Gold Star Contributors ($1000+)

• Raymond Smith in memory of Sylvester “Sally” Smith
• Carl Petronio
• Eric Whittleton in memory or Arthur R. Whittleton
• CACI, Inc.

Silver Star Contributors ($100-$999):

• Sons of the American Legion Squadron # 204
• David G. Thom (Dave’s Plumbing & Heating)
• Bill & Betty Menz
• Ron Whittleton in memory of Alfred (Butch) Whittleton
• Ron, Kathy, Jillian & Jim Iorio in memory of Alfred “Butch” Whittleton
• Robert Garrett in honor of Eugene & Thomas Garrett
• John & Maureen Anderson
• James & Margaret Lustumbo
• Lee & Virginia Roberts
• Paul Shibelski in honor or Ray Shibelski
• Stanley Kubatek in honor of Francis Kubatek
• Earl E. Coon in honor of Earl F. Coon
• Terry Coon, Tricia Parish & Nicki Piedmont in honor of Earl E. Coon, Jr.
• Lynne Stewart in honor of Glenn Stewart
• Lissa Stewart Jones in honor of Glenn Stewart
• James Johnson in honor of Sally Johnson
• Cathleen Fox in honor of Robert J. Raymondjack
• Jr. Wilson’s Sportsmans Club
• Christopher Mitchell Funeral Home, Inc. in honor of Rho B. Mitchell
• American Veterans Club Inc. # 4635
• Paul Grout (The Medicine Shoppe)
• Robert & Betty Garrett in honor of Don, Dick, Gene & Tom Garrett
• Richard H. Glass in honor of MAJ James Balcerzack, MAJ James Crowley, PSG John Walsh, PSG Al Schmitt, SFC Donald McElwee, SFC Richard Callard, SGT Richard Viza, SGT David Zinkievich
• Charlie & Sue Slack
• Frederick & Linda Root in memory of George R. Bacon Jr.
• Mr. & Mrs. Jerit Van Auker
• Teresa Parada
• Joan Raymondjack in memory or Robert Raymondjack
• David & Linda Pratt in memory of Hollis Pratt & Robert Raymondjack
• Dorothy Breitsman in memory of Willis Breitsman, Sr.
• Mary Beth Germano, Lynne Menz, Tam Menz & Tim Menz in honor of William Menz
• Joseph J. Franklin, Jr. in memory of Willis J. Breitsman, Sr. & Joseph J. Franklin, Sr.
• Mary, Tom, Jeff & Steve Winans in memory of Bob Winans
• Ann McElwee in memory of Donald McElwee
• Barton G. Smith
• James & Linda Freas
• Pam Misiti
• Patricia & Ron Winans
• Dr. Richard & Mrs. Linda Olsan in memory of Alfred, John & Gertrude Brust, Luther C. Rush & Col. James J. Ferris
• Thomas Fenton/Fenton Building Services in memory of Frank Fenton
• Bea Cook in memory of Roy F. Cook
• Bud & MaryAnn O’Brien

Bronze Star Contributors ($10-$99):

