This Week in SigEp Patriot History, 01 – 07 April

06 APR 1945
For his actions on this date while serving in Germany, 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."

01 APR 1952

For his actions on this date over Korea, Korean War Veteran and Ace, SigEp Citation Recipient and IN Alpha Brother Captain Iven Carl "Kinch" Kincheloe, Jr., U.S. Air Force was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action. On 04 JUN 1952, Headquarters, Far East Asia Forces issued General Order Number 272:

“The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, 09 JUL 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Captain Iven C. Kincheloe, United States Air Force, for gallantry in action against an enemy of the United Nations as pilot, 25th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, 51st Fighter-Interceptor Group, FIFTH Air Force, on 01 APR 1952. While leading a flight of four F-86 type aircraft, Captain Kincheloe encountered sixteen enemy aircraft attempting to intercept friendly fighter-bombers, Captain Kincheloe quickly broke his flight into elements to engage the enemy, and boldly attacked although greatly outnumbered. He pressed attacks against two of the enemy, completely disregarding efforts of other aircraft to deter him. Displaying unusual aggressiveness, Captain Kincheloe severely damaged the aircraft of the enemy flight leader, forcing him to eject himself, and despite heavy damage to his own aircraft, attacked another and destroyed it completely. Captain Kincheloe's destruction of the two aircraft effectively broke up the enemy force and prevented their attack on the friendly fighter-bombers. Through his personal courage, outstanding airmanship, and devotion to duty, Captain Kincheloe reflected great credit upon himself, the Far East Air Forces, and the United States Air Force.”

This Week in SigEp Patriot History, 27 FEB – 04 MAR

Brothers,

02 MAR 1904
A man was born on this date that would affect millions around the world. Our NH Alpha Brother, World War II Veteran and Captain Theodor Seuss Geisel, U.S. Army was born in Springfield, Massachusetts.

28 FEB 1919
On this date, U.S. Marine Corps World War I Veteran and NE Alpha Brother Frank Dewey Carman was discharged following his military service.

04 MAR 1925
World War II Veteran, CO Delta Brother and Private Erling “Swede” Kristian Arnston, U.S. Army was born on this date.

28 FEB 1929
U.S. Marine Corps Veteran and DE Alpha Brother James Robert McCarthy was born on this date in Cleveland, Ohio.

03 MAR 1938
U.S. Air Force Veteran and IA Delta Brother Thomas Michael Hamilton was born on this date in Davenport, Iowa.

04 MAR 1945
On this date, KS Gamma President Robert Ellsworth Stoddard, Second Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps, was killed during the Battle of Iwo Jima while serving with the 23rd Marines.

04 MAR 2011
In a small world example of how we are all connected, 66 years after the death of Brother Stoddard, fellow World War II Veteran, TX Alpha President and First Lieutenant Charles Lynn West, U.S. Army Air Corps died peacefully in Midland, TX.

During the war, Charles served as a bombardier with the 7th Air Force, 30th Bomb Group in the South Pacific aboard a B-24 Liberator nicknamed “Ruff Knights.” Brother West and the Ruff Knights led the entire bomb group on the final tactical assault upon Iwo Jima before the assault on Iwo by Brother Stoddard and his Marines.

Brother West was born 26 MAY 1923, in Miami, Oklahoma. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps and was assigned to bombardier training in Big Spring, TX. In 1943, he received a commission to the rank of First Lieutenant and ordered to Tonopah, NV, to finish training. From there, it was off to war flying in the Liberator from bases on Guam, Saipan, and Tinian, he and a crew of ten other daring young men, and even an ornery dog named "Snuffy," combined to fly 43 missions.

Following the war, Charles attended Louisiana State University and The University of Texas. He graduated in 1951, and worked as an independent petroleum geologist for multiple companies, most notably Texas Pacific Oil & Gas and Beach Exploration, in a career spanning nearly 60 years through booms and busts. Charles was an active member of the Midland Downtown Lions Club, Midland Masonic Lodge #623, Scottish Rite, Dallas Valley, and Suez Shrine.

