Veterans Day, on Nov. 11, will be celebrated in Bowling Green, starting with flags being placed downtown by the Bowling Green American Legion Post 45. Members will start posting flags at 6:30 a.m. and retire them at 6 p.m.
The Veterans Day ceremony at the Wood County Courthouse Memorials is planned for 11 a.m. – though the memorials have been removed for refurbishing, replacing and additions. In order to remember all those honored by these memorials, there will be a reading of all the names of Wood County residents who have lost their lives in service to the nation.
The list of 844 residents will be read by Mary Hanna, Tom Rucker, Vern Hansen, John Fawcett, Becky Dettmer, Joel Burg, Greg Robinette, Joe Fawcett, Nick Zeedyk, and Jane Ridenour.
Of the 844 names, 524 were casualties of the Civil War when the population of Wood County in 1860 was 17,886.
Approximately 2,456 from Wood County served in the Civil War. The service and sacrifice of Wood Countians in the fight to end slavery is truly humbling, said David Ridenour, of the American Legion post.
The list for the other conflicts include one from the Spanish American War, 62 in WWI, 192 in WWII, 16 in the Korean War, 34 in Vietnam, four in the Persian Gulf Wars, and 10 others who died in service during the Cold War and in other than armed conflict.
Special recognition will go to the late Richard Conrad for his extensive research in identifying all those from the county who served in the Civil War. Joe Boyle, Rob Eaton, Harold Brown, Dick Juergens, and David Ridenour contributed to the verification and identification of the names from the other eras.
Herb Dettmer will serve as chaplain for the ceremony; and the National Anthem will be sung by Whitney Bechstein. The 14th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Civil War re-enactors will fire a rifle salute followed by the playing of “Taps” by a BGHS band member.
