Col. Stephen Trigg President Steve Mallory recently honored two of his “in-laws” during his journey home from Valley Forge. He and wife, Debbie, made a stop in Maryland to visit with family. While there, Steven presented our chapter’s Veteran’s Appreciation Medal and Certificate to Melvin Howard, U.S. Army (left) and James LeFave, U.S. Air Force (r). Both gentlemen are husbands of Debbie’s first cousins.
Bernard Rubien enlisted in the U.S Army Air Corps in September, 1940. One year later, he was stationed at one of the army’s most exotic locations … Oahu, Hawaii. He was an enlisted man assigned to Hickam Army Airfield at Pearl Harbor. Two months later, he was awakened from a lazy Sunday morning’s sleep by the Japanese bombing Pearl Harbor.
Thankfully, he survived that attack and went on to a stellar career in the Army Air Corps, which later became the U.S. Air Force. He served in both World War II and the Korean War, retiring as a Lt. Colonel in 1966.
Here is an amazing photo of his service decorations, complete with a photo from his youth.
Bernard is now 99 years old, and living in California. Today, thanks to Col. Stephen Trigg Compatriot Glenn Greenfield, he proudly received the chapter’s Veteran’s Appreciation Medal.
Just look at that smile!
Huzzah! And thank you for your service, Col. Rubien!
Compatriots of the Col Stephen Trigg Chapter honored three U.S. military veterans at the annual family reunion in Cadiz.
Dr. Brad Rankin and his son, Chad, presented the Veteran’s Appreciation Medal and Certificate to World War II Veteran Gilmer Haydon Thomas.
Col. Stephen Trigg Chapter charter member James Sumner presented medals and certificates to his “cousins,” Korean War Navy Veteran Olen Ray Thomas and World War II Veteran James Arvin Cunningham.
We are grateful for their selfless service to our nation.
Compatriot Ron Drennan of Owensboro recently honored a World War II veteran in his community with the Col. Stephen Trigg Chapter’s Veteran’s Appreciation Medal and Certificate. James Beller served in the United States Army.
We salute Mr. Beller, an honored citizen of our “greatest generation.”
Compatriot John Humphries has been busy seeking out and recognizing veterans throughout Caldwell County. His latest honoree is Bob Burris, who served in the U.S. Air Force in the Vietnam War. He presented Mr. Burris with the Col. Stephen Trigg Chapter’s Veteran’s Appreciation Medal at church this past Sunday.
We salute John for his excellent efforts and Mr. Burris for his service to our nation!
Chapter President Geoff Baggett made a quick visit to the Pennyroyal Veteran’s Center in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, today to honor to honor two resident veterans with the chapter’s Veteran’s Appreciation Certificate and the Gadsden “Don’t tread on Me” Challenge Coin.
Unfortunately, one of the guys was away for an appointment. But Geoff did get to honor a U.S. Army Veteran, Garland Lyons. Garland, thank you for your service to our country!
Princeton resident and Col. Stephen Trigg Chapter Compatriot John Humphries has been busy gathering information on veterans in his home county of Caldwell, Kentucky. This morning he hosted a breakfast and presentation ceremony at the Central Presbyterian Church in Princeton. Caldwell County Compatriot Robert Ward assisted him in doing the honors.
Veterans honored included:
Bob Hayes – U.S. Army
Bob Hayes was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the US Army after completing ROTC training at the University of Kentucky. He ranked third in a class of 160 and had the opportunity to choose an area other than infantry or armor. Bob chose the medical services corps. Bob began his military service in June 1969 at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio. After six months of training he was sent to Fort Dix in New Jersey to prepare a new field hospital for Vietnam, which was completed six months later but never used. While stationed at Fort Dix Bob also spent one week on duty in New York City. During a postal strike he was sent to an office near Madison Square Garden and helped sort the mail.
Bob received orders to Vietnam in 1970 but they were rescinded when it was learned that his older brother Jim was serving a third tour of duty in Vietnam. Bob was sent to South Korea instead. In Korea Bob was the supply officer for a medical group.
