Today was about hands. The hands that fought and those whose held the hands that fought.
Recognized were, from left, McGee, Jones, Herring, Pittman and Cooke.
Four veterans and one person who supported veterans for 44 years assembled at the Historic Courthouse in Halifax today to have their hands cast for the North Carolina Veterans Park which is scheduled to open July 4 in Fayetteville.
Veterans from all 100 counties in the state will be honored the same way at the park and Halifax County World War II veteran Jack Pittman was chosen to have his bronzed by Elizabeth City artist Alexis Joyner.
The support veterans, who also had their hands molded, were Pearl Harbor survivor Dallas Jones, National Guard Chief Warrant Officer IV Jim Herring, Army recruiter Darrick McGee, a staff sergeant, and retired Veterans Services Officer Kaye Cooke.
“I appreciate this great honor, I really do,” Pittman, of Halifax, said, during a ceremony where plaques were given to each honoree. “I don’t deserve this.”
Jones told an audience of county officials and friends, “I appreciate this honor and will try to live up to your expectations.”
Then there was the molding process, Vaseline smeared on the hands and, for Pittman, an icy plunge of his right hand into a goop of plaster.
“It’s a very important honor,” Pittman said, before dipping his hand in the plaster. “I never expected it. It was more than I deserved. I appreciate the people honoring me this way.”
As he chatted with Pittman and Jones, Herring said, “It’s a great honor to be in the same room with these two guys.”
This was the sixth casting out of 12 for Joyner. “I learn a little bit more patience each time,” he said. “It’s a process that can’t be rushed.”
Biographies
Pittman: U.S. Army technical sergeant and American Legion Post 98 member.
Enlisted in 1941 and spent three years stateside and one year overseas. Went ashore in Normandy and fought across France, Belgium, Holland and into Germany. Three Purple Hearts, Combat Infantryman’s Badge, Bronze Star and Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal.
Jones: Retired Navy chief warrant officer III. Joined the Navy in 1940. Defensed Pearl Harbor by using a .50-caliber machine gun from a plane and using a pipe to steady the gun as a Marine did the shooting. Received the Distinguished Flying Cross, Defense Medal, Air Medal with two stars, area ribbons from the Pacific, European and American Theaters and an Order of Glory Medal from Russia.
Herring: Active duty MP in 1979. Deployed to Afghanistan in 2002, Iraq from 2006 to 2007 and South America from 2008 to 2009. Two Meritorious Service Medals, one Purple Heart, one Bronze Star, one Bronze Star with Valor Device and the Silver Star.
McGee: Enlisted in 1992. Recruiter since 2005. Was 2008 Volunteer of the Year by Roanoke Valley Chamber of Commerce. Decorated soldier including Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal.
Cooke: Associated with Veterans Service Office since 1965. Promoted to Veterans Service Officer in 1987. Retired in 2009. Worked with veterans from World War I to Iraq and Afghanistan Campaigns.
