Honoring Our Military Veterans &
Active Duty Personnel on
VETERAN’S DAY 2011 November 11, 2011 Sardis Missionary Baptist Church 1615 4th Court West, Birmingham AL 35208
Kurt S. Clark, Sr., Pastor Isaiah 40:31, “… they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” 1
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NAME & RANK
BRANCH OF SERVICE
YEARS OF SERVICE
Clifford L. Clark E-4
US Army
1964-1966 Vietnam Veteran
Chest Cochran
US Army
2 Years of Service
Billy R. Dawson E-3
US Coast Guard
1972 - 1975
PHOTO
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NAME & RANK
BRANCH OF SERVICE
Eddie Dick US Air Force SGT
Ronald Dick AZ2
US Navy
Glenn Drayton, Sr. ADJ 2
US Navy
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YEARS OF SERVICE 1949-1952
1971-1974 (Aircraft Carrier USS Saratoga, Bermuda, Memphis) 1973-1977 (Aircraft Carrier USS Saratoga, Plane Captain & Certified Jet Mechanic in the SH-3H Helicopter)
PHOTO
NAME & RANK
BRANCH OF SERVICE
YEARS OF SERVICE
George Evans SGT
US Army
4 Years
US Army Reserve
Retired USAR (Assignments included 1st Battalion 83rd Artillery Unit Baumholder, Germany. Attended First US Army NCO Academy)
James Finch Corporal/ Technician Fifth Grade
US Army
1943 – 1946 (World War II Veteran, served in the Southwest Pacific, received the Good Conduct Medal, received the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal)
PHOTO
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NAME & RANK
BRANCH OF SERVICE
YEARS OF SERVICE
John Neil Frazier PFC
US Army
1970-1972 (Served in Vietnam)
Beatrice Guyton
US Air Force
4 Years
Air National Guard
9-1/2 years Radio Operations(Communications Technology)
Leon Nash, US Army Sr. SFC
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1974-2000 (26 years: 3 yrs Active/23 yrs Army Reserves)
PHOTO
NAME & RANK
BRANCH OF SERVICE
YEARS OF SERVICE
Linda Butler US Army Hannah Reserve LTC (Retired)
29 years, 3 months
Austin Holifield E-3
1951-1953
US Army
PHOTO
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NAME & RANK
BRANCH OF SERVICE
YEARS OF SERVICE
Michael Johnson, Colonel
US Marine 28 Years Corp
Marcus Matthews, SSGT
US Marine 20 Years Corp
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Comptroller for 4th Marine Aircraft Wing
Persian Gulf, AMTRAK (Amphibious Assault Motor Vehicle Personnel), Instructor, Recruiter, Iraq War, Purple Heart
PHOTO
NAME & RANK
BRANCH OF SERVICE
YEARS OF SERVICE
Roger R. Moore E-4
US Army
1972-1975
James F. Odom MSGT
US Army
21 Years Service (Duties were in Italy, Greece, Turkey, Korea, Germany, Vietnam, the Middle East and Africa. Stateside duties were on Nike Missile sites and with Special Operations at Fort Bragg, NC and Fort Campbell, KY.)
PHOTO
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NAME & RANK
BRANCH OF SERVICE
YEARS OF SERVICE
B. Roy Powell E-3
US Army Signal Corps
1963-1964
Freddie E. Sawyers E-3
US Air Force
1966-1969
Lizzie Simpkins SP4
Women's 1957-1960 Army Corp (Army Chemical Center, MD)
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PHOTO
NAME & RANK
BRANCH OF SERVICE
YEARS OF SERVICE
Freddie Walters E-6
US Army
35 Years Service
Charles B. Williams Sr. MSGT
US Air Force
1971-1995
PHOTO
(Aircraft Maintenance Technician)
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NAME & RANK Earl S. Wilson, Corporal
BRANCH OF SERVICE
YEARS OF SERVICE
US 188 Airborne Paratrooper Division (US Army)
Korean Veteran 1953-1956
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PHOTO
Current Active Duty Personnel Begin Here NAME & RANK
BRANCH OF SERVICE
YEARS OF SERVICE
John Askew
US Air Force
Active Duty
Israel Askew
US Air Force
Active Duty
Eric Foster, Jr.
