Senator Helming Announces Local Veterans Hall of Fame Nominees

GENEVA – Senator Pam Helming today announced that 120 military veterans from the Wayne-Finger Lakes region have been nominated by their family members and friends for the New York State Senate Veterans Hall of Fame. The local veterans reside in all six counties that Senator Helming’s district covers, represent all five branches of the U.S. military, and range from the World War II and Korean War eras, the Vietnam War and Cold War eras, and the current Global War on Terrorism era. Senator Helming accepted nominations at her District Office and through her website during the late summer and early fall in preparation for a series of Veteran Recognition Events in November to honor all of the nominees and coincide with Veterans Day.

“As the daughter of a U.S. Air Force veteran and the mother-in-law of a current U.S. Army soldier, I have the utmost respect and appreciation for everything that the men and women of our nation’s military have done and continue to do to protect our freedom and our way of life as American citizens. Our veterans contribute so much to our society both in and out of uniform, and they make our communities better places to live and work. We are fortunate that many of these extraordinary service members make their homes here in the Wayne-Finger Lakes region, and they help strengthen our communities and serve as pillars of our region. Thank you to the many people who took the time to pay tribute to a relative or friend who is a veteran by nominating them to the Veterans Hall of Fame. I look forward to recognizing our local veterans and honoring their service and sacrifice in celebration of Veterans Day,” Senator Helming said.

The 120 local veterans who were nominated and are slated to be recognized include:

Cayuga County: Tech. Sgt. Franklin Bower, of Throop; Pfc. Gerald I. Burger, of Auburn; Cryptologic Technician 1st Class Philip Caci, of Auburn; Petty Officer 3rd Class Thomas E. Crawford Jr., of Auburn; Pfc. Phillip E. Cuddeback, of Throop; Master Gunnery Sgt. Todd R. Fischer, of Union Springs; Airman 2nd Class Leman F. Glimpse, of Montezuma; Staff Sgt. Jeffrey S. Girvin, of Port Byron; Spc. David Gould, of Fleming; Sgt. 1st Class Karen Macier, of Auburn; Petty Officer 1^st Class Stephen Rusin, of Auburn; Sgt. G. William Ryan, of Union Springs; Staff Sgt. Bruce Sharpsteen, of Venice; Senior Airman Paul E. Stryker, of Scipio Center; Pvt. Albin R. Tichensky, of Victory; Staff Sgt. Donald G. Wells Jr., of Port Byron; and Tech. Sgt. Dana F. Wilbur, of King Ferry.

Ontario County: 1st Lt. Donald Barton, of Canandaigua; Master Sgt. David Bell, of Gorham; Cmdr. Joseph V. Bridgeford, of Canandaigua; Cpl. Ralph Calabrese, of Canandaigua; Chief Warrant Officer 4 Edward J. Campbell, of Hopewell; Petty Officer 3rd Class James Cayer, of Canandaigua; Sgt. John Church, of Geneva; 2nd Lt. John Cleveland, of Canandaigua; Sgt. Edward F. Devaney, of Geneva; Capt. Karl W. Fuge Jr., of Canandaigua; Quartermaster 1st Class Eugene Gerrard, of Canandaigua; Sgt. Kenneth Graham, of Canandaigua; Capt. George W. Hamlin IV, of Canandaigua; Spc. 4th Class Robert Hayward, of Hall; Master Sgt. John H. Hovey, of Geneva; Cpl. Alfred A. Liberio, of Geneva; Sgt. 1st Class Rocco Maio, of Canandaigua; Master Sgt. Charles Maney, of Canandaigua; Technician 5th Grade Donald P. McGloon Sr., of Geneva; Spc. 4th Class Alan G. Merklinger, of Hopewell; Spc. Robert J. Miller, of Farmington; Lt. Col. Geraldine Narendorf, of Clifton Springs; Yeoman 3rd Class Rena M. Nessler, of Geneva; Col. John Norvell, of Canandaigua; Staff Sgt. John C. Norwalk, of Geneva; Lt. James B. Outhouse, of Canandaigua; Machinist’s Mate 3rd Class Kevin D. Owens, of Phelps; Quartermaster 1st Class Joseph R. Post, of Canandaigua; Pfc. Kermit Schwartz, of Canandaigua; Sgt. 1st Class Stephan A. Sciarabba, of Geneva; Cpl. Loren Shaw, of Gorham; Cpl. Francis E. Sherry, of Canandaigua; Pfc. Ronald W. Swartwood, of Rushville;  Sgt. Henry A. Trickey Jr., of Hopewell; Senior Chief Hull Maintenance Technician Mark A. Watts, of Clifton Springs; Lt. Col. Norma Weissend, of Gorham; and Seaman Apprentice Merle Woodworth, of Geneva.

