Memorial service sends patriotic message
The annual memorial service, held Aug. 4, 2004, at the 55th convention of the 99th Infantry Division Association at Biloxi MS, began at 8:30 a.m. with the presentation of colors by sergeant-at-arms Del Stumpff and Jesse Coulter and past presidents.
President Bob Hawn led the recitation of The Pledge of Allegiance.
Chaplain Joe Johnson gave the call to worship:
"Invisible God, give us hearts to see the things our eyes overlook. Open our hearts to feel the things our hands can't touch. Open our hearts to hear the still small voice which sounds like only silence to our listening ears. Teach us to know You for what You really area — not flash or thunder, but love, softly spoken, flowing like a fountain, bathing the soul and skin. Amen."
The Checkerboard Chorus presented "American Tears."
Johnson shared words to remember:
The long road traveled, 1944-2004
Where were you 60 years ago today? Do you remember? Let me refresh your memory. Some of us were in Camp Maxey getting ready to ship overseas. Furloughs were canceled. We boarded a troop train that headed east and then north. We wound up at Camp Myles Standish, a POE on the east coast. We were going to that European theater of operations.
We next landed at Liverpool, England, and were carted to a camp somewhere near Blandford, England. Although time has dulled my memory, I think we were there for a few weeks. English girls, English traffic, English customs, etc.
We were packed up and sent across the English Channel to LeHavre, France. We were loaded on Army trucks and carried up to the front lines in Belgium and then into the Ardennes forest.
For four or five weeks everything was relatively calm. Then all hell broke loose. We were at the focal point of what was later called the Battle of the Bulge. It did not matter what your specialty was. Everyone got involved in a hurry. Normally there are 15 men behind every infantryman on the front lines. In this situation everyone was on the front lines. We won't go into details of exactly what happened, because if you were there a lot of those things are etched in your memory forever and do not need to be repeated here. Those of us who are here were the lucky ones. Those who did not make it home were the real heroes and we must never forget them.
Most of us who survived were able to make it home in late 1945, or sometime in 1946. During our time overseas a common bond gradually grew among many of the soldiers of the 99th Infantry Division. It continued after we returned to our great country. As a result, our first official reunion was held in 1949, in Pittsburgh. Since then we have had a reunion every year and this one here is our 55th annual. We have held them in the east. We have held them in the west. We have held them in the Midwest. We have held them in the south. We will continue to hold them as long as there are some of us who can continue to join together in celebration as men of the 99th in memory of those who have gone ahead to live forever in the paradise of God.
But let's get realistic. How long can we continue? Those of us here today who were with the 99th when it first went to Belgium, with few exceptions, are now 80 or more years of age. Although we want to go on forever, it will perhaps be only in the history books or in the memory of our offspring or other friends who are much younger, that we have met in our years of traveling the road of life, both in our beloved country as well as throughout the world.
Although it may be tough to accept, we must prepare the way for the time when we are no longer around. So how do we do it?
First of all, let's take the necessary steps to repair the broken fences around us. We all know that families many times have differences of opinion which can easily lead to friction and hurt feelings that can cause a split between members of our family and friends.
Let's make sure that we are on good terms with all of our family members and friends as well as the different people we have met and kept in touch with over the years. Learn to forgive those who have hurt us in many little ways. Shake hands with them. Hug them. Tell them you love them.
Remember that the 10 Commandments are for each one of us. Our great country was built on those commandments. If you don't believe that then all you have to do is read the history of our country. Then you will see why it is really the greatest country in the world. If you have an opportunity, I suggest you take a tour of the Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C., and take note of the decor that includes many plaques on walls and doors throughout the building containing those 10 Commandments.
Yes, it was up to us to pave the way for the future of our great country, not through the avenue of war, but through the life we lived, praying for strength and wisdom to deal with the challenges of things like 9/11 and Iraq, and let us not forget all those other challenges we have met and are meeting on almost a daily basis. Things like our own health and welfare; or the losing of a loved one. In the time left for us, recognize that a life of forgiveness and brotherly love is a thousand times better than any kind of violence or destruction.
In your daily walk of life, may God lead the way, and may you be on the pathway every step of the way.
Amen.
