Darke County veterans honor fallen at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Four veterans participate in wreath-laying ceremony during annual Washington trip

ARLINGTON, Va. — For four Darke County veterans, laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier brought memories of military service, friendships and those who never came home.

Scott Riffle, Larry Rammel, Charles Bowen and Max Litke participated in the ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery during the recent Darke County Veterans Services annual bus trip to Washington, D.C.

The opportunity to represent their fellow veterans carried deep meaning for the four men, whose service spanned the Vietnam War era.

Bowen, a Greenville resident who served in the Marine Corps from 1966 to 1968, said the ceremony brought to mind friends whose names appear on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

“Oh, you can’t believe the emotions,” Bowen said. “You just can’t believe because I think back to the guys I was with, and it’s like going to the wall. I’ve got three friends on that wall, and I was thinking of them.”

Bowen served in Vietnam in 1966 and 1967 with the 26th Marine Regiment, working as a sniper assigned to the regimental headquarters’ intelligence section.

The bonds formed during training and combat remain with him decades later.

“They’re like your brothers,” Bowen said. “We went through training together. You know, we were together day and night, and you watched each other’s backs.”

Bowen said that sense of connection developed as Marines moved through boot camp and additional training, learning to work together and help one another.

“It’s a pride. It’s a deep pride,” he said.

For Litke, the ceremony recalled memorial services held for fallen comrades during his time overseas.

“Unbelievable to be part of it,” Litke said. “Just felt so much that I can’t put into words.”

Litke served in the Marine Corps from 1966 to July 1969. Originally from Middleburg Heights, a Cleveland suburb, he spent a year and a half with the Marine detachment aboard the USS Hunley before serving in Vietnam in 1968 and 1969. His final three months of service were in Okinawa.

Standing at the tomb brought back memories of the battlefield memorials assembled to honor those killed in action.

“When we got to the rear, we’d have a ceremony for the ones that had been killed, and we’d have the boots and the helmet and whatnot, and that brought it all back,” Litke said.

Rammel, who served from 1967 to 1973 with the 4th Maintenance Squadron at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, said participating was something he never imagined.

“Oh no, not in my wildest dreams,” he said.

Rammel offered a lighthearted explanation for his selection, noting he was among the older veterans on the bus. But the significance of the ceremony was unmistakable.

“I was just very honored to be selected and be involved,” Rammel said. “Amazing, just the respect that is shown by all the people there.”

The experience also stirred memories of those he served with.

“Brings back memories of service with your buddies and all the people that sacrificed for us,” he said.

Riffle, a Navy veteran who served from 1969 to 1973, described the opportunity in simple terms.

“It was very humbling,” he said.

Riffle served aboard an aircraft carrier during deployments supporting the Vietnam War. He recalled returning to Vietnam for another deployment when plans for a Mediterranean cruise changed.

At Arlington, Riffle said the soldiers guarding the tomb helped guide the veterans through their role in the ceremony.

“The tomb soldiers were great, they were very nice to us,” Riffle said.

Their instructions prepared the four men for the wreath presentation, but approaching the tomb carried its own emotional weight.

“When we marched down there and got that close to the tomb, it was very humbling,” Riffle said.