ROLL CALL

WASILLA — Since the days of the Colonists, military veterans have earned respect and admiration from their Mat-Su Valley neighbors. And for going on 18 years, the physical manifestation of that esteem has been the Veterans’ Wall of Honor.

Dedicated Nov. 11, 1992, the wall recognizes those locals who have served and are serving in the U.S. military.

Its polished stone slabs are etched with the names of about 2,219 men and women, each one with a story of service and sacrifice.

Shane Woods … Clement R. Grenier … John Michalski Jr. …

Orville Gilman is one of those names, a World War II Navy veteran who spent 54 of his 60 months of duty during the war in the Pacific, said his wife, Gene Gilman.

Orville died nearly 12 years ago, but his wife still comes to the Veterans’ Wall of Honor to see his name and remember his service. Seeing the name of her husband of 56 years engraved on the wall “means our kids, all six of them, were thinking of dad” to put it there, she said.

“I’m terrible to talk to, because I always cry,” she choked. “He was a good dad and a great husband. I’m always out here just to make sure (the name) is still there. I like to run my hands over it.”

Orville was at Pearl Harbor when it was bombed by the Japanese Dec. 7, 1941. And while he didn’t talk to her much about his war experiences, she recalls one story.

“The only thing he ever told me was that the worst time he ever remembered was when they were landing (at an island in the Pacific),” Gene said. “He said when they came in the bodies were floating all around them, and he said it was the worst because there was nothing they could do.”

Elsie Sexton … Thomas Richards Sr. … Thomas Richards Jr. …

While Gene Gilman spent some time looking at her husband’s name on Memorial Day, Pvt. Jonathan Rhein was doing the same. A new enlistee in the Alaska Army National Guard, Rhein is preparing for his deployment to either Afghanistan or Djibouti, Africa.

Seeing the wall stirs feelings for his own family’s military legacy, Rhein said.

“All my grandparents served, from World War II to Vietnam,” he said. “All of them have served. I really want to thank them, but they all live down in the Lower 48. I called my grandpa this morning and he about cried when I thanked him for serving.”

Seeing more than 2,000 names on the Valley’s wall is impressive, he said. “I’m amazed at how many people have served in the military and how proud I am to serve along with them and hope that I can uphold their honor.”

James Plumley … Thomas M. Splan … John G. Hemmer …

Air Force veteran Hank Hartman’s name is on the wall, as is his father’s, Henry Hartman, who served in the Marines during World War II. Because the Valley’s wall lists all veterans, alive and deceased, families don’t have to wait for a death to see their loved ones immortalized, he said.

“I can go back and my father’s name is there on the wall, along with mine,” said Hartman. “I’m third generation military. A lot of pride is there (on the wall). The uniqueness of our wall here is it’s not just people who have passed away.”

Contact Greg Johnson at greg.johnson@frontiersman.com or 352-2269.