SigEps at Normandy on D-Day

American Normandy Cemetery

Brothers,

With today being the 70th anniversary of the invasion of Normandy - Operation Overlord or more commonly known as D-Day, the SigEp Patriots Project (SPP) thought it important to honor some of our brave brothers who served on that historic day.

If you ever get the chance to visit Normandy, do it! It is an incredibly moving experience.

It’s estimated that over 160,000 Allied troops landed along a 50 mile stretch of beach in Normandy, France 70 years ago today. While it is officially known that 4,413 U.S. service members were killed on D-Day, miraculously, all of the brothers mentioned here survived the hostile actions that took place that day.

101st Airborne

Brothers serving with the 101st Airborne Division were likely the first SigEp Patriots to touch down in Normandy, France on D-Day. The Division jumped over the course of about an hour from 0048 (or 12:48am) to 0140 (1:40am).

In an interview published in September 1944, DE Alpha Brother (Class of 1943) Staff Sergeant Robert A. Shurter, Jr., U.S. Army is quoted as saying, “Our Company jumped at 1:17 a.m., five hours before the actual invasion started.” His stick (Number 61) was spread out over about 6.5 kilometers from St. Mere Eglise northeast to where he landed just above Ravenoville. “We all knew our mission. Roads leading to the beach had to be cleared of known machine gun nests, pill boxes, and 88’s and we had to secure the high ground in the area to cover the seaborn infantry.” Brother Shurter was 23 years when he earned his Combat Infantry Badge on D-Day while serving as Operations Sergeant in Dog Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Division, 101st Airborne Division.


One of the variations of the interview mentioned that a group of men, including Robert, decided to head toward Pouppeville, where he may have run in to
Brother Anthony McAuliffe. In the Spring of 1945, according to Volume 42, Number 4 of the SigEp Journal, “Robert Shurter, Delaware Alpha, '43,

Brother Anthony McAuliffe

paratrooper; awarded the Bronze Star for gallant action in Normandy, by SigEp brother Major General Anthony C. McAuliffe, West Virginia Beta, after two and a half years in the service.”

Brother Shurter would go on to become First Sergeant of Dog Company, parachute in to Holland with the 101st as part of Operation Market Garden, and later was appointed Sergeant Major of the 506th.

Although he had no formal Army instruction in parachuting, World War I Veteran and WV Beta Brother Brigadier General Anthony McAuliffe, U.S. Army also parachuted into Normandy with the 101st Airborne Division on D-Day as commander of the Artillery Division.

This Week in SigEp Patriot History, 20 – 26 MAY

“Now do your duty. Your officers cannot have entire command over you now. Each man must do all in his power for his country.” ~ Captain Isaac Hull, Commanding Officer, USS Constitution at the beginning of the battle with HMS Guerriere, the War of 1812

Brothers,

22 MAY 1949

On this date, World War I Veteran, Secretary of the Navy, first Secretary of Defense and NH Alpha Brother Lieutenant James Vincent Forrestal, U.S. Navy Reserve died in Bethesda, Maryland. When the U.S. entered World War I, Brother Forrestal enlisted in the United States Navy as a Seaman Second Class on 02 JUN 1917. After flight training, he was commissioned an Ensign, Naval Reserve Flying Corps at Boston, Massachusetts, and he gained his wings of gold before the year was out. He served until late 1919 when he was discharged with the rank of Lieutenant.

James was born in 1892 in Matteawan (now Beacon), New York. After graduating from high school, he worked for three years on local newspapers in New York before entering Dartmouth College in 1911 where he became a Brother of SigEp. The following year he transferred to Princeton University, however he left school in his senior year prior to completing work on this degree.

During World War II, Brother Forrestal held several government jobs, and was appointed Secretary of the Navy on 19 MAY 1944. He participated prominently in the development of the National Security Act of 1947, and went on to become the first Secretary of Defense upon the creation of that position.

James Forrestal is the second SigEp to have a U.S. Navy ship named after him, and I proudly served on that ship. The aircraft carrier USS Forrestal (CV-59), the first U.S. super-carrier, was affectionately referred to as the “FID,” recognizing the ships motto “First in Defense.”

President Truman and 2,500 guests attended the ceremony where Brother Forrestal was laid to rest with full military honors. Honorary pallbearers at his funeral included Herbert Hoover, former President of the United States; Fred M. Vinson, Chief Justice of the United States; General of the Army George C. Marshall, former Secretary of State and former Chief of Staff, U.S. Army, and General of the Army Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Respect can be paid to Brother Forrestal in Section 30, Site 674 SH at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Virginia.

22 MAY 1970

AR Beta Brothers Gregory Felling and Jack Elwin Helms were commissioned as Second Lieutenants in the U.S. Army at their graduation on this date.

This Week in SigEp Patriot History, 02 – 08 APR

Brothers,

"Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance." ~ Robert F. Kennedy

06 APR 1945
For his actions on this date, U.S. Army D-Day World War II Veteran DE Alpha Brother Robert L. Snowberger was awarded the Bronze Star for heroic action against an "out numbering enemy force" while serving in Germany.

