This Week in SigEp Patriot History, 16 – 22 SEP

Brothers,
[Reminder: To see the complete work including pictures, go to www.sigepblog.org.]

“We who have a deep concern for our Fraternity chapter are vitally conscious of the importance of its history. History is tradition and if we are wise, we seek guidance and discipline in tradition. But we observe sadly that events of importance, here today, have a way of becoming lost very quickly in the dim yesterdays. And if we are to make use of our history we cannot be satisfied to let significant events remain buried.”

~ Brother Pedro Campa, Illinois; from the Sigma Phi Epsilon Journal, Volume 67, Number 4, published May 1970

Even though today is the day after POW/MIA Remembrance Day, the SigEp Patriots Project (SPP) believes it is important to always honor the following Brothers who were prisoners of war and those who are still missing in action:

Robert Douglas Avery – MIA & POW, TN Gamma ‘65

Paul S. Beard – POW, OH Epsilon ‘04
Heywood Davis – POW, DC Alpha
William C.A. Enke – POW, MT Alpha
Elmer J. Gray – POW, PA Delta
James Downs Latham – POW, KS Beta ‘69
George Robert Law – POW, WI Alpha ‘34
John “Bill” William Rambo, Sr. – POW, TN Alpha ‘58
Waldo E. Schmitt – MIA & POW, DC Alpha ‘40
John R. Vaughn – POW, CO Gamma ‘38
Edgar A. Waite, Jr. – POW, PA Delta ‘49

NEVER FORGOTTEN

18 SEP 1946

World War II Veteran and CA Alpha Brother Captain William E. Turpen, U.S. Army was discharged on this date after more than six years of service.

NH Alpha Brother
James V. Forrestal

17 SEP 1947

On this date, President Truman’s selection as first U.S. Secretary of Defense was sworn in – World War I Veteran and NH Alpha Brother Lieutenant James Vincent Forrestal, U.S. Navy Reserve. During the same week three years later, a bronze bust of Brother Forrestal was unveiled at the Mall entrance to the Pentagon (22 SEP 1950).

22 SEP 1995

AZ Beta Brother (then) Captain Alan Mark “Vodka” Gemmill, U.S. Navy completed his tour as Commanding Officer of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) on this date.

20 SEP 2008

On this date, Operation DESERT STORM Veteran MO Lambda Brother Jay Scott Danner, U.S. Air National Guard (Missouri) died at St. Francis Hospital, Tulsa, Oklahoma at the age of 43.

Scott was born in 1964 in Maryville, MO, and graduated from Northwest Missouri State University in 1988 with a BS degree in Business Administration. He worked for Philip Morris USA for 19 years and his final job was as a Unit Manager.

Respect can be paid to Brother Danner at Prairie Home Cemetery, Graham, MO.

Last Week in SigEp Patriot History, 17 - 23 SEP

Brothers,

In a week that saw the anniversary of the establishment of the Department of Defense and U.S. Air Force, 9/11 and the 34^th observance of National POW/MIA Recognition Day, the following words remain true and a concern of the SigEp Patriots Project (SPP) serving to motivate and inspire us every day.

“We who have a deep concern for our Fraternity chapter are vitally conscious of the importance of its history. History is tradition and if we are wise, we seek guidance and discipline in tradition. But we observe sadly that events of importance, here today, have a way of becoming lost very quickly in the dim yesterdays. And if we are to make use of our history we cannot be satisfied to let significant events remain buried.”

~ Brother Pedro Campa, Illinois; from the Sigma Phi Epsilon Journal, Volume 67, Number 4, published May 1970



NH Alpha Brother
James Vincent Forrestal



17 SEP 1947

President Truman selected World War I Veteran and NH Alpha Brother Lieutenant James Vincent Forrestal, U.S. Navy Reserve to be the first secretary of defense and he was sworn in on this date. During the same week three years later, a bronze bust of Brother Forrestal was unveiled at the Mall entrance to the Pentagon (22 SEP 1950).

22 SEP 1995

On this date, AZ Beta Brother (then) Captain Alan Mark “Vodka” Gemmill, U.S. Navy completed his tour as Commanding Officer of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) after serving since 20 MAR 1993.

20 SEP 2008

Operation DESERT STORM Veteran MO Lambda Brother Jay Scott Danner, U.S. Air National Guard (Missouri) died on this date at St. Francis Hospital, Tulsa, Oklahoma at the age of 43.

Scott was born 25 OCT 1964 in Maryville, Missouri, and was a 1984 graduate of Maryville High School. He graduated from Northwest Missouri State University in 1988 with a BS degree in Business Administration. Brother Danner served in the Missouri Air National Guard and was a veteran of Desert Storm. He worked for Philip Morris USA for 19 years and his final job was as a Unit Manager.

Respect can be paid to Brother Danner at Prairie Home Cemetery, Graham, MO. While gone, SPP pledges that Scott and his patriotic service will always be remembered.

19 SEP 2009

U.S. Navy World War II Veteran and CO Delta Brother Theodore “Ted” Louis Goudvis died on this date in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Born in 1918, Ted grew up near New York City. He graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a professional degree in mining engineering.

During World War II Ted was a Navy “Seabee” (Construction Battalion) and served in France and the Philippines. After the war, he and a college friend started a small business in northern Ohio manufacturing concrete products. He visited and fell in love with Aspen, Colo., in the 1960s, and built a house there when he retired in 1980. Ted was an avid hiker, skier and nature lover.

