Fix the Sticks

Fix the Sticks "Fix the Sticks" is the restoration and repair of the Historic Stick Architectural Chapel built in 1890 in Columbiana Cemetery.

It is a special project of the Historical Society of Columbiana & Fairfield Township & City of Columbiana. To contribute to the restoration and Repairs of the 1890 Stick style Architectural Chapel, make your check to "City of Columbiana" Memo Line is "Fix the sticks" Address City of Columbiana, 28 West Friend Street, Columbiana, Ohio 44408

Vietnam, so very young.....
05/26/2026

Vietnam, so very young.....

LCpl Esterly #2478678 MOS: 0311 Rifleman. Lawrence was drafted into the US Marines. He arrived in Vietnam 29 November 1968 and was assigned to Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 26th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division. The 1st Battalion was participating in Operation Mighty Play when Charlie Company....

Return stateside and tragedy....
05/26/2026

Return stateside and tragedy....

He was returned to Columbiana for burial 28 Feb 1952. Columbiana Ledge obit, Find A Grave Memorial #88872062

Marine Corporal William A. Spratt, was born on December 11, 1931, in Rogers, Ohio, to Carl D. and Leota Blair Spratt. He grew up in Columbiana, where he graduated with the Class of 1949 from Columbiana High School.
Even in his youth, Bill’s life was touched by hardship. During his junior year, he survived a devastating car accident that claimed the lives of two of his classmates.
In July of 1949, shortly after graduation, Bill enlisted With his close friend William Culp in the Marine Corps. The two young men trained and served side by side, ultimately deploying to Korea in October of 1950 as part of the 1st Ordnance Battalion, 1st Marine Division.
Bill’s commitment to service was shared by his brother, Corporal Robert Spratt, who also served in Korea with the Marine Corps Engineer Division. The brothers met in Japan during leave—a
before returning home for a 30-day furlough.
On January 4, 1952, Bill reported to the Marine base at Chincoteague, Virginia, while his brother reported to Quantico.
On the evening of February 23, 1952, Spratt, Culp, and several fellow Marines received a pass to go into town. In the early hours of the morning, near Westover, Maryland, their outing ended in tragedy. Bill sustained severe head injuries and a broken arm after being dragged by a vehicle involved in a terrible accident. Despite every effort, he passed away from his injuries that very morning, 20 years old.
His remains were escorted back to Columbiana by his faithful friend and fellow Marine, William Culp. On February 28, 1952, he was laid to rest in Columbiana Cemetery.

Sharing history....
05/25/2026

Sharing history....

Memorial Day, originally known as Decoration Day, was established after the Civil War and formalized on May 30, 1868 by Commander-in-chief John A. Logan of the G.A.R. (Grand Army Republic). The holiday was reserved to honor Union soldiers who had perished during the Civil War. After World War I, it was expanded to honor those who had died in all conflicts.

Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act in 1968 to create convenient three-day weekends for federal employees, officially shifting the holiday from its traditional fixed date of May 30 to the last Monday in May. The name "Memorial Day" was officially adopted in 1971.

This flag donated by the family of Brigadier General Ephraim Holloway of the 41st OVI.

SGT Culp remembered on the War Memorial.
05/25/2026

SGT Culp remembered on the War Memorial.

Army SGT Ira O Culp was born on June 7, 1920, in Mahoning County, Ohio, to Trancy and Clara Schaller Culp. He grew up in Beaver Township, attending high school at Columbiana and graduating with the class of 1938. As a young man, he worked as an apprentice bricklayer.
At age 21, he registered for the draft. His journey began at Fort McClellan, Alabama, with the 22nd Battalion, 7th Regiment. He was assigned to the B.I.R.T.C. (Branch Immaterial Replacement Training Center) Over the next two years, he traveled across the country, from Seattle, Washington, to Camp Adair, Oregon, and Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, preparing for war. In September of 1944, Ira shipped out with his unit, bound for the battlefields of Europe.
Sgt. Culp served with the 276th Infantry Regiment of the 70th Infantry Division, part of the Seventh Army. These were men who found themselves in the heart of some of the fiercest fighting of World War II. It was bitter winter, and the world was watching as the Allies pushed back against the darkness of tyranny.
On January 4, 1945, during combat operations in France, Sgt. Ira O. Culp was killed. He was 24 years old and awarded the Purple Heart. Ira rests now at the Epinal American Cemetery and Memorial in Lorraine, France.
A tombstone in Columbiana Cemetery stands next to his parents tombstone with the gold star flag marker.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/88283179/ira-o-culp

Joyce Allcorn, Chaplain of Auxiliary Unit 290 shares her Uncle Gilbert's story with us. Close to her Grandma Robb, she ...
05/25/2026

Joyce Allcorn, Chaplain of Auxiliary Unit 290 shares her Uncle Gilbert's story with us. Close to her Grandma Robb, she serves the veterans of the area and their families. Thank you for sharing. Sgt Robb's parents are buried in the New Springfield Lutheran Cemetery.

