Project seeks to tell stories of fallen soldiers

Each year at Memorial Day, area residents gather to recognize those who in the words of President Abraham Lincoln gave “The last full measure of devotion.”

In Taylor County, the official list of those killed in action includes 110 names of servicemen who died in defense of the United States.

From mountain ranges to memories, the passage of time and the normal flow of seasons wears down all things. Over time, all that remains of their memory is a name on a wall somewhere.

Medford teacher Corey Nazer doesn’t want that to happen. Nazer, who teaches American Government at Medford Area Senior High School wants students today to know that each of those names is a real person who was not much older than they are now when they went off to war and never came back.

Nazer is leading a group of students in an effort to record the stories of area servicemen who were killed in action as a way to keep those stories alive. The students, members of the school’s history club, are researching who the servicemen were and how they died.

Last week, Nazer and his students met with Sarah Nuernberger of the Taylor County Historical Society to learn about how to research the lives of these individuals using online resources, microfilm searches and hunting down the names and locations of surviving family members.

Once completed, the biographies will be published in a special section of The Star News and be available to area schools, veterans groups and for historical purposes.

Nazer is asking the community for their help in sharing any stories and information about these servicemen so that their memories are not forgotten.

To learn more about the project or to share information about a fallen serviceman, people may contact Nazer at nazerco@medford.k12.wi.us.