As our country pays tribute to Americans who have served the country in the military this Veterans Day, The Arbor Company sends our deepest thanks to the veterans in our communities.
Residents in Arbor Company communities are veterans of conflicts from World War II through the Vietnam War.
Meet some of our residents who have fought for and defended our country:
- Glenn Ricketts, Arbor Terrace Willistown (West Chester, Pa.). Ricketts, who’s now 98, served in the European Theater near the end of World War II. He is a published author whose second book was released by Outskirts Press earlier this year. The book, “Are Buffalo Really That Flatulent? And Other Tomes of Wisdom,” is a collection of short stories and musings, and it includes memories of Ricketts’ wartime service.
- George and Alfreda Barabaree, Barrington Terrace Fort Myers (Fort Myers, Fla.). The Barabarees have the unusual distinction of being a married couple who both served in the military during World War II. Alfreda joined the WAVES, the women’s branch of the United States Naval Reserve, while George served in the Marines. The couple recently celebrated their 74th wedding anniversary.
- Robert Giles Achorn, Barrington Terrace Fort Myers (Fort Myers, Fla.). Achorn, who recently celebrated his 104th birthday, served in the United States Navy as a lieutenant commander during World War II. Following his tour of duty, he worked as a journalist for a few years before settling in for a long career as a sales manager for the Morton Salt Co.
- Jerrie Badger, Arbor Terrace of Johns Creek (Suwanee, Ga.). Badger, age 99, served in the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), formed in 1943. The program had 25,000 applicants, and Badger was one of only 1,074 who successfully completed the training. She graduated from flight training in 1944 and was stationed in Victoria, Texas, where she flew AT-6s until the WASP program was disbanded. When the U.S. government officially recognized former WASP as military veterans in 1977, Badger was commissioned as a first lieutenant for the United States Navy.
- Donald Hurst, Summit of Uptown (Park Ridge, Ill.). Hurst joined the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1944, fighting in the Battle of the Bulge soon after arriving in the European Theater. The next year, he was a gunner on a bombing raid over Germany when his Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress was shot down. The crash killed the co-pilot and seriously wounded most of the others on the plane, but Hurst, using a life raft, dragged his wounded comrades to safety and killed 10 German soldiers in the process. He was awarded the Silver Star and Distinguished Flying Cross for his bravery.
- Ted Cloud, The Vantage at Cityview (Fort Worth, Texas). Cloud had a 20-year military career, beginning just after he graduated from high school. He trained airmen on maintenance for Boeing B-47s and B-52s, and he also served as crew chief on the planes that brought home fallen soldiers during the Vietnam War.
The Arbor Company thanks our veterans for their service and sacrifices in protecting our nation.
