MEMORIAL DAY BARBECUE – Hatfield American Legion Post 344 will hold a Memorial Day BBQ on Sunday, 2:30 p.m. at the Lions pavilion on Main Street. The menu will include barbecued chicken, baked potato, baked beans, slaw, dessert, coffee, and soft drinks. BYOB. Tickets are $15 sold in advance only. Call 247-9520.
PATRIOTIC CONCERT – The New Valley Singers present “America, The Beautiful,” June 5 at 3 p.m. at Easthampton Congregational Church, 112 Main St., Easthampton. Tickets are $5 in advance, $7 at the door. Active duty military and veterans get in free. For tickets call Carol at 786-7796, or Eric at 530-5718.
SUBMARINE VETS: The Western Mass Submarine Veterans meet at the World War II Club on Conz Street, Northampton at 2 p.m. on the third Sunday of each month.
All submariners are encouraged to come down and meet former shipmates. For more information call Gene Kozash at 527-9578.
Following is a list of local veterans whose obituaries appeared in the Gazette between May 12 and 26. The information given here about their service is what was provided in each obituary.
Robert “Bob” Wellman, 83, Amherst, d. May 8; he was drafted into the Army during the Korean War.
William Lee Holladay, 89, Amherst, d. May 6; he served as a chaplain’s assistant in the Army.
Everett Robert Pratt, 75, Easthampton, d. May 11; he served in the Army Reserves for six years.
Michael F. Winskye, 68, Brownfield, Maine, formerly Greenfield, d. May 17; a veteran of the U.S. Army, Michael served in combat during the Vietnam War, and was honorably discharged in 1969.
Dr. Edwin A. Gere Jr., 93, Leverett, d. May 15; was a student at Alfred University when World War II broke out. He left school to join the Army Air Force, attended flight school in Texas, and became a B-24 pilot assigned to the 7th Air Force flying missions in the South Pacific, including numerous missions against the Japanese home islands late in the war.
Among many other decorations and citations, he was awarded three Air Medals and the Purple Heart for wounds received in combat.
He was recalled by President Truman to fly in the Berlin Airlift, often called the greatest humanitarian mission in human history. He flew 184 missions bringing life-saving supplies to the besieged people of West Berlin, beginning a lifelong bond with that city and its citizens.
Following his active duty, he earned a master’s degree in political science from Penn State and later a doctorate in political science from SUNY Albany.
John M. Gallagher Jr., 83, Amherst, d. May 20; he proudly served his country in the U.S. Army from 1955 to 1957.
Jung Si Jung, 73, Hadley, d. May 20; he served honorably in the Vietnam War as a sergeant for the Republic of Korea Army for two tours from 1965 to 1968, alongside U.S. forces, and was awarded a War Veteran Merit Certificate from the President of South Korea, Myung-Bak Lee, in 2009.
Joseph M. Kaminski, 83, Easthampton, d. May 16; he was a Korean War veteran serving in the U.S. Army where he had been awarded a Korean Service Medal with a Bronze Star, a Presidential Unit Citation and a United Nations Service Medal.
James Bak, 60, Northampton, d. May 19; he proudly served his country in the U.S. Army from 1974 to 1976 when he was honorably discharged and returned home.
Christopher P. Zeitler, 80, Hatfield, d. May 23; he served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War as a military policeman.
Thomas Edwards Harvey, 93, Chesterfield, d. May 19; he served in the U.S. Navy Seabees during World War II and obtained the rank of petty officer second class. His service was in the South Pacific in the Solomon and Philippine Islands.
Lionel A. Laprade, 91, Easthampton, d. May 24; he was a World War II veteran serving with the U.S. Marine Corps.
Veterans Voice appears twice each month. Readers are encouraged to submit announcements, questions, story ideas, military photos with captions and other materials of interest. Send submissions to Veterans Voice, c/o Brenda Nelson, Daily Hampshire Gazette, Box 299, Northampton, MA. 01061; or email bnelson@gazettenet.com.