• Ray Guzik in memory of Louis Buttons, WWI
• David & Martha Foster
• Bessie Pritchard
• Ruth Fenton
• David & Janet Sanford in memory of Lloyd W. Sanford
• Beverly Hewitt
• Josephine Fortunato in memory of Louis DeTroya
• Lorraine W. Root
• Richard Crowley
• Terry & Marge Houseman in memory of Robert “Rabbit” Raymondjack
• Willie Guzik
• Marlene Skinner in memory of John & Anthony Biernacki
• Martha Fraczak in memory of Stanley “Slats” Fraczak, John & Anthony Biernacki
• Donald Bensley
• Beatrice Cook in memory of Roy F. Cook
• Lettie Davey
• John & Patricia Morton, Linda Kaye Fraser, Brenda Loraine Fraser, Marcia F. Graczyk in memory of Keith Fraser
• Ellyn & Greg Macconnell in memory of Alfred “Butch” Whittleton
• John Napoleon
• Helen B. Morien in memory of Thomas E. Morien, Sr.
• David & Jean Wetherbee
• Joseph G. Frazier, Attorney at Law
• Allan & Patti Bushover in memory of Charles A. Peters
• David & Janice Wells in honor of all who served
• Thomas & Helen Hickey in memory of G. Hinckley
• James Johnson in honor of Earl E. Coon
• David Marciniak
• Edith Benthin
• Alice Zacher
• Vito & Louise Misiti
• Caroline Bailey & Douglas George in honor of William Russell
• George & Linda Smith (Old Mill Run) in honor of Howard R. Gardner
• Donna Miller in honor of Howard R. Gardner
• Mr. & Mrs. Russell Mondo
• Joe & Ada Grabowski
• Helen Muchow in honor of William E. Muchow
• Robert & Joanne Bracey
• John & Eileen McElwain
• Barbara S. Cotriss in honor of Ed Cotriss
• Rita V. Fox in honor of John Tomelka, Stanley Swiatek, Vincent & Robert Raymondjack
• John F. Harrington
• Mr. & Mrs. Robert Simpson
• Michael & Diane Mazur
• Helen Pettit in honor of John C. Pettit
• John & Maryann Underdown in honor of George M. Underdown
• Lt. James J. Scibetta in honor of the men of Company C 174th Infantry
• Dave & Anita Traxler (OEMS) in honor of PO 2nd Class Douglas Traxler
• Julia Ryan in honor of Robert Ryan
• Lelia Brazzell in honor of the Boys of Company F
• Richard Bensley
• Mr. & Mrs. Larry Passerell
• Pedro Vargas
• Jack Wagner
• George Brege
• Ruth & Donald Pritchard
• Kennth & Rose Kirkpatrick in honor of Theodore Kirkpatrick
• David & Debbie Felts in honor of Bernard Parada
• Robert Fuller
• Mrs. Bernice Taylor in honor of Robert Raymondjack
• Arthur & Donna Dean Mruczek in honor of Walter Mruczek & Donald Dean
• Ron & Roberta Furness
• Paul & & Pam Nowak
• Richard & Margaret Furness
• Mr. & Mrs. Dan Peters
• Mr. & Mrs. Robert Waters
• Thomas Pegelow, Sr. in memory of Wallace Pegelow Sr.
• Kasmier Szulis
• Robert & Joyce Wilson
• Elizabeth Mielcarek
• Donald Myhill
• Leonard Balcerzak in honor of Men of Company F
• MaryAnn Kelly & Family in honor of Joseph E. Balcerzak
• Sophie & Leon Morien in honor of Leon R. Morien
• Barbara Filipiak
• Thomas & Helen Hickey in honor of Howard C. Hinckley
• Alonzo & Marian Evans
• Pat & Bob Fox (Garden View Bed & Breakfast) in honor of Eddie O’Brien
• Joycelyn A. Jennings in honor of all who served for Medina
• Mack & Pace
• David & Janice Wells in honor of all who served
• Bruce & Darlene Bozard (Bozards Vegetables)
• Margaret Delahanty
• Dick & Barb Dunham (Dunham Farms) in honor of Michael Dunham USMC
• Jewell Buckman American Legion Post 529
• Katherine Bogan Esq. attorney at law in honor of Michael Songer, Korean war veteran
• Jim & Cindy Robinson & family (Medina Veternary Clinic)
• Hannah Pollard Brandt, Susan F. Martin & Libby Pollard-Woodroe in honor of Lt Col Henry G. Pollard & SSGT Paul T. Pollard USANG
• Lance Mark, PLLC
• Francis D. Magner
• Pilon Construction
• Gordon & Sandy Smith
• Beverly Hewitt Family in memory of Nicholas P. Iorio, Herman Iorio & Herman Iorio, Jr.
• Mr. & Mrs. David Callard
• Richard & Eunice Castricone
• Thomas & Mary Montgomery
• David & Patricia Wheeler
• Joan & Orren Roberts
• Concetta Maryjanowski in memory of George F. Maryjanowski
• Lavern Fuller
• Clayton Ehrenreich III
• Corrine & Jonathan Fenton in memory of George F. Maryjanowski
• Jonathan & Katherine Fenton in memory of George F. Maryjanowski
• Gloria Kenyon Collins & Raymond Roehner
• Janet & Gene Rook
• Mabel & Andrew Jamele
• H. Burton Entrekin
• Henry & Anna Valerych in memory of Joseph Schiavone
• Mary Herbert in memory of her father, Mr. Keppler
• Lawrence Slattery in memory of Francis Slattery
• Donald Myhill in memory of Homer Gage
• Kirk Myhill in memory of Homer Gage
• James & Carol Comfort in memory of the Comfort & Cotriss Families
• Frederick & Sherrill Cavers
• John & Rosemarie Story
• James & Harriet Nashwenter
• Dick Washak
• Frank & Mary Lewandowski

