READING, Pa. – The Berks County Commissioners voted Thursday to approve the induction of five new members into the Berks County Military Hall of Fame.

Lt. Col. Jay Ostrich, director of the Berks County Department of Veterans Affairs, said the inductees will be formally presented into the hall of fame at the 24th Annual Veterans Appreciation Dinner Dance on Nov. 7.

Ostrich offered a description of each of the inductees during the commissioners meeting:

Specialist 4th Class Kent Martin Zerr, United States Army, Vietnam War

“There are moments in military history when courage transcends duty, when an ordinary American makes an extraordinary decision that defines the very meaning of sacrifice. On March 6, 1970, deep into the jungles of Vietnam near the Cambodian border, Army Specialist 4th Class Kent Zerr faced such a moment. Serving in the First Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, First Cavalry Division Specialist, Zerr was leading the way for his fellow soldiers when his platoon was suddenly attacked by a much larger enemy force. Surrounded by intense machine gunfire, his fellow soldiers faced almost certain death. When one of his comrades was wounded, Zerr didn’t seek safety. Instead, he ran directly into that fire, and he rescued his fellow soldier and carried him to safety. Returning to the battle, he crawled toward an enemy machine gun bunker just 15 meters away. Under relentless gunfire, he destroyed the enemy position with a hand grenade, eliminating a deadly threat to his fellow soldiers. As his platoon was ordered to withdraw, Specialist Zerr volunteered to remain behind, exposing himself to enemy fire so his soldiers could escape. Specialist Zerr was mortally wounded, and for his extraordinary heroism, he was posthumously awarded a Distinguished Service Cross, our nation’s second highest military decoration for valor and combat.”

William Edward Holyoke, first class United States Navy, China Relief Expedition

“In June of 1900, during the China Relief Expedition, Holyoke served aboard the USS Newark as part of an international military force. He participated in dangerous combat operations. Holyoke and his fellow sailors faced the terrifying uncertainty of combat. He would not know whether he would survive, whether he would arrive home again, or whether he’d ever see Berks County again. His actions were so distinguished in battle that he received the Medal of Honor, the recognition reserved only for extraordinary courage in service to our nation. He died in Reading on April 3rd, 1934, and was laid to rest in Charles Evans Cemetery.” 

Ensign Richard Alan Bateman, United States Navy, Korean War

“Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, posthumously, we nominate Bateman for his courage over the skies of Korea. Bateman enlisted in the Navy at the age of 18. He earned his commission as a naval aviator and was assigned to board the aircraft carrier, USS Essex on October 26, 1951. Bateman participated in attack against heavily defended enemy supply and communication lines near Wonson, North Korea. Despite intense anti-aircraft fire, he repeatedly attacked enemy gun positions, destroying two and silencing two others. He then struck a railroad supporting enemy operations, helping his fellow aviators complete their mission without a single loss of aircraft. Two days later Bateman was killed by enemy anti-aircraft fire. He was only 21 years old. His aircraft was lost over Korea, and his remains were never recovered.”

First Lieutenant Carl Frey Constein, United States Army Air Forces World War II

“During World War II, some of our America’s most courageous aviators fought their battles, not against enemy pilots, but against an equally unforgiving enemy, the towering Himalayan Mountains. Lieutenant Constein was determined to help sustain Allied Forces fighting in China. He was born in 1920, entered the military in 1943, earning his pilot of wings in 1944, and he was assigned to the Army Air Forces Air Transport Command in India, where he flew one of the most dangerous aviation routes in history, known as the Hump. Imagine piloting a heavy loaded transport aircraft over the Himalayas, carrying desperately needed fuel and supplies for American and Chinese forces fighting the Japanese. Lieutenant Constein answered that call not once, not twice, but 96 times.”

U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant Christopher Kaag, United States Marine Corps Veteran

“Some Marines demonstrate their courage on the battlefield and others demonstrate [it] through a lifetime of sacrifice and service. Sergeant Chris Kaag did both. Kaag enlisted in the Marine Corps immediately after high school, serving as an infantryman with Kilo Company in the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment. During his deployment with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Force, he supported operations off the coast of West Africa, including the evacuation of Americans from Liberia. He was a young Marine, with a very promising career ahead, but 1997 and just 21 years of age, he received a devastating diagnosis, adrenomyeloneuropathy, a rare progressive neurological disease. Within months he lost the use of his legs. His military career was over. Kaag refused to allow what he had lost to find what he could accomplish. The Marine Corps taught him that leadership is not about ranked position or physical strength; it’s about character, accountability, perseverance, and placing the needs of others before your own. In 2004, he founded Core Fitness in Wyomissing, transforming a fitness facility into a proving ground for personal responsibility, teamwork and mental toughness. In 2007, he founded the IM ABLE Foundation, dedicated to removing barriers that prevent people with disabilities from joining active, fulfilling lives.”

In other business, the commissioners on Thursday adopted resolutions to authorize:

The appointment of Pamela Menet, director of community and economic development, to the Berks County Redevelopment Authority to fill an unexpired term ending on Dec. 31, 2027.

The appointments of Arleny Pimentel and Ashley Chambers, to the Berks County Public Library Advisory Board for 3-year terms expiring on December 31, 2029.

The reappointment of Michael Gombar to the Berks County Solid Waste Authority for a term ending on Dec. 31, 2030.

The submission of a PennDOT Multimodal Transportation Fund Grant Application asking for up to $1.14 million for the rehabilitation of the Reading Gateway Bridge.

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