Stories of Adams County Veterans
The photographs, letters, telegraphs, and memories depicted on the Story Wall at the Adams County Veteran’s Memorial tell the story of our Adams County veterans. These are some of the photographs and stories behind the Story Wall.
Captain Michael Landes was active duty in the United States Marine Corps from 2006-2011. He deployed to Iraq in 2008 and Afghanistan in 2010. He was stationed at Marine Corps Base Hawaii but is a Colorado native. Here he is with his wife and baby girl.
Brothers Meet-up in the Far East
 Image: Peggy Dickson Severson Emerson G. Dickson (right) and his brother A 1/C Floyd S. Dickson Jr. (left) during Memorial Day weekend in 1952 at Sasebo, Japan, where Emerson was based serving on the USS Patapsco AOG-1. Floyd served in the U.S. Air Force in Tague, Korea with the 7th Fighter Bomber Squadron, 49th Fighter Bomber Wing. He was in Japan for rest and recuperation when he succeeded in contacting his brother Emerson and arranged the meet-up and reunion in Sasebo. Floyd was a guest on his brother's ship, and they spent time touring the city and taking pictures. Both brothers served in the armed forces shortly after they graduated from Hackettstown High School, NJ in 1950. |  Image: Peggy Dickson Severson Emerson G. Dickson stands proudly next to the photo of him and his brother at the Adams County Veteran’s Memorial Story Wall. |
Correspondence During WWII
(click to enlarge)
 Image: WWII Telegram, Ruggieri
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A telegram from 1946 was sent to the family of Private Ottavio Ruggieri, wounded in action. Private Ruggieri received shell fragment wounds in the right leg on January 7 in France. He was overseas starting in 1944 and was tied to the armored infantry division of the US Army. He was awarded the combat infantryman’s badge and the bronze star. At the time of this telegram, he had a two-year old daughter and wife at home in the United States. |
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The first page of a letter sent to a solider aboard the USS Colorado. Letters were a lifeline between USS Colorado sailors and their loved ones. The battleship had its own post office where sailors could send and receive letters. After going through censorship review, mail would be exchanged each time the ship docked at port. The important act of sending and receiving letters reassured both the sailor and their loved ones that they were alive and well. They were crucial to boosting morale as the sailors craved words of encouragement and a chance to briefly escape the dangerous conditions under which they served. |
