Military Alumni

Military High School Alumni

Honoring Our Heroes

This area is dedicated to our alumni that have served or are serving in our armed forces!

Lost Class Rings

Have you lost your South Salem High School class ring? Have you found someone's class ring? Visit our Saxons lost class ring page to search for your class ring or post information about a found ring.

Honored Military Alumni

Aaron Williams
Aaron Williams
Class of 1997
Navy, 9 Years

Long and arduous...
Bradley J. Volk
Bradley J. Volk
Class of 1979
Air Force, 20+ Years

I graduated from Willamette Law School in 1988, worked for a year in private practice, and entered the Air Force as a Judge Advocate in 1989. I served until 1995, then entered the reserves. It has been a wonderful experience. I was stationed in California, Germany, Korea and Florida. I loved Korea so much I returned there to teach English at a boys high school for about two years.
Chantelle Williams
Chantelle Williams
Class of 1997
Marine Corps, 4 Years

Active Duty Marine
Chris Turpen
Chris Turpen
Class of 1986
Army, 5 Years

Cavalry Scout- Stationed Germany 86-89. Conducted surveillance/security missions on East/West border. US Army reserves during Operation Desert Storm.
Corinne Gavette
Corinne Gavette
Class of 1981
Army, 9 Years

German Interpreter/Interrogator in Army Intelligence Corps
Daiv Skinner
Daiv Skinner
Class of 1968
National Guard, 20+ Years

I served 24 years with the 41st Brigade, Oregon Army National Guard, in Tigard. When I retired in 1996, I was the Personnel Actions Supervisor for 41st Bde HQ. Prior to that I served as the State Mobilization NCO at the State Area Command Center in Salem.
Dan Burda
Dan Burda
Class of 1971
Air Force, 7 Years

Pilot T41 Cessna
Pilot T37 Cessna
Pilot T38 Talon
Pilot KC135 Air Refueling Tanker
Air Operations Officer
David Hughes
David Hughes
Class of 1977
Army, 13 Years

Served 10 years in Germany and Desert Storm.
David Kuhns
David Kuhns
Class of 1968
Army, 20+ Years

I served in the Army for 24 years, retiring in 2000
duane earl isham
duane earl isham
Class of 1971
Navy, 4 Years

NATO, ARFCOS courier, Oeiraras , Portugal, PO3
Duane Mercier
Duane Mercier
Class of 1969
Air Force, 20+ Years

Retired Broadcaster/Public Affairs
Duane V Nystedt
Duane V Nystedt
Class of 1960
Army, 3 Years

Worked on missle projects
Frederick Heard
Frederick Heard
Class of 1988
Army, 15 Years

10 years active duty - Stationed in Korea, Fort Ord California, Hawaii, Fort Hood Texas, and trips to Bosnia and Panama. Currently 1SG in TX National Guard.
Garth Olson
Garth Olson
Class of 1985
Marine Corps, 6 Years

Aviation Ordnance. Sgt (E-5) Camp Pendleton, CA, MCAS Futenma, Okinawa, Japan, Korea, Philippines, LHA-3 USS Belleau Wood, LHA-1 USS Tarawa, Operation Desert Sheild/Storm, Operation Sea Angel.
GARY E CALVIN
GARY E CALVIN
Class of 1960
Navy, 20+ Years

FOUR YEARS AIR FORCE, 18 WITH THE NAVY AND NAVAL RESERVES.
Howard Budweg
Howard Budweg
Class of 1966
Navy, 20+ Years

Commander, Naval Engineer
Jamie (Davidson) Hopkins
Jamie (Davidson) Hopkins
Class of 1995
Navy, 7 Years

Surface Warfare Officer.
Jason Faler
Jason Faler
Class of 1995
Army, 8 Years

Infantry, 1998-2002; Intelligence, 2002-Present; Veteran/Bronze Star Medal Recipient, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Baghdad, Iraq, 2005-06.
Jeff James
Jeff James
Class of 1989
Marine Corps, 16 Years

Heavy Equipment Maintenance Cheif and Iraqi Freedom Veteran
Jim Davidson
Jim Davidson
Class of 1971
Navy, 3 Years

I served on Patrol Gunboats in Vietnam 72-74.
the USS Canon PG-90 which is being turned into a museum and a training facility in Sheboygan, Wisconsan
Ports I visited include the Phillipines,Vietnam, Singapore,Hong Kong, Indonesia,Truk,Siapan, Thailand,Austrailia, and Guam.See gunboatriders.com for more information. The Canon was the most decorated ship in the Vietnam War which I am very proud of.
Jonathan Sturges
Jonathan Sturges
Class of 1962
Navy, 20+ Years

Submarines - US Navy-30 years, German Navy-7 years, NJROTC-5 years
Keith Austin
Keith Austin
Class of 1961
Air Force, 4 Years

