Dublin has always been a community where heroes have answered the call since its founding as a village in 1810 – and some even before that.
From the veterans willing to serve the military and protect our freedoms to the first responders who come to our rescue in time of need, there is no shortage of stories of bravery, commitment and heroism.
John and Ann Simpson Davis
Originally from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, John Davis and Ann Simpson served in the American Revolutionary War when both were just 16 years old. Davis fought in battles in New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey and served under French Major General Marquis de Lafeyette. For her part, Simpson carried messages from General George Washington to his generals in the field. Davis and Simpson married in June 1783 and moved to Dublin in 1816, claiming land granted to them for their services in the war. They are both buried in the Davis Cemetery on Riverside Drive.
46th Regiment of the Ohio Volunteer Infantry
In October 1861, the first 16 Dublin volunteers joined the 46th Regiment of the Ohio Volunteer Infantry, serving in the battles of Chattanooga and Shiloh under General William Techumseh Sherman. While fighting in Atlanta, 19-year-old Dublin native Harry Clay Davis managed to capture the Confederate flag of the 30th Louisiana Infantry spurring on the Union troops. He was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his valor.
Dublin World War I Veterans
Dublin physician Dr. Harry O. Whitaker was one of several local men who served their country during “The Great War.” Others included Russell Corbin, Clarence Davis, Jack Eckert, Daniel Eger, Harry Osborn, Ernest Jack Tuller and Chris Wolpert.
Dublin World War II High School Honor Roll
During the City of Dublin’s Veterans Day Ceremony at Grounds of Remembrance in Dublin Veterans Park in 2021, the City of Dublin Veterans Committee and Wesley G. Davids American Legion Post 800 dedicated a Washington Township and Dublin High School Honor Roll. The monument – first established in 1942 – recognizes the 87 veterans of World War II who fought to preserve our freedoms. At that time, Dublin’s population was 237 people making those who enlisted a significant contribution – and sacrifice on the part of the community – to the war effort.
Lt. Alfred Marion Chard of the U.S. Navy
A dedication stone in Dublin Veterans Park honors Lt. Alfred Marion Chard who served the U.S. Navy during World War II. Lt. Chard wrote a diary of his time on active duty while stationed on the USS Washington (BB-56) where he earned 11 battle stars. Originally from Iowa, Lt. Chard spent his final years in Dublin, where he was a member of the Wesley G. Davids American Legion Post 800. He passed away in 2025 at the age of 104 and is buried in Dublin Cemetery.
Lance Corporal Wesley G. Davids
Lance Corporal Wesley G. Davids, a 2003 graduate of Dublin Scioto High School, was one of 22 Marines and one Navy corpsman who died while defending our country during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005. A member of Columbus-based Lima Company, Lance Corporal Davids died the day after his 20th birthday. The Wesley G. Davids American Legion Post 800 was named in his honor.
Captain Nicholas J. Rozanski
Thirty-six-year-old Dublin native Nicholas “Nick” J. Rozanski was one of three soldiers killed in a suicide bomb attack in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2012. A member of the Ohio National Guard, Captain Rozanski was assigned to 1st Battalion, 148th Infantry Regiment, 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. He also had deployed to Kosovo in 2004 and Iraq in 2008.
Honoring Our Veterans
Each year, the City of Dublin and the Wesley G. Davids American Legion Post 800 team up to invite veterans, residents, schoolchildren and visitors to come together to observe Memorial Day and Veterans Day as a community. Memorial Day includes a procession across the Bridge Street Bridge featuring a wreath-throwing ceremony and a commemoration at the Dublin Cemetery to pay tribute to the men and women who lost their lives in service to our country. The City then invites attendees to join together for a community picnic. Veterans Day is conducted at Grounds of Remembrance in Dublin Veterans Park to honor all men and women who have dedicated their lives to preserving our freedoms.
The “First” First Responders
Dr. Harry Osborn Whitaker began practicing in Dublin in 1919 and trained most of Dublin’s volunteer firemen in first aid. According to Dublin’s Journey, when fire or medical services were needed, a telephone would ring at the following locations: the kitchen of Dr. Whitaker’s home, Shriver’s Restaurant, the home of Fire Chief Jim Moffitt, the Brown-Thomas service station (where Moffitt was employed) and Al Termeer’s home. By 1945, Dublin had its first firehouse. The Washington-Perry Township fire station, at 37 W. Bridge St., operated at that location until 1983.
An Accredited Police Department
The men and women in blue have well-earned reputations as Dublin’s finest. The Division of Police first earned accreditation by The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) in March 1990, a tradition that continues today with each four-year renewal to achieve compliance and meet the “gold standard” of performance. In 2025, Dublin was named one of Ohio’s nine safest cities by WorldAtlas. With a core mission of protection, service and public safety in partnership with the community, the department reported a 39 percent decrease in thefts from vehicles and a more than 50 percent decrease in breaking and entering offenses in 2025. That same year, it was reported that operating-a-vehicle-while-intoxicated crashes decreased while OVI arrests increased. Dublin Police launched a Drone as First Responder program last year, becoming the largest one in Ohio and introduced a Business District Unit dedicating a team of officers to provide proactive policing in the City’s growing mixed-use areas. In addition, more than 2,400 speed warning letters were issued as part of the Slow Down Dublin program. Annually, the community comes together each May to honor fallen police officers who died in the line of duty across Central Ohio during the Dublin Police Memorial Service.
Washington Township Fire Department
In 1937, the Dublin Volunteer Fire Department was established with costs for fire services shared equally by Washington and Perry townships. Three years later, the agreement was renewed and the name was changed to Washington-Perry Fire Department. A medical squad was created in 1952. With rapid growth in Dublin throughout the 1970s, the volunteer department was changed to a suburban paid department. The townships dissolved the partnership in 1982 to better serve their growing constituencies. Washington Township would operate from the Station 91 West Bridge Street firehouse, while Perry Township took over Station 92 on Sawmill Road. By the end of the 1990s, Washington Township would add three more stations: 6255 Shier Rings Road, 5825 Brand Road and 5750 Blazer Parkway decreasing response times throughout the City. The Blazer Parkway is considered one of the most innovative shared-use spaces operating a fully functional firehouse beneath a pre-existing water tower. Today, Washington Township is the sole provider of fire and emergency medical services for the City of Dublin, receiving more than 7,000 calls for service annually and employing 112 full-time and several part-time professional firefighters. It is one of only three fire departments in the state that is both accredited by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International and has an ISO-1 rating.
Northwest Regional Emergency Communications Center
Dublin is home to the Northwest Regional Emergency Communications Center – or NRECC – which dispatches for Dublin, Hilliard, Upper Arlington and Worthington police, and Washington and Norwich townships, and Upper Arlington and Worthington fire departments. NRECC was formed in 2013 and assists in saving lives, protecting property and serving the public in time of need. In 2018, Dublin Police received dual CALEA accreditation by also certifying NRECC.
Our veterans, first responders and front-line heroes represent the best of our country and our community and deserve to be honored each and every day for the role they play in keeping us safe and protected.
The annual City of Dublin Veterans Day Ceremony will take place Wednesday, Nov. 11, at 11 a.m. at Grounds of Remembrance in Dublin Veterans Park, 77 N. High Street. Everyone is welcome to attend.
