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THEREGISTER HERALDMonday, November 11, 2013 Beckley, West Virginia ◆ Single copy: 75 cents

Volume 134Number 145

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State Policeseek morepersonnel forchild crimes

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

HUNTINGTON — West Vir-ginia State Police officials saythey need more manpower tocombat child pornography andInternet sexual predators.

The State Police digitalforensics lab at Marshall Uni-versity in Huntington has twocivilian analysts and a six-month backlog of cases. A sim-ilar lab in Morgantown has onecivilian analyst and a 14-month backlog.

State police officials recentlymet at the Huntington lab withmembers of the Legislature’sSelect Committee on CrimesAgainst Children to inform thelawmakers about the need formore staff, The Dominion Postreported.

Sgt. Dave Eldrige told thelawmakers that the State Po-lice Crimes Against ChildrenUnit conducted 665 investiga-tions in 2012 and made 197 ar-rests.

“It’s just the material theyconsume to hold themselvesover until they can get theirhands on a new kid,” Eldridgesaid. “It feeds their fantasy andit feeds the sex drive to go outthere and rape and torture achild.”

Children don’t talk, so theunit’s Internet Crimes AgainstChildren Task Force worksbackward from forensicsgleaned by investigations tofind the traffickers and moles-ters, and the discover the vic-tims.

“I find the kids who aresilent forever who will nevertalk, will never disclose,” El-drige said.

In a recent case, a Morgan-town man tried to hire a baby-sitter who would also performsexual favors. He was sen-tenced earlier this month totwo to 10 years in prison for so-liciting a minor online. The 15-year-old girl he had been com-municating with was actuallya task force officer.

Investigating these casestakes a toll on troopers and theagency tries to rotate them toother duties for breaks. Theyalso have to speak to a victimspecialist a minimum of twicea year.

“That’s why we need moremanpower,” said 1st Lt. D.L.Frye, commander of theCrimes Against Children Unit.“We would love to be a lot moreproactive than we are. Wedon’t have the people to do it.We can’t keep up with whatwe’re trying to do now, letalone be proactive.”

Officials say they can’tkeep up with case load

“I find the kids whoare silent forever who

will never talk, will never disclose.”

SGT. DAVE ELDRIGE,Internet Crimes

Against Children Task Force

Early Sunday fire destroys fourbuildings in downtown Marlinton

PHOTO COURTESY WARREN MCLAUGHLIN/FOR THE REGISTER-HERALD

Firefighters from 12 departments battle a blaze on Main Street in Marlinton early Sunday morning. Four buildings were de-stroyed, including several businesses and apartments. The blaze was under control by afternoon, but firefighters were to remain onthe scene through the night to put out any hotspots that might flare up because of gusty winds.

By Cody NeffREGISTER-HERALD REPORTER

A fire tore through sev-eral businesses and atleast one apartment building in Marlinton earlySunday morning, according to Pocahontas Coun-ty’s 911 Center. By Sunday evening, reports saidthe fire was under control.

A dispatcher said the fire was on Main Streetand affected four buildings. Most of those werebusinesses. The fire caused several people tohave to leave their apartment building. Calls forthe fire came in around 2:30 a.m., according todispatchers.

At least 12 fire departments were on the scene.A dispatcher said volunteers responded fromGreenbrier, Nicholas, Randolph and Webstercounties. All fire departments and EMS squadsin Pocahontas County were also on the scene.

PHOTO COURTESY WARREN MCLAUGHLIN/FOR THE REGISTER-HERALD

Smoke billows out of four buildings ablaze in downtown Marlinton Sunday.

World War II veteran makes return trip to NormandyBy Cody NeffREGISTER-HERALD REPORTER

He just wanted to fight for hiscountry. He says he gave it hisbest and that’s all he ever want-ed to do for America.

Paul McGraw is a 91-year-oldWorld War II veteran from Beck-ley. His daughter took him backto Normandy this summer as away to really understand a part of hislife.

“I guess in many ways this hasshaped his whole life,” Tammy McGrawsaid. “It’s about understanding what hewent through.”