At this time, SPP does not know Ted’s final resting place, but we hope you will write if you have that information. In the meantime, SPP will keep looking, and pledges that Ted and his military service are always remembered.

This Week in SigEp Patriot History, 06 – 12 FEB

“A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a superficial appearance of being right.”
~ Thomas Paine (Englisth born American writer and political pamphleteer, 1737-1809)

09 FEB 2007
Five years ago today, we lost Vietnam War Veteran and TN Gamma Brother Captain Bruce Edward Crowe, U.S. Marine Corps when he passed away at his West Knoxville after a courageous battle with cancer. Bruce attended East Tennessee State University, graduated from The University of Tennessee and later earned a master’s degree from Tennessee Tech University. Brother Crowe received two Purple Hearts during his service in the Marine Corps, and later became a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Masons.

Memorials may be made to the Veterans of Foreign Wars, 736 N. 4th Ave, Knoxville, TN 37917 and/or the American Cancer Society, 871 Weisgarber Road, Knoxville, TN 37909.

Brother Crowe was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors. In 2011, the SigEp Patriots Project paid respect to Bruce on Founders and Veteran’s Day and you can too at Section 66, Site 7578.

08 FEB 2011
U.S. Army World War II Veteran OH Kappa Brother James Owen Simpson died on this date in Moultrie, Georgia. His obituary listed him as a “Lieutenant” but it is unknown whether he earned the rank of First or Second Lieutenant.Brother Simpson was born 06 JUN 1926, in Akron, Ohio, and he served in the Army prior to attending college. Employed by Equifax after college, Jim and his wife lived in Minnesota, Atlanta, Columbia, SC, and, finally, Columbus, OH, where he was executive sales manager until his retirement in 1992. After his retirement, he was able to achieve his life-long goal of traveling the world.

Respect can be paid to Brother Simpson at Chestnut Hill Cemetery in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.

09 FEB 2011
U.S. Army Air Corps World War II Veteran KS Gamma Brother Robert Rousseau Ambrose died on this date in Overland Park, Kansas. Bob was born in Topeka, Kansas, 10 JAN 1917, lived most of his life in the Kansas City area, and attended the University of Kansas.

Brother Ambrose served as a flight engineer aboard B-24s during WWII, and flew on 50 bombing missions over Africa, Italy and the European Theatre. He was awarded four Air Medals during his service.

Bob owned and operated Ambrose Weinand Company for many years before he retired. He was a member of St. Ann's Catholic Church and the Serra Club of Kansas City, Kansas. Memorial contributions are suggested to the Serra Club of Kansas City, Kansas or Hospice Care of the Midwest.

Respect can be paid to Brother Ambrose at Floral Hills Memorial Gardens, Kansas City, MO.

RECENT LOSSES TO THE ROLL
* U.S. Marine Corps Veteran FL Delta Brother Robert “Hoppy” Attree Hopkins died peacefully on 03 FEB at his home in Reston, Virginia. Hoppy attended Florida Southern College, graduating with a BS degree in Business, and after college he served in the Marine Corps as an officer stationed at Quantico, Virginia from 1961-1964. The visitation and celebration of Brother Hopkins’ life will be held at Adams-Green Funeral Home, 721 Elden Street, Herndon, Virginia on Saturday, 11 FEB 2012 from 1 to 4 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Marine Corps Heritage Foundation, in memory of Robert A. Hopkins, 3800 Fettler Park Drive Suite 104, Dumfries, VA 22025.
* U.S. Army Reserve Veteran NC Beta Brother Charles A. “Yogi” Denson, Jr., 71, of Mooresville, North Carolina passed away on Tuesday, 07 FEB 2012 at Lake Norman Regional Medical Center. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM tomorrow (09 FEB) at Central United Methodist Church. The body will lie in state beginning at 10:00 AM at the church. The family will receive friends at a reception in the fellowship hall immediately following the service. Burial will take place at 4:00 PM at Glenwood Memorial Park in Mooresville.
* In addition, tomorrow (09 FEB) there were will be a memorial for an amazing SigEp Patriot that passed away 22 SEP 2011. World War II Veteran and CA Gamma Brother Captain Kenneth “Lindy” Newton Linder, Sr., U.S. Marine Corps served as a Corsair pilot with VMF-214 the “Black Sheep Squadron”, and as First Lieutenant Linder was given half credit for shooting down the Japanese bomber that struck the USS Benjamin Franklin (CV-13) on 19 March 1944. The bombing and ensuing fires resulted in the death of 772 aboard the Franklin including 32 Black Sheep members. For more details regarding the memorial being held in Santa Barbara, California please contact Brother Scott Carr, CA Gamma AVC President.

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.

UPDATE: SIGEP PATRIOTS PROJECT (SPP)
* SPP now has data on nearly 1,045 SigEp Patriots who serve/served in the U.S. military.
* We are happy to announce that the following SigEp Patriot has joined more than 425 such Brothers in the SigEps Who Serve Facebook group – the official group of SPP:
Two-time Operation IRAQI FREEDOM Veteran and KY Beta Brother Lieutenant Colonel Ed Nickerson, U.S. Army.
*SPP has added a 16th chapter point of contact. CA Gamma AVC President Scott Carr has stepped up to offer his energy and assistance with our efforts. Welcome aboard, Scott!

Brothers who serve/served in the U.S. military are welcome to join brothers-in-arms by sending an email to sigepswhoserve@gmail.com, as well as join our Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/groups/sigepswhoserve.

Fraternally and Respectfully,

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