| OCR Text |
Show - v - V: . n -f Ti-iejl A recent news item is to the effect ef-fect that Joe Manzione, Beaver, Utah, Postmaster has been retired from the U. S. Army with the rank of Major, after serving with honor for 22 years and six months. Joe is the subject of this week's epistle, since he and his wife La-Priel La-Priel have been close friends of ours for many years. We usually see them at the American Legion Convenitons; and have always been impressed with their loyalty, sincerity and friendliness. Joe Manzione has a long record of military service which dates back to World War I. He enlisted in the army in May 1917 at Beaver. During the war he saw combat service in four major battle fronts Chateau-Theirry, St. Mehiel, Velse River and Meuse-Argonne. After the Arimistice in 1918, he served in the Army of Occupation in Germany for eight months. In 1929 he helped organize the National Guard at Beaver, ellsting as a First Sergeant. He reached the rank of First Lieutenant in 1934. In March 1941 he was called into active service with the National Guard and served in that organization organiza-tion during World Ward n. He attained at-tained the rank of Captain and later Major in 1942. He was 'on active duty until 1944 and has been In the reserve since then. Joe received the Medal of St. Mehiel, presented by the Mayor of that French City; and was the personal per-sonal representative of President Franklin D. Rosevelt at the graveside grave-side services of Secretary of War George H. Dern. Besides his military service he has been active in church and civic affairs. He has served as secretary of the Beaver Lions Club for eight years and is now beginning begin-ning his 9th year on the Beaver Selective Service board. He has been an L.D.S. Missionary, a Bishop's Bis-hop's Counselor, and is now a Ward Clerk. Joe and La Priel Manzione have had six sons, all of whom are, or have been service men. His youngest young-est son is now enlisted in the Utah National Guard. The son just older is a Lieutenant" in the U.S. Air Force. Another son, a veteran of World War II, was murdered about five years ago while working as a Beaver service station attendant. His confessed murderers, are now-sitting now-sitting it out in the Utah State Penitentiary, while the lawyers and judges wrangle over the stupid stu-pid technicalities of the Utah Criminal Crim-inal Code. Joe Manzione has given his life to the service of his community, church and country-. It's a sad commentary that the legal agencies agen-cies of his state have given him such a rough deal. Not that the execution of these two worthless hoodlums would do him any particular parti-cular good. He is above all that. However, each time the case comes before the courts, the old wounds are opened afresh, and he and his wife live again the agonies of the dreadful tragedy. Joe and La Priel Manzione deserve de-serve far more sympathetic consideration con-sideration than this. So long 'til Thursday. |