Those to remember
Claude Abel B/394
Herbert B. Allen N/395
John Artley L/394
Philip J. Bandi I/394
Donald J. Gates 99th Recon
Eugene C. Black B/395
Albert Brainard B/393
Bill Bray L/394
Joseph Carusone C/372
Fred J. Connell C/393
George Connell QM/324
Thomas Cores I/395
Harry Crossey Med/394
James W. Dempster QM/395
Jack Dixon F/395
William Flannery D/394
Dale Fisher C/393
Murray Fox C/393
Robert G. Fowler 370 FA
Alphoonso Garcia QM/371
Calvin Beard G/393
L. Hinson Gunning B/371 FA
Robert "Skeeter" Guza C/372
John E. Hall C/370
Arthur Halldin S/395
Charles E. "Gene" Hill Q/924
Albert J. Humphrey G/394
Newton Ince C/324
Charles M. Jackson QM/Med
William Jackson C/324
Alvin E. Jones 2nd Bn/394
Kenneth Juhl L/393
Garland "Buddy" Ketron A/324
Virgil C. Kennedy 3/395
Charles F. King Q/099
James F. Klingenberger K/395
John R. Kochner L/395
William Kresal H/394
Harold Kurtz Unit Unknown
George Leap QM/372
John Lisinski Jr. 99 QM
Mike Marcos Sr. C/393
Paul D. Martin A/372 FA
Francis May 3/394
Joseph D. McNulty B/371
Roger H. Meyer L/393
Robert Mikesell H/393
R.H. "Doc" Mobley G/395
Dominic Moncuso I/395
Woodrow Monn B/394
Joseph Moore B/371
Paul S. Moore F/394
Ellis Newton Can/394
Ross Patton B/395
Frank H. Paulin S/370
Dr. Ed "Ned" Potter Jr. E/394
Richard Reck MED
Wilbur Register H/393
Edward Rusinek J/099
Michael Rosul 2/394
Edmond L. Royston I/393
Frank T. Rupnik E/324
Oliver Sacco K/394
Alec Seabourne H/395
Charles Seefeldt F/395
Robert Singer C/324
John Sorich 3/394
Robert Spronk N/395
Edward Starch 99th Recon
Earl W. Stein H/393
Edward J. Stein S/395
Earl Howard Starry N/393
Hershell Stout Unit Unknown
Rev. Clarence Stephens 395
Robert Stuffi D/393
Bobbie Sweat H/393
Casimir Truman 99 QM
Odis B. Tucker N/393
John E. "Pete" Webb Sr. 370
Walter Wengzen S/371
Raymond L. White K/395
Gerald Whitecotton QM/395
Rex Whitehead H/394
George Wilhoit Jr. B/393
James R. Wilson A/324
Robert E. Wright E/395
Rudy Zehnder C/395
Prayer of intercession
Oh God, the time has come to ask for solace, peace of mind;
There is no greater source than Thee to rid the ties that bind.
Our cares at times do give us pause to change our worldy ways;
For in our days on earth we see great proof of Your bright rays.
Remembering all that has gone past we ask for grace today;
For in our striving we have found there's only one true way.
The end we ask is Heaven above where all is right and free;
That in the end when we ascend our cares be given to Thee.
So may Your peace and joy come here to show us Your true will;
As we ascend to come to You please give us all our fill.
And finally on that blessed day when we reach out to You,
We find the answer we have sought: Your time with us is true.
Bert Burda, Checkerboard chorus director, shared a prayer for the nation. The chorus and congregation sang "America the Beautiful."
While the past presidents retired the colors, Johnson read "The Way to Peace and Love."
There is no thinking person
Who can stand untouched today
And view the world around us
Slowly drifting to decay
Without feeling deep within them
A silent, unnamed dread
As they contemplate the future
That lies frighteningly ahead
And as the 'clouds of chaos'
Gather in man's muddled mind,
And he searches for the answer
He alone can never find
Let us recognize we're facing
Problems man has never solved,
And with our daily efforts
Life grows more and more involved,
But our future will seem brighter
And we'll meet with less resistance
If we call upon our Father
And seek divine assistance
For the spirit can unravel
Many tangled, knotted threads
That defy the skill and power
Of the world's best hands and heads,
And our plans for growth and progress,
Of which we all have dreamed,
Cannot survive materially
Unless our spirits are redeemed
For only when the mind of man
Is united with the soul
Can love and peace combine to make
Our lives complete and whole.
Benediction
"God be with you till we meet again.
By His counsels, guide, uphold you,
With His sheep securely fold you.
God be with you till we meet again.
God be with you till we meet again,
If life's trials should confound you,
God will put His arms around you.
God be with you till we meet again."
