Seven New Names To Be Added To MO Veterans Hall Of Fame This Friday

Seven new names to recognize military veterans for their past service will be added this Friday to the Missouri Veterans Hall of Fame.

The 2023 class includes:

–Ray Carver of Pierce City, Lowry Finley-Jackson of St. Louis, Charles Weber of Perryville who served in the Army.

–Johnny Glenn Junior of St. Louis and Nolan Moody of Springfield who served in the Marines.

–and Albert Wayne Wallingford Junior and General Seth McKee both from Cape Girardeau who served in the Air Force.

“It’s important to honor those who have served our country both at home and abroad, and the Missouri Veterans Hall of Fame does an exceptional job of recognizing worthy Missouri heroes each year,” says Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe, “The veterans of the 2023 Class exemplify humility, character, and service.”

Inductees require a Missouri connection, honorable military service, and must have contributed exceptionally to their community, the state, or the nation.

The Missouri Veterans Hall of Fame plaque, displayed on the second floor of the Missouri State Capitol outside of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, will be updated with the new class of inductees.

The induction ceremony is open to the public and will take place beginning at 2:00 on Friday at the Missouri State Capitol.

The Missouri Veterans Hall of Fame is a 501-C-3 which was established in 2019.

For more information, please visit the MVHoF website.

Learn more:

Missouri Veterans Hall of Fame 2023 Class

Ray Allen Carver (posthumous) of Wentworth, joined the U.S. Army in 1944 at Jefferson Barracks, serving as a gunner with the 657th FA BN in the European Theater. He was discharged in 1946 having received the Bronze Star and the Northern France Campaign Ribbon. Ray was passionate about making Pierce City a great place to live and work, volunteering for his community throughout his life. Ray was instrumental in getting a new National Guard Armory for Pierce City after the old armory was severely damaged by a tornado in 2003. In 2008, the old armory was dedicated as the Ray A. Carver Building. Ray died in 2012.

Johnny J. Glenn, Jr., of St. Louis, enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1970 and was a Vietnam combat veteran, retiring as a First Lieutenant. John turned an opportunity volunteering for United Way as a Marine into a flourishing post-military career at United Way of Greater St. Louis, working with the Combined Federal Campaign. In 2020, the Missouri Rotary and Missouri Athletic Clubs named John their Honored Veteran of the Year. John continues to serve veterans through the Military Officers Association of America, where he is past president of its St. Louis and Missouri Councils of Chapters.

Lowry A. Finley-Jackson, of St. Louis, joined the Army in 1982 and served for 20 years, including three tours in Korea and one in Europe. After retirement, Lowry worked with veterans through the St. Louis County Veterans Program. Lowry joined the St. Louis Service Women’s Post in 2007, becoming very active with the Legion. While serving as Post Commander, she led the Post to its highest membership in its 64-year history, earning the distinction of the largest Post in its District. In 2013, Lowry accepted the position of Adjutant for the Department of Missouri American Legion, becoming the Department’s first female Adjutant. A highlight of her work with the American Legion was organizing the 100th Anniversary of The American Legion’s St. Louis Caucus.

Nolan Randal Moody, of Springfield, served as an aviation mechanic in the Marine Corps from 1965 to 1969, including a volunteer tour in Vietnam in 1968. In 1974, he joined the Missouri Army National Guard and served until his retirement in 1992. After retiring, Nolan became a leader in the Springfield community. He joined the VFW, AmVets, and The American Legion, moving into leadership positions at the local and state levels. Nolan helped to bring the Vietnam Memorial Traveling Wall to Springfield in 2015 and 2020. As a member of the Springfield Elks Lodge, he has worked to permanently house homeless veterans and provide service dogs at no cost.

Albert “Wayne” Wallingford, Jr., of Cape Girardeau, served in the U.S. Air Force from 1968 to 1993 as a navigator and electronic warfare officer on RC-135 and B-52 aircraft. His twenty-five years of service included five tours in Vietnam with over 300 combat missions and service in Desert Storm/Desert Shield. Wayne settled in Cape Girardeau and quickly became involved in his community, helping veterans, seniors, youth, and at-risk residents. Wayne represented his community in the Missouri Legislature from 2011 to 2021 as a State Representative and Senator. Wayne successfully sponsored and co-sponsored significant legislation that greatly improved benefits and programs for Missouri Veterans, Active Duty, National Guard, and Reserve members. In December 2021, Governor Parson appointed Wayne as the Director of the Missouri Department of Revenue.

Charles A. Weber  (posthumous) of Perryville, stepped forward in 1861, organizing Company G 4th Regiment Missouri, and was elected Captain by his peers. In 1862, Charles was appointed the enrolling officer for the 64th Regiment, Enrolled Missouri Militia field and staff, and continued in the 8th Provisional Regiment of the Enrolled Missouri Militia. In civilian life, Charles was a county clerk and a probate judge; he carefully guarded the interests of widows and orphans and helped secure pensions for veterans. In 1886, Charles and his fellow soldiers formed Perryville Difani Post #273 of the Grand Army of the Republic, which functioned as a powerful lobby for veteran interests. When he died in 1906, the local paper stated, “This was the closing scene in the life of a good man of whom it can be said the world is better by him having lived in it.”

General Seth J. McKee  (posthumous) of Cape Girardeau, graduated from Cape Girardeau High School and attended Southeast Missouri State. He began his military career in 1935 as a member of the Missouri Army National Guard. He transferred to the Army Air Corps, graduating from flight training in 1939. He flew out of England with the 370th Fighter Group and logged more than 190 hours in 69 combat missions in the P-38 Lightning. These missions included providing air cover for troops invading the beach at Normandy in June 1944. He went on to hold almost every position in the Air Force in Europe and the U.S. He received his fourth star when he took over command of NORAD. General McKee retired from the Air Force in 1973. When he died in 2016 at 100, he was the highest-ranking survivor of D-Day.