An archive of the personal histories of Washington Soldiers Home residents.
The Home of the Brave
Ray Eickholt ran away from home at 14 and enlisted in the Army immediately after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Mike Marquie, a Navy pilot, flew countless missions into Korea to ferry wounded soldiers to safety, and to reclaim the bodies of the fallen. And from the waters surrounding Okinawa, Japan, Ray McDade watched as the Navy ship 1,000 yards behind his melted into deadly bright-orange flames from a kamikaze bomb.
The men and women of the Washington Soldiers Home and Colony have lived through more adventure, sacrifice and service than most of us can imagine. As further proof of their bravery, many residents have agreed to tell their stories—for history, for posterity and for all of us who owe them such an immense debt of gratitude.
Since January 2009 I have been a volunteer at the Soldiers Home, in Orting, Washington, an almost-reverential yet vibrant place filled with history, emotion, intrigue and, most of all, absolutely amazing people, and their fascinating stories.
You can watch the residents tell their stories on "The Residents" page, and get to know them from my perspective on the Blog page, "My Visits With the Veterans." And then, if you're so inspired, you could even head on out to the Soldiers Home—or any veterans’ facility anywhere, for that matter—and really get to know some authentic American heroes.
The men and women of the Washington Soldiers Home and Colony have lived through more adventure, sacrifice and service than most of us can imagine. As further proof of their bravery, many residents have agreed to tell their stories—for history, for posterity and for all of us who owe them such an immense debt of gratitude.
Since January 2009 I have been a volunteer at the Soldiers Home, in Orting, Washington, an almost-reverential yet vibrant place filled with history, emotion, intrigue and, most of all, absolutely amazing people, and their fascinating stories.
You can watch the residents tell their stories on "The Residents" page, and get to know them from my perspective on the Blog page, "My Visits With the Veterans." And then, if you're so inspired, you could even head on out to the Soldiers Home—or any veterans’ facility anywhere, for that matter—and really get to know some authentic American heroes.
Top, from left: residents Ray McDade, Ray Eickholt and Mike Marquie. Above: Betsy Ross Hall at the Washington Soldiers Home and Colony.