Video: University of Cincinnati Pays Tribute to the Nation’s Veterans

Military veterans from around the Cincinnati USA region attend a ceremony that brought hundreds of people to McMicken Commons in reverence of the nation’s veterans.

Date: 11/9/2007 12:00:00 AM
By: Dawn Fuller
Phone: (513) 556-1823

Photos By: Dottie Stover (video by Jay Yocis)

UC Ceremony to Honor Veterans

View video highlights of the ceremony

A crisp fall day brought together the UC community, military veterans and 100 ROTC cadets for the University of Cincinnati ceremony to honor veterans who have served in times of peace and in times of war. UC President Nancy L. Zimpher led the observance, while UC alumnus Major General Dennis E. Lutz, the leader of the 335th Theater Signal Command, served as guest speaker at the ceremony.

“On this very important occasion in America, we pause to recognize those men and women who have given and sacrificed so much in service to our nation. To every veteran gathered with us today and to those who are not with us, we give our thanks,” said President Zimpher.

“It is significant to note that Veterans Day originated as Armistice Day, marking the end of World War I. Thought to be the ‘end of all wars,’ it first occurred at the 11th hour, on the 11th day, of the 11th month, in 1918,” continued President Zimpher.

“In 1954 Congress replaced Armistice Day with Veterans Day in order to acknowledge those veterans who had also served in World War II and in Korea. This designation expanded to also include recognition of those having served in the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard," said President Zimpher.

In his address, Major General Lutz commented that the veterans of World War II are often called the greatest generation and that their heroism is the stuff of legend. He added that for the past 35 years, the military has maintained an all-volunteer force in both times of war and times of peace after the military draft came to an end.

“The cadets standing tall in front of us here now will one day join our honored organization,” said Lutz. “Our airmen, soldiers, sailors, marines and their families are special to us. We enjoy our civil liberties because of them. In a hostile world, they keep the peace and they bring hope to millions. I’m proud to know and be one of them. These fine cadets are our next greatest generation. They are the promise of a future tomorrow that’s brighter than today. The men and women who have stepped forward and volunteered, they are our future leaders, both in society as well as the military,” Lutz said.

President Zimpher presented a proclamation honoring an individual veteran symbolizing all veterans still surviving from World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Persian Gulf War and Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom.

UC ROTC Cadets Abigail Edwards and Eric Lucas represented the soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen currently serving overseas. Edwards is a UC junior majoring in Health Promotions Education and is a member of the Ohio National Guard 1-174th Air Defense Artillery. She served with the 82nd Airborne Division during Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan between February 2003 and February 2004.

Eric Lucas is also a member of the Ohio National Guard and is a UC junior majoring in English literature. He served with the 173rd Airborne Brigade during Operation Iraqi Freedom between March 2003 and February 2004.

Major General Dennis E. Lutz

Also recognized was Persian Gulf War Veteran Billy Dews. Upon joining the Marines, he attended Cannoneer School and graduated in the top ten of his class. During combat action in the Middle East, Dews earned the Combat Action Ribbon for his distinguished service.

Vietnam War veteran John Erby represented the 3.4 million Americans who served in Vietnam. Now president of the Cincinnati chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America, Erby was wounded in action with the 25th Infantry Division in Vietnam and is the recipient of two Purple Heart medals and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm, a medal awarded by the Vietnam government to military members who displayed heroism during battle.

James Pragar represented the more than 1.7 million people who served the U.S. military in the Korean War. A graduate of Hughes High School, Pragar served as a member of Air Training command in World War II and was later recalled to fly C-47's in Korea where he survived a near-shoot-down and earned the Distinguished Flying Cross and five Air Medals. After service in Korea, he joined the Cincinnati Police Department and later retired with the rank of lieutenant.

Representing the 16 million soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen who served in World War II was Saul Marmer, who first enrolled in the Coast Guard Reserve program at UC in 1942. Marmer later enlisted as a field radio and telephone pperator in the U.S. Army and was stationed along the Florida coast to protect it from enemy aircraft. Once commissioned, Marmer was a platoon leader in the 78th Infantry Division. He finished his tour in Germany after nine months of occupational duty. Marmer is the recipient of the Bronze Star and is a presenter of World War II seminars at UC’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.

The ceremony ended with “Taps,” played by UC buglers Christian Schuster and Brandon Nathan Wiczer, stationed in the towers of TUC and McMicken Hall.

The UC Bearcat Band played military marches as guests arrived for the ceremony and accompanied Katie Trent, a College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) student, for the national anthem.