Calhoun Historical Society hosted the annual joint picnic with Gilmer County Historical Society last Thursday at the Herb Smith Community Building at Calhoun County Park.

Left to right, first row, Dave Corcoran, Bob Henry Baber; second row, Richard Reed, Judy Brown, Sharon Weaver, Hunter Armentrout, Dave Brown, and Marion Reed.

Left to right, first row, Lynn Gilbert, Terry Harris, Linda Jarvis, Susie Barnes, Helen Morris, Gloria Stevens, Duck Stevens, Maricia Mlynek; second row, Hazeline Anderson, Keith Smith, Grant Clark, Roger Jarvis, Jim Bell, Bob Bonar and Jim Morris.

Left to right, first row, Sally Morris, Tom Brinkley, Robin Brinkley, Maddie Morgan Michelle Rhodes, Brad McBride, Kala Brinkley; second row, Matt Morgan, Helen Morris, Todd Rhodes, Emily Rhodes, Sarah Rhodes, Rebecca Rhodes, Amy Morgan, Brandi McBride and Davis Morgan.

Jim Bell provided salmon, trout, fried potatoes and cornbread, aided by wife Juanita and sidekick Duck Stevens and wife Gloria. Calhoun members provided side dishes and the Gilmer visitors brought desserts.

The program honored World War II veterans of both counties. Calhoun president Bob Bonar said, “We want to set aside this meeting to hear from our veterans and also learn from them. They provided a great service in preserving our nation.”

Hunter Armentrout, a veteran of the Vietnam War, said that there were servicemen from both counties, who were so willing to serve the country that they masked problems, such as hearing and sight loss, that were not discovered until their discharge.

He urged everyone to read Tom Brokaw’s book, “The Greatest Generation.”

“This is the greatest generation any society has produced. These soldiers fought not for the fame and recognition, but because it was the right thing to do,” said Armentrout.

Herb Smith, a welder for the Navy, and his son Keith, told of major, unbelievable repairs that were made to the ships.

Roscoe McCune of Orma told of growing up in Calhoun and of his wartime experiences. He was an ordnance man for a ship and was close to Japan when the atomic bomb went off. He said, “I could feel the vibrations.”

Richard Reed of Glenville was in Navy Aviation and spent the last nine months of the war on Iwo Jima. He said that this island once saw the worst fighting of the war. He received his discharge while there, and, because there was no transportation, he was told to get to the nearest discharge station by any means possible. He found a pilot who let him jump aboard a plane, bound for the U.S.

As the program ended, guests from Gilmer, Calhoun and North Carolina were relating to each other with heartfelt compassion and pride as all celebrated their friends and relatives of the “Greatest Generation.”

A group of special guests from Sims Family Barbecue of Granite Falls, N.C., were welcomed to the county and the meeting. As readers of The Calhoun Chronicle, they wanted to learn more about the county.

North Carolina guests included Matt, Amie, Maddie and Davis Morgan, Tom, Robin and Kala Brinkley, Brad and Brandi McBride, Sarah, Todd, Michelle, Emily and Rebecca Rhodes, Keith Sims, Joe, Molly and Whitney Sims, Adam Wyatt, and Charlie and Sharon Sims Kohnle.

Gilmer members attending were Hunter Armentrout, Bob Henry Baber, Dave and Judy Brown, Dave Corcoran, Margaret Moss, Richard and Marion Reed, and Sharon Weaver.

From Calhoun were Hazeline Anderson, Jackie Everson Bach, Susan Barnes, Jim and Juanita Bell, Bob Bonar, Grant Clark, Terry Harris, Roger and Linda Jarvis, Roscoe and Pearl McCune, Maricia Mlynek, Jim, Lynn, Sally and Levi Morris, Helen Morris, Keith Smith, and Duck and Gloria Stevens.