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Korean War

Veteran’s gratitude for new face, new friend

August 28, 2019 By Brian Fernandes

When Veteran Don Clough looks in the mirror, he says he’s now satisfied by what he sees.

That’s after undergoing multiple surgeries over the course of the last seven decades.

The surgeries were required after he suffered serious facial wounds while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War.

War Veteran Don Clough now resides in Wesley Chapel with his wife, Sandy. After being injured in the line of duty during the Korean War, Clough underwent numerous surgeries to reconstruct his face. He’s an active member of a local Marine Corps League. (Courtesy of Don Clough)

Born on the Fourth of July, the Missouri native felt an obligation to serve his country from a young age.

“When I was 10 years old, right after World War II, I saw a movie about the Marines,” Clough recalled. “I decided right then: I wanted to be a Marine.”

And so he did.

A call to duty
Before joining the U.S. Marine Corps at 17, he first got his training a year prior in the Reserve.

“I was very little to be a Marine,” Clough chuckled. “I only weighed 114 pounds.”

His eyes welled with tears as he reminisced the pride he felt while marching at his graduation ceremony, on a breezy day.

When the Korean War broke out in 1950, the young man had served for almost two years – landing aircrafts in the Fleet Marine Force.

At the start of the conflict, he was deployed to California, then Japan, and finally landed on the shores of South Korea.

Ten days after landing, Clough was on a mission when he got separated from his platoon and was met by enemy gunfire.

He found refuge in a foxhole, but the attack had taken out six of his teeth and tore away his upper gum, upper lip, his nose, and the left side of his face.

Only a dozen members of his platoon survived.

After he was rescued, he underwent treatment for months in Japan before being transferred to California.

After that, he had more than 40 surgeries.

He underwent operations at numerous U.S. Veteran Affairs hospitals — in Illinois, Missouri and Florida.

During plastic surgeries, physicians placed skin grafts on his face taken from his body.

Efforts were made to reconstruct his face, but he felt dismayed by his appearance.

“I looked terrible when I got out,” Clough said. “I had holes in my nose. I was ashamed to even go out to restaurants.”

However, he did not allow this to deter him from seeking higher education and a career for himself.

Returning to civilian life
Using help from the G.I. bill and disability benefits, the former Marine went on to major in accounting at Missouri State University, then received a law degree at University of Missouri.

Clough obtained his law degree in 1959 and began working for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, then as a contract negotiator at the U.S. Department of Defense.

A young Don Clough poses in his uniform, as a U.S. Marine. He would soon put his life on the line fighting in the Korean War.

After a decade in government, he transitioned into his own law practice — following his grandfather’s footsteps, who also had been a lawyer.

“I always figured I’d be a tax lawyer,” Clough said, “but I ended up being a criminal lawyer – which I enjoyed.”

Back in Missouri, he served not only as a prosecuting attorney, but as a judge as well.

In 1994, he retired to Florida, where he continued to undergo plastic surgery.

It wasn’t until 2018, though, that his spirits would be lifted by two procedures under the hand of Dr. William Carter.

A new face of gratitude
At the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital in Tampa, Dr. Carter performed what Clough said was exemplary work – even giving him a new chin.

The veteran even implored U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis of Florida to honor the doctor for his craft.

In a letter of gratitude to the Tampa VA hospital, Clough stated: “Dr. Carter is a modest man, and will tell you he is only doing the job he is paid to do. But, I tell you this, after undergoing 43 plastic surgery operations by different surgeons, in the last 66 years, Dr. Carter is one in a million. A man to be proud of. A man proud to serve those who served.”

The Wesley Chapel man, who spends time with Sandy, his wife of 47 years, said he often hears expressions of gratitude for his service to the country.

Clough has the same sense of appreciation for the doctor — who through the use of his surgical skills — gave him part of his life back.

Published August 28, 2019

Filed Under: Local News, People Profiles, Wesley Chapel/New Tampa News Tagged With: Don Clough, Fleet Marine Force, Gus Bilirakis, James A. Haley Veterans Hospital, Korean War, Missouri State University, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Veterans, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Veteran Affairs, University of Missouri, William Carter, World War II

Local veterans’ home celebrates 20 years of service

May 8, 2019 By Brian Fernandes

The Baldomero Lopez State Veterans’ Nursing Home drew hundreds to a celebration to mark the 20th anniversary of the center’s opening in Land O’ Lakes.

The April 30 ceremony was held outside the facility, which has been home to veterans and has been a place where many community organizations have been involved for two decades.

The Baldomero Lopez State Veterans’ Nursing Home is located on Parkway Boulevard in Land O’ Lakes. (File)

Marlies Sarrett, the facility administrator, opened the program with a warm welcome to all attendees, followed by words from Charlie Reese, the master of ceremony.

Members of the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (JROTC) from Hillsborough High School added to the patriotic atmosphere.

They performed the ‘presentation of colors’ in precision, marching before the crowd, with both the U.S. and Florida flags held high.

Those who were able, stood placing their right hand over their heart. Veterans who remained seated respectfully saluted the waving flags.

Lt. Col. Demetrius Green, the JROTC instructor, then took to the stage to address the audience – especially former servicemen.

“This facility was built to honor those who have served and sacrificed in defense of our nation and freedom around the world – that is you,” Green said. “You are the epitome of what we want our nation to be.”

This iconic image was taken of 1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez leading troops in an invasion at Inchon during the Korean War. Lopez died minutes after the photo was taken. (File)

The nursing home’s namesake, Baldomero Lopez, was a first lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor after sacrificing himself over a live grenade to spare the lives of his comrades during the Korean War.

The nursing home opened during the late 1990s, when Florida experienced a great demand for veterans’ homes.

