After more than a year of research and determination, Jolene
Michaels Devaney can finally say “mission accomplished.”

Devaney, a former Bradford woman, started looking in 2005 for
information on her uncle, Patrick Michaels, who died during World
War II.

Earlier this year, she met Allan Johnson, who served with the
19-year-old Michaels. She learned what kind of man her uncle was
and, in a sense, was able meet him for the first time.

After that meeting, she could check that off her list.

Then, she wanted to get her uncle’s name on the kiosk in
Veterans Square. One last gesture to make sure Patrick Michaels of
Bradford would never be forgotten. With the help of City Clerk John
Peterson and Darrell Bigley, commander of the VFW, Devaney can now
cross that off her list, too.

“It’s been a long time coming and way over due,” she said.
Devaney’s story on how she met her uncle’s friend was featured by
The Era on Memorial Day. In that article, she listed getting his
name on the kiosk as her next goal.

Michaels’ name was on the kiosk at one time, but was removed.
There’s speculation that Michaels name was not on it because he was
killed in a Jeep accident and not in active combat. However, after
she produced the documentation, she convinced Peterson and Bigley
that his name should be returned.

“She furnished all the information she had,” Peterson said. “The
information that she presented me showed that in fact, he was
killed in action … there was a memorial service held in
France.”

While Peterson was convinced after seeing Devaney’s
documentation, he turned to the VFW to make the final decision.
That’s when Bigley came in.

“I was not comfortable ordering the veterans group” to add the
name, Peterson, himself a vet, said. “They graciously agreed to
look at it.

“(Bigley) felt, in fact, his name should be on the marker. We
moved forward with that project. His name is there now.”

Peterson explained that Michaels’ name is a little smaller than
the others since there was little space on the World War II panels.
Well Signs made the addition, he said.

“She made this her goal,” Peterson said, adding it was clear
that Michaels was serving in a war zone when he was killed. “She
had all the documentation.”

That documentation included photographs and paperwork on her
uncle’s time in France.

“It took her a long time to find it and she had it all
together,” he said.

It must of been that commitment that kept Devaney on course to
her goal since her feelings afterward caught her by surprise.

“When I received the news that his name would be re-added, it
was very emotional for me,” she said. “I totally didn’t expect the
feelings that I had. I think I was so caught up in getting the job
accomplished that I didn’t realize how it would affect me.”

Devaney, who lives in Massachusetts, can’t help but think her
uncle what her uncle would think of what she achieved through the
help of others.

“Even though I never met my uncle, I’m sure he would be grateful
to all who helped get this accomplished.”