For 120 years, One More Child has provided Christ-centered services to vulnerable children and struggling families. Though our ministry has evolved, our mission to provide tangible support and the eternal hope of Jesus remains the same.
We now serve foster children, hungry children, single moms, struggling families, and survivors of human trafficking, but we began as an orphanage in 1904. Over the years, many children have come to One More Child in need of care, family, and love.
In recognition of this 120-year legacy, we recently started combing through old files and photos to honor and celebrate all the children served through our ministry. During this process, we discovered meaningful fragments of history.
Among our findings were photos of veterans who were once children in our orphanage, but later went on to serve the United States in the military.
We are grateful for the sacrifice of these veterans who selflessly served others, even though they experienced much hardship in their own lives.
One More Child believes we have the responsibility to serve others because we ourselves have been rescued through the saving grace of Jesus. Bearing this in mind, this Veterans Day, we want to thank all veterans for your selfless sacrifice and service.
One More Child Archives
Here are the photos and records of six veterans who once lived in One More Child’s orphanage, including any information we could find on their lives of service:
Luther Willis, March 3, 1911 – July 6, 1944
Luther Willis was likely killed in action during the battle of Normandy. Read more here.
Roy La Blanc, April 3, 1922 – May 21, 1943
John Denham, June 17, 1923 – September 10, 1945
Sgt. Denham was the flight engineer aboard an aircraft that departed from Japan on September 10, 1945. The aircraft carried five crewmembers and 20 passengers who were recently released prisoners of war. The flight encountered bad weather from a typhoon, and the aircraft crashed into a mountainside. Several years later the bodies of Sgt. Denham and other military personnel were buried in the United States. Read more here.
Robert Holt, February 1, 1924 – August 1944
James Herman Hall, September 24, 1924 – October 22, 1942
James Richard Thomas, July 5, 1943 – November 25, 1971 MIA
Staff Sergeant James Richard Thomas served in the U.S. Air Force and participated in a rescue mission for survivors of a helicopter crash in South Vietnam on November 25, 1971. While picking up the survivors, the helicopter took some damage but was able to drop off the survivors before taking another helicopter to return to base. The aircraft soon encountered a heavy rainstorm and crashed into the Song Nha Be River. Two men survived the crash and they recovered the remains of three other crew members, but James Richard Thomas was never located following the incident. Read more here.
