BONNERS FERRY — Are you a veteran who served the United States? Did a family member serve?

We want to know the stories of our military servicemen and women — and veterans past and present — to capture them before they are lost.

To give as many veterans and families as possible time to share their stories for the 2026 Valor veterans tribute publication, the deadline has been extended to 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 23.

Among families who have shared their stories:

• The Evans family — Major Gen. A.J. Evans, Col. Philip Brooks, and Col. Richard G. Evans — served a combined 95 years of active duty in the U.S. Air Force.

• George Dong, who was one of only a handful of Chinese American soldiers to receive the Congressional Gold Medal for his service. He served in the 411th Field Artillery in the European Theater, stationed in England and Germany. 

• SF1 Madoc Kenyon Irish, who died in service to his country. Irish was killed in action on April 16, 1945, aboard the USS Laffey DD-724. Thirty-two sailors, including Irish, were killed in the attack.

• William (Bill) Hunt spent three tours of duty in Vietnam in 1962, 1964, and his final tour in 1966. On his third tour in the Republic of Vietnam in 1966, he was declared missing in action.

To honor our veterans, we are asking for the public's help in honoring these men and women by sharing their photos, stories, and service. If known, please share any awards and recognitions they earned, including the Purple Heart, Silver Star, Distinguished Service Cross, and Congressional Medal of Honor, to name a few.

We wanted to share these stories and honor our servicemen and women before the tales are lost.

In addition, we are gathering information on local service and military groups, veterans services, and resources available to veterans and their families.

Our goal is to pay special tribute to our servicemen and servicewomen, paying special honor to those who have earned this country's highest honors.

The publication will include photos of our veterans. All are invited to send a service photo of those who served in their family, as well as information on the branch of service, years of service, and location of service. Stories and tales of their time in service are also welcomed and encouraged.

It will be published in the Nov. 5 issue of the Bonners Ferry Herald.

Please send your photos and information by 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 23 to [email protected].