“We were the second nursing home built from Florida Department of Veterans’ Affairs,” Sarrett explained.

Within the past two decades, six VA nursing homes have been established in the state, with two more on the way, the administrator added.

Al Carter, chief of staff for the VA’s Florida department, was present for the day’s ceremony and acknowledged the facility’s longtime staff members.

Among those singled out were Jackie Gorgen of the dietary department who has served since the building’s opening and Dr. Nancy Miranda, a pharmacist.

As each approached the stage, they were met with cheers and applause.

The 20th anniversary ceremony for Baldomero Lopez State Veterans’ Nursing Home was a special occasion bringing family together. Resident Skip Upham, left, was joined by his brother-in-law, Jim Callahan, for a special lunch after the ceremony. Upham, 78, is a veteran who served in the U.S. Marines. (Brian Fernandes)

A moment of laughter erupted when maintenance man John Mitchell left the stage shouting “Go veterans!”

Resident Walter Kochaniec expressed appreciation for the care that he receives at the nursing home.

“I like the way the people treat you,” the Vietnam veteran stated.

Olga, his wife of over 30 years, was also present at the ceremony and noted the cleanliness of the facility.

She had visited 10 nursing homes before settling on Baldomero for her husband.

After three years there, the 72-year-old said he’s made friends. He also boasted about his winning streak in bingo – one of his favorite games.

Chaplain Ruth Ann Nylen offered the opening and closing prayers at the ceremony.

Having served at Baldomero for five years, she, too, could attest to the warm service the home provides.

“This is a very highly rated place,” the chaplain said. “The staff here are so committed to the veterans. It’s not just a job for them.”

The celebration for Baldomero Lopez State Veterans’ Nursing Home’s 20th anniversary was an opportunity for former and current servicemen to congregate. Among attendees were, from left: Gerry Clement, Jerry Foray, John Mitchell, Lt. Col. Demetrius Green, Don Meath, Reggie Outlaw, Vince Krasinski and Fred Pflueger. (Brian Fernandes)

After the service, residents and guests were treated with hamburgers and hot dogs off the grill, as well as coleslaw and baked beans.

Nylen and other staff walked around to greet veterans and their family members.

Outside the dining hall, the chaplain spotted John Grenier, a Korean War veteran.

Around the home, he’s known as a “very friendly, happy guy,” Nylen said.

As she approached, Grenier noticed the chaplain’s familiar face as he regularly attends her Monday morning Bible studies.

It is a testament of the relationships that have been built within the walls of the 20-year-old facility.

“It’s a treasure that most people don’t even realize is located in our community,” Sarrett mentioned.

But, the administrator and her staff are committed to helping other veterans discover what the facility has to offer.

Published May 08, 2019

Filed Under: Land O' Lakes News, Local News Tagged With: Al Carter, Baldomero Lopez State Veterans Nursing Home, Charlie Reese, Demetrius Green, Florida Department of Veterans Affairs, Hillsborough High School, Jackie Gorgen, John Grenier, John Mitchell, JROTC, Korean War, Marlies Sarrett, Nancy Miranda, Ruth Ann Nylen, U.S. Marine Corps, Walter Kochaniec

Teacher broadens her horizons through a fellowship in Korea

September 26, 2018 By Kevin Weiss

It’s fitting Karen Coss teaches AP Human Geography and World Cultural Geography at Land O’ Lakes High School.

After all, she has visited 16 countries on six continents.

“I like to travel,” said Coss, who also teaches psychology at the high school.
Her most recent international stop came this past summer, in South Korea. The trip was part of a teaching fellowship through the Korean War Legacy Foundation.

 Land O’ Lakes High School geography teacher Karen Coss was among teachers selected to be a Korean War Legacy Foundation fellow over the summer. She spent the last week in July in the Republic of Korea researching Korean history and culture. She is shown here at the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), a 160-mile border that has divided North and South Korea for more than 60 years since the end of the Korean War. (Courtesy of Karen Coss)

Coss was one of just 30 teachers selected for the fellowship, which took place the last week of July.

According to the foundation, the fellowship “focused on building a deeper understanding of the Korean Peninsula’s rich history, its simultaneous achievements of rapid economic development and democratization, and close friendship with the United States” through visits to key historical sites, museums, and conversations with Korean teachers and students.

The trip marked the teacher’s first visit to Asia, and her first fellowship.

“It was a whirlwind, but absolutely amazing, to be able to go,” she said. “They really did get to show us so much of Korea. To do as much as we did in five days was amazing.”

The trip’s high point, for Coss, was visiting the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), a 160-mile border that has divided North and South Korea for more than 60 years since the end of the Korean War.

Fellows were allowed special access to the border area and were able to stand feet away from North Korea near where inter-Korean summits take place.

Coss quipped she actually stepped foot in North Korea — for about 10 minutes. Of course, she and other fellows were safely secured by South Korean guards in the zone’s joint security area.

“It certainly didn’t disappoint,” Coss said, of visiting the border.

“The DMZ was amazing,” she said, adding she’s sure her visit there will figure into future lessons she delivers to her students.

As an educator, Coss also valued the opportunity to meet with Korean teachers and gain some insight into the country’s education system. Her group visited Seoul Digitech High School, a school for gifted students known for its technology and graphic design programs.

While there, fellows tested out a virtual reality video game built by students. They were also given a comic book that students made.

Korean War Legacy Foundation fellows pose for a picture outside the Korean Demilitarized Zone. The fellowship for social studies teachers also included visits to other key historical sites and museums. (Courtesy of Korean War Legacy Foundation)

“We knew we were going to meet some teachers in Korea, but we did not know that we were actually going to visit a school, so that was real cool,” Coss said.