Company F NY National Guard, Pearl Street Armory, Pre-World War II: From 1937-39, the young boys of the small rural canal town of Medina, NY had no idea that the winds of war were gathering in Europe, the Pacific Rim and Asia. These American lads and their families were recovering from the Depression years of the early 1930s. One source of income or part time monies was to join the New York State National Guard earning them $1 per each day of military training. Another important reason was that to be “in the Guard” was to be part of a Fraternal Group. Within the walls of this magnificent sandstone fortress, besides military discipline, was basketball on the huge wooden drill floor, indoor baseball, boxing, wrestling and billiard parlors. The enlisted men had their own private recreation room with pool tables and card tables, separate from the NCOs and the commissioned officers quarters.

The members of Company F were of a competitive nature based on their ethnic heritage. You had a good mixture of Polish, Italian and Irish descendents of the immigrants that settled in Orleans County due to the construction of the Erie Canal. Excavating the canal exposed the huge sandstone deposits formed millions of years ago. This opened a new industry of quarrying the great building material, that the hardy stone masons carved and chiseled. The second generation were members of Sacred Heart, Saint Marys and the small rural school houses throughout the community. They met on neighborhood sandlots competing against each other in baseball and football. It was carried from the rural neighborhoods to high school & varsity level competition between Albion, Lyndonville, Middleport and regional communities. The quarries proved to be great swimming holes as was the canal. These same areas also made great fishing, trapping and hunting grounds along Oak Orchard River where young lads enjoyed their boyhood. 

Company F Serving in World War II:  On 14 October 1940, Company F received their federal orders to active military service. They marched with great fanfare from the Pearl Street Armory through the Village of Medina to the railroad station where they embarked on the train to Fort McClellan, Alabama. In Alabama, the ranks were filled with addional draftees from all over the US.

For the next year, these young men trained in infantry warfare. In early December 1941, Company F, along with the 108th Infantry were assigned to the Phillipine Islands. 7 December 1941 found them in California. Co. F and the 108th were directed to the Hawaiian Islands where they took up defensive positions guarding the Islands.

When Company F left Medina, among their ranks were 11 sets of brothers. During the early part of the war, 14 original members of the Company F were reassigned to leadership training, some officer candidate school (OCS) and others as non-commissioned officer (NCO) training. After their training, they were given new assignments around the world. Individuals went to North Africa, Sicily, Italy, South France, Normandy ( D-Day), Alaska, China-Burma, etc. The original Company F fought in the Pacific Islands (Guadal Canal, New Britain, Caledonia, Luzon and Leyte, Phillipine Islands.)

