Finally, Raleigh WW II veteran honored for heroism
News Observer.com
Published: March 1, 2013
By Matt Caulder
RALEIGH
Approaching his 91st birthday, Kenneth Wilbur Keplar told his son a war story the son had never heard and about a medal Keplar never received: the Distinguished Flying Cross.
After hearing it last week, the son, Kenneth Wyley Keplar, got on the phone to a nephew at the State Department. The mission: track down his father’s medal.
The nephew had a connection at the Pentagon, and through quick work, the records were found in time for the younger Keplar to present the medal to his father at his birthday party Thursday night.
And Thursday night, before pulling the medal out of a gift bag, the son asked his father to tell the story of Dec. 19, 1944, again for multiple generations assembled at a North Raleigh home.
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Showing posts with label Raleigh North Carolina. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Raleigh North Carolina. Show all posts
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Monday, July 5, 2010
Honorary Raleigh police officer remembered as hero at 8 years old
Honorary officer remembered as hero
Raleigh, N.C. — Raleigh police bid farewell Saturday to a friend and fellow officer. William Bunn, 8, died of a cancer called neuroblastoma Thursday.
On June 11, the Raleigh Police Department made him the city's first honorary officer, fulfilling his dream. Bunn was buried with full police honors, including a flyover by a police helicopter.
Bunn always wanted to be a police officer. He liked the cool cap, the crisp uniform, but most of all, he loved the job description.
Officer Graham Witherspoon remembered meeting Bunn last April. The two struck up a friendship when Witherspoon visited the boy's school.
"I said, 'What do officers do?' He said, 'Simple. Catch the bad guys.'"
"For him to become an officer, for him to enjoy it, was probably the proudest day of my life, in my career," Witherspoon said.
Bunn proudly carried his police badge for the last three weeks of his life. Inside his casket Saturday, he wore his police uniform.
go here for more if you want your heart warmed
http://www.wral.com/news/local/noteworthy/story/7902381/
linked from CNN
Raleigh, N.C. — Raleigh police bid farewell Saturday to a friend and fellow officer. William Bunn, 8, died of a cancer called neuroblastoma Thursday.
On June 11, the Raleigh Police Department made him the city's first honorary officer, fulfilling his dream. Bunn was buried with full police honors, including a flyover by a police helicopter.
Bunn always wanted to be a police officer. He liked the cool cap, the crisp uniform, but most of all, he loved the job description.
Officer Graham Witherspoon remembered meeting Bunn last April. The two struck up a friendship when Witherspoon visited the boy's school.
"I said, 'What do officers do?' He said, 'Simple. Catch the bad guys.'"
"For him to become an officer, for him to enjoy it, was probably the proudest day of my life, in my career," Witherspoon said.
Bunn proudly carried his police badge for the last three weeks of his life. Inside his casket Saturday, he wore his police uniform.
go here for more if you want your heart warmed
http://www.wral.com/news/local/noteworthy/story/7902381/
linked from CNN
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Groom dies on wedding day
Raleigh groom killed on wedding day
A Raleigh man headed to breakfast with his groomsmen on his wedding day was killed after being ejected from the car he was riding in, according to Father Salvatore Busichio, who planned to officiate the wedding Saturday.
Groom dies on wedding day 1:43
A man heading to breakfast with his groomsmen on his wedding day was killed after being ejected from the car.
A Raleigh man headed to breakfast with his groomsmen on his wedding day was killed after being ejected from the car he was riding in, according to Father Salvatore Busichio, who planned to officiate the wedding Saturday.
Groom dies on wedding day 1:43
A man heading to breakfast with his groomsmen on his wedding day was killed after being ejected from the car.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Blue Water-Agent Orange:Loophole frustrates veterans
Loophole frustrates veterans
Wednesday, September 17, 2008 | 11:05 AM
By Steve Daniels, produced by Ross Weidner
The federal government says more than 400 thousand veterans are dying from illnesses linked to agent orange exposure from their time in Vietnam.
