“News from the Hut”
for American Legion Post #142; Hominy, Oklahoma.
>>> by Gary Lanham

I always enjoy researching home grown heroes. On this date seventy years ago Harold Kiner was a Private, U.S. Army, Company F, 117th Infantry, 30th Infantry Division. He earned the Congressional Medal of Honor due to the heroic sacrifice made near Palenberg, Germany on 2 October 1944. He entered service in Enid, Oklahoma born in Aline, Oklahoma. With four other men, he was leading in a frontal assault 2 October 1944, on a Siegfried Line pillbox near Palenberg, Germany. Machine gun fire from the strongly defended enemy position 25 yards away pinned down the attackers. The Germans threw hand grenades, one of which dropped between Pvt. Kiner and two other men. With no hesitation, Private Kiner hurled himself upon the grenade, smothering the explosion. By his gallant action and voluntary sacrifice of his own life, he saved his two comrades from serious injury or death.

Our American Legion bunch has several WWII, Korean, and Vietnam veterans. I am proud of all of them. Like my father who fought the Nazis in WWII you seldom hear about what happened; some learned to tuck it away. I found out how my Dad’s heroics (who I lost in 1973) earned a Bronze Star and Purple Heart from my uncle. Under fire he rescued a soldier who was running communication wire and was hit by enemy fire. He brought him back to the foxhole and applied a tourniquet, and then ran the line to its destination under fire.

Post members are reminded that we are invited to the Fairfax Veterans Day Parade on November 8th, put on by Leon Hendrix and Eva Donovan from Fairfax. I have missed the last two parades, but now I am a man of leisure and look forward to participating! More details are forthcoming.

I am still trying to gather dates for your calendar over the next few weeks for the season’s activities. The Halloween Downtown Event, Veteran’s Day Events, and Christmas Parade are on the horizon. And our regular meetings are the first and third Thursdays at 7:00 PM (2nd October). Monday morning Koffee Klatch meetings for October are still up and running starting around 0700 till about 0900. If you are a veteran come on by. If you have a good story it may end up in print!