Air rescue sq Eglin AF base florida
Keith Burres
Keith Burres
Class of 1958
Air Force, 20+ Years

After Willamette University became a 90 Day Wonder with a commission and after 18 years was promoted to Colonel. Retired after 24+ years. Serving at the Pentagon and Commanding the AF Logistics Management Center were tops in career.
Keith Burres
Keith Burres
Class of 1958
Air Force, 20+ Years

Retored as a Colonel. Served during Vietnam. Air Force was the best for me and I would start all over again to defeat the terrorists.
Keith L. Austin
Keith L. Austin
Class of 1961
Air Force, 4 Years

HC-130 crew chief,AIR RESCUE SE Asia and Flordia
Keith Pritchard
Keith Pritchard
Class of 1987
Army, 16 Years

Serving second tour in Afghanistan with special operations.
Kevin m Luman-Shattuck
Kevin m Luman-Shattuck
Class of 1993
Navy, 7 Years

Information tech second class (SW) 2000-2003 aboard LSD-46 Tortuga out of little creek VA then from 2003-2006 IMF Det Everett as DMS Tech/Network Admin 2006-2007 REDCOM 22 as informations officer
Kristoffer Scott
Kristoffer Scott
Class of 1992
Navy, 12 Years

Aviation Ordnanceman First Class, served in Afghanistan immediately following September 11, 2001.
Leonard Mendenhall
Leonard Mendenhall
Class of 1965
Marine Corps, 4 Years

Cpl. Vietnam August 68 through August 1969
Lisa Silva
Lisa Silva
Class of 1993
Air Force, 5 Years

I served 4 years of active duty (2002-2006)which included one deployment to Qatar and one deployment to Iraq. After separating from active duty, I went into the Air Force Reserves. I am currently based at March ARB, Riverside, CA.
Logan Brethower
Logan Brethower
Class of 2000
Navy, 5 Years

Serving onboard USS Port Royal in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the Global War on Terrorism. Logan is currrently a Fire Controlman Second Class.
Matthew Ardaiz
Matthew Ardaiz
Class of 1986
Army, 11 Years

UH-60 Blackhawk crewchief, then WO -60 pilot, now CPT UH-1 pilot. DUSTOFF! Been stationed in S. Korea, Germany, Alabama, Hawaii, Iraq, and currently Washington State.
Melissa Tofflemire
Melissa Tofflemire
Class of 2002
Army, 6 Years

Worked as a nurse in the Army at Madigan Hospital on Fort Lewis. Served in Afghanistan in 2006.
Michael A Parker
Michael A Parker
Class of 1963
Army, 20+ Years

U.S. Army Special Forces for a total of 34 years.
Michael Gilman
Michael Gilman
Class of 1988
Army, 14 Years

Served enlisted for 11 of the last 14 years. Promoted to the rank of Staff-Sergeant. The past 3 years as Systems Integrator Warrant Officer Promoted CW2.
Michael Gilman
Michael Gilman
Class of 1988
Army, 20+ Years

Retired as CW3 from the Army December 2012 after 20 years on Active duty, 25 years total service.
Michael Ringwald
Michael Ringwald
Class of 1968
Air Force, 20 Years

I enlisted in 1968, Had several Jos/ Aerospace Control and warning Tech, Antijamming Tech Aircraft Load master, Military training instructor, 1st Sgt. Durning my time in, go to Live and travel Europe, lived in Germany over 10 years. I got discharged and moved back to Salem in 1988. Had my own Excavating / Trucking company for 23 years, until I became disabled in 2008 .
Robert Bullard
Robert Bullard
Class of 1977
Navy, 8 Years

USS Midway CV-41,USS Orleck DD-886,USS White Plains AFS-4,USS Implicit MSO-455
Roger Dunham
Roger Dunham
Class of 1968
Army, 7 Years

Medical Corp
Sandy Tilton
Sandy Tilton
Class of 1971
Air Force, 8 Years

Radar Tech, Stationed in Ms, NY, Alaska, Wa, Cal.

Classmates Spotlight

South Salem High School Classmates

Britney O'neill
Class of '04

Alumni Stories

High School Alumni Stores

Read and submit stories about our classmates from South Salem High School, post achievements and news about our alumni, and post photos of our fellow Saxons.

School News

SHARON CLEMAN '60

Senior photos, pg 18; lives at APPLEWOOD RETIREMENT in SALEM, same place I live but she is new just this year.
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Our South Salem High School military alumni are some of the most outstanding people we know and this page recognizes them and everything they have done! Not everyone gets to come home for the holidays and we want our South Salem High School Military to know that they are loved and appreciated. All of us in Salem are proud of our military alumni and want to thank them for risking their lives to protect our country!