George Whiteman to be Honored May 18

The 31st annual Whiteman Wreath-Laying Ceremony will be held Saturday morning at 11 a.m. May 18 at Memorial Park Cemetery.

The public is invited to attend the event, sponsored by the Military Affairs Committee of the Sedalia Area Chamber of Commerce.

Whiteman, a native of Pettis County, lost his life at the age of 22 during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in World War II on Dec. 7, 1941.

Whiteman Air Force Base was renamed after him in 1955. Lieutenant Whiteman was posthumously awarded the Silver Star, the Purple Heart, the American Defense Medal with a Foreign Service clasp, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with one bronze star and the World War II Victory Medal.

In attendance every year are descendants and relatives of Whiteman. Each year, family members place a wreath at the grave of Whiteman in remembrance.

The public is invited to attend.