NATASHA WINKLER
Every day, hundreds of veterans from Hortonville, Greenville, and the Town of Center drive down Casaloma Drive in Grand Chute. They pass the retail bustle of the Fox River Mall and turn into a quiet, brick building: the John H. Bradley VA Outpatient Clinic.
To many, it is simply a place for a check-up or a prescription. But as we mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II this year, we are reminded that the name on that door represents the very best of the Fox Valley. John “Jack” Bradley wasn’t just a figure in a world-famous photograph on Iwo Jima; he was an Appleton native who returned home to run a local business and raise a family, embodying the quiet humility that defines our community.
A New Marker of History
This fall, the clinic dedicated a new commemorative plaque to ensure that Jack Bradley’s heroism and the service of all Fox Valley WWII veterans is never forgotten by the generations following in their footsteps.
For the young veteran today who is just beginning their transition in Greenville or the Town of Center, seeing that name is a reminder: you are part of a long, unbroken line of local service. The “Appleton Clinic” is more than a medical facility; it is a sanctuary where the spirit of 1945 meets the technology of 2025.
Winter’s Edge: The Local Mission
However, legacy alone doesn’t keep the lights on or the house warm. As we enter the coldest months of the year, our local veteran community faces a practical challenge. While Jack Bradley faced the sands of Iwo Jima, many of our modern veterans are facing the biting Wisconsin winter with inadequate resources.
The Grand Chute Gazette recently highlighted the Heat and Housing for Heroes program. This Wisconsin-based initiative is currently working overtime in Outagamie County to ensure that no veteran has to choose between a warm home and a hot meal. In a community as prosperous as ours—spanning from the growing neighborhoods of Greenville to the historic homes of Appleton—no one who wore the uniform should be left in the cold.
How You Can Keep the Legacy Alive: A Call to Action
Jack Bradley’s service was defined by his role as a corpsman—a medic who took care of his own. We can do the same today:
- Support “Heat for Heroes”: Consider a donation to the Keep Wisconsin Warm/Ambassadors of Help (KWW/CF). Specify that you want your donation to go toward the Heat for Heroes campaign in Outagamie County. Your contribution helps local veterans pay for heating oil, electricity, and emergency furnace repairs.
- Volunteer at the Clinic: The John H. Bradley VA Clinic often seeks “Red Coat” volunteers to greet fellow veterans and help them navigate the facility. A friendly face from the neighborhood can make all the difference for a veteran arriving for a difficult appointment.
- Share the Story: If you have a student in the Hortonville or Appleton school districts, tell them the story of Jack Bradley. Remind them that heroes aren’t just in movies; they lived on our streets and are cared for in our clinics.
We live in a corner of Wisconsin that remembers its history. Let’s make sure we are also a community that protects its future.
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