Collin County will honor its war heroes with the installation of five new portraits on Veterans Day, on November 11. The ceremony, set for 11 a.m. at the Russell A. Steindam Courts Building, will feature the presentation of the portraits carried out by the North Texas Fallen Warrior Portrait Project. This addition will increase the "Hall of Heroes" collection to 105 portraits, a poignant tribute housed on the courthouse's first floor since 2013, according to Collin County's official website.
The forthcoming portraits represent men from Collin County who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving their country. Among them, Nimrod S. Shipp, a 23-year-old Cook First Class in the United States Merchant Marines, who died during an ill-fated night when the SS Gulfbelle sank after a collision off the coast of Palm Beach, Florida. Emerging from darkness imposed by war, these silent waters were witness to a tragedy fueled by the threat of Nazi U-boats, a catastrophe that claimed the lives of 44 sailors, including Shipp whose remains have never been found.
Louis F. Bass, also 23, served as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 577th Squadron, 392nd Bomb Group of the Eighth Army Air Force. His aircraft, known as the "Kentucky Girl," fell from the sky in an explosion during World War II after encountering severe icing conditions. Bass's inability to bail out led to his burial in Altoga Cemetery, with his memory eternally etched in a memorial near the North Tottenham crash site.
1st Lieutenant Ray W. Henslee, another 23-year-old of the 439th Bomb Squadron in the 319th Bomb Group, navigated the B-26 Marauder before being downed by enemy fire near Cherbourg, France. His sacrifice, alongside his crewmates, is memorialized in Les Pieuz, France, and their resting place lies within the Cambridge American Cemetery.
Maurice Johnson, a decorated WWII Veteran and Major of the 61st Troop Carrier Squadron, died at age 30 during the Korean War. His final mission saw the right engine of his aircraft detach midflight, after which Johnson heroically ordered his crew to safety before perishing in the ensuing crash near Hongchon, Korea. His final resting place is at Restland Cemetery in Dallas.
Lastly, Corporal Vernon W. Woody of the 2nd Battalion 34th Armored Regiment, part of the 25th Infantry Division, is among the honored. During the Vietnam War, the 20-year-old father who was on Operation Cliff Dweller, lost his life under tragic circumstances involving an armored vehicle on the Black Virgin Mountain. Woody is interred at Ridgeview Memorial Park in Allen, leaving behind a daughter who would never have the chance to know him.
The sacrifices of these individuals are an enduring part of Collin County's history, with their portraits serving as a reminder of the cost of freedom. The public is invited to attend the installation ceremony to pay homage to these veterans and to all who have served and are serving in the United States Armed Forces.
