Honoring Our Military Veterans
Honoring Our Military Veterans &
Active Duty Personnel on
VETERAN’S DAY 2012 November 11, 2012 Sardis Missionary Baptist Church 1615 4th Court West, Birmingham AL 35208
Rev. Dr. 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
2
VETERANS DAY, 2012 ------BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION Whether they fought in Salerno or Samarra, Heartbreak Ridge or Helmand, Khe Sanh or the Korengal, our veterans are part of an unbroken chain of men and women who have served our country with honor and distinction. On Veterans Day, we show them our deepest thanks. Their sacrifices have helped secure more than two centuries of American progress, and their legacy affirms that no matter what confronts us or what trials we face, there is no challenge we cannot overcome, and our best days are still ahead. This year, we marked the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812. We began to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. We welcomed our veterans back home from Iraq, and we continued to wind down operations in Afghanistan. These milestones remind us that, though much has changed since Americans first took up arms to advance freedom's cause, the spirit that moved our forebears is the same spirit that has defined each generation of our service members. Our men and women in uniform have taught us about strength, duty, devotion, resolve -- cornerstones of a commitment to protect and defend that has kept our country safe for over 200 years. In war and in peace, their service has been selfless and their accomplishments have been extraordinary. Even after our veterans take off the uniform, they never stop serving. Many apply the skills and experience they developed on the battlefield to a life of service here at home. They take on roles in their communities as doctors and police officers, engineers and entrepreneurs, mothers and fathers. As a grateful Nation, it is our task to make that transition possible -- to ensure our returning heroes can share in the opportunities they have given so much to defend. The freedoms we cherish endure because of their service and sacrifice, and our country must strive to honor our veterans by fulfilling our responsibilities to them and upholding the sacred trust we share with all who have served. On days like this, we are called to reflect on immeasurable burdens that have been borne by so few. We pay tribute to our wounded, our missing, our fallen, and their families -- men and women who have known the true costs of conflict and deserve our deepest respect, now and forever. We also remember that our commitments to those who have served are commitments we must honor not only on Veterans Day, but every day. As we do so, let us reaffirm our promise that when our troops finish their tours of duty, they come home to an America that gives them the benefits they have earned, the care they deserve, and the fullest opportunity to keep their families strong and our country moving forward. With respect for and in recognition of the contributions our service members have made to the cause of peace and freedom around the world, the Congress has provided (5 U.S.C. 6103(a)) that November 11 of each year shall be set aside as a legal public holiday to honor our Nation's veterans. NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim November 11, 2012, as Veterans Day. I encourage all Americans to recognize the valor and sacrifice of our veterans through appropriate public ceremonies and private prayers. I call upon Federal, State, and local officials to display the flag of the United States and to participate in patriotic activities in their communities. I call on all Americans, including civic and fraternal organizations, places of worship, schools, and communities to support this day with commemorative expressions and programs. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this seventh day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh. BARACK OBAMA
3
NAME & RANK
BRANCH OF SERVICE
Clifford L. Clark E-4
US Army
Chester Cochran E-5
US Army
YEARS OF SERVICE 1964-1966 Vietnam Veteran
1969-1971 Platoon Leader, Basic & AIT Section Leader, Vietnam
4
PHOTO
NAME & RANK Billy R. Dawson E-3
BRANCH OF SERVICE
YEARS OF SERVICE
US Coast Guard
1972 - 1975
Eddie Dick US Air Force SGT
Ronald Dick AZ2
US Navy
PHOTO
1949-1952
1971-1974 (Aircraft Carrier USS Saratoga, Bermuda, Memphis)
5
NAME & RANK
BRANCH OF SERVICE
YEARS OF SERVICE 1973-1977
Glenn Drayton, Sr. ADJ 2
US Navy
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)
6
(Aircraft Carrier USS Saratoga, Plane Captain & Certified Jet Mechanic in the SH-3H Helicopter)
PHOTO
NAME & RANK
BRANCH OF SERVICE
John Neil Frazier PFC
US Army
Beatrice Guyton
US Air Force
YEARS OF SERVICE
PHOTO
1970-1972 (Served in Vietnam)
Air National Guard
Leon Nash, US Army Sr. SFC
4 Years 9-1/2 years Radio Operations(Communications Technology) 1974-2000 (26 years: 3 yrs Active/23 yrs Army Reserves)
7
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
8
US Army
PHOTO
NAME & RANK
BRANCH OF SERVICE
YEARS OF SERVICE
Michael Johnson, Colonel
US Marine 28 Years Corp
Marcus Matthews, SSGT
US Marine 20 Years Corp
PHOTO
Comptroller for 4th Marine Aircraft Wing
Persian Gulf, AMTRAK (Amphibious Assault Motor Vehicle Personnel), Instructor, Recruiter, Iraq War, Purple Heart
9
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.)