Paul was 22 when he hit the beach atNormandy.

“The one advantage I saw was thatwe were in a war that we had to be in,”

he said. “All of the rest of thesewars have been for politicalthings. In World War II, we hadto fight or let Hitler take usover.”

“I was in combat for 300 days.I went in at Normandy on thefirst of July. They had a littlebeachhead established when Iwent in, but they had very little.From there, I went from Nor-

mandy, all the way and linked up withthe Russian Army in May of 1945. Itwas 11 months until the end of the war.We whipped the Germans in 11 monthstime.”

Paul said he spent a good bit of histime in Normandy in foxholes or takingheavy fire.

PHOTO COURTESY TAMMY MCGRAW/FOR THE REGISTER-HERALD

Paul McGraw of Beckley walks through theAmerican Cemetery at Normandy where9,387 Americans are buried.

McGraw

See VETERAN, 7A

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FromPageOne 7ATHE REGISTER-HERALD

Monday, November 11, 2013www.register-herald.com

Saluting All Our Courageous Military Men & Women Who Have Served

In The Past & Are Currently Serving To Protect Our Freedom On

Veteran’s Day, November 11, 2013!

U.S. A IR F ORCE M ASTER S GT . C HARLES E. A KERS

Wife Madalene

A RMY P RIVATE

1 ST C LASS L EONARD

T RENT Spruce Tabernacle

U. S. A RMY & N ATIONAL G UARD

V ETERAN S ERGEANT

P ATRICK S. W ALKER

We love you and are proud of you! Son of Diana Wills &

Jessie Walker, Stepson of David Wills & Dianna Walker

U.S. A IR F ORCE S TAFF S GT .

(H ONOR G UARD ) B RANDON M ICHAEL M C G UIRE We are so proud of you.

Love Your Family

U.S. A RMY SP 4

J OSEPH M ICHAEL R EDDEN

August 24, 1949 – June 1, 2008

Purple Heart Recipient – Vietnam Mom, Dad, Clara,

Bill & Ernie

A RMY SPC

S TEVE L. H OLSTEIN

3 years Steve & Sharon Holstein are very proud of their sons for

serving our great country. May God bless all of our troops!

A RMY R ETIRED SFC D AVID K. H OLSTEIN

Active duty 30 years Steve & Sharon Holstein are very proud of their sons for

serving our great country. May God bless all of our troops!

A RMY MSG S TEVE F.

H OLSTEIN 24 years active duty,

still serving Steve & Sharon Holstein are very proud of their sons for

serving our great country. May God bless all of our troops!

SPC SRA A RMY

J AMIE B. H OLSTEIN

Air Force National Guard 13 years

Steve & Sharon Holstein are very proud of their sons for

serving our great country. May God bless all of our troops!

In Loving Memory of

A LFRED A LBERT T ORRES

1957-2013 United States Marine Corp

Lance Corporal Semper Fi, my Marine Your Loving Wife Anna

U.S. A IR F ORCE S TAFF S ERGEANT

M ICHAEL L EE M INOR

We love you! Parents Roy & Dreama

Minor Brother Tim & Sister Michelle

U NITED S TATES M ARINE C ORP

C PL C HRISTOPER

R ILING Beverly, Andy, Jacob, Gabriel,

Adrianna, Taylor, Sheena, Blake & Damion

In Memory of

C URTIS F RANKLIN

S MITH , S R . Formerly of Glen White, WV

March 24, 1951 - October 29, 2013 On this Veterans Day, we remember your life and dedicated military service in the United States Air Force and the United States Army. We dearly love you Curtis and your memory

will live on in our hearts. Lovingly submitted by your sister, Martha Bandy, niece and nephews,

Vickie, Dallas, Jesse, and Michael Bandy.

B UCK S ERGEANT K ENNETH R. W ITHROW

Korean War Proud of you! Wife Ruth,

Mike and Kathy and Grandchildren.

N3VET862

Thank You For Your Service!

Garnet AkersRichmond

DUNNS — Garnet AkersRichmond, 103, of Dunns,died Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013.

