Friday, August 22, 2014

HONORING FALLEN WORLD WAR II VETERAN: DELBERT BELTON (DECEMBER 21, 1924 TO AUGUST 22, 2013)



They fought together as brothers in arms; they died together and now they sleep side by side...To them, we have a solemn obligation — the obligation to ensure that their sacrifice will help make this a better and safer world in which to live. 



            We, the comrades of Unit 1012, will remember Delbert Belton, a World War II Veteran who was murdered by two Juveniles. We will honor him as a fallen soldier and remember him every year on August 22. Let us remember his bravery and courage when he fought in World War II. Please see the quote above that we dedicate to him.

We will post information about him from different news sources:


Delbert Belton
Delbert "Shorty" BELTON (12/21/1924 - 08/22/2013)
Obituary

BELTON, Delbert "Shorty" (Age 88) Passed away on August 22, 2013. He was born on December 21, 1924, in Sunnyside, WA to Luther and Marion Belton. Shorty was one of 13 children in his family. He served in the army during WWII. Shorty was a 30 year employee at Kaiser Aluminum Plant at Trentwood. He is survived by his son Bill and wife Bobbie, grandchildren; Carlton and Dana and great-granddaughter; Natasha. A graveside service will be held on Thursday, August 29th at noon at Greenwood Memorial Terrace. A reception will follow at Heritage Funeral Home.

To learn more about other World War II Veterans, please go to the following links:




'Brave until the end': Funeral held for WWII veteran who was brutally beaten to death by two teenagers in a carpark

·         A funeral with full military honors was given for Delbert 'Shorty' Belton today
·         Mourners heard how the 88-year-old fought bravely in Japan in WWII
·         Belton was beaten to death by two teenagers last week
·         Police believe it was a botched robbery

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A World War II veteran, 88, who was beaten to death by two teenagers has been given a send-off with full military honors in Spokane, Washington.

Hundreds gathered at Greenwood Memorial Terrace to farewell Delbert 'Shorty' Belton and pay their respects to a man whose courage defined him at all stages of his life.

Uniformed soldiers joined the mourners and the Reverend Homer Todd told how Belton had fought bravely in the Battle of Okinawa only to be senselessly murdered by teenagers last week. 


Spokane veteran Delbert Belton was buried with full military honors during a public service


A sad end: The gravestone for Delbert 'Shorty' Belton on display during his graveside service
 

Fighter: A World War II-era photo shows veteran Delbert Belton (left) and as the 88-year-old he was when he died (right)


Fighter: A World War II-era photo shows veteran Delbert Belton (left) and as the 88-year-old he was when he died (right)


Police escort: Members of the Spokane Police Motor Unit escort the family of Delbert Belton to the graveside

Mourners heard how the diminutive Belton had faced war, the Great Depression, losing his wife and the challenges of old age with bravery and courage.

According to NBC, at the funeral he was described 'as a man who was short of stature but full of life and generosity, a tinkerer who loved souping up cars in his project-cluttered garage, and an "agile" dancer who needed no coaxing to get out on the floor.'

Reverend Todd said, 'There are a lot of gals that will miss having a partner at those events.'
'He was short, but full of vim and vinegar.'

Adams-Kinard and Demetrius Glenn, who are both 16, have been charged with battering 88-year-old Battle of Okinawa veteran Belton to death with flashlights in his car outside the Fraternal Order of Eagles Lodge on Wednesday after a botched robbery.

Both were charged as adults and both have previous convictions for assault and were caught on security cameras in the area at the time of the killing.

Glenn gave himself up immediately to the police, but Adams-Kinard went on the run for four days and allegedly told friends during his time in hiding that the beating occurred because of a drug deal gone wrong.

Police have said that they have a letter in their possession, written by Adams-Kinard to his mother, in which he claims that Belton was selling them crack cocaine.

The letter said that after purchasing a 'zip of crack cocaine from Shorty,' the teens 'proceeded to sock him.'

'I took his wallet and another ounce of crack from his pockets,' the letter said, according to the court document. 'He was unconscious so I made sure he was still breathing, and then I took off.'

Police have said that they seriously doubt Adams-Kinard's story and spokeswoman, Monique Cotton said in a statement: 'We have no evidence to support that.'

Even Glenn's lawyer, Christian Phelps, told NBC News that he was skeptical and said, 'It doesn't seem plausible to me. I wouldn't put any stock in it at this point.'



Adams-Kinard's attorney objected to him being placed in adult prison



Demetrius Glenn, left, confers with attorney Christian Phelps. He is charged with first degree murder and first degree robbery

However, Phelps also pointed out that, 'there are no eyewitnesses and no forensic evidence that links either of the kids to the crime.'

