This Week in SigEp Patriot History, 08 – 14 JUL

Brothers,

09 JUL 1943 – Operation HUSKY, the invasion to liberate Sicily, began. Eight divisions were involved – more than 80,000 men.

10 JUL 1950 – The first engagement between U.S. and North Korean tanks occurred near Chonui, Korea.

11 JUL 1972 – American forces broke the 95-day siege at An Loc in Vietnam.

How many SigEp Patriots were present at these important moments in U.S. military history? The SigEp Patriots Project (SPP) thinks it is important to know, and we continue to work to learn the answer to this and many other questions.

This Week in SigEp Patriot History:

10 JUL 1942

On this date, NC Epsilon Brother Robert L. Orr entered the U.S. Army, and went on to serve in the Army Corps of Engineers during World War II.

13 JUL 1942

MA Alpha Brother David H. Johnson joined the U.S. Coast Guard on this date, serving as a Soundman Second Class during World War II.

13 JUL 1946

World War II Veteran and AL Beta Brother First Lieutenant James Calabra, Jr., U.S. Army was discharged from the service on this date after nearly three years in the Army, and 17 months in the China-Burma-India Theater with the 3286th Engineers.
 
08 JUL 1986
On this date, World War II Veteran, future SigEp Citation Recipient and VA Zeta Brother General Robert Jefferson Wood, U.S. Army (Retired) – one of five known SigEp Patriots to reach this rank in the U.S. military – died of a stroke at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Washington, DC. Brother Wood was a United States Army four-star general who helped organize the creation of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) military organization in the early 1950s and served as director of the military assistance program from 1962 to 1965.
 
Born in 1905 in Petersburg, Virginia, he attended Randolph-Macon College for a year until entering the United States Military Academy in 1926. On 12 JUN 1930, Brother Wood graduated and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army Coast Artillery Corps.

During World War II, he served in the Mediterranean Theater, advancing through the grades from Captain to Colonel. Following the war, Brother Wood served as a military aide to Secretary of Defense and NH Alpha Brother James Vincent Forrestal.

 

VA Zeta Brother
Robert Jefferson Wood
General, U.S. Army (Retired)

Following an assignment to the Advanced Planning Group charged with creating Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), the NATO headquarters organization, Robert was promoted to brigadier general in MAY 1952 and assigned as Chief of the Defense Annual Review Team for the U.S. Mission to NATO. On 01 MAY 1956, Brother Wood became commanding general of Fort Bliss (Texas) and commandant of the Antiaircraft Artillery and Guided Missile School.

With his promotion to Lieutenant General in 1960, he was assigned as Commanding General of the Army Air Defense Command (ARADCOM) in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and two years later appointed director of the military assistance program in the office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, with the rank of full general. The Director of Military Assistance supervised the operational details of arms transfer to NATO allies and other friendly countries. As chief of staff of the foreign military aid program, he was considered to be on the same level as the chiefs of staff of the Army, Navy, and Air Force and of comparable military rank, but without a seat on the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Robert retired on 01 SEP 1965, but was recalled to active duty in 1968 to serve as Director of the Overseas Base Requirements Study Group, a special interdepartmental study group planning future overseas military base locations. With his work completed, he returned to retired status on 31 MAR 1969. He subsequently served on a presidential task force on international development.

His awards and decorations include the Army Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit (with oak leaf cluster) and Purple Heart.

This Week in SigEp Patriot History, 17 – 23 JUN

Brothers,

We are at 3,884 and counting! Those of us at the SigEp Patriots Project (SPP) may be crazy, but one of our goals is to learn at least the name of every brother of Sigma Phi Epsilon that ever served in uniform. We realize this is a daunting task – in addition to gathering stories of brothers’ accomplishments, but our diligence is reinforced by the amazing feats we learn daily of patriotic brothers, and we hope that by sharing them they will inspire you as well. Perhaps some of you will consider helping us, and we look forward to hearing from you.

21 JUN 1918

On this date, OH Gamma Brother Captain Robert Lester Tavenner, U.S. Army began his World War I service with the 37th Division, American Expeditionary Force, and would see action in France & Belgium before being discharged.

18 JUN 1940

KY Epsilon Brother Joseph Fry Odle, Jr. enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps on this date and later served in the pacific theater, including the Battle of Solomon Islands.

17 JUN 1942

VA Alpha Brother John Beverley Blanton, Jr. enlisted in the Army on this date.

