Former judge, special guests share veteran stories with students

(SUNMAN, Ind.) – Students at several Dearborn County elementary schools have been learning about local sacrifice, service and patriotism this past week. 

This initiative has been led by former Dearborn County Judge James Humphrey who has visited the schools with some special guests. 

Humphrey served as the Dearborn County Circuit Court Judge from 1999 to 2022. 

An initiative he embraced throughout his career, and in retirement, are the speeches he gives every Memorial Day at Greendale Cemetery. 

“Bear in mind that these speeches were not taken lightly by Judge Humphrey. He began crafting the next year’s speech the day after each speech was given,” said Tamara Taylor. 

Humphrey has brought local stories to life through an incredible amount of research as well as his passion for those who serve our nation. 

Those speeches have been compiled into a book titled ‘Legacy and Legend: The Voices of the Silent Heroes’ that was released earlier this year. 

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Ahead of Veterans Day, Humphrey and some guests stopped by several elementary schools to share some of these stories. 

On Tuesday, he visited Sunman Elementary and was joined by Vietnam veteran PG Gentrup, the mother of Tony Seig, and two family members of Robert Schwing. 

Here are some of the stories that Sunman Elementary students heard yesterday:

PFC. Tony Seig 

Linda Seig was among the presenters who spoke to Sunman Elementary students.

Her son, Anthony, was a 2005 East Central graduate who had quite the artistic and creative side. 

“He was a bright shiny star. He could write, he could draw. He was so talented,” Linda said. 

Tony was just a child when he wrote a book called “There’s Dinosaurs In The Closet” and was working on another book while he was serving in the Army.

Tony was deployed in Iraq for only two months when he made the ultimate sacrifice on September 9, 2006.  He was just 19-years-old. 

On Tuesday, Linda brought several military awards and other mementos for the kids to see.

You can read more about PFC. Tony Seig by clicking here.

Tech Sgt. Robert Schwing 

Bob Schwing graduated from Lawrenceburg in 1933 and was drafted into the Army in 1941. 

He served on Guadalcanal for nearly six months during the final push to take the island. 

Schwing showed incredible heroism during a battle on January 30, 1943, when he found out that two fellow soldiers had been left behind, with one being injured. 

He and another soldier crawled on their stomachs for 800 yards under intense machine gun fire to reach their comrades. 

After crawling through the tall grass and a coconut grove, they reached the two soldiers.

They made a stretcher from a tent and dragged the injured soldier back across the same 800 yards to safety. 

“I don’t know how I made it back, there were times I knew if I raised my head, it would have gotten shot off. I don’t know why I survived and others didn’t,” Schwing told Humphrey in 2006. 

Bob’s relation, Scott and Mike, shared stories of Bob's heroism and humbleness with Sunman Elementary students on Tuesday. 

PG Gentrup

PG Gentrup served in the Vietnam War and and has since dedicated much of his life to honoring and assisting veterans everyday.

He spoke during Humphrey's event and told the kids about his experience in Vietnam and also about the sacrifice two of his Lawrenceburg High School classmates made.  

Lary D. Fogle was an Army paratrooper who was the first Dearborn County resident to be killed in Vietnam. He was 18-years-old at the time of his death and is the namesake of the Vietnam Veterans of America chapter in Aurora. 

Lawrenceburg native Tommy Denning was a 19-year-old Marine who was killed while leading an assault at Quang Tri.

Gentrup also spoke to the Sunman students about the importance of the Honor Guard.

He and Linda Seig then explained how to properly fold a flag. 

“What is important for all of you to know, is that veterans should all be honored, remembered and never be forgotten,” Gentrup said. 

The stories of Tony Seig, Bob Schwing, Lary Fogle and Tommy Denning are just a few of the hundreds you will find in Humphrey's book.

Humphrey added that any money made from the book will fully go to charity. 

The book ‘Legacy and Legend: The Voices of the Silent Heroes’ isn't available online for sale.

If anyone is interested in purchasing, feel free to send us a message or email and we will forward your information to him.