Aluncheon to show appreciation to Newcastle- area veterans was planned by the Newcastle Chamber of Commerce for Tuesday, May 27 — one day after Memorial Day.
With Newcastle resident and veteran Alan Davenport emceeing the program, two special veterans were pointed out and all veterans attending were recognized to the applause of those attending.
Davenport said one of the veterans he wanted to recognize is 2011 Newcastle High School graduate Josh Wesnidge. He is a guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
A second veteran receiving special recognition was 101-year-old World War II veteran Lonnie DaVoult (photo on this page).
Davenport said DaVoult was first trained to be a mechanic and worked on Jeeps. He then got into a discussion with his division officer, and all of a sudden he was transferred to the Signal Corps where he was delivering messages driving between headquarters and the front lines.
There, DaVoult came across the Dacha Concentration Camp, which was liberated by the U.S. Army Signal Corps. He was a part of this rescue, Davenport said.
When he heard about the
VETERANS on page 3 end of the War from an officer, DaVoult was within 45 miles of Hitler’s summer home.
VETERANS: Injured when Jeep hit land mine
Davenport also showed a photo and told a story about DaVoult hiding a little dog in his coat sleeve as he was coming home. When DaVoult arrived in New York, the soldiers were receiving milk cartons and the pup jumped out of his coat sleeve and is discovered drinking the milk. A photographer with a local Kentucky newspaper snapped a photo.
“America had a new media sweetheart,” Davenport said.
While the war was over in Europe, it still wasn’t over in the Pacific. Davenport said DaVoult then went to Corregidor island in Manila Bay. DaVoult was awarded several medals for his service. Davenport said when DaVoult’s Jeep hit a land mine, he was injured and received the Purple Heart.
DaVoult’s fellow veterans presented him with a new World War II hat, saying “Veterans Corner wants to give you a new hat for all that you’ve done.”
As a conclusion to the luncheon, Chamber of Commerce representative Jayna Kinnamon said, “Today is about honoring you guys — our heroes. It’s about saying, we see you and remember what you did for us. We remember what all the guys are doing right now. And we are so grateful. Thank you so much from all of us at Newcastle Chamber of Commerce.”
