Hall of Fame Inductees
Captain Alexander R. Skinker, Hall of Fame Class I 
Private Nels T. Wold, Hall of Fame Class I 
Staff Sergeant Junior James Spurrier, Hall of Fame Class I 
Major General Paul W. Baade, Hall of Fame Class I 
Colonel Bernard Albert Byrne, Hall of Fame Class I 
Colonel Paul A. Fall, Hall of Fame Class I 
Staff Sergeant Carl J. Frantz, Jr., Hall of Fame Class I 
Major William Graham Gillis, Jr., Hall of Fame Class I 
Brigadier General Thomas J. Kennedy, Hall of Fame Class I 
Major General Butler B. Miltonberger, Hall of Fame Class I 
Sergeant Richard J. O’Brien, Hall of Fame Class I 
Captain (President) Harry S Truman, Hall of Fame Class I 
Staff Sergeant Vernon L. Allison, Hall of Fame Class II 
Colonel Angelo P. Demos, Hall of Fame Class II 
T/Sgt Kenneth L. Faulkner, Hall of Fame Class II 
Staff Sergeant Raymond M. Kirkland, Hall of Fame Class II 
Technician 5th Grade Harold J. Lange, Hall of Fame Class II 
Captain Lawrence Malmed, Hall of Fame Class II 
Major General Edmund B. Sebree, Hall of Fame Class II 
Captain Sidney K. Strong, Hall of Fame Class II 
Major General Charles H. Browne, Jr., Hall of Fame Class III 
Tech Sergeant William J. H. “Herm” Genrich, Hall of Fame Class III 
Major General Francis S. Greenlief, Hall of Fame Class III 
Captain William Carl Miller, Hall of Fame Class III 
Lieutenant Colonel Henry G. “Hank” Morgan 
PFC Abelardo R. “Al” Navarrette, Hall of Fame Class III 
Colonel George T. “Tommy” O’Connell, Hall of Fame Class III 
Major General Jack Strukel, Jr., Hall of Fame Class III 
Brigadier General John W. Breidenthal, Hall of Fame Class IV 
Colonel Edmund R. Casey, Hall of Fame Class IV 
Brigadier General Theodore L. Futch, Hall of Fame Class IV 
Captain Walter R. “Hank” Harrington, Hall of Fame Class IV 
Captain John A. Kerner (Kapstein), Hall of Fame Class IV 
Captain Maurice H. Knott, Hall of Fame Class IV 
Brigadier General Frederick C. Roecker, Jr., Hall of Fame Class IV 
Lieutenant Colonel Alfred E. Thomsen, Hall of Fame Class IV 
Second Lieutenant Albert J. Gibeau, Jr., Hall of Fame Class V 
Technical Sergeant Donald L. Giles, Hall of Fame Class V 
Private First Class James G. Graff, Hall of Fame Class V 
Captain Elwin I. Shopteese, Hall of Fame Class V 
First Lieutenant Odie T. Stallcup, Hall of Fame Class V 
Technical Sergeant John E. “Gene” Weick, Hall of Fame Class V 
Lieutenant Colonel Dwight F. Davis, Hall of Fame Class VI 
Major Orval E. Faubus, Hall of Fame Class VI 
PFC Robert R. Holmes, Hall of Fame Class VI 
Colonel James A. Huston, Hall of Fame Class VI 
Lieutenant Colonel Homer W. Kurtz, Hall of Fame Class VI 
Lieutenant Colonel George J. Melochick, Hall of Fame Class VI 
Sergeant Lawnie Coffman, Hall of Fame Class VII 
Master Sergeant Bernard Deghand, Hall of Fame Class VII 
Private First Class Murray Leff, Hall of Fame Class VII 
Captain Samuel G. O’Brien, Hall of Fame Class VII 
Private First Class Halbert Edward Olson, Hall of Fame Class VII 
Staff Sergeant Jack L. Ulmer, Hall of Fame Class VII 
Second Lieutenant Erwin R. Bleckley, Hall of Fame Class VIII 
First Lieutenant Lyle J. Bouck, Jr., Hall of Fame Class VIII 
Captain Joseph B. Scully, Hall of Fame Class VIII 
Second Lieutenant Frank A. Gonzales, Hall of Fame Class IX 
Private First Class Ralph S. Lilly, Hall of Fame Class IX 
Private First Class Augustine G. Martinez, Hall of Fame Class IX 
Major (Dr.) Ernest W. Slusher, Hall of Fame Class X 
Captain Joseph Giacobello, Hall of Fame Class X 
Private First Class Arthur Germano, Hall of Fame Class X 
Major General Lloyd E. Krase, Hall of Fame Class XI 
Platoon Sergeant Noel R. Long, Hall of Fame Class XI 
Staff Sergeant Frank Holmes, Hall of Fame Class XI 
Major William M. Denny, Hall of Fame Class XII 
Captain (Dr.) Otto L. H. Hine, Hall of Fame Class XII 
Technical Sergeant Clarence T. “Click” Kemper, Hall of Fame Class XII 
Major Norman C. Carey, Hall of Fame Class XIII 
Second Lieutenant John Fling, Hall of Fame Class XIII 
Private First Class Keith Bullock, Hall of Fame Class XIII 
SSG Leopold Korejsza, Hall of Fame Class XIV 
Gen William S Simpson, Hall of Fame Class XIV 
COL William Sachs, Hall of Fame Class XIV 
SGT Ralph F. Greeley, Hall of Fame Class XV 
1LT Edgar T. Snipes, Hall of Fame Class XV 
MG John B. Ramey, Hall of Fame Class XV 
2LT Victor W. Schultz, Hall of Fame Class XVI 
WO Thomas E. Tholen, Hall of Fame Class XVI 
SGT James T. Winslow Jr., Hall of Fame Class XVI
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Class VII, Sergeant Lawnie Coffman
1922-2008
