Harold Van Winkle’s Korean War service to be honored at Veterans Day Ceremony

The Dubois County Veterans Council will honor Sgt. Harold J. Van Winkle as the 2025 Living Veteran during a ceremony to be held at the St. Anthony American Legion Post 493 on Sunday, November 9, 2025.

The public is invited to attend the event, which will feature patriotic music, a plaque presentation, as well as talks by the honoree and his friends and family. A light lunch will follow. 

Veterans Day is Tuesday, November 11.

Sgt Harold Joseph Van Winkle, U.S. Army.   

Harold was born on November 21, 1931, in Adyeville, Ind., to Preston and Lostie (Dotterweich) Van Winkle. He was the second of eight children. Harold was drafted into the Army on September 8th, 1952, during the Korean War at the age of 21. He finished Basic Training at Fort Bliss, Texas, before being deployed to Korea. Harold spent the next year at various positions below the 38th parallel in South Korea, overlooking the mountains near Panmunjom. Harold served with the 7th Infantry Division and was assigned to Battery B-15th Anti-Aircraft Artillery AW– BN. SP AP07.  

During his time in Korea, Harold was the driver of a U.S. M-16 half-track. He was promoted from corporal to sergeant and received the Korean Service Ribbon with two bronze service stars, the National Defense Service Medal, and the United Nations Service Medal.

Even though the war ended in July of 1953, it was not until March of 1954 that Harold returned home from the war, where he went on to marry Mildred (Ernst) Van Winkle, his wife of 65 years, on June 26, 1954, in St. Meinrad Archabbey Church. 

Harold owned and operated Van Winkle Sporting Goods while also running a family farm with his brother, John Van Winkle, in Adyeville before retiring. Harold raised five children – Debbi Nord (Daniel), Gary Van Winkle (Rhonda), Ken Van Winkle (Sara), Pam Kluemper (Albert), and Don Van Winkle (Sue Ann). He has 18 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren. 

Also, the county-wide veterans’ church service will be held on Saturday, 8 Nov 2025, at 8:00 a.m., at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Jasper.  All veteran groups will be displaying their organizational colors in the church.  Please join us in praying with, and saying thank you, to ALL OUR veterans for the upcoming Veterans Day Holiday.