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WWII Army helmet at Veterans Hall

Herald-Citizen - 3/21/2017

When Ed McCain of Cookeville was about 3 years old, a family friend handed him an Army helmet. It had survived through World War II, which had ended about five years earlier.

McCain played with the helmet as a child, not knowing its historic value, and stored it away for safekeeping when he got older. He forgot about it completely when he went into the Army himself, earning the rank of first lieutenant.

It was 67 years later that he discovered the helmet again.

"I'm not a hoarder, but when I do decide to keep something, I keep it a long time," McCain said chuckle. "Back when I was 5 years old, I had a friend hand me one of those old bathtub plugs with the chain attached.

"He told me not to lose it. I've still got it."

McCain is still holding on to the bathtub plug, but has decided that others might be interested in seeing the World War II helmet. He has donated it to the Putnam County Veterans Hall for use in its displays.

In addition to having hundreds of framed photographs of Putnam County veterans adorning the walls, the Veterans Hall also contains individual cabinets filled with the uniforms of Putnam County soldiers.

McCain's inherited helmet now rests in a case with the uniform of World War II veteran William Cooper Loftis, who was killed in action at the age of 21 in Belgium in 1944.

McCain has been volunteering with at the Veterans Hall for years, helping to clean the antique guns and dust the uniforms.

So when he decided he wanted to share the helmet with others, he knew he wanted to place it at the Veterans Hall.

McCain will also be attending the upcoming veterans' luncheon to be held at 11 a.m. Friday, March 31, at the Leslie Town Centre in Cookeville. Anyone who served during the World War II, Vietnam War or Korean War eras, and have ties to Putnam County - either lived there in the past or live there now - is invited to attend.

Each veteran and can bring a single guest, and both will receive a free lunch provided by Dipsy Doodle Catering, while enjoying a brief program by Jones and county executive Randy Porter.

"With this year being the 175th anniversary of the birth of Putnam County, we especially want to take time out to honor our veterans," Porter said.

"They are the reason why we enjoy the freedoms that we do."

Those interested in attending the event must call the archives at 520-0042 as soon as possible to ensure a seat.