ARMY Staff SGT Gilbert Robb was born January 23, 1917, to Ferdinand John and Ida Marie Wellendorf Robb in New Springfield OH. The Robb family moved to Fairfield township where Gilbert graduated from Fairfield Centralized High School, Class of 1935. He was a member of the Jerusalem Lutheran Church here in Columbiana.
He enlisted at 25 years of age on December 4, 1942, and had basic training at Camp Philips, Kansas. He was assigned to the 376th Infantry Regiment, 94th Infantry Division staged at Camp Shanks, New York, and boarded the Queen Elizabeth for Europe on August 6, 1944. They arrived in England August 11.
The 376th landed in France on September 14 and, with the rest of the 94th Infantry Division, were given the assignment of containing and screening the enemy in and about St. Nazaire. Despite the importance of its mission, many in the 376th felt that they had been relegated to “the forgotten front,” as the press focused its attention on the Allies’ rapid pursuit of the retreating German Army to the east.
The regiment entered Germany on January 8,1945, not long before the conclusion of the Battle of the Bulge. On February 22, after delays caused by a lack of assault boats, heavy German fire, and the loss of COL McClune, who was badly wounded in both legs by shrapnel, the 376th, now under the command of LT COL Raynor E. Anderson, crossed the Saar River and established the Ockfen Bridgehead. By February 26 the 376th had linked up with the 301st and 302nd Infantry, allowing a heavy pontoon bridge to be constructed at Saarburg.” Uncle Gilbert died February 26, 1945, at the age of 28 defending that bridge.
His body was not returned to the United States but was buried in Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial in Luxembourg. He was awarded a Purple Heart, Good Conduct Medal and Combat Infantry Badge.
As with so many of our brave men and women, Uncle Gilbert never had the opportunity to get married or raise a family. Besides his parents, Uncle Gilbert left one sister, Alice, and three brothers Edward, Charles and William, my grandfather, to mourn his passing.
One year to the day of his son’s death, my great-grandfather Ferdinand John Robb, died of a heart attack at the age of 68.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56063174/gilbert-carl-robb

05/25/2026

Today and everyday, we honor the name on the Memorial that gave the last full measure..

Send a message to learn more

Forever etched in stone, another young man making the ultimate sacrifce.
05/25/2026

Forever etched in stone, another young man making the ultimate sacrifce.

1st Lieutenant William McMahon was born on April 6, 1921, in Michigan, to William H. and Bernice Flickinger McMahon. He grew up in Youngstown, Ohio, graduating from South High School, and later working at the Enterprise in Columbiana, Ohio.
On August 15, 1942, he enlisted in the United States Army in Akron, Ohio, receiving his early training at Camp Wheeler, Georgia. Recognized for his leadership and determination, he was selected for Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia, where he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in April 1943.
By November 1944, he had risen to the rank of First Lieutenant and was serving overseas with the 7th and 1st French Armies, attached to the 15th Infantry Regiment of the legendary 3rd Infantry Division.
The 3rd Infantry Division carried a storied legacy in World War II, fighting in some of the most pivotal battles across Europe. In early 1945, they faced one of their most challenging missions: the elimination of the Colmar Pocket, a heavily fortified German stronghold on the west bank of the Rhine River in France.
On February 4, 1945, during this fierce campaign, Lieutenant McMahon led his men with unwavering bravery amid bitter winter conditions and intense enemy resistance. It was on this day that he made the ultimate sacrifice for his country. His actions, marked by valor and dedication to his unit, earned him the Purple Heart and the Silver Star.
Lieutenant McMahon now rests in solemn honor at the Epinal American Cemetery in France.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56374166/william-eugene-mcmahon

Another young man, giving the last full measure....
05/24/2026

Another young man, giving the last full measure....

Army Pvt Glen T White was born on September 9, 1915, in East Fairfield, to David and Charlotte Coppock White. He grew up on the farm, attending Fairfield High School and was deeply involved in the East Fairfield Methodist Church.
On December 26, 1936, he married Mae Irene Floor, and together they built a good life and family, welcoming a daughter in 1937 and a son in 1940.
While working for the WPA in Columbiana, he registered for the draft, October 16, 1940. He was described as five-foot-eight, with gray eyes, brown hair,
He enlisted March of 1944 and reported for basic training at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana. He trained to serve as a machine gunner with Company L, 179th Infantry Regiment, part of the 45th Infantry Division of the 7th Army. Before leaving for overseas duty, he was granted a short furlough in July 1944 — the final visit with his wife and children.
In August of 1944, Co L and the 179th arrive in Europe, to the battlefields of France, participating in Operation Dragoon in the Vosges Mountains. The 179th was at the edge of the American lines in the Battle of the Bulge. December 20th, the Germans pierced the allied lines in the Ardennes. The 179th was stretched dangerously thin along the front lines encompassing 75 miles.
On January 10, 1945, Glen was killed in action, the result of wounds he received in battle. He was only twenty-nine years old. 2 days later, the German advance is stopped and on the 15th of January, the enemy is in full retreat.
December 16, 1948, Private White was finally brought home to East Palestine, where he was laid to rest with full honors at Glenview Cemetery. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/45139050/glen-thomas-white