During the visit, the Land O’ Lakes teacher discovered school days in South Korea are much longer than in the States, oftentimes from 8 a.m. until as late as 10 p.m., five days a week.

Coss learned that classes in South Korea finish around dinnertime, but most students typically remain at school through the evening to work on various assignments and projects, or get help from teachers.

Fellows, too, were introduced to Korean history and culture across the weeklong trip.

That portion included stops at the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History in Seoul and the Gyeongbokgung Palace, the main royal palace of the Joseon dynasty built in 1395.

They also stayed at a Buddhist temple on Gangwha Island near Incheon — the trip’s “unexpected highlight, by far,” Coss said.

At the temple, fellows learned about a monk’s daily life, practiced meditation and had a special question-and-answer session with the head monk of the monastery.

They dressed in traditional monk garb and made prayer bead bracelets during the stay.

Coss recalled waking at 4 a.m., for morning prayers.

The Buddhist prayers entailed performing prostrations, or bows, 108 consecutive times to show reverence to the Triple Gem (comprising the Buddha, his teachings, and the spiritual community) and other objects of veneration.

Of the prostrations, the teacher proudly noted she “did them all.”

“I did all 108. It was a little rough. I didn’t exactly do them correctly,” she said, with a chuckle.

Another memorable part of the trip: Fellows visited the War Memorial of Korea and were special guests at the United Nations Armistice Day celebration, which was attended by Korean War veterans from several nations and the Prime Minister of Korea, Lee Nak-yeon.

Coss said she found the citizens to be very welcoming to Americans and “anyone who had anything to do with the war.”

“We were like celebrities everywhere we went,” Coss said. “Everything is very pro-U.S. Like, they’re very, ‘Oh, Americans!’ It’s not like going to Europe.”

The entire experience will surely have lasting effects for the high school teacher.

She plans to share what she learned with her students, highlighting some of the cultural differences she observed in South Korea and detailing how the country has developed into the world’s eighth-largest economy since the end of the Korean War.

The fellowship experience also has prompted Coss to help initiate a student club, called ‘Time for Diversity.’

Through some of the teacher’s newfound Korean connections, Land O’ Lakes students in the club will get to Skype and communicate with an all-girls school in southern South Korea every month or so.

Meantime, Coss said she’s going to apply for more teaching fellowships to other countries.

She, too, has several international trips on the docket over the next several years.

She’ll visit the Dominican Republic over winter break and might visit Spain next summer.

She also is organizing student trips in 2020 and 2021, to Ecuador and Japan, respectively.

“There’s so many places to see in the world,” she said.

Published September 26, 2018

Filed Under: Education, Land O' Lakes News, Local News Tagged With: Gyeongbokgung Palace, Karen Coss, Korean Demilitarized Zone, Korean War, Korean War Legacy Foundation, Land O' Lakes High School, Lee Nak-yeon, National Museum of Korean Contemporary History, Seoul Digitech High School, South Korea, United Nations Armistice Day, War Memorial of Korea

Baldomero Lopez was more than a local hero

June 6, 2018 By B.C. Manion

When motorists drive past the Baldomero Lopez State Veterans Nursing Home in Land O’ Lakes, chances are they won’t know much about the history of the man for whom the facility is named.

That’s where Bill Dotterer comes in.

This iconic image was taken of 1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez leading troops in an invasion at Inchon during the Korean War. Lopez died minutes after the photo was taken.
(Bill Dotterer)

He’s a volunteer with the Tampa Bay History Center and he shared the story of 1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez’s life and his heroic actions during a talk earlier this year at the Jimmie B. Keel Regional Library. The history center and library jointly presented the free program.

Lopez may not be widely known in many circles, but he is in the U.S. Marine Corps, Dotterer said.

“Lopez is a very important person in Tampa Bay’s history,” the speaker added, noting Lopez was the first person who grew up in Tampa to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Dotterer shared details of Lopez’s early years.

Lopez grew up during a time when Ybor City and West Tampa were vibrant places, with a thriving cigar industry, with people living there who had come from Spain, Cuba, Italy and Sicily, Dotterer said. There were social clubs, baseball teams and dominoes, he noted, and Lopez grew up in that milieu.

“In the neighborhood where he lived, he was well known as a baseball player. He had a paper route. He was just an All-American kid,” Dotterer said.

Lopez also was interested in the military.

He attended Hillsborough High School, where he was in charge of the ROTC program. He marched in the Gasparilla Parade one year, leading all of the junior ROTC units, Dotterer said.

Baldomero Lopez
Company A, 1st Battalion
5th Marines, 1st Marine Division
Born: Aug, 23, 1925
Died: Sept. 15, 1950

The speaker noted that much of his talk was based on information he gleaned from a conversation he had with E.J. Salcines, a former judge and noted Tampa historian.

Lopez was third in his class when he graduated from Hillsborough High in 1943. He decided to enlist in the Navy, Dotterer said.

Initially, Lopez was sent to Quantico, Virginia, but he was pulled from that program and sent to Annapolis for an officer training program, Dotterer added. Next, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps, as a second lieutenant.

By then, it was 1947 and the war had ended.

Lopez was sent to China, to lead a mortar platoon, and after that, he returned to Camp Pendleton, where he received orders to become an instructor at the Basic School in Quantico, Dotterer said.

Lopez was still at Pendleton when the Korean War broke out and his unit was assigned to go overseas, Dotterer said. Lopez wanted to go with them.

Dotterer then shared this account, which he said came from Salcines.

Lopez was a on a train, heading from California to Virginia, Dotterer said.

“Every place that the train stopped, he got off and called and said, ‘Please change my orders. I want to go with my unit.’

