West Iron County High School Alumni
Iron River, Michigan (MI)
Recent Members
| Anthony Caduto | 1986 |
| Jarrett Hill | 2006 |
| Kathleen Kolb | 1985 |
| Marko Brickman | 2009 |
| Mitchell Ballinger | 2021 |
| Roger Thompson | 1980 |
| Tony Melchiori | 1969 |
| Tristan Michael | 2015 |
Military Alumni
Honoring Our Heroes
This area is dedicated to our alumni that have served or are serving in our armed forces!
Lost Class Rings
Have you lost your West Iron County High School class ring? Have you found someone's class ring? Visit our Wykons lost class ring page to search for your class ring or post information about a found ring.
Honored Military Alumni
Alan Arcand
Class of 1997
Air Force, 7 Years
Primary training as a Tactical Aircraft Maintenance Apprentice (Crewchief, F-15E) Presently, MRA Instructor (Crewchief Instructor).
Class of 1997
Air Force, 7 Years
Primary training as a Tactical Aircraft Maintenance Apprentice (Crewchief, F-15E) Presently, MRA Instructor (Crewchief Instructor).
Amanda (Rosner) Sombrero
Class of 2004
Air Force, 8 Years
Served 4 yrs 3 months active duty in the Air Force as an Aerospace Ground Equiment Journeyman; served 2 years in the Inactive Reserve; and is currently 3 yrs 9 months into enlistment in the Air Force Reserve as a JAG Paralegal Journeyman.
Class of 2004
Air Force, 8 Years
Served 4 yrs 3 months active duty in the Air Force as an Aerospace Ground Equiment Journeyman; served 2 years in the Inactive Reserve; and is currently 3 yrs 9 months into enlistment in the Air Force Reserve as a JAG Paralegal Journeyman.
Andy Hill
Class of 1978
Navy, 20+ Years
Servered on both East and West Coast, Southeast Asia and the Med. Most of it was as an Air Traffic Controller.
Class of 1978
Navy, 20+ Years
Servered on both East and West Coast, Southeast Asia and the Med. Most of it was as an Air Traffic Controller.
Brian Bomaster
Class of 1969
Navy, 20+ Years
Chief Missile Technician
Retired in 1989
Class of 1969
Navy, 20+ Years
Chief Missile Technician
Retired in 1989
Craig Hammond
Class of 1980
Army, 6 Years
All of my time in the Army was either at Fort Sill Oklahoma or Germany in the 1st Battalion 27th Field Artillery 41st Bde. All my time was associated with Multiple Launch Rocket System. After getting out of the Army in 1990, I've worked for a defense contractor. Most of the work I do is still with Multipel Launch Rocket System.
Class of 1980
Army, 6 Years
All of my time in the Army was either at Fort Sill Oklahoma or Germany in the 1st Battalion 27th Field Artillery 41st Bde. All my time was associated with Multiple Launch Rocket System. After getting out of the Army in 1990, I've worked for a defense contractor. Most of the work I do is still with Multipel Launch Rocket System.
davd bal
Class of 1968
Navy, 20+ Years
7 years air force dental ops
13 years crytplogic tech operator
Class of 1968
Navy, 20+ Years
7 years air force dental ops
13 years crytplogic tech operator
David Deneau
Class of 1997
Army, 8 Years
David was a U.S. Paratrooper out of Ft. Bragg, NC. No major conflict deployments, but spent 18 months in South Korea on the DMZ.
Class of 1997
Army, 8 Years
David was a U.S. Paratrooper out of Ft. Bragg, NC. No major conflict deployments, but spent 18 months in South Korea on the DMZ.
DeWayne D. Ward
Class of 1984
National Guard, 20+ Years
Military Police Officer (31B4O). Currently a platoon sergeant with the 46th Military Police Company serving in Baghdad Iraq.
Class of 1984
National Guard, 20+ Years
Military Police Officer (31B4O). Currently a platoon sergeant with the 46th Military Police Company serving in Baghdad Iraq.
