Local man to be enshrined in Ohio Veterns Hall of Fame
By Kyle Valentini
October 25, 2011
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Summary: Newcomerstown resident and United States Army Veteran, James Dennis Ross will be inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame on Nov. 10 in Columbus along with 19 other veterans from around the state. Ross has continued to serve his country and fellow veterans over the years and is proud to be enshrined with others that exemplify honor and service to their country and their community.
The Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame will induct the Class of 2011 in a ceremony Nov. 10 at 10 a.m. at Veterans Memorial Auditorium on West Broad Street in Columbus.
20 veterans from all over Ohio will join 408 others who are enshrined in the Hall.
The Hall is dedicated to recognizing Ohio veterans who, after their military service, put their skills and abilities to work in their local communities. Those selected for the honor of induction are veterans who have honorably served their country through military service and who have continued to serve and inspire their fellow man with their deeds and accomplishments throughout their lifetime.
Newcomerstown native, James Dennis Ross, known as Denny to friends and family is one of those veterans.
Ross is a 1965 graduate of Newcomerstown High School. He served in the army from 1965-1968. Ross spent a year in Vietnam and was wounded twice in a mortar attack and received a purple heart. I still get emotional when I talk about what happened over there, said Ross. For me, talking about it helps and I think when others hear me it helps them too.
Denny is well deserving of this honor, said Debbie Cook, Director at Tuscarawas County Veteran Services. He never stops helping others in and around the community.
Ross is a life member and three year commander of the VFW Chapter 3303, a life member and three year commander of the American Legion Chapter 431, a life member and 10 year president of the Vietnam Veterans Chapter 532 and a 15 year member and eight year commander of the Newcomerstown Honor and Color Guard.
Ross has designed numerous patches and pins to honor veterans that include a commemorative patch and pin for the Vietnam Veterans Travelling Wall. Ross also designed and had medals made for the Newcomerstown Honor and Color Guard to honor his fellow veterans for their countless hours of volunteerism.
Ross, along with other local veterans, visits nursing homes about five times a year to enjoy fellowship with residents that have served. Some of these guys are getting up there in years, but they remember they were in the service. I bark out at my guys and call them to attention and those old boys are trying sit up in their chairs and theyll try to salute back. The nurses tell us this is one of the best times for them, said Ross.
Ross was awarded the Order of the Silver Rose medal in 2007 for being a Vietnam Veteran victimized by Agent Orange.
Ross designed a monument for all veterans of Tuscarawas County that was placed at the Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery at Rittman in May of 2011. Ross also designed a pin featuring a replica of the monument.
A black marble bench inscribed with Ross artwork is located at the Ohio Veterans Memorial Park at Clinton. The bench was dedicated in May of 2011.
Its a great day to be able to honor 20 Ohioans who have served both their country and community, said Tom Moe, Director of the Ohio Department of Veterans Services and a 2009 inductee of the Hall. These men and women represent one of the great things about our veterans community that when someone leaves the military, they very often continue to serve.
In addition to the service Ross has provided fellow veterans, he continues to serve his community in a capacity that is both generous and educational.
He designed and helped construct the Turtle Monument that honors the Delaware Indians located at the Riverside Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
Ross designed the first-ever trading cards of early mans artifacts. Much like baseball cards, Ross produced the cards for three years before it became cost prohibitive.
Ross has donated time, labor and equipment to make improvements at the ball fields. He has contributed to the Olde Main Street Museum and Social Center and is currently working on a three dimensional relief sculpture depicting the Newcomerstown topography in honor of the villages bicentennial in 2014.
When I first got home from Vietnam, I wasnt a very nice person to be around. My wife, Marlene has put up with a lot over the years, said Ross. Im so proud of him, said Marlene Ross. I know he is honored to be included in the Hall of Fame.