“When he finally gets to Quantico, they say, ‘OK, you can rejoin your unit.’,” Dotterer said.

Lopez heads back to California, but at that point, his unit is already gone. Somehow, he catches up with them, across the Pacific, Dotterer continued.

The Korean War began when the North Koreans attacked south of this 38th parallel, which is what divides North Korea and South Korea, Dotterer said.

Gen. Douglas MacArthur was the head commander of allied forces in Korea, and he decided to take back Seoul, Dotterer said.

The invasion is made at Inchon Harbor, near Seoul.

It wasn’t an ideal place to invade because it had the third-highest tides in the world, going from zero to 40 feet in a day. It also had 40-foot seawalls around it, which the Marines had to build ladders to scale, Dotterer said.

“The anchorage, itself, where all of the ships would end up for the invasion, was pretty small. It was pretty tight to get in there,” he added.

At the same time, however, the limiting factors at Inchon also may have made it a good place to invade because the enemy would never expect it, he said.

Lopez demonstrated courage
Lopez, who was 25, was on one of the landing ships.

Before the invasion, he wrote his parents a final letter, not knowing it would be his final letter, Dotterer said.

“Basically, he said, ‘Hey, I chose to do this, so if anything happens, I decided I wanted to be a Marine officer, so here I am. Secondly, please send me some good cigars.’

“On Sept. 15, the invasion begins. He is with Company A, First Battalion, Fifth Marines, and they’re going into Red Beach,” Dotterer said.

This historic marker in downtown Tampa commemorates the heroic actions that 1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez took during the Korean War.
(B.C. Manion)

There were two hills, which meant the enemy was at the top of the hill shooting down.

An iconic photograph, taken during the invasion, shows Lopez leading his troops up a wooden ladder over the seawall, Dotterer said.

“Sad to say, this is minutes before he is killed. He’s leading his troops over the seawall. There’s a machine-gun, automatic type position here, that they are trying to take out.

“He had actually pulled a pin on a grenade to throw it into the pill box,” Dotterer said.

Instead, “he gets hit with automatic weapon fire. One in the shoulder. One in the abdomen or chest. He’s shot down. That grenade has the pin out.”

Within seconds, Lopez decided to save his troops. He scooped the grenade under his body.

“He took the full brunt of the grenade in the explosion. His troops were essentially saved. They went on to take that pillbox,” Dotterer said.

Since then, Lopez has been honored in various ways.

There’s a historic marker commemorating Lopez’s heroics in downtown Tampa and there’s a memorial for him at Hillsborough High School. There’s a public elementary school named after him in Seffner and there’s a memorial to Lopez at Veterans Memorial Park.

In 2012, the Tampa Bay History Center received a Korean War Veterans Medal on behalf of Lopez, presented by Jong-Hoon Kim, a member of the 19th National Assembly and Chair of the International Relations Committee, Saenuri Party. Kim was accompanied by Choi Young-Jin, the Korean Ambassador to the United Nations and other Korean Dignitaries.

Additionally, there’s Lopez Hall at the Basic School aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico, a dining facility that was dedicated in 2013, and there’s a navy ship named in his honor.

And, the Marine Corps Association and Foundation, (MCA&F), bestows The Lieutenant Baldomero Lopez Honor Graduate Award to the Marine of each graduating company from the Basic School who demonstrates the highest potential for future leadership and responsibility in the Marine Corps.

In essence, Dotterer said, “he was an amazing hero.”

Published June 6, 2018

Filed Under: Land O' Lakes News, Local News Tagged With: 19th National Assembly, All-American, Annapolis, Baldomero Lopez State Veterans Nursing Home, Basic School, Bill Dotterer, California, Camp Pendleton, Chair of the International Relations Committee, China, Company A, Congressional Medal of Honor, Cuba, E.J. Salcines, Fifth Marines, First Battalion, Gasparilla Parade, Gen. Douglas MacArthur, Hillsborough High School, Inchon Harbor, Italy, Jimmie B. Keel Regional Library, Jong-Hoon Kim, Korean Ambassador, Korean Dignitaries, Korean War, Korean War Veterans Medal, Lopez Hall at the Basic School, Lt. Baldomero Lopez, Marine Corps Association Foundation, Marine Corps Base Quantico, Navy, Pacific, Quantico, Red Beach, ROTC, Saenuri Party, Seffner, Seoul, Sicily, Spain, Tampa, Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay History Center, The Lieutenant Baldomero Lopez Honor Graduate Award, U.S. Marine Corps, United Nations, Veterans Memorial Park, Virginia, West Tampa, Ybor City

Mail call touches veterans on ‘mission’ flight

August 23, 2017 By Mary Rathman

Everyone likes to get mail. Especially when it includes a sincere thank you, a special drawing or personal thoughts.

Mary Rathman, of Land O’ Lakes, and a group of friends wrote almost 100 thank-you cards to veterans for an upcoming ‘mission’ through Honor Flight West Central Florida.

Honor Flight West Central Florida provides all-expense paid flights for war-era veterans in the Tampa Bay area to visit their memorials in Washington D.C.

These “missions” include about 80 World War II, Korean and Vietnam war veterans each time they fly.

During the flight’s return to the Tampa Bay area, every veteran on board receives a mail call — an envelope filled with cards, notes, drawings and more — from family and friends, as well as groups such as Soldiers’ Angels. The mail is meant to show appreciation for those who have served in honor of our country.

There are many ways to volunteer for the Honor Flight, including helping with preflight orientation, participating in the send-off and Welcome Home celebrations, helping to identify possible funding resources, becoming an Honor Flight Ambassador, spreading the word and encouraging war-era veterans to apply, and writing letters for mail call.

