Veterans Day 2023

Happy Veterans Day to all our members, their families, as well as to all veterans past and present. The Kassel Mission Historical Society is blessed to still have one of our veterans from the Kassel Mission with us, Jim Baynham. My wife and I have enjoyed his occasional email communications that he shares with friends and family, sometimes reflecting on the past but more often on his life at present. If there is any model of “aging gracefully,” Jim Baynham is the “poster boy” in all he says, does, and what he represents. Jim is the epitome of the Greatest Generation. I am pleased to share a short video of Jim that was created and just released by Nathan Zacharias, Video Production Designer for the Brookdale Senior Living Facility where Jim now resides. The video will give you a strong sense of the burden that veterans carry with them after combat and how they come to terms with it. It’s a very moving video, and Jim Baynham is quite a remarkable man. Once again, thank you, Jim, for your service! And thank you, Nathan, for taking the time to honor our veteran with this video!

On another remarkable event, just this past week at a somber ceremony, the remains of 2 of our Kassel Mission members were laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. After being listed as MIAs for 79 years, their remains were positively identified late last year. The families of Tech Sgt. James M. Triplett and 2nd Lieutenant Porter M. Pile, along with several members of our KMHS families, were present. KMHS proudly presented two B-24 relics from the Lt. Hansen crash site to both family members who donated their DNA samples to help confirm the findings. Two veterans who gave it all at such a young age, now positively identified, were honored together at Arlington. Please visit our KMHS website blog where Linda Dewey, Linda Gibson, and Melissa Lerch (all daughters of KM survivors), share their participation and experiences at Arlington. There is no more meaningful way to honor our veterans! Thank you!

Once again, please take the time this Veterans Day to give thanks and praise to all veterans for their service. Thank you, Jim, Porter, James, and all past Kassel Mission veterans for your service and sacrifices.