Brothers,
This week, dozens of our brothers across the country will graduate from and be commissioned in the U.S. military, swearing to defend our great country against all enemies foreign and domestic. The SigEp Patriots Project (SPP) would like to congratulate all our brothers who graduate this year, and hope that the SigEp Patriots among them will reach out to SPP.
02 MAY 1918
This week, dozens of our brothers across the country will graduate from and be commissioned in the U.S. military, swearing to defend our great country against all enemies foreign and domestic. The SigEp Patriots Project (SPP) would like to congratulate all our brothers who graduate this year, and hope that the SigEp Patriots among them will reach out to SPP.
02 MAY 1918
On this
date, World War I Veteran and NY Beta Brother (then) First Lieutenant James “Jimmy” A. Meissner, U.S. Army Air Service won his first
aerial engagement while piloting a French-made Nieuport 28 about three miles
above Foret De La Rappe, France. Jimmy would go on to become an American Ace
during WWI and attain the rank of Major.
 |
| Distinguished Service Cross |
“The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to James A.Meissner, First Lieutenant (Air Service), U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action in the Toul Sector on 02 MAY 1918. First Lieutenant Meissner attacked three enemy planes at an altitude of 4,800 meters over the Foret De La Rappe, France. After a short fight he brought down one of the machines in flames. During the combat the entering wedge and the covering of the upper wings of his plane were torn away and after the battle he was subjected to heavy fire from antiaircraft batteries, but by skillful operation and cool judgment he succeeded in making a landing within the American lines.”
According
to the SPP archives, only five SigEp Patriots have
been awarded the DSC.
The DSC
is the second highest awarded presented by the U.S. Army after the Medal of
Honor. Latter in his WWI service, Brother Meissner would earn a second DSC for
his actions during WWI.
 |
| Renaissance Brother James Naismith |
Born in
Ontario, Canada, World War I Veteran and KS Gamma Renaissance Brother Captain James Naismith, U.S. Army National
Guard (Kansas) became a naturalized U.S. citizen on this date.
01 MAY 1942
Montana
Attorney General MT Alpha Brother John W.
Bonner entered the U.S. Army on this date and served during World War II.
29 APR 1945
World
War II Veteran and WI Beta Brother Ensign Lee
Otis Nelson, U.S. Navy Reserve went missing in action in English waters in
May 1944, and on this date he was declared as killed in action.
Brother
Nelson is among the 5,127 American service members memorialized on the Wall of
the Missing at the Cambridge American Cemetery between the villages of Coton
and Madingley in Cambridgeshire, England.
01 MAY 1956
On this
date, World War II Veteran and VA Zeta Brother General Robert J. Wood, U.S. Army became commanding general of Fort Bliss
and commandant of the Antiaircraft Artillery and Guided Missile School there.
03 MAY 1968
On this
date, Vietnam War Veteran and TN Gamma Brother First Lieutenant Robert Douglas Avery, U.S. Marine Corps
was killed in action while piloting his A-6 (Intruder) during a secret mission
over North Vietnam. He was posthumously promoted to Captain. Robert graduated
from East Tennessee State University in 1965, and began his service in the U.S.
Marine Corps.
On 03 MAY
1968, Brother Avery was flying his Intruder on an armed
reconnaissance mission
over North Vietnam providing support to U.S. Air Force operations. Radar
contact was lost with the aircraft when it was approximately 10 kilometers
northwest of the coastal town of Dong Hoi. Search and Rescue forces were unable
to locate any sign of the crew which was declared missing.
Returning
U.S. prisoners of war were unable to provide any information on the eventual
fate of the crew. After Operation Homecoming they were declared killed in
action, body not recovered, based on a presumptive finding of death.
Subsequent
visits to Vietnam by U.S. personnel were unable to locate Robert’s remains.
Brother
Avery’s name can be found on Panel 54, Line 023 of the Vietnam Memorial “The
Wall” in Washington, DC, and on the Vietnam Memorial at the Burke County
Courthouse, NC. A marker has also been placed in the Mountain Home National
Cemetery in Johnson City, TN.
01 MAY 1980
IN Alpha
Brother Major Malcolm K. Bekner,
U.S. Air Force was assigned to the 347th Tactical Fighter Wing out of Moody AFB
on this date when he crashed to his death while piloting his F-4 (Phantom) in
Canada during a joint U.S. / Canadian air forces exercise. He was 35 years old.