For information regarding the Honor Flight, visit HonorFlightWCF.org, or email .

To volunteer, contact (727) 498-6079 or .

Anyone interested in writing thank-you cards or letters, or sending in drawings from kids, can mail them to Honor Flight West Central Florida, P.O. Box 55661, St. Petersburg, FL 33732. Each piece of mail should be addressed to “An Honored Veteran.” The “missions” appreciate any help so that each veteran isn’t forgotten.

Published August 23, 2017

Filed Under: Local News Tagged With: Honor Flight West Central Florida, Korean War, Soldiers' Angels, Vietnam War, World War II

Vietnam veteran receives overdue honor

July 5, 2017 By Kevin Weiss

One Vietnam veteran has finally received his long-deserved welcome.

The Wesley Chapel Noon Rotary Land O’ Lakes Satellite Club recognized George Voorhes on June 23 as its first recipient of the Vietnam War 50th Anniversary Commemorative Lapel Pin.

Voorhes, 82, retired from the army in 1974, following 20 years of service.

He served in the Korean War and had three tours of duty in Vietnam, earning a Bronze Star.

On June 23, the Wesley Chapel Noon Rotary Land O’ Lakes Satellite Club presented George Voorhes as its first recipient of the Vietnam War 50th Anniversary Commemorative Lapel Pin. Voorhes, now 82, retired from the army in 1974, after 20 years of service. (Kevin Weiss)

A Missouri native, who now lives in Land O’ Lakes, Voorhes joined the military when he was 17.

Eventually, he rose to the rank of Sergeant First Class E7.

Along the way, he worked as a banker, chef and nightclub manager.

During his last 10 years of service, he was a general’s aide.

Despite the decades that have passed, details of war remain vivid in Voorhes’ mind.

Most notably is the passing of his brother-in-law, who succumbed to Agent Orange.

“I miss him,” Voorhes said, holding back tears.

“He was only a brother-in-law, but he was more like a brother to me,” he said.

The first U.S. combat troops were sent to Vietnam in 1965.

More than 9 million Americans served during the Vietnam War, representing 10 percent of their generation.

They marked the oldest and best-educated force that America ever sent into harm’s way.

The last remaining troops were withdrawn in 1973.

George Voorhes served in the Korean War and had three tours of duty in Vietnam, earning a Bronze Star. He entered the service at 17 years old, and rose to the rank of Sergeant First Class E7. He also worked as a banker, chef and nightclub manager.
Over the last 10 years of his service, he worked as a general’s aide. (Courtesy of Sandy Graves)

Though 97 percent would be honorably discharged, 58,307 service members died in the war, and more than 1,600 are still considered missing in action.

Upon their return to America, Vietnam troops often were greeted with silence — or worse — for having served in the controversial war.

Unlike soldiers returning from World War I and World War II, there were no ticker tape parades or triumphant marches for veterans returning from Vietnam.

Despite painful memories and personal losses, though, Voorhes remains proud of his service.

“It’s an honor to serve my country,” he said, “and I’d do it again, if I had to.”

The Rotary Club’s commemorative ceremony and breakfast was held at the Copperstone Executive Suites in Land O’ Lakes.

Voorhes received the Vietnam War 50th Anniversary Commemorative Lapel Pin from Chief George McDonald, of the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. McDonald is a retired U.S. Army Special Forces Colonel.

Throughout the hour-long event, Voorhes was lavished with applause, warm greetings and countless thank-you’s from dozens of Rotarians and their guests.

Voorhes also received a dedication message and certificate form the staff of U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis.

The congressman, who represents Florida’s 12th District and is vice chairman of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, even had an American flag flown over the United States Capitol to honor Voorhes’ service.

Michael J. Cimmina, of U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis’ office, presented Voorhes with an American flag, which was flown over the United States Capitol in honor of his service. (Kevin Weiss)

In a letter to Voorhes, Bilirakis wrote, “There are no words that can adequately express the gratitude, admiration and respect that your military service during the Korean and Vietnam Wars has earned.”

The congressman also noted that members of the Armed Forces “who served bravely” during the Vietnam War “were caught in the crossfire of public debate regarding our nation’s involvement and did not receive the warm welcome that you all deserved.”

The Vietnam War Commemoration is a government-led initiative, engaging 10,000 event partners, ranging from the Boy Scouts of America to the NFL.

In 2012, President Barack Obama signed a proclamation creating the Vietnam War Commemoration. Obama called on communities across the country to come together and hold events between then and Veteran’s Day 2025 to recognize the 7 million living Vietnam veterans.

To date, the commemoration has reached more than 1.4 million Vietnam veterans and their family members.

Voorhes was chosen as the Rotary Club’s first recipient after his wife of 57 years, Jean Voorhes, reached out to the service organization, inquiring about the program.

The satellite Rotary Club had just recently become an official commemoration partner, through the United States Department of Defense.

That application process took about a year, said Sandy Graves, a member of the satellite club who helped coordinate the ceremony for Voorhes.

“The club’s worked very hard to become a commemorative partner with the government and do these ceremonies for Vietnam vets that kind of didn’t get that when they came home,” Graves said.

Moving forward, the Wesley Chapel Noon Rotary Land O’ Lakes Satellite Club plans to organize two Vietnam Commemoration ceremonies each year.

Graves said the satellite club will likely host a dinner ceremony sometime this fall, to honor multiple Rotarians that served in Vietnam.

“It’s a wonderful thing,” Graves said of the Vietnam commemoration program. “My father served in the military, I have many friends that served in the military and every night I would just implore everyone to, when you do lay down to go to sleep, think about how come you’re able to do that, and be very thankful for those that made (freedom) possible for us.”

