Bandstand Flag Notice – February 2020
Gary Dean DeWitt
Gary Dean DeWitt
April 20, 1952 – December 5, 2019
United States Navy
The flag flying over the bandstand during February is in honor of Mess Management Specialist Master Chief Gary Dean DeWitt.
Gary DeWitt was a 1970 graduate of Oskaloosa High School and worked for a brief time at Pella Corp. before he joined the Navy in 1971. He began his active duty, May 11, 1972, when he attended CS “A” school in San Diego, California.
Upon completion of “A” school, he reported for duty at U.S. Naval Communications Station Harold E. Holt (Exmouth, Western Australia) in October 1972. He transferred to Fighter Squadron 211, embarked aboard USS Hancock (CV 19) in December 1974. He was then reassigned to the USS Oriskany (CV 34), Homeported in Alameda, California, from October 1975 to April 1976.
In April 1976, he reported to Naval Air Station Meridian, Mississippi as the Officer’s Club Manager until April 1978. In May 1978, he transferred to the USS Paul (FF1080) Homeport in Mayport, Florida.
After the USS Paul, he was assigned to the USS Midway (CV 41), where he served from December 1981 to February 1984. He then transferred to the USS Cochrane (DDG 21) and served on board until February 1986. The USS Midway and the USS Cochrane were both homeports out of Yokosuka, Japan.
After his assignments in Yokosuka, Japan he reported to Naval Military Personnel Command in Washington, D.C. as the detailer for the Mess Management Specialist until July 1990.
He then served onboard the USS Moosbrugger (DD 980) as the ship’s Command Master Chief from September 1990 to January 1993. He reported aboard the USS Guam (LPH 9) in February 1993, where he served as the ship’s Command Master Chief until the ship’s decommissioning in August 1998. His last assignment was with the TPU Norfolk, Virginia.
Master Chief DeWitt earned both the enlisted surface and aviation warfare specialist designations. He has also been awarded the Navy Commendation Medals with a gold star, the Navy Achievement Medal with a gold star, the Good Conduct Medal with a silver service star, the Navy Expeditionary Medal with a bronze star, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with two bronze service stars, the Vietnam Service Medal with bronze service star, the Southwest Asia Service Medal with two bronze service stars, the Humanitarian Service Medal with two bronze service stars, the Armed Forces Service Medal with a bronze service star, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with a “V” device, the Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia and Kuwait) and various other campaign and service awards.
After retirement from the Navy, Gary settled in Virginia Beach, Virginia, with his family. He served in the Merchant Marines for five years after his naval career, retiring a second time in 2004.
Contact Shawn Langkamp at Langkamp Funeral Chapel & Crematory at 641-672-2181 or www.langkampfuneralchapel.com on the Contact-Us-Link if you are interested in honoring a deceased veteran with the flag above the bandstand.