Casualties of Company F during World War II included:

• John E. Butts: KIA 1 week after D-Day; received Medal of Honor posthumously
• Howard F. Clark: KIA, Italy, received Silver Star
• Wesley H. Gray: KIA , Pacific Theater
• Edwin L. O’Brian: KIA, Pacific Theater
• Herbert C. Tanner: KIA , Pacific Theater

Died from medical reasons while in service to their country, WWII:

• Anthony C. Biernacki
• Anthony J. Castricone
• George F. Stalker

Prisoners of War (POW) of Company F captured at the fall of the Phillipine Islands (prior enlistment to WWII) and died in captivity:

• Corporal Leo Robert Shannon
• Corporal Francis W. Hickey
• Corporal Charles A. Peters
• Private First Class Edward T. Majeski

Decommissioning the Medina Armory, 1977: Company C of the 174th Armored Infantry trained during the 30 years (1947-1977) during the “Cold War”, decommissioning in 1977, thereby vacating the Pearl Street Armory due to consolidation efforts. (See the Journal entry “The Day the Flag Came Down” written by Lt. Col Richard Glass.)

Armory Action Committee: A group of concerned citizens, realizing the value of the vacant facility, rose to the occasion to brainstorm ideas for the future of this historical and massive structure. This group of approximately 30-40 dynamic volunteers was recognized as the Armory Action Committee. (This writer was an original member.) In 1979, they created an opportunity for a very successful program to occupy the facility…the Lake Plains YMCA.

The Medina Sandstone Society, 2004: Fast forward 30 years later and the call went out again. Some of the ‘Old Timers” were reactivated under the same leadership of Bob Waters & Charles Slack. Our new title as the Medina Sandstone Society (MSS) took on the mission to save the building from the ravages of 110 years of Western NY weather which had taken it’s toll. An engineering report revealed that this magnificant sandstone structure is in dire need of mortar repointing, roof repairs, window reconstruction, plastering the interior and painting. Furthermore, the gutter system and roof drainage system requires attention.

Furthermore, the Medina Sandstone Society’s mission is to set up a trust fund for the legacy of the Village of Medina.

Company F Memorial Committee, 2007: During many meetings, the history of the 4 military units of Company F was discussed and questions raised as to why there is no monument honoring our local “Pearl Street Armory” servicemen’s service to the US. Therefore, the Company F Monument Committee was formed between the MSS and Orleans County Joint Veterans Council, whose purpose is to bring a memorial to fruition and to honor our soldiers, from the battle fields of the Spanish American War (1898), Mexican American Border Incursion (1916), World War I (1917) and World War II (Company F time of service, Oct. 1940 to 1946).

Company F Committee Members include: 

• Chairman Bill Menz: member of Company C prior to 2 years active duty, Sergeant 1st Class; retired journeyman/plasterer & member of the Armory Action Committee and Medina Sandstone Society.
• Jim Freas: Marine Corp Vietnam Veteran and current Commander of Orleans County Joint Veterans Council, Commander of Butts-Clark American Legion and Lincoln Post VFW.
• Donald Bensley: WWII Navy Veteran, returning to Company C 174^th Infantry as Maintenance Supervisor and 1^st Sergeant of Company C, then rose to Command Sergeant Major and Supervisor of Armories in Buffalo, NY.
• Lt Col Richard Glass: Final Company C Commander of the detachment that closed out the Medina Armory; retired History Teacher
• Joe Franklin: Vietnam Veteran as Chief Warrant Officer 2; forced landed his helicopter behind enemy lines in Laos. Son of Joe Franklin, Sergeant-WWII and grandson of Willas Brietsman, 1st Sergeant-WWI & WWII
• Carl Petronio: member of Company C during Cold War; General Contractor and Developer
• Ronald Winans: Master Sergeant Company C 174^th Infantry
• Kathy Fox: daughter of Company F Private Robert J. Raymondjack
• Cathy Iorio: daughter of Company F Private Alfred “Butch” Whittleton
• Anne McElwee: daughter of Company F Corporal Donald J. McElwee
• Charles Slack: member of Medina Sandstone Society, Armory Action Committee and consultant
• Lynne Menz: Graphic Designer and Communications Specialist

