05/31/10 - NNHS Newsletter


	05/31/10 - NNHS Newsletter - Memorial Day “The brave die never, though they sleep in dust: Their courage nerves a thousand living men.” - Minot J. Savage (10 June 1841 - 22 May 1918)

Dear Friends and Schoolmates,

Assuming all is well with both me and my computer systems, we observe this day here every year:

http://nnhs65.com/05-28-04-NNHS-Happy-Memorial-Day.html

http://nnhs65.com/05-29-06-NNHS-Memorial-Day.html

http://nnhs65.com/05-28-07-NNHS-Memorial-Day.html

http://nnhs65.com/05-26-08-NNHS-Memorial-Day.html

http://nnhs65.com/05-25-09-NNHS-Memorial-Day.html

BONUS - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WB76cYS8Ehw - Trace Adkins - Arlington

HOMEWORK:

http://www.usmemorialday.org/

http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html

http://www.history.com/minisites/memorial/

http://www1.va.gov/opa/speceven/memday/index.asp

http://wilstar.com/holidays/memday.htm

THIS WEEK'S BIRTHDAYS:

Happy Birthday today to Calmet Sawyer ('57) AND JoAnn Houston Parrott ('61) of NC AND Kathy Reece Burke (Warwick HS - '72)!

Happy Birthday tomorrow to Dawn _____ Yevak of VA!

Happy Birthday this week to:

02 - Jerry Blanchard ('62) of VA;

03 - Gail Kiger Bonsey (Ferguson HS - '73) of OR;

04 - Raoul Weinstein ('57) of FL AND Catherine Slusser Hudson ('64) of VA;

05 - Brian Blakley (Cheyenne HS, NV - '04) of NV;

06 - Robert Helmintoller ('57) AND Bertha Smith Zacharias ('57);

07 - Fred Field ('45) of CA AND Al Simms ('60) of VA AND Donnie Morris ('67) of VA!

Many Happy Returns to You All!

http://www.nnhs65.com/Happy-Birthday.html

YESTERDAY IN WWII:

May 30, 1941 - Manolis Glezos and Apostolos Santas climbed on the Athenian Acropolis and tore down the Nazi swastika.

May 30, 1942 - 1000 British bombers launched a 90-minute attack on Cologne, Germany.

May 30, 1958 - Memorial Day: the remains of two unidentified American servicemen, killed in action during World War II and the Korean War respectively, were buried at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery.

TODAY IN WWII:

May 31, 1941 - Germany conquered Crete after beginning their invasion on May 20.

May 31, 1941 - British troops surrounded Baghdad forcing the end to the Iraqi revolt.

May 31, 1941 - A Luftwaffe air raid in Dublin, Ireland claimed 38 lives.

May 31, 1942 - Imperial Japanese Navy midget submarines began a series of attacks on Sydney, Australia.

May 31, 1962 - Adolf Eichmann, "the architect of the Holocaust", was hanged in Israel, the only person to have been executed in Israel on conviction by a civilian court.

YESTERDAY IN 1965:

Sunday, May 30, 1965 - College basketball coach Billy Donovan was born in Rockville Centre, NY.

Sunday, May 30, 1965 - Linguist Louis Hjelmslev (b. 03 Oct 1899) died at the age of 65.

TODAY IN 1965:

Monday, May 31, 1965 - Actress and supermodel Brooke Shields was born in New York City, New York.

From Tommy Jenkins ('66) of VA - 05/21/10 - "I Honor our Fallen Heroes":

This Memorial Day, please remember why we pause to observe a respectful moment of silence. Please remember the men and women of the United States military who have given all for our precious American freedoms.

Thank you so much, Tommy!

From Dave Spriggs ('64) of VA - 05/23/10 - "Ring of Freedom":

A stirring tribute. Well worth the five minutes to watch it.

Ring of Freedom

It is only five minutes long but a lifetime of pride.

Just click on the link below and have your speaker on!

http://www.nragive.com/ringoffreedom/index.html

Thank you so much, Captain! This is beautiful!

From Glenn Dye ('60) of TX - 05/27/10 - "When the Music Stopped!!!":

WHEN the MUSIC stopped

(For those who are unaware: At all military base theaters, the National Anthem is played before the movie begins.)

This is written by a Chaplain in Iraq:

I recently attended a showing of "Spiderman 3" here at LSA Anaconda. We have a large auditorium we use for movies as well as memorial services and other large gatherings. As is the custom back in the States, we stood and snapped to attention when the National Anthem began before the main feature. All was going as planned until about three-quarters of the way through the National Anthem the music stopped.

Now, what would happen if this occurred with 1,000 18-22 year-olds back in the States? I imagine there would be hoots, catcalls, laughter, a few rude comments, and everyone would sit down and call for a movie. Of course, that is, if they had stood for the National Anthem in the first place.

Here, the 1,000 Soldiers continued to stand at attention, eyes fixed forward.

The music started again. The Soldiers continued to quietly stand at attention. And again, at the same point, the music stopped. What would you expect to happen? Even here I would imagine laughter as everyone sat down and expected the movie to start.

Here, you could have heard a pin drop. Every Soldier stood at attention. Suddenly there was a lone voice, then a dozen, and quickly the room was filled with the voices of a thousand Soldiers:

And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air,

gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.

O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave,

o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

It was the most inspiring moment I have had here in Iraq. I wanted you to know what kind of Soldiers are serving you here.

Pass this along as a reminder to others to be ever in prayer for all our soldiers serving us here at home and abroad. Many have already paid the ultimate price.

Written by Chaplain Jim Higgins, LSA Anaconda, who is at the Ballad Airport in Iraq, north of Baghdad

Thanks so much, Glenn!

