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Van Meter, Harold Stewart, Pfc.
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Home Town Leadmine
Date of Passing Jan 05, 2012
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PRIVATE FIRST CLASS HAROLD STEWART VAN METER WAS A FARM HAND BEFORE ENTERING THE SERVICE ON 3 JANUARY 1943. HE SERVED IN PACIFIC FROM 22 JULY 1943 TO 8 AUGUST 1945 WITH COMPANY "D" 184TH INFANTRY REGIMENT, 7TH INFANTRY DIVISION. PFC VAN METER WAS HONORABLY DISCHARGED ON 6 DECEMBER 1945 AT FORT MEADE MARYLAND.
HAROLD STEWART VANMETER, age 90 years, a resident of the Bretz Community, Parsons, WV departed this life late Thursday evening January 5, 2012 at Cortland Acres at Thomas, WV, shortly after being admitted.
He was born Tuesday, June 7, 1921 at Leadmine, WV, a son of the late Tilden and Bertha Evans VanMeter. On April 10, 1947 at Red House, Md, he was married to the former Winona Margaret Vonda Hebb, who survives. They had celebrated sixty four years of marriage.
Surviving are two grandchildren, Jerry Hardy, Jr. and wife Linda of Belington, and Michael Hardy and Robin of Bretz; four great grandchildren, Jeffery Hardy, Heather Gross, Hunter Hardy and Hannah Hardy; one great great granddaughter, Gabriella Faye Gross; and several nieces and nephews.
He was the last surviving member of his immediate family having been preceded in death by one son; Jack Stewart VanMeter; one daughter, Linda Faye VanMeter Hardy; four brothers and seven sisters.
He attended the school at Leadmine and Parsons High School. He was a Veteran of the United States Army serving during World War II. He retired from the Local 132 Operating Engineers of Charleston, WV and he was a farmer. He enjoyed working on his farm equipment and whittling.
The family will receive friends at the Lohr & Barb Funeral Home of Parsons on Sunday from 5 to 8 PM. Final rites will be conducted at the funeral home parlor Monday, January 9, 2012 at 1 PM. At Mr. VanMeter's request, the casket will remain closed. Rev. Robert Hebb and Rev. Tim Black will officiate and interment will follow at Mt. State Memorial Gardens at Gilman.
Description (Aleutian Islands Campaign 3 Jun 1942 to 24 Aug 1943) On 3-4 June 1942, at the time of the Battle of Midway, a Japanese force attacked Dutch Harbor and inflicted considerable damage before it was driven off. The Japanese then occupied Attu and Kiska. For the rest of 1942 and into 1943, Eleventh Air Force struck enemy bases and installations whenever weather over the Aleutians permitted. The United States troops that landed on Attu on 11 May 1943 had possession of the island by the end of the month. The capture of Attu isolated Kiska, which was bombed repeatedly by American aircraft. The troops that invaded Kiska on 15 August 1943 discovered that the Japanese, under the cover of fog, had secretly evacuated their garrison.
