Army of the Republic - Early Residents:

• Baird, William, Pvt, (Early Settler) Private Baird was a prisoner in Libby Prison, Richmond, Virginia, the most infamous prison of the Civil War for its over-crowded and unsanitary conditions.  The prison was the major recipient of Union prisoners from the Battle of Manassas (Bull Run-1861).  More than 50,000 prisoners passed through there during the Civil War. Pvt Baird remained a prisoner until the end of the War in 1865; however there are no records of when he was captured.

• Biggs, A.T., Sgt - Ohio Infantry

• Bobenrieth, Jos. 

• Bowen, A.G., Pvt - Indiana Infantry

• Burger, Levi B., Corporal - First Maryland Cavalry, serving three years.

• Creighton, J.R., Pvt - N.Y. Calvary

• Cross, A.B., Sgt - Penn. Infantry

• Fuller, H.H., Pvt - Penn. Infantry

• Hickey, W.H., Pvt - Co. M, First Regiment, Ohio Light Artillery. He served three years and three months.

• Hill, J.R., Pvt

• Hurlburt, Pvt - Iowa Calvary

• Ide, G.P., Pvt - Wisconsin Infantry

• Kelley, Patrick, Pvt - Ill. Calvary

• Lamont, M. Pvt - N.Y. Infantry

• Lee, Frank, Teamster

• Loy, B.F., Pvt - Penn. Calvary

• McMillen, B F., Pvt - Ill. Infantry

• Mollenkamp, G., Pvt-Mich. Infantry

• Naylor, H., Pvt - Ohio Calvary

• Richardson, J., Pvt - Mich. Artisan

• Rife, J., Pvt - Penn. Infantry

• Ross, J.F., Lt - Indiana Infantry

• Shannon, J.E., Pvt. - Penn. Infantry

• Shepherd, F.M. 

• Steele, H. S., Sgt. Enlisted September 1861 in the New York Independent Artillery.  He fought at Yorktown, Mechanicsville, Siege of Richmond, Seven Day Fight Malvern Hill, Second Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Wilderness Campaign and Petersburg.  He was wounded at Cold Harbor and discharged after three years of service.  He was a true brave soldier and loved by his comrades.

• Sutton, A.S.

• Whiteman, G.H.

• White, Joseph E., Pvt - Ohio Calvary. Joseph served four years in the Union army carrying messages on horseback between the Union Commanders.  He refused to be promoted to a higher rank.

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Confederate Army - Early Settlers:​

• Mong, Wendell W., Pvt Being born in West Virginia, Wendell "threw in his fortune with the Confederate States, and served four years, until the close of the War; serving under J.E.B. Stuart, Co. B., 1st Virginia Calvary. He was a very brave and daring soldier" - Lincoln Sentinel, April 1922.  He has the distinction of being the only Confederate soldier buried in the Vesper Cemetery.

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WWI - Early Residents of Vesper​​  (113 Draft Registrants)

• Anderson, Harry J. - National Army

• Anderson, Anton A.-National Army

• Baird, Walter, Sgt - National Army

• Baird, Early (Earl) G.

• Cavanaugh, I.J., - Regular Army

• Feldt, Emil - Regular Army

• Jensen, Edward - National Army

• Jensen, Andrew A. - Regular Army

• Jepsen, Arthur A. - National Army

• Larsen, John - National Army

• Loy, Darrell D.

• Lykke, Richard C., Pvt

• Maupin, Elmer - Regular Army

• Mueller, Ortwin G., Pvt

• Noon, Joseph - Regular Army

• Peterson, Waldemar, - National Army

• Riggs, J.E. - Regular Army

• Swisher, Kyle U., Pvt

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Note: The National Army was the designation of those drafted in WWI.​

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WWII: VHS Graduates - (U.S Army Unless Otherwise Noted)​

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• Ancell, Darrel Dean, (Non-Vesper Graduate) Pfc, Served in combat with the Ninth Infantry Division, European Theatre.  Wounded in Action near Aachen, Germany and was awarded the Purple Heart.  In December 1944, the 9th Infantry was at Elsenborn Ridge where it waged an 18-Hour engagement during the Battle of the Bulge. After the reduction of the German salient , the ninth spear-headed a 1945 drive toward the Siegfried Line. They crossed the Rhine in March 1945, and advanced into Czechoslavakia.  Dean mustered out in October 1945.  