Company F Rosters for Spanish-American War, Mexican-American Incursion & WWI: A roster of Company F World War I has been on display on the “honor wall” of the Butts-Clark American Legion Post for several years. Through the cooperation of Craig Lacy, Medina Historical Society, rosters from the Spanish American War and Mexican American Incursion were located in the historical archives. It was decided by the Company F Memorial Committee to reproduce these three jewels of local history and place them in places of importance and honor. With the initial financial support from Lincoln Post, Butts-Clark & the Sons of the American Legion Post 204, we were able to reproduce the existing framed rosters and present them to the Lee-Whedon Library, Medina High School History Dept., Pearl Street Armory (YMCA), the Butts-Cark American Legion Post 204, Lincoln Post VFW, Tanner-Houseman American Legion Post in Lyndonville, Sheret Post in Albion and Orleans County Joint Veterans Council where they are on permanent display. The Company F Memorial Committee’s goal is to place each roster in all Orleans County school districts.

Company F World War II Roster: Investigations revealed that a Company F roster for WWII was never created. The committee searched local archives and newspaper clippings for historical data. We learned, however, that as a young girl during WWII, Rita Fox kept a scrapbook with newspaper clippings from the Medina Journal Register. From that treasure and discussions from surviving veterans, the Committee created the WWII roster. Each roster can be downloaded and viewed on this website’s Company F page.

Roster Data: The data showed that over 500 members of Company F from Orleans, Niagara and Genesee Counties trained in the Pearl Street Armory (Medina) prior to serving in the four conflicts:

• 108 men listed on the 1898 Spanish American War,
• 109 in 1916 Mexican-American Incursion,
• 156 served in World War I,
• 141 men enlisted when Company F was federalized to active duty in October 1940 (1 year 2 months before 7 Dec 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor), WWII.

We are also realizing that several more men joined their ranks on the battlefields during WWII. Their names will be placed on the Medina Armory website, www.medinaarmory.com as they become available. The data is subject to change based on ongoing research.

The Company F Monument–to honor our native sons, 2008:  Efforts are underway to create and install the Company F monument in 2008 on the grounds of the Pearl Street Armory, Medina, NY (YMCA). The monument is approximately 6’ tall finished, and features a 5-sided Medina Sandstone column, base and cap. The base is a 2-tiered step, with each face engraved with one of the following: Duty – Honor – Courage – Valor – Virtue. The 4 rosters will be engraved in metal placques and mounted on four of the column faces. The fifth face’s placque will honor Company C Cold War and post-Cold War era servicemen who also trained at the Pearl Street Armory (Medina).

The cost of this monument and memorial efforts is on the magnitude of $25,000-$35,000. A grant through Senator George Maziarz was received for $15,000 which will cover the cost of the sandstone structure. Contributions are being sought to finance the cost of the placques and landscaping. The monument is being designed to be able to accommodate a statue (bronze or granite) of a soldier mounted on the capstone. The cost of this will also require substantial funding and will be pursued when funds become available. Contributions are being accepted at Medina Savings & Loan. Pledge cards can be obtained at Medina S&L (among other locations) or downloaded from our website, www.medinaarmory.com.  Please make checks payable to:

Company F Memorial Fund
c/o Medina Savings & Loan
11182 Maple Ridge Rd.
Medina, NY 14103

We thank you for your support in this very important historical memorial and landmark. Please visit the Company F Memorial page for more information and to view a list of service providers who are making this possible.

Bill Menz, Company F Memorial Chairman
info@medinaarmory.com

After two years in the making, a Memorial will be unveiled to the public in a formal ceremony honoring the Company F soldiers that trained at the Medina Armory on Pearl Street in Medina, NY from 1898 to 1947. The Dedication will be held October 14th, 2008 at 10 AM on the corner of Prospect Ave. & Pearl Street, Medina (on the grounds of the Lake Plains YMCA, formerly the Medina Armory).