10
PHOTO
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)
PHOTO
Vietnam
11
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
12
(Aircraft Maintenance Technician)
PHOTO
NAME & RANK Earl S. Wilson, Corporal
BRANCH OF SERVICE
YEARS OF SERVICE
PHOTO
US 1953-1956 Paratrooper 188 Airborne (US Army) Division Korean Veteran
13
Active Duty 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
Tommy Guyton, PVT
US Army
Active Duty
14
PHOTO
NAME & RANK
BRANCH OF SERVICE
YEARS OF SERVICE
Al Henson
US Army
Active Duty
Timothy Irwin GySGT
US Marine Corps
Active Duty Camp LeJeune, NC
Ryan L. James, Sr. Gunnery MSGT
US Marine Corps
Active Duty
PHOTO
15
NAME & RANK
BRANCH OF SERVICE
YEARS OF SERVICE
Donald LaQuitus Johnson
US Army
Active Duty
Benjamin Marshall
US Navy
Active Duty
William David McClung, III
US Army
Active Duty
US Air Force
Active DutyArizona
Specialist E3
Desmond Ross
16
PHOTO
NAME & RANK
BRANCH OF SERVICE
YEARS OF SERVICE
Frederick US Air K. Sawyers Force Major
Active Duty
Henderson US Navy Williams, Jr.
Active Duty
Joe L. Williams, Jr. SP4
US Army
PHOTO
(USS Aircraft Carrier) Dwight D. Eisenhower)
Active Duty
17
Arlington Cemetery
“Gone, but never forgotten” NAME & RANK Sam Hopkins, III SGT
BRANCH OF SERVICE US Army
Caesar Huff US Army Corporal
18
YEARS OF SERVICE 1967-1970 (Served in Viet Nam, 1967-1968) 1953-1955 ( 71st IMF Div. Band)
PHOTO
NAME & RANK James Simpkins MSGT
BRANCH OF SERVICE US Air Force
US Army James Finch Corporal/ Technician Fifth Grade
YEARS OF SERVICE
PHOTO
20 Years (Served in Vietnam War and the Cuban Crisis)
1943 – 1946 (World War II Veteran, served in the Southwest Pacific, received the Good Conduct Medal, received the AsiaticPacific Campaign Medal) 19
20
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
21
22
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. 23
UPDATES If any information contained herein is incorrect, please accept our sincerest apology. You and your family are so very important to us as we recognize our brave Sardis Veteran’s each year. If anytime throughout the year, you have an update, addition, or correction to this booklet, you are invited to 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 wish 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
24
BRANCH OF SERVICE
YEARS OF SERVICE
PHOTO (OPTIONAL)
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/ 25
Active Duty Personnel on
VETERAN’S DAY 2012 November 11, 2012 Sardis Missionary Baptist Church 1615 4th Court West, Birmingham AL 35208
Rev. Dr. 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
2
VETERANS DAY, 2012 ------BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION Whether they fought in Salerno or Samarra, Heartbreak Ridge or Helmand, Khe Sanh or the Korengal, our veterans are part of an unbroken chain of men and women who have served our country with honor and distinction. On Veterans Day, we show them our deepest thanks. Their sacrifices have helped secure more than two centuries of American progress, and their legacy affirms that no matter what confronts us or what trials we face, there is no challenge we cannot overcome, and our best days are still ahead. This year, we marked the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812. We began to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. We welcomed our veterans back home from Iraq, and we continued to wind down operations in Afghanistan. These milestones remind us that, though much has changed since Americans first took up arms to advance freedom's cause, the spirit that moved our forebears is the same spirit that has defined each generation of our service members. Our men and women in uniform have taught us about strength, duty, devotion, resolve -- cornerstones of a commitment to protect and defend that has kept our country safe for over 200 years. In war and in peace, their service has been selfless and their accomplishments have been extraordinary. Even after our veterans take off the uniform, they never stop serving. Many apply the skills and experience they developed on the battlefield to a life of service here at home. They take on roles in their communities as doctors and police officers, engineers and entrepreneurs, mothers and fathers. As a grateful Nation, it is our task to make that transition possible -- to ensure our returning heroes can share in the opportunities they have given so much to defend. The freedoms we cherish endure because of their service and sacrifice, and our country must strive to honor our veterans by fulfilling our responsibilities to them and upholding the sacred trust we share with all who have served. On days like this, we are called to reflect on immeasurable burdens that have been borne by so few. We pay tribute to our wounded, our missing, our fallen, and their families -- men and women who have known the true costs of conflict and deserve our deepest respect, now and forever. We also remember that our commitments to those who have served are commitments we must honor not only on Veterans Day, but every day. As