• Andreasen, Harlan (Class of 1941), "Harlan turned 18 on 26 December. Joined the Army and was first sent to Alaska in 1943.  He became a member of the 503rd Airborne and was sent to the Western Pacific." - Bud Andreasen.  "He joined the Army at the age of 17.  His mother was against it, but signed the papers to let him join because he would on his birthday". - Robert Andreasen

• Block, Kyle U. (Class of 1936)

• Block, Richard, (Non-Vesper Graduate) S/Sgt, Served in combat in Italy.

• Block, Robert Francis, W1 USN (Class of 1931) Warrant Officer Block, career Navy, served in both WWII and the Korean conflict.​

• Bolte, Alfred (Bud), (Freshman 1926) Alfred served in the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC), Circa 1936, an organization run by the Dept of Defense.  Besides being a test organization for the draft, the CCC fought forest fires, built infrastructures such as bridges, roads and small structures. Unfortunately, Bud could not serve due to a heart condition.

• Bunch, Everard Jack, (Class of 1940) - KIA.  PL S/SGT Bunch was a Marine Platoon Gunnery Sergeant aboard the USS Colorado Battleship, BB-45 on active duty in the Pacific.  Engaged in a major battle on 24 July 1944, around Tinian Island - of the Mariannas Islands, he was killed.   The USS Colorado was supporting the Marine invasion of Tinian Island.  S/Sgt Bunch's ship sustained 22 hits from Japanese shore batteries, which killed 44 of the ship's crew.  Despite the damage, the ship continued to operate against the enemy until August 04. Jack was awarded five stars indicating five major engagements. He was considered a leader in Vesper High School activities and was popular in the community.  Following his graduation in May, he joined the Marines in November.  His parents, Harry & Josie, received a telegram telling of his death, with no date given, but was later informed of the date after the conclusion of the battle engagement.     

• Burger, Herbert Lee (Class of 1934)

• Cheney, Dwayne (Class of 1941)

• Clark, Vernon (Non-Vesper Graduate)

• Cromwell-Boynton, Doris YN3 (Yeoman) U.S. Navy (Class of 1939).  After graduation, she worked a brief time in Beloit, Kansas. Doris, a sister of Herbert (KIA), served in WWII, where she later met her husband (Layton Boynton). She continued her service to her country after the War retiring with 39 years in Civil Service.

• Cromwell, Eleanor, U.S. Navy (Yeoman, Oakland-Alameda Naval Base (Class of 1936). Eleanor received word of her brother Herbert's death while working as an FSA office girl in El Dorado, Kansas. This news probably prompted her to enlist in the Navy and serve in a clerical position at the Navy Base in California, where she met and married her husband (David Bates) in 1945 after the War.  

• Cromwell, Eugene (Class of 1932)

• Cromwell, Herbert F. (KIA), (Class of 1938).  Herbert Cromwell enlisted in the U.S. Army on November 15, 1939, about a year after high school graduation. He was trained as a radio operator & gunner, assigned to the 17th Bombardment Group (Medium), Pendelton Oregon. The 17th used their B-25 Mitchell bombers for patrol duty along Oregon's west coast after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, December 1941, until ordered to transfer to Columbia, North Carolina.  The 17th patrolled the southern Atlantic coast and the Gulf of Mexico with planes and personnel stationed at airfields from Columbia to Miami.  Meanwhile, twenty planes and volunteer crews moved to Eglin Airfield, Florida to train for a "Special B-25 Project" (Doolittle's Tokyo Raid). On April 16th, Sgt Cromwell was assigned to crew #27 of the thirty-three crews participating in Project 157, (assignment of aircraft to support the Chinese effort in Asia), which included seven B-17's and twenty-six B-25's.  Preceded several days earlier by the B-17's, the fully combat-ready B-25 Mitchell bombers departed Morrison Field, Florida, in flights of five and six planes between 2 and 5 May 1942. Sgt. Cromwell's plane departed on 4 May.  After arriving at Karachi, India (now Pakistan) he was assigned, on 28 May 1942, to the 11th Bombardment Squadron (M), assigned to the Bombardment Group, temporarily designated Composite Group. The day after the 141st Bombardment Group (Medium) was activated, on 15 Sept 1942, the 11th and 22nd Bombardment Squadrons were assigned to it.  Herbert Cromwell was assigned to Detached Service with the 11th Squadron at Dinjan, India, performing armed reconnaissance flights from Dinjan over northern and central Burma, to be on one of four crews; (two 11th and two 22nd) to join with the 11th Bomb Squadron at Kwellin (now Gullin), China for a series of China Air Task Force special missions against Japanese resources in the Hong Kong area of China.  His aircraft, a North American B25D, with four bombs on board, launched from Dinjan the afternoon of October 18th.  About thirty minutes out of Dinjan, the plane developed engine trouble and soon both engines quit.  The pilot was forced to attempt an emergency landing about 35 miles southeast of Dinjan, in heavy fog and rugged terrain near Deomali, India.  Sgt. Cromwell's plane plowed into a mountainside. The aircraft was totally destroyed, and all the crew members (6) were killed.  The bombs were later found intact, and it was later determined the aircrafts fuel had probably been sabotaged, since later flights also had engine failures due to fuel contamination.  This was later traced to deliberate actions by one Indian worker.  At the time, due to large numbers of Japanese fighters located in northern Burma, all flights between India and China, were considered "combat missions".  Nonetheless, members of this crew have been reported as either "Killed in Action" or "Killed Non-Battle".  Taken from: "The Record; History of the 11th Bomb Squadron, (M).   But for the luck of the draw, Herbert might have been remembered as a member of General Jimmy Doolittle's famous bombing raid on Tokyo; but instead made the ultimate sacrifice in a shroud of secrecy!

