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About Seaside signal. (Seaside, Or.) 1905-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 13, 2020)
A4 • Friday, November 13, 2020 | Seaside Signal | SeasideSignal.com SignalViewpoints Dog tags tell a story that leads to Seaside SEEN FROM SEASIDE R.J. MARX Tim Schreck made an interesting find. “Recently I purchased a World War 1 Army dog tag for a nominal amount at a local coin store,” the Portland man wrote the Seaside Signal. The name on the dog tag — the alu- minum identification used by the mili- tary with name, rank and serial number — was Patrick D. Dillian. After some initial research, Schreck found a match, leading to Seaside High School. “There is an active college scholarship in Seaside under the exact same name,” he said. Who was Patrick Dillian? Ky Jennings, among organizers of Seaside’s Vietnam Veterans War Memo- rial in the Cove, provided an assist. She was able to identify Dillian as born Feb. 13, 1889 in Hallock, Minne- sota, to parents Joseph and Mary Dil- lian. “He and his wife Effie lived in Clatsop County, in Astoria, and perma- nently in Seaside,” Jennings said. Patrick and Effie lived with Mary Dillian on Seventh Street in Seaside after she was widowed. Dillian served in World War I in the Coast Artillery. He worked as a truck driver for a Seaside business, Jennings said. At 53, he registered for the draft in World War II. Effie Dillian, who graduated from a Quaker college in Indiana, where she was from, was a home economics teacher at Seaside High School. Photos by Tim Schreck World War I army dog tag and army number of Patrick D. Dillian, a former Seaside resident. The couple had no children. Patrick Dillian died on July 11, 1945. Effie Dillian set up the scholarship in her husband’s name in 1946. She died in 1973. The couple are buried in Ocean View Cemetery in Warrenton. “This scholarship will go to a grad- uate of Seaside High School who has shown in daily associations with oth- ers qualities of outstanding leadership; of being humane; and of cooperation, honesty, kindness, consideration, and intelligence, and who will attend school within the Oregon university system,” according to the description. Schreck would like to return the dog tags to any surviving family members. “There have been a few recent national stories of lost dog tags returned to sol- dier’s families and I would love to get this artifact to any surviving family or perhaps to a local museum in your area,” he said.Schreck said he enjoys U.S. history and most historical nonfic- tion. Along with the Dillian dog tag, he is also working on tracing another that appears to belong to Fred E. Haynes, from a family in the Plano, Texas, area. “I want both to be returned to their proper places for no charge,” he said. “The process has been remarkably inter- esting and rewarding.” GUEST COLUMNS No time for secrets at Broadway Middle School GUEST COLUMN RANDALL A. FRANK Attention taxpayers in the Sunset Empire Park and Recreation District. The director and board of this local taxing dis- trict are seeking to increase their indebt- edness without voter approval for the purchase of Broadway Middle School. In their last endeavor to expand they sought a $20 million bond which was soundly defeated and at that time the director was quoted in the paper as say- ing that the cost of pursuing Broad- way Middle School would “far exceed” this current expansion project. I believe most of us agreed with his assessment of this property, which encompasses 5 acres and 73,000 square feet of various aging buildings. Now I must ask what has changed since 2018 when the statement was made? Our Seaside School District 10 led by Doug Dougherty presented before the Seaside City Council a rather compelling argument regarding this 71-year-old prop- erty, its life span and the costs of bringing it up to current standards when seeking voter approval for our new school located now out of the tsunami inundation zone. There are rumors of leaks which have existed for years, fl ooding in the old locker rooms, evidence of asbestos and lead paint — are they true? An inspection was done to identify the presence of lead and asbes- tos, paid for with district money but it is being withheld from public view. Another inspection for overall building condition has also been ordered but that also is not being shared with the public. Why? Also if this location was a danger to children then should it be used for programs with them now? I am a 56-year resident of Seaside and our daughters grew up here and attended our schools. I myself attended Central, Gearhart, Broadway and Seaside High School. I voted for the pool and appreci- ated having our kids learn to swim there. I also like having the skate park. I might not be opposed to this proposed purchase but show me the business plan or projec- tions. I (and all 10,000 district taxpayers) would then be able to comment on this transaction. I pencil this $2.25 million at 4% for 20 years to be around $13,500 per month and then there is insurance, water and utilities, lights, power, garbage and heat, which I estimate at $2,500 per month. That’s not even including the employees to work at the property. I see a $16,000 payment monthly which does not include any nec- essary repairs which may be needed to bring the facility up to code or to retro- fi t it for the newly identifi ed uses. The other side of the equation is where is that money coming from? This is why you fi rst develop a business plan and projections so these questions may be answered. Never ever would I fi rst make a purchase and then answer the income side. A social media survey was haphazardly tossed out to whoever might see it, but I wonder how many of the people in the dis- trict even know it exists and if they are able to take it. Why are they proceeding with the purchase before the results are com- piled and why are we not able to see them? Is this an emergency transaction? Where is community input and transparency? The taxpayers have paid for reports we can- not view, seemingly last minute meetings are called without adequate public notice and no input or feedback or interaction is allowed. There are eight questions here that deserve an answer. Please, please, please: Let’s not put the cart before the horse and also allow trans- parency with the stakeholders. This is no time for secrets. Randall A. Frank is a Seaside resident. Veterans Day, a