Commissioners Honor Hollar, Locke As Vets Of The Month
June 24, 2020 at 1:13 a.m.
Commissioners Honor Hollar, Locke As Vets Of The Month
By David [email protected]
Larry Wayne Hollar Sr., a Vietnam War veteran, and Ken “Hawkeye” Locke, who served from 1975 to 1979, were named Kosciusko County Veterans of the Month for June on Tuesday to catch up on the monthly award after the COVID-19 pandemic limited the commissioners’ meetings for the past couple of months.
The county commissioners also honored Garry Ringler as the Veteran of the Month for June at their June 9 meeting.
Hollar
Hollar was born July 11, 1941, in Warsaw, to Wayne and Josephine Hollar, according to Veterans Affairs Officer Rich Maron, who prepares and reads the veterans’ biographies.
Hollar lived in Warsaw for three years until his family moved to Atwood in 1944, though they still had a Warsaw address.
Hollar grew up in Atwood and graduated from Atwood High School in 1959. After graduating, he worked for Creighton Brothers for four months. In September 1959, he took a job with NIPSCO. Hollar worked at NIPSCO until he received his Vietnam draft notice. He left for basic training in November 1963.
His basic training was completed at Ft. Knox, Ky. From there, he was sent to Instructor Company in Ft. Gordon, Ga.
In September 1964, he received his orders for Saigon, Vietnam.
After arriving in Saigon, Hollar was sent to Vung Tau, Vietnam. He had achieved the rank of SP4.
Hollar again was transferred to Pleiku, Vietnam, as a member of the 362nd Signal Corps, where he daily worked on generators.
As part of the 362nd Signal Corps, Hollar “without going into any details said he was given a special assignment one time, which made a huge difference in the war and helped save many American lives,” Maron said.
Hollar’s one-year tour was completed in September 1965, and he was honorably discharged.
At that time, if you had less than 90 days left, you could choose to go home, so Hollar came back home to Atwood and got his job back with NIPSCO, where he eventually retired after 38 years.
He married Patricia Tribalski in July 1966. They have a son, Larry Hollar Jr., who works for the county; a daughter, Melissa, who works for Cincinnati Insurance and lives in Phoenix, Ariz.; and four grandchildren: Austin, Alaina and Logan Donovan and Larry Hollar III.
Hollar’s hobbies include fishing, gardening, spending time with his grandchildren, making fly tie fishing baits, Sudoko, watching sports, winemaking, baking bread and, as he said, “Simply enjoying the good life God has given me,” Maron stated.
Locke
Maron said Locke was born and raised in Marshalltown, Iowa. His ancestors served in the United States Armed Forces during the American Revolution, as well as every major conflict since then.
Locke was raised by a World War II veteran who was wounded in combat, and his mother was a “Rosie the Riveter.”
“One of the most significant events in his life was when his boyhood friend and fellow Eagle Scout, Lance Cpl. Darwin L. Judge, was killed in action during the fall of Saigon,” Maron said. “Judge, along with fellow Marine Cpl. Charles McMahon, of Woburn, Mass., were the last two Americans killed in Vietnam on April 29, 1975.”
Locke was a high school senior that year, and after graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Army.
In November 1975, Locke entered basic training at Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo., and then did his advanced infantry training at Ft. Wadsworth, N.Y.
In 1976, Locke completed chaplain assistant training. His first orders took him to Ft. Stewart, Ga. The post chaplain at that time told his staff that the next new soldier to come through the door who was over 6 feet would be his personal assistant. Locke walked through the door and worked on many activities of the Chaplain Corps on the base.
After about two years of service, Locke was transferred to Hunter Army Airfield outside of Savannah, Ga., working with the post chaplain and religious education director.
SP4 Locke completed his commitment to the military with an honorable discharge in November 1979. He then entered officer’s training school of The Salvation Army, eventually becoming an officer (pastor). He was moved to Warsaw in June 1988 and became the Salvation Army director for Kosciusko County.
Maron quoted Locke as saying, “I was so fortunate to serve my country during a time of peace. I have a special place in my heart for veterans, especially those who have served in harm’s way. I watched my father bear the scars of war and lost my friend who gave the ultimate sacrifice for liberty. Our freedom has been secured by great men and women throughout our history who have served when our nation called. I am humbled and honored to be a veteran.”
Locke is a member of American Legion Post 49, AMVETS 2919 and Anthony Halberstadt Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution and co-director of Kosciusko Honor & Remember Committee. He often reminds people that “freedom isn’t free,” Maron said.
Locke and his wife Sina are directors at The Salvation Army, serving Kosciusko County. They have seven children in a blended family and 11 grandchildren.
Asked if he wanted to say anything after receiving the framed certificate, Locke said, “I get up every morning and look in the mirror and (I’m reminded) that I’ve been given one more day than Darwin. So I just praise God for his blessings and God is great.”
