# Veteran of battle for Okinawa in World War II beaten to death



## Timppa (Aug 24, 2013)

What is wrong in this world ?

"Police in Spokane, Wash., have arrested one of two teens suspected of fatally beating an 88-year-old veteran of World War II who had survived the battle for Okinawa.

Authorities say the two young men, between 16 and 19 years old, approached Delbert Belton in his car at random Wednesday night outside an Eagles Lodge as he was waiting for a friend.

Belton was found by police with serious head injuries and died in the hospital Thursday.
Belton's senseless death has struck a chord nationally and sparked outrage on social media.
"He fought for this country," said Belton's sister, Alberta Tosh, on Friday. "Then he comes home and a couple of creeps kill him in the worst way."

Spokane Police say they have surveillance images of the attackers. Police have released few details about the person they arrested, other than that he is a juvenile male being held on charges of robbery and first degree murder.

Belton was born and raised in Spokane and joined the Army during World War II. Tosh said he was shot in the leg on Okinawa, site of one of the fiercest battles of the war in 1945.
"He was shell-shocked real bad," Tosh, 78, said. "But it got better."

After the war, he spent 33 years working for Kaiser Aluminum, before retiring in 1982.
In retirement, Belton loved to dance, play pool and repair old cars, family members said.

"He was very active and everybody liked him," said niece Pam Hansen. "He'd never think about harming another person."
Belton was called Shorty by his friends because he was little more than 5 feet tall, Hansen said.
She believes he was targeted by the assailants because of his age and size.
"He was defenseless," Hansen said.

A friend, Ted Denison, said he was planning to go to the Eagles Lodge when he heard Belton had died.
"He put his life on the line for our country to come home and 60 years later? Get beat to death?" Denison told The Spokesman-Review. "That's not right."
Denison, a veteran himself, said he used to tease Belton about his membership in the Eagles Lodge, saying that place was for "old fogies." He didn't make it to the lodge in time.
"I don't care who you are, you don't beat up an old man," Denison said. "You're supposed to respect your elders, not beat them to death."

Another close friend, Lill Duncan, said she can't imagine what drove anyone to kill him.
"He lived his life every day to make somebody else happy. It wasn't all about him. It was about what he could do for everybody else."

Veteran of battle for Okinawa in World War II beaten to death in random Spokane attack | Fox News



http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/130823025108-wwii-vet-beaten2-story-top.jpg


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## DerAdlerIstGelandet (Aug 24, 2013)

And this is why I carry. I will leave it at that...


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## Matt308 (Aug 24, 2013)

Well at least they caught one of the mothereffers. And he'll squeal like a pig and they'll catch the other prick.


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## mikewint (Aug 24, 2013)

Chris, perfectly and exactly stated. Two male teens and an 88YO man...must have been are real tough fight...hope the "boys" are OK
News here stated that authorities were looking into Hate Crime charges as the "boys" were black and their victem white


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## Alex . (Aug 24, 2013)

Stuff like this makes me sick  Hope they throw the book at them, another veteran gone. RIP.


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## N4521U (Aug 24, 2013)

It happens over here as well. It's just SH!T


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## GrauGeist (Aug 24, 2013)

Those two douchebags think they are badasses...they have no idea what Mr. Belton went through when he was their age and it's a pity they didn't try this sh!t on him when he was in his prime.
Regardless of thier color, they are nothing but d*ckless cowards and it is my sincerest hopes that they suffer 10 times the agony that they inflicted on Mr. Belton someday.


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## meatloaf109 (Aug 25, 2013)

Sad. Very sad. I will think on this.


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## vikingBerserker (Aug 25, 2013)

What a pair of POS


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## Matt308 (Aug 26, 2013)

They caught the other azzhole too. Two 16yo punks. Going to be charged with aggravated murder.


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## mikewint (Aug 26, 2013)

had not heard that here Matt, I hope they get "the chair" though probably 10yrs and parole. After all, we must consider their poor deprived, discriminated against upbrining


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## Matt308 (Aug 26, 2013)

I was thinking the same thing Mike. Underage, underprivelaged and likely under sentenced. But I hope not.


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## GrauGeist (Aug 26, 2013)

Aggrivated my azz...that was premeditated first degree murder and both should get the fast-track to "old sparky"


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## Wayne Little (Aug 27, 2013)

hope they get the same break they gave their defenceless victim...little [email protected]


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## Matt308 (Aug 27, 2013)

The gaul of these two pricks... pleading not guilty with all the circumstantial evidence. Oh and guess what... they have prior records of assault. Why don't we learn.

Lawyer: Little evidence tying suspect to WWII vet's death - U.S. News


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## GrauGeist (Aug 28, 2013)

The saddest part about this, is that this is not sn isolated case...it's happening all the time. The exception here is that this tragedy managed to get into the public's attention but even still isn't getting Washington's involvement like the recent case in Florida.


