Howard Haury 8/14/25-4/12/2005 (A-1-14) Originally from Chicago, Howard is shown here with his wife, Doris, at a reunion banquet. Howard was a member of the 4th Division Association before Chapter #33 was chartered and was determined to get a local chapter. In 1988 he rounded up 10 members of the national association and talked them into a meeting with Jack Claven, the National President at the time. From that meeting the Grand Canyon Chapter was founded.
He also decided we needed to install a memorial for the 4th Division of WW II and was instrumental in getting approval from the state legislature to put the memorial in Wesley Bolin Plaza directly on the east side of the State Capitol. Following its installation, he decided we should install bricks with members' names at the memorial site.
He was a 100% supporter of the Marine Corps, the 4th Division and Chapter 33 and the Toys for Tots program.
Howard is sorely missed by all his friends.
Chet Miller (USN/USMC)
1-10-1924/12-9-2000 (3-L-24)
Chet, a corpsman, is shown here with Ruth while on a cruise. He was one of the founding members of Chapter 33 and was the chapter's first secretary. He and Howard worked together to get the chapter chartered through the national association.
Chet was originally from Indiana and came to Arizona in 1952. He earned a B.S. degree from Butler U. and a M.S. degree from Purdue University. He worked for many years in the concrete industry.
Chet is sorely missed by all in the chapter
Bob Akenhead, Amtrak 23
9/11/1925 - 3/1/2011
Bob is a native of Minnesota and came to Arizona via California. Here he is with his wife, Betty, at a Chapter 33 luncheon
Bill Allen
1/1/1918 - 12/21/2002 (H&S-I-14)
Bill, pictured here with his wife, Carole, had a long distinguished career in the Marine Corps. He enlisted in Dec., 1936. Upon discharge after his 4 year commitment was up, he reenlisted as a corporal in Dec., 1940. He rose to rank of Sergeant Major and joined the 4th Marine Division in 1943. He was promoted to 2nd Lt. during the Saipan invasion and received the Bronze Star for his actions on Tinian. He steadily advanced after WW II and retired as a Major in Nov. 1963. He was an Officer and a Gentleman.
Bill is sorely missed by all in the chapter.
Ben Amodei 5/28/25 - 12/31/2011
B-2-23
Here is Ben with his wife, Alma, at a Grand Canyon Chapter luncheon. Originally from Philadelphia, Ben married, had 8 children, drove a semi for 25 years before becoming a AAA Insurance agent. He worked in New York, Wichita, KS, and back to Philadelphia, before he retired to Florida. Then he moved to Arizona in 2002 to settle down
Charlie,Bagnole 6/9/1926 - 12/23/2002
(3-I-25)
Charlie, shown here with Gloria, his wife, came to Arizona from New Jersey around 1950. He did spectrographic analysis for a foundry, raised greyhound dogs and owned a Pizza Pro parlor before retiring. Charlie served one or two terms as Chapter president and aided in the memorial project. He was active in all chapter functions Charlie is sorely missed by the chapter.
Bill Bingaman, 12/3/1922-2/12/2009
(4-H&S-14)
Bill is pictured here with his wife, Helen, whom he married in 1945 upon discharge from the Corps. He served as a Japanese interpreter and came back to finish college at the College of Wooster in Ohio and the McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago. He was a Presbyterian minister for 40 years before calling Arizona home in 1980
Jim Duke,
7/30/1925 - 8/4/2011
4-H&S-14
Jim Duke is shown here with his wife, Helen. They came to Arizona in 1947 from Shenandoah, Iowa. He was in the electric sign business until retirement in 1978
To the right Jim is flanked on his left by Dan Duran and DeWayne Dickman on his right.
Flash Gordon (USN/USMC) 9/28/1925 - 6/15/2003 (1-A-24) Here is Flash with his wife, Honey. Born in Chicago, Flash came to Arizona over 70 years ago and owned Gordon's Hobby Lobby store in Phoenix for 45 years. The Gordon and LeBeau families started Camp Rainbow for children Cancer survivors and also volunteered at the Burn Camp Courage in Prescott where his wife, Harriet, and Flash did arts and Crafts for almost 20 years with the camp children all week. He also had the most volunteer hours at the Phoenix Children’s Hospital where the hospital dedicated a mural to Flash for his beaded “LOVE BUG” craft that he shared with all the kids. He was a Marine veteran of WWII serving on Iwo Jima in a medical unit with the 4th Marine Division. He was also a volunteer probation officer and part of the first ever Scared Straight Program, along with the title of Lieutenant Governor for the Optimist Club.
Chuck Hilton 3/18/1928 - 12/7/2009
Hq./2/23
Chuck is pictured here with his wife of 49 years, Diane.
Wounded on Iwo, he spent 10 months in hospitals. He was discharged in New York in 1946 at the ripe age of 17. (He enlisted when he was 15.) Went to Washington, D.C., then to Los Angeles where he worked for North American which morphed to Rockwell International and finally to Boeing Aircraft. He retired in 1984 and he and Diane settled in Wickenburg, AZ in 1994.
Herb Levinson 1/13/1924 - 3/2/2009
JASCO
Here Herb is pictured with his daughter and wife, Lisa and
Dorothy.
Born in Chicago, he enlisted in 1943 and was with 4th Division through all 4 Pacific invasions.
He and Dorothy operated a Womens Fashion Store for 33 years and he then went into auto leasing and sales.
They moved to Sedona, Arizona, in 1999.
Herb died the way he lived; A proud United States Marine.
Gordon Peters, 3/16/1921 - 1/4/2001
G-2-Hq.
Pictured here with his wife, Betty, at a Chapter 33 picnic. Gordon, was originally from Milwaukee where he worked in sales for the Hobart Corporation. He came to Arizona after retirement in 1984.
Secretary Ken Russell 1/18/1924 - 1/4/2012 (3-G-14)
and his wife, Joanne. Ken is almost a native Arizonan, having come to Arizona as a child. He grew up in Jerome and is an Arizona State University graduate. His wife, Joanne, very graciously and efficiently serves as chapter co- secretary. Before taking on this job, Joanne was secretary to Polly Rosenbaum, the longest serving Arizona State Representative for longer than she likes to remember.
At right Ken is pictured with his mother.
Bill Salisbury 7/23/1922 - 10/18/1993 USN/USMC is shown here with his wife, Helen. Helen is also a WW II Navy veteran.
Norman Smyle HQ-3-25
Currently we are hoping to get from Norman's son some information for a biographical sketch for this space
Bruce Starkweather, 7/1/1926 - 4/4/2008
14th/HqCo/HqBn This is Bruce with his wife, Corrine. Bruce came to Arizona from Madison, Wisconsin and made his home in Sun City until his passing. He is also survived by his daughters, Leslie of Peoria, AZ and Tracey of Madison.
Harvey Vollmer, Pioneers 1922 - 12/1/2005
Harvey and his wife of 59 years, Madeline, are in conversation with Judy Charland on the left, following a Chapter 33 meeting. Harvey came to Arizona from Cleveland, Ohio and lived for 25 years in Sun City, Arizona. He was a devoted sports fan and enjoyed bowling.
Other members of our chapter who have passed on:
Al Arsenault
Ralph Cornett
John Marr
Tom Maynes
L.D. McElhaney
Frank Ruben, USN/USMC
Ken Scheitlin
James Schladwiler
Jim Seymour
Darrell Sorum
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