Arrangements incom-plete at the Bailey-Kirk Fu-neral Home in Princeton.

John Pitts Steffey

OCEANA — John PittsSteffey, 85, of Oceana,passed away Saturday,Nov. 9, 2013.

E-mail letters of sympa-thy may be sent at www.staffordfamilyfuneralhome.com.

The family is being servedby the Stafford Family Fu-neral Home, Lynco.

OBITUARIESContinued from 6A

“I was equipped withan equipment truck thathad a .50-caliber machinegun mounted on it and Iwas the machine gunman,” he said. “Everytime we would move, Iwas put on that machinegun and about every timewe’d move, we’d either behit by planes strafing orsnipers. I’ll have to say Iwas fighting down severalsnipers. I shot the tops offof old barns and housesand so forth with my .50-caliber machine gun.

“The worst part of mywhole combat was whenwe went into HürtgenForest, Germany, in No-vember. That’s where Imet my brother that Ihadn’t seen in over twoyears. It was cold andrainy and we dug a littlefoxhole. It was muddyand nasty so we took pineneedles and tried to makea bed so we could sleep.We didn’t sleep muchthat night. Every time abomb would go off, mybrother would be punch-ing me in the ribs andsaying, ‘Paul, listen. Lis-ten!’

I was in the HürtgenForest from Nov. 19 andslept in foxholes. We hitzero-degree weather allthe way up until Marchwhen we finally got abreak. They took us backand got us a clean set ofclothes and got to take acold shower.”

Paul says he had thebest job in the Army dur-ing peace-time, but hisjob was the worst in war-time.

“I was in charge of mak-ing sure that 200 men gotsomething to eat,” hesaid. “That was a big re-sponsibility. SometimesI’d had have to travel 10or 15 miles to feed my

company in a jeep with notop, no windshield, andnothing in that zero de-gree weather. It froze myears.

“I guess it was on East-er Sunday that we had abattalion of men that gotsurrounded and cut off.We had to carry rationsand ammunition to them.I took my six men and ourlieutenant, and we car-ried rations up the hillthat evening under prettyheavy machine gun fire.The next morning I got upearly and headed to anold farm that had a fewoxen in the barn. I madethe farmer hook up thatteam of oxen to a sled andloaded it down with am-munition and rations andwent through the Ger-man line with it underheavy machine gun fire.”

While taking thatheavy fire, there was noway for Paul to know if hewould make it.

“I never would wear mydog-tags,” he said. “Iwould keep them in mypocket. That one time Ireached into my pocketand put my dog-tagsaround my neck. After Igot up there, I unloadedrations and ammunitionand we loaded up Ger-man wounded soldiersand American woundedsoldiers and went backdown the hill. The lieu-tenant that was in chargeof all of them was award-ed a Silver Star for the jobthat we had done. I actu-ally did the job for thatlieutenant.

“After that things beginto break and we crossedthe Rhine River and wenton into Cologne. Thatmust have been 68 yearsago. Things began to easeup from then on. We end-ed up with 250,000 pris-oners at the end of thewar. At the end of the warthe captain came in at theedge of dark and told meto get ready because I was

VETERANContinued from 1A

going back to the States. Ileft my company overthere and went back toFort Leonard Wood, Mo.My outfit, when they ar-rived 30 days later, wetrained them for the inva-sion of the mainland ofJapan. I’m glad to be backhome.”

After Paul made ithome, he said he did theonly thing that madesense to him. He wentback to work.

“When I was dis-charged from the Army,they told me I was enti-tled to $20 a week for 52weeks,” he said. “I nevercollected the first check. Iwent straight to work.The quickest way to getold is to sit down. Before Iwent into the service, Iwas working at the com-pany store at GlenRogers. We had 1,550men on the payroll whenI went off to war. As soonas I got out of the service,the store manager cameback and talked me intocoming back and workingat the company store. Iwas making $80 a monthfor working seven days aweek and 10 hour workdays. I said to myself,‘Man, I can beat that.’

