On this Veterans Day, we honor the courageous veterans featured in our book, “The History of Silver Lake as Told Through Its Deeds”. As we explore the rich history of Silver Lake, near Lewisberry, Pennsylvania, we uncover inspiring stories of family, faith, and wartime bravery. From its colonial roots to its present-day vibrancy, Silver Lake’s narrative provides timeless insights into past eras, destined to be cherished for generations. Today, we are especially grateful for the opportunity to recognize the service and sacrifice of the veterans who helped shape this history.
PVT Lewis Cline
War: U.S. Civil War
Military Force: Company K, 130th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry
Lewis Cline enlisted on August 4, 1862, and served in the Union Army with Company K of the 130th Regiment during the American Civil War. He fought in the Battle of Antietam, where he was wounded in the left arm, leaving him with a lifelong disability. Though injured and unable to engage in combat at the Battle of Chancellorsville, he still contributed by carrying water to the wounded.
PVT W. Scott Hammond
War: U.S. Civil War
Military Force: Union Army, Company I, 192nd Pennsylvania Volunteers
Winfield Scott Hammond enlisted in the spring of 1865, serving with Company I of the 192nd Pennsylvania Volunteers during the final months of the American Civil War. He remained in the service until the fall of 1865, shortly before the war’s end.
SGT Dr. G. Eugene “Gene” Hetrick
War: World War II
Military Force: U.S. Army
Dr. G. Eugene Hetrick, an Army veteran of World War II, was drafted before passing his medical exams but completed his training while in the service. He served as a doctor in a medical unit following the Normandy invasion. After the war, Dr. Hetrick returned to Lewisberry, where he split his time between a private practice and caring for returning soldiers at the Harrisburg Veterans Administration hospital. In 1956, he pursued an advanced degree in psychiatry to better serve veterans. Known for his dedication to rural patients, Dr. Hetrick often made house calls and charged just $1 for his services.
EM2 Harry F. Peck
War: World War II
Military Force: U.S. Navy
Harry F. Peck served in the U.S. Navy during World War II as an Electrician’s Mate 2nd Class. He was aboard the LCTA-2037 during the Normandy invasion, as part of the 6th wave at Omaha Beach in Operation Overlord. The LCTA-2037, a British craft “reverse lend-leased” to the U.S., provided close gunfire support. The craft was struck by German artillery, rendering it inoperable and leaving it stranded under enemy fire. After the war, Harry frequently sought peace at the ‘Linger Longer’ cottage on Silver Lake.
PFC Robert W. Miller, Sr.
War: World War II and Post-World War II
Military Force: U.S. Army
Robert W. Miller served in both the Pacific and European theaters during World War II, utilizing his fluency in German. After being discharged from active duty, he was recalled to service under federal orders as part of the National Guard. He was sent to Germany to support the U.S. military’s post-war efforts as part of the Allied Occupation Forces. While stationed there, he met and married his German war bride, Lily.
SGT Robert “Stoney” Stonesifer, Sr.
War: Post-World War II
Military Force: U.S. Army
Robert Stonesifer served as a Sergeant in the U.S. Army, stationed in post-war Germany. His carpentry training made him uniquely qualified to support the reconstruction of Germany’s infrastructure. It was during this time that he coincidentally served in country with Robert W. Miller. If they ever met, it’s unlikely that they discussed Silver Lake, as Robert Stonesifer had been removed from his lake experiences since early childhood, and Robert Miller had yet to visit the “Linger Longer” cottage his father purchased in July 1945.
CAPT Chaplain (CH) Reinhold Henkelmann
War: World War II
Military Force: U.S. Army Chaplain Corps
In 1941, at the age of 44, Rev. Reinhold Henkelmann enlisted in the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps as a captain at the outbreak of World War II. He served in seven POW camps in Maryland, where German prisoners were held. His fluency in both German and Russian proved invaluable, particularly in ministering to prisoners from Rommel’s Afrika Korps, though many ideological hardliners refused to attend his services. Despite this, Henkelmann gradually drew over 300 regular German soldiers to his sermons, where he often spoke about his peaceful retreat at Silver Lake, fondly referred to as “Log Haven.”
