Four local war heroes will take center stage on the Civic Park stage this Saturday afternoon.
Lawrenceburg Fall Music Fest Veterans Presentation winners (left to right): Joshua Ball, Joe Gray, Les VanTyle and Paul E. Covington, Jr. Photos provided.
(Lawrenceburg, Ind.) – The Lawrenceburg Fall Music Fest wouldn’t be complete without recognizing those who served to protect our freedom.
The annual Veterans Presentation will take place on Saturday, September 25 at 2:30 p.m. on the Civic Park Stage.
Four war heroes will be awarded Purple Heart plaques for their bravery and sacrifice. They are Joshua Ball, Joe Gray, Les VanTyle and Paul E. Covington, Jr.
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Biographies of the winners of this year’s Fall Fest Veterans Presentation were provided by PG Gentrup:
JOSHUA BALL
Joshua Bell was born on May 30, 1987 in Cincinnati, OH to Vicki and Gary Bell and was their only child. He attended elementary and middle school in Cincinnati, then graduated from Grant Co. High School in Dry Ridge, Ky. He was inducted into the United States Army and served from 2004 to 2010. He completed basic training at Fort. Sill, OK, then went to Fort. Benning, GA for his AIT. He then served at Fort. Hood, TX and Ft. Dix, NJ as well as Ft. Knox, Kentucky. He finished the “jumping school†at Fort. Bragg, NC and joined the 82nd Airborne. Joshua served in Iraq in 2006 and in Afghanistan in 2007-08. It was while serving with the 82nd Airborne in Afghanistan that he was seriously injured when a huge roadside bomb exploded. He had shrapnel wounds to his head and body, which resulted in major brain surgery and head trauma (TBI). This caused her to lose her hair, suffers from PTSD, severe hearing loss and affected her speech. He was released from the military as a sergeant, E-5. Today he works for Roy Heck and Roy’s Tents. Joshua was awarded the Purple Heart, the National Defense Service Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the War Service Medal against the terrorism, Meritorious Unity Citation, Presidential Unity Citation, and Expert Rifle Badge. Today he and his girlfriend, Sophia, live in Greendale. Joshua is proud to have served our great nation and supports our troops who serve today and our veterans.
JOE GRAY
Joe was born on June 22, 1947 in Springfield, Ohio, to Harry E. and Frances C. Gray. He was an only child. He attended school for grades K-1 in Lagunda, grades 2-4 at Elmwood, Horace Mann for grades 5-6, Schaefer Junior High for grades 7-8 and graduated from South High School in Springfield in 1965. Joe worked for the National Cash Register (NCR) and then was employed with the Springfield Fire Department for 29 years. He married his wife Renee on March 28, 2009. He has four children: Lorraine, Brian, Steven and Sandra, as well as five grandchildren, 3 girls and 2 boys. Today, they live in the Mount Washington area of ​​Cincinnati, but still have several relatives in the Rising Sun, IN area. Joe is a member of the VFW, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman’s Association, Chapter 17 of the 173 Airborne Association and life member of Vietnam Veterans of America Lary D. Fogle Chapter 71 in Aurora, Indiana. Joe served in the United States Army from 1966 to 1968. He received basic training at Fort. Gordon, GA and took AIT at Fort. Benning, Georgia. He entered the jumping school in Fort. Benning in January 1967, then deployed to Vietnam. He was stationed at Bien Hoa and Xuan Loc with the 173rd Airborne. Joe was wounded in combat and received a Purple Heart when he was injured by a shrapnel that hit his left leg near Bien Hoa. He was then sent to an area near Dac To and was engaged in a battle with the Viet Cong when he was struck by shrapnel in the face and chest in November 1967 on Hill 875 and was struck by shrapnel in the face and chest in November 1967. received her second Purple Heart. Joe returned to the United States and was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort. Bragg, NC and was released as E-5 Sergeant. Joe received the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Medal, the Vietnamese Cross of Bravery with palm, the purple heart with oak leaf cluster, the Bronze Star with V for Bravery, the Army Medal of Commendation with V for Bravery, Combat Infantryman Insignia (CIB), Parachute Badge, Presidential Unit Citation, Meritorious Unity Citation, Rifle Insignia expert for: pistol, M-16 rifle, automatic rifle and M-60 machine gun. Joe takes pride in his service to our country and supports our troops serving our great country today and our veterans.
THE VANTYLES
Lawrence Leslie VanTyle was born on September 22, 1945 to Lawrence Earl VanTyle and Mary Eliza Sherman VanTyle in Rising Sun, IN. He attended elementary school at Cass Union Grade School in Ohio County. Les graduated from Rising Sun High School in 1963. Les entered the United States Air Force on October 13, 1965 and served faithfully until his release on February 6, 1969. He completed his training at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas, then was assigned to Patrick Air Force Base in Florida. He was an administrative specialist in the human space flight office. He was deployed to Vietnam in 1967 and while serving in Saigon was injured by shrapnel from a bomb that exploded. He was awarded the Purple Heart for injuries sustained during this attack. Les worked on the farm for many years, worked at Seagrams in Lawrenceburg for 10 years, worked at four different screen printing facilities and eventually went to work for Valvoline Oil Company near Cleves, OH and retired in 2008 after a 30-year career. Les underwent two heart bypass operations at the age of 60. The family built a house in Kleve, OH and they still live there. The has four sisters: Florence Marie Peters; Doris Ann Shadday, Lutha May Nieman and Mavis Carole Uhlmansiek. He had a brother, Elmer Nelson Van Tyle. Married them Shirley E. Scalf on August 9, 1969. They had two sons, David Lawrence VanTyle and Stephen A. VanTyle. David married Lisa Anne Wiegle and they have two daughters; Rachell Erin VanTyle and Alexis Grace VanTyle. Les is proud of his service to our great nation and his service to Vietnam. He continues to support our troops today, wherever they serve.
PAUL E. COVINGTON, JR
Paul E. Covington Jr. was born February 28, 1949 to Paul Sr. and Shirley Mae Swanson Covington in Switzerland County, Indiana. He graduated from Vevay High School in 1967 and joined the United States Army in March 1969. He has three brothers; Danny, Dennis and Duane and a sister, Sherry. After completing basic training at Fort. Knox, KY, he flew to Fort. Lewis, Washington for AIT. He was then sent to Fort. Benning, GA for the NCO School. After this schooling, he was sent to Fort. Polk, LA to help train troops as a drill instructor for eight weeks. He was promoted to sergeant E-5. Paul was sent to Vietnam where he served with the US Division, 23rd Infantry, 11th Brigade at Duc Pho, southern Vietnam in 1970-71. He was injured in the fight against the Viet Cong when he was struck by shrapnel and received a Purple Heart. He received several medals for his service: National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Purple Heart, Bronze Star with “V” for Valor, Vietnam Galllantry Cross with Palm, Army Good Conduct Medal and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge (CIB). He also received the Expert Rifle Insignia. Paul has four children: Chris, Lori, Andrea and Olivia and three grandchildren. Paul retired from Dow Corning and is now a member of the Vevay American Legion Post 185 and life member of the Southeast American Indiana Vietnam Veterans Lary D. Fogle Chapter 71 in Aurora, IN. Paul was honored at a Cincinnati Reds game in August 2021 as a hometown hero and received a standing ovation and salute from the thousands of fans in attendance. It was a reward for his loyal and dedicated service to our great nation. He takes pride in his military service and supports our troops who serve around the world today and our veterans.
