American flag

VOM – April 2017

Russell Leon Goforth US Army, WWII 1944-1946 Leon Goforth honored as Veteran of the Month By Sherri Onorati, Special to The Leader April’s Veteran of the Month is World War II veteran and life-long Covington resident Russell L. Goforth. He was nominated by Vernon Jerry Covington who remarked that he

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Soldiers in combat with helicopter overhead.

VOM – September 2016

Henry Leslie Billings (22 May 1947-10 Jun 2023) US Army, Vietnam 1966-1973 Billings finds blessings after tours in Vietnam By SHERRI ONORATI, Special to The Leader More than 2.6 million personnel served within the borders of South Vietnam, including Atoka resident, Henry Leslie Billings, who served two tours in as

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Navy ship number 10 in harbor.

VOM – July 2021

Rebecca Knox Dickinson U.S. Navy 1961-1963 Becky Knox was born on April 28, 1943, in Chillicothe, Ohio to Donald and Marjorie Knox. She graduated from Centralia High School in May 1961, was sworn into the Navy in July, then promptly headed for bootcamp in Bainbridge, Maryland. Following her December 1961

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A picture of an American flag with soldiers and the Statue of Liberty superimposed on top of the flag

VOM – December 2018

Stephen Paul Foisy US Army, Vietnam, 1968-1974 At the age of 21, Stephen Paul Foisy was employed with IBM when he received his draft notice for the United States Army on June 18, 1968, in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania. He completed Basic Training at Fort Dix, New Jersey then served in

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Industrial port scene with cranes and cargo.

VOM – March 2017

Rudolph Boykin Sr. (Oct. 4, 1919 ~ Apr. 30, 2019) US Army WWII, 1944 – 1946 Brighton native honored as Veteran of the Month By Sherri Onorati, Special to The Leader The National World War II Museum reports that there were 16,112,566 members of the United States Armed Forces who

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Military aircraft with soldiers on airstrip.

VOM – August 2016

William Thomas “Tommy” Cheairs US Air Force, Vietnam Vietnam pilot honored as Veteran of the Month By Sherri Onorati, Special to The Leader August has been a hot month for Tipton County but dealing with the heat is nothing new for this month’s Veteran of the Month. Lieutenant Colonel William

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Soldiers advancing through dense jungle terrain.

VOM – July 2018

Bruce A. Lemont US Army, 1967-1969 Born on November 9, 1948 in Portland, Maine, Bruce was drafted into the United States Army in 1967, a few short months after graduation from high school. As a member of a patriotic family (his father served in WWII and Korea, three brothers served

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VOM – April 2016

James Noah Craig (Aug. 18, 1918 – Nov. 22, 2021) US Army, WWII 1940-1945 War is Hell says April’s Veteran of the Month By Sherri Onorati, Special to The Leader Tipton County native James Noah Craig was recently recognized as the April honoree for the Veteran of the Month program.

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Soldiers advancing in a field during combat.

VOM – February 2017

Charles Edward Mason US Army, 1967-1992 Born in Tipton County in 1941, Charles Edward Mason graduated from Frazier High School in 1961. In 1967, after helping his grandfather farm in Tipton County for several years, Charles was drafted into the U.S. Army. He began his service in Ft. Benning, Georgia,

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Man on aircraft carrier with jet and helicopter.

VOM – May 2019

Joseph Leno Malone US Navy 1950-1956 Joseph Leno Malone was born on July 27, 1933, in the Mt. Carmel area of Tipton County and grew up on a dairy farm. While still in high school, he felt the need to serve his country; he joined the Navy Reserves, where he

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