One of the prisoners, a talented wood-carver, created a “Log Haven” sign from a split log, using kitchen materials and shoe polish to craft the design. The sign still hangs over the fireplace at his cabin today.
LCDR Dr. Charles Henkelmann, MC
Service: U.S. Navy
Role: Pioneer in Nuclear Medicine
Dr. Charles Henkelmann, son of Rev. Reinhold Henkelmann, served in the U.S. Navy Medical Corps as a Lieutenant Commander (LCDR) and was a pioneer in the field of nuclear medicine. During his service, he was stationed in Long Island, New York and San Diego, California.
SSGT C. Meade Torchia
War: World War II
Military Force: U.S. Army
Staff Sgt. Columbus Meade Torchia served in the U.S. Ninth Army during World War II, arriving in the European Theatre in October 1944 and returning home in March 1946. The Ninth Army pushed the German Army east from the French port of Brest to the Roer River in Holland over the course of 3 months, and saw heavy action during the Battle of the Bulge, Germany’s last great offensive, in December 1944.
CPL Felice A. Torchia, Jr.
War: World War II
Military Force: U.S. Army
Cpl. Felice A. Torchia, Jr, known as Phil, served in the U.S. Army during World War II as part of the Fifteenth Army from February 1944, joining the group in Italy, through May 1946 after the defeat of the Axis in Italy.
SGT W. Aquino “Queenie” Torchia
War: World War II
Military Force: U.S. Army
Sgt. William Aquino “Queenie” Torchia served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He entered service in February 1943 and was discharged in April 1946.
LT Henry A. Torchia
War: World War II
Military Force: U.S. Navy
Lt. Henry Torchia served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He entered service in October 1943 and was discharged in April 1946, Just ten months after the war ended in 1946, Henry and his wife, Pearl, sought a fresh start and convinced his brothers, Meade and Aquino, to join him in purchasing property on a serene hilltop overlooking Silver Lake in rural York County, Pennsylvania. This peaceful retreat, later known as Torchia Hill, symbolized a new beginning for Henry and his brothers, who were eager to leave behind the war and embrace the simple beauty of nature.
PFC Kristofor “Kris” Stonesifer
War: War on Terror, Operation Enduring Freedom
Military Force: U.S. Army, 75th Ranger Regiment
Kris Stonesifer, born on August 20, 1973, in Florida, enlisted in the U.S. Army on August 7, 2000. He completed basic and advanced infantry training at Fort Benning, followed by Airborne School and the Ranger Indoctrination Program, joining the 3rd Battalion of the 75th Ranger Regiment in February 2001.
In October 2001, Kris was deployed as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. On October 19, during Operation Rhino, he and fellow Ranger Jonn Edmunds were killed in a helicopter accident in Pakistan, making Kris the first casualty in America’s War on Terror after the September 11 attacks.
Ruth Stonesifer
Role: Genealogist, Activist, and Gold Star Mother
Ruth Stonesifer, a genealogist and mother, made a vital contribution to our research through her Delaware Diamonds Genealogy website, which detailed the ancestry of William Grant Stonesifer. Beyond her genealogical work, Ruth’s story is one of profound strength and resilience. In honor of her son Kris’s sacrifice, she became a dedicated advocate for military families. Ruth successfully championed a Pennsylvania bill establishing specialized license plates for Gold Star Families, led efforts to display Hometown Heroes banners, and served as National President of the American Gold Star Mothers from 2009 to 2010.
SGT Robert W. Miller, Jr.
War: Vietnam War
Military Force: U.S. Air Force
Robert Miller, Jr. served as a Sergeant, often referred to as a Buck Sergeant, in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War. During a leave back in the States, he married Barbara Bahrenburg. Whenever he was home, Robert would visit Silver Lake with Barbara, seeking comfort and tranquility before returning to the challenges of war and deployment.
HM3 John “Jack” F. Webb
War: Korean War
Military Force: U.S. Navy
Jack Webb, a veteran of the Korean War, served as a U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman (HC3) stationed in the Aleutian Islands, Alaska. He enlisted in February 1951 and was discharged in November 1954. After his military service, he used the GI Bill to attend college. Jack was married to Barbara, the youngest daughter of Bill and Florence Miller.