Bob Davis – U.S. Marine Corps
Brian Davis enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1990 and served for 20 years. Brian participated in Operation Desert Storm in Kuwait. He subsequently served at Camp Lejeune and on numerous Navy amphibious assault ships. He was deployed as part of the UN peacekeeping team in Bosnia/Herzegovina and later stationed in Japan. After 9/11 he worked for the Marine Corps’ chemical biological response team outside Washington.
James “Dog” Menser – U.S. Marine Corps
James “Dog” Menser was on a plane to Parris Island, South Carolina two 10 days after he graduated from high school in 1993. James was in the U.S. Marines for eight years. He was trained at Parris Island and Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. James served as a crewman on an amphibious assault vehicle, also called an Amtrak. James was based at Camp Pendleton in California but traveled the world visiting Hawaii, Singapore, Thailand, Australia, the UAE, Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Malaysia. He trained Kuwaiti soldiers between the two Gulf Wars. He served in Somalia at the age of 21 after the Black Hawk Down incident. James helped provide security for UN peacekeeping forces from Bangladesh and Pakistan when they decided to withdraw. When he was not deployed James served at Camp Pendleton’s rifle range and eventually became a marksmanship instructor.
Joe Shore – U.S. Marine Corps
Joe Shore served in the Marine Corps from 1969 to 1971. He was trained as a radio field operator but served in Vietnam for a year in a different role. Joe handled “S&C,” “Secret and Confidential,” documents related to the conduct of the war. In this role he had top secret clearance.
Compatriot Humphries has several other presentations planned in coming days. He has already purchased another seven medals for area veterans. We look forward to his coming reports!
In November the Col. Stephen Trigg Chapter received a sum of $500 as a “grant” from the Kentucky Society SAR for veterans’ causes. The Pennyroyal Veteran’s Center in Hopkinsville provided a big “wish list” of items needed by the residents at their center so that we had a shopping guide for the $500 gift.
This week chapter president Geoff Baggett, accompanied by his wife, Kim, and daughter, Katie, took the cash to Wal-Mart and attacked the list! They purchased a basket full of winter coats, gloves, winter caps, umbrellas, socks, underwear, t-shirts, and house slippers. It was amazing how quickly $500 disappears!
The items are on display for this weekend’s annual dinner. They will be delivered to PVC early next week,
We have discovered a very important need among the veterans who complete the structured program at a nearby Veteran’s Center and prepare to move out into their own apartments. Many of them do not have a bed to sleep on! This essential piece of furniture can be an overwhelming expense for men who are just getting back out on their own.
So some of the men of the Col. Stephen Trigg Chapter have taken action to help meet this need! We obtained a simple construction plan and materials list for a single bed. Such a bed can suffice for someone until they save the funds to buy the bed of their choice. We built two beds earlier in the year and delivered them to veterans in need.
This week Compatriot Glenn Greenfield, owner of a local construction company in Cadiz, managed to secure a lumber donation from a supplier in Hopkinsville to provide enough materials to build two more beds. Today, chapter vice-president Steve Mallory cut, sanded, and assembled two more beds!
Chapter president Geoff Baggett will deliver the beds to the veteran’s center on Thursday.
Once again … the men of the Col. Stephen Trigg Chapter are doing “whatever it takes” to honor and assist our military veterans!
Col. Stephen Trigg compatriots Dennis Adams and Geoff Baggett made a visit to the Pennyroyal Veteran’s Center today with a three-fold purpose.
First, they dropped off over sixty DVD movies for the center’s library and ten “Playaway” digital audio books and players. Next they honored three residents with the Veteran’s Appreciation Certificate and Gadsden Challenge Coin. Here is a photo of Dennis with three awesome American vets!
After the presentations the Compatriots headed outside to visit with Arthur Moton. He is a resident of the program who moved out today into his own apartment! He received a bed from Dennis and Geoff, courtesy of the men of Crossroads Fellowship Church in Cadiz. They built two beds just for this purpose back earlier in the summer. Dennis added a full set of brand new bedding and two new pillows to top of the brand new bed!
Arthur and Dennis stopped to pose for an all-smiled picture after the bed was loaded.
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