‘Long-awaited honor’

Korean War veteran receives
Purple Heart after five decades

March 9, 2006

By MEGAN VARNER
Index-Journal senior staff writer

As he stood before the piece of board displaying an array of military medals, Milford Howard’s hand moved to gently touch the one he’s waited more than 50 years to receive: the Purple Heart.
On Wednesday, Howard, surrounded by family, friends and military personnel, finally had the opportunity to pin on the medal he was awarded for injuries received during his service in the Korean War as a Private First Class with the U.S. Army.
“It’s just unreal. It really got to me,” the Taylors resident said after the medal ceremony at the U.S. Army Reserve Center in Greenwood.
“It brought back memories of that day. I served my country, and I would do it again if I had to.”
Howard said his duty during service was setting charges on shells, a job that kept him back from the front lines but still in a dangerous position. One fateful night in September 1951, Howard was uncrating ammunition when he noticed the grass underneath the gunpowder was on fire.
“I knew what was going to happen, but before I could turn around and run, it blew up,” he said, his voice becoming thick with emotion at the memory of the accident. “I woke up and staggered to get up the hill I had been knocked down. I thought I was still on fire.”
The heat from the explosion burned Howard’s face and arm. Though a medic was able to administer morphine, Howard didn’t think he would live.
“I looked down and saw my hand, my fingernails hanging, and I heard a voice that said, ‘Howard, you’re going home,’” he said. He thought that voice belonged to the Lord.
Whether “home” was the United States or somewhere else, Howard said he was relieved to hear the message. “I said, ‘Lord, I don’t know what home you’re talking about, but either one of them is better than this.”
Months of recuperation at MASH units and hospitals in Korea, Japan and Texas followed Howard’s injury, but he said he had a powerful reason to fight for his life — his first son was born while Howard was in the hospital in Japan.
Howard said some of his records were burned in a fire in St. Louis and some of his medical records were lost, leaving him without the documentation needed to receive his medal. For years, Howard and his family searched for a way to obtain proof of his service and injuries.
A happenstance meeting between Howard’s oldest son, also named Milford, and Bill Winn would set the course for the medals to find their home.
Winn, who met Howard’s son while selling peanuts outside a store to benefit children’s hospitals and services, said he heard the story and decided to contact 2nd District Congressman Joe Wilson’s office for help.
“Within three weeks, he had the medals in his hand after almost 55 years of waiting,” Winn said.
When the medals arrived, Howard said he fought the temptation to pin them on instantly. On Wednesday, for the first time, he was pinned with the Purple Heart, the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Service Medal with one bronze service star and the United Nations Service Medal.
“I’m tickled for him,” said son Ralph Howard. “It’s like a little kid just got a brand new toy. We didn’t believe it until he got them in his hand.”
Granddaughter Jackie Hollingsworth, of Greenwood, said that after years of fighting to receive the award, the feeling of seeing her grandfather wear the Purple Heart was “outstanding.”
“It was a long-awaited honor,” she said. “I just wish it could have happened sooner.”

Megan Varner covers general assignments in Greenwood and the Lakelands. She can be reached at 223-1811, ext. 3308, or: mvarner@indexjournal.com

Lady Eagles take series over Emerald

March 9, 2006

By CHRIS TRAINOR
Index-Journal sports writer

Wednesday night marked a clean sweep for the Greenwood High School softball team.
The Lady Eagles defeated Emerald, 14-3, Wednesday night at Greenwood. With the win, Greenwood earned a season sweep over its crosstown rival Lady Vikings after the 17-7 win March 2 at Emerald.
“It’s always good to get a win over a rival,” Greenwood coach Sheila Rhodes said. “I think our girls always get up just a little more for this one.”
One running storyline throughout the game was Greenwood’s ability to score runs with two outs. The Lady Eagles scored six runs in the second inning, two runs in the third and four in the fourth, each time coming with two outs.
“We talked about avoiding that before the game, because it’s exactly the situation we got in (Tuesday) night against Batesburg,” Emerald coach Brent Calvert said. “It’s a mental thing, but I take nothing away from Greenwood. They played well, and they’ve got a good pitcher in Kendra (Baker).”
Baker picked up the win for the Lady Eagles, pitching four innings in relief. Ashley Ward got the start, giving up three runs — one earned — in one inning of work. Rhodes said it was important to give Ward an opportunity to pitch.
“Kendra has thrown nearly every inning for us for two years now,” Rhodes said. “But she’s going to be graduating, so I felt we needed to give (Ward) a try.”
Jessica Gambrell took the loss for the Lady Vikings, though her cause wasn’t helped by six Emerald errors.
The Lady Eagles were buoyed in large part by big second inning. Baker got things rolling in the inning by roping a single, which scored Kayla McMahan. Later, Paige Rutland powered a double to the gap in right field, bringing Baker and Ward around to score.
Greenwood wasn’t done in the inning. Taylor Culbertson smacked another double for the Lady Eagles, with Andrea Butcher racing home to score on the play.
By the inning’s end, the Lady Eagles had an 8-3 lead heading to the third.

Opinion

Money to preserve ‘roots’ is money that’s spent well

March 9, 2006

The world around us comes and goes, and we hardly notice. It passes us by so quickly, before we know it the past becomes the present and the present is history. In the rush and rigmarole of just living we let history slip through our hands, and valuable ties to our roots are gone forever.
The memories of people and things that impact so many lives should be preserved so that we’ll be able to tell our grandchildren and they can tell their grandchildren what we were and the way we were. That helps them get a mental - and often emotional - handle on the world we used to know and want them to know, too. It’s particularly important when it’s a good world.
The home of the late Anna “Nurse” Robinson on Gage Street in Greenwood is one of those places and she, absolutely, was one of those people.