The monument, a pentagonal shaped column made of Medina Sandstone, is a tribute to over 550 Company F war veterans that battled four major conflicts: the Spanish American War, Mexican Border Incursion, World War I and World War II. The names of each of those local soldiers are inscribed on plaques attached to four of the walls of the monument. The 5th wall memorializes Company C soldiers who trained at the Medina Armory during the Cold War era, some of whom served in the Korean and Vietnam Wars.

Attending this most reverent dedication ceremony will be eight Company F World War II veterans (traveling from as far away as Texas), local and state dignitaries, clergy, current members of the 108th Infantry, contributors and the group of devoted individuals who worked passionately to bring this monument to fruition. The public is invited to this event which will be held rain or shine.

Company F Memorial Chairman Bill Menz, a former Company C National Guardsman, presented the need for such a monument to the Medina Sandstone Society in 2006. With the assistance of his committee, consisting of Orleans County veterans, family members of WWII veterans, the Orleans County Joint Veterans Council and Medina Sandstone Society, along with the generous support of the Village of Medina, Towns of Ridgeway and Shelby, Lake Plains YMCA and several individuals throughout the community, the project will be completed in the coming days. A Boy Scout from Troop 35 working toward his Eagle Scout ranking has further enhanced the memorial grounds by designing and installing the landscaping surrounding the monument. The soldiers will finally be properly memorialized and the monument will be a permanent reminder of the five generations of local men from a small community in western NY who fought for our freedom- some paying the ultimate sacrifice.

The October 14th dedication completes Phase I of the $35,000 memorial project, which was funded by community donations, as well as grants from New York State Senator George Maziarz and the Curtis Foundation. Additional funding on the magnitude of $20,000-$25,000 will be required to complete Phase II- creating a granite or bronze statue of a soldier that will be placed on top of the monument. Tax deductible donations are being accepted for Phase I and Phase II and can be made payable to Company F Memorial Fund, c/o Medina Savings & Loan, 11182 Maple Ridge Road, Medina, NY 14103. Pledge cards can be downloaded on-line at www.MedinaArmory.com/pledgecard.pdf.

For further information, contact Bill Menz at 585-798-0399 or visit the web site http://www.medinaarmory.com/.

The Company F Memorial Fund received a generous donation accompanied by the following letter by a former Medina resident, November 2007. We are especially grateful to Mr. Smith for this most moving letter and generous contribution:

 ”Dear Mr. Menz,

I was very happy to read in The Journal Register the address and name of how to make the check out for the memorial for the Company F, 108th Infantry Regiment of the NY 27th Division, so I could make a contribution. I had read previously that such a plan was underway but could not find out where to send it. I had made inquiries to some friends but they did not know and I even made a telephone inquiry to a supposed committee member but never received return call.

So to make a long story short I was born and raised in Medina and lived at 309 Commercial Street with my family. One of my brothers was Sylvester B Smith with the nickname of “Sally”, who marched with F Company that beautiful October day in 1940, with many of his friends who I also knew. He was my hero. I was a member of Co. L, 174th Infantry for a couple of years during the war and then enlisted in the regular army when I was 18. I also had the distinct honor of being in the honor guard for our Congressional Honor Medal winner John Butts as he lay in the armory before his internment at St. Mary’s cemetery.

Brother Sylvester attained the rank of 1st Lt. in the infantry with the 83rd Division in the European Theater. He was awarded the Silver Star our third highest medal for valor and the Purple Heart. He also was given the Bronze Star, Combat Infantry Badge the European Theater of Operations Medal with three Oak Leaves, plus many other medals. After returning home from service he and two other F Company members Tom Morien and Richard Doberstein went on to St. Bonaventure University to get their degrees. He then spent twenty five years before retiring as a Special Agent with the FBI.

