Indiana

Indiana Rangers seek long-overdue recognition for Vietnam War service

Published

2 months ago

May 25, 2026

Indiana Rangers seek long-overdue recognition for Vietnam War service

MADISON CO., Ind. (WISH) — Surviving members of a highly decorated Vietnam War unit on Monday said group recognition for their service is long overdue.

Company D, 151st Infantry, was an Indiana National Guard unit that deployed to Vietnam at the end of 1968. It was the only National Guard combat unit to deploy as an intact Guard unit during the entire conflict. Unusually for a Guard unit, it had received Airborne and Ranger training. D Company became known as the Indiana Rangers.

Donnie Holland, a member of the unit, said they deployed in five-man teams deep in the jungle, sometimes behind enemy lines. They intercepted supplies and Viet Cong coming down the Ho Chi Minh Trail into South Vietnam.

According to the unit’s official history, its soldiers earned more than 500 individual medals during their year-long tour of duty, including 19 Silver Stars, 175 Bronze Stars and 110 Purple Hearts. This was the highest individual medal total within a one-year period of any Army infantry unit. Missing from the Indiana Rangers’ accolades, though, is any recognition of the unit as a whole. Although the state of Indiana welcomed them home, the Indiana Rangers said there is no record of any official military unit award.

It’s an oversight Holland and other surviving Indiana Rangers said they’re trying to fix. He said he and the others are campaigning for a presidential unit citation, the highest unit award. Holland said unit recognition is important in part because it would commemorate the contributions of support personnel who did not see combat but provided critical services such as maintaining the radios they used to call for fire support or extraction.

“We would not have been as successful as we were out in the field if we didn’t have the support we had in the rear,” he said. “Those guys in the rear deserve that recognition the same as us because they helped us stay alive.”

The Vietnam War took a toll on D Company. Of the more than 200 Indiana Rangers deployed to Vietnam, six were killed: Skip Baranowski, Kenneth Cummings, Peter Fegatelli, George Kleiber, Charles Larkins and Robert Smith. Larkins and Smith were the first two Indiana Rangers to die during the tour of duty.

Gary Bussell said the unit was especially close-knit because so many of its men knew each other from back home in Indiana. He said Larkins and Smith exemplified this.

“Smith and Larkins were from the same neighborhood, and they both stood up at each other’s wedding as best man,” he said. “A lot of this is for these guys. Those boys didn’t get to get past 23. I remember times back home, 20 years later, I’d be having a bad day and I just say, don’t worry about it. Larkins and Smith would’ve liked to have had your bad day 20 years later. You knew what car he drove, you knew his wife, you might know his kids’ names. And that was new to Vietnam because most fellows were put in as individual replacements.”

A break appeared to come last week, when Holland and several other Indiana Rangers were invited to the annual Congressional Picnic by Congresswoman Victoria Spartz. Holland said they were able to meet with all of the members of Indiana’s Congressional delegation, which includes one of only two remaining Vietnam War veterans in Congress, Jim Baird. They also were able to meet briefly with President Donald Trump.

During a midday meeting with several surviving Indiana Rangers, staff from Spartz’s office said they have submitted the paperwork for a valorous unit award, the military’s second-highest unit honor. After stopping by to meet with the D Company veterans, Spartz said she is pursuing both a valorous unit award and a presidential unit citation. She said she is working with the Pentagon to find out which is the most appropriate.

“I think we’re on the right track. We have a lot of good ideas of what we need to do. But I think now, we’re in the right place,” she said. “I think the paperwork needs to come from the National Guard and they will try to do, and we just got some stuff they probably need. And they’ll send it to the Department of War and the Pentagon, and hopefully we can get what, you know truly, this is past due.”

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Indiana

Indianapolis firefighter hospitalized after battling fire at vacant home

Published

9 hours ago

July 15, 2026

Press Room

Indianapolis firefighter hospitalized after battling fire at vacant home

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A firefighter for the Indianapolis Fire Department was sent to the hospital Wednesday after battling a fire at a vacant house.

According to a Facebook post made by IFD, the fire happened around 10:15 a.m. at a house on Bluff Rd. IFD says that there were several complications, including limited access to fire hydrants and “interior hoarder conditions” that IFD says was due to squatters.

The injured firefighter received “slight injury,” the Facebook post said.

It took over an hour and a half to get the fire under control, according to IFD, and another hour to put out all the remaining hot spots in the building.

According to IFD, the cause of the fire is currently unknown. Their Fire Investigations Unit is working on figuring out what caused the fire.

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Indiana

IHSAA football: 10 sleeper teams to watch in Central Indiana for the 2026 season

Published

21 hours ago

July 15, 2026

Press Room

IHSAA football: 10 sleeper teams to watch in Central Indiana for the 2026 season

The high school football season is a little more than five weeks away. We take a look today at 10 potential sleeper teams for the 2026 season from Central Indiana. To keep things consistent, we considered only teams that finished last season with a .500 record or below.

