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.
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:
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1) The honoree is an active-duty member of the United States Armed Forces
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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.
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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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
All banners are currently full. A waitlist has been started for Hometown Hero Banners.
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.
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
