Every day, Boulder City vet honors WWII-era promise

By Cassie Tomlin

Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008 | midnight

Every morning and every night, John Malinky pledges his allegiance to the American flag on a 35-foot pole outside the Nevada State Veterans Home.

He promised, nearly 65 years ago, if he ever got back from World War II, he would honor the country with the pledge daily.

Malinky, 86, says living at the veterans home is a privilege he enjoys in exchange for his service in the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division Artillery in Italy and Germany.

The veteran says he’s often showered with anonymous gifts in his room from thankful strangers, and on Veterans Day, he and almost 180 other residents will be honored with a church ceremony, barbecue, and trips to the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Boulder City for commemorations and the Veterans Day Parade in downtown Las Vegas.

Malinky was drafted into the Army from Ohio on Christmas Day, 1943. He served until February 1946. He trained in Colorado before shipping off to Naples, Italy.

Once he got to Naples, he said, he saw what he thought was an unbelievable sight: American girls handing out coffee and doughnuts.

“The coffee was delicious and hot, and the doughnuts were stale but delicious,” he said, laughing.

Malinky served as a cook and went on dangerous volunteer missions he said he would rather not remember. He and his division were outside Germany in May 1945 when the country surrendered.

In 1965, he came to Las Vegas to work at Caesars Palace as a cook and a bellman. He moved to the veterans home in 2006.

He said he and the other residents don’t share their war stories, though they’re proud and know the importance of their service.

Malinky plans to celebrate on Veterans Day. Though he doesn’t like to reminisce, he appreciates being appreciated.

“It makes me happy,” he said.

Cassie Tomlin can be reached at 948-2073 or [email protected].