time to pause as a nation GUEST COLUMN KELLY FITZPATRICK This Veterans Day across the nation, for the fi rst time since the holiday was con- ceived in November 1919, there were no large ceremonies in big cities and small towns in observance to properly express our gratitude and appreciate our country’s brave men and women who served in the United States armed forces. Instead, 2020 will long be remembered as a year of tremendous change and chal- lenge for our nation. Yet, this year also notably marks 75 years since the end of another historic global event that united our country: the end of World War II and the subsequent creation of the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs in 1945. One of the most poignant aspects of our Oregon veteran community is that it is as diverse and united as the nation we serve. Whether you are one of the 300,000 Ore- gon veterans who served in the trenches of Europe, the mountains of Korea, the jun- gles of Asia, the deserts of the Middle East or anywhere in between; on (or beneath) the world’s oceans, or in the skies above; here at home or overseas, in wartime or in peace; you are part of an unbroken chain of patriots who have served this coun- try with honor through the history of our nation. Every day, even after their military ser- vice, our veterans ensure America remains strong. Every day, they employ their hard- earned leadership skills and continue to serve their communities. Our veterans are moms and dads, teach- ers and doctors, engineers and entrepre- neurs, social workers and community leaders. They are the heroes of a peaceful nation who answered the call and returned to live in the land they defended. Heroes like World War II paratrooper Bill Wingett — though he never embraced that distinction. Private First Class Wingett was one of the original members of Easy Company of the 101st Airborne Division’s 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, a unit made famous by the book and HBO miniseries “Band of Brothers.” On June 6, 1944, he was one of 17,000 paratroopers to perform a night jump behind enemy lines fi ve hours before the historic beachhead assault began. Along with other paratroopers from the 101st, he fought his way through to Normandy. He also served with honor in the Battle of the Bulge, the Battle of Bastogne and other pivotal confl icts until the war ended. He was awarded the Bronze Star for his bravery during the Battle of Brecourt Manor and earned three Purple Hearts in separate engagements. Sadly, Bill passed away just a few weeks ago at his home in Lebanon. He was 98. The veterans of the Greatest Gener- ation, serving nearly eight decades ago, are vanishing at a startling rate, as are the veterans of the Korean War generation. Just fi ve years ago, there were more than 17,000 WWII veterans living in the state of Oregon. Today, there are fewer than 6,000. Their contribution and example must never fade from our awareness. The nation and the world they fought to protect will endure because of their service and deep sacrifi ces. Today, we also remember our fellow Americans missing in action, whose fate is still undetermined. We will not rest until we have made the fullest possible accounting for every life that was given in pursuit of our freedoms and preserving democracy. We also pause to remember the men and women who did not live to be called “vet- erans.” Many of them rest in the hearts of our national cemeteries. We also honor the families of the lost, who carry a burden of grief that time may lighten, but never lift, as well as all vet- erans’ family members. Their loved ones placed duty and country before their own lives. America is known as the land of the free and the home of the brave, but this was never a given. This reputation was earned by the blood and sweat of patriots who, generation after generation, dedicate them- selves to keeping our nation safe, strong and free. What veterans have given our country is beyond our power to fully repay, yet, today we pause as a nation to recognize our debt. Kelly Fitzpatrick is the director of the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs. PUBLIC MEETINGS Contact local agencies for lat- est meeting information and attendance guidelines. TUESDAY, Nov. 17 Union Health District of Clatsop County, 8 a.m., Sea- side Civic and Convention Center, Necanicum Room. Sunset Empire Park and Recreation District Board of Directors, 5:15 p.m., 1225 Avenue A. CIRCULATION MANAGER Jeremy Feldman ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER Sarah Silver- Tecza PUBLISHER EDITOR Kari Borgen R.J. Marx Seaside School District, 6 p.m., www.seaside.k12. or.us/meetings. WEDNESDAY, Nov. 18 Seaside Tourism Advisory Committee, 3 p.m., City Hall, PRODUCTION MANAGER CONTRIBUTING WRITERS John D. Bruijn Skyler Archibald Darren Gooch Joshua Heineman Rain Jordan Katherine Lacaze Esther Moberg SYSTEMS MANAGER Carl Earl 989 Broadway. Seaside Tree Board, 4 p.m., City Hall, 989 Broadway. Seaside City Council, 6 p.m., homelessness work session, Seaside Civic and Convention Center, 415 First Ave. THURSDAY, Nov. 19 Prom Centennial Planning Committee, 3 p.m., City Hall, 989 Broadway. Seaside Transportation Advi- sory Commission, 6 p.m., City Hall, 989 Broadway. Gearhart City Council, 6 p.m., public hearing C-1 zone amend- ments, City Hall, 698 Pacifi c Way. Seaside Signal Letter policy Subscriptions The Seaside Signal is published every other week by EO Media Group, 1555 N. Roosevelt, Seaside, OR 97138. 503-738-5561 seasidesignal.com Copyright © 2020 Seaside Signal. Nothing can be reprinted or copied without consent of the owners. The Seaside Signal welcomes letters to the editor. The deadline is noon Monday prior to publication. Letters must be 400 words or less and must be signed by the author and include a phone number for verifi cation. We also request that submissions be limited to one letter per month. Send to 1555 N. Roosevelt Drive, Seaside, OR 97138, drop them off at 1555 N. Roosevelt Drive or fax to 503-738-9285, or email rmarx@seasidesignal.com Annually: $40.50 in county • $58.00 in and out of county • e-Edition: only $30.00 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Seaside Signal, P.O. Box 210, Astoria, OR 97103. Postage Paid at Seaside, OR, 97138 and at additional mailing offi ces. Copyright © 2020 by the Seaside Signal. No portion of this newspaper may be reproduced without written permission. All rights reserved.