Seneca County: Spc. 5^th Grade Fred L. Adams, of Waterloo; Pvt. Wayne L. Campbell, of Waterloo; Sgt. 1^st Class José Caraballo, of Waterloo; Machinist’s Mate 1^st Class Michael Caskey, of Ovid; Lt. Col. Douglas S. Daeffler, of Waterloo; Sgt. Maj. Raymond D. Dalinsky, of Romulus; Pfc. Ralph A. Felice, of Waterloo; Airman 1^st Class Edward L. Hilliard, of Waterloo; Lt. Col. Charles O. Holmberg Jr., of Ovid; Cpl. Joshua Jones, of Seneca Falls; 1^st Sgt. Shannon Kelley, of Seneca Falls; Sgt. Louis M. LeBrun, of Waterloo; Senior Master Sgt. Richard A. Marsh, of Waterloo; Maj. Robert B. McCann, of Romulus; Sgt. Fred Newton, of Seneca Falls; Airman 1^st Class Kenneth Padgett, of Varick; Seaman 2nd Class Joseph V. Perdicho, of Seneca Falls; Master Sgt. Erick J. Rice, of Romulus; and Airman 1^st Class Theodore Young, of Waterloo.

Wayne County: Staff Sgt. Karel Ambroz, of Walworth; Pfc. Russell D. Bailey, of North Rose; Col. Earl Buchanan, of Lyons; Sgt. David Christler, of Newark; Quartermaster 2nd Class Thomas E. Frey, of Palmyra; Chief Warrant Officer 5 Robert L. Fritz, of Macedon; Sgt. Harry Gajan, of Arcadia; Cpl. Steve Gallaher, of Walworth; Cpl. Gerald Ghidiu, of Newark; Staff Sgt. Douglas J. Graham, of Ontario; Sgt. Mark Haskins, of Marion; Cpl. Robert J. Healy, of Newark; Staff Sgt. Owen W. Hughes, of Newark; Machinist’s Mate Senior Chief David Hurlburt, of Ontario; Airman 1st Class Marvin L. Jay, of Butler; Machinist’s Mate 1st Class Nelson A. Kiedrowski, of Ontario; Maj. Marc E. Kreuser, of Newark; Seaman Jerry Lamb, of Ontario; Technician 5th Grade Ralph E. Langdon, of Galen; Cpl. Robert McCarthy, of Palmyra; Spc. 4th Class Wayne E. Morgan Jr., of Ontario; Staff Sgt. Richard L. O’Connor, of Marion; Sgt. Thomas A. Pridell, of Macedon; Sgt. James F. Quinn Jr., of Sodus Point; Cpl. Leon Rasbeck, of Wolcott; Cpl. Thomas Romano, of Clyde; Sgt. Robert Schinsing, of Newark; Sgt. 1st Class Jerry Slater, of Sodus; Disbursing Clerk 3rd Class James F. Smith, of Ontario; Staff Sgt. Gilbert Sterk, of Palmyra; Sgt. Clinton R. Stevens, of Savannah; Sgt. Abraham T. Tack, of Sodus; Sgt. George J. Walker, of Galen; Chief Warrant Officer 4 Michael R. Wangler, of Williamson; and Sgt. Clifford Wiley, of Macedon.

Town of Lansing, Tompkins County: Sgt. Danny Baker, Cpl. George Isaac, and Sonarman 2nd Class John W. Wishart.

Town of Webster, Monroe County: Electronics Technician Chief Lee Begy II, Gunnery Sgt. Paul S. Cordy, Pfc. Ralph Dimmick, Col. Seth M. Hoffer, Spc. Arthur Kucewicz, Sgt. 1st Class Jason LaRosa, Spc. 5th Class Dominic Marianetti, Maj. Steven J. McAlpin, and Sgt. Gerald S. Wirlo.