Respect
can be paid to Brother Bekner at Arlington East Hill Cemetery, Arlington, IN.
02 MAY 1998
FL Theta
Brother Christopher J. Sacra began
his patriotic service in the U.S. Navy on this date.
01 MAY 1999
On this
date, TN Theta Brother Kenneth M.
Ballard began his patriotic service in the U.S. Army.
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. Brother Backus
was an owner of the Oswego County Weeklies for over 50 years. Charles was also a
nationally known Holstein Auctioneer with R. Austin Backus Inc., and served
many years as a delegate of the National Holstein Convention.
Respect
can be paid to Brother Backus at Mexico Village Cemetery in Mexico.
28 APR 2007
 |
| Brother Norman Tollett |
On this
date, two-time Operation Iraqi Freedom Veteran and OH Kappa Brother Sergeant Norman Lane Tollett, U.S. Army died in
Baghdad of wounds sustained when his unit came in contact with enemy forces
during a combat patrol operation while assigned to the 1st Battalion, 504th
Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division,
Fort Bragg, NC. Norman
began his service in the Army in 2004.
Respect can be paid to Brother Tollett at
Brookdale Cemetery in Elyria, OH.
01 MAY 2009
Word War
II Veteran and CO Delta Brother Ensign Floyd
D. Burnside, U.S. Navy died on this date in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. Brother
Burnside graduated from Colorado School of Mines with a degree in petroleum
engineering, and subsequently joined the Navy Air Corps in 1941. During WWII,
he flew with squadrons 18 and 20 from 1941 to 1946.
After 28
years with the Shell Oil Company he retired, and traveled the world, climbed
the pyramids in Egypt and kissed the Blarney Stone in Ireland.
Respect
can be paid to Brother Burnside at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver, CO.
28 APR 2013
NC Beta
Brother Captain Joseph Henry Miller, Jr.,
U.S. Army National Guard (North Carolina) (Retired) died on this date at
Hospice Rutherford County, NC.
Brother Miller graduated with a degree in Textile Engineering, and his career in the textile industry began at Stonecutter Mills, followed by a long career with Hoechst-Celanese in Spartanburg, SC, where he retired.
Respect can be paid to Brother Miller at Wesley Chapel Cemetery, Harris, NC.
02 MAY 2013
On this
date, U.S. Navy World War II Veteran OH Eta Brother Robert E. "Bob" Oberlin, 84, died at his home in
Marysville, Ohio. During WWII, Bob served in the Pacific Theater aboard the USS
Iowa (BB-61).
Brother
Oberlin retired in 1992 from O. M. Scott Company where he worked for 35 years.
A licensed realtor for over 40 years, he was an associate of ALT Realty Company
and was a member of many realty associations on the state, national and local
levels, including the Marysville Association of Realtors.
Bob was
also very involved with his community including a member of the Marysville Art
League and as a Boy Scout cub master. A cartoonist, he created and published
several comic books.
Respect
can be paid to Brother Oberlin at the Oakdale Cemetery in Marysville.
04 MAY 2013
TN Kappa
Brother Andrew “Ox” Henderson
graduated from the University of Tennessee at Martin on this date and was
commission a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army.
RECENT LOSSES TO THE ROLL
SPP is
very pleased to report that no brothers have reportedly passed away during the
week.
CELEBRATIONS
* It’s official! Operation Iraqi Freedom & Enduring
Freedom Veteran, MI Kappa Brother Sergeant Teddy
M. Titus, U.S. Marine Corps is officially retired as of 01 MAY.
* 01 MAY was also a great day for TN Epsilon Brother Thomas Pelham as he was celebrating his promotion to Captain, U.S. Army.
Congratulations Brother and thank you for your service.
* 01 MAY was also a great day for TN Epsilon Brother Thomas Pelham as he was celebrating his promotion to Captain, U.S. Army.
Congratulations Brother and thank you for your service.
Fraternally
and Respectfully,
Brother
Ed Jones, NY Eta ‘96
Chief
Petty Officer, U.S. Navy Reserve
Founder,
SigEp Patriots Project
sigepswhoserve@gmail.com
