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A Wealth Of Stories At The Vets Health Fair

A Wealth Of Stories At The Vets Health Fair
By Catherine Ellerton
Moapa Valley Progress
Published Oct. 21, 2009

Ardennes-Alsace, Central Europe (Battle of the Bulge) and Rhineland are part of this patriotic American’s story. Ed Gumpf, a Master Sergeant in the Army during World War II and a Veteran of the European Campaign was this year’s honored guest at the Mesa View Regional Hospital’s Veterans Health Fair in Mesquite. He will also be the Grand Marshall for the Mesquite Veteran’s Day Parade. Mr. Gumpf was a member of the 397 Infantry Regiment of the 99th Infantry Division. He just celebrated his 87th birthday.

Gumpf’s story mirrored those of the other veterans at this occasion. The Mesa View

Ed Gumpf, WWII Veteran, Health Fair Guest of Honor and Parade Marshall and Al Litman, Director of Mesquite Veteran’s Day Parade and on the Board for the Hospital Health Fair, at the 2009 Mesa View Regional Hospital Veterans Health Fair.
Hospital very generously offers this Veterans Health Fair to honor local Veterans, to give opportunities to them for health screenings and to disseminate news of interest.

As I waited for the program to begin I spoke with Ralph Winther who served in the Navy during World War II. He served aboard an Aviation Supply Ship which serviced Aircraft Carriers. He was 17 years old when he volunteered. His ship, the ‘Grumium,’ was in on the invasion of Okinawa and then was sent to Saipan shortly before the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. He spoke of the “Smoke Boats” whose duty it was to put up a smoke screen around the American Fleet in order to deter the Suicide planes. Although the ‘Grumium’ was never bombed, they did receive credit for knocking down one suicide plane.

The Colors were presented by Honor Guardsmen Tony Hardway, Chuck Thompson, Jim Carrick and Jesse Marsh. This Honor Guard was begun in 1994 by the American Legion; in 2000 the VFW joined them and in 2004 Tony Hardway began to coordinate the Guard and the name was changed to the Virgin Valley Veterans Honor Guard.

John Bright, Director of the VA Southern Nevada Healthcare System spoke of the new Veterans Medical Center under construction in Las Vegas. He also stated that a Veteran’s Clinic in Mesquite was in the works.

As I continued to wander through the crowd, I had the opportunity to speak with Anna Murphy. She was a “WAC” in the Army transferring later to the Air Force. She served from 1942 to 1945 during World War II. Ms. Murphy was a member of the 1st Allied Airborne Unit where she worked in the Signal Corps. She was sent to England, France and Germany; however, because the switchboards in Germany had been booby-trapped she was transferred into the Medical Clinic to work.

From the Overton/Logandale area I ran into “Corvette Cal” who had left the Auto Show in Overton to take part in this Health Fair. Cal spent 4 years in the Marines in Vietnam as support to the Advisors. He was in Soc Trang, Saigon and Da Nang. After his release from the service, he worked for 40 years with Pacific Bell before retiring to Overton.

These stories must be told and must be heard. The men and women telling them are very open, sincere and eager to tell them. I think Dr. Joe Hardy said it best when he was speaking before the group: “We will not apologize for being a Veteran. We will not apologize for being Patriotic.”

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