Indivisible 250: Tracing 250 years of service and sacrifice in Michiana
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- A nation built on life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; but behind that is a nation deeply rooted in conflict. Since its birth on the battlefield, America has spent most of its 250 years engaged in some type of military action. We don't have to look far to see it. Right here in Michiana, the past is still present, from gravesites of those who fought in the Revolutionary War to the World War II Airmen who broke racial barriers. History is a book, and Michiana has its own chapters.
Revolutionary War: Roots close to home
Robert Cathcart is one of five Revolutionary War soldiers buried in Elkhart County.
"We're not on the east coast, it wouldn't necessarily come to the front of your mind like, 'Oh we have some connection to this,' but we really do," said Jenifer Blovin Policelli, curator of education at the Elkhart County Historical Museum. "Eventually people who fought in the Revolutionary War, those veterans made their way into this area, and they brought their stories with them."
Cathcart's headstone is a physical reminder that America’s fight for independence reached far beyond the east coast.
"Robert, our Revolutionary War vet is buried right next to his son, James Cathcart, who was a veteran of the War of 1812," said Blovin Policelli.
War of 1812: Indiana on the frontline
The War of 1812, yet another U.S.–British showdown with the first battle fought on Indiana soil.
Mexican American War: From Southwest Michigan to the battlefields of Mexico
In May 1846, the United States declared war on Mexico, and men in Michigan answered the call, including a significant number from Berrien and Van Buren Counties. It foreshadowed another chapter that would unfold decades later under very different circumstances.
Civil War: A region answers the call
In April 1861, America went to war with itself.
Following President Abraham Lincoln’s first call for volunteers, a company of infantry was raised in Niles, Michigan. Its roster quickly filled with the names of men from Berrien County and Van Buren County, eager to defend the Union. They joined more than 90,000 Michiganders who would ultimately enlist in the Union Army during the Civil War. According to the Michigan Legislature, at least one of those soldiers was a woman posing as a man.
In Indiana, more than 196,000 Hoosier men served in the Army and Navy during the Civil War, fighting to preserve the nation and end slavery.
Diane Eveland's great-grandfather, Second Lieutenant Adam Kuntz of Marshall County, was one of those Indiana soldiers.
"I just found this," said Eveland, holding up an old black-and-white photo of Kuntz. "I didn't know I had a picture of him [when] he looked this young. He was probably in his 20s when he enlisted."
Eveland is proof that some of history's most important chapters happen close to home.
"He participated in the chase and capture of [Brigadier General John Hunt] Morgan, who was a famous prisoner in history," said Eveland, reading from a long list of historical events her great-grandfather took part in. "All these were famous things that I read in history, and I didn't know he was a part of it."
When history hits home
When it comes to local history, Anita Watts Kopetski is a wealth of knowledge.
"I am the Marshall County genealogist and a research assistant in the library," said Watts Kopetski. "I've been doing it for about 30 years."
Along with giving tours at the Marshall County Historical Museum, Watts Kopetski has spent decades digging deep into her family's legacy.
"The great hero of the Spanish-American War was, of course, Theodore Roosevelt, who is my fourth cousin twice removed," said Watts Kopetski. "I have several veterans in my family, several people who served in the war."
Her great-grandfather, George Dunlap, was just 16 years old when he went to fight alongside other soldiers in the Civil War.
Dunlap was injured after being shot in the abdomen. Instead of going to the hospital, Watts Kopetski said he changed his name, joined the Navy, and returned to war.
"Stories are powerful, and it helps you realize that genealogy and history are about people," said Watts Kopetski. "It's not about dates or places, it's about people."
WWI: A single shot, a lasting legacy
On Oct. 23, 1917, Sergeant Alexander L. Arch of South Bend made his mark on history, credited as being the first American to shoot at the enemy during World War I, boldly announcing the United States' presence on the battlefield.
A commander of the Indiana battery told the Associated Press, "On this particular morning, Arch had a special gun crew made up of the other sergeants who were in command of gun sections in the battery, all of whom were anxious to have a hand in the job. Arch himself set off the range and acted as No. 1, pulling the lanyard at my command, 'Fire.'"
According to the commander, the gun that Arch used was withdrawn from service and sent back to the United States to be "kept as a relic of the Great War."
WWII: Michiana on the front lines of history
In World War II, two brothers from Dowagiac, Michigan, Joseph C. Bryant Jr. and Jack D. Bryant, became part of the famed Tuskegee Airmen, breaking racial barriers as America’s first Black military pilots.
Private First Class Robert “Carl” McCay of Mishawaka, drafted at age 34, served in the Army Corps of Engineers, helping build critical infrastructure like bridges during the Battle of the Bulge.
A complicated chapter: The “Patton Slap”
One of the most widely known moments tied to Michiana involves Pvt. Charles H. Kuhl of Mishawaka. Kuhl was central to the legendary “slap heard around the world.”
During World War II, General George S. Patton struck Kuhl, who was suffering from what was then called “battle fatigue.” Now, we recognize it as post-traumatic stress disorder.
"It was almost a downfall of Patton's military career because then a week later he did it to another soldier," said Jordan Kuhl, Pvt. Charles H. Kuhl's great-nephew. "It's a wild feeling to have your name in that part of history- your family's name."
Korean War: Hometown heroines
As the nation entered the 1950s and the Korean War began, families across Michiana once again turned to their local newspapers for updates on loved ones serving overseas.
Among them was Niles High School graduate Dorothy Bolinger, an Army nurse who earned the title of first lieutenant. Her achievement made headlines locally, offering residents a glimpse into the contributions Michiana men and women were making during the conflict.
Vietnam War: War comes home
Before making headlines as South Bend's first Black paramedic, Preston A. Johnson Sr. served in Vietnam, enlisting in the Marines right out of high school.
"Our father was in the military, in the Air Force, and so I think [Preston] became service-minded because of him," said Calvin Johnson Sr., Preston's younger brother. "He really got into this whole thing of, 'Real men are Marines.'"
Calvin was still in grade school when Preston went off to war.
"You would see the movies of the war, or you would see the news pieces, and you think, 'My brother is over there,'" said Calvin. "The reality check hit when a classmate of mine lost her brother in Vietnam. He was blown up. That was hard on their family, and so it just made you appreciate what military people do, period."
Preston was gone for three years, and his service earned him a promotion to gunnery sergeant.
"I can remember the day so clearly when he came home from Vietnam," Calvin said. "It was just so exciting at our house. My mom even let us be late for school."
Gulf War: Continuing the legacy of service
Army Staff Sergeant Jim Metherd signed up for the military two weeks before he turned 18 years old, continuing the long history of Michiana men who began serving their country as teenagers.
“That's me and that's our house. That's when we were in Iraq,” said Metherd, pointing to a photo of himself taken on an old point-and-shoot camera. “I was meant to be a soldier.”
Metherd served during the Gulf War in Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
“When I was in school, I didn't have a big desire to learn history, but once I served in the military, I had a passion. I was part of history,” said Metherd.
As president of Mishawaka Troop Town and elected president of Get Wet for a Vet, Metherd continues to serve by helping local veterans who are struggling in the civilian world, including those who fought in America’s longest war, the War in Afghanistan.
“Anything from house payments, utility payments, automotive,” said Metherd. “I want to make a difference for the United States of America. I want to make a difference and defend our red, white, and blue.”
Service and sacrifice
In Michiana, celebrating America’s 250th birthday includes honoring the local heroes who served, from the earliest chapters to those who will help write what comes next.