Vietnam War (1954-1975)
U.S. Troop Statistics:

8,744,000 – Total number of U.S. Troops that served worldwide during Vietnam
3,403,000 served in Southeast Asia
2,594,000 served in South Vietnam

The total of American servicemen listed as POW/MIA at the end of the war was 2,646.

Death Toll
58,307- Total U.S. Deaths (Average age of 23.1 years old)
1.3 million – Total military deaths for all countries involved
1 million – Total civilian deaths
–Figures compiled by the U.S. Department of Defense

Published July 5, 2017

 

Filed Under: Local News, People Profiles Tagged With: Barack Obama, Boy Scouts of America, Copperstone Executive Suites, George McDonald, George Voorhes, Gus Bilirakis, Jean Voorhes, Korean War, NFL, Pasco County Sheriff's Office, Sandy Graves, United States Capitol, United States Department of Defense, Vietnam, Wesley Chapel Noon Rotary Land O' Lakes Satellite Club, World War I, World War II

A time to remember military sacrifice

May 24, 2017 By Mary Rathman

Our nation is preparing to observe Memorial Day, in honor of the men and women who died while serving in the armed forces.

The American holiday, which falls on the last Monday of May each year, originally was known as Decoration Day. It began in the years following the Civil War and was declared an official federal holiday in 1971.

(File)

To mark the holiday weekend, several events and ceremonies are planned for the region. Here is a listing of some of those events.

  • Lutz-Land O’ Lakes American Legion Post 108 will be placing flags at the Lutz cemetery May 27 and retrieving them May 30, both days at 9 a.m. The group also will be selling poppies, for a donation, at the Sunlake Publix, on Memorial Day, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Veterans Memorial Park and LeRoy Collins Jr. Veterans Museum, 3602 U.S. 301 N., in Tampa, will host its 20th annual Memorial Day ceremony May 28 at 11 a.m. The event will include patriotic songs, a keynote speech, a POW/MIA Missing Man Remembrance Celebration, a wreath presentation, a rifle salute and taps. Guests can bring lawn chairs. The park, monuments and museum are free and open to the public. For information, call (813) 744-5502.
  • The Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, 4150 S. Suncoast Blvd., in Homosassa, will host a Memorial Day event May 29 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with special activities to recognize and honor those who served our country. Volunteers will be collecting items (toilet paper, paper towels, trash bags and laundry soap) for the Mission in Citrus Homeless Veterans Shelter. Visitors can support the Honor Flight network and write notes to veterans of World War II and Korean War. For information, call Susan Strawbridge at (352) 628-5445, ext. 1002, or Carla Nicklas at (352) 257-1480.
  • The Florida National Cemetery, 6502 S.W. 102nd Ave., in Bushnell, will have a Memorial Day ceremony May 29 at 11 a.m., in the Assembly Area. For information, call (352) 793-7740.
  • Oldsmar will host its annual Memorial Day ceremony May 29 at 10 a.m., at Veterans Memorial Park, 250 Shore Drive E., in Oldsmar. The keynote speaker will be Brian Anderson, CEO of Veterans Alternative. Local singer Malori Shaw will perform. The outdoor event will take place rain or shine. Admission is free.

Additionally, some local attractions, including The Museum of Science and Industry, at 4801 E. Fowler Ave., and Lowry Park Zoo, at 1101 W. Sligh Ave. have special offers for members of the military.

The Museum of Science and Industry is offering free admission all summer for active-duty members of the United States military and their families from May 27 through the end of Labor Day weekend, Sept. 4.

Veterans can visit MOSI for free on Labor Day weekend, and can bring up to five family members. For information, visit MOSI.org.

CORRECTION: This year, members of the military can purchase discounted tickets for The Lowry Park Zoo at MacDill Air Force Base. For more information, call (813) 935-8552. There also is a crash sale this holiday weekend on the greater one-horned rhino encounter and behind-the-scenes tour. To learn more, visit TLPZ.org/tours.

Published May 24, 2017

 

Filed Under: Local News Tagged With: 102nd Avenue, Brian Anderson, Bushnell, Carla Nicklas, Civil War, Decoration Day, Department of Defense, East Fowler Avenue, Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, Florida National Cemetery, Korean War, Labor Day, Lowry Park Zoo, Lutz-Land O' Lakes American Legion Post 108, Malori Shaw, Memorial Day, Mission in Citrus Homeless Veterans Shelter, Museum of Science and Industry, Shore Drive, Suncoast Boulevard, Sunlake Publix, Susan Strawbridge, U.S. 301, Veterans Alternative, Veterans Memorial Park and LeRoy Collins Jr. Veterans Museum, West Sligh Avenue, World War II

A breakfast sandwich, with a side of nostalgia

March 8, 2017 By B.C. Manion

When Laura Lewis saw the Dunkin’ Donuts going up on U.S. 41, in Lutz, she couldn’t wait until it opened,

She wanted to enjoy a bite to eat there, and to reminisce.

So, once the shop opened, at 17514 U.S. 41, she and her friend Carolyn Smith headed over there for breakfast.

Laura Lewis, left, and Carolyn Smith enjoy breakfast and share memories of Laura Lewis’ dad, who once operated a real estate office on the spot now occupied by a new Dunkin’ Donuts, on U.S. 41 in Lutz.
(B.C. Manion)

The shop serves hot coffee, iced coffee, hot tea, iced tea, espresso-based drinks, sandwiches, donuts and other bakery items.

Alex DaSilva, director of operations, said the shop chose that location because the area is experiencing residential and commercial growth, and Dunkin’ Donuts likes to get in on the front end of new development.

“It’s an up-and-coming market,” DaSilva said.

