Recording project reunites veterans

[By JoAnn R. Walter]

A Veterans Recording Day Reunion was held on April 16 at the Owego United Methodist Church, located at 261 Main Street.

Local veterans who participated in a special project last year gathered to receive a printed copy of their interviews, which had been conducted with Martin Madert of the Witness to War Foundation. Madert fielded questions to 11 veterans and filmed each veteran in a process to preserve their stories.

The non-profit organization, whose mission is to preserve, honor, and educate, has performed thousands of interviews. They work to tap into personal courage and pose questions that give viewers a better understanding of what it was like to be in the boots of the soldiers.

The reunion was a time for veterans who took part in the project to connect with each other and also meet the individuals who volunteered their time to transcribe the interviews.

Tioga County veterans who took part in the project are Walter Beardslee, Steve Palinosky, Mack Riggs, Danielle Ingram, Manning Stahl, Gary Howard, Justin Donnelly, Stacy Donnelly, Max Della Pia, George Carrigan, and Charles (Don) Cope. Their service period encompasses the Korean War through the present day.

Also stopping by the reunion was Tioga County Veterans Service Agency Director, Dennis Mullen, who announced that the Jim Raftis Memorial Award will again be awarded this year to one high school student who has committed to military service.

Jim Raftis, Sr., and longtime Memorial Day chairman and Korean War veteran who passed away on May 11, 2025, had established a goal to preserve the stories of Tioga County veterans. To accomplish the goal, a committee was formed, and, in turn, they reached out to the Witness to War Foundation.

Carol Raftis, a committee member and sister to Jim Raftis, Sr., addressed the veterans, in part, “We are here today to honor your words.” 

“Every word you spoke a year ago is a precious artifact that is now immortalized in the written history of Tioga County,” adding, “The next step is to put all the transcripts into a book; thank you for entrusting us with your legacy.”

The transcripts will be archived at the Coburn Library, and for the benefit of future researchers and the public.   

Joan Hunt, Deb Kosloski, and Pam O’Shaughnessy transcribed the videos into a readable form. The process was often challenging, particularly with understanding and spelling the names of foreign places or military campaigns. The veterans were asked to read their interview questions and responses, and then offer corrections to the transcribers for the final copy.

A snapshot of a few of the videos available for viewing includes Manning Stahl, who served in the U.S. Army’s 5th Battalion, 22nd Field Artillery in Vietnam. In addition to his war experiences, Stahl discussed how American soldiers returning home initially didn’t feel welcomed, and then eventually received the recognition they deserved. He also paid tribute to his hometown friend, Donald Rummel, and to one of several Tioga County soldiers killed in action in Vietnam. 

George Carrigan reminisced about his service as a Radar Maintenance Technician with the U.S. Air Force’s 1944th Airways and Air Communications Service Squadron in Germany during the Korean War period. Interestingly, when George and two of his buddies went to enlist in the Army, the recruiters were out of the office at lunch, so the Air Force talked them into signing up. One of George’s fondest memories was meeting his wife, a German girl, while he was stationed there.

Additional videos feature Stacy Donnelly, who served with the 64th Brigade Support Battalion during Operation Iraqi Freedom. As a combat medic, Stacy noted difficult moments, such as treating civilian Iraqi children who were caught up in the violence. A special moment, Stacy met her husband, Justin Donnelly, during training in Iraq.

Justin, a combat medic in the 10th Mountain Division, discussed the stress and casualties of war, such as treating a soldier who was hit in the shoulder by a sniper. And, not just soldiers, Donnelly’s vast experience was essential in aiding a young infant with spina bifida. Donnelly also discussed the injuries he sustained from a suicide car bomb attack that sent him back home for recovery.  

Iraq War USAF Major flight nurse, Danielle Ingram, also took part in a video. She served during Operation Enduring Freedom, Desert Storm, and Desert Shield, among others. On one flight to Germany from Iraq, Ingram cared for a soldier that she would meet again later. That soldier was Justin Donnelly, and they marched together in an Owego Memorial Day parade several years ago. A full-circle moment, it was at that event when they realized that they knew each other. 

The community is invited to stop by the Coburn Library, located at 275 Main St. in Owego, to read the transcripts.

You can also watch the videos at www.witnesstowar.org. In the “Search For” bar, type in the name of the veteran. Most have been loaded to the website.