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## Matt308 (Aug 28, 2013)

I'm not gonna touch that, GG. Heard this morning the perps are saying they were doing a drug deal and the old man shorted them. So he got a whoopass.

So not only did they kill him, but now they are besmirching his character. I hope they get the ****ing chair now (never gonna happen in Washington State).


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## vikingBerserker (Aug 28, 2013)

Just drop them off at a local VFW, let them take care of the 2 a**holes.


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## GrauGeist (Aug 28, 2013)

Better idea...the U.S. "leadership" is determined to drop bombs on Syria...so here's a solution:
Instead of dropping bombs, kick these douchebags out the back of the Herc at about 10 and let them freefall.

They get to drop stuff and we get rid of the scum all in one shot...that's a win-win


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## Matt308 (Aug 28, 2013)

Why are we going to bomb Syria for Godsake.


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## mikewint (Aug 29, 2013)

Matt, We (USA) are the world's police force, doncha know. They (syrian govt) used chemical weapons on rebel forces. So we (USA - Good guys) is gonna bomb them (Syrian govt forces - Bad Guys) this will help??? the rebels and spank the baddies. Thus we (USA) win the world's love and affection, doncha know!


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## GrauGeist (Aug 29, 2013)

Before we play world cop, we should get our own house in order first...

Sad part about the Syrian rebels, is that they are (for the most part) a composite force of foreign nationals, much like the insurgents in Iraq. Add to that mix, is several competing factions who's only common bond, is fighting Assad's forces.

So in the event that Assad's forces are defeated, you'll end up with a power grab by these factions much like happened in Afghanistan.

Nothing but a huge Dog and Pony show...


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## Matt308 (Aug 29, 2013)

Sorry for diversion. Back on track. My fault. I see further discussion will spiral into a political debate. My bad.

I didn't realize these two aholes beat this vet with flashlights and that he died from blood loss stuffed in between the seats of his car. What was this 88yo vet doin' sitting in his car? He was waiting for a female friend so he could escort her home, as she was afraid to walk home alone.


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## mikewint (Aug 29, 2013)

Matt, none of that has made it this far east. If they used flashlights there should be physical evidence. Last I heard their lawyer stated there was nothing to connect them to the beating except the video showing them in the parking lot


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## Rogi (Nov 10, 2013)

mikewint said:


> Matt, none of that has made it this far east. If they used flashlights there should be physical evidence. Last I heard their lawyer stated there was nothing to connect them to the beating except the video showing them in the parking lot



Wow, does this not at least warrant an investigation ? 

After reading the article, I think the race card is at play here  If we are going to be fair, if we switched the colors around, this would be head line news would it not?


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## pbehn (Nov 11, 2013)

Whoever did it is FILTH


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## Matt308 (Nov 12, 2013)

mikewint said:


> Matt, none of that has made it this far east. If they used flashlights there should be physical evidence. Last I heard their lawyer stated there was nothing to connect them to the beating except the video showing them in the parking lot



Yeah he also said that before he found out the forensic evidence has their fingerprints and prior to the DNA test results. While not hard and fast evidence I found this comment interesting from an old news article, when they have plead guilty to only hitting him three times with their fists.

Police: Arrest Made In Beating Death Of 88-Year-Old WWII Vet « CBS Seattle

"Belton was found by police with serious head injuries and died in the hospital Thursday.

Belton’s daughter-in-law tells KREM-TV that the suspects beat him with flashlights.

“They used those great big heavy flashlights,” Bobbie Belton said. “The doctors said he was bleeding from all parts of his face.”"


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## GrauGeist (Nov 12, 2013)

It's heartbreaking to see that this man fought through some of the most terrifying battles in the Pacific and survived, only to be killed by people of his own country. I can't call them men. Even though they were young adults, spineless cowards cannot be considered men..


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## mikewint (Nov 12, 2013)

Matt, thanks for the further update, again none of this has appeared here. Glad the cretins are not going to get away with it...Hopefully


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## Lucky13 (Nov 13, 2013)

Why not let other veterans deal with these lowlifes? I'm pretty sure that they'd be more than happy to please and we'd save of court costs etc., etc....

(language not suitable for printing)


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## Zipper730 (May 20, 2018)

Timppa said:


> "Police in Spokane, Wash., have arrested one of two teens suspected of fatally beating an 88-year-old veteran of World War II who had survived the battle for Okinawa.
> 
> Authorities say the two young men, between 16 and 19 years old, approached Delbert Belton in his car at random Wednesday night outside an Eagles Lodge as he was waiting for a friend.


Senseless, not to mention ironic: He endures one of the most violent battles of WWII and gets killed by a pair of morons who might not even know where Iwo Jima is on a map (It's almost perfectly south of Tokyo).



DerAdlerIstGelandet said:


> And this is why I carry. I will leave it at that...


Actually that's why most people _do_...


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## parsifal (May 20, 2018)

what was their reason for doing what they did/ its years later now, I wonder what the outcome was.


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