I had a few hits in this category last year, including Avon (3-7 to 6-5), Carmel (3-7 to 9-2) and Indian Creek (5-6 to 8-4). Here are teams poised for an uptick this season:

Brebeuf Jesuit

A drop off last year was not unexpected for the Braves, who lost a lot of talent from a team that finished 8-3 in 2024. Brebeuf started 0-6 on its way to a 3-8 season, which was its first losing record since going 4-6 in 2016.

There were some mitigating circumstances around last season’s record, extending beyond inexperience. The Braves lost starting quarterback Keegan Bouwkamp to an injury in the first game of the season, though he was able to return to pass for 1,004 yards and 15 touchdowns in just four games. His return as a senior will allow to senior Carter Cosgrove to return to receiver full time. They are part of a group of nine starters returning to an offense that did produce 26 points per game last season and will be anchored by UConn commit Krystian Oakley on the line.

Coach Matt Geske’s team also returns six starters on defense, including junior Joshua Rogers (42 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, five sacks). There are some new games on the schedule, including Mt. Vernon, Scecina, Columbus North and Cardinal Ritter.

North Central

It might seem like a small thing but North Central finishing 2-8 last season did represent a significant jump after three consecutive 0-10 seasons. In fact, a two-win season is the best for the Panthers since going 6-4 in 2020.

Now, can North Central take another step forward in Collin Coffer’s second season as coach? The Panthers ended a 32-game losing streak in the season opener last year with a 35-13 victory over Brebeuf, then defeated Harrison (West Lafayette) 41-28 in Week 5. If North Central is going to take the next step, it will need to make headway against Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference opponents (North Central’s most-recent MIC win was in 2021).

There is plenty of hope coming into the season with an offense led by junior quarterback Chase Grove (1,901 passing yards, 19 TDs) and an experienced group of receivers. Most of the defense also returns, including seniors Kolton Ablitar-Conner and Jameson Hittle.

Zionsville

The Eagles were 3-7 last year, but four of those losses came by 10 points or less. Zionsville has been stuck on either three or four wins every year since going 9-6 and reaching the Class 5A state finals in 2021.

There are reasons to believe coach Scott Turnquist’s team can make a move in 2026. The offensive line brings back Ball State commit Eli Wildoner and Ben Maxey and has a rising star in junior tight end Theo Schott, who caught 26 passes for 305 yards and three TDs last season. Junior quarterback Finn Giles transferred from Carmel and will battle for the starting spot with junior Mac Wright.

The defense has talent, too, led by senior Ball State preferred walk-on Roman Barth on the line, along with junior Peter Monohan. The secondary returns one of the team’s top tacklers in junior Gabe Vinatieri. Zionsville starts with Pike and Lawrence Central before getting into Hoosier Crossroads Conference play.

Martinsville

The Artesians did drop off from a 12-2 regional championship season in 2024 but still managed to win a sectional title and finish 6-7 last year with a relatively inexperienced team.

Coach Brian Dugger’s group will still be a little bit on the young side in some areas, but there is quite a bit coming back. Leading the way on offense will be senior quarterback Chase Davis (2,510 passing yards, 24 TDs), senior receiver Landon Cazee (95 catches, 1,280 yards, 13 TDs) and senior lineman Kyson Bunton.

The defense loses some key pieces to graduation, though senior linebackers Joel Sumner (67 tackles, five TFLs) and Nate LaFary (47 tackles in eight games) are among those returning. The path to a sectional title became a lot more difficult with Roncalli now in the mix. The Artesians open the season with Bedford North Lawrence and Bloomington South before getting into Mid-State Conference play with new league member Bloomington North in Week 3.

Hamilton Heights

Caleb Small comes over to coach his alma mater after coaching at Northwestern two years ago and Kokomo last season. The Huskies were 4-6 last year with a first-round sectional exit to Guerin Catholic, but there is a lot of experience returning on both sides of the ball.

The Huskies should be strong at the skill positions with senior running back A.J. Flanagan (813 rushing yards, seven TDs; 20 catches, 181 yards) returning, along with senior quarterback Drew Woodruff (1,742 passing yards, 13 TDs).

The defense should be strong in front seven with junior linebackers Grayden Dahlstrom and Landon Hickman among the returnees. The Huskies are coming off back-to-back 4-win seasons after going 11-1 in 2023 and making a run to the sectional title game. Small has a lot of experience on his staff, including eight coaches who have coached at the Class 6A level.

The sectional no longer includes Guerin Catholic or Bishop Chatard – the two programs that have knocked the Huskies out the past six seasons.

Mt. Vernon

This might seem like a lot to ask after Mt. Vernon finished 0-10 last season. Coach Mike Kirschner returns after getting the Marauders’ program a jolt from 2018 to 2020, helping to set the stage for a run to the Class 4A state title in 2021.

Can Kirschner help to make it happen again? Mt. Vernon allowed 46.2 points per game last season, so a major overhaul will be needed on that side of the ball. There is some experienced there, including senior James Battee on the line and Zach Spalding and B.J. Johnson at linebacker.

