Tuesday, May 19, 2009
World War II soldier honored for service
Have you heard?
JoAnne Poindexter
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Archive
While William Story of Moneta and his wife, Dianne, recently returned from a military induction ceremony, several Roanoke Valley residents completed basic training and overseas duty.
Story, an 87-year-old Canadian native, and other members of the 1st Special Service Force were inducted as distinguished members of the regiment during the 2009 Special Forces Symposium in Fayetteville, N.C. The Army Special Forces Command and the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School held the induction to honor the patriotism and extraordinary service of the 1st Special Service Force.
Story said 42 of the surviving 43 1st Force members attended the ceremony and banquet in their traditional blue blazers.
From his home in Moneta, Story talked about his World War II experience with the Devil's Brigade, a joint American-Canadian commando unit that was organized in 1942 and airborne-trained at Fort William Henry Harrison in Montana. The brigade fought in the Aleutian Islands, Italy and southern France before being disbanded in December 1944.
Story, who was a sergeant, said the men had intensive training in climbing mountains and amphibious operations.
He finished the war with the Canadian Parachute Battalion as part of the 6th British Airborne Division and entered the University of Manitoba and then the University of Chicago. Before moving to the Smith Mountain Lake area in 1992, Story worked with U.S. Steel Corp., a daily trade paper, the Institute of Scrap Iron and Steel and the Public Relations Society of America. He's also executive director emeritus of the 1st Special Force.
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Army National Guard Sgt. Sasa Ackar has returned to his assignment with the 444th Adjutant General Human Resources Company in Pittsburgh, Pa., after serving at an overseas base in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
He is the son of Mehmed and Ifeta Ackar of Roanoke and a 2003 graduate of William Fleming High School.
Army Capt. Christopher Cheagle has assumed command of the Moncrief Army Community Hospital Medical Company.
Cheagle is a medical company commander with 13 years of military service and is the son of Al Smith of Roanoke and Dorothy Cheagle of Sumter, S.C.
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Airman Matthew Amonett has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.
Amonett is the son of Kimberly Reburn of Roanoke and a 2003 graduate of William Byrd High School.
Airman Richard Nimmo has completed basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.
Nimmo is the son of Richard Nimmo of Vinton and Tammy Nimmo of Moneta. He is a 2004 graduate of William Byrd High School.
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Navy Seaman Apprentice Austin Giles was promoted to his current rank after graduating from training at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Ill.
Giles received an early promotion for outstanding performance during training that included classroom study and practical instruction.
Giles, a 2008 graduate of Staunton River High School, is the son of Christopher Giles of Moneta.