• Cromwell, Maurice (Class of 1925)

• Cromwell, Max - USAF (Class of 1937)

• Cromwell, Ralph (Class of 1934)

• Cromwell, Robert M. - US Navy Construction Battalion, Sea Bees (Non-Vesper Graduate)

• Engstrom, Eugene, U. S. Navy (Class of 1930)

• Fensch, Reinhold (Class of 1933)

• Feldkamp, Leo - U.S. Navy, Seaman First Class, KIA (Class of 1934).  Leo enlisted in the Navy Reserve (USNR) shortly after high school graduation and was activated to duty after the Pearl Harbor attack. The ship he was assigned to (USS Reid, DD - 369) participated in the War of the Pacific (Dec 1941 - Sept 1945 as part of the Seventh Fleet. During the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Reid fired on the Japanese planes and her group of destroyers downed one.  After the attack, the USS Reid patrolled the Hawaiian Islands.  After patrols off Leyte, Philippines; in November she steamed to Oromoc Bay, Leyte.  She supported landings there on 7 December, and escorted the damaged U.S.S. Lamson, DD367, toward Leyte Gulf. The large invasion convoy came under strong attack by Kamikazes, but they were unable to delay the American invasioin. Escorting reinforcements to Oromoc Bay, near Suragamo Straits on 11 December, Reid destroyed seven Japanese planes before she sunk from repeated Kamikaze crashes. Her 150 survivors were picked up by landing craft in her convoy.   The USS Reid earned eight service stars during World War II. This invasion was extremely important paving the way to the later landing of troops on the Island of Luzon. Control of Mindoro was needed to establish air bases for the invasion of Luzon.  It was this kamikaze attack on his ship, that Seaman Feldkamp was found Missing in Action (MIA) - "lost at sea" on 11 December 1944; and later declared Killed in Action - (KIA) "giving his life in the service of his country".  Leo was awarded the Purple Heart and is memorialized at the "Missing at Manila American Cemetery, Manila, Philippines, Tablets of the Missing".  Leo Herman Feldkamp is among the 8,133 American Gold Star causalities recorded with close ties to Kansas.

• Feldkamp, Paul (Class of 1943) Paul enlisted in the U.S. Army at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas on 23 September 1944, a year after graduation. His term of enlistment was "For the duration of the War or Other Emergency Plus Six Months, Subject to the Discretion of the President or Otherwise According to Law". He achieved the rank of Private.

• Feldkamp, Reinhold (Class of 1936) TEC 4. Sergeant Feldkamp was drafted and spent almost four years in the U.S. Army, European Theater, during WWII.

• Feldkamp, Warren - USN (Class of 1940)

• Flaherty, Emery (Class of 1929)

• Flaherty, Leonard (Class of 1931)

• Flaherty, Vincent (Class of 1933)

• Heinze, Leonard (Class of 1939)​​

• Heinze, Richard (Class of 1939) TEC 5. Corporal Richard Heinze attended U.S. Army Basic Training in Texas, shipped out from Halifax to England, and then into Northern Ireland, where he joined the 11th Infantry, 5th Division, as a 6X6 truck driver.  He trained in Ireland for 9 months and then headed to France. He landed in France one month after D-Day and was soon in the battle for St. Lo. Next, General Patton wanted his Division as part of the 3rd Army, as part of a River Crossing Division, so they blitzed across France, a 700-mile jaunt, capturing and securing bridges as they went.  His Division spent the winter in Luxemburg, and helped General Patton protect the south side during the Battle of the Bulge.  (Write-up taken from 2004 calendar "Honoring a Few Lincoln County World War II Heroes".​

• Kleinschmidt, Wilbur (Class of 1941)

• Lyne, Virgil T., U.S. Navy (Class of 1941)

• Lehmkuhl, Elton (Class of 1939) Elton enlisted in the U.S. Navy in Sept 1939 (right out of high school) and served until October 1945.  He achieved the rank of Petty Officer First Class.

