NVC honors 2 veterans at August ceremony

By Steve Ranson, Lahontan Valley News Editor Emeritus

FERNLEY — The Nevada Veterans Coalition remembered two veterans at its monthly unaccompanied ceremony on Aug. 22 at the Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Fernley.

Those remembered were U.S. Army Pvt. First Class Kenneth Burgdorf and U.S. Coast Guard Chief Warrant Officer 3 Cornelius Van Zwaluewenburg.

Narrator and NVC member Sharon Serenko delivered the remarks for Burgdorf and Van Zwaluewenburg. She said it was a privilege to thank the two veterans for their service to their nation.

On Sept. 13, the NVC will conduct a Missing in Nevada ceremony to recognize 15 veterans in a one-hour service with full military honors that begins at 2 p.m.

This will be the 19th mission at the NNVMC to honor the veterans whose remains have been in the care of a local mortuary, yet remained unclaimed.

The veterans, which includes two World War I soldiers, are as follows:

• Robert Shields (1905-1986), U.S. Army, January 1943-September 1945, WWII.
• Samuel Shimkus (1915-1984), U.S. Army, October 1941-September 1945, WWII.
• Peter Sigrist (1912-1987), U.S. Army, April 1941-December 1942, WWII.
• Lou Silva (1902-1980), U.S. Army, July 1942-June 1945, WWII.
• Orville Silvers (1924-1988), U.S. Army February 1943-February 1946, WWII.
• Maurice Slechta (1912-1979), U.S. Army, December 1942-July 1945, WWII.
• Albert Smithler (1911-1985), U.S. Navy, April 1944-December 1945, WWII.
• Henry Stinton (1894-1984), U.S. Army, March 1918-May 1919, WWI.
• Andrew Stokes (1925-1990), U.S. NAVY, March 1944-December 1945, WWII.
• Clifford Suits (1895-1985), U.S. Army, June 1917-March 1919, WWI.
• William Sullivan (1920-1991), U.S. Army, January 1942-September 1952, WWII/Korea
• Leota Tracy (1919-1987), U.S. Army, September 1943-December 1945, WWII.
• Phillip Vahey (1914-1979), U.S. Navy, May 1942-May 1947, WWII.
• Angelo Volpicelli (1911-1983), U.S. Air Force, January 1940-October 1945, WWII.
• George Wada (1915-1986), U.S. Army, July 1943-August 1965, WWII/Korea/Vietnam.

The service is open to the public.