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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
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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
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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.
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The Northwoods is our backyard!