The offense returns four starters on the line, along with Arizona State baseball recruit Mason Meyer (1,517 passing yards, 11 TDs; 420 rushing yards, six TDs) at quarterback and Johnson at receiver. Instead of Noblesville and Franklin, Mt. Vernon will open with Kokomo and Brebeuf Jesuit before getting into Hoosier Heritage Conference play.

Monrovia

The Bulldogs struggled to a 4-7 record last year after back-to-back 9-3 seasons. Coach Andy Olson’s team could be in line for a bounce back season with three top rushers returning in junior Ryder Bain (978 yards, 12 TDs), senior Coewen Stinson (957 yards, 10 TDs) and junior Gavin Wolsiffer (746 yards, six TDs). Monrovia averaged 261 rushing yards per game last season.

The defense struggled last season, especially late. The Bulldogs lost 57-56 to Heritage Christian in the second round of the sectional. The good news is that Monrovia returns plenty of experience on that side of the ball, including senior Gauge Tolan (123 tackles).

Monrovia has not had back-to-back losing seasons since 2019 and 2020.

Cardinal Ritter

Ritter has been competitive the past three seasons under coach Levar Johnson but have not been able to break through with a winning season since 2020. The Raiders were 3-7 last year with wins over Tech, Greenwood Christian and Covenant Christian.

Can Ritter get over the top with a winning season in 2026? Junior linebacker Bam McCullough (99 tackles, eight TFLs, 3 ½ sacks) is a Division I talent and will be joined at the linebacker spot by junior Ve’Sean Miles (81 tackles, 6 ½ TFLs). Ritter has three other returning starters on defense.

The offense has three returning starters on the offensive line (eight overall) and several talented skill position players, including junior running back Tavien Fox (659 rushing yards, nine TDs), who is moving back from quarterback. Senior Renaldo Thomas (534 rushing yards, three TDs) also has experience. Junior Jordyn Graham, a transfer from Crispus Attucks, is the likely starter at quarterback.

Greenwood

It is a new era for the Woodmen in the Hoosier Legends Conference, where 4A Greenwood will be one of the larger schools in the eight-team league. The Woodmen were 2-8 last year, a drop after going 6-6 two years ago and 4-8 last season.

Greenwood will have experience at the skill positions on offense, led by Lindenwood commit Benjamin Hommell at wide receiver (26 catches, 625 yards, eight TDs) and junior running back Leland Morton (596 rushing yards, three TDs). There is some experience up front on defense with Aidyn Wiley on the line and linebackers James Hurley, Damyan Hernandez and Gage Hall.

Areas of concern for Greenwood will be a young offensive line and secondary.

Scecina

The Crusaders were on this list last year and did make a two-win jump, improving from 3-7 to 5-5. Scecina lost in the first round of the sectional, 47-29, to Monrovia in Dan Harris’ second season as coach.

Scecina returns plenty talent and experience at the skill positions, including senior quarterback Bryce McDonald (1,990 passing yards, 21 TDs), senior receiver Tristan Brown (65 catches, 708 yards, six TDs) and senior running back Gavin Connel (578 yards, four TDs). The Crusaders have good size up front but not a lot of experience.

The defense will include some of the same names from the offense, along with Mannie Stevens and C.J. Heard on the line and Kaiden Dugan at inside linebacker.

Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649. Get IndyStar’s high school coverage sent directly to your inbox with the High School Sports newsletter. And be sure to subscribe to our new IndyStarTV: Preps YouTube channel.

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Indiana

‘Big Boy’ locomotive returns for overnight stay in northeast Indiana

Published

1 day ago

July 14, 2026

Press Room

‘Big Boy’ locomotive returns for overnight stay in northeast Indiana

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – The ‘Big Boy’ Locomotive is making its way back west from Philadelphia, and is in the area on Wednesday and Thursday.

It has a 30-minute stop tomorrow morning at 11:30 in Continental, Ohio, about an hour east of downtown Fort Wayne. Then, it will travel into New Haven from the east.

Recommended viewing spots are along Dawkins Road near Webster Road at Jefferson Township Park or in town at the New Haven City Hall parking lot.

Train officials remind spectators they should remain more than 25 feet away from the tracks to avoid trespassing and to stay safe.

After an overnight stay in New Haven, which is not open to the public, it will travel through downtown Fort Wayne around 9 am Thursday.

It will then make a 30-minute stop in Knox, Indiana, about 2 hours west of Fort Wayne, near South Bend and Valparaiso, which is open to the public at N. Main St. and W. Bender St. from 12:30 to 1p Central Time.

Crowds have been very large and officials suggest arriving early.

In June, Big Boy stopped here on its way to Philadelphia for the Fourth of July as part of the historic coast-to-coast tour in celebration of the United States of America’s 250th birthday.

Union Pacific’s ‘Big Boy’ No. 4014 is the world’s largest operating steam engine, weighing in at a whopping 1.2 million pounds. Twenty-five Big Boys were commissioned for Union Pacific, the first being delivered in 1941, where they were used to haul equipment in support of the war at the time.

You can track the historic locomotive through a live map of the train’s location, here.

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