US Army
Active Duty
PHOTO
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NAME & RANK
BRANCH OF SERVICE
US Army Tommy Guyton, Private First Class
Al Henson
US Army
Timothy Irwin GySGT
US Marine Corps
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YEARS OF SERVICE 1 Year
Active Duty Camp LeJeune, NC
PHOTO
NAME & RANK
BRANCH OF SERVICE
YEARS OF SERVICE
Ryan L. James, Sr. Gunnery MSGT
US Marine Corps
Donald LaQuitus Johnson
US Army
Active Duty Iraq
Benjamin Marshall
US Navy
Active Duty Iraq
PHOTO
21 Years Currently Active Duty Iraq
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NAME & RANK
BRANCH OF SERVICE
YEARS OF SERVICE
William David McClung III, Specialist E3
US Army
4 Years of Service
Jemale Merritt
US Army
Active Duty
Demond Oden
US Army
Active Duty Iraq
Desmond Ross
US Air Force
Active DutyArizona
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Active Duty Iraq
PHOTO
NAME & RANK Frederick K. Sawyer Major
BRANCH OF SERVICE
YEARS OF SERVICE
US Air Force
Active Duty
Henderson US Navy Williams, Jr.
Joe L. Williams, Jr. SP4
PHOTO
Active Duty – Iraq (USS Aircraft Carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower)
US Army
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Arlington Cemetery
“Gone, but not forgotten” NAME & RANK Sam Hopkins, III SGT
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BRANCH OF SERVICE US Army
YEARS OF SERVICE 1967-1970 (Served in Viet Nam, 1967-1968)
PHOTO
NAME & RANK
BRANCH OF SERVICE
Caesar Huff US Army Corporal
James Simpkins MSGT
US Air Force
YEARS OF SERVICE
PHOTO
1953-1955 ( 71st IMF Div. Band)
20 Years Service (Served in Vietnam War and the Cuban Crisis)
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Dear Lord, Today we honor our veterans, worthy men and women who gave their best when they were called upon to serve and protect their country. We pray that you will bless them, Lord, for their unselfish service in the continual struggle to preserve our freedoms, our safety, and our country’s heritage, for all of us. Bless them abundantly for the hardships they faced, for the sacrifices they made, and for their many different contributions to America’s victories over tyranny and oppression. We respect them, we thank them, we honor them, we are proud of them, and we pray that you will watch over these special people and bless them with peace and happiness. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. By Joanna Fuchs "PEACE I leave with you, my peace I give you, not as the world gives do I give to you, let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." -JOHN 14:27
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To those waiting to come home… I walk a road less traveled towards a path I cannot see It has led me to this valley that now lies in front of me As I walk into the valley I've come to a fork in the road I stand silently before it, not knowing which way to go I know I'm not to worry; yet each morning I'm awake As I wrestle with decisions on which road I must take There is a way seems right to man, that is not my choice I'm standing at the fork, oh Lord, waiting for Your voice This journey is not clear to me; I do not understand This was not of my choosing; this is not what I'd planned Which way do I turn, oh Lord, which way do I go? I am standing in the valley; Your will I wish to know I walk a road less traveled towards a path I cannot see It has led me to this valley that now lies in front of me Light my path and calm my fears, for I do not understand Yet the deeper in the valley, the more I grip Your hand
Written by SLM
You are continually in our prayers. 22
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Thanks to those who provided information and photos for this booklet. Copies of this booklet will be available online at www.sardisalive.org For more information about honoring American Veterans, please access the following website: http://www.va.gov/ 24
UPDATES If any information contained herein is incorrect, please accept our sincerest apology. You and your family are very important to use as we recognize our Sardis Veteran’s each year. If you have an update, addition, or correction to this program, please complete the following information and return to the Sardis Missionary Baptist Church office or fax to 205-786-4425. All changes, updates, and corrections will be made to the on-line document which can be printed in color or a program booklet can be printed at your request. If you with to include a photo, you may scan and email your photo to
[email protected] or drop your photo off at the office. All original photos will be scanned and returned to the owner. NAME & RANK
BRANCH OF SERVICE
YEARS OF SERVICE
PHOTO (OPTIONAL)
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