Tributes

Ronald J. Colone

Colone was was born on August 26, 1947 and was a 1965 graduate of Bishop Luers High School.

According to his obituary, Colone resided in Fort Wayne his entire life and was active in youth hockey, including playing for the Fort Wayne Pepsi Komets from 1963-’64.

He was also honored with the annual Sportsmanship Award.

After Basic Training and advanced infantry training, Colone was sent to Vietnam and ended up serving with C CO, 1ST BN, 52ND INFANTRY, 198TH INFANTRY BDE, AMERICAL DIV, USARV

Henry Lawton was a local hero in Fort Wayne throughout the mid-to-late 1800s. Lawton , was raised in Fort Wayne, attended and graduated from Fort Wayne Methodist College. When President Lincoln called for volunteers when the Civil War broke out, Lawton signed up to fight for the Union.

Bruce O. Boxberger was born in 1924. He was the son of Harry Martin Boxberger and Alice Mary Fletter. He had married Jacqueline Reta Mungovan in 1941.

Boxberger enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces. Served during World War II. Boxberger had the rank of Staff Sergeant. His military occupation or specialty was Left Waist Gunner. Service number assignment was 35553460. Attached to 490th Bomber Group, Heavy, 851st Bomber Squadron.

Marine Capt. Matthew J. Tomkiewicz was a Fort Wayne, Indiana native and a 2012 graduate of Homestead High School. He graduated from Purdue University in 2016 and in 2019 became a 1st Lieutenant and Naval Airman.

Captain Tomkiewicz served as an MV-22B Osprey pilot with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261, Marine Aircraft Group 26, and 2d Marine Aircraft Wing stationed on Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina.

Born April 30, 1896 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Henry C. (Jr.?) was the son of Henry C. and Louise Lange Buuck.

He entered military service in September of 1917 and eventually was assigned to duty with Company D, 26th Infantry, 1st DIvision in April of 1918. Buuck participated in battles at Meuse-Argonne and Marne*.

Buuck died in combat October 7, 1918. He is buried in Argonne American Cemetary, Romagne, France.

His grave number is 144 in section 28, plot 3.

* Our founder Eric Scott was also at the battle of Marne.

The 30th Regiment of Indiana Infantry was formed at Camp Allen Fort Wayne, Indiana on the 24th of September, 1861. Under the command of Colonel Sion S. Bass. The regiment joined the 19th United States Infantry on September 29, 1861.

Colonel Bass was part of the Bass family, a major industrial force in Fort Wayne making axles for use at the “Pennsy Works” where cars and locomotives were. built.

While leading his troops in the second day of the Battle of Shiloh, Bass was wounded and died seven days later in Paducah, Kentucky.

Henry H. Persons was born and raised in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He attended schools there and followed his academic success into college.

Persons decided to serve and enlisted in the Marines and went to Vietnam as a First Lieutenant with Delta Co. 1st Bn. 5th Marines. During fierce combat he was wounded and eventually died on the battle field.

His Silver Star citation reads:

Kenyon Andrews hailed from Hoagland, Indiana and enlisted in the U.S. Army during the Korean War,

Private Andrews was an E-2, with a specialty as a Light Weapons Infantryman. He served with the 8th Calvary Regiment, 1st Calvary Division. The Troopers of the 1st Cavalry Division earned seven Campaign Streamers and were awarded the Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation.

Navy Machinist’s Mate 1st Class Arthur Glenn of Fort Wayne, Indiana turned 43 on December 7, 1941.

It was also the day of his death.

Glenn joined the US Navy in 1917 and served for the duration of World War I. He then chose to stay in the Navy, where he served 24 years in both the Atlantic and Asiatic fleets.

Jonathan Fleming Blair

Jonathan was a senior at Elmhurst High School on 9-11, when the tragedy occurred. At that point he determined he would join the armed forces after graduation and do what he could to help make this country a safer place. He joined the Army in October, 2002, after graduation. He was on his second tour of duty in Iraq.