Officials at Port Clinton’s American Legion Post 113 honored Port Clinton police officers this week, giving them special commemorative bricks at Veterans Park. The list included Ellis Fuiava, Richard Vance, James Cipiti, Joshua Nelson, Ronald Timmons and Daniel Miasek. (Photo by D’Arcy Egan)

The American Legion Post 113 in Port Clinton honored six of the Port Clinton Police Department’s finest for their service in the U.S. military last week, posting commemorative bricks in their names in Veterans Park in Port Clinton to mark their service.

Commander Dave McDougall of the American Legion Post 113 praised the men for having been military veterans, and choosing to serve as police officers. It was pointed out that each brick has a story, and many of the names are familiar as neighbors and friends who answered the call to serve and protect our country.

“They were proud to be American soldiers protecting our country,” said McDougall, “and Port Clinton police officers protecting the community.”

Port Clinton Police Chief Rob Hickman awarded the bricks to the servicemen, or their family members. The honorees were:

Ellis Fuiava, who is from Hilo, Hawaii, joined the U.S. Army in 1979. He graduated as a medic at Fort Sam Houston in Texas, and helped with medical training. Fuiava spent four years in the National Guard and joined the Port Clinton Police Department in 1988.

Richard A. Vance joined the U.S. Army in 1988 and was a light-wheel vehicle mechanic in Germany. He was recalled during Desert Storm and served in Kuwait, then joined the National Guard. Vance joined the Port Clinton Police Department in 2000.

James R. Cipiti joined the Army in 1989 and had many duty assignments at Ford Hood in Texas, Korea, Panama and Fort Lewis, Wash. He joined the Port Clinton Police Department in 2003.

Josh A. Nelson joined the National Guard in 1997, and was an infantryman with assignments that included Fort Knox, Ky., Kuwait, Iraq and, close to home, at Camp Perry. He joined the Port Clinton Police Department in 2007.

Ronald E. Timmons joined the Marine Corps in 2004, and was a defense specialist and an infantry machine gunner. He was deployed to Afghanistan. He became a Port Clinton police officer in 2012.

The youngest veteran in the group, Daniel C. Miasek, joined the Marine Corps in 2012, and was a field wire maintenance man, servicing at Camp Lejeune and in Okinawa, Japan. Born in Canada, Miasek joined the Port Clinton Police Department in 2019.

American Legion officials also thanked those who helped put together the special commemoration, including Lois Kerston, Steve Busby, Bruce Hammon, Olen Martin, American Legion Post 113, Eagles Post 2295, the Fraternal Order of Police, Elks Lodge and a special thanks to Port Clinton Police Officer Amy Pugh.