2015 Memorial Service Honoring WWII Veterans at Prairiedale Cemetery, Talmage, Kansas
Memorial Day Service at Prairiedale Cemetery honoring WWI veterans
Veterans
THS honors Civil War Veterans
The fifty people who attended the Memorial Day services on Monday, May 26, at the Prairiedale Cemetery enjoyed a tribute by the Chapman American Legion Post # 240 and the Fort Riley Honor Guard. The presence of both groups added a special significance to the event hosted by the Talmage Historical Society to honor Civil War veterans.
After an opening prayer by Post Chaplin Darrold Dunham, Commander Ronald Kabat gave a short welcome followed by THS museum director Verl Coup who read a list of names of people who were buried in the cemetery this past year.
Coup then followed with the presentation of the Civil War Veterans who are buried in the cemetery, and a wreath was laid at the tomb of decorated Civil War Veteran Alonzo Vickers. A 21-gun-salute followed by the playing of taps concluded the ceremony.
The Talmage Historical Society would like to thank Post 240 for their special participation in our tribute to honor Civil War veterans.
Civil War Veterans History
The Civil War 1861- 1865 contains biographies and obituaries of the 22 Civil War Veterans buried in the Prairiedale Cemetery.
Civil War 1861 (opens in Adobe PDF)
Tribute to Honor Area Civil War Veterans
Alonzo L. Vickers, a decorated Civil War Veteran, was a member of CO G32nd Ohio Infantry. He participated in the Battles of Greenbrier River, Winchester, Harper’s Ferry, Vicksburg, Resaca, and traveled all the way to Atlanta with Gen. Sherman. He was wounded at Vicksburg, but never missed a call.
The Talmage Historical Society will host a Memorial Day tribute at 2 p.m. on Monday, May 26, at Prairiedale Cemetery to honor Talmage area Civil War Veterans.
Twenty-two Civil War Veterans are buried in the cemetery, located one mile north and ¼ mile west of Talmage. The list includes Benjamin Blue, Watson Cleveland, A.B. Crary, Moses Curtis, William Edwards, James Foster, Harrison Flora, Hiram Harvey, Thomas C. Iliff, Fred Luker, H.B. McCune, Hugh McVicker, John Miller, William Munson, John N. Penwell, George Richards, Adam Saylor, John Snowden, William Stotler, Alonzo Vickers, Henry Walker, and Robert C. Wilson. These veterans came to homestead land along the railroad grant area in the community.
“Union veterans of the Civil War received special homestead rights in 1870, when an amendment to the 1862 Homestead Act gave them the right to claim 160 acres within railroad grant areas; other homesteaders got only 80 acres,” THS Director Verl Coup said. “Another amendment in 1872 gave Union veterans the right to deduct the length of their war service from the five-year residency needed to prove a homestead.”
Chapman American Legion Color Guard will be on hand, and cookies and drinks will be served at the Talmage Museum after the event.
After the war, Mr. Vickers bought the SE ¼ in Section 27 of Flora Township for $780.84. He served as a board member of both the Harvey and Flora schools. He sold his farm to Walter Jolitz in 1902 and moved to Abilene.
The Talmage Museum will be open during Memorial Weekend, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Sunday, and Monday for families who are interested in seeing historical displays, and researching and sharing family histories.
Veterans’ Histories Recorded at Museum
Veterans were honored at the Talmage Historical Society Museum May 27, 2012.
World War II touched many lives in Talmage and surrounding communities, and six veterans of that war and others unable to attend were honored Sunday, May 27, 2012, at the Talmage Historical Society museum.
“We had a great group of close to 80 people who came to help us honor our veterans,” said Talmage Historical Society Director Verl Coup. “There were a lot of memories shared and history that might have been lost is now preserved in the museum.”
Coup has close to 50 veterans’ histories recorded and seven more names were recently given to him to research.
“I started receiving veterans pictures at the museum, began talking to them, and started collecting their stories as a means to preserve history,” Coup said.
One visitor, who knows the time and effort it takes to initiate and record those interviews, was especially impressed with the community attendance and participation.