But now some veterans say a loophole in the law is letting the Veterans Administration leave them out in the cold.
Harry Spencer served as a Navy photographer during the Vietnam War as a member of what's called the Blue Water Navy, sailors who helped troops on the ground from ships right off shore.
"In the background of each picture, you can actually see the beach," says Spencer. He continues, "at times we were probably within a half a mile."
Spencer says because he was that close he and other sailors breathed in Agent Orange. Agent Orange is a chemical the army used to kill plant life in Vietnam. He also says they unknowingly drank it.
"They very basically take salt water from the sea and they make freshwater," says Spencer. He says freshwater on the ship, water used for drinking, cooking and washing clothing was contaminated with Agent Orange.
"Nobody knew at that point that it was going to hurt us," says Spencer. When he returned home to Raleigh from his ship off the coast of Vietnam, he ran a photo shop in eastern North Carolina until the day his cancer appeared.
"They informed me that I also had chronic emphysemic leukemia. First question out of the doctor's mouth was, 'You've been in Vietnam haven't you?'" says Spencer.
Spencer has all the classic symptoms but gets none of the compensation the government gives to Vietnam Vets because the VA says he didn't have his "boots on the ground."
"Boots on the ground means you actually set foot on the soil," says Spencer. He continued, "it makes no difference if it's one hour or one second, and you're eligible for benefits."
That means if you were in the navy off the coast, exposed to Agent Orange, and have the same illness as someone on land, the VA says you don't get a dime.
"It's like getting a knife, in your heart. I mean I gave the Navy ten years of my life. And now they just, basically say that I don't exist anymore," says Spencer.
"I know some of my friends have sent their medals back," says Wally Ward. Ward also served in the navy right off shore. HE says his two different kinds of cancer and diabetes are symtoms of Agent Orange exposure that other vets do get paid for. But, now he can't get help from the government and isn't even considered a Vietnam war veteran.
click post title for more and for video
Wednesday, September 17, 2008 | 11:05 AM
By Steve Daniels, produced by Ross Weidner
The federal government says more than 400 thousand veterans are dying from illnesses linked to agent orange exposure from their time in Vietnam.
But now some veterans say a loophole in the law is letting the Veterans Administration leave them out in the cold.
Harry Spencer served as a Navy photographer during the Vietnam War as a member of what's called the Blue Water Navy, sailors who helped troops on the ground from ships right off shore.
"In the background of each picture, you can actually see the beach," says Spencer. He continues, "at times we were probably within a half a mile."
Spencer says because he was that close he and other sailors breathed in Agent Orange. Agent Orange is a chemical the army used to kill plant life in Vietnam. He also says they unknowingly drank it.
"They very basically take salt water from the sea and they make freshwater," says Spencer. He says freshwater on the ship, water used for drinking, cooking and washing clothing was contaminated with Agent Orange.
"Nobody knew at that point that it was going to hurt us," says Spencer. When he returned home to Raleigh from his ship off the coast of Vietnam, he ran a photo shop in eastern North Carolina until the day his cancer appeared.
"They informed me that I also had chronic emphysemic leukemia. First question out of the doctor's mouth was, 'You've been in Vietnam haven't you?'" says Spencer.
Spencer has all the classic symptoms but gets none of the compensation the government gives to Vietnam Vets because the VA says he didn't have his "boots on the ground."
"Boots on the ground means you actually set foot on the soil," says Spencer. He continued, "it makes no difference if it's one hour or one second, and you're eligible for benefits."
That means if you were in the navy off the coast, exposed to Agent Orange, and have the same illness as someone on land, the VA says you don't get a dime.
"It's like getting a knife, in your heart. I mean I gave the Navy ten years of my life. And now they just, basically say that I don't exist anymore," says Spencer.
"I know some of my friends have sent their medals back," says Wally Ward. Ward also served in the navy right off shore. HE says his two different kinds of cancer and diabetes are symtoms of Agent Orange exposure that other vets do get paid for. But, now he can't get help from the government and isn't even considered a Vietnam war veteran.
click post title for more and for video
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