The men highlighted on Veterans Corner are our members in Josiah Howell Chapter that have served America in the military. We are proud of our Veterans.
Our first Veteran for this page is David Wheeler. He was approved for SAR on November 15, 2024 and installed in JHC on December 7, 2024.
David joined the Army in 1968 at Moberly, MO. He completed his boot camp at Fort Leonard Wood and was sent to Fort Benning, Georgia to complete paratrooper training and afterward was ordered to Fort Bragg, North Carolina. At Fort Bragg, he was an acting Sergeant and worked with the Green Berets in Special Forces.
In 1970, he volunteered to go to Vietnam where he was a combat engineer for the 23rd Infantry Division in Chu Lai attached to the 196th. David’s job was to do demolitions and mine sweeps all over I Corp and into Laos.
In 1971, David was sent back to Fort Lewis, Washington for his ETS (Expired Time Service) and returned back to his hometown of Moberly, MO.
We appreciate David’s service to America and to SAR.
Veteran number two from Josiah Howell Chapter is Dale Brake. He enlisted in the Navy on June 20, 1963 and served until April 26, 1966. His service was on the USS Kitty Hawk CVA-63 for 2 years, 8 months, and 23 days in Vietnam. After returning he was released from active duty and transferred to the Naval Reserve in Bainbridge, Maryland.
Dale earned the Viet Nam Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal. He has been a member of SAR since 2013.
Thank you, Dale for your service to America and to SAR.
Our third Veteran is Gordon ‘Gordie’ Evans.
Gordie Evans was in the Naval Air Branch of Service from June 5, 1957 until January 1 1978. He was in the Vietnam conflict being deployed nine times on a number of aircraft carriers. A part of DAD Group -2A Fixed Wing Fighter and Bomber Pilots. During his 20+ years of service he lived in Corpus Christi, Texas, Norfolk, Virginia, Mayport, Florida, and North Island, California.
Gordie achieved the rank of Commander Light Attack Wing One Naval Air Station, Cecil Field, Florida. He was honorably discharged to Naval Reserve Personnel Center, New Orleans, Louisiana. His honors include Nary Unit Commendation; Meritorious Unit Commendation; National Defense Service Medal; Vietnam Service Medal; and Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.
We are grateful for Gordie’s service to the United States of America.