SigEp Patriots Project Memorial Day Post

Brothers,

"It is an investment, not a loss, when a man dies for his country"
~ from the headstone of WWI Veteran and IL Alpha Brother First Lieutenant Louis I. Phillis, U.S. Army Aviation Corps; Killed in Action in France, 19 JUL 1918

It is after midnight in the United Kingdom, Memorial Day 2013.

Memorial Day is day set aside to remember those selfless American patriots who made the ultimate sacrifice while defending the freedoms we enjoy every day. Around the world today, the U.S. flag will be raised briskly to the top of the staff and then solemnly lowered to the half-staff position, where it will remain until noon. It will then be raised to full-staff for the remainder of the day. The half-staff position honors the more than one million men and women who gave their lives in service of the country. At noon, their memory will be raised by the living, who resolve not to let their sacrifice be in vain, but to rise up in their stead and continue the fight for liberty and justice for all.

We apologize, but the following list of brothers killed in action is incomplete. Nobody has a complete list, but the SigEp Patriots Project (SPP) pledges to continue its daily work to learn their names and stories, so that our fallen brothers will always be remembered. If you know of a Brother missing from this list, please let us know.



IL Alpha Brother
First Lieutenant
Louis I. Phillis,
US Army
Aviation Corps

On this Memorial Day we remember:

World War I

Griffin, Henry Q; Lieutenant, US Army; KIA: 17 JUL 1918, France (NY Alpha)
Phillis, Louis I; First Lieutenant, US Army Aviation Corps; KIA: 19 JUL 1918, France
 (IL Alpha)

World War II

Baum, Jr., Karl Porter; Lieutenant, US Navy Reserve; KIA: 09 JAN 1945, Lingayen

 Gulf Engagement, Philippine Islands (TN Alpha)

Benjamin, Jr., Earl W; Second Lieutenant, US Army; KIA: 27 DEC 1944, Belgium
 (NY Beta)
Bowen, David C; Private First Class, US Army; KIA: 08 JAN 1945 (AL Beta)
Gansz, Henry G; KIA: 25 MAR 1942 (IL Alpha)
Hissem, Joseph M; Ensign, US Navy Reserve; KIA / Lost at Sea: 04 JUN 1942, Battle of Midway
 (IL Alpha)
Hook, Robert D; First Lieutenant, US Army Air Corps; KIA: 20 FEB 1943, England (IL Alpha)
Lang, John R; First Lieutenant, US Army Air Corps; KIA: 30 MAR 1945 (IL Alpha)

Lindeman, William H; Corporal, US Army Air Corps; KIA: 23 JUL 1943, New Guinea (IL Alpha)

Patterson, Robert B; Staff Sergeant, US Army; KIA: 03 DEC 1944, Germany (OK Alpha)
Pinney, Frank M; First Lieutenant, US Army; KIA: 13 APR 1945, Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines (OK
 Alpha)
Rambeck, Oscar; Second Lieutenant, US Army Air Corps; KIA: 07 OCT 1944 (DC Alpha)
Roudebush, Clarence C; Second Lieutenant, US Army; KIA: 05 NOV 1944, Pescara, Italy
Salyers, John D; KIA: 07 JAN 1945 (IL Alpha)
Stoddard, Robert E; Second Lieutenant, US Marine Corps; KIA: 04 MAR 1945, Battle of Iwo Jima (KS
 Gamma)
Thornbrough, George W; Captain, US Army Air Corps; KIA: 04 JUN 1942 (KS Beta)

