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

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.