“I grabbed a hand sawand a hammer and start-ed construction work. Iwas in the contractingbusiness from 1946 to al-most now. I closed mycompany out when I builtBeckley Automall. Thatwas in 1986. I built East-ern Associated Coal,Beckley Auto Mall, andChase Bank. I got mar-ried in 1949 and raisedtwo daughters and oneson.”

While most of us mightread or watch TV withour free time, Paul sayshe had bigger goals.

“I spent 38 years onwhat we called the SoilConservation District,” hesaid. “I worked with thatorganization and with my

free time I built the chan-nel that crossed Cranber-ry Creek. If it wasn’t forme, then that shoppingcenter there wouldn’thave been built. All ofthat area flooded and ithad to be done.

“We had a meeting onCranberry Creek. Sen.Byrd had already givenus $25 million to do theproject. We had a meetingon Ragland Road. Thecounty commissioner re-fused to get the road builtand the city of Beckley re-fused to get the roadbuilt. They said, ‘Send themoney back.’ I told themwe’re not sending thatmoney back. We’re build-ing that channel and webuilt that channel withthe help of Mr. JohnWooton. He was mylawyer. He kept me out ofjail. That’s about thetruth.”

Paul said CranberryCreek used to flood thearea that Logan’s Steak-house and its surround-ing businesses set in.Without the channel tokeep the area from flood-ing, that area couldn’t de-velop.

He said he didn’t giveup on the project becausethat’s just the kind of per-son he is.

“I always say it’s a lotbetter to give than to re-ceive,” Paul said. “I thinkeveryone should believethe old saying of ‘If youdon’t love this country,leave it.’ This is our coun-try. It’s been good to me. Itry to be good to it.”

For his service to theUnited States, Paul wasawarded the Combat In-fantry Medal, Expert Ri-fleman Medal, and fourBronze Stars, one foreach of the battles he wasin. Paul fought in Nor-mandy, Northern France,Rhine and the Battle ofthe Bulge.”

Paul said his trip backto Normandy brought

back a lot of old memo-ries.

“I guess the worst partwas the cemetery,” hesaid. “There were about10,000 white crosses in aline. The bad part wasthat there were so manyof them that had no nameon them. That broughtback some memories. Ican almost see myselfback then.

“I didn’t go in on one ofthe big landing barges.We went in on a big shipand had to climb off of itwith a rope ladder. Youhad to carry your fieldpack, horseshoe roll, allthe ammunition youcould carry, your gasmask and your rifle. I hadmore weight on me than Iweighed myself, then Iwent into 5-feet-deep wa-ter and couldn’t evenswim. I never did learn toswim.

“What bothered memore than anything wasgetting into that water.When I got into battle, Ican’t say I was everafraid. I always thought Iwas a better soldier thanthe Germans were.”

Paul says he firedenough guns in the war tofill a lifetime.

“I haven’t fired a gunsince the war,” he said. “Ididn’t have any use forthem. I don’t even own agun in my house.

“It’s something thatbothers me. I won’t sleeptonight from talkingabout it. It’ll bother me allnight. If I do any talkingabout it during the day,then it bothers me duringthe night. When we wentinto the Hürtgen Forest,there were bodies layingeverywhere. We couldn’tget in to pick them up.”

Paul says he served hiscountry well and appreci-ates all it did for him, hejust wishes veteranscould get a little peacefrom the past.

“When were in Nor-

mandy at the cemeterythere, I don’t know howmany people would comeup and want to take mypicture so they could haveit to take to school withthem,” he said. “A lot ofthem would say they hadfamily who were WorldWar II veterans so theywanted to take my pic-ture. There were probably5,000 people there and Iwas the only World WarII veteran in the crowd.Probably 35 to 40 peopletook my picture.

“In the other way, usWorld War II veterans,90 percent of them areproud that they are aWorld War II veteran,” hesaid. “I’d hate to be myage and someone ask meif I was in the war, I’dhate to tell them ‘no,’ be-cause practically everyman that age was inWorld War II. The womenmade the products andthe men did the fighting.”

“They didn’t call us ‘TheGreatest Generation’ fornothing.”

— E-mail: cneff@register-herald.com