Main Street Ottumwa’s Military and

Veteran Banner Program

The Main Street Ottumwa Program is pleased to be accepting applications for its banner program which recognizes and honors those who are serving or have served in the United States Armed forces.

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The program is intended to show appreciation for veterans and military personnel and their families who have ties to the Ottumwa area. Banners will display a photo of the service person as well as their name, branch, and dates of military service.

Qualifications

To qualify for the Military and Veteran Banner Program, one of the following criteria must be met:

1. 1)  The honoree is an active-duty member of the United States Armed Forces

2. 2)  The honoree is a retired, deceased or honorably discharged member of the United States Armed Forces who has, or did, reside in Ottumwa or Wapello County.

3. 3)  The applicant is a current resident or business based in Ottumwa.

Banner Style and Display

Each banner is double sided, full color, 24” x 48” and custom made with an image of the honoree (provided by the applicant).

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Banners will be placed on the decorative light poles on Main Street on or about Memorial Day and will remain up until Veterans Day, 2022.

They will be displayed again in 2023 from Memorial Day to Veterans Day in another part of the Main Street District.

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As many as 39 members of the military will be honored. There is a limit of one banner per honoree, and one person per banner.

Banners will be sold on a first come, first served basis as payment is received.

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Main Street Ottumwa or the City of Ottumwa will not be responsible for replacing banners that are stolen, damaged or destroyed due to sun, weather, age, vandalism, or any act of nature beyond our control, such as high winds.

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Upon removal of the banner after the second year, every effort will be made to give the banner to the honoree or applicant.

Cost and Details

$150 per banner, for two-years. Cost covers the purchase of the banner, installation, and maintenance, as well as a contribution to local veteran affairs program “Veterans Casting Away Disabilities”.

Applicant is required to provide a high-quality photo of the honoree in their military uniform. If a digital copy is not available, please bring the picture to the Main Street Ottumwa office, 334 East Main Street, and it will be digitized for you. 

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Main Street Ottumwa will begin accepting Applications in March 2023. Applications may be submitted in person at the Main Street Office and printed off online at www.MainStreetOttumwa.com . Payments must be received for the application to be processed. Checks should be payable to Main Street Ottumwa. Donations are considered tax free/tax deductible to the greatest extent allowed by the law.

Current Banner Locations

100 Block of East Main Street from Court Street

1. Jerry Baker

Deceased 6-12-2018

Honored by Family of Jerry Baker

2. Lt. Sarah Beadle, PHD

Honored by her Parents, Bruce & Rhonda Beatle

3. Lindee Berry

Honored by Berry Patch IT

4. Keith Breckenridge

Deceased

Honored by his son, Steven Breckenridge

5. Matt Chiles

Honored by Mom, Dad, Nicole, & Cherry

6. Edwin Harold Day Jr.

Deceased

Honored by his Wife, Angela Day

7. Robert D. Dayton

Deceased 2002

Honored by the Sharon Dayton Family

8. Leonard Deevers

Honored by the Swanson Family

9. Michael Anthony DeWeese

Honored by his wife Kim DeWeese

10. Darrell Frazier

Honored by Tonya Damm and Family

11. Dale A. Harter

Honored by Susan, Marty, and Todd Harter

12. Martin Helgerson

Honored by his Wife, Becky Helgerson

13. Russell J. Johnston

Honored by his Family

200 Block of East Main Street from Market Street

14. Richard "Dick" Keep

Honored by the American Legion

15. Clarence "Hank" Kraber

Deceased

Honored by Tami Krantz, Patty Seamans, & Tim Kraber

16. MSgt Rich La Rue

Honored by Wife, Deana & Daughter, Elanor LaRue

17. Dave Lawrence

Honored by his Family

18. Joe T. Lord

Deceased

Honored by the children of Joe T. & Grace Lord

19. Katie Martin

Honored by the Martin Family

20. Dwayne Mc Antire

Honored by his Family

21. Robert L. Mitchell

Deceased 8/8/20

Honored by the Family of Robert L. Mitchell

22. Stephen P. Nord

Deceased 2-19-2020

Honored by Steva, Tracey, Nick, Bruce & Family

23. Charles T O'Brien

Deceased 8-28-1987

Honored by the Family of Charles O’Brien

24. Sgt. First Class Robert Radosevich

Honored by Kelli & Family

25. Chuck Ransom

Deceased

Honored by Janet Ransom & Family

26. Donald E. Reid

Deceased

Honored by the Michael Reid Family

300 Block of East Main Street from Green Street

27. Mark Reid

Deceased

Honored by the Michael Reid Family

28. Michael Reid

Honored by his daughter Dominique Reid and Family

29. Don Riley

Honored by Joyce Ware

30. Don Shafer "Radar"

Deceased 3-29-2022

Honored by Thomas R. Shafer (Farmers Ins. Group)

