see their faces
just like they are here,” he said. “Only they’re 20, they never
got a chance to grow old.”
“We never left anyone out there, even
if it meant a couple more deaths. We would never leave anybody to rot in the jungle,”
he stated proudly remembering the unspoken rule among soldiers.
Leonard’s
squad was picked to “draw fire” so the others could pinpoint enemy whereabouts.
Tragically, the Japanese pinned his squad down and shot the squad leader.
The order came to pull out. Leonard’s squad had a choice to make, leave their
squad leader behind and retreat with the rest of the company, or take him with
them and risk being left behind and cut off.
“We said, ‘let’s
go get him,’” Leonard said, choking back tears. “We set everything
down, grabbed him under the arms, brought him back, and took him home.”
By
mid May 1945, the fighting in the Philippines was pretty much over. Leonard recalls
a soldier climbing a shot-up tree and hanging an American flag from it. “Man
did that look good,” he said.
Then he found out that his company was
to be broken up, some sent home, the rest reassigned. Since Leonard did not have
enough points to be discharged, he signed up for special duty, which ended up
being a member of General Douglas MacArthur’s Honor Guard. As an Honor Guard,
Leonard was assigned to protect the general and his family.
“The
Honor Guard was a real good outfit to be in,” said Leonard. His shifts were
eight hours on, eight off, eight on, twenty-four off, compared to the two-hour
alternating nighttime shifts he had to endure in the Philippines.
“We
also had real good food,” he added.
Most of his time in the Honor
Guard was spent in Tokyo, guarding the American Embassy that General MacArthur
took over and the Daiichi Building where he had his office.
“General
MacArthur was the type of man that if you met him in the grocery store, he would
talk to you.” he said. “He would stop and speak to us on guard duty
at his office door, and compliment us.”
Leonard remained in the Honor
Guard until his discharge June 15, 1946. He then spent three years in the Army
Reserves.
Henry Leonard received many decorations for his service during
World War II. Among these are a Presidential Unit Citation-awarded twice, two
good conduct medals, a bronze star for meritorious service (above and beyond),
a combat infantryman’s badge, a Philippine Liberation medal and an Asiatic
Pacific Theater medal-each with two battle stars for north and south Philippines,
a World War II medal, an Occupation of Japan medal, and a Marksmanship badge.
Following
his discharge from the service, Leonard married his pre-war sweetheart, Audrey,
and settled in Waterloo to work as a revenue officer for the state of Iowa. They
retired to Manchester 10 years ago. The Leonard’s have two grown children,
Janice Cooper Hnatt and Gary Leonard and one grandson and wife, Scott and Rochelle
Cooper.
At 80, Leonard is one of the younger World War II veterans. He
remains active in the American Legion, Manchester Post 45, serving in various
offices over the years, including Post Commander. He also continues to attend
the Honor Guard reunions every two years.
Leonard is upset by the lack
of respect and remembrance of the wars that he sees among young people. “People
don’t care about listening to a combat vet talk about the war,” he said.
“I am proud of my service, proud of my buddies, proud of my wife and friends,
my American Legion friends, and all the service people I have met and known.”
While celebrating Veteran’s Day this year, make a decision to learn
more about the wars we fought and the sacrifices our service people made for you
and me, and to think of them more than once a year.
Every service man and
woman is a hero, like retired Staff Sergeant Henry Leonard, and deserves our honor
and respect. |
Holiday
Window Walk contest to be held |
The
Manchester Area Chamber of Commerce is once again planning the 2005 Holiday Window
Walk scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 1, from 6-8 p.m.
The Holiday Window Walk
features storefronts with live window scenes depicting a holiday theme. This year’s
window walk theme is “What Christmas means to me.” The Chamber encourages
churches, school groups, clubs and organizations to enter the Holiday Window Walk
Contest. Store windows are decorated only for the night of the window walk.
Contest
participants will share a $100 prize. Organizations and businesses with the best
“live” window scene in that business’ window will each receive
$50. The Chamber will connect contest participants with a business. Information
and ideas for window displays that fit the theme are available at the chamber.
To
enter the contest or for more information contact the Manchester Area Chamber
of Commerce at 927-4141 or macc@manchesteriowa.org. |
Comer
great addition to MPD
Latisha Sand |
LATISHA
SAND/Press
Officer Brad Comer started serving Manchester on Sept. 24. He graduated
from Western Dubuque in 1998, from Upper Iowa University in 2003 and from the
Iowa Law Enforcement Academy in July. | A
Dyersville native was recently hired as a new Manchester Police Officer.
Brad
Comer, 26, started on Sept. 24 and he loves it.
“I like having other officers
around that have a lot of experience,” said Comer. “I’m coming
from a place where it was just the chief and I. They are teaching me valuable
information.”
Comer graduated from Western Dubuque in 1998 and from
Upper Iowa University in 2003. He graduated from the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy
in July.
He has recently worked at the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office
as a Detention Officer and was a Fayette Police Officer.
Comer has wanted
to be a police officer ever since high school and plans on sticking around Manchester
with hopes of becoming a Sergeant someday. |
“The
community has been very welcoming,” said Comer, “and the guys (co-workers)
are awesome.”
For the first two weeks, Comer rode with his fellow
officers to get himself familiar with Manchester and recently has ventured out
by himself.
“I try to go out and talk to people,” said Comer,
instead of just getting to know the community when he stops them on a traffic
call.
With his positive attitude, the Manchester Police believe he is a
great addition to the force.
“He’s doing an awesome job,”
said Sgt. Jim Wessels. “He’s got a good attitude and he’s eager
to learn.”
And Wessels likes that Comer’s got a positive outlook
on things.
“It’s uplifting for us who’ve been here for awhile
to see that,” said Wessels.
Comer, who is still currently living in
Dyersville, will be moving to Manchester in a couple of months.
Comer’s
parents are Jerry and Joyce, of Worthington. He has three siblings, a sister Kim
of Ames; a brother Jason, of Dyersville; and a twin brother, Michael, a police
officer in Dyersville. |
109
E. Delaware - P.O. Box C - Manchester, Iowa 52057
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Manchester Press 2005
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