VETERANS

VETERANS

D-Day commemoration

DAYTON

Paratroopers will perform a WWII combat jump over the skies of the National Museum of the Air Force on May 13 at about 10 a.m. as part of the events commemorating the 75th Anniversary of D-Day, the largest amphibious assault in history, which led to the beginning of the end of World War II in Europe.

Weather permitting, a group of paratroopers will jump out of a C-53D Skytrooper, named D-Day Doll, which participated in the Normandy invasion in 1944 by dropping paratroopers, towing gliders, flying supplies and evacuating the wounded.

The public is invited to view the jump near the museum’s Memorial Park and interact with the paratroopers after they have landed.

The paratroopers are part of the Airborne Heritage Platoon based in Austin, Texas, who are experienced military jumpers, jump masters and parachute riggers who specialize in military static line demonstration jumps for air shows and veterans events.

Built in 1943 by Douglas Aircraft in Santa Monica, Calif., the D-Day Doll planes were delivered by Women’s Air Corps pilots to the Army and then moved to England. As a troop transport, it carried 28 soldiers in full combat gear, and as a medical airlift plane it could accommodate 14 stretcher patients and three nurses.

At noon, the paratroopers will introduce the film “D-Day Normandy 1944” in the Air Force Museum Theatre. Theater ticket information is available at: www.afmuseum.com/movietimes. For information, contact the National Museum of the Air Force Education Division at 937-255-3286.

DEPLOYED

Information Systems Technician 2nd Class Ricci Polen, of Salem, was baptized on the flight deck of the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Arlington (LPD 24) during sunrise Easter services by Navy Chaplain Lt. Saul Burleson of Asheville, N.C. The USS Arlington is deployed as part of the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group in support of maritime security operations, crisis response and theater security cooperation, while also providing a forward naval presence.

RETIRED

Navy Chief Petty Officer Andres Torres Jr., a native of Campbell and son of Andres and Hilda Torres, has retired after a 20-year career in the military.

Torres Jr. joined the Navy in 1999 after graduating from Campbell Memorial High School. His first deployment was aboard the USS Enterprise upon which he served for eight months including during the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack.

Torres was presented numerous meritorious awards during his career including Sailor of the Year and Officer of the Year. His cousin, Navy Chief Warrant Officer Manuel DeJesus, and a friend, Marine Antonio Crespo Jr., performed his first re-enlistment ceremony.

In July 2015, he married the former Norma Patricia Fraga at Bremerton Naval Base, Seattle, Wash. Deacon John Rentas of Campbell performed the ceremony. The Torres have a child, Zaya Anhnali, and live in Panama City, Fla.

Torres has two sisters, Atty. Marlene Torres of Columbus and Justina Torres Reinhard of Greenwood, Ind., and a brother, Juan Antonio Torres, of Columbus.

Army Lt. Col. George Hammar, son of Lydia and the late George Hammar, of Youngstown, retired after a 29-year career, which included more than seven years overseas and four combat tours in the Middle East.

Hammar enlisted as a combat signaler in 1989 at 17 and was commissioned in the Field Artillery from the Youngstown State University Reserve Officer Training Corps in 1995. He retired at 47.

Among his decorations are a Combat Action Badge, Army Commendation Medal with Valor, two Bronze Star Medals and the Legion of Merit.

He is married to the former Joy Hawley of Dodge City, Kan. The couple has two children and lives in Colorado.

Armed Forces Digest items can be sent to The Vindicator, Regional Desk, P.O. Box 780, Youngstown 44501-0780, or e-mailed to alcorn@vindy.com