Clark County R-1 Hosts Veteran’s Day Program

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 Clark County’s veterans were honored with a Veterans Day assembly at the Clark County R-1 High School on Friday morning. Following a breakfast at the school, the program began with a performance by the Clark County Marching Indians. The Pledge of Allegiance was recited, and Kathrynn Schmitz sang the National Anthem. Jasmine James and Isabelle Brotherton welcomed the guests. Black Hawk and Running Fox Elementary Schools provided music, and the High School Choir sang “Voices of America” and “God Bless America” Featured speakers were James Lewellen and Devin Brotherton. The Sewcial Quilter of Clark County presented Quilts of Valor to Darin Connors, Ralph Dorrell, Jerry Hayes, Harold Hall, Walter “Butch” Billups, Michael “Dean” Pryor, Rob Schutte, Ronald Armstrong and Arlen Lipper. (More on the military service of each of these veterans can be read below. A Veterans Day video was played, and Taps was performed.

 

Darin Conners

Darin Conners spent 17 ½ years in the United States Army with a split option. Serving from 1984 to 1992, and again from 2003 to 2013.  The first portion of his service was spent at Ft Polk, Louisianna and Schofield Barracks, Honolulu, Hawaii.

When returning to service in 2003, he served with the 720^th out of Peoria, Illinois, then the 890^th Transportation Company out of Green Bay Wisconsin. He then served with the 101^st Air Borne out of Ft Campbell Kentucky, as part of the 541^st Transportation Company.

Darin served 2 tours in Iraq and 1 tour in Afghanistan.

His job was providing security and gun truck support for convoys while in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Darins unit, the 10st Air Borne, was the most heavily decorated unit to leave Afghanistan.

Darin’s awards include:

Afghanistan Campaign Medal with 2 Campaign Stars

Purple Heart

Army Commendation Medal with V Device

Army Commendation Medal (5^th award)

Meritorious Unit Commendation

Army Good Conduct Medal (4^th award)

Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal

Global War on Terrorism Service Medal

Iraq Campaign Medal with Campaign Star

Non-Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon

Army Service Ribbon

Overseas Service Ribbon (3^rd award)

Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon

NATO Medal

Driver & Mechanic Badge

Darin was Honorably discharged December 6, 2013.  Thank You for your service, DARIN.

 

Ronald Armstrong

Ronnie was drafted into the United States Army in June 1969.  He did his basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, along with AIT.

After basic training, he was sent to Long Bend Base in Vietnam.  His main duties were taking care of supplies for the troops on the front line, although he served on the front line for a short time also.

He was awarded the Vietnam Service Medal and honorably discharged in 1971.

Thank you for your service, Ronnie.

 

Ralph Dorrell

Ralph served in the United States Army from September 25, 1967 to August 26,^, 1971, during the Vietnam Era. Ralph spent time at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri; Fort Devers, Massachusetts; Two rocks, California; CuChi, Vietnam; and Bad Aibling, Germany.

His duties were with the Army Security Agency as a Traffic Analyst 98c20 and Top Secret Crypto-Securoty Clearance.

For his service, Ralph received the:

Good Conduct Medal,

Army Commendation Medal

National Defense Medal

Vietnam Service Medal

Bronze Star Medal.

Ralph was honorable discharged on August 26^th, 1971 with the rank E-5. Thank you for your service, Ralph.

 

Jerry Hayes

Jerry served with the National Guard out of Keokuk, Iowa for 7 years.  1967 to 1971.

His Basic Training was at Fort Lewis, Washington.

He served on flood duty two times in the Burlington, Iowa area with the National Guard.

Jerry served with several others from Clark County and enjoyed his time serving.

He was awarded a Marksman Medal.

Thank you for your service, Jerry.

 

Harold Hall

Harold joined the National Guard out of Keokuk in 1965 and served with the 224^th Engineering Battalion until August of 1971.

His basic Training was at Ft Knox, Kentucky.

His duties included helping to build bridges and flood duty.

Thank you for your service, Harold.

 

Walter “Butch” Billups

Butch was drafted into the United States Army October 4, 1966. After 10 days at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, he was sent to Fort Hood, Texas for basic training, AIT, and training for Vietnam.

He was shipped to Vietnam September 1, 1967, with his battalion aboard the USS General Pope.

Butch served in the Combat Infantry with the 1^st Calvary of the 50^th Recognized Infantry, which was attached to the 1^st Air Calvary and later to the 4^th Infantry 173^rd Airborne Unit.

Walter was a M-16 Machine Gunner and a squad leader in Dinh Binh Province, Vietnam. Walter was wounded May 5, 1968, and honorably Discharged August 31, 1968, with the rank Sergeant E-5.

His awards include:

Good Conduct Medal

Combat Infantry Badge

Bronze Star

Purple Heart

Air Medal

National Defense Ribbon

Vietnam Service Medal with 4 Stars

Vietnam Service Medal

Vietnam Service Ribbon with oak Leaf Cluster

Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm Leaf

Thank You for your service, Walter.

 

Michael “Dean” Pryor

Dean served in the United States Army from 1970 to 1971 in Vietnam.

He served as a Helicopter Mechanic and voluntary fill in as a Door Gunner.

He attained the Rank of Specialist E-4.

Dean’s medals include the:

National Defense Medal

Vietnam Service Medal

Vietnam Campaign Medal

Thank you for your service, Dean.

 

Rob Schutte

Rob entered the United States Navy June 1992.

He attended boot camp at Great Lakes Naval Training Facility in Great Lakes, Illinois.  He attended various training facilities before arriving at Little Creek, Virginia for First Duty Station, then transferred to Mayport Naval Station aboard the USS Vicksburg (CG-60).

Rob served in the Persian Gulf, Bosnia, Kosovo, Cuba in support of Rescuing Cuban Refugees, Drug Ops in the Caribbean boarding ships, and Haiti in support of Operation Uphold Democracy.

His Medal and Ribbons include:

Joint Meritorious Award

Navy Unit Commendation

Meritorious Unit Commendation

Navy Battle “E”

Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal

Southwest Asia Service Medal

Armed Forces Service Medal

Humanitarian Service Medal

Good Conduct Medal

Sea Service Deployment Ribbon

Expert Pistol Medal

Expert Riffle Medal

Coast Guard Unit Commendation

Rob was honorably discharged in 1996 with the Rank E-5.

Thank you for your service, Rob.

 

Arlen Lipper

Arlen Lipper enlisted in the Air Force July 3, 1068.  After training in Texas, Illinois and South Dakota he headed to SE Asia as Crew Chief on a KC 135 doing in flight refueling of bombers, fighters, ect.  Between September 1969 and March 1972, he served a total of 24 months in SE Asia in three tours.

 

In March of 1973 Arlen went into the Army Reserves.  He went to active duty Army in 1983 serving in various training capacities at bases across the U.S. for the rest of his career.

 

Arlen was in a VA office in Ft Still, OK filling out retirement papers when the attack of 9-11 occurred.  Arlen retired from Ft Leonard Wood as a Master Sargent E8 in April 2002 after serving our country for 35 years.