RECENT LOSSES TO THE ROLL
* IN Alpha Brother and Colonel Ryan Edward Steele, U.S. Army Reserve (Retired) of West Windsor, New Jersey passed away on 13 FEB 2012, with his family by his side.
* U.S. Marine Corps World War II Veteran and WI Beta Brother Daniel Raymond Femal of Houston, Texas peacefully passed away on 14 FEB 2012. Memorial services will be held for David Friday, 09 MAR 2012, 11am at the Houston National Cemetery.
* U.S. Army and Army Reserve Veteran, and AL Alpha Brother James “Bo” Franklin Anthony passed away in Trussville, Alabama on 19 FEB 2012 at the age of 77.* WV Beta Brother and First Lieutenant John Granville Meador, U.S. Army passed away on 28 FEB in Pensacola, Florida.

As always, our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends of these Brothers, and the SigEp Patriots Project pledges that their service to the Nation will never be forgotten.

CELEBRATION!
Congratulations to TN Eta Brother Clint Van Ert on his recent commissioning to Second Lieutenant, U. S. Army! Best of luck, Brother!

SIGEP PATRIOTS PROJECT (SPP) LEADERSHIP
The SPP leadership ranks now number 20! We welcome the following points of contact (or POCs) that will work with SPP to increase the historical holdings of their respective chapters as well as the SPP archives:
#19 – WI Beta POC is Max Witkowski, former WI Beta Chapter President
#20 – NY Lambda POC is Nate Cross; NY Lambda Brother and Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army

Thank you for leadership and commitment! Others interested in serving as POCs can write to sigepswhoserve@gmail.com.

SPP NUMBERS
* SPP now has the names of 1,175 SigEp Patriots who serve/served in the U.S. military!

* 440! The membership of the official SPP Facebook group now numbers 440 SigEp Patriots with the addition of the following Brothers:
U.S. Navy Veteran and KY Zeta Brother Bradley James Ballard, TN Eta Brother and Second Lieutenant Clint Van Ert, U.S. Army, and MO Eta Brother and Specialist Brian Millbach, U.S. Army Reserve.

Welcome Brothers!

To join the group, go to http://www.facebook.com/groups/sigepswhoserve. Not on Facebook? Join our listserve by sending an email to sigepswhoserve@gmail.com. You will be asked to provide your military affiliation and home chapter.

Fraternally and Respectfully,

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

Last Week in SigEp Patriot History, 24 - 30 OCT

In this “Last Week” edition:
- A World War I Ace’s activity over France
- Birth of the internet by SigEp Citation recipient
- Death of World War II Veteran and Congressman
- A Brother who made the ultimate sacrifice
- Two more SigEp Patriots passed away this week
- A Brother safely returns from a successful Afghanistan deployment
- The SigEp Patriots Project and the official Facebook group continues to grow

28 & 29 OCT 1918
World War I Veteran and Ace NY Beta Brother Major James Armand Meissner, U.S. Army Air Service had his seventh and eighth (final) aerial kills over Bantheville and Buzancy, France, respectively.

26 OCT 1922
U.S. Army World War II Veteran OH Gamma Brother Robert W. Bishop was born on this date in Cleveland, Ohio.

26 OCT 1936
On this date, MI Alpha Brother First Lieutenant George Henry Cress, U.S. Army was born.

25 OCT 1964
Operation DESERT STORM Veteran MO Lambda Brother Jay Scott Danner, U.S. Air National Guard (Missouri) was born on this date in Maryville, Missouri.

29 OCT 1969
On this date the internet was born when U.S. Navy World War II Veteran and SigEp Citation Recipient OR Alpha Brother Dr. Doug Engelbart’s ARPANET (the precursor to the internet) computer at Stanford Research Institute (SRI) received the first message sent between two nodes. The message, sent from the SDS Sigma 7 computer at UCLA to SRI's SDS 940 computer, was supposed to consist of the word "log", followed by Engelbart's reply of "in", thus spelling the word "log-in". The computer at UCLA crashed after sending only two characters — "lo" — but those letters were instantaneously received at 10:30 PM local time on 29 OCT 1969 at Engelbart's SRI laboratory, making it arguably the birthplace of the internet.

26 OCT 1997
World War II Veteran, FL State Representative, U.S. Congressman and FL Alpha Brother Captain Donald Ray Matthews, U.S. Army died on this date in Gainesville, Florida. Born in Micanopy, FL on 03 OCT 1907, Brother Matthews was a school teacher, principal and member of the Florida state house of representatives before serving in the U.S. Army during World War II. Discharged at the rank of Captain, Don served as an alternate delegate from Florida to the Democratic National Convention in 1952, and went on represent the Florida 8th District in the U.S. Congress from 1953-67. Respect can be paid to Brother Matthews at the Hawthorne Cemetery, Hawthorne, FL.