Washington County honored eight of its own on Sunday afternoon, inducting the 2026 class into the Washington County Veterans Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the Tower Event and Conference Center in Marietta, hosted by the Washington County Veterans Service Commission, according to an account of the ceremony published by Holly Kellums of MASH Focus.
The inductees span three wars and a brand-new service branch. They are Sgt. John R. Brant, a Navy veteran of World War II and an Army veteran of the Korean War who was inducted posthumously; Technician 5th Grade James E. Hanna, also inducted posthumously; Staff Sgt. Francis M. Sampson, an Army Medical Corps medic from World War II; Christian A. Bauman of the U.S. Space Force; Staff Sgt. Ronald G. Dye, an Army veteran of Vietnam; Cpl. Roger A. Miller and Cpl. George C. Nelson, Marine Corps veterans of Vietnam; and Capt. James C. Wilson of the Air Force, according to the MASH Focus account.
The afternoon’s most powerful moment, drawing one of many standing ovations, came with Sampson’s induction, Kellums reported. Sampson, of the Beverly-Waterford area, turns 101 on Nov. 20 — he was born Nov. 20, 1925 — and served as a medic in the Pacific Theater during World War II. A member of the Waterford Grange since 1941, he has spent recent years pushing to get vital information into the hands of elderly residents in Waterford, an effort that grew more urgent during COVID and remains a priority as the community changes.
The keynote address came from retired Gen. Robert Brooks Brown, a decorated four-star Army general who once commanded U.S. Army Pacific, Kellums reported. Brown was invited by state Rep. Kevin Ritter, whose father, Ray Ritter, was Brown’s high school basketball coach and mentor before Brown went on to play basketball at Army under Mike Krzyzewski. When Brown helped present Sampson’s award, he pointed out the U.S. Army Pacific patch on the medic’s uniform — the same patch Brown himself wore. Among the thousands of patches across the Army, Brown told the crowd, it was the first time he had ever met someone wearing the same one, according to the MASH Focus account.
Local government added its own recognition. Washington County Commissioner Greg Nohe read an official resolution from the Board of Commissioners honoring the 2026 inductees, and Marietta Mayor Josh Schlicher presented a city proclamation formally declaring Nov. 1 as Washington County Veterans Hall of Fame Day, Kellums reported.
Several families stood in for loved ones who have died. Mike Brant spoke on behalf of his father, Sgt. John R. Brant, and the family of Technician 5th Grade James E. Hanna accepted his posthumous recognition, according to the MASH Focus account.
The final award of the day went to Petty Officer 1st Class Larry B. Woods, commander of AMVETS Post 1788, who received the Chad D. Wright Memorial Award as Washington County Veteran of the Year. Wilky’s Sports Bar, which provided the afternoon’s food, received the Veterans Partner of the Year award for consistently showing up for veterans in the community, Kellums reported. David Brown served as master of ceremonies, and the ceremony was livestreamed on the Veterans Service Commission’s Facebook page, with clips — including General Brown’s keynote — to be posted in the coming days.
What we know — and what we’re still waiting on
What we know: all eight members of the 2026 Hall of Fame class have been inducted, the Veteran of the Year and Partner of the Year awards have been presented, and Nov. 1 now carries a permanent place on Marietta’s calendar as Washington County Veterans Hall of Fame Day. What we’re still waiting on: the commission’s posted video clips from the ceremony, which it says will follow in the coming days for families and residents who could not attend.
What happens next: the Hall of Fame ceremony returns next fall, when another class of Washington County veterans will be honored. In the meantime, the recognition lands in the same month as Veterans Day, Nov. 11, when communities across Southeast Ohio hold their own services. Read more of our recent community coverage: the Straker Foundation’s $200,000 in awards to 18 Muskingum County groups and the Cincinnati Zoo’s welcome for Raja the elephant.
Photo: pasa47, CC BY 2.0