Down the Hatch: Loved ones raise a glass in honor of Gaston County WWII heroes

GASTONIA, N.C. ( QUEEN CITY NEWS ) – Henry Arrowood was the man of the hour in Gastonia, at a time when the number of World War II veterans who are still with us is declining at a heartbreaking rate.

“You’ve got people here to see you, celebrate you,” his grandson Brandon Padgett told Arrowood at the Brookdale Robinwood assisted living facility.

Mr. Arrowood served in the Army, with the 76th Infantry Division. At 101, he’s the only living member of the World War II Last Man Club of Gaston County .

“You take for granted that they’ve been here for so long and that so many of our values and strengths come from that generation,” Padgett told Queen City News.

“You make me proud,” former Gastonia mayor Jennie Stultz told Arrowood.

“This is an important gathering because it really honors the Last Man Club for Gaston County,” said Stultz, recognizing Arrowood for his bittersweet distinction as the last man standing.

Sunday, August 11 was an appropriate time to honor those Last Man members. ‘The Spirit of 45 Day’ commemorates the end of World War 2.

The WWII Last Man Club was established in 1994, with nearly 250 veterans at its peak.

They reserved a prize for the final survivor, a bottle of whiskey.

“It’s called Defiant,” Stultz says, showing it to the group. “That is a most appropriate name.”

The second to the Last Man, the late Ray Stewart, was the steward of that bottle. His son Mike presented it to Arrowood, but there were more significant steps required.

Years ago, the club intended for the last man to pay respects to the five Last Man Club veterans who most recently passed away.

Since Arrowood was unable to, his grandson did the honors.

First, they stood at the grave of Marine veteran Joseph Tedder, Senior, who survived 31 days on Iwo Jima. In salute, Mike Stewart poured the whiskey on Tedder’s grave and took a shot.

The liquor kept flowing as they remembered LaFon Spencer, an Army veteran who also served with the Gaston County Honor Guard.

“Thank you for your service,” Padgett said, lightly pouring the booze at Spencer’s grave site.

Another drink ensued.

Then they showed love to Frank Crisp.

With the Marines, he fought in the Pacific Theater; later, he joined the Navy. Shirley, his wife of 72 years, says he had dementia before he died at 100.

“He wanted to know where I was every single minute, he didn’t want me out of his sight, and I sure do miss him,” Shirley says.

The late Bob Cloninger grew up in Stanley and joined the Navy in 1944 at 17. Son Rusty says his father loved to restore cars.

“He would drive his 1953 Studebaker in a lot of veteran’s day parades,” Rusty says.

“Thank you for your service Dad and your love and dedication,” he said, pouring more out of that bottle of Defiant onto his daddy’s grave site.

Again, Ray Stewart was the second to the last man left in the club, when he died in April at 100. During the Second World War, he served with the 2nd Armored Division as a tank driver.

Daughter Donna Dellinger says her daddy was proud to talk about his service, especially to students.

“As we remember my hero and all of our local men of the Greatest Generation,” she said.

Then, Mike Stewart raised a glass.

“This is for you Daddy. You weren’t the last man, but the next to the last man. But in my eyes, you were the best man,” he said with emotion, as he soaked the ground with whiskey for his father.

Everyone in the Last Man Club is worthy of reverence. Because of them, we count our blessings as a nation.

“Here’s to you, Pop,” Mike Stewart said, sipping from his glass.

After the group made the rounds, Henry Arrowood’s grandson kept the remainder of the bottle, to pass down to future generations as a memento of the greatest one.

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