• Phillips Hometown Heroes

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    Charles “Chuck” Ringersma, Jr.

    Marine

    Corporal

    July 31, 1940 – February 4, 1946


    William “Bill” Ringersma

    U.S. Army

    Private

    May 29, 1967 – June 12, 1970


    Cecil S. Russo

    U.S. Army

    Tech Sergeant

    WWII


    John Socha

    Army

    CPL (T)

    1-30-52 – 1-20-54 Korean War


    Frank Strok

    Army

    Private

    WWII 1939 – 1945

    Howard Strok

    Army

    Private

    Korean War 1950 – 1953

     

     

  • Samuel L. Taylor Jr.

    U.S. Navy

    HT3

    4 years Active Duty, 2 years Reserves 1994 – 2000

    Sam completed basic training Naval Bootcamp at Great Lakes, IL in 1994.  After bootcamp he was given orders to report to the Supercarrier USS Carl Vincent CVN 70.  The Supercarrier is part of the Pacific Fleet.  The carrier resided in Alameda, California prior to relocating to Bremerton, Washington in 1997.  During his time in the US Navy, Sam was a part of Operation Desert Strike in 1996.  He served 4 years of active duty and 2 years of Naval Reserves.  Sam was a Hull Technician.  After moving to Washington, he was promoted to 3rd Class (HT3).  His duty became Supply Officer for Repair 2 Division.  Sam ordered and organized all equipment needed to do their job.  This included sheet metal fabrication, pipe fitting, machine work as well as plumbing.  Sam received an Honorable Discharge from the US Navy in 2000.


    George Valiga

    Army

    Staff Sergeant

    Nov 1952 – Nov 1954


    John Paul Valiga

    Navy

    Ensign

    1942 – 1946 WWII


    Terry Wanish

    Army Airborne Ranger

    Sergeant

    1969 – 1971 Vietnam

    George Williams

    U.S. Army

    Tech 3

    WWII Era

  • Frank Dusek

    U.S. Army

    SP 4

    3 years


     


    Thomas W. Farley

    Army

    Private

    1988 – 1991


    John Hertlein

    Army

    2/11/1943 – 2/3/1946


    Rudy Hlavacek

    Army

    PFC

    Nov 3, 1942 – Nov 22, 1945

    Auto Mechanic, awarded the Silver Star

     

     

    John M. “Milt” Neuhauser

    U.S. Army Air Corps

    Staff Sergeant

    1940 – 1945

     

     John M. “Milt” Neuhauser served in the U.S. Army Air Corps in the South Pacific Theater of Operations from 1940 through late 1945. He was stationed on Oahu, Territory of Hawaii and was at Bellows Field on December 7, 1941, when the Japanese attacked the U.S. Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor.

    Milt recalled that Bellows Field was strafed by two, possibly three Japanese fighter planes that caused severe damage and several casualties. On December 8, 1941, his company recovered a Japanese mini sub that got hung up on the reef off the beach near Bellows Field, and in the process captured both the United States ‘first Prisoner of War of World War II’, the sub's commander Kazuo Sakamaki, and the sub itself. The mini sub was shipped back stateside and was hauled around the country to sell war bonds.

    During his years in Hawaii he served at Bellows Field, Hilo Air Base, and Wheeler Field. He attained the rank of Staff Sergeant and served as Acting First Sgt. - Hilo Detachment 86th Reconnaissance Sqdn. (Bomber) A.A.F. July 1943 thru October 1943.

    Decorations and Citations: Meritorious Unit Award, Good Conduct Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Theater Service Medal, American Defense Service Medal with Bronze Star, Seven (7) Overseas Service Bars, One (1) Reenlistment Bar, and the WW2 Honorable Discharge ‘Ruptured Duck’ patch.