~courtesy of The Scranton Journal
The Greene County veterans affairs office and Floyd W Brown American Legion Post #11 of Jefferson held a special ceremony on Friday, May 22, in the south lobby of the Greene County courthouse. A new display, Remembering Our Fallen Heroes, was unveiled.
This event was intended to be open to the public; however, due to the current closure of the courthouse and ongoing health concerns, attendance was limited to family, media and a few officials. The public is encouraged to come to the courthouse once it reopens to view the patriotic display.
The Greene County board of supervisors approved a resolution last November allowing the permanent display of a photograph of World War I veteran Floyd W. Brown, the namesake of American Legion Post #11. Private Floyd W. Brown, a native of Jefferson, was called into active service on 26 July 1918 and was killed on 10 November 1918, less than 24 hours before the Armistice was signed.
The resolution also granted the additional photographs of other deceased Greene County veterans to be temporarily displayed upon the periodic recommendation of the Veteran service director and the Greene County veterans affairs commission. The first additional photograph on display is that of Lance Corporal Benjamin R. Carman, also a Jefferson native. Carman served during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Mike Bierl, director of Greene County veterans affairs, headed the service. County attorney Thomas Laehn read the official resolution that set the display into motion.
State representative Phil Thompson, who is also commander of the Jefferson Legion Post, read the biographies of Brown and Carman, adding personal comments. Supervisor Mick Burkett and Barb Labate presented flags and roses to members of the Carman family to show appreciation for Ben’s ultimate sacrifice.
The assistance of Jim Andrew, vice commander of Post #11, was directly responsible for the public exhibition of the Floyd W. Brown photo and biography in the courthouse. Andrew was the person who, upon seeing the torn photo of Brown, had the original photo restored with three copies made: one for the courthouse, one for the Historical Museum, and one for Post #11.
Private Floyd W. Brown, World War I
Floyd W. Brown, namesake of American Legion Post No. 11 of Jefferson was killed in action at Verdun, France, on Nov 10, ., mere hours before the Armistice suspended hostilities of WWI on November 11, 1918. A native of Jefferson, Floyd managed the Armour Grain Company elevator in Cooper prior to the war. A single man of 31 years of age, he was actively involved in community affairs and was very well regarded by all who knew him.
Brown was called into active service on July 26, 1918. He left with a contingent of 117 Iowa men for training at Camp Gordon, GA, and sailed for France on Sept. 19, 1918. This formal portrait was taken in New York City prior to boarding the ship. Within 75 days of leaving Jefferson, Brown arrived at the battlefront and served in one of the last contingents which reached the front lines.
As witnessed by Virgil Black, his fellow trench mate, and as reported from the battlefield, Brown was killed instantaneously when a direct artillery shell landed near him. This tragedy occurred about noon on Nov. 10, 1918, less than 24 hours before the Armistice was signed. According to a newspaper account, Brown was the only Jefferson boy who fell on the field of battle. It is of interest to note that Merle Hay of Glidden was one of the first Iowans killed in WWI and Floyd Brown of Jefferson may have been the last.
Shipping of the remains of deceased soldiers was a lower priority than bringing our surviving soldiers home after the war. Consequently, three years passed before Brown’s body reached Jefferson. His remains lay in state in the courthouse rotunda prior to his burial on July 31, 1921. Headlines declared Brown’s funeral to be the largest attendance ever present at a funeral occasion in Jefferson. Interment was at the Jefferson Cemetery.
Following the war, the American Legion organization was founded on March 15, 1919. The Jefferson Post No. 11 was founded shortly after in May of 1919 and Floyd W. Brown was unanimously selected as the namesake of the local post. This placard and photo were provided by Post No. 11. May a grateful nation never cease to honor his memory.
Lance Corporal Benjamin R. Carman, Operation Iraqi Freedom
Benjamin Robert Carman was born to Nelson and Marie Carman on Feb. 9, 1984. He was the fourth generation of Carmans to live on the family farm south of Jefferson. Ben loved anything to do with the outdoors: hunting, fishing, trapping, hiking, camping, boating, swimming and sledding. He enjoyed volunteering at the local skating rink and the Webb House, playing football, golf, FFA and vocational agriculture activities.
Ben joined the Marines in their delayed entry program in December 2001 during his senior year of high school. After the 9/11 attacks, he was determined to serve his country. Ben left Iowa for boot camp in San Diego, CA, on Sept. 9, 2002. He graduated in December and arrived at Camp Pendleton, CA, for school of infantry, training in mountain survival and heavy weaponry, specializing in the machine gun. He was then assigned to Weapons Platoon, Echo Company, Second Battalion, Fourth Regiment, First Marine Division, First Marine Expeditionary Force.
On Feb. 16, 2004, Ben’s unit deployed to Kuwait and on to Iraq. A large insurgent force in Ramadi was involved in the ambush of Echo Company. Lance Corporal Carman, only 20 years old, was killed by hostile fire on April 6, 2004, along with 10 other Marines and one Navy Corpsman in the Al Anbar Province of Ramadi, Iraq. This was the heaviest fighting 2/4 had encountered in more than 40 years.
A high school scholarship is given annually in Ben’s memory. The football coaches select a recipient for the “Ben Carman Award” to the hardest worker on the team. Ben will be remembered as a Christian who loved God, his family, friends and country. “Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13. Ben is in heaven as he had a personal relationship with Jesus. Gone but not forgotten. Remember and honor our fallen heroes.
