Gallery of Heros

Gallery of American Heros
Stories and Inspiration

This website is a gift of encouragement and support for all:

Armed Service personnel - a Thank You for the protection and service you provide every day.
Families, who send cards and letters, make phone calls and keep the home fires burning.
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We believe in the men and women fighting to ensure the safety and protection of the American dream.

We have new features to the website. Our Hero Gallery is a page dedicated to those who have served our country. H
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Hero Stories

Morris Kirkpatrick

Morris Kirkpatrick was born in O'Neill, NE on August 15, 1921. He enlisted into the Marines in 1941 and finished his service in Oct, of 1945. He was in the 22nd Marine, 3rd Battalion of the 3rd Division, serving in WW II. While in service Kirkpatrick was stationed in Wallis Island, 700 miles north of the Samoan Island.

Kirkpatrick enlisted vs. being drafted because he wanted to have his choice of service. He chose the Marines after failing to make the Navy. The Marines came to O'Neill and his sister told him he should join.

His first few weeks in the military were his boot camp "....a very tough five weeks.” After boot camp Kirkpatrick was transported to Wallis Island where he served the next 2 years. He arrived there August 15, of 1942. He recalls that there were only natives on the island. Morris said "it definitely was not like home; it was 100 degrees every day." He was assigned to a machine gun company, and he was getting ready to go off to combat when a gun blew up in his face and caused him to be blind for the next 6 months. Because of the injury, Kirkpatrick never experienced combat and due to his injury he was one of the last to leave the island, a place that saw many casualties. Morris recalls that at times it got "really lonely" and at times confusing. There were ships coming in all the time to get the wounded, often they hadn't been told to leave.

Eventually Morris was sent to Pearl Harbor to care for his injury. He was awarded the Purple Heart at Pearl Harbor. He said going to Wallis Island was the most memorable experience, before his injury he saw a lot.

To keep in touch with his family, he wrote many letters. Mail wasn't very good; you might get mail once every three or four weeks. The food wasn't very good either. It must have been made before they went into service. The supplies weren't very good; you might get water every 3 days. They even slept in caves on some nights. There was no entertainment on the island, he did get the O'Neill paper, but it would be 4 weeks late.

After he finished the service he returned to the states and went to Seattle Washington, then on to Oregon. They didn't take pictures on the island because it wasn't very good living. Morris began a diary but it got a little redundant since the same thing happened every day.

The day his service ended, he was in Pearl Harbor in the hospital. He remembers that he received turkey from O'Neill that Christmas. When Morris returned to O'Neill, he married Darlene Summers--they had 3 children. He worked as head custodian of O'Neill's school until he retired at 65. After his retirement he started a lawn service and mowed lawns pushing a lawn mower until he was 82.

Morris wished he would have kept in touch with his friends back from Wallis. He is a part of the O'Neill Legion Veterans Organization. For the past 5 years has made his home in the Veterans Hospital in Norfolk, Ne. Morris enjoys mail. Cards and letters can reach him at the Veterans Home--P.O. Box 409--Norfolk, NE 68702

Morris, thank you for serving our country, you are our hero.

This story is from the Holt County Veteran's Project book by Jeanne Crumly and her American Literature class of O'Neill High School. Thank you, Jeanne.

Marie (Stewart) Herley

Marie (Stewart) Herley was born south of O'Neill, she attend a rural school through the 8th grade. Herley took normal training while attending Saint Mary's High School and graduated in 1937. There were 20 in her class. Saint Mary's was much different than-- it was an all-girl school; Marie was a boarder going home on weekends. In addition to the girls there were 2 young boys who lived there, they milked the cows and tended a garden for Saint Mary's meals. Avera Hospital is now where the barn and pasture were located.

After graduation, Marie taught rural schools for 2 years then she and her sister, Rose, left for the city, Omaha--they attended Van Sant business school. Rose worked at a bomber plant, (another Rosie the riveter). Marie was employed at Lynn Riche Construction Co...

United States was at war, Marie wanted to serve her country, and she joined the Civil Air Patrol. The Civil Air Patrol was the civilian branch of the Air Force; it was a volunteer job, working nights and weekends. She was in constant training from 1941 -1945. There were 730 members in Nebraska. Herley was assigned to the air base at Ft. Cook; this is now Offit Air Force Base. All rules were very strict and secret. During those years they flew missions delivering supplies from one military base to another, did search and find missions from the air, carried dispatches, and ferried officers from one base to another. Herley retired in uniform as a Lieutenant.