Lewis said she knows her dad, George M. Lewis, who spent his final years in Lutz, would be happy to see how the spot where he had his real estate office is being put to use.

He’d be glad to see that a family-oriented business is operating there, Lewis said.

Her dad was originally from the Kansas/Missouri area, she said.

He did various kinds of work through the years, said Smith, who has been a friend of Lewis’ for more than 30 years.

“He worked for the shipyard first,” Smith said.

“Then, from the shipyard, he did dredging,” she said. The dredging work involved area canals, and dredging for pipelines in South America, Smith added.

He also got into ranching and real estate.

At one point, he had 1,000 acres in Tarpon Springs, Lewis said. He also had 10 acres on Gunn Highway, in Citrus Park.

Lewis recalls helping her dad, when she was young.

“I used to trail my dad around all of the time, handing him tools and driving the tractor,” she said.

When she was older, she went to work for Maas Bros., earning $28 a week, but decided that wasn’t the life for her.

“I went out at lunchtime and joined the Army,” she said. She enlisted for three years, but had to stay longer because of the Korean War.

After that, she used her G.I. Bill to get her education and then became an industrial arts teacher, teaching woodshop in New Jersey for 35 years before retiring to Lutz.

Smith, whose mother was Lewis’ mother’s best friend, has been a close friend for more than three decades. The women share a home in Lutz.

Lewis’ mother, Smith said, “was like my mother’s sister.”

Both women were enjoying a trip down memory lane during their recent Dunkin’ Donuts visit.

At one point, Lewis’ dad had a huge sign in front of his real estate business on U.S 41, Smith recalled

People would pay him to use the sign for advertising.

“It was 20 (feet) to 30 feet high,” Smith said. “When they would come and put an advertisement on it, he would tell them: ‘No alcohol, no tobacco, nothing offensive,’” Smith said.

“He went to Lutz Baptist, right down the street, and he said, ‘My people see that and I want something nice on the sign,’” she explained. “One time they put up a cigarette ad. He called, and they came and took it down right away.”

When Dunkin’ Donuts was under construction, they had to keep the sign on the property — it was planted too deep into the ground for them to remove it, Smith said.

“I was here when they put it in. It has to be cemented in about 15 feet deep. It’ll never come out,” Smith said.

“They tried to get it out of the ground and they couldn’t, so they just built the Dunkin’ Donuts sign around it,” she said.

“A piece of him is always here,” Smith said.

Published March 8, 2017

Filed Under: Local News, Lutz News Tagged With: Alex DaSilva, Carolyn Smith, CItrus Park, Dunkin’ Donuts, G.I. Bill, George M. Lewis, Gunn Highway, Korean War, Laura Lewis, Lutz, Lutz Baptist, Maas Bros., Tarpon Springs, U.S. 41

Korean War spy shares wartime experiences

August 10, 2016 By Kevin Weiss

For nearly 50 years, Eddie Ko didn’t tell a soul about the integral role he played during the Korean War.

“Not even my wife or my children,” the now 80-year-old said.

But for the past 15 years, the Tampa resident has gladly shared the experiences he had as a 14-year-old spy, helping the United Nations throughout the “Forgotten War.”

Eddie Ko, 80, visited the Baldomero Lopez State Veterans’ Nursing Home on July 26. He worked as a teenage spy during the Korean War. (Kevin Weiss/Staff Photo)
Eddie Ko, 80, visited the Baldomero Lopez State Veterans’ Nursing Home on July 26. He worked as a teenage spy during the Korean War.
(Kevin Weiss/Staff Photo)

He began sharing his story in 2002, after he began organizing an annual golf outing for Korean War vets at his golf club — the Quail Hollow Golf Course in Wesley Chapel.

The outings — held until he sold the course in 2012 — encouraged vets to share their wartime experiences with family and friends.

“Most of the Korean veterans who were in combat — they don’t want to talk about it, even though they are heroes,” Ko said. “Just remember, they were only 18 (years old) or 19 years old, and they had to kill somebody in order to survive.

“But…it’s my opinion that I feel better when I talk about it and get everything off of my chest,” Ko said.

In June of 1950, about 75,000 soldiers from the North Korean People’s Army invaded Ko’s homeland of South Korea. They wiped out thousands of civilians, including his Christian missionary parents.

“That really hurt my heart,” Ko said. “That day forward, I decided I was not going to be accepting of the (North Korean) army.”

His anger possessed him to join the Student Volunteer Army, an anticommunist group of 12 teenage spies spearheaded by a South Korean officer with ties to the U.S. military.

“At 14 years old, you don’t really have patriotism — you have ‘revengism.’ The revenge of mine was so mad that I really wanted to help the Americans,” Ko said.

For three years, he penetrated enemy lines, and relayed valuable information to U.S. Navy Lt. Eugene Clark.

Working as a teenage spy, Ko was the first to discover that Chinese Communist Forces had crossed the border into North Korea to join the fight against the United Nations. That tip prevented U.S. Marines from walking into an ambush of nearly 120,000 Chinese soldiers.

“They didn’t even know that the Chinese were involved,” Ko said. “The lack of intelligence was the biggest fault during the Korean War.”

Nearly 34,000 Americans were killed during the Korean War.

“A lot of Americans died because they didn’t even know where they were, and who they were fighting,” he said.

To gather intel, a young Ko lurked alongside enemy commanders, asking seemingly innocent questions: How many soldiers are here? Are more reinforcements on the way? Where are the heavy tanks?

Ko would report his findings to American forces either via radio communication, or in person.

“Many times it was very risky,” Ko said.

He used faith to help him handle the stressful moments and constant anxiety.

“I became very, very religious at the time and very, very confident in myself,” Ko said. “That’s what helped me survive for three years.”