I and my brothers left Medina to seek our livelihoods elsewhere because the opportunities were limited in Medina. However, we often reminisced what a God given gift we were given to grow up in Medina during the depression. We had all the amenities wonderful people, our own Sacred Heart Church, a wonderful high school, with teachers that were superb, a great sports program. Included also was our own swimming holes in the Erie Barge Canal, the quarries, Swetts, Brunners, Wards and the Glenwood Lake commonly referred to as the “Dam”. Fishing in the Dam, Oak Orchard Creek and the canal. Hunting along the towpath adjacent to the canal and Galaghers farm. Plus trapping for skunk and muskrat to make a few dollars. During the summer months during our high school vacation we worked on the muck farms ten hours a day for $2.00 for a ten hour day riding on the open deck of the truck from Medina to the Farms in Shelby and Elba. This was depression time and we were happy to make a few dollars to help support the family, it really made us proud to contribute. I guess I have digressed a little but I wanted to give you a capsule of the background some of the F Company members.

I still visit Medina to see my sister Irene who is in the Medina Hospital nursing home. This gives me an opportunity to visit with a few friends that are still living to reminisce about many of our early days. In fact, I drove down especially to take Tom Marjanowski to see the annual rivalry game between Albion and Medina. It was 62 years when we played in the 1945 game and defeated Albion 12-6 they had an undefeated season going into the game and we had lost one game to Lancaster. He threw me the winning touchdown pass for the victory. That day there must have been three thousand people watching the game, compared to 300 this year.

Enclosed is my personal check in the amount of —– to help fund the erection of the monument. I also would like to thank you for being chairman of this most important historical remembrance of a group of veterans that stand tall, not only in our community but in the history of the United States to “Valor-Virtue-Courage-Honor-Duty”.

I do not know if I could get a copy of the Company F Roster so I can give it to Sylvester’s family to hand down through the generations of his kin, but I would sure appreciate it.

Sincerely, Raymond M. Smith (Kujawa), Tonawanda, NY”

 THANK YOU, MR. SMITH!

 

Sons of the American Legion Squadron 204 recently donated $500 to the Company F Memorial Fund. The memorial will honor those who trained at the Medina Armory and served actively during times of conflict. (l to r): Wayne Hale, Jr., Squadron Secretary/Treasurer; Chuck Eaton, Squadron Commander; Bill Menz, Company F Memorial Committee chair; Guy Eaton, Squadron 1st vice-Commander. Individual contributions may be made to the Company F Fund, Medina Savings and Loan.

 The 47th annual reunion of the Company F 108th Infantry WWII Veterans was held Saturday, October 13th at the Butts-Clark American Legion in Medina, NY. In attendance were six WWII veterans, many accompanied by family members, as well as widows of Company F WWII Veterans.

Guest speaker was Company F Memorial chairman Bill Menz, introducing the progress on the monument that will be situated on the Medina Armory grounds. It was at the 46th reunion (last year) that Menz first discussed the concept of honoring Company F with the memorial. Menz presented each with a copy of the World War II Company F roster, which is still being researched and will eventually be distributed throughout the county vet’s clubs, schools, libraries and historical societies. The roster will also be etched into a bronze placque and attached to one of the sides of the pentagonal shaped Medina sandstone monument.  

Menz also presented the vets and the widows of the veterans a coffee mug with the Company F pentagonal logo including Valor-Virtue-Courage-Honor-Duty inscribed in a sandstone image.

Cathy Fox, daughter of the late Sergeant Robert J. Raymondjack, coordinated the annual event. Pictured (above) are (front row, L-R) Ed Carlo and Art Peters, (back row, L-R) Sonny Wheatley, Howard Fitzgerald, Leon Morien and Glenn Stewart.

Donations for the Company F Memorial can be sent to “Company F Memorial Fund”, c/o Medina Savings & Loan, 11182 Maple Ridge Rd., Medina, NY 14013. Contributions are tax deductible.