• Morrison, Gerald, U.S. Army, PFC (Non-Vesper Graduate)

• Nelson, Marselene, Army Air Corp. (Class of 1942)

• Nelson, Willis (Class of 1944)

• Nielsen, Leland Chris, Major U. S. Army (Class of 1935) From 1941-1946 Leland served in the United States Army Air Corp, achieving the rank of Major. Following his discharge in 1946, he received a Juris Doctor from the USC Gould School of Law.

• Nitsch, Alvin (Class of 1943)

• Nunn, Grant, Jr. (Class of 1941)

• Nygaard, Leo Vernon, USN, (Class of 1930)

• O'Leary, Phillip (Class of 1933)

• O'Toole, John (Class of 1944) U.S. Navy, Medical Corp. 1944-1947

• Panzer, Floyd (Class of 1945)

• Peterson, Kenneth USAAF (Class of 1939) 

• Powers, Paul Bernard (Class of 1936)

• Powers, Emerson (Class of 1933)

• Powers, Kenneth (Class of 1940)

• Rahmeir, Ernest (Class of 1944) Ernest served in the U.S. Army in the Pacific area during WWII.

• Roten, Harold R. QM, PFC (Non-Vesper Graduate)

• Sheldon, John Alden (Class of 1944)

• Swisher, Kyle, Jr. (Class of 1942)

• Taylor, George, (Class of 1935)

• Toole, John, USN, (Class of 1944)

• Toole, Lawrence, (Class of 1933)

• Voss, Harold, Merchant Marines (Class of 1940)

• Wiebke, Leonard (Class of 1937)

• Woody, Gerald D. 2nd Lt USAF, (VHS Supt.1950-1955)

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Cold War Period (1947-1991) - A period of time when geopolitical tension was high between the United States and the Soviet Union. Because there was not a World War during this time; actual combat was considered local, i.e., Korean, Vietnam Conflict. The recognition of the importance of the military support during this time of potential Nuclear War was not given. Much of this Service included surveillance and intelligence gathering. However, these veterans deserve to be recognized and "thanked for their service" as well!

• Anderson, Alvin Andrew PFC U.S. Army (Class of 1961) Andy was promoted early as an Army Incentive for Outstanding Trainees.

• Andreson, Donald (Class of 1946) Donald enlisted in the USAF shortly after graduation, achieving the Rank of Sergeant.

• Block, Garrett (Class of 1963)

• Bolte, Alfred Larry, Lt. USN, (Class of 1960)

• Brumbaugh, Leslie LaVerne (Verne) (Class of 1947) Verne served in the Army Reserve 01 January 1951 to 01 January 1953.

• Bunch, Richard (Class of 1957)

• Cheney, Glen, USN (Class of 1946)

• Clark, Wayne S. (Non-Vesper Graduate)​

• Dohe, Dean (Class of 1955) Enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1956 and served until 1959 under the "Buddy System" with Carroll Feldkamp.

• Errebo, Bill (Class of 1947) Served with the U.S. Naval Reserve at the Olathe Naval Air Station.

• Feldkamp, Carroll (Class of 1955) Enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1956 and served until 1959, under the "Buddy System" with Dean Dohe.

• Flaherty, Laverne (Class of 1962)

• Hildebrandt, Eldon (Class of 1947) Eldon served in the U.S. Army from 1950 - 1953 in Germany as a Military Policeman.

• Hildebrandt, Orvel (Class of 1952)

• Knudsen, Donald (Class of 1946) Served three years in the U.S. Army.

• Knudsen, Eugene (Class of 1950) Cpl. Knudsen, U.S. Army, served at Camp Tokyo with the 29th Engineer Topographic Battalion as a file clerk in in Headquarters Detachment.  Prior to his overseas assignment, Gene was stationed at Ft. Lewis, Washington. 