MANY PEOPLE HAVE GIVEN OF themselves to restore the house where she was born and died, and make it a learning facility for young people. We can tangibly preserve her home, of course. However, her memory lives in hundreds of people, maybe thousands. It’s impossible to tell how many, black and white, she touched during a lifetime of 95 years that can be defined as one where caring was a second nature.
Greenwood City Council has been asked to provide $12,000 to match state funds to help restore the house. It is to be used to help teach and train young people not only to honor Nurse Robinson, but to learn and progress. No $12,000 could be better spent and the city has indicated it will try to find a way to provide it. Good!

PEOPLE LIKE NURSE ROBINSON come into our lives too seldom. When they do, they leave us better than we were, and too often we fail to notice.
What people like Nurse Robinson mean to this community is worth perpetuating. Helping keep her home as an extension of her loving and helping nature should be automatic.
Nurse Robinson made no distinction between the people she cared for, especially the children. White or black, they were all special in her eyes and heart. The least we can do is to carry her memory and her good works with us as we move to the future ..... and our past recedes into history. Tangible things sometimes enhance the eternal qualities we leave behind.

Editorial expression in this feature represents our own views.
Opinions are limited to this page.

Obituaries

Joyce Cox

PELION — Joyce Jacqueline Mullins Cox, 72, of 111 Ozbek Court, wife of Franklin Carroll Cox, died Wednesday, March 8, 2006 at Self Regional Medical Center in Greenwood.
Born in Princeton, W.Va., she was a daughter of the late H.T. and Mary Louise Dawson Mullins. She retired from Fluor-Daniel and was a member of Siloam Baptist Church, Ninety Six.
Survivors include her husband of the home; a daughter, Cindi Crowder of Greenwood; two sons, Jeff Temples of Ninety Six and Billy Temples of Newberry; a sister, Frances Davis of Greenwood; a brother, Robert Mullins of Aiken; eight grandchildren; a great-grandchild.
A memorial service is 2 p.m. Saturday at Harley Funeral Home, conducted by the Rev. Chuck Sprouse.
The family is at the home of a son, Jeff and Traci Temples, 122 Bunting Road, Ninety Six.
Memorials may be made to the Greenwood Humane Society, PO Box 242, Greenwood, SC 29648.
Harley Funeral Home & Crematory, Greenwood, is in charge.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.harleyfuneralhome.com

Barbara Davis Cunningham

ATLANTA — Barbara Ann Davis Cunningham, of 839 Delmar Court, wife of Willie Cunningham, died Sunday, March 5, 2006 at Atlanta Medical Center.
Born in Greenwood, S.C., she was a daughter of Georgiana Davis and the late Anderson Davis Sr.
Survivors include her husband of the home; her mother of Greenwood; a son, Kenny Cunningham of Atlanta; a sister, Joanne Lockhart and a brother, Anderson Davis Jr., both of Greenwood; a grandchild.
Services are 1 p.m. today at Meadows Mortuary, conducted by the Rev. Earl Mosley.
The family is at the home.
Meadows Mortuary Inc., 419 Flat Shoals Ave. S.E., is in charge.
Announcement courtesy of Robinson & Son Mortuary Inc., Greenwood.

Doris Manley

HODGES — Doris Ballard Manley, 70, of 6414 Highway 25 N., wife of Leroy Manley, died Wednesday, March 8, 2006.
Born in Abbeville County, she was a daughter of the late Billy Bradley Ballard and Myrtle Lou Cowart Ballard. She retired from the textile industry and attended Hodges Church of God.
Survivors include her husband of the home; two sons, Ray Manley of the home and Roy Manley of Ware Shoals; three daughters, Dorothy Byington of Anderson, Louise Taylor and Evelyn Hopkins, both of Ware Shoals; a brother, Robert Ballard of Belton; four sisters, Mary Johnson and Ruby Russ, both of Ware Shoals, Rosa Mae Stroud of Hartwell, Ga., and Catherine Rojas of Belton; 10 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren.
Services are 2 p.m. Saturday at Parker-White Funeral Home, conducted by the Rev. Charles Caldwell. Burial is in Ware Shoals Cemetery.
Pallbearers are Charles Elledge, Steve Johnson, Brian Johnson, Kevin Howington, Bubba Russ, Bay Manley and Chris Johnson.
Honorary pallbearers are members of Hodges Church of God Silver Bell Sunday School Class.
Visitation is 6-8 Friday at the funeral home.
The family is at the home of Tony and Louise Taylor, 5066 Highway 252, Ware Shoals.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of the Piedmont, 408 W. Alexander Ave., Greenwood, SC 29646.
Parker-White Funeral Home, Ware Shoals, is in charge.

Timothy Morgan Sr.

Timothy Morgan Sr., 69, of 665 Kirksey Drive, died Wednesday, March 8, 2006 at Hospice Care of the Piedmont.
The family is at the home.
Services will be announced by Parks Funeral Home.

Katherine Partridge

CALHOUN FALLS — Katherine Partridge, 84, died Wednesday, March 8, 2006.
Graveside services are 11 a.m. Friday at Forest Lawn Memory Gardens, Abbeville.
Visitation is after the services.
Calhoun Falls Funeral Home is in charge.

Conley M. Roller

ABBEVILLE — Conley M. Roller, 83, of 121 West St., widower of Margaret Roller, died Wednesday, March 8, 2006 at his home.
Services will be announced by Harris Funeral Home.