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THIS WEEK IN LOCAL HISTORY This Week In Local History: Waverly’s first volunteer soldier remembered

The Abington Journal - 6/5/2017

1967 — U.S. Army Veteran Paul Kendall was featured in an Abington Journal article after participating in a local Memorial Day observance.

“Chateu-Thierry is a town of Northern France, about 60 miles East of Paris,” the story began.

“It was the farthest point reached by the Germans in their offensive of May 27, 1918.

“Here it was, nearly 50 years ago that Paul Kendall, Waverly’s first volunteer soldier, received the first of three wounds while serving with the American Expeditionary Forces.

“Paul was wounded again at Nancy but wasn’t stopped by the Germans until he reached Belleau Wood.

“Although the details of Belleau Wood are dimmed by time, Paul recalls that he and three or four other tired companions of the 3rd Division were helping a wounded comrade when a phosphene gas shell exploded in their midst.

“Paul awoke in an Army hospital, nearly unaware of what had happened, only aware that he would be blind in the left eye for the rest of his life.

“He spent over a year in military hospitals, first at Walter Reed in Washington and later at Plattsburg Barracks in New York State.

“The young man returned to his job as locomotive inspector on the Lackawanna Railroad, retiring from there in the early 1960s with nearly 40 years service.”

1977 — A U.S. Navy family was looking forward to retirement in Clarks Summit.

“A navyman, who plans to retire in Clarks Summit, routinely helps the men and women of Naval Station Norfolk, Va., and the 31 tenant commands on the base make a very tough decision,” read a Journal brief. “He helps them choose whether to remain in the Navy or return to civilian life.

“John M. Seals, a Navy career counselor, is married to the former Linda L. Parry, of Clarks Summit. Chief Petty Officer Seals and his wife presently live in Virginia Beach, Va., with their daughters, Cindy Lou five, and Susan Ann, seven.”