CONGRESSMAN PAT RYAN HONORS ULSTER COUNTY WWI VETERAN JOHN LODGE STONEMAN IN HOUSE FLOOR SPEECH

Congressman Pat Ryan Honors Ulster County WWI Veteran John Lodge Stoneman in House Floor Speech

WWI veteran Lodge Stoneman’s remains went unclaimed since his passing in 1962; Ryan’s office obtained his military records that allowed for his long overdue burial at the Ulster County Veterans’ Cemetery 

WASHINGTON, DC –  Today, Congressman Pat Ryan honored Ulster County World War I veteran John Lodge Stoneman in a speech on the House floor. Lodge Stoneman joined the U.S. Army in 1917 to serve during World War I. He passed away in 1962, but his remains went unclaimed for the 62 years since. Wiltwyck Cemetery volunteer Kathy Wade spearheaded efforts to give the WWI veteran a proper burial and coordinated with Congressman Ryan’s office, who obtained Lodge Stoneman’s military record, allowing him to be buried at the Ulster County Veterans’ Cemetery. Lodge Stoneman was finally laid to rest Thursday, November 7, 2024, with the recognition and honor he earned through his military service. Ryan’s full speech can be viewed here.

“In 1917, John Lodge Stoneman answered our nation’s call as the U.S. entered the Great War - we owe him a debt we can never repay and his legacy deserves the absolute highest place of reverence and honor,” said Congressman Pat Ryan. “Through tireless efforts, Wiltwyck Cemetery volunteer Kathy Wade pieced together the story of John’s life and I am grateful that my office was able to assist her in obtaining his military records so that he could finally receive the honorable burial he was long overdue. I want to thank Kathy and the countless other community members who made it their mission to lay John Lodge Stoneman in his final and rightful resting place, alongside his fellow heroes and ensure his place in American history is recognized for years to come.”

“John Lodge Stoneman’s military records had been lost in a fire, but Congressman Ryan’s office was able to obtain the Certificate of Military Service that we needed for him to be buried at the Ulster County Veterans’ Cemetery,” said Wiltwyck Cemetery volunteer Kathy Wade. “Thanks to Congressman Ryan’s assistance, we were finally able to lay John Lodge Stoneman to rest with the honor he deserved.”

“Growing up in the Hudson Valley shaped the values that guided John Lodge Stoneman down a path that would ultimately lead him to serve his country,” said Matthew Sirni, Wiltwyck Cemetery Superintendent. “We honor more than his service and his work; we honor the

entirety of his journey. It is our privilege to ensure that John’s memory lives on, that his story is

told, and that he rests with the dignity he deserves. May we always remember him and the

countless others who, like him, contributed to the fabric of our community and our country.”

“It was our honor to lay to rest Army Private John Stoneman in the Ulster County Veterans’ Cemetery on November 7th,” said Mark Cozzupoli, Retired Air Force Command Chief Master Sergeant and current Director of the Ulster County Veteran Services Agency. “Anytime we can bring a veteran home and provide him or her with the dignified burial he or she deserves, we are going to do whatever it takes to make it happen.”

John Lodge Stoneman joined the U.S. Army in 1917 when the United States entered WWI. After his death in 1962, his cremated remains went unclaimed. Volunteer Kathy Wade made it her mission to identify him and ensure his proper burial. Wade contacted Congressman Ryan’s office for assistance in obtaining a Certificate of Military Service for Lodge Stoneman; his full military record was destroyed in a fire at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis in 1973. The St. Louis fire is estimated to have destroyed approximately 16-18 million Official Military Personnel Files.

Lodge Stoneman was buried on Thursday, November 7, 2024, with Wade in attendance, as well as other community members whose efforts were critical to ensuring Lodge Stoneman received the burial he was due. 

Congressman Ryan’s team of skilled caseworkers offer assistance to veterans with, but not limited to, obtaining military records, applying for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) benefits and healthcare, receiving lost military medals and awards, and planning military funerals. Veterans and their loved ones in need of assistance are encouraged to contact Ryan’s caseworkers by calling (845) 443-2930 or here on his website. 

Congressman Ryan graduated from the United States military Academy at West Point in 2004 and is the first West Point graduate to represent the Academy in Congress. He served two combat tours in Iraq with the U.S. Army. In Congress, Ryan is a member of the House Armed Services Committee and has prioritized fighting to ensure military veterans receive the support, resources, and honor they deserve. 

Congressman Ryan recently invited veterans from across the Hudson Valley to join him for a breakfast in their honor. He brought together dozens of community partners for an all-in-one veterans and military families resource fair in May and has utilized his mobile office, the C.A.R.E.S. Van, to deliver direct assistance to veterans at Veteran Service Organizations across the Hudson Valley. Earlier this year, Ryan delivered $1 million for the Rumshock Veterans Foundation’s Veterans Village Project that is currently constructing affordable housing for homeless veterans in Orange County. 

Ryan has fought for legislation that delivers for veterans and servicemembers - including introducing the Never Forgotten Korean War POW Act, the Expanding Home Loans for Guard and Reservists Act, and the Health Care Fairness for Military Families Act.

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