Stories
April 22nd
“I’m a proud Vietnam Veteran.”
Our team in Upstate South Carolina honored Frazier Wyatt, an Army veteran in hospice care with @Spartanburg Regional Hospice.
Frazier did basic training at Fort Jackson and trained to be a combat engineer at Fort Leonard Wood. He is a Vietnam veteran and earned a bronze star for valor in 1968.
Frazier married Geraldine in 1971. They have 3 children and one grandson. Frazier worked as a Maintenance Supervisor at Pet Dairy for 20 years. Then went on to work for International Paper. He retired in 2009.
Our honor ceremony included a presentation of several gifts and certificates of recognition in front of his family and friends. We honor your service, Sir.
April 7th
“A passion to serve.”
Glen Dodd joined the Navy in 1957. Trained to be a radar technician, he served on the Franklin D. Roosevelt aircraft carrier, with duty cruises in the Mediterranean and Caribbean oceans. After military service, with an ambition for enterprise, Glen started a business in Texas. Later the business moved to South Carolina.
Amazingly, when only in the 4th grade, Glen met the girl who would later become his wife. They married before he joined the Navy and have been together for 60 years.
Last Patrol volunteers recently visited with Glen, who is today in hospice care with @Pruitt Health Hospice. We conducted an honor ceremony for him and his family, honoring his military service and demonstrating that we owe him everlasting gratitude. Glen received several patriotic gifts and certificates, including a Congressional Letter from @Rep. William Timmons.
March 28th
“We fought for the man next to us.”
Last Patrol volunteers honored WWII Army Veteran Harold Koeplin. Harold was wounded in the Battle of Bulge. Today, while on his Last Patrol, he lives at the @Clemson Downs Retirement and Assisted Living Facility.
Harold was drafted into the Army in August of 1944. He served as an Army Rifleman and went to fight in Germany. He was wounded by a mortar shell during the Battle of Bulge and evacuated. In the hospital, Harold was shocked to find the actor Mickey Rooney in the bed next to him. “So when he got back rubs, so did I,” Harold explained with a smile.
After the war Harold graduated from Michigan State University and still follows the school’s sports teams. He was commissioned as an Army officer when he graduated. He went into the hospitality business and served 35 years as department head of Food Services in the General Motors Institute. Harold served again in the Army stateside during Korean War. Detroit Tigers baseball is a passion for him. He and his wife Lucille have four children and eight grandchildren.
March 10th
“Our whole family is grateful.”
Last Patrol volunteers, family, and friends celebrated the life and service of Winston, an Army veteran in home hospice care with @Heart of Hospice of the Upstate.
Winston was stationed in Germany in the 1960s. His military specialty was floating bridge construction. He joined the Army Reserves after active duty and worked his whole life in construction. He has three children and grandchildren.
America respects and honors his military service, and we owe him everlasting gratitude.
Sadly, within a few days of our ceremony, Winston passed away. His family’s love as we honored him was a beautiful thing to see.
February 27th
“Jimmy, you make us proud.”
Last Patrol volunteers rallied in Anderson, SC, to honor Jimmy Utley, an Army veteran in hospice care.
Jimmy was stationed in Germany during the Cold War.
After service, Jimmy used his military experience to get a job in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). He worked at many airports around the country, taking his family with him.
Our honor ceremony showed Jimmy and his family that we respect and honor his military service and that our country owes him everlasting gratitude. He received several patriotic gifts and recognition, including a Congressional Letter from @Congressionman Jeff Duncan.
Our ceremony was done in cooperation with @MSA Health and Hospice
February 13th
“We salute your service, Marine!”
Rudy is a Marine Corp veteran in hospice care in Columbia, SC. Family, friends, and Last Patrol volunteers gathered to honor him in his home. @MSA hospice, who is caring for him, joined us.
Rudy was born in Philadelphia in 1939. He enlisted in 1956 at the age of 18 to serve his country. Following military service, he went to work in the Philadelphia Havel Shipyard while attending college. After graduation, he became a computer engineer for Fisher & Porter. Employed there he went on to install computer systems in ships and aircraft around the world.
Rudy is married and has 3 children, 5 grandchildren, and 9 great grandchildren.
It was our privilege to honor Rudy with gifts and commendations as he proceeds on his Last Patrol.
January 21st
“He had a calling to serve.”
Ken is an Air Force veteran on his last patrol. We honored him on the edge of life’s midnight. A dozen Last Patrol volunteers attended our ceremony, conducted in cooperation with @Pruitt Hospice.
During his military service, Ken worked as an Aircraft mechanic, making Staff Sergeant before leaving the service. Afterwards, he worked as a civilian mechanic and entered the ministry. He married his sweetheart, Carlene, and they had 3 sons. She proceeded him to Post Everlasting. Kenneth retired from Greenville County, SC, after working many years with people with special needs.
Volunteers advanced one-by-one and saluted Ken. Service magnifies. Respect endures.
January 9th
“We are privileged to honor you, Sir.”
Last Patrol volunteers in Washington State honored Donnie Davis, a WWII veteran. Donnie grew up in Vermont. At 18, in 1944, we joined the Army Air Corp and was trained as a ball gunner on B-17 bombers.
He would go on the fly on 25 bombing missions with the 388th Bomb Group against Nazi Germany.
The B-17s flew during daylight for more precise targeting. The bombers would throw out clouds of aluminum foil strips to confuse the radar. They would fly at 20-25,000 feet to make it harder on the enemy fighters. The cabins were not pressurized so the crew members had to wear oxygen masks. The temperature was usually 20-50 degrees below zero. Their flight suits were like electric blankets to try to prevent frostbite.
The B-17s crews were the second highest casualties – 5 out of 10 men who flew on a B-17 in WWII were dead at the end of the war. (Only German Submariners were higher.)
Donnie still takes pride in his military service and was grateful for our honor ceremony, during which he received several items of special recognition and a shadow box with his earned medals.
