Jerome Township Administrative and Zoning Clerk Sydney Herbert flips through and speaks about one of two binders filled with biographical information surrounding each veteran listed on the township’s Soldiers Monument. Herbert has spent several months leading up to the local Veterans Day ceremony compiling information for each of the more than 500 soldiers honored on the monument.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Kayleen Petrovia)
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Those who drive down Industrial Parkway or U.S. 42 have likely seen the Jerome Township Soldiers Monument at the corner where the two roads meet in New California.
What they might not have seen are the hundreds of names inscribed on the monument itself and the wall behind it – each one commemorating the service of a veteran from the township.
“We have this monument but you come to the township and you don’t really know anything about it,” said Jerome Township Administrative and Zoning Assistant Sydney Herbert.
After months of work, Herbert is hoping to change that.
During the township’s Veterans Day ceremony on Nov. 11, she will unveil documentation surrounding the service of more than 500 veterans honored on the monument.
Hefty binders are filled with the names of each service member, along with their birth and death dates, their area of service and places they served. Eleven large displays are covered with photos of the veterans, too.
“It’s an incredible way to get to serve and honor those who served us,” Herbert said.
The project was pitched by Jerome Township Division of Fire Chief and Director of Departments Douglas Stewart.
Herbert said township officials knew they wanted to do “something big” to commemorate Veterans Day this year.
She began by gathering every name listed on the Jerome Township Soldiers Monument. From there, she searched for obituaries of those who had likely passed and contact information for their relatives.
Herbert sent around 100 physical letters to the addresses of living veterans, along with family members of the deceased.
She said many of them were eager to email photos of their time in the service or stop by the Jerome Township Hall to drop them off.
Herbert also spent a day in the Marysville Public Library with Bo Johnstone and Marie Bouic of the Union County Veterans Remembrance Committee, sifting through old newspapers, searching for photos and information surrounding those who served the area.
The Plain City Historical Society also provided Herbert with more information and leads on other contacts.
Soon, she had more than 120 photos.
Along with the photos were stories.
Herbert recalled one veteran who called her after receiving her letter.
He didn’t have a formal photo of himself wearing his uniform, but did have one of himself playing the sousaphone in a military band while he was in Italy. He asked her, “Would that work?”
Herbert’s response was an emphatic yes.
“We have a veteran who played the sousaphone in the band in Italy,” Herbert said. “Like, how cool is that?”
She also described The Dodge Family, five brothers from Jerome Township who served in World War II and each returned alive. Herbert said it moved her to think about a mother sending five sons overseas and the relief she must have felt when each returned.
She said she has been amazed to learn how many local residents have served in the military and the depths of their own personal histories.
“It’s like, oh, you’re just a farmer, what do you mean you served in WWII?” Herbert said.
She said the project has also illustrated how deeply the community cares about and honors its veterans.
“So many people have been like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is so fun. This is amazing,’” Herbert said.
Aside from those who contributed photos, Herbert said she has enjoyed working together with others in the township. She said employees from all different departments have contributed to the Veterans Day ceremony.
Roads Division employees built and painted the displays that the photos will be posted on, for instance.
“It’s been really fun,” Herbert said of the collaboration on the project.
She said their months of work will culminate when local veterans and their family members actually see their photos displayed during the Veterans Day ceremony, at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Soldiers Monument.
It will feature an invocation and benediction from the Rev. Dr. Bob Bowers, placing of memorial wreaths and a speech from Kenneth Ratliff, a director of plans, operations and training with the Ohio National Guard who lives in the township, along with the playing of Taps. Refreshments will follow in the Township Hall.
Even after Veterans Day, Herbert said she hopes the documentation will become a resource for local residents. She said they are welcome to stop in the Township Hall to view the binders, or contribute additional information.