31. Jon W. W. Short

Deceased 10-3-2021

Honored by his Widow Carrie Short

32. Leland Skinner

Deceased 1-17-1999

Honored by his Family

33. Dylan Schwantes

Honored by Mona Gordan Dean & Gordan Family

34. Don Schwartz

Deceased 3-27-2018

Honored by his Family

35. Charles "Chuck" Townsley

Deceased 7/10/2018

Honored by Shirley, Teresa, & Lori Ann

36. Everett L. Walton

Deceased

Honored by his family

37. Cpl. Austin E. Watters

Deceased

Honored by the Gravett Family

38. Ray Wingate

Deceased 7-8-2004

Honored by Jim and Judy Clingman

39. James Lee Wycoff

Honored by his granddaughter Josalyn Bunt & family

200 South Market from River Drive to Main Street

40. Richard Myron Ackley

Deceased

Honored by Bill & Liz Schiller

41. Gary D. Bishop

Honored by Jeannie, Deana, Wendy & Glasgow Nieces & Nephews

42. Megan Black

Honored by her Grandparents

43. Justin M Budan

Honored by his Parents Michael & Amy Budan

100 South Market Street North of Main to Second Street

44. Danny Carrell

Honored by his Family

45. Steven Carter

Honored by his Family

46. James H. Cutsforth Jr.

Honored by his Wife Children and their Families

47. Gary W. Frederick

Honored by his Family

48. Leo Gail

Deceased

Honored by the Gail Family

North Market Street North of Second Street to Third Street

49. Paul Joseph Gettings

Deceased

Honored by Family of Paul & Sally Gettings Jerry, Mona, Tom, Mark, John, Trent, & Josh

50. James Guest

Deceased

Honored by His Family Joyce, Chris, Darci, Joe & Scott

51. LCpl Abby Gravett

Honored by Donna, Ambur, Nick, Cody, Dylan Gravett

East Third Street West of Market Street

52. SSgt Joseph Hamski

KIA May 26, 2011

Honored by his Family

He Served in operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. During his three tours, he participated in nearly 400 EOD missions and countless other operations involving route clearance, dealing with unexploded ordnance and capture of enemy munitions caches and bomb-makers. He was certified in nuclear weapons response. With his expertise, he aided the Secret Service, the FBI, Army Special Forces and the Post Office. Joseph lost his life on May 26, 2011, in the volatile Shorabak district of Kandahar province in Afghanistan. He was on his 4th tour and the second to Afghanistan. His unit was assigned to clear a safe area from which they could neutralize a known weapons cache exploited by the enemy. While methodically working to clear the area, he was mortally wounded. He was 28 years old.

53. Joshua R. Harland

Honored by his Parents, Harvie & Connie Harland & Family

54. Charles Haviland

Deceased

Honored by his daughter, Marta & Tom Shafer

55. Andrew Martinez

Honored by the Family of Andrew Martinez

56. Spencer Nelson

Honored by Connie & his daycare Family

West Third Street West of Court Street

57. Carol E. Pearson

Deceased

Honored by his Family

58. Dale Person

Honored by His loving Family

59. Keith Wayne Pickrell

Deceased

Honored by his children, Jane, Kathy, Tim, Diane, Keitha & Rodney

60. John Frances Riley

Honored by his Family

61. Philip Eugene Riley

Deceased

Honored by his Family

62. Dennis Robinson

Honored by family friend, Thomas R Shafer

200 South Court Street North of Main Street

63. Patrick Rupe

Honored by his parents, Martin & Cindy Rupe

64. Cpl. Jon Schiller

KIA Dec 31, 2006

Honored by the Gates Family Class Mates

Army Cpl. Jonathan E. Schiller, 20, of Ottumwa, was killed Dec. 31, 2006, when a bomb detonated near his Humvee while on combat patrol in Baqubah, Iraq. Schiller was assigned to the 215th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood, Texas.

65. Danny Simonson

Honored by his mother, Franrica Payne and his Family

66. Dyke A. Spilman

MIA September 27, 1966

Honored by Steve & Nancy Menke

Vietnam USAF Pilot, Graduate OHS and Bradley University. Maj. Joseph M. Stine was the pilot and 1Lt. Dyke A. Spilman the Systems operator of an RF4C assigned to the 16th tactical Reconnaissance Squadron at Tan Son Nhut Airbase, Republic of Vietnam. On 27 September 1966 the two were assigned a night photo reconnaissance mission. When the aircraft failed to return to base, the two were declared missing in action.

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67. Sgt Duane Terrell

Honored by Sharon Pullen & Randy Sias

Central Park North of Third Street

68. Lt. Charles Nicolas Wagner

Deceased

Honored by his son, Mark Wagner (Mobile Locksmith)

69. Staff Sargent Kayla Marie Wagner

Honored by her Father & Brothers, Mark, Derek & Michael

70. Michael E. Willier

Honored by his Family

71. Angela Celania Woten

Honored by her mother, Dee Hall Mullenix