By Conrad Dudderar
Staff Writer
Citizens, civic leaders and businesspeople joined Yukon 66 Main Street last Saturday morning to open the third annual “Yukon Salutes” display.
Several dozen people – including U.S. military veterans and Yukon first responders – attended the kick-off reception at the Yukon Veterans Museum, 1012 W Main.
“I believe we can all agree that our military members and first responders are our community hometown heroes,” Yukon Main Street Director Vicki Davis told the crowd gathered in front of the museum.
Street pole banners are featured along Main Street as part of the month-long Yukon Salutes’ project, which runs through Veterans Day Nov. 11.
The customized banners honor the service and dedication of active-duty military personnel, veterans and first responders.
This year’s display is the largest ever, with 46 military members and veterans, four individual first responders, and the Yukon Police and Yukon Fire departments.
Over the past three years, Yukon Salutes has honored 81 individual military members.
The 2022 honorees represent seven U.S. military branches and served in 10 campaigns.
Mayor Shelli Selby read a proclamation declaring Veterans Appreciation Month, which is being observed Oct. 11 through Nov. 11 in the City of Yukon.
“This is a day to celebrate our veterans and the families supporting them,” said Selby, a Yukon Main Street board member.
The annual Yukon Salutes banner exhibit includes first responders, who will be recognized further on Oct. 28 – designated as National First Responders Day.
A “First Responders Day” proclamation will be presented during the Oct. 18th Yukon City Council meeting.
Yukon Main Street’s banner project “publicly celebrates and honors the men and women in our lives and in the community who contribute to our safety, health and freedoms,” Davis explained.
For her support of veterans, the Main Street director was presented her first “challenge” coin by Lt. Col. (ret.) Rick Cacini on behalf of the Special Forces Association.
Cacini is founder and curator of the Yukon Veterans Museum.
THE 2022 BANNERS
These U.S. military personnel and veterans are honored in the 2022 Yukon Salutes display:
- Civilla Ball – US Cadet Nurse, WWII
- Josh Becker – Army National Guard (2020-Present)
- Ryan Becker – Army National Guard (2014-Present)
- Braidon Bray – US Air Force (2020-Present)
- Cpt. James Cacini – US Army (1941-68), WWII, Korea – Purple Heart
- Lt. Col. Rick Cacini – US Army (1968-2012), Vietnam, Bosnia, Africa, Afghanistan
- Randy Carr – US Army (1969-71), Vietnam – Dog Handler
- Bill Casper – US Army (1942-45), WWII
- Melissa Norwood Chapman – US Army (2002-08), Iraqi Freedom
- 1LT Kenneth Chilcote – US Army Air Forces (1942-44), WWII
- LDCR Robin Cunningham – US Navy (1995-Present), Enduring Freedom
- Jeffrey Davis – US Army (1979-2002), Kuwait
- Jeremy Davis – US Air Force (2008-Present), Iraqi Freedom
- Cooper Dobbs – US Navy (2014-Present)
- Preston Dobbs – US Navy (2018-Present)
- Maj. Corbyn Duke – US Army (2005-Present), Iraqi Freedom, New Dawn
- Dewey Farrington – US Navy (1957-60)
- Jim Fort – US Navy (1965-68), Vietnam
- Cpt. Mike Geers – US Marine Corps (1967-71), Vietnam
- Charles Herring – US Air Force (1942-66), WWII
- Jack Hinton – US Navy, US Air Force Merchant Marines (1945-52), WWII, Korea
- Bob Horrick – US Navy (1983-93), Desert Storm
- J.R. Hudson – US Army (1966-68), Vietnam
- Jerry Icenhower – US Air Force (1966-70), Vietnam
- Bob Keasler – US Navy (1943-46), WWII, South Pacific
- Bradley Konz – US Air Force (2006-Present), ETA
- Tony R. Kouba – US Navy (1951-57), Korea
- 1LT David G. Landes – US Army (1950-51), Korea – Silver and Bronze Star, DS Cross, Purple Heart
- Eddie McFadden – US Marine Corps (1966-70), Vietnam – Scout Sniper, Bronze Star V
- Louie Newman – US Army (1942-45)
- Kenneth Newman – US Army (1968-73), Vietnam – Purple Heart, Bronze Star
- Michael Newman – US Army (1968-72)
- Phillip J. Norwood – US Army (1999-2008)
- Jeremy Norwood – US Navy (2002-06)
- Bennie Owen – US Marine Corps (1966-72), Vietnam
- Tom Thomas – US Air Force (1970-76)
- LTC Randy Reynolds – US Air Force (1984-2008)
- Christopher T. Rex – US Air Force (1991-2014)
- Garrett T. Rex – Air National Guard (2019-Present), Iraq
- Jason Roth – US Air Force (1999-2019)
- Jennifer Roth – US Air Force (1997-2017)
- Jerry Stafford – US Navy (1955-64), Aviation Ordnance 3
- Dustin Stover – US Army (2003-05)
- N.D. Van Horn – US Army, WWII – Bronze Star, Battle of the Bulge
- Mark Ward – US Marine Corps (2018-Present)
- William (Bill) Wilkins – US Army (1943-45), WWII
These first responders are honored in the 2022 Yukon Salutes display:
- Sgt. Cole Kroutil – Yukon Fire
- Deputy Chief Eric Dalgleish – Tulsa Police
- Officer Kristen Dalgleish – Sand Springs Police
- Maj. (ret.) Paul Williams – Oklahoma City Fire
- Yukon Police Department (Est. 1891)
- Yukon Fire Department (Est. 1899)