NY Delta Brother
Staff Sergeant John J. Janoska, Jr.
US Army

Vietnam War

Atchison, James M; Captain, US Army; KIA: 12 APR 1970, Tay Ninh,
 South Vietnam (WV Beta)
Davis, Johnny F; First Lieutenant, US Army; KIA: 14 JUN 1969, Hua
 Nghia, South Vietnam (AR Gamma)
Hansen, Robert; KIA: 01 AUG 1970, Thua Thien, South Vietnam
 (NE Beta)
Janoska, Jr., John J; Staff Sergeant, US Army; KIA: 12 JAN 1970,
 Long An, South Vietnam (NY Delta)
Joyner, Stephen D; First Lieutenant, US Marine Corps; KIA: 15 JUN
 1968, Khe San, South Vietnam (AZ Beta)
Keroher, Gayland E; First Lieutenant, US Army Reserve; KIA: 07 FEB
 1969, Dinh Tuong, South Vietnam (KS Gamma)
Krommenhoek, Jeffrey M; Lieutenant Commander, US Navy; KIA /MIA:
 25 OCT 1967 over North Vietnam (IA Beta)
LaFromboise, Michael S; First Lieutenant, US Marine Corps Reserve; KIA: 06 JUN 1969, Quang Tri,
 South Vietnam (WA Beta)
Lanier, Dayton W; Chief Warrant Officer, US Army; KIA: 09 MAY 1968, Thua Thien, South Vietnam
 (NC Beta)
McMullen, Gene; Second Lieutenant, US Marine Corps; KIA: 16 JUL 1966, Quang Tri, South Vietnam
 (PA Eta)
Murphy III, William H; Lieutenant Junior Grade, US Navy; KIA: 19 NOV 1967, Binh Dinh, South
 Vietnam (UT Beta)
Myers, David G; First Lieutenant, US Marine Corps; KIA: 08 JUN 1967, Quang Tri, South Vietnam
 (PA Eta)
Peters, Jr., William L; First Lieutenant, US Marine Corps: KIA: 05 MAR 1969, Quang Nam,
 South Vietnam (IA Gamma)
Schultz, Charles J; Second Lieutenant, US Marine Corps; KIA: 03 JUN 1967, Que Son Valley, Vinh Huy
 Village, South Vietnam (PA Iota)
Smith, Kenneth W; First Lieutenant, US Marine Corps; KIA: 28 JAN 1968, Quang Tri, South Vietnam
 (KS Epsilon)
Strahm, Paul D; First Lieutenant, US Air Force; KIA: 14 JAN 1968, Bien Hoa, South Vietnam
 (OH Kappa)
Talley, Larry J; Warrant Officer, US Army; KIA: 10 AUG 1969, Quang Nam, Vietnam (NC Beta)
Thigpen, William H; First Lieutenant, US Army; KIA: 16 JAN 1971, Binh Tuy, South Vietnam (NC Beta)

LA Delta Brother
Lance Corporal
Matthew R. Barnes
US Marine Corps

Operation IRAQI FREEDOM

Arms, Bradley T; Corporal, US Marine Corps Reserve; KIA: 19 NOV 2004, Anbar Province, Iraq (GA Delta)
Ballard, Kenneth M; First Lieutenant, US Army; KIA: 30 MAY 2004, Najaf, Iraq (TN Theta)
Barnes, Matthew R; Lance Corporal, US Marine Corps; KIA: 14 FEB 2006, Qa’im, Iraq (LA Delta)
Dozier, Jonathan K; Sergeant First Class, US Army; KIA: 09 JAN 2008, Sinsil, Iraq (TN Theta)
Harris, Noah; First Lieutenant, US Army; KIA: 18 JUN 2005, Baqubah, Iraq (GA Delta)
McCloud, Joseph T; Lieutenant Colonel, US Marine Corps; KIA: 04 DEC 2006, Al Anbar Province, Iraq (TN Alpha)
O’Bryan, Israel P; Sergeant, US Army; KIA: 11 JUN 2010, Jalula, Iraq (TN Kappa)
Orlando, Kim S; Lieutenant Colonel, US Army; KIA: 16 OCT 2003, Karbala, Iraq (TX Rho)
Pfister, Jacob M; Corporal, US Army; KIA: 19 APR 2005, Baghdad, Iraq (NY Eta)
Wood, William W; Colonel, US Army; KIA: 27 OCT 2005, Baghdad, Iraq (FL Epsilon)

Operation ENDURING FREEDOM

Lawrence, Joshua S; Captain, US Army; KIA: 08 OCT 2011, Kandahar City, Afghanistan (TN Eta)

Gone but never forgotten. Rest in peace, Brothers.

Fraternally and Very Respectfully,

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

sigepswhoserve@gmail.com

This Week in the History of SigEp Patriots, 22 – 28 MAY

We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heros never dies.
~Moina Michael, 1915

LET US NEVER FORGET
As we prepare for our three day weekend, it is very important to remember why we have this holiday.

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 05 MAY 1868 by General John Logan, U.S. Army, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 MAY 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery.

While few of us can travel to Arlington, all of us can find a cemetery near our homes to honor the men and women who served our country, some making the ultimate sacrifice. Additionally, Each American can also show their respect through the National Moment of Remembrance. The resolution passed in December 2000 asks that at 3pm local time, all Americans “To voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a Moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence or listening to Taps.”
http://www.usmemorialday.org/Speeches/President/may0200.txt

OUR BROTHER HEROS

28 MAY 1917
On this day, WWI Veteran and Ace Fighter Pilot / Brother / Major James Armand Meissner, U.S. Army Air Service (NY Beta / Cornell), having dropped out of Cornell, enlisted in the Army Signal Service (the branch of the Army then tasked with flying) as a Private First Class.

