For the first time ever, the Kosciusko County Commissioners honored a couple as the Kosciusko County veterans of the month. They recognized Ronald and Ruth (Mililani) Bradford as the May veterans of the month at their meeting on Tuesday, May 9, in the Kosciusko County Courthouse’s Old Courtroom. From left: Kosciusko County Veteran Service Officer Darryl McDowell, Kosciusko County Commissioner Cary Groninger, Ruth and Ronald Bradford, Kosciusko County Commissioners’ Vice President Bob Conley and Kosciusko County Commissioners’ President Brad Jackson. InkFreeNews photo by Leah Sander.

By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — For the first time ever, Kosciusko County Commissioners have honored a couple as the Kosciusko County veterans of the month.

At their meeting on Tuesday, May 9, in the Kosciusko County Courthouse’s Old Courtroom, commissioners recognized Ronald and Ruth (Mililani) Bradford as the May veterans of the month. They are from Warsaw and served in the U.S. Army in the 1950s.

Kosciusko County Veteran Service Officer Darryl McDowell presented the Bradfords with a certificate and read biographical information on them, including the following.

Born in Flint, Mich., in 1932, Ronald had four siblings. He lived in Durand, Mich., before being drafted during the Korean War in 1952.

He had 12 weeks of basic training at Camp Atterbury, then headed to the former Camp Pickett in Virginia for additional training as a medical corpsman.

Ronald was then sent to Korea, serving as a 3rd Infantry Division unit medic. Later on, he was with a 24th Infantry Division Artillery medical detachment.

While in the Army, Ronald got the Combat Medical Badge, Korean Service Ribbon and United Nations Service Medal. In October 1954, Ronald was honorably discharged.

He used the GI Bill to attend college and worked in ministry after his graduation. Ronald’s last job was as a purchasing administrator for Crown International.

Ronald and his first wife were married nearly 60 years. After she passed, he married Ruth, whom he met in Kosciusko County.

Their combined family includes six children as well as grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

As for herself, Ruth grew up in Hilo, Hawaii. Born on July 11, 1936, she had 13 siblings.

At 17, she graduated from Hilo High School. Ruth obtained her parents’ consent, which was needed due to her age, for her to join the Women’s Army Corps.

In 1954, she joined at the same time as 12 other Hawaiian girls and was trained as a personnel management specialist, being sent to the former Fort Hood in Texas.

Ruth was honorably discharged in 1956, going back to Hawaii. She’s proud of her service, having come from a family with many military veterans.

After they received their certificate, Ronald noted “it was the hand of God that led me into the service and everything that has come to me since I’ve been out of the service.”

He noted that’s how he met Ruth while they were living at Courts of Colfax in Warsaw.

Ronald said he and Ruth discovered they had multiple things in common, including their military service and the fact that they “both loved each other.”

“And that’s about enough to be in common, so I thought I might just well marry this woman,” said Ronald.