Yesterday, upon the apprehension of Adams-Kinard, police revealed the sickening brutality inflicted on the helpless 88-year-old victim.

Attacked in his car on Wednesday in the parking lot of Fraternal Order of Eagles Lodge, Delbert Belton was found wedged between the two front seats of his car on Wednesday and was battered so badly he sustained brain damage and had lost too much blood to survive the violent attack.

Kenan Adams-Kinard and Demetrius Glenn, both 16, are accused of battering the war hero to death with flashlights after he fought back during a robbery and according to Belton's daughter-in-law 'They just kept hitting and hitting him.'

'He was an 88-year-old man,' said Barbara Belton to NBC News.

'Even if they wanted his money and he didn't want to give it to them, they didn't need to do that.

'They did a horrendous thing and they need to pay the consequences.'

'He hung around with the wrong people and made the wrong choices,' Odell Kinard said of his nephew, Kenan Adams-Kinard. 'It's the summer and ain't nothing to do here.'

Glenn's lawyer says he plans to plead not guilty for the murder of Delbert - who took a bullet in the Battle of Okinawa - who was clubbed to death with flashlights as he tried to stop an apparent robbery in a crime which has captured the attention of the nation.

Police in Spokane said that Belton was in his car in the parking lot outside the Fraternal Order of Eagles Lodge when the attack occurred on Wednesday night.

'The motive for this attack was robbery,' said Spokane Police Chief Frank Straub to NBC News.

'Race was not a factor. Additionally, there was no gang activity that was associated with his incident,' he added, noting that many commentators had pointed to the fact that the teens were black and the victim was white.

'These are two young men who just spun out of control.'

Glenn made an initial court appearance Monday afternoon. He is charged in Spokane County District Court with first-degree murder and first-degree robbery. The charges carry a potential life sentence.

District Judge Richard Leland, presiding over a packed courtroom, said the brutality of the attack and vulnerability of the victim make the high bail proper.

Glenn had turned himself in Thursday night, the same day Delbert Belton died of his injuries. The slightly-built youth gave yes and no answers to questions from the judge but otherwise said nothing.

Defense attorney Chris Phelps noted after the hearing that the case has gone viral on the Internet, with many people expressing strong opinions.

'The evidence doesn't indicate what happened,' Phelps said, adding that witnesses only reported 'two kids running away.'

Straub said it appeared that Belton fought back against his attackers, which may have increased the severity of his beating.


Wanted: Police released images of two possible suspects


Suspect Number Two: Police caught the two teens who assaulted 88-year-old Delbert Belton outside the Eagles Lodge in North Spokane Wednesday night


‘Our information is that the individual fought back and that may have made this, you know, a worse situation,’ said Spokane Police Chief Frank Straub in a Monday press conference.

Straub was quick to maintain Belton’s innocence in the matter.

‘I'm not being critical of Mr. Belton,’ he clarified. ‘We certainly encourage individuals to fight back, and he should have. But it shouldn't have happened to begin with.’


Devastated: Daughter-in-law Bobby Belton, pictured, told of her grief at the brutal killing


Tribute: Lill Duncan takes a photo of a memorial for Delbert Belton, the 88-year-old World War II veteran who was beaten to death, in Spokane
However, Odell Kinard expressed his shock at learning his nephew has been accused of killing a man.

'It really hurt to hear that,' he said to NBC News.

'He has to take responsibility,' he added. 'But the family is praying he gets 10 years or less.'
Unusually, Straub spoke of the lives of the suspects in this brutal case and the impact this crime could have on them.

'It bothers me that a distinguished World War II veteran lost his life,' Straub said. 'But the lives of the young suspects are also likely ruined,' he said.

'He came close to losing his life in service to this country in Okinawa and then he gets killed needlessly in the parking lot while he’s waiting for a friend. That’s the tragedy of this thing,' Straub said of the victim.


Tribute: Friends raised a drink to Delbert Benton in the bar he was murdered outside today


Pallbearers remove Delbert Belton's casket from a hearse during the graveside service
'The second piece is two young men whose lives and the lives of their families are ruined by criminal activity.'

Belton was born and raised in Spokane. He survived being shot in the leg in 1945 at Okinawa, one of the fiercest battles of the war, and went on to spend 33 years working for Kaiser Aluminum before retiring in 1982.

Belton was called Shorty by his friends because he was little more than five feet tall, his niece Pam Hansen said.

A second memorial service for Belton will be held at his son's church on Friday.

Reverend Todd spoke of Belton's character and his bravery even in his last moments.

'There is evidence on his knuckles that he was brave as he faced the overwhelming odds of those who robbed him of his money and his life,' Todd told the crowd of mourners gathered around his flag-draped casket.

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