“I was really impressed with how the community turned out to honor and visit with the veterans, and I felt like people really learned a lot,” said Bill DeArmond, a writer with an interest in WWII and who is helping with the Dickinson County WWII Writing Project. “I’d like to see more communities honor their veterans. It was a really nice afternoon.”
Verl Coup read the service records of the six living veterans in attendance: C. Wayne Banks, Wichita; Curtis D. Fulton, Salina; Marvin Ledy, Abilene; Lynn Meehan, Abilene; Joyce W. Romberger, Abilene; and Ralph W. Snyder, Abilene.
C. Wayne Banks, US Navy, 1943-46, joined the navy on May 19, 1943. He was at Okinawa when the atom bomb was dropped and at Hiroshima where he saw the devastation.
Curtis Fulton, US Naval Air Corp, 1942-43, joined in 1942 and received his pilot’s license in Lindsborg. He received more flight training in Liberty, Mo., and St. Louis, Mo.
Marvin Ledy, US Army, 738th Battalion, 1943-45, was sent to Ft. Knox for training in radio where he learned morse code.
Lynn Meehan, US Army, 1944-46, was 1 of 42 Dickinson County men drafted in 1942. He was on board a ship where the Peace Agreement was signed and was part of Occupation Forces inside Japan for a year.
JW Romberger, US Army, 1942-45, was drafted in 1942 and was trained in the motor pool as a truck driver and regularly made 500 mile trips to deliver troops and supplies.
Ralph Snyder, Army Air Corp,1942-65, was part of 487th Bomb Group and retired at rank of Lt. Colonel.
Three veterans unable to attend were Melvin L. Brillhart, Holden, Missouri; Dena Huitt, Kalamazoo, Michigan; and Clara Houtz Lawson, Hebron, Nebraska.
An honor roll of deceased veterans was read: Herb Banks, US Army; George Barclay, US Army; Ivan Book; Walter Book, US Army; Lowell Dean Britt, US Navy; Kenneth Ray Coup, US Navy; Bruce H. Freeman, US Navy; Mike Funston; Markwood D. Heck, US Army; William H. Lake, US Army Air Corp; Joe Laird, US Army; John McVicker, US Army; Virgil H. Marsteller, US Army; Calvin Charles Matteson, US Army; Vernon Dale Noel, US Air Force; Paul R. Noel, US Navy; Raymond E. Noel, US Army; Stanley Scripter, US Army; Oliver Simpson, US Navy; Estel H. Snyder, US Army; Orland Arlie Stewart, US Navy; Abram E. Stoner, Jr., US Navy; George Thompson, US Army; Phillip Wallace, US Marines; Delmar E. Watt, US Navy.
Veterans Honored During 2013 Memorial Day Activities
Click on any of the images to enlarge and view slideshow.
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- The Chapman American Legion Post 240 gather at the museum after honoring the veterans at the Prairiedale Cemetery on May 27, 2013.
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- The beautiful Meditation Shelter was enhanced by the addition of a new directory thanks to the hard work of the Prairiedale Cemetery board.
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- The new directory was dedicated at the Memorial Day service, at the Meditation Shelter at Prairiedale Cemetery.
Open House Honors WWII Veterans
May 27, 2012, An open house for Talmage area World War II veterans was held, with the following veterans in attendance.
From Left: C. Wayne Banks, US Navy; Curtis D. Fulton, Naval Air Corp; Marvin Ledy, US Army; Director Verl Coup, Lynn D. Meehan, US Army; Joyce W. Romberger, US Army; and Ralph Snyder, US Air Corp.
From Left: C. Wayne Banks, US Navy; Curtis D. Fulton, Naval Air Corp; Marvin Ledy, US Army; Director Verl Coup, Lynn D. Meehan, US Army; Joyce W. Romberger, US Army; and Ralph Snyder, US Air Corp.
Living veterans not able to attend the service were Melvin L. Brillhart, US Army; Dena Huitt, US Air Force; and Clara Houtz Lawson, US Navy.
Verl read the service record of each veteran, and expressed our sincere thanks to these men for their service.