Honoring Our Residents Who Served in the Military

David Corner 
Branch of Service: Army
Years Served: 1956-1958

David was drafted into the service, and spent two years in the Army. He was based at Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany near the Czechoslovakian border. David was a Chaplain’s assistant, and was also trained as a sniper. He says he was the #2 best shot among the local military personnel.

David was also appointed to be a part of the U.S. Atomic Cannon Division. The Atomic Cannon, often referred to by its nick name “Atomic Annie”, was an artillery piece specifically designed to fire a nuclear weapon. 

While serving in Germany, he enjoyed being the organizer of the Christian summer camp organized for the children of American service personnel.    

Edward Champagne
Rank: Petty Officer 2^nd Class
Branch of Service: Navy
Years Served: 1949-1953

Ed spent some of his time on an aircraft carrier, but was later assigned to the USS Sterlet, a WW II submarine that had been updated for the Korean War. He was part of the team that maintained the electrical and communication systems of the sub, so he spent most of his time in the boat’s control room.

During this training period, a scary incident occurred. Off the coast of San Francisco, a sub Ed was on started taking on water during a dive maneuver. Thanks to the quick thinking of the boat’s officers, the issue was quickly resolved.

Ed was based in Japan and got the opportunity to travel to many ports throughout his naval career. He believes that his experience in the Navy was the beginning of his lifelong love of travel.    

Hugh Farmer
Rank: E4
Branch of Service: National Guard
Years Served: 1963-1969

Hugh proudly served in the National Guard in two states, Alaska and Oregon. Even though Basic Training was tough, he appreciated the discipline that he learned during the experience. Because he was already serving as a National Guardsman, he did not have to go through the draft process.

Helen Fairley
Branch of Service: Navy
Years Served: 1944-1948

Helen is a member of the “Greatest Generation”, the men and women who served in the military during World War II. In 1943, a good friend persuaded Helen to join the Navy as a “WAVE” (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service). This Naval division was created to allow women to serve in the war effort, which freed up male sailors for sea duty.

Helen was assigned to the medical records department at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. When President Franklin D. Roosevelt died in 1945, Helen was one of the many service people who marched in his funeral procession.

Mark Baumgarden
Rank: E4
Branch of Service: Army National Guard
Years Served: 1985-1996

Mark proudly served in the Army National Guard for 11 years in The Dalles, OR. He was trained as a tank gunner, loader and driver. He was also very skilled as a TOW missile gunner and loader. Mark says of his experience at Boot Camp “I really liked it because it breaks you down and then trains you how to do things right.” One of the best parts of being in the military for Mark was that he had the opportunity to meet many different people.  

Thomas Moore
Rank: PFC (Private First Class)
Branch of Service: Army
Years Served: 1960-1963

Originally serving in upper state New York and later Arizona, Thomas soon found himself in Korea near the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone). He considers himself fortunate that during his 3 years in the Army, he only heard a single gunshot fired at the DMZ.

During a visit to Seoul, Thomas was invited to a local tea house to spend time with other local young people. However, he soon found out that the invitation was really a ploy to convince him to be a spy for the North Korean military! As soon as he discovered this, he quickly left the area!

Duane Knight
Rank: Lance Corporal
Branch of Service: Marines
Years Served: 1958-1962

Duane has many wonderful memories of his time in the USMC. He was young, in really good physical condition, and ready for whatever adventures awaited him. After Boot Camp, Duane went to Sea School and served on the USS Ticonderoga. He loved traveling to different parts of the world, such as Japan, Bangkok, and Hong Kong.

Duane became the orderly to the ship’s Captain, assisting him with everything he needed. His service time fell between the end of the Korean War and the start of the Vietnam Conflict.