Lifetime of Service

 
 
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Service in the United States Military is a lifetime commitment for many veterans. These brave veterans have dedicated their lives to not only their military careers, but also their educational careers, families, organizations, charities and some have even given the ultimate sacrifice. A lifetime of service should not only be seen as serving the military, but it should be viewed in all contexts. Service does not stop at separation; these veterans spent their lives dedicated to the individuals and communities around them. These veterans fought for their country regardless of the outcome of their service. They believed in their country and worked toward making a difference, frequently without caring about glory or without a thought about their personal well-being. The military has allowed many veterans to advance their careers by giving them professional training and the confidence to pursue their dreams.

 

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Dedicated to Denver Industry

Leo F. Arundale was born on January 31, 1892, in Grand Junction, Colorado. He was the oldest of three children and had a younger brother Thomas and a younger sister Elizabeth. Leo was born to William Arundale and Mary A. Riley.Unfortunately, Mary passed away by 1910, when Leo was just 18 and working as a farmhand in Grand Junction.Shortly after 1910, Leo moved from Grand Junction to Denver.

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A Jack of All Trades

When the United States entered World War II, thousands of men put their lives on hold and instead risked them to serve their country. Sherwin George Desens was one of these men, and his decision to enlist began a decades-long career of service that took him from the skies above Normandy down to a prison camp in his grandfather’s homeland.

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From Farm to Battlefield

When the United States entered World War II, thousands of men put their lives on hold and instead risked them to serve their country. Sherwin George Desens was one of these men, and his decision to enlist began a decades-long career of service that took him from the skies above Normandy down to a prison camp in his grandfather’s homeland.

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Col. Sherwin George Desens
Col. Sherwin George Desens

When the United States entered World War II, thousands of men put their lives on hold and instead risked them to serve their country. Sherwin George Desens was one of these men, and his decision to enlist began a decades-long career of service that took him from the skies above Normandy down to a prison camp in his grandfather’s homeland.

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Three Decades of Faithful Service
Three Decades of Faithful Service

Harold John Gebhart was born to Bernard and Frances Gebhart on January 1, 1920 in Holy Cross, Iowa. He was the youngest of his four brothers: Chico, Arthur, Ervin, and Zeno

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A Lithuanian Immigrant Became an American Hero
A Lithuanian Immigrant Became an American Hero

It takes great strength and character to dedicate a portion of one’s life to serve in the American military. It takes even greater integrity and grit to serve in three global conflicts: World War Two, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Though Albert Abelson and his Jewish family faced many challenges while they lived in Lithuania, he became an American hero.

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A Pillar of His Community
A Pillar of His Community

George Goll served in the Union Army during the Civil War from 1862 through his discharge in 1865. A member of the Ohio Infantry Regiment, George fought the Confederacy for three years as an artillery soldier, ultimately receiving severe wounds and an honorable discharge in April of 1865.

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Colorado’s Leading Lung Doctor
Colorado’s Leading Lung Doctor

A man who dedicated both his professional and military career to the study of medicine, Dr. John Isadore Zarit was a leading specialist in the treatment of lung disease. Having served in both World Wars and achieved the rank of Major, Dr. Zarit was well suited for the many responsibilities that awaited him in civilian life.

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Hero of the Frozen Chosin
Hero of the Frozen Chosin

During wartime, young people are often asked and expected to perform acts of unimaginable heroism. Gerald Kraus was one such young man who went above and beyond what was asked of him when enlisted in the Marines at just twenty years old, after the North Korean invasion of South Korea in 1950.

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From the Heart of Texas to a Purple Heart Recipient
From the Heart of Texas to a Purple Heart Recipient

Emiliano E. Gimeno, born to Emiliano Jimeno Campuzano and Marcelina Fuentes Espinoza de Jimeno of Mexico, on January 24, 1921, served in the United States Navy during the Second World War.

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Captain Al
Captain Al

After high school, Alivan Compton Rea would join the Colorado Air National Guard, the aerial militia and reserves for the Air Force. After a few years serving in the Guard, Al enlisted in the Air Force. He worked as an Instructor, a Military Policeman, a Toe Target Operator, and a Firefighter during his time in service.

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A U.S Veteran Dedicated to Ending Unemployment among All Veterans
A U.S Veteran Dedicated to Ending Unemployment among All Veterans

For many veterans, their service and association with the United States military is complete when their duties in a particular conflict are finished. But this was decidedly not the case for Mel Cooper.

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“He told all our friends I was dead!”
“He told all our friends I was dead!”

While twentieth-century conflicts like World War II and the Vietnam War remain embedded in the American cultural consciousness, the Korean War has often been described as “forgotten” for its relative lack of representation and acknowledgment despite costing the lives of 36,914 American servicemen and an estimated 2,661,509 Korean civilians.

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A Bird’s Eye View of Both World Wars
A Bird’s Eye View of Both World Wars

As the Great War continued on and the United States decided to enter the conflict, many men across the country registered for the draft, including Ralph Frederick Jerome.

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Civil Engineer in the Navy
Civil Engineer in the Navy

Bradford Bowker started his service in the Navy on October 15, 1940. In his early military life, just around the time before World War II, Bowker was a lieutenant in the Philippines helping build / rebuild airstrips in unsafe distance from enemy fire and territory. Bowker later made the rank of rear-admiral for the Seabees.

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A Teacher of Soldiers and Students
A Teacher of Soldiers and Students

Master Gunner James Ralston Orris was a remarkable American. Serving his country in the Great War in the United States Army, he continued his contribution to this country by learning and educating others on the studies of Chemistry.

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A Gifted Communicator
A Gifted Communicator

Master Seargent Michael Wetzel committed his entire military and private sector career towards helping others by communicating the latest information through a variety of means. First working as a legal affairs clerk, and then a broadcaster, Mike spent nearly 25 years serving his country both overseas and at home.

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Strength of Spirit
Strength of Spirit

Throughout his time of service, Timothy Klibbe was awarded the Airborne Wings, Army Commendation Medal, and the Iraq Expert Infantry Badge, among other accolades.

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A Woman of Many Firsts
A Woman of Many Firsts

In 1942, Dorothy L. Starbuck joined the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) and was stationed at Lowry Army Airfield in Colorado. There she acted as a commanding officer to a company of photo analysts. The creation of WAAC was a defining moment in gender roles in the United States. Women worked in hundreds of fields, like military intelligence and cryptography.

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Life-Long Nurse
Life-Long Nurse

Madeliene enlisted in the Navy, serving in the Navy Nurse Corps at the Great Lakes Naval Hospital until her discharge as Ensign in the naval reserve in 1951. In 1941, there were only 1,700 nurses in the navy. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, their numbers increased greatly and by 1945, there were over 11,000 nurses in the navy

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A Jewish Hero of World War II
A Jewish Hero of World War II

As an American soldier in World War II, Charlie Levy was a part of the 20th Armored Division, a division of the United States Army led by General Orlando Ward. He served as a sergeant tank commander.

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Pinoy and Proud
Pinoy and Proud

As Asian Americans reckon with a wave of anti-Asian hate in the wake of COVID-19, honoring the forgotten stories of Filipino veterans acts as a healing reminder of what it means to be Pinoy and American.

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Marine and JROTC Instructor
Marine and JROTC Instructor

Archie Robinson served with the Marine Corps for around 30 years. When Archie Robinson first enlisted, he was treated differently due to racism and racial discrimination.

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Julianna Beckert