A ceremony will be held this (Tuesday) afternoon at the Memorial Union at Iowa State University to honor five I-S-U students who died serving our country. I-S-U spokeswoman Kristin Erdman says this is the 13th year for this Veterans Day event on the Ames campus. “The Memorial Union was founded in 1928 as a memorial to veterans, at that time, from World War One,” Erdman says. “The Gold Star Hall was created as a living memorial for these Iowa State students who fell during the time of war.” The names of each of the student-veterans are engraved on the wall at the Union in a special place of honor.

“The criteria for being a name on the Gold Star Hall wall is that these students had to have attended Iowa State full-time at some point in their career,” Erdman says, “and they also had to have passed away during the theater of war during a time of wartime.” While many Iowa State students have made the ultimate sacrifice, she says five were singled out for this year’s ceremony.

“The first one that we’ll honor is Maurice Raskin, he’s from Woodbury, Iowa,” Erdman says. “He was a pre-veterinary medicine student in 1938 here at Iowa State. He was in World War Two and was killed in a mission over Italy in 1943.” Others being honored include: Jerry L. Converse of Boone who was killed in 1967 aboard the U.S.S. Liberty off the shore of Egypt at the time of the Six Day War between Israel and Egypt.

Charles Douglas King of Muscatine was a para-rescueman during the Vietnam War who went missing in action in 1968 while attempting to rescue the body of a pilot in Laos. Donald Lee Sparks of Glidden was a 1968 ISU graduate initially listed as an MIA in South Vietnam in 1969. He was later declared a Prisoner of War and is believed to have died in captivity. Deric Rasmussen of Storm Lake attended Iowa State between 1999 and 2002 was killed in Afghanistan last May 11th. The ceremony begins at 3:15 P-M.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press

A traffic stop in Panora early Sunday morning resulted in numerous charges against the driver. The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office says 33-year old Joanna J. Heckman was pulled over at around 1:30-a.m. in the 800 block of east Main Street, in Panora. Heckman was subsequently arrested for operating while intoxicated 2nd Offense, an aggravated misdemeanor. Monday morning the woman appeared before the Guthrie County magistrate and was held on bond. She later posted bond and was released.
Later in the day Monday, the Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office filed additional charges against Heckman. She was charged with: open container of alcohol (driver), driving on the wrong side of a two-way highway, possession of drug paraphernalia, all simple misdemeanors. Heckman was also charged with possession of methamphetamine – 1st offense, a serious misdemeanor.
The Guthrie County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Panora Police Department and the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office.