News

Freddie R. Hobson

E-4 Sergeant 1961-65

Served in the U.S. Air Force Security Service, Italy, 1962-63

Floyd James Radcliff Jr.

CPL U.S. Army Air Corps

Stationed in Guam during his service in World War II

Floyd James Radcliff Sr.

U.S. Army

Served in France during World War I.

Injured in the line of duty and received a Purple Heart.

Gordon K. Hoselton

U.S. Navy, 1951-55

USS Southerland (DDR-743)

Eight major battles including the Korean Conflict

Active duty 1955-60

Jerry A. Hedrick

USAF

Sept. 10, 1956 - Sept. 7, 1960

Lackland AFB, Keesler AFB Ona Point, Okinawa, Chicksands RAF, England

Veterans Day, which is celebrated annually on Nov. 11, commemorates the hardworking men and women who sacrifice their time and put themselves in harms way to defend the country’s core values of freedom and opportunity.

While Veterans Day certainly is a chance to honor those who have donned the uniform during wars and military installments, it also can be a chance to recognize the unsung heroes of wartime - those who step into roles so that soldiers and strategists can focus their attention elsewhere.

Memorial Stadium was rededicated in 2019 and the centerpiece of the event was the brick monument honoring the El Reno Public Schools students who paid the ultimate sacrifice from service to their country during World War II.

The monument listed the 44 known names of former students at that time. Since the dedication, new resources have opened up research that has uncovered more former students, raising the total to 82.

The additional names will be enshrined in a future planned expansion of the memorial to include other wars.

William Harvey Thrailkill Jr.

U.S. Air Force from 1965 to 1969.

Stationed at Tinker Air Force Base.

Served in Vietnam in January 1968, stationed in Nha Trang.

Worked on airplanes repairing recip engines.

Died March 25, 2020, from Agent Orange issues.

Jim Lane Phariss

U.S. Army

Korea

Dec. 1, 1952, to Sept. 18, 1954

Front Line 39th Parallel the day Armistice was signed

Larry Thomason

U.S. Army

March 1966 to March 1968

Location: Alabama and Vietnam