Eldon Munyon

East Palestine - May 6, 2006 - Mr. Eldon Munyon, 84, of 657 Grandview Avenue, East Palestine, passed away at 1:55 p.m. Saturday, May 06, 2006 in the Salem Community Hospital where he had been a patient since Tuesday.

Mr. Munyon was born April 20, 1922 in Guernsey County near Cambridge, Ohio, the son of the late Charles Arthur (Art) Munyon and Pearlie Ethel (Poe) McGath and had resided in East Palestine most of his life. He was a 1940 graduate of East Palestine High School.

A World War II Army veteran, Mr. Munyon served with General George S. Patton's 10th Regiment of "A" Company, 5th Division Infantry in Europe. During his military career, Mr. Munyon advanced from Private to Staff Sergeant. He joined the Army in 1940 at age 18. He was stationed in Iceland for two years after his enlistment. He spent an additional year in England and Northern Ireland before his company was shipped to the European Theater of war.

On July 10, 1944, Mr. Munyon's company went into combat. On November 5, during a tour in France, Mr. Munyon was hit by incoming bombardment from the advancing German Army, causing a grievous wound to the upper right torso. Upon his recovery in France, Mr. Munyon returned to the front. After some months, he was awarded command of a squad, which was assigned to rid enemy forces from the hills of near Putscheid, Luxemburg.

During routine maneuvers outnumbering German forces attacked the squad. Members of the squad were killed despite Sergeant Munyon's attempt to regroup his forces. Ultimately, the entire squad was killed or captured. Sgt. Munyon was taken prisoner by enemy forces and incarcerated in local makeshift prisons as he and the survivors of his team were moved into Germany.

Mr. Munyon was a prisoner of war from January 23, 1945 through May 8, 1945. During his capture, Sgt. Munyon managed to escape during a forced march through Germany. He was re-captured while still in German territory and returned to German authority for the remainder of the war. He was among the American, Russian, and British soldiers liberated by the British army as it advanced through Germany.

During his military service Mr. Munyon was awarded the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, the Good Conduct Medal, the Combat Infantry Badge, and the American Defense Medal. In 2002, he received the Diploma de France from the French Government in appreciation of his military contributions to France during World War II.

Mr. Munyon enjoyed several civilian careers, the first with the State of Ohio as a state liquor clerk at the former State Liquor Store on East Taggart Street from 1950 through 1960. The second was with the United States Post Office from 1960 through 1983, where he was first employed as a rural carrier and later as an inside clerk at the local Post Office. Mr. Munyon ended his working years as the caretaker of the East Palestine Moose Lodge from 1985 through 1992.

Mr. Munyon was a life member of the Edward L. McGuckin Post #4579 VFW, the Disabled American Veterans Association, George F. McBane Post #31 American Legion, and the Loyal Order of Moose, Lodge #467 where he had served in a number of elective posts. Mr. Munyon was a Civil War enthusiast who frequently traveled to historic Civil War sights. He enjoyed his family and was very interested in the genealogy of the Munyon and McGath families. He also enjoyed reading and watching television. He was a lifelong Cleveland Browns and Cleveland Indians fan.

On November 22, 1946, Mr. Munyon married the former Florence Eleanor (Dootze) McKay. She preceded him in death on July 21, 1974.

On June 14, 1975, he married the former Helen Campagna. His wife, Helen, his daughter, Rebecca Nelis and her husband Alan, and stepson John Campagna and his wife Connie, all of East Palestine survive Mr. Munyon. Also surviving is a stepdaughter, Mary Ann Dowd, and her husband, Terry of Lisbon. He is also survived by a brother, Larry Munyon and his family of East Palestine; two sisters, Betty Muntean and her family of Gambrills, MD and Nelda Dugan and her family of Canton, OH; three grandchildren, Alison Nelis Murphy and her husband Moses, Jason Dowd, and Chad Campagna; and two great grandchildren, Malachi Matthew Murphy and Eli Aaron Murphy. He also leaves a number of nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday at the Van Dyke-Swaney Funeral Home, East Palestine with Pastor Bobby Murphy of the Bethel Friends Church in Poland officiating. Burial will follow in Glenview Cemetery in East Palestine where military honors will be accorded. Friends may call at the funeral home from 5-8 p.m. on Tuesday.