Private First Class Julius M. Vajda
Staff Sergeant Hersal B. Cralle was killed in action on May 8, 1944.
A simple bronze plaque adorns a brick column between two bay doors at the Capitol Heights Volunteer Fire Department. As members go about their daily tasks and apparatus rolls past in response to another emergency, this monument stands as a quiet reminder of brothers who never returned to quarters. Three of our firefighters gave their lives in service of their country in World War II. Their names are enshrined on a wall and their deeds are remembered forever in our hearts.
Staff Sergeant Hersal B. Cralle was killed in action on May 8, 1944.
Ensign Michael Korn was killed during a training flight on January 27, 1944.
Staff Sergeant Hersal B. Cralle was killed in action on May 8, 1944.
These were three of many CHVFD brothers that have defended their country through our department’s century of service. Even the CHVFD ladies Auxiliary, the first fire department ladies auxiliary in the U.S., put on their boots and jumped on the back step while the boys were at war – they protected the home front during World War II.
From all ranks of the department, our members have served in both war time and peace time – from the Spanish American War right up to the War in Iraq and Afghanistan. They’ve been parted from their loved ones and braved harsh, dangerous conditions; our soldiers have been injured or captured, and many escaped harm by a matter of seconds.
We celebrate all of our veterans and honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our freedom. This Memorial Day, please take the time to pause and reflect on the sacrifices of all of our fallen military heroes, especially Staff Sergeant Hersal Benton Cralle, Ensign Michael Henry Korn and Private 1st Class Julius Michael Vajda. These men are decorated war heroes who gave their lives so we could live free. We can never repay them but we can keep them in our hearts and minds so they are never forgotten.
For more information about members of the Capitol Heights Volunteer Fire Department who have served or are serving in the U.S. military please visit our veteran’s page at: www.chvfd.org/veterans.
The Capitol Heights Volunteer Fire Department is a non-profit organization that provides fire and emergency services for the town of Capitol Heights and surrounding communities. We are located about 5 miles from our nation’s capital, in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Our station is staffed both by career and volunteer personnel.