Lawnie Coffman was inducted into the Army on January 16, 1943. He was assigned to the 35th Infantry Division. He was sent with Company L, 137th Infantry to the West Virginia Mountain Maneuvers, arriving at the mountain camp at Seneca Rock on February 16, 1944. Sergeant Coffman landed with Co L, 137th Infantry, first in England in January of 1944, and then on Omaha Beach on July 6, 1944. On November 18, 1944, he was shot with a German 88 causing life threatening injuries and was later discharged from the Army on August 20, 1945. Sergeant Coffman wrote about his World War II experiences in 35th Infantry Division in an extensive autobiography entitled My Leg of the Race.
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Class VII, Master Sergeant Bernard Deghand
1964-2006
Master Sergeant Bernard L. Deghand started his Army career in 1982 as Cannon Crewmember (13B) and later transferred from the Army Reserves to the Kansas Army National Guard in 1986. Ten years later, he became an Infantry Rifleman (11B). Then served with 35th Infantry Division Headquarters as a Readiness NCO and Operations NCO. Master Sergeant Deghand deployed three times with 35th Infantry Division: Bosnia (2002), Hurricane Katrina (2005) and Afghanistan (2006). During Operation Enduring Freedom, he served as a trainer for the Afghan Army, teaching mechanized infantry tactics using armored personnel carriers. He died in a firefight on Sept. 15, 2006, in Spira, Afghanistan.
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Class VII, Private First Class Murray Leff
1922 –
Murray Leff served with E Company, 137th Infantry from September 1944 until the end of World War II. Private First Class Leff documented his unit’s and the 35th Divisions battles from the Gremercy Forest through the Ardennes and the Battle of the Bulge to the final push into Germany. Private First Class Leff provided a viewpoint of Private in a foxhole with his photos and memories which were later documented in his book. Lens of an Infantryman. His words and images from of the 35th Division in World War II stand out in the history and lineage of the 35th Division. Today, Murray Leff and his wife live in New York and he continues to share his photos and stories about his experiences in World War II.
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Class VII, Captain Samuel G. O’Brien
1920-2010
Samuel G. O’Brien received a commission as Second Lieutenant at Fort Benning, Georgia in the summer of 1943. He was assigned to several positions of the 320th Infantry Regiment during World War II. As a member of the 320th Infantry Regiment, he landed in Normandy on July 6, 1944. He remained in combat with the 320th Infantry until VE Day. Later, his primary assignment was as Regimental Liaison Officer between the 320th Infantry Regiment and the 35th Infantry Division Headquarters. He participated in the battles of Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central Europe. He was a decorated officer and later was awarded the French Legion of Honor.
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Class VII, Private First Class Halbert Edward Olson
1912-1945
Private First Class Halbert Olson was 31 years old when he enlisted in January 1944. After training in the United States, he was sent to Belgium as a replacement in the 134th Infantry Regiment, 35th Infantry Division. On February 26, 1945, PFC Olson was in a room with two other Soldiers, preparing to clear out the enemy. A hand grenade became entangled in his clothing. He could not get rid of it. He then ran to the other side of the room and fell upon the deadly explosive. He gave his life to save those of his comrades. PFC Olson was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the Army’s highest award for extreme gallantry after the Medal of Honor.
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Class VII, Staff Sergeant Jack L. Ulmer
1921-2011
Staff Sergeant J.L. Ulmer was mobilized in December of 1940 as a member of Company M, 3rd Battalion, 137 Infantry, 35th Infantry Division, Kansas National Guard at Lawrence, Kansas. On July 6, 1944, he landed on Omaha Beach and began combat in the hedgerows of Normandy, first seeing action in the battle at St. Lo. He was awarded the Silver Star for his heroic actions on July 17, 1944. Upon observing a wrecker carrying ten men and several boxes of grenades and small arms ammunition burst into flames after it had struck a mine, Sergeant Ulmer and two others accompanying him, rushed into the flaming area and pulled injured personnel from the vehicle to safety, despite the fact that grenades were bursting at the time. He was awarded the Purple Heart for combat in World War II. In June of 2007, he was awarded the French Legion of Honor.