The black and white POW/MIA flag flies several places around Philomath. It flies outside Philomath Fire and Rescue Station 201 on Main Street. It flies outside the Philomath Post Office on Applegate Street. On major U.S. holidays, the Philomath Rotary Club raises it at the new Paul J. Cochran Veteran Park on College Street.
This flag was originally designed back in 1971 by a graphic artist from New Jersey, Newt Heisley, who served as a pilot in World War II. The flag serves to symbolize our nation’s commitment and concern for service men and women who either remain in captivity as prisoners of war or remain missing in action from past wars.
One may wonder, how does this unique flag relate specifically to Philomath? This is the focus of this month’s Love of Learning column. We’ll remember three servicemen who left Philomath to defend our country and never returned home. While Love of Learning has shared their individual stories in the past, this piece serves as a reminder they are still missing. Here’s a recap of their stories.
Capt. Duane Cosper, U.S. Army
Duane Cosper spent many of his happier days in Philomath as a member of the United Brethren Church that used to congregate upstairs in what is now the Philomath Museum. He took violin lessons and piano lessons in the old conservatory that used to sit adjacent to the museum building from 1924-29. The museum still has his transcripts in their archives.
After graduating high school, Cosper attended the University of Washington in 1938 before deploying to the Philippines as part of a coastal artillery battery stationed on the island of Corregidor. Enemy forces attacked U.S. forces on the island and Capt. Cosper was captured as a prisoner of war in April 1942.
He spent the next three years of the war in an enemy prisoner of war camp.
Toward the end of World War II, he was later forcibly boarded onto a prison ship along with many fellow American POWs. The ship was ultimately sunk by aerial bombers in late 1944. Cosper’s body was never recovered; hence he remains listed as both a prisoner of war and missing in action.
Capt. Duane Cosper is one local reason that we fly the POW/MIA flag in Philomath.
Two years ago, Team Long Road, consisting of a team of retired U.S. marines hiked their way past the Philomath Museum. Coincidentally, this was the exact same location where Duane Cosper once took violin and piano lessons 100 years earlier.
Team Long Road was on a mission to bring awareness to the over 81,600 POWs and MIAs that have still not yet been recovered. Their 3,365-mile journey began on June 6, 2022 (D-Day) on Highway 20 in Boston Harbor in Massachusetts and passed through 12 states. On Dec. 14, 2022, they passed through Philomath before arriving at their intended destination, Newport, Oregon. They reminded us to never forget our missing.
Pvt. Homer Armstrong, Oregon Army National Guard
Homer Armstrong grew up as a farm boy west of Philomath. He answered his country’s call during World War I and enlisted in the Oregon Army National Guard. He shipped off to France in December 1917.
He eventually served as a replacement infantryman with the 127th Red Arrow Division in France.
On July 31, 1918, he went “over the top” of a trench line as a part of a massive infantry assault. He was struck down by enemy machine gun fire.
The graves registration team from his unit initially discovered his body and marked him as deceased, however, in the fog of war, the marker was displaced from either artillery bombardment or troop movements, and Private Armstrong’s body was never recovered.
Armstrong’s name appears on the Walls of the Missing inside a chapel at the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery at Belleau, France, 60 miles northeast of Paris.
Private Homer Armstrong is another local reason we fly the POW/MIA flag in Philomath.
Fireman 1st Class Henry Quetschke, U.S. Naval Reserve
Henry Quetschke lived up Woods Creek Road and graduated from Philomath Middle School back in 1934. He later attended PHS during the 1934-35 school year.
The day after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, Henry enlisted in the United States Navy. He was among the first to do so from Benton County.
Henry served as a fireman first class on board the USS Vireo, a fleet tugboat. He saw combat at the Battle of Midway as well as other areas of the South Pacific during World War II.
On Oct. 15, 1942, the navy vessel he was on was attacked by numerous enemy aircraft in the Solomon Islands. The ship was sunk, and Henry was listed as lost at sea by the War Department.
Quetschke’s name and Cosper’s name both appear on the Tablets of the Missing at the Manila American Military Cemetery located in the Philippines. along with 38,286 other names of missing U.S. service members whose bodies were not found
Henry Questschke is a third local reason that we fly the POW/MIA flag in Philomath.
Update on Team Long Road
As a quick update, our “gung-ho” Marines from Team Long Road began another trek last week on 9/11 and seek to walk across the Florida Keys. Their goal is to complete the 113-mile trek on Sept. 20, which is POW/MIA Recognition Day. Again, their intention is to bring focus and honor to all missing POWs/MIAs.
Friday, Sept. 20, is POW/MIA Recognition Day. It was established by Congress in 1998 to honor those who were prisoners of war and those who are still missing in action. Friday is a good day to remember our three missing servicemen from Philomath. When you drive by the fire station or visit the post office, take a moment to look up and observe the black-and-white flag on the flagpole. Remember these missing men when you do.
President Calvin Coolidge once reflected that “The nation that forgets its defenders will be itself forgotten.” It is in this spirit of this quote that this column is written. Never forget!
(Eric Niemann is a former mayor and city councilor in Philomath. He can be reached at Lifeinphilomath@gmail.com).
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Thanks for the article, Eric. Another opportunity to remember sacrifice, bravery, and love.