The Korean War came to an end after an armistice was signed on July 27, 1953. North and South Korea remain separate and occupy almost the same territory since the war began.

After the war, Ko left South Korea to become a naturalized U.S. citizen. He attended high school in East Orange, New Jersey, and subsequently volunteered for the draft in 1956.

He served three years in the U.S. Army, working in counterintelligence and civilian affairs in South Korea.

“I thought wearing a U.S. uniform, I could help the Korean people more. I’m so proud I did that,” Ko said.

He became a successful businessman, and owned three golf courses in Florida before selling them.

Ko now serves as the chairman for the Korean War monument at Veterans Memorial Park, 3602 U.S. 301 in Tampa.

He often visits the 20 Korean War veteran’s association chapters throughout Florida. He tells his story, and gives out copies of the book, “Korea Reborn: A Grateful Nation Honors War Veterans for 60 Years of Growth.”

Ko presents the book — which is a retrospective look at the Korean War and the prosperity that followed — to help uplift Korean War veterans.

“They should be proud of their service,” Ko said. “After 80 percent of Korea was destroyed, now 50 million Korean people live in peace, and it’s one of the strongest economic countries in the world.”

Published August 10, 2016

 

Filed Under: Local News Tagged With: Eddie Ko, Eugene Clark, Korean War, North Korea, Quail Hollow Golf Course, South Korea, U.S. 301, U.S. Marines, Veterans Memorial Park, Wesley Chapel

A time-honored tradition to remember those who served

November 13, 2014 By B.C. Manion

The four men came to Lutz Cemetery on a Saturday morning, with a cool breeze stirring the trees, and the sun shining brightly in the clear blue sky.

They got to work quickly, each grabbing a supply of American flags and staking out a segment of the cemetery.

Bill Garrison, commander of American Legion Post 108, marches through Lutz Cemetery, surveying gravestones of military veterans to decorate with an American flag in honor of Veterans Day. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
Bill Garrison, commander of American Legion Post 108, marches through Lutz Cemetery, surveying gravestones of military veterans to decorate with an American flag in honor of Veterans Day. (B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)

The men — Bill Garrison, Ray Mason, Richard Fernandez and Jim Evans — worked their way through the rows of gravestones, looking for those marking the final resting place of men and women who served to protect American freedom.

While Garrison, Mason and Fernandez surveyed areas closer to U.S. 41, Evans checked out the rear section of the cemetery. Each time they found a veteran’s gravestone, they solemnly planted a flag at the edge of the gravestone.

Marking the grave with a flag is an act of remembrance, and of respect. It’s something members of American Legion Post 108 do at Lutz Cemetery every Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Veterans Day.

The flags remain until a day after Veterans Day, when the men come back to recover them.

The flags honor veterans from World War I, World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam War. There’s even a grave of a Civil War soldier and another of a Spanish-American War soldier a soldier, Mason said.

The ritual of remembering men and women who served has been going on for close to 30 years, said Mason, the post’s adjutant.

Each time, they post about 200 flags. “We used to do more cemeteries, but membership dwindled,” said Garrison, the post commander.

As World War II veterans die, the post’s membership has declined. Now, the post — which draws its members from Lutz and Land O’ Lakes — has 97 members, Garrison said.

There are around 200 veterans buried in Lutz Cemetery, he said.

“There’s a lot of sacrifice here,” said Garrison, who served in the U.S. Air Force as a code breaker.

Fernandez, a past commander and the current financial officer for the post who served in the U.S. Coast Guard, said he takes part in the flag postings to honor those who have courageously served this country.

“Unfortunately they don’t get the honor and respect that they deserve,” Fernandez said.

Respect for veterans has improved, however, said Mason, who served in the U.S. Navy.

“Every once in awhile I wear my hat out, and I can’t believe the number of people who come up and say, ‘Thank you for your service,’” he said.

That’s a far different response than the one he received when he first finished military service.

“When I got out in ’65, everybody was against the war, all of that anti-Vietnam stuff,” said Mason, who did not serve in Vietnam.

He was surprised by the negative reception.

“I was taken back,” Mason said.

Evans, who served in the U.S. Army during Vietnam and during the first Gulf War, said posting the flags at the cemetery provides a sense of satisfaction.

“It gives you a nice feeling to have them remembered,” he said.

The men do the best they can to ensure they honor each veteran buried there. They look at the gravestones for any indication of military service.

“Sometimes it is just a little notation on there,” Evans said.

To make sure he didn’t miss any, Garrison kicks leaves off of graves, and scrapes off dirt. The other men made close inspections, too.

“I hate to miss one,” Evans said. “It really hurts me if I miss a veteran. We always make an extra sweep, and we always find some that we missed.”

Evans estimates he’s posted flags at the cemetery about 20 times. Sometimes, the work is easier than others. During the recent posting, conditions were pleasant.

But the heat can be brutal during the Memorial Day and Fourth of July postings, or sometimes it’s pouring rain.

“There have been times after a heavy rain where you almost sink,” Garrison said. “We slop through the mess.”

On the upside, though, “there’s no problem with putting them (the flags) in,” he added.

After they post the flags and complete their sweep, the men conclude by playing “Taps,” — a final tribute for those who served.

Published November 12, 2014

See this story in print: Click Here

Filed Under: Local News, Lutz News Tagged With: American Legion Post 108, Bill Garrison, Civil War, Fourth of July, Gulf War, Jim Evans, Korean War, Land O' Lakes, Lutz, Lutz Cemetery, Memorial Day, Ray Mason, Richard Fernandez, Spanish-American War, U.S. 41, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, Veterans Day, Vietnam War, World War I, World War II

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