Spirit of America 2013 nominee: Kenneth Bender

Nominated by Cape Girardeau Noon Lions Club

The Lions Club is proud to nominate Mr. Kenneth Bender for the prestigious "Spirit of America Award." Mr. Bender is a true war hero and we believe his love of community and country make him an excellent nominee for this award.

In 1945, at the age of 19, Kenneth Bender was flying in a B-29 bomber. He flew 22 missions and witnessed firsthand the aftermath of the atomic bombings in both Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. After the bombings, Bender's crew flew missions to deliver supplies to prisoners in a Japanese POW camp. In addition, he was actively involved in flying reconnaissance missions to take some of the earliest pictures of the bombings.

Bender received the "Distinguished Flying Cross" medal which is given for an act of heroism or extraordinary achievement. In addition, he received the prestigious Bronze Star and two Presidential citations for his heroic service in World War II.

While Mr. Bender's heroic and selfless military service to his country certainly serves as the foundation for this nomination, we also believe that he has played a major part in shaping and supporting the very community that he calls home. Bender has been extremely active in many organizations and has been a devoted member of the Cape Girardeau Noon Lions Club for the past 51 years.

Kenneth and loving wife, Martha, have been married for 63 years and he represents everything good about family and community. For these reasons we respectfully submit Mr. Bender for consideration for the Spirit of America award in 2013.

Community involvement:

* St. Andrew Lutheran Church, charter member

* Legion Post 63, member

* VFW Post 3838, member

* Cape Girardeau Noon Lions Club, 51-year member, president in 1983

* Chateau Girardeau, past president from 1989 through 1994

* Cape Girardeau Public Library, past president from 1972 through 1973; Friends of the Library

* Historical Association of Greater Cape Girardeau

* Wood and Huston Bank, board member from 1981 through present

* Cape River Heritage Museum

* graduate of Cape Girardeau Central High School (1943)

* graduate of Southeast Missouri State (1948)

* Jackson Oil Co., part owner for 50-plus years.