Wall of fame
Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald Monroe House residents and veterans (from left) Lars Johnson, Clyde Owen, Al Dinsmore, Robert 'Bob' Boucher and John 'Carl' LeFave were honored during a Veterans Day ceremony Friday.
Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald Scouts from Pack 74 presented the colors and led the Pledge of Allegiance during a Veterans Day ceremony at Monroe House Friday.
MOSES LAKE — The five Monroe House residents who are military veterans were the first recognized on the new wall honoring veterans at the facility.
Bob Boucher, Al Dinsmore, John “Carl” LeFave, Lars Johnson and Clyde Owen each received a picture recognizing their years of service, presented by Moses Lake mayor Todd Voth. Shelley Baer accepted a picture for her dad, the late Lester “Cub” Baer, a resident at the time of his death.
Boucher and Owen are World War II veterans; so was Baer. Owen served from 1940 to 1968 and was, among other things, the last commander of Larson Air Force Base. He also served in the Korean War and Vietnam. Boucher was in the military from 1942 to 1945 and joined the Civil Air Patrol in 1950 (he's still a member). Boucher received a Purple Heart.
Baer was in the U.S. Air Force and its predecessor, the Army Air Force, from 1942 to 1968, Shelley Baer said. He served in Korea and Vietnam and received the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Johnson was in the Washington National Guard 1968-72 and is a Vietnam veteran. He proudly wore his two Purple Hearts to the ceremony. LeFave was in the U.S. Army 1950-54 and is a Korean War veteran.
They are the first pictures on the wall, and Monroe House director Linda Edwards said others would be added as vets move in.
Voth said Edwards asked him to hand out the pictures, and “I couldn't say yes fast enough.” He thanked the veterans for what they had done to keep the county free and safe.
Scouts from Pack 74 presented the colors and led the Pledge of Allegiance.
Cheryl Schweizer can be reached via email at education@columbiabasinherald.com.