Honoring All Who Served

Honoring All Who Served. . , Jefferson County’s men and women have answered their nation’s call to military service in war and peace. The monument in front of you is dedicated to all our honored veterans. Five of their stories are mentioned below., Luke Quinn,a Marine private, accompanied Col. Robert E. Lee to Harpers Ferry to suppress John Brown’s famous raid on the U.S. Armory. Quinn was killed October 18, 1859 when the Marines stormed the engine house seized by Brown and his men. , Quinn was not a Harpers Ferry resident but his grave now overlooks the Shenandoah River in St. Peter’s Cemetery on US 340., Frank Buckles (1901-2011) became the last surviving American “doughboy” of World War I. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1917 and drove ambulances near the front lines in France. While working as a civilian in the Philippines during World War II, he was captured by the Japanese. After spending three years as a prisoner of war Buckles returned to his home at Gap View Farm near Charles Town., Olen Glaize, U.S. Navy pilot, flew bombing missions over Japan from the aircraft carrier Shangri-La in 1945. On August 15, while attempting to land on his carrier, his plane crashed into the ocean. He was rescued by the destroyer USS Nicholas. After the war he served as Justice of the Peace in Charles Town, WV. , Glaize returned to duty during the Korean War, and was later assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Kearsarge as a naval fighter pilot. On October 2, 1953, he was killed in a midair collision while flying a Grumman F9F “Panther” jet over the South China Sea. His body was never recovered., Rev. George Pucciarelli , A Catholic priest, Pucciarelli served in the U.S. Navy Chaplain Corps. In May 1983 he deployed with the U.S. Marines to Beirut, Lebanon. On October 23, 1983, the Marine barracks was bombed, killing 241 servicemen. He attended to the soldiers during the aftermath of the bombing. , Rev. Pucciarelli also served as a Brigade Chaplain at the U.S. Naval Academy, Chaplain of the U.S. Marine Corps, and Chaplain of the U.S. Naval Security Group. For his dedication to duty, Pucciarelli was awarded the Legion of Merit., Harry Biller, Jr. , Chief Master Sergeant Biller served three tours of duty with the U.S. Air Force in Vietnam. He flew 50 combat missions as an aerial photographer aboard Douglas RB-26 and Fairchild C-123K transport aircraft. During his twenty years of active service. Biller was decorated many times. He is a member of the Harpers Ferry/Bolivar District Veterans Association, The USS Harpers Ferry, a Navy landing ship dock, was commissioned in January 1995. This modern warship honors Harpers Ferry proud military history., Jefferson County Veterans , Killed in Action or Prisoners of War , World War I – Five servicemembers , World War II – Fifty-six servicemembers , Korean War – Fifteen servicemembers , Vietnam War – Seven servicemembers , Gulf War – One servicemember, The Harpers Ferry/Bolivar District Veterans Association erected the Veterans Memorial here in February 1993. , Veterans Dixie Wiltshire and Paul Ranelli helped forge a strong relationship of respect and cooperation between the Veterans Association and the Harpers Ferry Middle School. From the ranks of these young people will come the defenders of our future. ,