Veterans record their story in their own words

West Central Missouri veterans visited The Sedalia Democrat on Wednesday and Thursday to give their families and future generations the gift of their story.

They participated in the Missouri Veteran Stories project, sponsored by the state of Missouri.

Steve Frazier, Andy Turner and Audi Swope of Patriot Productions in St. Louis arrived in Sedalia early Wednesday morning to interview 41 veterans about their military service.

The interviews will go in the Missouri State Archives, be posted online at missouriveteranstories.org and on touch-screen consoles at the State Capitol in Jefferson City.

Virgil Meyer, of Otterville, and James Graves, of Sedalia, were the first veterans to arrive on Wednesday. Meyer laughed as Graves gave him a quick test on everything from rank and serial number to proper uniform protocol.
Dick Brouillette, of Wheatland, shocked the crew by making not one, not two, but three trips to his car. He brought a variety of items including pictures, military gear and even some old guns. He is a retired master sergeant who learned about the project through the Warsaw Leathernecks.

When Sharon Sidebottom, activities director of the Golden Age Living Center in Stover, heard that no veterans from Stover had participated in the project, she took action. She brought six veterans from the nursing home to be interviewed. Sidebottom thought this was important because “they are our living heroes,” she said.

On Thursday, Ralph Thomas, of Sedalia, Marshall Wehmeyer, of Mora, and Herb Hare, of Lincoln, were all interviewed. They were excited to see each other again, since they all went on the Honor Flight to Washington, D.C., in April.

Father and son, Forrest and Fred Gruhn, of Lincoln, both participated on Thursday. Forrest, a World War II veteran, was hesitant to come in, but Fred, a Vietnam veteran, stressed the importance of doing it for their family, so they decided to do it together.

Patriot Productions is contracted to interview 400 veterans this year.

To nominate a veteran for this project, visit missouriveteranstories.org or call Latisha Koetting at 826-1000, ext. 222.