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4 Miami Valley veterans honored part of Ford Oval of Honor at Air Force Museum

DAYTON — An inspiring group of four patriots who served their nation when called upon had their commitment to military service recognized and honored Thursday night during the Ford Oval of Honor ceremony, held at the National Museum of the U.S Air Force.

Hundreds of people were on hand to witness the event, including dozens of other veterans with decorated service records from across the Cold War era and beyond.

Several veterans voiced their concerns that the stories of the conflicts they served in were not being properly conveyed to today’s students across much of the country.

However, others pointed out that events like the Oval of Honor help ensure that their tales of heroism will live on forever.

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The four veterans honored at Thursday night’s event are all men who spent their lives around the Miami Valley.

Donzil Hall battled in Korea, where he earned a combat infantry badge.

Jack Perry enlisted in the Korean War when he was just fourteen years old.

He was captured during the fight and today is the oldest surviving Korean War POW in Ohio. Ricjard Furneaux served during the Cold War in Germany. and Henry Williamson the Third was honored posthumously, with his family representing him.

He was a World War II veteran who helped to liberate the infamous Buchenwald concentration camp.

While local veterans watch and applauded, one of them commented that the memories of war are hard to carry but sharing them with other patriots at events like these can help ease that burden.

Army Vietnam veteran Neal Lawson told News Center 7, “I do a lot of reminiscing with the Vietnam War and I think about it and I dream about it, and I see it like it is just yesterday but it’s a great country and Dayton is a great city to live in and we have always done well.”

Now, this was the 40th Ford Oval OF Honor event to be held since 2011.

The first such event was held in Cincinnati.

In past years the event has honored warriors from specific battles or groups including a member of the Doolittle Bombing raid on Japan – a Pearl Harbor defender and one of the men who helped win the beachhead at The Battle of Normandy.



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