Three local veterans are honored

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The Blanchester Chapter of Modern Woodmen of America honored three of our local veterans — Jack Rose, Paul Butler and Wilbert Ward — with the Hometown Hero Award for 2021.

Financial Representative Dan Mayo said, “Modern Woodmen is pleased to be able to honor these great veterans of our armed forces. They served with honor and all distinguished themselves either on the battlefield or in service to their community after discharge.”

Modern Woodmen will be donating $100 for each of them to the charity of their choice.

Sgt. Jack Rose served in the U.S. Army from 1966 to 1968 stationed in Vietnam from ‘67 to ‘68. He was a scout and door gunner on the OH6A, called a loach. Their mission was to search and destroy and draw fire, losing many of his buddies on these missions.

He returned to the states in 1968 where he was honorably discharged. Locally, Jack was the manager of the Wilmington Water Department for 30 years.

Paul Butler was in the U.S. Navy from 1968-1972 achieving the rank of AE-2. He served 21 months on Guam assigned to a reconnaissance squadron that operated primarily over the South China Sea. Butler was an aircraft electrician and was also a flight line trouble shooter when assigned to the Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River Md., where he flew back seat in F-4’s and other aircraft.

After his discharge, Paul’s volunteer efforts included his role as American Legion State Chaplain, two years American Legion 4th District, Chaplain seven years, and he recently was inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame.

Wilbert Ward, the senior member of the group at 99, entered the U.S. Army in 1942 serving in Casablanca, England, Scotland, France, Belgium and Holland, and he eventually was among the first tanks entering Germany in the Battle of the Bulge.

He was discharged in November 1945. Wilbert then served two years in Korea and 28 years in the Ohio National Guard, retiring after 33 years. Wilbert joins another Modern Woodmen Hometown Hero World War 2 veteran Ralph Haddix who we recognized a few years ago. Ralph would have turned 100 in April.

For more information on Modern Woodmen, call Dan Mayo at 937-725-0445 or email [email protected].

Pictured are Modern Woodmen rep Dan Mayo, Jack Rose, Paul Butler, Wilbert Ward and Bev Mayo
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2021/02/web1_hometownheroveteransfeb2021.jpgPictured are Modern Woodmen rep Dan Mayo, Jack Rose, Paul Butler, Wilbert Ward and Bev Mayo Submitted photo

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