Abroad and on local highways, Korean War veteran made impact

By Kirsten Stokes

A Korean War veteran’s service to fellow citizens didn’t end when he left the military, as those who drive Interstates 29 and 229 can see daily.

Slanted on the side of I-229 north of Downtown, the Pony Express silhouette was designed and constructed by Gilbert Garrett of St. Joseph. His position as landscape supervisor with the Missouri Department of Transportation led him to create another silhouette of the state of Missouri along I-29 on St. Joseph’s east side in honor of a fallen officer.

“They did not have a landscape supervisor at that time and I was selected and I served in that capacity for probably 10 years,” he said. “The project was given to me to design it in every way and build it. It took probably about a year to get everything together.”

Garrett’s service at home came after time spent in the military abroad. Back in 1955 after conversing with a friend, he decided to join the Navy because he wasn’t sure what career path he wanted to take.

“I think at that time I didn’t really know what I wanted to do, but we thought we would join the service and see the world there for a while,” Garrett said.

After enlisting in the Naval reserve in Joplin, Garrett was assigned to a destroyer, DDR USS 743 out of San Diego. He took to Hawaii, Midway and Australia through the end of his service in 1958.

His platoon pulled into the port in Sydney as the first American warship in the harbor since World War II.

“So I signed over for a while, just so I could cross the equator and be a shell-back,” he said.

For his service, Garrett was invited to take part in an Honor Flight in September, an experience he will always remember. Flying to Washington with other veterans, he was able to visit the World War II Memorial, the Korean War Memorial and one of his favorites, the Tomb of the Unknown Solider.

“We spent some time there and seen the changing of the guard and our group did lay a wreath at The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which was great,” Garrett said.

Now, 89 years old, Garrett has served overseas and right here at home. He holds a degree in agriculture chemistry and has two grandsons he is proud of.

When asked what America means to him, Garrett had a simple response.

“After visiting some of these countries, it makes an individual appreciate what we do have here in America, the freedom and culture that we have,” he said.