No collection of tributes honoring Maine veterans would be complete without a special section dedicated to those military personnel who made military service their careers. Their dedication, service, and commitment to their country distinguish their professional lives in ways that deserve special recognition.

Among the thousands of requests received by the Secretary of State's office to Vote in Honor of a Veteran, scores of them were tributes to veterans who had military careers spanning decades and including duty in several major military engagements. Some even served in more than one branch of the military.

The following samples represent responses that proudly honor husbands who made the military their careers:

My husband, Kevin Fortin, served in the Army for 22 years. He went to Korea and then Vietnam early in that war and did real well serving his country. He accomplished a lot on behalf of our family.
Evelyn Fortin, Van Buren

 

I will be proud to vote in honor of my husband, Albert Friedman, AFCM Navy Retired, who served his country with pride. His love of the Navy was an example to all who served with him. We have been married for 53 years, but he has been in a nursing home since last April; his thoughts of his years in the Navy are all his own now.
Mrs. Hyla Friedman, Jay

I am voting in honor of my husband, Daniel Gatchell, who served 3 years in the U.S. Army, one of them in Vietnam. Then he served 21 years in the U.S. Coast Guard; he was stationed on icebreakers and participated in search and rescue missions and drug enforcement activities, and spent 12 months on isolated duty on the island of Iwo Jima. He retired in 1993 as a Warrant Officer.
Judythe Gatchell, Brunswick

My husband, Richard F. Alexander, Sr., served 21 years in the U.S. Coast Guard. He was in the first Tet Offensive in Vietnam in 1967-68 aboard a CG cutter serving with coastal surveillance forces.
Joyce Alexander, South Portland

 

I will proudly vote in honor of my husband, Fred J. Bowers, Jr., who retired from the Army Air Corps after 30 years of service and is now deceased. He was a radioman during WWII, was wounded, and received the Purple Heart.
Lois H. Bowers, Bangor

I am proud to vote in honor of both of my parents, Earl and Mary Doliber. My father served in the Navy in WWII and then in the Army with service in Korea and Vietnam until 1966. My mother faithfully followed him from posting to posting, including trips overseas 3 times, and she raised 5 children on the way.
Dana E. Doliber, Sanford
Served in Vietnam, 1967-68

I am proud of my dad, John L. Ketner, Sr., who served in the Navy for 30 years. He served on the USS Pittsburg in WWII and the USS Houston in the China seas and did several tours in the Pacific. I am very proud of him.
John L. Ketner, Jr., Farmingdale
Served in the Korea, "forgotten war"

I would like to honor my father, John C. Hanusek, Sr., because he has told me many interesting and sad stories of the days he faithfully served. I feel all people should duly respect all veterans for what they did for us. Not enough can be said and done to honor our veterans. I honor my daddy, the flag, and am very proud to say my father has honored and served our country. He taught me the value of life and laughter. With great respect he served on the USS Fargo in the Navy in WWII and as an airplane machinist in the USAF during the Korean Conflict.
Tina Antoine, Saco

Other Maine citizens pay tribute to a family member's lifetime of public service:

I am voting in honor of my brother, George F. Lovejoy, who served in the Navy, in WWII and the Korean Conflict. He served as Acting Chief, Aviation Machinist Mate on the aircraft carrier Valley Forge and was decorated twice for saving aviators from planes on fire on the deck of the carrier.

My father, George F. Lovejoy, Sr., joined the Navy in 1918 when he was only 15 years old to serve in WWI. Then he served in the Massachusetts National Guard from 1930 until 1940. In 1941, with the threat of war on the horizon, his unit was activated and federalized. He served in the Pacific Theater for the duration of the war. Lt. Col. Lovejoy was awarded the Bronze Star and a number of other citations for action in the Pacific.

His division was pinned down by a superior enemy force for an entire month. We only learned of our father's safety when neighbors of ours in Saugus (Massachusetts) told us that they had seen his picture in a February, 1943 issue of Life. We confirmed that it was indeed his picture and he later acknowledged that he had been photographed overlooking Henderson Field after its recapture by the Americans.
James E. Lovejoy, Unity

Pride in veterans' military careers continues:

 

I am voting in honor of Edward Hoyt II, who served in the Air Force during the Korean War and the Marines during the Vietnam War. He has been very active in veterans' groups and veterans' activities.
Jeanne C. Kempers, Fairfield

I am one of a few in Maine that served in 3 conflicts.
Chauncey Gerry, North Waterboro
Served in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam

Additional Tributes Submitted Online

Tribute to my wife, Cynthia Smyrl Sprinkle:

I am very proud to cast my vote now and in the future in honor of the love of my life, Cynthia Sprinkle. Her recent retirement after completion of over 30 years of Naval Service, attaining the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer, AVCM(AW), stands in testimony to her dedication, devotion to duty and unyielding patriotism. She is an outstanding example of the many Sailors over the years who have stood the watch over our nation’s freedom. I am so very lucky to have her as not only a wife but a fellow Sailor.