23 MAY 1934
Brother / First Lieutenant David Carpenter, U.S. Army Reserve (VT Alpha / Norwich University ’57) was born on this day in Boston, Massachusetts. He graduated from Needham High School in Massachusetts, and received a degree in business administration from Norwich University.

27 MAY 1943
Vietnam Veteran / Brother George Dunmore Hovey was born on this day in Hickory, North Carolina. While his branch of service is unknown, Brother Hovey served from 1966 to 1968.

23 MAY 1944
Brother / First Lieutenant James Walter Swan, U.S. Army – Korean (ID Alpha / Idaho State University) was born on this day in Caldwell, Idaho. He graduated from Idaho State University with a degree in Business Administration and Marketing. At that time Jim was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and the ISU ski team.

After graduation, he joined the U.S. Army and served as a First Lieutenant in Texas and then in Korea on the DMZ. At that time he was responsible for an orphanage about which he was passionate. He strived every day to ensure the best of care for the children.

Less than a year ago, Brother Swan, 66, passed away on 08 SEP 2010, and he was interned with military honors at the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery.

28 MAY 2005
On this day, WWII Veteran / Brother George “Scotty” Clark, U.S. Army Signal Corps (IL Alpha / University of Illinois) passed away. The first lines of Brother Clark’s obituary read as such, “Clark, George "Scotty" 89, a 52 year resident of Elmhurst, passed away 28 MAY 2005, at Elmhurst Extended Care. He was born 19 JUL 1915, in Chicago, to Robert A. and Esther Clark. He graduated from Austin High School and attended the University of Illinois, where he was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity.” Scotty is interned at Queen of Heaven Cemetery.

I don’t know about you, but I believe it displays a great deal of respect and love that Scotty would put SigEp in the third line of his obituary. He and his service to our country deserve an even greater degree of respect.

DEPLOYING SOON
Brother / Second Lieutenant Adam Wilson, U.S. Army (CA Theta / California State University, Sacramento ‘10) is preparing to deploy overseas. Best of luck, Adam! Let us know if you need anything.

WELCOME HOME, Brothers!
On Sunday, Afghanistan Veteran / Brother / Captain Mike Tregle, U.S. Army (LA Gamma / Loyola University) arrived back home from his second tour in Afghanistan. At the conclusion of his tour, Brother Tregle was awarded the Bronze Star Medal.

Another Afghan Veteran is nearly home. At the time of this posting, Brother / First Lieutenant Roger Foley, U.S. Army (FL Beta / Stetson University ’07) is working his way back to the States with his own Bronze Star Medal for his work with and training of Afghan police officers.

CONGRATULATIONS
Congratulations twice over are due to Brother / Captain Scott Rubenstein, U.S. Air Force (FL Gamma / University of Miami ‘05). Last Saturday, Scott was promoted to his current rank, and the day he got married! All the best to you and Melissa, Captain.

COMMISSIONS
Along with graduation, the Class of 2011 has additional military commissions to celebrate including:

Brother / Ensign Dan Bandong, U.S. Navy (DC Alpha / George Washington University ’11)
Brother / Ensign Patrick Dees, U.S. Navy (DC Alpha / George Washington University ’11)
Brother / Second Lieutenant Christopher Helali, U.S. Army (Cal Beta Beta / University of San Diego ’11)
Brother / Ensign John McSorley, U.S. Navy (CA Beta Beta / University of San Diego ’11)
Brother / Second Lieutenant Richard Stromberg, U.S. Army (KS Beta / Kansas State University ’11)

Congratulations and best of luck, Brothers!

FUTURE MARINE OFFICERS
Brothers Tyler Sweet (CA Omega / California State University, Fullerton ‘12) and Brentt Mcgee (KY Epsilon / Murray State University ’13) begin Marine Corps OCS at Quantico today via the PLC Program. As Tyler said, they will have six weeks of “fun” this summer, and then do another six weeks next summer to complete the program and get their commissions. Best of luck, Brothers!

SIGEP PATRIOTS PROJECT and SIGEPS WHO SERVE
At the time of this submission, SigEps Who Serve (http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_5903232706) – the Facebook presence for the SigEp Patriots Project – has 293 brothers. If you are a brother who serves/served in the U.S. military or you know of one please drop me an email.

Fraternally and Respectfully,

Ed Jones
Chief, U.S. Navy (NY Eta / Buffalo State College)
Founder, SigEp Patriots Project
sigepswhoserve@gmail.com