07 APR 1984
U.S. Navy Veteran and NE Beta Brother Kenneth G. Doeschot died on this date in Newark, California.

03 APR 1996
VT Beta Brother, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, and 35th Secretary of Commerce Captain Ronald Harmon Brown, U.S. Army died on this date when the Air Force CT-43 he was traveling in on the way to an official trade mission in Croatia crashed in to a mountainside killing all on board.

Born 01 AUG 1941 in Washington, DC, Ron was raised in Harlem, New York, and attended Middlebury College where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree and was the first African-American brother of our beloved fraternity.

Brother Brown served in the United States Army from 1963 to 1967 rising to the rank of captain, and in 1970 earned his law degree from St. John’s University School of Law.

From 1967 to 1979, Ron worked for the National Urban League, rising to the position of deputy executive director for Programs and Governmental Affairs. He was elected chairman of the Democratic National Committee in 1989 and played an integral role in the election of President William Clinton. President Clinton then appointed Brown Secretary of Commerce in 1993.

In honor of Brother Brown, President Clinton established the Ron Brown Award for corporate leadership and responsibility. The United States Department of Commerce annually gives out the Ronald H. Brown Innovator Award and there is the Ronald H. Brown Center for Civil Rights and Economic Development at St. John’s University School of Law. In 2001, Brown was posthumously presented the Presidential Citizens Award.

Respect can be paid to Brother Brown at Section 6, Lot 8389, Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA.

07 APR 2001
On this date, CA Beta Brother Ensign Gaylord Goble, U.S. Navy died in La Jolla, California. Born 01 AUG 1920, in Flagstaff, Arizona he attended USC and graduated from USC School of Dentistry in 1945.

Brother Goble served aboard the aircraft carrier Point Cruz (CVE-119), and retired from his dental practice in Beverly Hills in 1981.

03 APR 2007
U.S. Army World War II Veteran and NC Epsilon Brother William Alexander “Bill” Dixon died on this date in Belmont, North Carolina.

Brother Dixon served in the U.S. Army from JUL 1945 to JAN 1947, and upon discharge he entered Davidson and received his degree. Upon graduation, he joined his father in Dixon Oil Company. In 1959 he began a real estate business, working as a broker, home builder, land developer, and appraiser, retiring in 1996. Bill was active in civic affairs as a member of the Belmont Rotary Club serving as president in 1959, a founding member of the Belmont Chamber of Commerce serving as president in 1967, and was awarded Citizen of the Year in 2005.

He also served as a Scoutmaster from 1950-59, as district and council chairman of leadership training, and in 1965 he was awarded the Silver Beaver from Piedmont Council for outstanding service. Bill served as president of the Belmont Satellite of Habitat for Humanity for seven years, and thereafter as construction coordinator.

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK
02 APR 1922 – U.S. Marine Corps World War II Veteran and NE Alpha Brother Jay Franklin Hoffman was born in Austin, Minnesota.
07 APR 1927 – World War II Veteran and PA Delta Brother Sergeant John Metcalf Bickelhaupt, U.S. Army Air Corps.
08 APR 1929 – National Guard Veteran (Montana) and MT Beta Brother Daniel William Ayres was born in Bozeman, Montana.
02 APR 1938 – DC Alpha Brother Lieutenant Commander Hans Zassenhaus, U.S. Navy (Retired).
08 APR 1944 – VA Alpha Brother and Major / Doctor William Fielding Bryce V, U.S. Air Force was born in Richmond, VA.
06 APR 1987 – UT Beta Brother and U.S. Navy pilot Chase Winsor.
08 APR 1988 – MO Eta Brother Specialist Brian Milbach, U.S. Army Reserve
04 APR 1989 – NJ Alpha Brother Second Lieutenant Andrew Boyle, U.S. Army.
05 APR 1989 – PA Gamma Brother Ensign Paul Ellison, U.S. Navy.
07 APR 1989 – MO Kappa Brother ROTC Cadet Matthew Boyd.

Happy Birthday Brothers! Did we miss you? If so, it is because we don’t know your birthday. Send an email to sigepswhoserve@gmail.com if you wish to allow us the honor of celebrating your day.

CELEBRATIONS!
* On Wednesday, Dartmouth College announced its medical school is being named Audrey and Theodor Geisel School of Medicine.

SIGEP PATRIOTS PROJECT (SPP) UPDATE
* The SPP official Facebook group – SigEps Who Serve – is quickly closing in on 460 members, and this week we were very happy to welcome NC Mu Brother Second Lieutenant Jacob Rudy, U.S. Marine Corps and especially proud of our recently initiated KS Beta Brother and U.S. Marine Corps PLC Candidate Doug Brown. Any brother who serves/served can join SigEps Who Serve by going to http://www.facebook.com/groups/sigepswhoserve. Not on Facebook? Join the SPP listserve by sending an email to sigepswhoserve@gmail.com. For both, you will be asked to provide your military affiliation and home chapter.
* The SPP archives have grown to 1,767 since the last installment of “This Week”.
* Any undergrad or alumni interested in joining Team SPP as a chapter point of contact just drop an email to sigepswhoserve@gmail.com.

Fraternally and Respectfully,

Brother Ed Jones, NY Eta ‘96
Chief Petty Officer, U.S. Navy Reserve
Founder, SigEp Patriots Project