"Freedom
is the sure possession of those alone who have the courage to defend it."
-Pericles
It has been a few weeks since our last edition of "This Week in SigEp Patriots History" and we believe it is very important to cover the events throughout the years that took place this particular week.
Happy (belated)
Veterans’ Day to all SigEp Patriots and their relatives who serve/served!
It is believed that the U.S. Army Rangers were the first to have
“leave no man behind” as a motto and part of their belief system. The SigEp
Patriots Project (SPP) believes that to be so of all brothers, but especially true
that we never leave a military brother behind – especially by forgetting about
him.
With that in mind, last Saturday SPP held its first Veterans’ Day
Observance event at Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) to show our respect and
honor the 35 SigEp Patriots known to be buried there. A single red rose was
placed at the gravesite of each brother.
As you can see from the photo of most of the participants, the
event was a great success. SPP would like to thank the undergraduate brothers from MD Beta, DC Gamma and DC Delta, as well as the alums and their friends
living in the area, for being involved in this important event.
07 NOV 1927
Leroy Marshall Burkholder was initiated as a SigEp at the PA
Eta chapter on this date. Brother Burkholder graduated from Penn State in 1930,
joined the U.S. Army within a year of the attack on Pearl Harbor, graduated
from OCS early in 1943, and earned at least the rank of First Lieutenant upon
his honorable discharged at the conclusion of WWII.
07 NOV 1942
On this
date, U.S. Army World War II Veteran and NC Epsilon Brother Charles Walker Sample participated in
the initial landings of American troops in North Africa.
05 NOV 1944
On this
date, World War II Veteran and IN Alpha Brother Second Lieutenant Clarence Cleveland Roudebush, Jr., U.S.
Army made the ultimate sacrifice when he was killed in action. Clarence and
other members of the 60th Troop Division where aboard a mission aircraft when
it was shot down near Pescara, Italy. After being temporarily interred in
Europe, Clarence was repatriated in Spring 1949.
Respect
can be paid to Brother Roudebush at Glen Haven Cemetery, Harrison, OH.
07NOV1958
World
War II Veteran of the Africa and Italy Campaigns and MD Alpha Brother Charles Elmer Jung was promoted to his
final rank of Brigadier General in the U.S. Air Force on this date. Buried at ANC,
the undergraduate brothers from one of the Washington, DC area chapters laid a
red rose at his gravesite and paid their respect in observance of Veterans’
Day.
06 NOV 1964
On this
date, U.S. Army World War II Veteran VA Zeta Brother J. Robert Massie, Jr. died on this date in Everglades, Florida
after suffering a heart attack.
08 NOV 1969
MT Alpha
Brother Benjamin B. Briscoe, III
died on this date. Brother Briscoe was a ROTC Cadet and member of the Class of
1970 at University of Montana when he died as a result of injuries suffered in
a three-car highway accident.
In
addition to ROTC, Brother Briscoe was student
body
president, chairman
of the Leadership Camp, and a participant in the Vietnam Moratorium
and 19-year-old vote committees. Ben and a friend were involved in the
car accident they were returning from the state capitol at Helena where they
campaigned at the State Democratic Convention
to gain support for lowering the voting age to 19.
Respect
can be paid to Brother Briscoe at Highland Cemetery in Great Falls, MT.
05 NOV 2000
U.S.
Marine Corps Veteran NE Beta Brother Mark
Alan Hurtz died on this date in Flagstaff, Arizona.
10 NOV 2004
On this
date, U.S. Navy World War II Veteran FL Alpha Brother Byrd C. Fryer, Jr. died in Gainesville, Florida. A year after
graduating from the University of Florida, Byrd was commissioned as an Internal
Revenue Agent. He worked for the IRS in Jacksonville, FL until his retirement
in 1974 – his work only interrupted by his service in the Pacific Theater with
the Navy during WWII. After the war, he served as an officer in the Navy
Reserve.
10 NOV 2008
 |
CO Delta Brother
Ev Ferris |
World
War II & Korean War Veteran, CO Delta Brother Lieutenant Colonel Evans “Ev” Ferris, U.S. Air Force died
on this date in Santa Barbara, California. During WWII, Ev flew C-87s on cargo
duty between India and China, and after the war he worked as an airline pilot
for Continental Airlines.
Brother
Ferris was a graduate of the Class of 1938 at Colorado School of Mines, where he
graduated with a degree in mining engineering. While we know he flew for
Continental for 32 years before retiring, we do not have any details about his
Korea War service during that same time.
Upon his
retirement, Ev and his wife moved to Santa Barbara where he loved to play golf.
In 1981 and 1982, he was the president of the board of directors of the La
Cumbre Country Club.
Respect
can be paid to Brother Ferris at Ulysses Cemetery in Ulysses, KS.
