Two Wood County men were inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame today. Army veteran David Ridenour was in Columbus to accept the award, and Navy veteran David Chilson was honored posthumously.
Following is the information on both men shared by the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame.
Ridenour is a man of action whose nearly 50 years of service have greatly contributed to his community, including his alma mater Bowling Green State University. He led efforts to research and fund updates for the BGSU Memorial Hall of Fallen Heroes, resulting in the addition of the names of 34 BGSU students who died in service to our country.
To further foster honor for the fallen, Ridenour directed the placement of POW/MIA chairs at BGSU sports venues. He helped form the BGSU Army ROTC Alumni Society in 2003 – serving as president since its inception – and served on the BGSU Veterans Memorial Committee.
Ridenour, 72, vigorously served veterans while on the Wood County Veterans Service Commission, acting as president for 15 of those years. He served in multiple leadership positions with the Ohio State Association of Veterans Service Commissioners and on the American Legion Buckeye Boys State staff, where he was elected to the Board of Trustees and has served as vice president.
In addition, Ridenour served on the Strategic Planning Committee to develop a Veterans Service Office Manual for use in all 88 Ohio counties. In his spare time, he has participated in parades and demonstration rides with Rolling Thunder and has served as an Honor Flight Guardian.
A Vietnam veteran with a talent for photography, Ridenour published a book of images he captured during a return trip to the country in 2013. He has often shared these images and associated experiences at events and exhibitions. He also has advocated for other veteran artists, creating the first Veterans Art Exhibit of Northwest Ohio to feature their artwork.
Chilson was born in Schenectady, New York, in 1947; and grew up in Lyndhurst, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland. He graduated from Brush High School and Wittenberg University before earning both a master’s and doctoral degree from Bowling Green State University.
After a lengthy and distinguished military career, he retired as a Captain from the Naval Reserve in 1996. David also was a professor of computer science at BGSU from 1978 until his retirement in 2009.
At Bowling Green, he brought recognition to the ROTC programs and was a well-respected mentor to many students and cadets. He helped create the BGSU Student Veteran task force and served on the school’s Veterans Memorial Committee as well as boards for the Army and Air Force departments. He also oversaw the placement of five POW/MIA Chairs of Honor at various athletic venues on campus.
Chilson never lost sight of the magnitude of his service and the importance of aiding the community. He was an active member of the American Legion, served as president of both the local Kiwanis Club and the BGSU Retirees Association, was a Brush High School Alumni Association trustee, and was a deacon at First Presbyterian Church in Bowling Green.
Chilson was passionate about serving as guardian for numerous Honor Flights. He also was a board member for Honor Flight of Northwest Ohio and spearheaded fundraising efforts to bring in more than $500,000 for the organization.
Chilson was inducted into BGSU’s Army ROTC and Air Force ROTC Halls of Fame. He passed away in July 2017 at the age of 69, leaving behind a legacy of selfless service to others.
