James Rada, Jr. While the stories of war are usually told from the perspective of the big picture—the generals, the strategies, the armies—Frederick County may soon have a museum dedicated to telling the stories of the Veterans who are seen only as numbers in the big picture. “I think there will be a lot of…

Medic John W. Bennett Survived Being KIA by Richard D. L. Fulton John W. Bennett was born (“at home”) on March 13, 1948, in Takoma Park, a Montgomery County suburb of Washington, D.C., to parents J.W. and Elmira Bennett. He graduated from Westminster High School.  Bennett subsequently met his wife Shirley (“on a blind date”).…

Colonel Bernard L. Talley, Jr. Former Mount Graduate and POW Bernard L. Talley Jr. was born on February 23, 1939, in Baltimore to parents Emma Louise Sheely and Bernard Leo Talley, Sr., and was the youngest of his parents’ three children. Talley was a graduate of Loyola High School, Towson, and was graduated in the…

Harvey Lee Wetzel From Erecting Bridges to Disarming Bombs by Richard D. L. Fulton Harvey Lee Wetzel was born in 1947 in Waynesboro to parents, Clarence and Elsie Wetzel, and he and his family lived in Thurmont, where Wetzel graduated from Thurmont High School in 1965. Wetzel presently resides in Indian Head, Maryland with his…

Deb Abraham Spalding You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Freedom isn’t free,” especially around Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Independence Day, as a reminder of the sacrifice others have made to protect our freedom. This past Memorial Day, the official dedication ceremony of the Moser Road bridge and Trolley Trail foot bridge in Thurmont to two…

James Rada, Jr. Thurmont servicemen Charles Pittinger and Woodrow Carbaugh were remembered last month when the Moser Road bridge was dedicated in their honor. However, their families will soon receive another remembrance. Kellen “Buck” Musser will paint portraits of the two young men for their families. Musser, 83, has been painting for 20 years. He…

On Tuesday, August 18, 2020, the bridge on Biggs Ford Road over the Monocacy River will be dedicated in memory of Sgt. Kenneth L. Krom who was killed in Vietnam on August 18, 1968. He lived on Sixes Bridge Road and graduated from Emmitsburg High School. Many of his friends are still in the Emmitsburg…

John Kinnaird Memorial Day means many things to many people. To some, it is the first weekend of the summer; to others, it’s a day off to spend with the family. To Joe Keller of 107 East Hammaker Street in Thurmont, Memorial Day is the day to remember his brothers in arms who died in…

Over the past 100 years, Roger Atkins has been on quite the adventure!Roger was born in the big city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on July 6, 1919. He recalled his first job, which was making nuts and bolts, followed by working at the Pittsburg Steel Mill. Roger is a graduate from Purdue, with a degree in…

by Jim Houck, Jr. Specialist 4th Class Thomas Eugene Joy 173rd Airborne Brigade Tom Joy was born on December 5, 1948, at Annie M Warner Hospital Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, to Austin L. and Catherine E. (Walter) Joy, and was taken home to live with them on East Main Street in Emmitsburg. Tom is the youngest member…

  by Jim Houck, Jr. Loren “Curly” W. Kruen     E-6 U.S. Navy (Retired) Loren was born to Lawrence W. and Clorence Kruen in a small town in Minnesota in the northeast corner named Edgerton, population approximately three thousand, a farming community. Curly grew up with two brothers, Donovan and Carroll “Buck”, and two…