Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
REARDAN – A crowd of around 50 people gathered at the Mann family ranch off Highway 231 north of town Friday, Sept. 18 for a dedication of a historical marker recognizing Medal of Honor recipient and Reardan native Joe Mann. Mann died at 22 after jumping on a grenade to protect his comrades in World War II.
The event began with a welcome message by Rae Anna Victor of the Jonas Babcock chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. A presentation of colors by the Fairchild Air Force Base Honor Guard then followed.
Mayor Gail Daniels led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance, then “God Bless America” was sung by Shannon Braithwait of the May Hutton Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
An invocation was given by Karen Liptack, also of the Jonas Babcock chapter. Victor then introduced guests and gave acknowledgements.
Col. Nick Dipoma from Fairchild then performed a wreath laying ceremony with Mann’s nephew, Byrne Bennett, and his wife Denise. Dipoma then gave remarks on behalf of Fairchild.
Deputy District Director of the 5th Congressional District, Andrew Engell, who attended the event, gave remarks on behalf of Cathy McMorris Rodgers and her office.
The grand unveiling came next, as Mann’s niece, Rena Brown, read the words on the marker while Jim and David Mann, Joe Mann’s nephew and grandnephew, removed the purple covering, revealing the marker for all to see.
The marker has a blue background and features Joe Mann’s high school senior photo flanked by the 101st Airborne Division’s logo and an image of a Medal of Honor, Bronze Star and Purple Heart with four oak leaf clusters, all of which Mann won for his war heroics. A description of Mann and his Medal of Honor citation lies beneath the images.
Byrne Bennett then gave a speech about Joe Mann’s personal life. Bennett is currently writing a book about this subject, titled “A Greater Destiny.” Liptack then gave a benediction.
The ceremony concluded with the retirement of colors by the Honor Guard, and Spokane Police Department Honor Guard Trevor Winters played “Taps.”
Drew Lawson is the editor of the Davenport Times. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.
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