In addition to Marie's full time work at the construction company during the days, her night and weekends as a member of the Civil Air Patrol, she took flying lessons.

1945, the war was over and another hero returned from 4 years in the European War Theatre. Delmont Herley came back to his home in Clearwater to farm. Marie and Delmont were married March 7th, 1946. Delmont and Marie continued to live on the farm with their 2 sons Ron and Wayne. Marie taught rural school and later taught in the Clearwater school system retiring after 20 years and moved to O'Neill.

Living in O'Neill was great but too much spare time; Marie worked at the O'Neill Nursing Home the next 20 years then retired, again.

Marie is now 90 years young and semi -retired, if you call volunteering at the Golden Living Center, working with the Blood Bank, being a working member of the VFW and doing all her church activities being semi-retired.

This week we have 2 hero's, Delmont Herley who served his country during WW I I, and Marie Herley who has served her country during WW I I--teaching our youth--and continuing to serve where ever she is needed.

Marie, you are our hero and an inspiration to all--thank you for serving our country.

Marc Crandall

Marc Crandall was born in New York City in 1960. At the age of 13, Marc moved to Wyoming and graduated from Rawlins, WY in 1978 --- Marc was not the type to slow down, he worked on ranches and for 2 years worked in the Red Desert Mines, and then went to college for 2 years in Casper, Wyoming.

In 1983 Crandall’s life was about to change--he joined the army; basic training was at Fort Benning, GA. What he remembers most was the camaraderie of young men--he is still in contact with many. Other memories of basic, he was always tired and hungry along with lots of yelling and screaming.

On to Fort Carson Colorado, basic was over. When ask where he wanted to go, he chose Alaska or Germany. Crandall was home for a 10day leave then on to Denver Colorado, here they boarded a plane in a snowstorm. When Marc stepped out of the plane in Panama it was 90 Degrees and 99 percent humidity. Mark said “I think I will go back with the plane” but was told no one gets back on that plane--thus started 2 years of being wet all the time.

Crandall was stationed at Ft. Davis, the Atlantic side of Panama for 6 or 8 months then sent to Ft. Clayton on the opposite side of Panama. Panama is about 50 miles wide so you can swim in the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean’s the same day.

Marc's assignment was different, they were stationed at Colon (Spanish for Columbus) a JOTC (jungle operation training center) in guerrilla warfare. Colon was a school operated by US instructors training other countries, our National Guard, the 86 Air Born units and those with Cannel Guard Duty. Crandall said it was war games played with no ammunition.

Crandall was a mortar man. He fired an 81 MM--this came in 3 pieces, Marc carried one of the 50 pound pieces plus the sight which weighed 5 pounds, a rifle, a pistol, 2 mortar rounds which weighed 5 to 10 pounds each, also his rucksack which contained (MRE--food ready to eat) and candy bars, 2 or 3 pair of socks, a change of underwear, a mosquito net, poncho, and poncho linen (a blanket). Each night they changed their socks and hung the wet pair on the outside of their rucksack to dry for another day, foot rot and fungus were both common as they were damp or wet all the time.

Crandell learned early in his mission where to lay. The first night he found a clear spot on the trail and decided it would be a good spot to sleep, only to wake in the middle of the night covered with one inch of fire ants and yes they did bite. These ants also made mud hives in trees. Every soldier learned to watch so their gun would not touch the hive, if it did the next soldier would get bombed by a hive of ants. There were always insects and bugs crawling all over Crandall and he was unable to move as it would let the enemy know his location. One of the worst enemies was the black palm. It was tree with 3 inch thorns. At night they could not see and when they touched the tree the thorns would break off under their skin causing an infection.

Trainees were taught what to watch for in jungle fighting including, ambush, set trip wires, snipers or what to do if they were a POW. Each session lasted about 2 to 3 weeks then back to camp to clean up, rest and do mainenance on equipment.

Helicopters were used to drop off jungle maps and a compass; these were needed to complete a mission.

There were also good things in Panama. At the barracks--they swam in the ocean and most Panamanians were nice.

After 2 years Crandell returned to Fort Campbell learning to be assault repelled out of helicopters at tree top level. It was an easy way to relax until you hit the ground.

Crandall was discharged from Ft Campbell in 1987 and returned to college. One year at University of Nevada, one year at East Texas State and his last 2 years at Utah State graduating with a degree in photo-journalism.

