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Cortland man honored as veteran of the year
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Ed Wojciak
CORTLAND — “We have veterans who are in bad shape and they need help,” says Edward “Ed” Wojciak, who was named Ohio Polish Legion of American Veterans 2008 Veteran of the Year in recognition of his volunteer efforts on behalf of veterans.
Wojciak, a Navy veteran of World War II, serves coffee and donuts to veterans at the Warren Veterans Affairs Clinic several times a month and transports veterans to their medical appointments in Youngstown or Cleveland.
Wojciak, of Cortland, is also active in Polish Legion of American Veterans Post 164 in Warren and the PLAV Department of Ohio, of which he is second vice commander. He was previously elected a state convention delegate in 2003 and 2005 and is a member of VAVS (Veterans Affairs Voluntary Service).
He said Post 164 raises money through the sale of poppies to send care packages and gift certificates to veterans and to active duty personnel in Iraq; and the post provides transportation for veterans to medical appointments, as well as Bibles and triangular flag displays.
“I was surprised I was even nominated. It’s a honor,” Wojciak said of being named Ohio PLAV Veteran of the Year.
Wojciak, 81, enlisted in the Navy in 1944 shortly after graduating from Garfield High School in Cleveland. He completed basic training at Great Lakes Naval Training Station in Illinois; and after finishing cooks and bakers school he was transferred to Little Creek Amphibious Naval Base in Virginia, where he underwent more schooling and training. He was then transferred to Brown Shipyard in Galveston, Texas, where he was assigned to the USS LSM (R) (landing ship medium rocker) 517. After “shakedown cruises” in the Gulf of Mexico, he reported to assignment with the Seventh Fleet.
Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com. Also check the list of Veterans Day events in the region and of closings for the holiday on Tuesday.