Five Indiana Veterans To Be Honored In Circle Ceremony

Retired Brigadier General, Stewart Goodwin has details about the Indiana War Memorials new commemorative brick program honors Indiana Veterans and raises money to preserve Indiana Memorials.

Five Indiana military veterans will be honored in a special Monument Circle ceremony on Friday, September 28, kicking off a campaign to fund bricks honoring Hoosiers who have served in the military.

The 10:30 a.m. ceremony on the south side of the Circle will see laser-engraved bricks installed, each containing the veteran’s name, branch of service and military campaign. The first bricks to be installed will honor:

Corporal Josh Bleill USMC, a spokesman for the Indianapolis Colts who lost both legs to an IED in Iraq;

Former Governor Ed Whitcomb, a two-year Japanese prisoner of war, recaptured after an earlier escape from Corregidor.

Former Governor Joe Kernan, a North Vietnamese prisoner of war after his Navy aircraft was shot down.

Lt. Gen. Carol Mutter, chairman of the Indiana War Memorials Commission, the first military female officer to be nominated to the three-star rank and a deputy commandant of the Marine Corps at the time of her retirement.

Col (Ret) Jim Kasler flew fighter aircraft in WW II, Korea and Vietnam for a combined 198 combat missions and is the only person to have earned three Air Force Crosses.  He spent over 6 years as a POW in Vietnam.

 Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman also will attend to help kick off the event. In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be moved to the Columbia Club.

Bricks honoring Hoosier veterans may be purchased by the public from the Indiana War Memorials Foundation.  For more information visit www.Indianawarmemorials.org or email customerservice@indianawarmemorials.com