SPRING LAKE — You could see the faces of the now retired Special Forces soldiers. And just up Main Street, you felt the presence of others now at their eternal rest in the Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery adjacent to Fort Liberty.
So many served.
So many fought for a nation’s liberty.
So many gave some, and so many gave all.
“The price was heavy,” retired Command Sgt. Major Henry “Hank” Luthy, 85, told those Friday morning who turned out for the unveiling of the “Special Forces Soldier” mural as a prelude to Veterans Day. “In the aftermath of Vietnam, 800 Special Forces soldiers were killed, many from Spring Lake, Lillington and Raeford.”
Luthy would need no notes as keynote speaker, and he did not need a teleprompter.
A Huntington, West Virginia, native who enlisted for Special Forces in 1957 and served until his retirement in 1994, Luthy spoke from the heart of a soldier, past and present. And every man or woman, past and present, who has served in the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, Space Force and Coast Guard.
“I appreciate all of you who could be here today,” Luthy told an audience of about 200 before Dave Dickerhoff, a Spring Lake dentist, helped reveal the mural on the Stitch-in-Time business along 412 S. Main St., just yards away from the largest military base soldier-wise in the United States.
Spring Lake Veteran of the Year
This was a day of reverence and a day of gratitude.
“Veterans Day gives us the opportunity in recognizing the sacrifices of those who have served,” said Marvin Lackman, the Spring Lake commissioner who served as master of ceremonies. “And it’s a chance for us to honor and recognize our veterans here in Spring Lake.”
One of those military veterans honored Friday was retired Tech Sgt. Jennifer Alexander, an Air Force veteran who resides in nearby Anderson Creek and has served as past president of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9103 in Spring Lake.
“First, I would like to thank God for the privilege and opportunity to do what I can each day, and for anybody,” said Alexander, 67, a native of Richmond, Virginia, who received the 2024 Spring Lake Veteran of the Year award. “I am very humbled and grateful for this honor. I share this award with every veteran here who has served our country. We always have our backs whether in uniform or not. I’m very honored by this award. You have no idea what this means. I love my vets. Always have, and I always will.”
Alexander is the third recipient of the award, according to Lackman. Previous recipients were retired Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. George Reed in 2023 and retired Sgt. Maj. Charles Miller in 2022.
The mural by noted Greensboro native artist Max Dowdle was about to be revealed, with all in anticipation.
“Today, we honor all veterans,” said Dickerhoff, 68, a former 82nd Airborne paratrooper and a member of the Spring Lake Community Appearance and Sustainability Committee that joined with the Military and Veterans Advisory Committee and the Town of Spring Lake for the mural project. “We need to have a guardian at the gate. And we honor those who step up to be our guardians at the gate” of freedom.
Luthy, the retired Special Forces soldier, turned to the draped mural.
“Airborne!” he said. “Airborne!”
And there it was for all to see.
‘A story without words’
In his paint-spattered jeans, Dowdle looked on with pride.
“It was a lot of fun,” Dowdle, 41, said of what is his second mural for Spring Lake, the first called “Home of the Airborne,” which was unveiled in 2023 at the corner of Main Street and Spring Avenue at the Beatitude House wall. “We started on Tuesday, and we were through Thursday. It’s very gratifying being back here in Spring Lake. Murals like this tell a story without words. To use my talent to tell this military story is very gratifying.”
Epilogue
Call this a splendid hour of gratitude for this town, circa 1923, that has become home for so many military soldiers, veterans and their families dating back to World War II, and still home to this day.
“It speaks volumes to the spirit we want in Spring Lake,” Spring Lake Commissioner Raul Palacios said. “Today, we unveiled a lasting image to those in Spring Lake. Let’s keep honoring our heroes and keep making Spring Lake the exceptional community it is.”
Bill Kirby Jr. can be reached at billkirby49@gmail.com or 910-624-1961
We’re in our third year of CityView Today, and so many of you have been with us from day one in our efforts to bring the news of the city, county, community and Cape Fear region each day. We’re here with a purpose — to deliver the news that matters to you.
Bill Kirby…thank you! You are wonderful!