WHITE STONE—White Stone is honoring veterans, past and present, with a Hometown Heroes banner program.

Town council members and staff hung 18 banners throughout town last week to launch the new program honoring military service personnel.

Town council approved the project, presented by council member Ann Gardner Eubank, in April.
The original plan was to purchase garden flag-sized banners to be placed on the Village Green but a change in vendors meant the town could purchase larger flags. They will be flown next year from new light poles planned as part of the business district revitalization project. For now, the banners will hang in select businesses, said Eubank. The banners will remain up through Veterans Day.

The program allows residents to pay tribute and honor family and friends from any era and any branch of the military. Those honored may be living or deceased and can be veterans or active military.

The 2023 class of honorees includes Petty Officer 2nd Class Theodore Lee Durvin Jr., U.S. Navy; Master Sgt. William A. Henry, U.S. Air Force; Staff Sgt. Alex Umphlett, U.S. Army; Spc. Richard L. Arnett, U.S. Army; Lt. Robby Robison, M.D., U.S. Navy; and Capt. Horace C. Robison, U.S. Navy.

Also, Staff Sgt. Stanley “Joe” Sliakis, U.S. Air Force; Capt. Edward Reamy Pittman, U.S. Army; BM3 Travis Reamy Pittman, U.S. Coast Guard; Lt. Col. W.R. Pittman Jr., U.S. Air Force; Cmdr. James Philbrick, U.S. Navy; Sgt. F. Stuart Painter, U.S. Marine Corps; and Spc. 3 Romulus M. Sanders Jr., U.S. Army.

Also, Staff Sgt. Thomas Garland “Duna” Purcell, U.S. Army; Tec. 5 Samuel T. Johnson, U.S. Army; Petty Officer 1st Class Irving T. Britting-ham, U.S. Navy; Airman 1st Class Derwin Booker Jr., U.S. Air Force; and Tec. 5 Wade R. Burke, U.S. Army.