11 NOV 2008
 |
OR Beta Brother
Mike Talbot |
OR Beta
Brother Lieutenant Colonel/Doctor John
“Mike” Talbot, U.S. Air Force died unexpectedly on this date of a cerebral
hemorrhage. A 1958 graduate of the University of Oregon, Brother Talbot
subsequently began his attendance of the University’s Medical School before
joining the U.S. Air Force. After medical School, Mike served in Germany and
San Antonio, and resigned his commission in 1974 to go in to private practice
in Michigan.
In 1980,
Mike moved his family back to Portland where he served on the faculty of the
Oregon Health and Sciences University (OHSU). He retired after 20 years of
teaching, and in 2001 was named professor emeritus of otolaryngology, head and
neck surgery and diagnostic radiology from OHSU. He received the Meritorious
Achievement Award in May 2001. OR Beta brothers may see Brother Talbot’s name
around campus due to his achievements.
Respect
can be paid to Brother Talbot at Skyline Memorial Gardens in Portland.
05 NOV 2011
U.S.
Navy World War II Veteran and U.S. Air Force Reserve Veteran VA Zeta Brother Lawrence “Sweeney” Shiflett died on
this date.
Sweeney
served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, and after his discharge he
attended Randolph Macon College, became a SigEp, and joined the U.S. Air Force
Reserve where he served for 28 years.
Respect
can be paid to Brother Shiflett at Prospect Hill Cemetery in Front Royal, VA.
07 NOV 2011
U.S.
Army World War II Veteran and TN Alpha Brother Raymond Marshall Hair, Sr. died on this date in Lenoir, Tennessee. After graduating from high school in 1941, he enrolled at
the University of Tennessee in Knoxville as a ROTC Cadet and business student.
His student deferment at UT was cancelled after the U.S. declared war on the
Axis Powers and he was inducted into the U.S. Army in 1942. Raymond served as a
member in the 1111th Army Engineer Combat Group, landing with his company on
Utah beach in JUN 1944 during the second wave of the Normandy invasion. He
fought through France, Belgium and into Germany, participating in every major
allied battle in the European Theater. His unit liberated the Nazi
concentration camp at Bergen-Belsen, Germany. After the war's end, he continued
his college education in France, returning to the U.S. in 1946.
Respect
can be paid to Brother Hair at Lakeview Mausoleum in Lenoir.
10 NOV 2011
U.S.
Army Veteran TX Alpha President Mervin
Bernard Cook died on this date. Merv served in the Army from 1956 to 1959.
 |
TX Alpha President
Merv Cook |
After
graduating from high school in San Antonio in 1953, he began his study of music
at the University of Texas on a full voice scholarship, and was a member of the
1954 Sigma Phi Epsilon pledge class at UT. In 1959 Merv returned to UT to get
his B.A. in business and was elected president of TX Alpha.
After
graduation, Brother Cook was in management with the Farmers Insurance Group
regional office and the Austin Women's Club. Merv’s wife and a friend established
Mother Hubbard's Cupboard Catering, and when Merv retired, he became Mother
Hubbard. In 2004, Merv retired again and moved to Lake McQueeney in Seguin, TX.
04 NOV 2012
IN Beta
Brother First Lieutenant Robert Donnell
Arnold, U.S. Army died on this date in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Respect
can be paid to Brother Arnold at Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis.
On the same date, U.S. Navy Veteran KS Gamma Brother Charles “Charlie” Lee Medlock died in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Charlie
served aboard USS Fall River (CA-131)
and USS Recruit (AM-285)
Brother
Medlock was buried at sea.
06 NOV 2012
U.S.
Army World War II Veteran TX Alpha Brother Robert
Eugene Brown died on this date.
Respect
can be paid to Brother Brown at Austin Memorial Park in Austin, TX.
09 NOV 2012
 |
IN Gamma Brother
Duke Wolfe |
Korean
War Veteran and IN Gamma Brother Airman First Class Leland “Duke Wolfe, U.S. Air Force died on this date in Granger,
Indiana. After graduating from high school, Duke entered the Air Force, and
served as jet engine mechanic and instructor in Japan during the Korean War.
Brother
Wolfe earned his teaching degree and Master's from Ball State, and was an
active member of the IN Gamma chapter. He taught his entire career of 32 years
at Penn High School. Many young people learned how to work on cars and build
houses from Duke. He and a good friend also earned the Meritorious Teacher
Award from the State of Indiana for their creation of the highly successful
Penn High Building Trades Program. With the guidance of local professionals in
the trades, Brother Wolfe's students completed and sold 22 homes from
1969-1991.
Fraternally and Very Respectfully,
Brother
Ed Jones, NY Eta ‘96
Chief Petty Officer, U.S. Navy Reserve
Founder, SigEp Patriots Project
sigepswhoserve@gmail.com
