Gunder Is June 2022 Vet Of The Month
June 8, 2022 at 1:49 a.m.
Gunder Is June 2022 Vet Of The Month
By David [email protected]
Born in Noble County to Robert and Kathryn Keasey Gunder, Carolyn Gunder has been a Kosciusko County resident since 1987, McDowell said in reading Gunder’s biography.
She grew up in Ligonier, graduating from Ligonier High School in 1959. She enlisted into the U.S. Navy on Jan. 4, 1960, in Noble County. She attended basic training in Bainbridge, Md., to become a personnel specialist.
Gunder served 20 years in the U.S. Navy, retiring as a petty officer 1st class, which is equivalent in paygrade to a staff sergeant in the U.S. Army and Marines and a technical sergeant in the United States Air Force.
While on active duty, she received awards that included the National Defense Ribbon and Navy Good Conduct Medal. Gunder was honorably discharged (retired) on May 28, 1980, from the U.S. Navy.
Gunder remained in Norfolk, Va., for seven years to work in a local bank and the military base auto hobby shop. She returned to Syracuse to live with her sister and work at Tranter Graphics, Eaton Technology, where she retired again in 2002. Gunder only lasted a year before she was back in the work force again to work at Walmart for five years.
She is currently the commander of American Legion Wawasee Post 223 in Syracuse. She is also a member of the American Legion Honor Guard and Ladies Auxiliary Unit 223.
“And what I found out is that she is leaving tomorrow for the Honor Flight,” McDowell said Tuesday.
Accepting her framed certificate, Gunder said, “This is a great honor I feel. I didn’t expect it because basically they’ve all been gentlemen veterans and I don’t know whether we’ve had other females or not. But this is great. I was excited.”
She said she also was excited about the Honor Flight and Chris Longenbaugh, American Legion service officer, was going to be her chaperone. “We’re honored to go on that. I think he’s more excited than I am.”
Gunder concluded by stating, “I appreciate this (award). Thank you very much.”
Commissioner Bob Conley said Gunder was the third woman the commissioners had as a veteran of the month. If someone knows of someone who they think should be honored as a veteran of the month, he said they should contact one of the commissioners with the person’s name. The only criteria is that the veteran has to have been honorably discharged and be from Kosciusko County.
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Born in Noble County to Robert and Kathryn Keasey Gunder, Carolyn Gunder has been a Kosciusko County resident since 1987, McDowell said in reading Gunder’s biography.
She grew up in Ligonier, graduating from Ligonier High School in 1959. She enlisted into the U.S. Navy on Jan. 4, 1960, in Noble County. She attended basic training in Bainbridge, Md., to become a personnel specialist.
Gunder served 20 years in the U.S. Navy, retiring as a petty officer 1st class, which is equivalent in paygrade to a staff sergeant in the U.S. Army and Marines and a technical sergeant in the United States Air Force.
While on active duty, she received awards that included the National Defense Ribbon and Navy Good Conduct Medal. Gunder was honorably discharged (retired) on May 28, 1980, from the U.S. Navy.
Gunder remained in Norfolk, Va., for seven years to work in a local bank and the military base auto hobby shop. She returned to Syracuse to live with her sister and work at Tranter Graphics, Eaton Technology, where she retired again in 2002. Gunder only lasted a year before she was back in the work force again to work at Walmart for five years.
She is currently the commander of American Legion Wawasee Post 223 in Syracuse. She is also a member of the American Legion Honor Guard and Ladies Auxiliary Unit 223.
“And what I found out is that she is leaving tomorrow for the Honor Flight,” McDowell said Tuesday.
Accepting her framed certificate, Gunder said, “This is a great honor I feel. I didn’t expect it because basically they’ve all been gentlemen veterans and I don’t know whether we’ve had other females or not. But this is great. I was excited.”
She said she also was excited about the Honor Flight and Chris Longenbaugh, American Legion service officer, was going to be her chaperone. “We’re honored to go on that. I think he’s more excited than I am.”
Gunder concluded by stating, “I appreciate this (award). Thank you very much.”
Commissioner Bob Conley said Gunder was the third woman the commissioners had as a veteran of the month. If someone knows of someone who they think should be honored as a veteran of the month, he said they should contact one of the commissioners with the person’s name. The only criteria is that the veteran has to have been honorably discharged and be from Kosciusko County.
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