Dewayne Ward
Class of 1984
National Guard, 20+ Years
First Sergeant of the 1430th Engineer Company, Gladstone MI. Deployed to Afghanistan 2010-2011, Iraq 2007-2008. Active Army 1984-1988
Class of 1984
National Guard, 20+ Years
First Sergeant of the 1430th Engineer Company, Gladstone MI. Deployed to Afghanistan 2010-2011, Iraq 2007-2008. Active Army 1984-1988
Glenn Tapio
Class of 1969
Air Force, 20+ Years
1974: Michigan Tech AFROTC, Commissioned 2nd LT,
1974-75: Pilot Training at Laughlin Air Force Base(AFB), Del Rio, TX
1976-80: 55 Aeromedical Airlift Squadron, Rhein-Main Air Base, Germany flying C-9 Nightingale in Europe, North Africa, and Middle East
1980-81: Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, OH
1981-84: Air Force Engineering and Services Center, Tyndall AFB, Panama City, FL as an environmental research engineer and program manager
1985-94: 22 Military Airlift Squadron flying C-5 Galaxy heavy airlift and passenger transport worldwide/ 60th Military Airlift Wing Command Center Senior Duty Officer/ 22 Air Force Headquarters Command Center Senior Duty Officer and staff trainer/ 60th Air Mobility Wing environmental restoration program manager, Travis AFB, Fairfield, CA
Class of 1969
Air Force, 20+ Years
1974: Michigan Tech AFROTC, Commissioned 2nd LT,
1974-75: Pilot Training at Laughlin Air Force Base(AFB), Del Rio, TX
1976-80: 55 Aeromedical Airlift Squadron, Rhein-Main Air Base, Germany flying C-9 Nightingale in Europe, North Africa, and Middle East
1980-81: Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, OH
1981-84: Air Force Engineering and Services Center, Tyndall AFB, Panama City, FL as an environmental research engineer and program manager
1985-94: 22 Military Airlift Squadron flying C-5 Galaxy heavy airlift and passenger transport worldwide/ 60th Military Airlift Wing Command Center Senior Duty Officer/ 22 Air Force Headquarters Command Center Senior Duty Officer and staff trainer/ 60th Air Mobility Wing environmental restoration program manager, Travis AFB, Fairfield, CA
Janet Prudhomme Estep
Class of 1976
Army, 6 Years
Fort Hood, Texas 3 years
Ft Richardson, Alaska 3+ years
Class of 1976
Army, 6 Years
Fort Hood, Texas 3 years
Ft Richardson, Alaska 3+ years
John Stachowicz
Class of 2003
National Guard, 10 Years
12 Brovo (combat engineer)
Deployed to Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan
Class of 2003
National Guard, 10 Years
12 Brovo (combat engineer)
Deployed to Kuwait, Iraq, and Afghanistan
John Stachowiczc
Class of 2003
National Guard, 8 Years
Served 8 years as a combat engineer in the national guard and did two tours overseas in Kuwait and Iraq. His jobs included personal security, quick reaction force, and security recovery team. He is still serving today.
Class of 2003
National Guard, 8 Years
Served 8 years as a combat engineer in the national guard and did two tours overseas in Kuwait and Iraq. His jobs included personal security, quick reaction force, and security recovery team. He is still serving today.
Jon H. Wallo
Class of 1980
Air Force, 20+ Years
Retired from the USAF in 2000 after serving 20 years in the Security Forces career field. Served in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
Class of 1980
Air Force, 20+ Years
Retired from the USAF in 2000 after serving 20 years in the Security Forces career field. Served in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
Jon Wallo
Class of 1980
Air Force, 20+ Years
Retired (USAF) in 2000 from the Security Forces career field. Persian Gulf War Veteran (Desert Shield and Desert Storm)
Class of 1980
Air Force, 20+ Years
Retired (USAF) in 2000 from the Security Forces career field. Persian Gulf War Veteran (Desert Shield and Desert Storm)
Lyle Nordstrom
Class of 1996
Air Force, 11 Years
Aircraft Engine Mechanic currently stationed in Texas
Class of 1996
Air Force, 11 Years
Aircraft Engine Mechanic currently stationed in Texas
Matthew Makela
Class of 1994
Air Force, 13 Years
Aircraft Armament Systems Specialist
Class of 1994
Air Force, 13 Years
Aircraft Armament Systems Specialist
Michael Ward
Class of 1970
Air Force, 20+ Years
SAC MISSILEIER
Titan II
Minuteman I, Minuteman II, Minuteman III
Class of 1970
Air Force, 20+ Years
SAC MISSILEIER
Titan II
Minuteman I, Minuteman II, Minuteman III
Todd Brunelli
Class of 1982
Army, 20+ Years
Retired in 2008 after 20 years of services.
Class of 1982
Army, 20+ Years
Retired in 2008 after 20 years of services.
Tom Lundin
Class of 1971
Navy, 6 Years
Missile Fire Control Technician(FTM1)
Served aboard USS Towers DDG-9
Class of 1971
Navy, 6 Years
Missile Fire Control Technician(FTM1)
Served aboard USS Towers DDG-9
Tracey Vinnedge Hammerschmidt
Class of 1990
Air Force, 20+ Years
6 years as USAF Firefighter, remainder of time has been spent as a USAF Aircraft Structural Maintenenace Technician - working on USAF C-130's.
Class of 1990
Air Force, 20+ Years
6 years as USAF Firefighter, remainder of time has been spent as a USAF Aircraft Structural Maintenenace Technician - working on USAF C-130's.
Walter Raymond Moore Jr.
Class of 1980
Air Force, 4 Years
Missile systems analyst Specialist, grade E-5 Whiteman Air Force Base 1980 - 1984
Class of 1980
Air Force, 4 Years
Missile systems analyst Specialist, grade E-5 Whiteman Air Force Base 1980 - 1984
Alumni Stories
Read and submit stories about our classmates from West Iron County High School, post achievements and news about our alumni, and post photos of our fellow Wykons.
School News
45th Class Reunion!
IT’S OFFICIAL! YOU ARE INVITED TO THE 45TH REUNION OF THE “WIC CLASS OF 1976”
FRIDAY J...
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Our West Iron County High School military alumni are some of the most outstanding people we know and this page recognizes them and everything they have done! Not everyone gets to come home for the holidays and we want our West Iron County High School Military to know that they are loved and appreciated. All of us in Iron River are proud of our military alumni and want to thank them for risking their lives to protect our country!