By MELANIE POOLE / Special to the Reporter

The Veteran of the Week is sponsored by the National Veterans Shrine and Register of Honor at the American Village — honoring America’s veterans and telling the stories of their service and sacrifice for the cause of liberty.

“The American Village is pleased to join the Shelby County Reporter in recognizing Master Sergeant James Mayhew Basinger, Sr. as Veteran of the Week,” American Village founder and CEO Tom Walker said. “He is representative of the hundreds of thousands of Alabamians who have risked it all for the sake of our country and its freedom. To all veterans we owe a debt we can never fully repay.”

Visit the website, Veteransregisterofhonor.com, today and add your loved ones to the Register of Honor. Help us honor, recognize, respect and remember our country’s veterans.

Here are highlights about this week’s Veteran of the Week: James Mayhew Basinger, Sr. was born in Aliceville, Alabama, in 1923. He was a veteran of World War II and served in the United States Army, 25th Infantry Division, defending his country in the Philippines on Luzon and serving his last months in occupied Japan. He was honorably discharged with the rank of Master Sergeant. A few years ago he was given the opportunity to go to Washington, D.C. on an Honor Flight to see the WWII Memorial. It was a highlight for him, and he appreciated everyone who made it possible. Basinger was a humble man, small in stature, with a big heart and a stubborn streak that he didn’t mind showing when he felt it was needed. He loved the Lord and was devoted to his wife – the love of his life, Ruth – and his family, with a special place in his heart for his three granddaughters, Amy, Erin and Abby.

Melanie Poole is Communications Officer for the American Village and can be reached at MPoole@americanvillage.org.