• Krueger, Billie Dean (Class of 1962)

• Liepitz, Donald L., Sgt 1st Class (Class of 1949). Sgt. Liepitz was assigned to the 10th Infantry Division in Fort Riley, Kansas, which was later re-assigned as the 7th Infantry Division when deployed to South Korea, (Korean Conflict 1950-1953). While serving in Korea, he was a Squadron Sergeant, leader of 8-24 enlisted men.  Due to the high causality rates in the landing at Inchon, Sgt. Liepitz was temporarily promoted to lead a Platoon (16-50 men) in a position normally assigned to a 1st Lieutenant.  During a subsequent landing at Wonsan, Korea, Sgt Liepitz sustained a shrapnel wound to his eye, resulting in the loss of the eye, for which he subsequently received the Purple Heart Medal. The Purple Heart is a U.S. military decoration awarded in the name of the President, to those wounded or killed while serving with the U.S. Military.  The Purple Heart is the oldest military award still given to U.S. Military members. Sergeant Liepitz was also awarded the Korean Service Medal and the Bronze Campaign Star.  Donald later graduated from the Brown-Mackie School of Business.

• Mannell, Norman, USAF (Class of 1963) 

• Meir, Marvin (Class of 1947)

• Nelson, David USN - Korean War (Class of 1950)

• Nelson, Jay (Class of 1945)

• Nelson, Wayne (Class of 1947)

• Nitsch, Alvin (Class of 1943) Served in Italy during WWII.

• Nunn, Billy Joe (Class of 1950)

• Nunn, Robert (Class of 1947)

• Panzer, Dean, USN (Class of 1948). Dean served in the U.S. Navy as an Aircraft Mechanic aboard the USS Valley Forge from 1950 to 1954 during the Korean Conflict.

• Payne, Tommy (Class of 1949)

• Powers, Robert USAF (Class of 1946)

• Schroeder, Dale, National Guard/Army Reserve (Class of 1954)

• Sheldon, Ben USN Submarine Service (Class of 1955)

• Sheldon, Dale (Class of 1949)

• Sheldon, Bill (Class of 1954) When Bill filed on a 160-acre homestead east of Homer, Alaska, in 1959, Alaska was still a territory.  To gain title to the land, he was required, under terms of the 1867 Federal Homestead Act, to cultivate 20 acres of the land.  The solution: a used tractor, which would in time, become a collectible.  "We purchased a 1951 8N tractor with a 4-foot Rototiller and other implements" he says.  "We got our 20 acres tilled with the 8N and also got title to 160 acres of Alaska land".  Over the years, the 8N was put to work on a regular basis, "From pulling logs to the sawmill, putting on the half-tracks and going moose hunting, to pushing snow in the winter," Bill says. "It has earned its keep."  Fifty years later, Bill gave the 8N a complete face lift, which led to another acquisition.  Since I had a 1951 Ford tractor, we felt we needed a 1951 Ford truck", he explains.  "While visiting our daughter in Washington a couple of years ago, I bought this truck in Vancouver".  He shipped the truck via barge to Anchorage and drove it the 230 miles from Anchorage to Homer on the Kenai Peninsula. -(Write-up Taken from Farm Collector - 2008). Bill was honored in 2018 with the "Veteran Honor Flight" from Anchorage, Ak to Washington D.C. to honor his service in the Army, as well as his contributions to the Homer American Legion, where he donated many Army collectibles and built a display cabinet for them.  Bill was also honored with the American Legion "Alaska Legionnaire of the Year Award."

• Sheldon, Paul (Class of 1953)​​

• Sorenson, Abraham Lincoln, Jr. USN (Class of 1947) 

• Swisher, Donald (Class of 1950)

• Zachgo, Ronnie USAF (Class of 1963)

• Wacker, Bill USN (Class of 1958) 

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A Special Salute: Taken from the Wichita Eagle-(10 June 1955), BOEING HERE PICKS TYPICAL PILOT OF B47 - Typical of 22 B47 test pilots and co-pilots employed by the Boeing airplane company's Wichita Division is a 33-year-old veteran of nearly 17 years flying experience according to results of a survey conducted by the company.  The survey also included fact and figures on the "triple threat" third man of the Stratojet crews - skilled observers - who serve a combination navigators, bombardiers and radar operators.  Most of the test pilots and observers, headed by Flight Test Chief Elliott Merrill, are Midwesterners, although several live in hometowns as widely separate as Seattle, Wash. and Rochester New York.  Nine are native Kansans.  "Mr. Average Pilot" is James H. Goodell.  A native of Vesper, Kansas, (born on a farm outside of Vesper, however, did not graduate from VHS), he is three years younger than the average of men who have accumulated thousands of hours putting the swept-wing, six hundred miles-an-hour Boeing jets through their paces.  He grew up in the Kansas City area.  As a college engineering graduate (University of Kansas), the experimental pilot has somewhat more education than the average Boeing B47 crewman. Jim served in the Navy as a pilot during World War II in Patrol Squadrons VP207 and VPB114, flying PBM and PB4Y airplanes.