How Merced and other Areas are Honoring those who Served

All around the nation, and right here in Merced County, the service and sacrifice of our soldiers who served the nation’s military is being recognized at Veterans Day.

In the City of Merced, a sign honoring Air Force Colonel Wayne Bolte was put up by a City work crew back in the spring of 2020. Colonel Bolte’s son Mark read a biography of his dad at a City Council meeting in May.

Wayne Bolte’s plane crashed in Vietnam in 1972. At the time, he was listed as Missing in Action. A search for remains proved unsuccessful.

Wayne was a Major at the time of the mission. He was promoted to Colonel following the incident. He is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii.

For an unknown reason, Colonel Bolte was not included in the original eighty signs that were placed along M Street (also known as Veterans Boulevard) in the City. He lived in Merced and was stationed at Castle Air Force Base.

At the time the original signs were put up in 2018, the City said more names would be added as City staff, working with local veterans groups, verified other Merced residents who were killed in action.

Once again, the community will honor the men and women who served in our military with a special Veterans Day tradition.

In Merced County, Merced College’s Yosemite Avenue frontage will be the sight of the Field of Honor. Hundreds of American Flags honoring area veterans will be set up.

Merced Sunrise Rotary has been organizing the event for the past few years. Some activities associated with the Field of Honor, such as the Race for the Fallen 5 K run at Merced College, have been called off this year due to the concerns raised over COVID-19.

At least one runner from last year plans to do the 5 K anyway in support of veterans.

I’m particularly proud of what the people in my hometown of Port Leyden, New York are doing to honor veterans.

Funds are being solicited right now to purchase banners that will hang on utility poles throughout this village of six-hundred residents.

Those banners will honor dozens of veterans whose families and friends are supporting the effort.

In the Newvine family, banners will honor Specialist Four William Newvine. Billy served in Vietnam and returned home in 1967. He died tragically in a car accident in May 1968 within months of leaving the Army.

My other uncle, Jim Newvine served in the Korean War. Jim is the oldest son of my grandparents Art and Vera.

One generation beyond, my great uncles Chester and Charles Dean served in World War II. Charlie fought from Italy and returned home to raise a family. Chester died in a training accident, detailed in a column I wrote in May.

It pleases me that each of these four family members will be honored with banners in the project going on in my hometown.

For our veterans, recognition was never sought. But these displays of honor are no doubt appreciated by those still living.

For those who have passed on, banners and flags help keep memories alive among those left behind.

These are ways for communities to show the sacrifices of their soldiers will never be forgotten.