February’s Kosciusko County Veteran of the Month is Roger Allen Gelbaugh of Winona Lake, who served in the U.S. Army from 1963-66. He was presented with a plaque at the Kosciusko County Commissioners’ meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 1. From left: Kosciusko County Veteran Service Officer Darryl McDowell, Gelbaugh, Kosciusko County Commissioner Bob Conley and Commissioners’ President Cary Groninger. InkFreeNews photo by Leah Sander.

By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Winona Lake’s Roger Allen Gelbaugh has been recognized as February’s Kosciusko County Veteran of the Month.

Gelbaugh, 80, was honored and presented with a plaque at the Kosciusko County Commissioners’ meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 1, at the Kosciusko County Courthouse.

Commissioners once again resumed honoring a veteran monthly after taking a break from doing so in January due to rising COVID-19 cases in the area.

Kosciusko County Veteran Service Officer Darryl McDowell read a biography on Gelbaugh. It included the following information.

Gelbaugh was born Dec. 7, 1941, in Warsaw, to Adam and Esther Gelbaugh. He was one of three children, having two sisters.

He attended Warsaw High School and joined the U.S. Army on Oct. 28, 1963.

His basic training was conducted at Fort Knox in Kentucky followed by advanced military training (AIT) at Fort Riley in Kansas and later assigned to HHC, 2nd Battalion, 61st Infantry Division, 5th United States Army as a heavy anti-armor weapons crewman (MOS 11H).

Gelbaugh was trained to be a gunner on the 106mm recoilless rifle and a radio communication operator.

While on active duty, Gelbaugh, a sergeant, received numerous recognitions and honors including the Combat Infantry Badge, Vietnam Service Medal, Purple Heart and the National Defense Service Medal. Gelbaugh was honorably discharged in October 1966 after serving three years in the Army.

Serving his country proudly during the Vietnam War era, Gelbaugh returned to Warsaw and worked as a lineman for United Telephone Company and later was a service tech for the company until his retirement in 2000.

Gelbaugh married the love of his life, Nora Spradlin, in December 1967. They have two children, Kelly and Kevin, and three grandchildren.

“It’s a very humbling experience,” said Roger Gelbaugh after the presentation. “On Oct. 8, 1965, I should have not seen Oct. 9. We were on a search and destroy mission and (I) was caught in an ambush. I lost many dear friends that day. It’s a day that I’ll never forget and I’m sorry that I’m very emotional.”

He referenced how when military members returned home back then that mental health help for them wasn’t available, citing that some veterans ending up taking their own lives. He noted that better help existed today.

Fire chief and family man

Gelbaugh also has been involved in public service through his time spent with the Winona Lake Fire Department, including as its chief.

WLFD Public Information Officer Mike Cox described Gelbaugh and shared information on his time with the department in information sent to InkFreeNews.

“First and foremost, Roger Gelbaugh is a family-oriented man,” he said in it. “His wife Nora, son Kevin, daughter Kelly and three grandchildren are the center of his world.”

“That being said, he is also patriotic and civic-minded, as evidenced by his more than 50 years of membership and leadership in the Winona Lake Volunteer Firefighters, Inc.,” he continued in it. “Serving as an officer for many years and fire chief for 13 years from 1991 to 1999 and again from 2003 through 2006, Roger has led the department through fires, both major and minor, as well as through other emergencies. In addition, he has guided the department through several equipment and apparatus upgrades and has helped to train most of the firefighters on the department.”

“Not just a force within our department, Roger has also been a longtime and outspoken participant in the Kosciusko County Fire Association, made up of all fire departments in the county,” he said in it. “He has for many years been the emcee of the annual county firefighters’ general meeting and fish fry and always has a number of jokes and stories to liven up the evening. Also a member of the Indiana Volunteer Firefighters Association, Roger was awarded a Gold Life Membership in the association for his 50+ years of participation.”

Gelbaugh’s son, Kevin, also shared with InkFreeNews some thoughts on his father.

“He taught me how to be a father, how to put your family first,” he said.

Kevin Gelbaugh has also entered into public service with his roles as a sergeant with the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office and as WLFD’s current chief. There was never pressure from his father to follow in his footsteps as a public servant though, he said, mentioning that his dad allowed him to “choose his own path.”

“He was my hero growing up,” he said, later stating that he still was.