Veterans from the college and community gather for a photo in McNamara Rehearsal Hall. Courtesy | Alessia Sandala
William Butler Jr. was posthumously inducted into the Hillsdale County Veterans Hall of Valor at the group’s 23rd annual awards ceremony Nov. 11 in McNamara Rehearsal Hall.
“Butler was a pillar of support for his family, his friends, and his community,” said Vice President of the Hall of Valor and Associate Dean of Men Jeffrey “Chief” Rogers. “He lived his life for others, always ready to lend a helping hand, whether it was a kind word, a warm smile, or a selfless act.”
Butler, who served in the Michigan Army National Guard before joining the Hillsdale County Sheriff’s Department, was killed on June 27 while assisting another officer in a traffic stop.
“Butler went from defending his country to protecting his community, right here in Hillsdale County as a sheriff’s deputy,” Rogers said.
The ceremony also featured a song dedicated to veterans by U.S. Marine Corps veteran and junior Greg Whalen, the presentation of the Admiral Peter Beckwith Memorial Scholarship to two high school seniors, and a speech by Fred Radke, leader of the Harry James Orchestra.
Greg and Diane Paul were awarded the Hall of Valor’s Service Organization of the Year award for bringing Wreaths Across America to Hillsdale County.
Wreaths Across America is a nonprofit organization that seeks to honor veterans by placing wreaths on the graves of servicemembers across the country at Christmas time each year.
“This great tradition will expand to include two additional cemeteries in Hillsdale County, encompassing 1600 graves of men and women who served this great nation in the armed forces,” Hall of Valor Treasurer and Marine veteran Rob Rardin said.
On Dec. 14, volunteers for the program will lay wreaths on the graves of veterans in the Oak Grove and Lakeview cemeteries in Hillsdale.
Radke, who served as the guest speaker, told the story of a man who stood up in a class he was teaching on the history of Big Bands during World War II.
“I said, ‘I’d like you to think back to where you were and what you were doing when you heard this famous Harry James Tune,’” Radke said. “So I played the song and a gentleman stood up in the class. He said, ‘I was 18 years old during World War II, and I was a waist gunner on a B-17 and we were coming back from our 18th mission.’”
The man went on to describe how he was the only one from his plane to survive after they bailed out of the B-17. He was sheltered in the basement of a member of the French Resistance, according to Radke.
“So he said, ‘Believe me, whenever I think of this or hear this, I know where I was and what I was doing,’” Radke said. “Well, that shows you how important and how powerful music is in certain things. There’s things we always remember. We always remember smells and we always remember music.”
President of the Hall of Valor and Air Force veteran John Williams said the ceremony is a vital part of the community and is a way to bring awareness to the sacrifices the nation’s veterans have made.
“This has become a special way for us to celebrate Veterans Day and to honor those who have served our country and continue to serve in our community,” Williams said.