Marine Staff Sgt. Raymond J. Plouhar became the 40th soldier from Lake Orion to be killed during active duty, when he died from wounds received during a roadside bombing in Iraq on June 26.
According to Dr. Joe Mastromatteo, chairman of the Orion Veterans Memorial, Plouhar is also the first member of military personnel from Lake Orion to be killed on duty since the Vietnam War.
‘We are planning a special ceremony for him to be held at the Veterans Memorial,? Mastromatteo said.
‘I’ve met with his parents, and friends are working with them to figure out what they want said,? he said. ‘It’s in development right now.?
Mastromatteo said the ceremony will be held in the next week or two.
Upon hearing the news of Plouhar’s passing early last week, a wreath in his memory was placed at the site of the memorial, located at M-24 and Odanah near downtown Lake Orion.
Plouhar joins these 39 other Lake Orion soldiers, killed during active duty from the Civil War to Vietnam (list provided by the Orion Veterans Memorial):
Civil War
Thomas M. Bowers
Daniel Burton
Roswell Campbell
William A. Churchill
Henry C. Fairchilds
Hiram Hemmingway
Webster Adolphus Marsh
Parley Roger
Eugene L. Rose
Charles Soper
Frank Thornley
World War I
Otis C. Brewster
Newell Thomas Charlton
Verne E. Polan
World War II
LaVern H. Becker
J.V. Burns
Chester C. Campbell
Lee F. Carpenter
Clayton Albert Decker
Robert Leland Decker
Edwin R. Dewey
Roger H. Fiebelkorn
Bernard A. Kowalk
Erwin A. Kruse
Marvin F. Lamphier
Julian E. Moore
Charles J. Pettit
Evertt Pickering
Anthony F. Sommer
Donald R. Sova
Allan B. Swern
Walter F. Walter
Korea
James Crossman
Charles Dailey
Ernest C. Fiebelkorn
Edward Wilson Garlick
Harry Pacer
Vietnam
Raymond L. Whelpley
John A. Wood