By Patricia Scheyer
NKyTribune reporter
When Young Marine Abby Smith was approached by her unit commander to oversee a project recognizing a fallen WWII veteran who failed to received proper recognition, she didn’t know quite how to approach it.
“I accepted the assignment, but then I realized I didn’t know where to begin,” Smith said. “I had to start somewhere, so I talked to the people at VFW post 3186, and they kind of guided me in certain directions.”
Last year an organization called Charging Forward America contacted Smith’s Unit Commander, Lynne Arnold, and let her know that a WWII veteran named Edward H. Ahrens, who is buried in the Northern Kentucky area, didn’t receive the honors due such a hero. Arnold asked Smith, a 16 year-old sophomore at Beechwood High School, to create an appropriate recognition for the forgotten young soldier.
Young Marine Abby Smith salutes during a 21-gun salute given WWII veteran PFC Edward H. Ahrens at Evergreen Cemetery in Southgate (Photo by Patricia Scheyer)
Private First Class Edward H. Ahrens, of Dayton, Kentucky, was in the Marine Raiders in the battle of Guadalcanal.
The story goes that Ahrens was found, mortally wounded, clutching a sword surrounded by 13 dead Japanese soldiers. Dying, he told his comrades that he guessed they didn’t know he was a Marine. His actions helped to break up the attack.
Ahrens was just 22-years-old when he died defending the Raiders’ right flank against the enemy on August 8, 1942. He was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty.
Ahrens came home to be buried at Evergreen cemetery in Southgate but aside from a gravemarker identifying him, no other information was ever included at his gravesite recognizing the fallen hero.
Smith liked the idea of a marker sharing Ahrens’ story. And with the help of Veterans of Foreign Wars, Smith was able to design the memorial. The marker was engraved by Rolf Monument Company. Smith was able to raise a little under $2,000 to pay for it.
Smith was pleased with the way the marker turned out and is grateful for all the help she had for this project.
“This story is truly amazing and inspiring,” Smith said. “When I heard about it, I knew I had to do something. I knew this man could not go unhonored. I wanted to get his story out to everyone passing by.”
On Sunday, the marker was installed at Evergreen Cemetery in Southgate. The piece was not located directly on Ahren’s grave, but in a location with greater visibility near the site in hopes that more could read Ahren’s story, raising awareness of the hero’s resting place.
Ahren’s nephew and three nieces came to the ceremony, along with a crowd of people who were interested. One of the nieces, Marie Houle, lives in New Hampshire, another niece, Billie Whalen, lives in Bellevue, and a third niece, Kim Snyder, lives in Milan, Indiana. The nephew, Gene Messick, lives close by.
Smith said now everyone who passes the grave, will know the price Ahrens paid and what he did to protect the values of the country.
“I took the project on and did the best job I could because it was the right thing to do,” Smith said. “I did what needed to be done.”
