Colquitt County's surviving WW II veterans

MOULTRIE, Ga. — The Colquitt County community saluted veterans of World War II Wednesday during the annual Independence Day commemoration, sponsored by the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

The John Benning Chapter of the DAR identified 10 surviving World War II vets from here, and seven of them were seated up front at the Lewis Hill Amphitheater. The other three were unable to attend.

One of their number — Johnnie Shiver, a corporal who fought in the Battle of the Bulge — received a certificate from the National Society of the DAR. Shiver was named the state winner of the DAR’s Outstanding Volunteer Service to Veterans Award in April. The certificate presented Wednesday recognized his winning at the Southeastern District level, although that victory had already been announced.

Well-known for playing Taps at local patriotic observances, Shiver has served as commander of the Moultrie post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, as well as district commander, state vice commander, state commander and national deputy chief of staff. He was also one of the driving forces behind the creation of the Veterans Express Bus, which takes South Georgia veterans to medical appointments at the VA Hospital in Lake City, Fla.

In an additional recognition, Jody Redding, local representative of U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, presented Shiver with a U.S. flag that flew over the Capitol. Redding told the other veterans that if they’d get him their information, he’d arrange to get them flags as well.

Colquitt County Administrator Chas Cannon, a veteran of the Iraq war, saluted the World War II veterans during a keynote speech.

“Think about what our world would look like if these men had failed,” Cannon said. “… The real heroes of World War II are people you never heard of.”

They defeated Germany, Japan and Italy then returned home to pull America out of the Great Depression, he said.

“The world is a safer place because of what they did,” Cannon said.

Cannon said 496,000 of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II are still alive, but an estimated 350 of them die every day.

The ceremony included recognition of the 96 Colquitt Countians who died during the war. DAR Chapter Regent Nancy Coleman read their names aloud as DAR members tolled a bell, once for each serviceman who made the ultimate sacrifice.