Michael D Sprinkle, Lisbon

Tribute to my son, Gary Lawrence:

I will vote in honor of my son who has served in the Air Force since 1988 on the AWACS as a flight engineer and now on a KC10 as a flight engineer

Deanna Pease, West Gardiner

Tribute to my Brother, 1SG Randall Liberty:

Most will never be able to understand why you would work so hard to "volunteer" to go to Iraq. Those of us that "get it", will never be able to fully express our gratitude.

Ron Liberty, Madison

Tribute to my Brother, Galen Thompson:

I am paying tribute to my brother who has inspired me to serve our country.

SrA Adam J. Thompson, Medway

Tribute to my Husband, Jessie J. Lee:

My husband served 22 years for his country he served in Vietnam and several other overseas deployments. This is in his honor from his loving wife.

Valerie, Bath

Tribute to my Father, Louis Tonero:

I just wanted to say Thank You to my father who served in the Vietnam War and also made the Military his career. I am proud that you are my Dad. It means a lot to me to know that you were trying to make this world safer for me and everybody else who calls this HOME.

Thank you to all Military personnel Past, Present and Future.

Megan, Milo

Tribute to my friend, Chauncey Gerry:

Thank you for your support to the nation in 3 conflicts. I remember you mostly when I was a teenager working at Merrill's store, working at the race track, and knew of you as a younger kid. I went to school with Janice and graduated the same year, 1981. I myself decided to make the military a career. I did 22 years. I retired two years ago. I remember the days at the Waterboro Scrambles when you worked with my Uncle Woody Owen and when you were also in law enforcement. I am now living in Long Beach, California and I am a high school teacher. Thank you for your tough demure and gentle nature. God Bless and God Speed.

Patrick Hebert, Waterboro

Tribute to my FRIEND OF THE NAVY, ERICH ASHBURN:

Commander Erich Ashburn served honorably in the United States Navy for twenty years of dedicated service, he rose up through the enlisted ranks, accepted a Naval Commission, and commanded the Navy's first Hyrdo-plane ship, and went on to command the FLEET INTRODUCTION TEAM ONE at Bath, Maine supporting the Navy's FFG 7 Shipbuilding Program. His death was much too early and untimely.

BEAR HASTINGS, Woolwich, ME

Tribute to my Farther, Edmund John Sell:

I would like to honor my father Edmund Sell for his dedication to the United States navy. He served his country with pride and dignity for over 20 years.

Katie Sell, Sherman

Tribute to my late husband, Robert Paul Colbroth:

My husband was a marine and proud of it, he passed away on August 12th 2005 he was 43 and the most loving person you could ask for. He served his country even when having a medical condition and he did it well, now he rests from his heart operation. He was a loving husband and a loving dad to his kids...and he loved his family very much. He will be remembered by all that he touched....

Kathy J. Colbroth, Lisbon Falls

Tribute to my Command Chief, Andrew Merrill:

The Staff at Navy Operational Support Center, Peoria Is honored to have served with DCC. DCC has been a wonderful leader and shipmate. Though we are going to miss him we know that his retirement will bring him to the next phase of his life. Chief I would just like to say "Thank you, we have the watch. Fairwinds and following seas.

HM1 Bott, Peoria

Tribute to my Father, Kenneth Whitley:

Dedication and striving to succeed were the examples my father gave me; I watched him achieve the highest rank of a noncommissioned officer and serve his country for 26 years in the U.S. Air Force. I admire, respect, and honor my Dad.

Sheri Thomas, Glenburn, Maine

Tribute to my grandfather, Henry Beaumier:

Henry Beaumier was an outstanding soldier and patriot. He served his country honorably for 30 years, before retiring from the military, and another 20 as a firefighter. Henry loved this country, and he loved his family. People like this are what makes this country great.

Shannon Satterfield, Lewiston, Maine

Tribute to my Husband, Byron Burke:

Remembering you always in my heart your special angel.

Winola Burke, Calais, Maine

Tribute to my Husband, Roy Potter:

Thanks to his 20 years of service to this great country.

Karen Potter, Edgecomb, Maine

Tribute to my Brother, Michael Childers:

In Honor of His Service To Our Great Country!

Roland Gauthier,