we do so, let us reaffirm our promise that when our troops finish their tours of duty, they come home to an America that gives them the benefits they have earned, the care they deserve, and the fullest opportunity to keep their families strong and our country moving forward. With respect for and in recognition of the contributions our service members have made to the cause of peace and freedom around the world, the Congress has provided (5 U.S.C. 6103(a)) that November 11 of each year shall be set aside as a legal public holiday to honor our Nation's veterans. NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim November 11, 2012, as Veterans Day. I encourage all Americans to recognize the valor and sacrifice of our veterans through appropriate public ceremonies and private prayers. I call upon Federal, State, and local officials to display the flag of the United States and to participate in patriotic activities in their communities. I call on all Americans, including civic and fraternal organizations, places of worship, schools, and communities to support this day with commemorative expressions and programs. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this seventh day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh. BARACK OBAMA
3
NAME & RANK
BRANCH OF SERVICE
Clifford L. Clark E-4
US Army
Chester Cochran E-5
US Army
YEARS OF SERVICE 1964-1966 Vietnam Veteran
1969-1971 Platoon Leader, Basic & AIT Section Leader, Vietnam
4
PHOTO
NAME & RANK Billy R. Dawson E-3
BRANCH OF SERVICE
YEARS OF SERVICE
US Coast Guard
1972 - 1975
Eddie Dick US Air Force SGT
Ronald Dick AZ2
US Navy
PHOTO
1949-1952
1971-1974 (Aircraft Carrier USS Saratoga, Bermuda, Memphis)
5
NAME & RANK
BRANCH OF SERVICE
YEARS OF SERVICE 1973-1977
Glenn Drayton, Sr. ADJ 2
US Navy
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)
6
(Aircraft Carrier USS Saratoga, Plane Captain & Certified Jet Mechanic in the SH-3H Helicopter)
PHOTO
NAME & RANK
BRANCH OF SERVICE
John Neil Frazier PFC
US Army
Beatrice Guyton
US Air Force
YEARS OF SERVICE
PHOTO
1970-1972 (Served in Vietnam)
Air National Guard
Leon Nash, US Army Sr. SFC
4 Years 9-1/2 years Radio Operations(Communications Technology) 1974-2000 (26 years: 3 yrs Active/23 yrs Army Reserves)
7
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
8
US Army
PHOTO
NAME & RANK
BRANCH OF SERVICE
YEARS OF SERVICE
Michael Johnson, Colonel
US Marine 28 Years Corp
Marcus Matthews, SSGT
US Marine 20 Years Corp
PHOTO
Comptroller for 4th Marine Aircraft Wing
Persian Gulf, AMTRAK (Amphibious Assault Motor Vehicle Personnel), Instructor, Recruiter, Iraq War, Purple Heart
9
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.)
10
PHOTO
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)
PHOTO
Vietnam
11
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
12
(Aircraft Maintenance Technician)
PHOTO
NAME & RANK Earl S. Wilson, Corporal
BRANCH OF SERVICE
YEARS OF SERVICE
PHOTO
US 1953-1956 Paratrooper 188 Airborne (US Army) Division Korean Veteran
13
Active Duty 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
Tommy Guyton, PVT
US Army
Active Duty
14
PHOTO
NAME & RANK
BRANCH OF SERVICE
YEARS OF SERVICE
Al Henson
US Army
Active Duty
Timothy Irwin GySGT
US Marine Corps
Active Duty Camp LeJeune, NC
Ryan L. James, Sr. Gunnery MSGT
US Marine Corps
Active Duty
PHOTO
15
NAME & RANK
BRANCH OF SERVICE
YEARS OF SERVICE
Donald LaQuitus Johnson
US Army
Active Duty
Benjamin Marshall
US Navy
Active Duty
William David McClung, III
US Army
Active Duty
US Air Force
Active DutyArizona
Specialist E3
Desmond Ross
16
PHOTO
NAME & RANK
BRANCH OF SERVICE
YEARS OF SERVICE
Frederick US Air K. Sawyers Force Major
Active Duty
Henderson US Navy Williams, Jr.
Active Duty
Joe L. Williams, Jr. SP4
US Army
PHOTO
(USS Aircraft Carrier) Dwight D. Eisenhower)
Active Duty
17
Arlington Cemetery
“Gone, but never forgotten” NAME & RANK Sam Hopkins, III SGT
BRANCH OF SERVICE US Army
Caesar Huff US Army Corporal
18
YEARS OF SERVICE 1967-1970 (Served in Viet Nam, 1967-1968) 1953-1955 ( 71st IMF Div. Band)
PHOTO
NAME & RANK James Simpkins MSGT
BRANCH OF SERVICE US Air Force
US Army James Finch Corporal/ Technician Fifth Grade
YEARS OF SERVICE
PHOTO
20 Years (Served in Vietnam War and the Cuban Crisis)
1943 – 1946 (World War II Veteran, served in the Southwest Pacific, received the Good Conduct Medal, received the AsiaticPacific Campaign Medal) 19
20
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
21
22
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. 23
UPDATES If any information contained herein is incorrect, please accept our sincerest apology. You and your family are so very important to us as we recognize our brave Sardis Veteran’s each year. If anytime throughout the year, you have an update, addition, or correction to this booklet, you are invited to 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 wish 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
24
BRANCH OF SERVICE
YEARS OF SERVICE
PHOTO (OPTIONAL)
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/ 25
