Hero Stories

CHARLESTON, W.Va., Jan. 13, 2014 – Members of the West Virginia National Guard’s chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and high-yield explosive enhanced response force package, along with members from West Virginia, Ohio and District of Columbia civil support teams, have been working around the clock drawing water samples from across West Virginia’s Kanawha Valley to determine levels of contamination remaining in the water supply. Army Staff Sgt. David R...

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- Patrolling between a tree line and a row of buildings, Staff Sgt. Timothy Williams and his squad heard the sharp cracks of rifles and immediately realized they were being ambushed. Outnumbered and under heavy enemy fire, Williams, a section leader with 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, found himself relying on his instincts and training to protect himself and his Marines.Williams, a native of Hudson, Mich., received the Silver Star Medal and the Pu...

Corporal Joshua M. McKee, a rifleman with India Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, received the Bronze Star medal with combat distinguishing device during an award ceremony aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., Dec. 27.“Receiving the Bronze Star is more than an honor,” said McKee, 23, and a native of Lake Placid, Fla. “But when it’s all said and done, I was just doing my job.”The bronze star medal is an individual military aw...

Winning best performance for large ensemble band last year just wasn’t enough. After being so close to winning the Marine Corps Band of the Year Award in 2012, the U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific Band went into 2013 with a newfound hunger and a chip on their shoulder, and it paid off. The MarForPac Band was recognized as the Marine Corps Band of the Year during a ceremony here, Jan. 9. After more than a year of dedication – not only to music, but to all aspects of Marine Cor...

Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund Receives $150,000 Donation for NICoE Satellite Center Construction Campaign Customized Military Bracelets Reach Milestone Donation, Raising $2 at a Time, to Treat Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-Traumatic Stress HeroBracelets.org donates $2 per bracelet to organizations that support veterans and military families, such as Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund $2 per bracelet may not seem like much, but it has certainly added up - and $150,000 later, it's...

2014 Wall of Honor These are the names of fallen IAFF members that will be added to the wall and honored on September 20, 2014 at the 28th Annual IAFF Fallen Fire Fighter Memorial Observance. Fallen Fire Fighter IAFF Local City and State Date of Death John Morrow 357 Evansville, IN 11/20/76 Elmer Debes 357 Evansville, IN 12/11/82 Theodore P. Lander 357 Evansville, IN 9/17/85 Edwar...

NORTH ANDOVER — Joseph “Louie” Bisson was kind to people in need and dedicated to knocking down fires, according to those who knew this man who suffered a fatal heart attack while battling a huge blaze at 1129 Osgood St. 61 years ago. He was 41 years old. Much less is known about Edward Evans, who was not quite 25 when he dropped dead on Stevens Street while he and other members of Cochichewick Engine Co. No. 2 were rushing to a house fire at 1422 Osgood St. in 1886. Yeste...

Conceived as a tribute to America's fire service, the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial is one of this country's most beautiful monuments to courage and unselfish service. Constructed in 1981 on the campus of the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland, the Memorial was officially designated by Congress as the national Memorial to career and volunteer fallen firefighters in 1990. It is a symbol of honor for those who carry on the tradition of service to their communities. The highl...

Police Officer William McGary succumbed to injuries sustained the previous night when he was struck by an intoxicated driver at the intersection of Dave Ward Drive and Exchange Street. Officer McGary was directing traffic at the scene of another accident when a car struck him at about 8:00 pm. The driver who struck him was arrested at the scene and charged with several counts, including driving under the influence of narcotics. Officer McGary was flown to a hospital in Little Rock where he ...

Trooper Michael Slagle died following a vehicle crash on Longmire Road, near Emory Road, in Knox County. His patrol car slid off the roadway after striking a patch of ice. Despite being stuck in his vehicle, he was able to notify dispatchers of the crash and rescue crews were sent to the scene. A responding fire truck slid on the same patch of ice and flipped over on top of his patrol car while he was still inside. At some point during the incident Trooper Slagle suffered a fatal heart atta...