Veteran curioius about history of old plaque
"Where did it come from?"
Cavanah, whose name is on the 2- by 2 1/2-foot document, knows who gave him the document Faye Van Kirk. But he knows little else, other than that Van Kirk's brother, the late Orin Martin whose name is also on the document gave it to his sister, Faye. A nameless woman supposedly gave it to Martin.
Since the document came into his possession earlier this year, the lifelong Independence resident has done some sleuthing. From what he can ascertain, all names on the document are those of teachers, administrators and students affiliated with the now-defunct Rock Creek School District, which was incorporated into the Kansas City School District in 1956.
Hoping there might be a name or date on the back of the paper, Cavanah removed the document from the glass-enclosed frame and took a peek. There was nothing.
Back to square one in his search for historical background, the 1938 Rock Creek School graduate can only surmise the tribute to World War II veterans probably hung in a prominent place in the Rock Creek School building. Either in the hallway, the principal's office or some other place.
Calling it a piece of Independence history that needs to be preserved, Cavanah would like to see the document hanging in a prominent place to honor the following veterans:
Charles T. Denham, James Ward, Richard Blair, Billy Wilson, Elvin Brest, Kenton B. Hill, Eugene Doerffel, Harold Peoples, George Stone, Billy Shaw, Delmar Weston, Jack Garman, Donald L. Doudney, Howard Cady, Clarence Garrity, Fred Dehoff, Herbert Richerson, Teddy Geer, Junior Groves, Jerry Lairmore, David Stevenson, Wayne Fulton, Lloyd Long, William Mueller, Max Davis.
Tom D. Korte, Bobby Kiefer, James Kenagy, Lee Scott, Kenneth Carpenter, George Noland, Harold Cleveland, Richard Stewart, Jack E. Fillinger, Bill Fulton, Paul Krueger, Max McClelland, Bob Turner, Kenneth Davis, Victor Boynton, Robert Salley, Jarvis V. Richerson, Myron Hershey, Billy Hill, Stanley Lamb, Robert Smith, Wayne Osborne, James L. Stewart, Ernest Peoples, Loren Harrington.
Charles James, Raymond Kiefer, Roy Kenagy, Richard Chandler, Thomas Keepes, Harold Welch, Earl Peoples, Thomas L. Peoples, Earl Kenneth Cavanah, Charles Munger, Ralph Krueger, Robert Collins, Mescal Johnson, Robert Springer, Harold Mattson, Howard Sage, Harold Rhule, Gerald Francis, Kenneth Irving, James Corffman, Edwin Sittler, Robert Bryant, Vernon A. Weddle, Omar Cooper, James Kenagy.
Nicholas Denham, Kenneth Howerton, Frank Scott, Harvey Wilkerson, Paul Howerton, Weaver Noland, Laird Jeffers, Delbert Hatcher, George Flanagan, James Manning, Otis Martin, Charles Drinkard Jr., Robert A. Walker, Fred Springer, Robert Guth, James Baxter, Harold McCormick, William Fountain, Warren Kernaghan, Glen Stevenson, Jack Sittler, Clarence Thompson, Elmer Lee Sprague, David Mertell, Marvin Fillinger.
At the top of the document is a colored photo of the upper portion of the Lincoln Monument, flanked by Old Glory on the left and the Christian flag on the right.
"And That Government Of The People By The People For The People Shall Not Perish From The Earth" is inscribed in block lettering behind the monument.
Underneath the monument is inscribed "In The Service of Our Country" in block lettering and four rows of 25 names each.
Cavanah was surprised, to say the least, to find his name on row four of the document.
"I had never seen it before. I was totally surprised."
The 1942 graduate of William Chrisman High School says he recognizes about 60 to 70 percent of the names on the document.
"I went to school with a lot of them. I played with a lot of them, and I still know several of them," he said, noting the majority of those whose names he knows are deceased.
Cavanah says he would be willing to give the document to a veterans' organization or a historical society if it could be displayed on a permanent basis.
If not, Cavanah plans to hang his "treasure" in a place of prominence inside his Independence home. It won't be stashed away in a box somewhere to collect dust. He is sure of that.
And, if you know anything about the history of the document, where and how long it was displayed, when it was permanently taken down and for what reason, give Cavanah a call at 816-461-0545. He'd love to talk to you.
As for his military service, Cavanah had to wait until his 18th birthday to enlist in the Army, where he served on a glider in the airborne infantry.
He fought in the Battle of the Bulge as an infantryman. Later, in gliders, his outfit crossed the Rhine River at Wesel, Germany, carrying paratroopers. He served his country shy of three years.
Frank Haight Jr. is community news reporter for The Examiner. Send e-mail to him him at fhaight@examiner.net or call him at 816-350-6363.