An Open Letter from Ronald Seidel To All Concerned

REGARDING THE VARIOUS LISTS OF VETERANS' NAMES

COMPLIED BY MYSELF AND OTHERS

Recently, through the outstanding work by Samuel "Sam" Ciocco, Northfield Center Administrator and N "Arch" Milani, President of the Historic Society of Olde Northfield, they have created a web page from the work I created to honor Veterans and those Honored Dead who died in World War II and the Vietnam War, who were from the Nordonia Hills area, including a part of Boston Heights that lay in the Nordonia Hills School District.

To these two men, I pledge my sincerest gratitude for their efforts. But I feel some explanation should be given to those men who served their country and who are NOT on these rolls, most of whom are more deserving than I feel I am.

In the case of WW II veterans, in 1944 a wooden structure honoring 427 men and women was created by the Northfield Men's Club. This structure was torn down in the early 50's. Using an old 3" x 4" photo I was able to reconstruct their names with great effort. An additional 135 names were added by me, derived from school records, Summit County Soldiers and Sailors Commission, the Governors Office of Veterans Affairs and other sources that verified that these veterans lived here prior to their entry into the service, whether just prior to entry or as a past or current resident at the time. One other person was added to the monument since it's construction in 1995. He left school in 1944 in his 10^th year. I have since been informed that no more than two names are on the monument that should not be, but that is through no fault of mine.

As to the Korean War, the first 100 names were compiled by myself and Mr. Marvin Wright, a Purple Heart Veteran of that war. One other person was added to the monument since it's construction in 1995. She was Edna Johnson, an Army Nurse who grew up in Northfield, who has been a paraplegic since the time she was involved in an airplane crash with wounded aboard while returning to Japan. Since that time Mr. Wright has discovered 6 more names of men and women who served but whose names are not on the monument.

Vietnam names were mostly compiled by David Srodek and James Rennebaum, both veterans of that war with about 30% of the names compiled by me from school records, Summit County Soldiers and Sailors Commission, the Governor's Office of Veterans Affairs and other sources that verified that these veterans lived here prior to their entry into the service, whether just prior to entry or as a past or current resident at the time. Since the original monument construction only approximately 10 names were added. I have just recently been told of a Purple Heart Veteran of that war who grew up in Northfield and furnished proof of residency and his service record whose name well deserves to be added to the monument.

At the present time I have no control over whose name should be added. That decision is up to the various communities involved and the Northfield-Macedonia Cemetery Board.

The Persian Gulf records were furnished by the veterans themselves except for one that was furnished by the wife of a veteran who is deceased.

The Grenada veteran's record was furnished by his mother. He was also at Beirut, but was on a ship off he coast.

During my search for veterans I received some applications by non-resident veterans and I wrote to them with an explanation as to how my search was being conducted. I received no objections from those I wrote to.

I did receive some objections from veterans who stated that their hometowns had no Honor Rolls. My response to them is to go back to their home communities and complain to them like I did. And as you are aware, four communities took note of my complaint and responded favorably and with enthusiasm and money to build the monument, along with a large donation from the company I used to work for in Cleveland.

I would hope that my efforts are rewarded by communities across this great country to build monuments to honor all veterans and more especially their HONORED DEAD.

Please be aware that all I did was to right an injustice that was done to our World War II veterans who were citizens of our communities at the time. At the request of these four communities other wars were added.

Sincerely Yours,

Ronald D. Seidel

Formerly of Northfield Center & Sagamore Hills

North Benton, Ohio