After a Japanese torpedo captain dropped a weapon and then slammed the aeroplane into the U.S. Navy soldier’s deliver during World War II, Stanley Primmer was knocked unconscious and blown out of his boots.
The attack hospitalized the , Rockford , producer, then 98, killed three of his compatriots and wounded 34 some off the beach of , Okinawa, Japan, in 1945.
According to Primmer, the near-death practice is occasionally difficult to discuss.
” It just happened”, he said. ” I was really fortunate”.
Jonas Babcock Book of the , National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution , presented Primmer and three other , Rockford-area soldiers — , Allen Lewis,  , Ivan Willmschen , and , Art Grewe , — with red, white and blue “honor mats” and credentials Saturday at Palouse Country Assisted Living in , Fairfield.
Grewe is a , World War II Navy , senior.  , Neil Davey, a , U. S. Army , Korean War veteran, was no current Saturday, but also will get a cover and credentials for his company.
Rae Anna Victor, king of the , Jonas Babcock Chapter, said the volunteer children’s service organization recognizes soldiers ‘ service throughout the year with respect pillows.
LaVonne Whitaker, king of the , May Hutton Chapter, said during Saturday’s service that the five 42-by-42-inch “lap-sized pillows” were made by , May Hutton Chapter , people.
Willmschen said Saturday’s identification “really hits home”, and planned to place the cover, which was folded on his chest Saturday, on the back of his couch at home.
” Causes tears come to my sight, you know”, Willmschen said as he cried. ” It’s so beautiful that everybody’s doing this for us”.
Willmschen, 94, grew up on a plantation 2 km outside , Rockford , and worked at a bank until he was drafted into the Army in 1951 during the Korean War.
Willmschen said he served as a military police for 18 weeks in , Vienna, Austria. There, he worked alongside British, French, Russian and Austrian troops and attained the rank of sergeant.
He said , Austria , was “very nice”, but when he got it, many houses that had been reduced to rubble from attacks during World War II were still in damage.
” You don’t even stroll down some of the roadways”, Willmschen said.
By the time he left, the town had been largely cleaned up, he claimed.
Willmschen served six times in the , Army Reserve , after he was discharged in 1953, said Victor, who read the soldiers ‘ military service information to them and their loved ones while they were presented with their blankets and credentials.
He said he owned and operated , Rockford-Worley Insurance Agency , for 37 decades after his company.
Willmschen said he still lives in the , Rockford , house he and his late wife, Alene, built 68 years before. She died in March, about two months after the pair celebrated their 70th wedding celebration.
” She was a great lady”, Willmschen said. ” God, I miss her every day”.
However, after joining the , Navy , in 1944 and teaching in , San Diego, California, Primmer was assigned to LST-534, which stands for Landing Ship Tank.
The fleet was ordered to , Okinawa , with another makes for the beach war.
Primmer was wounded on , June 22, 1945, when the 18-year-old gun was aboard the LST-534. When the opponent aircraft was spotted approaching the harbor filled with boats, the sailors were unloaded with their troops and weapons. Prior to the Chinese aircraft, which dropped a weapon and crashed into Primmer’s ship, Primmer began firing at it.
He left the military in 1947, and 60 years afterwards, was awarded a Purple Heart award from , U. S.  , Rep.  , Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Spokane, for his wounds off , Okinawa.
Primmer, who wore a blue , Navy , helmet Saturday, spent his life farming near , Rockford, got married and had six kids.
He still lives in his , Rockford , home where one of his sons takes care of him, said , Doug Primmer, one of , Stanley Primmer ‘s , sons.
Over 15 people and four years of the Primmer home attended Saturday’s service.
Doug Primmer , said his father goes round also for his time.
” At 98, it’s always a blessing”, said , Jody Cornwall, one of , Stanley Primmer ‘s , six children and who recited her father’s military service during the ceremony.
Lewis, a commander in the , U. S. Army, even saw “tense conditions” during his time in , Vietnam, according to Victor.
Lewis, who wore a crimson , Washington State University , barrel hat Saturday, was an ROTC student and graduated from WSU in 1960.
He was sent to , Vietnam , in 1963 as a military director, Victor said.
After arriving in the country, she said Lewis and other men were ambushed.
As his commander reloaded a.30-caliber machine gun from their car, Lewis and his cohorts ran out into the turf along a street and emptied their revolvers.
Eventually, Lewis searched a young gentleman whom , U. S.  , soldiers brought into camp and found a life rocket, Victor said.
She said Lewis finally returned to the , U. S.  , to enable make volunteers for the escalating conflict in , Vietnam. He was let go in 1965.
He and his wife, Karen, farmed in Worley and , Rockford , until his pension.
Each senior, who sat with their pride cover and credentials, received applause after they were recognized.
Gail Kopp, who grew up in the , Rockford , place, said she’s known the four soldiers, who were provide Saturday, for decades.
They all returned and spent their entire lives serving their communities, she said.” No only did they serve their land, but they also served their country.”
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( c ) 2024 The Spokesman-Review
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