Thanks to Brett and Gretchen sharing the family story with Us. Bob Segesman, SGT of Arms at Post 290, honored his Richa...
05/24/2026

Thanks to Brett and Gretchen sharing the family story with Us. Bob Segesman, SGT of Arms at Post 290, honored his Richard and Veterans every day. He and the Honor Guard gave a proper farewell to every veteran that is buried in Fairfield Township cemeteries.

Identical twins, Richard and Robert Segesman were born on December 10, 1925, to Herman and Mildred Myers Segesman, arriving into this world together and growing up side by side. The boys were inseparable, graduating from Columbiana Class of 1944, and members of the First Presbyterian Church of Columbiana.

On their 18th birthday, December 10, 1943, the twins went together to register for the draft. Less than 2 weeks after graduation, the twins enlisted in the Army, June 16, 1944,
From Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana, to Camp Croft, South Carolina, and finally to Fort Meade, Maryland, Richard and Robert trained side by side. When the time came to go overseas, they shipped out together to England, and later on to the battlefields of France, never far from one another.

In the freezing winter of early 1945, the brothers found themselves in the midst of the Battle of the Bulge. On January 5, 1945, Richard and Robert were both gravely wounded — their injuries occurring just hours apart. Two telegrams reached their parents’ home in Columbiana within a single day: the first was Richard in the afternoon announcing that a son had been wounded, and another that evening with the same devastating news about his twin Robert.

Richard’s injuries were severe — shrapnel wounds to the eye, amputation, and infection leading to gangrene. He was only 19 years old. In the days that followed, he was transferred to a hospital in England, where he was reunited with Robert, who had suffered serious head injuries during fighting in southern France. Even in their darkest hours, the brothers were together once more.
Richard’s wounds proved too great. On January 30, 1945, he passed away in that English hospital, far from home but with his brother nearby.
Robert, though gravely injured, survived. He was evacuated back to the United States, where he continued treatment at McGuire Hospital in Virginia. His survival came at a high cost, carrying with him the scars of both his own suffering and the grief of losing his twin.
Richard’s body was interred in England. Finally, in July 1948, he was brought home to Columbiana. He was buried July 16
The Harvey S. Firestone Recreational Park and Columbiana Cemetery
Richard gave his life in the service of freedom. Robert carried forward, living on as a testament to his brother’s sacrifice and to the unbreakable spirit they shared.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/87866822/richard-herman-segesman

THANKS to Betsy Detwiler Pruitt for sharing information for this tribute. The names continue on the Columbiana Cemetery...
05/24/2026

THANKS to Betsy Detwiler Pruitt for sharing information for this tribute. The names continue on the Columbiana Cemetery War Memorial.

Army Private Theodore “Ted” Detwiler was born on January 6, 1923, in Columbiana, Ohio, to Elmer and Elizabeth Detwiler, graduating from Columbiana High School with the class of 1941.

A dedicated young man, Ted earned the rank of Eagle Scout, showing early signs of leadership and service.

After high school, Ted attended the Case School in Cleveland, Ohio, and later spent a year at Ohio State University, where he was a member of the ROTC program. When the war intensified, he registered for the draft on June 30, 1942, and enlisted in the U.S. Army on March 19, 1943, at Fort Hayes in Columbus, Ohio. He began his basic training at Camp Wolters, Texas, and went on to participate in the Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP) at Texas A&M. This program was designed to prepare highly educated soldiers for leadership and technical roles.
Following his specialized training, Ted continued his service at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and Camp Howze, Texas, before being sent overseas to France in September 1944. He served in a Field Artillery Battalion in southern France and later took part in the pivotal Battle of the Bulge.
During this fierce winter battle, Ted suffered a wound to his thigh and was taken to a field hospital. Despite receiving a blood transfusion, he passed away on December 26, 1944, while still in the line of duty. Initially, his family was told he had died from exposure to the extreme cold, but later learned of his battlefield injuries. He was 21 years old.

After the war, Ted’s remains were brought home to Columbiana, where he was laid to rest in the Columbiana Cemetery, buried next to his mother and father.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/5323872/theodore-alfred-detwiler

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338 East Park Avenue
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44408

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