Veteran's Day
Nov 11, 2024
Here at Midway Cooperative, we have a significant number of employees who have served our nation in the Armed Forces, some you wouldn’t expect.
We’d like to introduce you to them, so you know who they are, and be sure to thank them next time you see them!
Alton
Edward Gillies – Served from 1978-1982, he joined right out of High School and did two years active duty and two years active reserves. He was a refrigeration mechanic stationed at Camp Pendleton and rotated at times to Twenty-Nine Palms.
Bellaire
Duane Hughes – Served in the Navy Active from 1976-1980 at Norfolk, Virginia, then in the Inactive ready Reserves from 1980-1982. He was a Hull Maintenance Technician and did welding, pipefitting, firefighting and more on the USS Savannah. The USS Savannah was a replenishment ship delivering ammo and oil. During one delivery the USS Savannah lost control of the ship when a gyro went out causing it to collide with the aircraft carrier USS Kennedy. The aircraft elevator on the Kennedy ripped through the side of the Savannah. One thing he said he remembers well is when he first started, they sent the USS Savannah to Guantanamo Bay after being in drydock for trials and testing. He said it was a whole month of hell week where the ship and crew were both tested to ensure they were fit for operations on the open sea.
Downs
Tom Tebbe – Served in the Army from 1995 to 1998 as Mechanized Infantry. He was stationed overseas in Bosnia as part of NATO’s IFOR mission which was part of a larger operation to help bring an end to the Yugoslav Wars and the genocide of Bosniaks. He conducted dismount patrols, lived in Forward Operation Bases for periods of time, and even pulled security for Commander convoys.
Lebanon Elevator
Ron Peterson – Served in the Marine Corps, at this time is at home caring for his children and was not able to be reached for information.
Lebanon Station
Rob Heron – Served in the Army from 1987-1990 as a heavy mechanic in a Mechanized Infantry unit. He was in Vilseck, Germany during the fall of the Berlin Wall. He remembers things being very tense as they were near both the Czechoslovak and GDR borders and weren’t sure what would happen with the fall of the wall.
Luray Elevator
Warren Fallis – Served in the Navy from 1989 to 1995 as an electronic technician. He worked partly on shore with special communications equipment. He was stationed in the USS La Moure County (LST-1194) which was a landing ship for deployment of Marine Expeditionary Brigades. One notable event he recalls is while on the ship they took on the President of Gambia, Dawda Jawara, who was seeking asylum from a successful Coup.
Mankato Elevator
Rex Oliver – Served in the Navy from 1982 to 1990 as an engineman doing maintenance and repair on the USS Ajax which was a repair tender ship serving other ships as needed. Then he was on the USS Germantown where he was the ships Oil King. Oil King is a title for a petty officer who oversees the ship’s fuel supply, lubrication, and water chemistry for the boiler. Rex was then at the Great Lakes Recruit Training Center teaching new recruits how to firefight onboard ships, helping to instill confidence in the recruits of the capabilities of their equipment.
Osborne Elevator
Gale Pruter – Served in the Marine Corps from 1976 to 1979 as a field radio operator and frequently traveled with the Commanding Officer. Then from 1989 to 1992 he was in the Army Reserves as part of the Motor Pool. Then again in 2005-2006 he was in the Army Reserves.
We’d like to introduce you to them, so you know who they are, and be sure to thank them next time you see them!
Alton
Edward Gillies – Served from 1978-1982, he joined right out of High School and did two years active duty and two years active reserves. He was a refrigeration mechanic stationed at Camp Pendleton and rotated at times to Twenty-Nine Palms.
Bellaire
Duane Hughes – Served in the Navy Active from 1976-1980 at Norfolk, Virginia, then in the Inactive ready Reserves from 1980-1982. He was a Hull Maintenance Technician and did welding, pipefitting, firefighting and more on the USS Savannah. The USS Savannah was a replenishment ship delivering ammo and oil. During one delivery the USS Savannah lost control of the ship when a gyro went out causing it to collide with the aircraft carrier USS Kennedy. The aircraft elevator on the Kennedy ripped through the side of the Savannah. One thing he said he remembers well is when he first started, they sent the USS Savannah to Guantanamo Bay after being in drydock for trials and testing. He said it was a whole month of hell week where the ship and crew were both tested to ensure they were fit for operations on the open sea.
Downs
Tom Tebbe – Served in the Army from 1995 to 1998 as Mechanized Infantry. He was stationed overseas in Bosnia as part of NATO’s IFOR mission which was part of a larger operation to help bring an end to the Yugoslav Wars and the genocide of Bosniaks. He conducted dismount patrols, lived in Forward Operation Bases for periods of time, and even pulled security for Commander convoys.
Lebanon Elevator
Ron Peterson – Served in the Marine Corps, at this time is at home caring for his children and was not able to be reached for information.
Lebanon Station
Rob Heron – Served in the Army from 1987-1990 as a heavy mechanic in a Mechanized Infantry unit. He was in Vilseck, Germany during the fall of the Berlin Wall. He remembers things being very tense as they were near both the Czechoslovak and GDR borders and weren’t sure what would happen with the fall of the wall.
Luray Elevator
Warren Fallis – Served in the Navy from 1989 to 1995 as an electronic technician. He worked partly on shore with special communications equipment. He was stationed in the USS La Moure County (LST-1194) which was a landing ship for deployment of Marine Expeditionary Brigades. One notable event he recalls is while on the ship they took on the President of Gambia, Dawda Jawara, who was seeking asylum from a successful Coup.
Mankato Elevator
Rex Oliver – Served in the Navy from 1982 to 1990 as an engineman doing maintenance and repair on the USS Ajax which was a repair tender ship serving other ships as needed. Then he was on the USS Germantown where he was the ships Oil King. Oil King is a title for a petty officer who oversees the ship’s fuel supply, lubrication, and water chemistry for the boiler. Rex was then at the Great Lakes Recruit Training Center teaching new recruits how to firefight onboard ships, helping to instill confidence in the recruits of the capabilities of their equipment.
Osborne Elevator
Gale Pruter – Served in the Marine Corps from 1976 to 1979 as a field radio operator and frequently traveled with the Commanding Officer. Then from 1989 to 1992 he was in the Army Reserves as part of the Motor Pool. Then again in 2005-2006 he was in the Army Reserves.