Life for Marc has never been dull, coming home, he worked for a newspaper, trained horses, was a hay grinder, a rancher and now lives in Spearfish, S.D. In addition to their regular jobs, Marc and Sherri continue to volunteer wherever needed.

Marc, thank you for serving our country--you are our hero.

Vernon (Bill) Tielke

Vernon (Bill) Tielke was born in Sioux City, Iowa, May 21 1924. When he was small his parents moved to Niobrara, NE. This is where the name Bill originated. Riding horses in the hills with his brother Howard, Bill was the typical cowboy all young men were in those days, He became “Wild Bill Hickok” as he grew older the wild and the Hickok disappeared but Bill remained so for the remainder of this story he will be known as Bill.

Bill started school in Niobrara and finished at Stuart. WW II started and as many other families, The Tielke family knew the waiting and wondering of families with soldiers. Bill’s brother Bud served as a line man in North Africa and Italy--Howard was on a machine gun in many battles in the south pacific, receiving a purple heart. (Later on Bill’s brothers Jack and Bob served in the Army during the Korean War).

In 1944, Bill and some his friends decided they needed to help our country so Gerald Tesch, Glen Gettert, Leroy (Duke) Hoffman, Vernon Siebert, and Bill enlisted. Returning from their physical in Omaha, May 3, 1944 there was a flood in Norfolk so they sat several days on the train.

Tielke had his training in Faro got, Idaho. This training was difficult for many as they had to be able to swim across a large pool and many at that time had never had swimming lessons

Now this my dear friends is where the story could end, Bill didn’t volunteer any information and we didn’t ask--I guess we thought he would always be around to answer questions--that isn’t the way life is. Ask your veterans to tell their story before it is too late.

I knew the U.S.S. Hyde took prisoners of war to their country and brought our prisoners home. We never ask how they were treated or what food they ate --- where they slept—these are things we will never know. Bill told of standing on the deck and watching General Wainwright be carried on the ship on a stretcher. General Wainwright was a big man before he was captured in 1942 and held a prisoner by the Japanese until he was liberated by the Russians in Manchuria in 1945. When he came on the ship he weighed about 80 pounds

After looking the U.S.S. Hyde up on Google I found it wasn’t quite that simple. The ship's main job was transporting troops and recovering casualties and they were under constant threat of air attacks. By the dates on Bill’s schedule it would take about 13 to 18 days to go from one place to another. Leaving California they sailed to Honolulu on to Marshall Island, Iwo Jima, Span, and Guam (at Guam they picked up over 400 marine causalities, on to Pearl Harbor where they picked up more casualties and back to San Francisco, California.

Back to sea--Pearl Harbor, Maui, Marshal Islands, Carolina Islands, Okinawa , Philippine Island, Japan, Marianas Islands, Manchuria, China, and French Indo China.

June 6th they sailed to Ulithi and on to Okinawa where they discharged their passengers and cargo and back to Ulithi it was at this time they received the news of Japan’s surrender. Their job was now changing to End-of-war operations; they transported prisoners to their home lands and brought our military home.

In spite of all this activity United States had a Thanksgiving dinner for the ship’s crew.

The Menu -- Nov. 22nd November 1945 ----- 65 years ago.

Green and ripe olives
Sweet Pickles
Hearts of celery
Carrot strips
Shrimp Cocktail
Cream of Tomato Soup
**********
Roast Young Tom Turkey
Baked Virginia Sliced Ham
Oven Roast of Chicken
Prime Rib Roast of Beef
*************
Cranberry Sauce
Hyde’s Bread Dressing
Green Peas
Buttered Mashed Potatoes
Giblet Gravy
Buttered Asparugas
Pumpkin Pie
Fruit Cake
Vanilla Ice Cream
Oranges
Mixed Nuts
Cheese
Crackers
Hot French Rolls
Coffee
Cigarettes and Cigars

Tielke was discharged from the United States Navy May 10th, 1946, returned to Stuart, and then went to Universal Trade School in Omaha studying refrigeration and on to Minneapolis to learn electrical wiring and winding motors. When in Minneapolis he wrote home telling about this new machine at school. You could put money in and get a hot cup of coffee.

June 4th 1951, we were married and have 7 children and Bill’s life was never the same-- ranching, dairy operation, farming , dairy supply store, DHIA Supervisor, electrician, putting refrigerator units on sandwich vans, plus keeping everything running. No, he didn’t quit jobs-- just added new ones to the list.

Bill Tielke, you are our hero this week, thank you for serving our country. We miss you.