19 JUN 1942

On this date, Elmo Russell Zumwalt, Jr. graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and was commissioned an Ensign. He went on to serve in World War II, as well as the Korean and Vietnam wars in a notable career that included being appointed the youngest U.S. Navy Chief of Naval Operations (CNO). As the 19th CNO, Admiral Zumwalt reformed U.S. Navy personnel policies in an effort to improve enlisted life and ease racial tensions. He was initiated a renaissance brother of Sigma Phi Epsilon on 10 APR 1985 – 11 years after his retirement from the Navy.

IA Gamma Brother
William L. Peters, Jr.
KIA 21 JUN 1969 Vietnam



21 JUN 1969

On this date, Vietnam War Veteran and IA Gamma Brother First Lieutenant William Lee Peters, Jr., U.S. Marine Corps Reserve made the ultimate sacrifice when his helicopter crashed while under enemy gunfire during operations in Quang Nam Province, Vietnam. Brother Peters was a pilot with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-FIVE (HMM-165), Marine Aircraft Group SIXTEEN (MAG-16), First Marine Aircraft Wing (1ST MAW).

In separation actions, First Lieutenant Peters was awarded the Navy Cross (one of only two SigEp Patriots known to have been awarded the second highest military decoration for valor bestowed to a member of the U.S. Navy or Marine Corps for extraordinary heroism in combat) and a Silver Star (the third highest military decoration for valor that can be awarded to any person serving in any capacity with the United States Armed Forces).

Brother Peters is honored on The Wall – the Vietnam Veterans Memorial – on Panel 22W Line 107.

Respect can be paid to Brother Peters at Elmwood Cemetery, De Witt, Iowa.

This Week in SigEp Patriot History, 22 – 28 April

“Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.” ~ Steve Jobs

Brothers,

24 APR 1942

World War II Veteran and WI Alpha Brother Everett Roudebush entered the U.S. Army on this date after finishing a concert tour with Salvatore Baccaloni, noted Metropolitan Opera Company star. Everett would go on to achieve the rank of Corporal before being discharged.

27 APR 1964

World War I Veteran, Judge (5th Judicial Circuit) and U.S. Congressman (Virginia) VA Eta Brother Private Joel West Flood, U.S. Army died on this date in Richmond, VA. During WWI, Brother Flood served in Company A, 350th Engineers, 80th Division before being discharged in 1919.

Joel was born in 1894 near Appomattox, Virginia, became a SigEp at University of Virginia, and later attended Oxford University. After studying law he was admitted to the bar in 1917 and commenced practice in Appomattox.

The same year he completed his military duty, Joel was elected Virginia State Commonwealth Attorney of Appomattox County. He served until 08 NOV 1932 when he was elected to the Seventy-Second Congress to fill a vacancy. Brother Flood then resumed the practice of law, and after serving as a delegate to the 1936 Democratic National Convention was appointed assistant United States attorney for the western district of Virginia in 1939.

In JAN 1940, Joel was elected as a judge of the fifth judicial circuit of Virginia, and he served in this capacity until his death.

Respect can be paid to Brother Flood at the Flood Mausoleum, Appomattox Courthouse Square, Appomattox, VA.

29 APR 2005

U.S. Army World War II Veteran and NY Alpha Brother R. Charles Backus died on this date in Mexico, New York at the age of 84. During WWII he was a cryptographer in the Signal Corps.

He was an owner of the Oswego County Weeklies for over 50 years. He was a nationally known Holstein Auctioneer with R. Austin Backus Inc. He served many years as a delegate of the National Holstein Convention. He was a member of the Holstein Association of New York State and on the national level. He was a member of the Oswego Country Club and The Elms Golf Course.

Respect can be paid to Brother Backus at Mexico Village Cemetery in Mexico, NY.

27 APR 2006

A hero died on this date at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas as a result of wounds received during combat operations in Habbaniyah, Iraq. Operation IRAQI FREEDOM Veteran and MI Beta Brother Sergeant Matthew Alan Webber, U.S. Army National Guard (Michigan) was 23 years old.

Matt attended Western Michigan University, joined the Army National Guard in 1999, and was called to active duty in June 2005. Brother Webber was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 125th Infantry Regiment (Mechanized), Michigan Army National Guard on 21 NOV 2005 when an improvised explosive device detonated near his Humvee.

Respect can be paid to Brother Webber at Pine Plains Cemetery, Big Rapids, Michigan.