Hawkins II, Omer T.

Omer T. Hawkins II

Cherry Fork, Ohio

Feather Location: Row G, #22

Cincinnati.com

…Hawkins was a noncommissioned officer in the regular Army, assigned to the 44th Engineer Battalion stationed at Camp Howze in Korea.

"He was a great guy," said his sister, Cherry Frederick, 33, of Cincinnati's West Side. "He was doing what he loved and what he believed in." Hawkins graduated in 1991 from North Adams High School on a Friday and enlisted in the Army the following Monday. "The only thing that he ever wanted to do was go in the military," his sister said.

Records at North Adams High School near Seaman show a student popular with his peers and solid academically. He was voted "most likely to succeed" in his graduating class and was active in academic competitions in the areas of citizenship and Ohio history. Hawkins had been on the high school's debate team and played baseball.

Dawn Fowler of West Union became best friends with his sister, Cherry, while they were students at North Adams High School. Hawkins was like a little brother to her. "He was one of those kids who would do anything for anybody," Fowler said. "He was very polite. Very intelligent."

Hawkins never married and had no children, his sister said.

His brother, Sgt. James Hawkins, 30, is in the Missouri National Guard. Their father, the late William Hawkins, had been an engineer with the Marines. He died at age 32 in 1977…

Carver:  Elmer Spitalsky is a WWII veteran who has been carving for over 60 years. Elmer carves with the Great Lakes Wood Carvers in Parma Ohio.

Wood:  Basswood