Salute to Kastner
Senate Hall of Fame honors local veteran
BY MARY PERHAM THE LEADER

JASON COX Bath resident William Kastner snaps a salute during his induction Thursday into the state Senate's Veterans Hall of Fame at the Bath VA.

BATH - William Kastner thought he was going with a buddy to talk to a civic group in Ithaca Thursday night.

A retired Air Force Senior Master Staff Sergeant and much-decorated Vietnam veteran, Kastner will talk to anyone any time about his love for his nation, her troops and his community.

But instead of driving to Ithaca, his buddy turned left instead of right. Within minutes, Kastner was facing hundreds of family and friends at the Bath VA Medical Center celebrating his induction into the state Senate's Veterans Hall of Fame.

And for almost an hour, Kastner was nearly speechless as local leaders praised his valor and patriotism in the service, and his unswerving service to others after retirement.

"I think you could say he was always for the underdog," said his colleague Dan McCrae, before the ceremony.

McCrae succeeded Kastner as the Steuben County Veterans Affairs Director three years ago. "He was never bashful about fighting the good fight."

His friends weren't bashful about their tribute to him in the Bath VA Auditorium.

The packed auditorium greeted Kastner and his military honor guard with cheers and the first of several standing ovations.

State Sen. George Winner, R-Elmira, told Kastner the pride and love of the crowd was "the truest tribute to the quality and measure of your life."

Winner presented Kastner with a duplicate of the citation that will be hung in the hall of fame. The duplicate will be placed in the Bath VA, with another delivered to the Kastner home, Winner said.

Kastner was recognized for his courage under fire in Vietnam and for his unrelenting sense of duty after being strafed by enemy fire during a reconnaissance mission in March 1970. Severely wounded, Kastner continued to report enemy locations on the return to the airfield.

He received the Distinguished Flying Cross for Heroism, the Purple Heart and the Air Medal for his actions that day.

Kastner was also credited for working to establish the national Military Police Hall of Honor in Lackland, Texas, and for lobbying successfully to add more acreage to the Bath National Cemetery.

Another accomplishment noted was his work to return the remains of American soldiers who died in Canada during the War of 1812.

As county Veterans Affairs Director, Kastner worked tirelessly to secure benefits for local veterans, both living and dead, officials said. Long-time friend and supporter, state Assemblyman James Bacalles, R-Corning, joked all of Kastner's accomplishments paled in comparison to the courage he showed every year with the the county Board of Supervisors.

"Do you remember that?" Bacalles asked him. "Every year you'd go ask them for flags for Memorial Day, and every year they'd say, 'Well, can't you just pick them off later?'"

Kastner told the audience he wasn't asked to die for his country.

"I was only asked to risk my life," he said. "I'm a dreamer and a doer, and I just tried to make a path for others to follow. I have backed the vets, I have backed the (VA) center with all I have."