The Daily Standard
Story Archive
"Hometown Heroes of St. Marys, Ohio" is the first in a series of books about veterans.
ST. MARYS - Over 30 veterans native to St. Marys are set to be honored soon with the publication of "Hometown Heroes of St. Marys, Ohio, Vol. 1" the first in a planned series of books celebrating the city's long list of war veterans.
Co-author Kim Reiher, who is also president of the Veterans Foundation and Museum of St. Marys and the city's network administrator, said he first met co-author Diana Dominguez in 2022 when he was working on a book on the Ohio National Guard.
"(At first) we just were kind of collaborating on writing a book about veterans that are displayed on the banners in town, which of course, it's gone further than that," he said.
Dominguez is the VFMSM treasurer and also organizes the veteran banners throughout St. Marys.
Their 200-page book, slated to be released sometime between now and October, will highlight a variety of different veterans, some that saw combat and some that didn't, from wars as far back as the Civil War, Reiher said. The book co-written by Reiher and Dominguez will also feature a few guest articles.
"We want the book to be about local veterans and their service, and it's not just combat veterans. It's not guys who went to World War II and didn't come back," Reiher said. "It's about every single soldier's story. We have some stories in there from people who just served their country for three years and came home. And believe it or not, they have just as incredible stories as some of the combat veterans."
Among those highlighted in the book is James Clark.
Among those mentioned in the book is Sergeant E-5 James A. Clark, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1963 to 1967.
After completing basic training and infantry training, Clark was assigned to the Marine Corp Engineer Equipment Mechanic's Course, where he learned to repair diesel engines, cranes, generators and other equipment. He was deployed to Da Nang, South Vietnam, where he was part of the Communications Company-Reinforced, 7th Communications Battalion, 3rd Marine Division.
As well, the book will tell the story of Specialist 4th Class Floyd Sheaks, who served in the U.S. Army from 1968 to 1970 in Vietnam. He was a military police dog handler, and was awarded the National Defense Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal and the Good Conduct Medal.
Among those highlighted in the book is Floyd Sheaks.
The book also features articles from the veterans themselves, like Lt. Colonel David Simms, a 1995 Memorial High School graduate that served in the U.S. Army from 1997 to 2020.
Simms shared his own story for the book, which recounts his military service, including specific experiences he had in Iraq and Djibouti.
Other area veterans set to be discussed in the book include Richard L. Ashman, Ronnie Blair, Justin Chisholm, Peter L. Reiher, Norbert Ricker and Alyshia M. Hensley.
Reiher added that he believes the two co-authors will most likely wait until the first of next year to start on volume 2 of the book.
Proceeds from the $20 book will go toward the St. Marys Memorial High School Alumni Foundation. The foundation also co-sponsored the book.
"Hometown Heroes of St. Marys, Ohio, Vol. 1" is currently available for pre-order at freedomfundraising.wixsite.com. Once released, Reiher said it should be available for purchase at the St. Marys municipal building and on the Memorial High School Foundation website.
