Community

Section of Ohio 800 To Honor Veteran Brothers

A section of Ohio 800 is being renamed to honor four local brothers who served the nation.

The route will be named for Roland, Robert, William and Kenneth Byers. Their surviving brother, Don Byers of Barnesville, said he looks forward to seeing the signs on the highway, which is expected to happen in early June, according to Ohio Rep. Don Jones, R-Freeport, who spearheaded the effort to rename the highway.

"It's going to be on Route 800 where 148 meets 800," Byers said. "The other end of it, they're going to have a sign on 800 coming north through Somerton."

He reviewed memorabilia of his four brothers' service.

Roland Byers wrote the book "Flak Dodger," a signed copy of which is available at the Barnesville Hutton Memorial Library, as well as "Black Puff Polly: And Other Flights to Eternity" about his squadron.

"He was actually a navigator of a 457 bomb group. He led the 8th Air Force over Germany," Don Byers said. "He lived out West, but he was born in this (Belmont) county."

In his book, Roland Byers wrote of his missions and fellow pilots, the experience of flying and daily life on the bases. The book is illustrated with numerous photographs from World War II.

"He had 43 missions out of England over Germany," Don Byers said. "His first plane got shot down, the flak dodger, then he come home and went back again."

He would eventually return to civilian life.

"Roland come back and taught school 30 years in Moscow, Idaho," Don Byers said. "A college professor at Idaho University."

Roland died in 2006.

"Roland was a real hero. He was lucky to make it back. He was going to Ohio University when the war broke out and he enlisted in the Army Air Corps."

Kenneth Byers died in 2013. He was another World War II combat B-24 pilot in the 8th Air Force. He was a lifelong lover of aviation who built planes at Kent State University as well as experimental airplanes at home.

Don Byers said Kenneth Byers flew in the spring of 1945 on missions from England over Germany, then served for another year before he was discharged and went back to school at Kent.

Don Byers pointed out a photograph of his brother, Robert Byers, wearing his headphones. Don adding that Robert was a pilot for Strategic Air Command and military air transport service and flew B-47's.

"He probably has 100 missions to Korea and Vietnam. He helped supplies for military airlift," Don Byers said.

Robert Byers died in 2002.

William Byers served during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Don Byers said he was never overseas but stood ready to go. He was in the armory division at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and Fort Chaffee, Arkansas, during the Vietnam War. He died in 2019.

"Three out of the four is buried in a military cemetery in Western Reserve in Orrville (Ohio)," Don Byers said, adding that Roland Byers is buried in South Dakota.

"I didn't have to serve because I was exempt due to the Sullivan Act," Don Byers said, referring to the World War II-era policy inspired by the deaths of the five Sullivan brothers while serving on a U.S. Navy ship.

He added that his brothers would appreciate the recognition.

"I'm sure they'd be proud to be honored," he said.

He said the family was originally from Boston before moving to Somerton.

Don Byers added that their mother, Hazel, lived to be 103. He said their father, J. Robert, taught for 43 years in Somerset Township. Their great-grandfather, Amos Byers, died in the Civil War, fighting for the Union in 1862. He was buried near Jerusalem.

"He got shot, knocked over backwards and cut his head on a can and bled to death," Don said.