Larry Wayne Hollar Sr., a Vietnam War veteran, and Ken “Hawkeye” Locke, who served from 1975 to 1979, were named Kosciusko County Veterans of the Month for June on Tuesday to catch up on the monthly award after the COVID-19 pandemic limited the commissioners’ meetings for the past couple of months.
The county commissioners also honored Garry Ringler as the Veteran of the Month for June at their June 9 meeting.
Hollar
Hollar was born July 11, 1941, in Warsaw, to Wayne and Josephine Hollar, according to Veterans Affairs Officer Rich Maron, who prepares and reads the veterans’ biographies.
Hollar lived in Warsaw for three years until his family moved to Atwood in 1944, though they still had a Warsaw address.
Hollar grew up in Atwood and graduated from Atwood High School in 1959. After graduating, he worked for Creighton Brothers for four months. In September 1959, he took a job with NIPSCO. Hollar worked at NIPSCO until he received his Vietnam draft notice. He left for basic training in November 1963.
His basic training was completed at Ft. Knox, Ky. From there, he was sent to Instructor Company in Ft. Gordon, Ga.
In September 1964, he received his orders for Saigon, Vietnam.
After arriving in Saigon, Hollar was sent to Vung Tau, Vietnam. He had achieved the rank of SP4.
Hollar again was transferred to Pleiku, Vietnam, as a member of the 362nd Signal Corps, where he daily worked on generators.
As part of the 362nd Signal Corps, Hollar “without going into any details said he was given a special assignment one time, which made a huge difference in the war and helped save many American lives,” Maron said.
Hollar’s one-year tour was completed in September 1965, and he was honorably discharged.
At that time, if you had less than 90 days left, you could choose to go home, so Hollar came back home to Atwood and got his job back with NIPSCO, where he eventually retired after 38 years.
He married Patricia Tribalski in July 1966. They have a son, Larry Hollar Jr., who works for the county; a daughter, Melissa, who works for Cincinnati Insurance and lives in Phoenix, Ariz.; and four grandchildren: Austin, Alaina and Logan Donovan and Larry Hollar III.
Hollar’s hobbies include fishing, gardening, spending time with his grandchildren, making fly tie fishing baits, Sudoko, watching sports, winemaking, baking bread and, as he said, “Simply enjoying the good life God has given me,” Maron stated.
Locke
Maron said Locke was born and raised in Marshalltown, Iowa. His ancestors served in the United States Armed Forces during the American Revolution, as well as every major conflict since then.
Locke was raised by a World War II veteran who was wounded in combat, and his mother was a “Rosie the Riveter.”
“One of the most significant events in his life was when his boyhood friend and fellow Eagle Scout, Lance Cpl. Darwin L. Judge, was killed in action during the fall of Saigon,” Maron said. “Judge, along with fellow Marine Cpl. Charles McMahon, of Woburn, Mass., were the last two Americans killed in Vietnam on April 29, 1975.”
Locke was a high school senior that year, and after graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Army.
In November 1975, Locke entered basic training at Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo., and then did his advanced infantry training at Ft. Wadsworth, N.Y.
In 1976, Locke completed chaplain assistant training. His first orders took him to Ft. Stewart, Ga. The post chaplain at that time told his staff that the next new soldier to come through the door who was over 6 feet would be his personal assistant. Locke walked through the door and worked on many activities of the Chaplain Corps on the base.
After about two years of service, Locke was transferred to Hunter Army Airfield outside of Savannah, Ga., working with the post chaplain and religious education director.
SP4 Locke completed his commitment to the military with an honorable discharge in November 1979. He then entered officer’s training school of The Salvation Army, eventually becoming an officer (pastor). He was moved to Warsaw in June 1988 and became the Salvation Army director for Kosciusko County.
Maron quoted Locke as saying, “I was so fortunate to serve my country during a time of peace. I have a special place in my heart for veterans, especially those who have served in harm’s way. I watched my father bear the scars of war and lost my friend who gave the ultimate sacrifice for liberty. Our freedom has been secured by great men and women throughout our history who have served when our nation called. I am humbled and honored to be a veteran.”
Locke is a member of American Legion Post 49, AMVETS 2919 and Anthony Halberstadt Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution and co-director of Kosciusko Honor & Remember Committee. He often reminds people that “freedom isn’t free,” Maron said.
Locke and his wife Sina are directors at The Salvation Army, serving Kosciusko County. They have seven children in a blended family and 11 grandchildren.
Asked if he wanted to say anything after receiving the framed certificate, Locke said, “I get up every morning and look in the mirror and (I’m reminded) that I’ve been given one more day than Darwin. So I just praise God for his blessings and God is great.”
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