From Tina Crowder Adderholdt ('65) of NC - 05/27/10 - "Final journey":

GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS!!!

Worth reading. Beautiful.

This one really got to me some. Beautiful story on so many levels of heartfelt compassion.

Honor and Respect

FROM AN AIRLINE CAPTAIN:

He writes: My lead flight attendant came to me and said, "We have an H.R. on this flight." (H.R. stands for human remains.) "Are they military?" I asked.

'Yes', she said.

'Is there an escort?' I asked.

'Yes, I already assigned him a seat'.

'Would you please tell him to come to the flight deck. You can board him early," I said.

A short while later, a young army sergeant entered the flight deck. He was the image of the perfectly dressed soldier.  He introduced himself and I asked him about his soldier. The escorts of these fallen soldiers talk about them as if they are still alive and still with us.

'My soldier is on his way back to Virginia,' he said. He proceeded to answer my questions, but offered no words.

I asked him if there was anything I could do for him and he said no. I told him that he had the toughest job in the military and that I appreciated the work that he does for the families of our fallen soldiers. The first officer and I got up out of our seats to shake his hand. He left the flight deck to find his seat.

We completed our preflight checks, pushed back and performed an uneventful departure. About 30 minutes into our flight I received a call from the lead flight attendant in the cabin. 'I just found out the family of the soldier we are carrying, is on board', she said. She then proceeded to tell me that the father, mother, wife and 2-year old daughter were escorting their son, husband, and father home.  The family was upset because they were unable to see the container that the soldier was in before we left. We were on our way to a major hub at which the family was going to wait four hours for the connecting flight home to Virginia.

The father of the soldier told the flight attendant that knowing his son was below him in the cargo compartment and being unable to see him was too much for him and the family to bear. He had asked the flight attendant if there was anything that could be done to allow them to see him upon our arrival. The family wanted to be outside by the cargo door to watch the soldier being taken off the airplane. I could hear the desperation in the flight attendants voice when she asked me if there was anything I could do. 'I'm on it', I said. I told her that I would get back to her.

Airborne communication with my company normally occurs in the form of e-mail like messages. I decided to bypass this system and contact my flight dispatcher directly on a secondary radio. There is a radio operator in the operations control center who connects you to the telephone of the dispatcher. I was in direct contact with the dispatcher. I explained the situation I had on board with the family and what it was the family wanted. He said he understood and that he would get back to me.

Two hours went by and I had not heard from the dispatcher. We were going to get busy soon and I needed to know what to tell the family. I sent a text message asking for an update. I saved the return message from the dispatcher and the following is the text:

'Captain, sorry it has taken so long to get back to you. There is policy on this now and I had to check on a few things. Upon your arrival a dedicated escort team will  meet the aircraft. The team will escort the family to the ramp and plane side. A van will be used to load the remains with a secondary van for the family. The family will be taken to their departure area and escorted into the terminal where the remains can be seen on the ramp. It is a private area for the family only. When the connecting aircraft arrives, the family will be escorted onto the ramp and plane side to watch the remains being loaded for the final leg home. Captain, most of us here in flight control are veterans. Please pass our condolences on to the family. Thanks.'

I sent a message back telling flight control thanks for a good job. I printed out the message and gave it to the lead flight attendant to pass on to the father. The lead flight attendant was very thankful and told me, 'You have no idea how much this will mean to them.'

Things started getting busy for the descent, approach and landing. After landing, we cleared the runway and taxied to the ramp area. The ramp is huge with 15 gates on either side of the alleyway. It is always a busy area with aircraft maneuvering every which way to enter and exit. When we entered the ramp and checked in with the ramp controller, we were told that all traffic was being held for us.

'There is a team in place to meet the aircraft', we were told. It looked like it was all coming together, then I realized that once we turned the seat belt sign off, everyone would stand up at once and delay the family from getting off the airplane. As we approached our gate, I asked the copilot to tell the ramp controller we were going to stop short of the gate to make an announcement to the passengers. He did that and the ramp controller said, 'Take your time.'

I stopped the aircraft and set the parking brake. I pushed the public address button and said, 'Ladies and gentleman, this is your Captain speaking I have stopped short of our gate to make a special announcement. We have a passenger on board who deserves our honor and respect. His Name is Private XXXXXX, a soldier who recently lost his life. Private XXXXXX is under your feet in the cargo hold. Escorting him today is Army Sergeant  XXXXXXX. Also, on board are his father, mother, wife, and daughter. Your entire flight crew is asking for all passengers to remain in their seats to allow the family to exit the aircraft first. Thank you.'

We continued the turn to the gate, came to a stop and started our shutdown procedures. A couple of minutes later I opened the cockpit door. I found the two forward flight attendants crying, something you just do not see. I was told that after we came to a stop, every passenger on the aircraft stayed in their seats, waiting for the family to exit the aircraft.

When the family got up and gathered their things, a passenger slowly started to clap his hands. Moments later more passengers joined in and soon the entire aircraft was clapping. Words of 'God Bless You', I'm sorry, thank you, be proud, and other kind words were uttered to the family as they made their way down the aisle and out of the airplane. They were escorted down to the ramp to finally be with their loved one.

Many of the passengers disembarking thanked me for the announcement I had made. They were just words, I told them; I could say them over and over again, but nothing I say will bring back that brave soldier.

I respectfully ask that all of you reflect on this event and the sacrifices that millions of our men and women have made to ensure our freedom and safety in these United States of AMERICA .

Foot note:
As a Viet Nam Veteran I can only think of all the veterans including the ones that rode below the deck on their way home and how they were treated. When I read things like this I am proud that our country has not turned their backs on our soldiers returning from the various war zones today and give them the respect they so deserve.

I know every one who has served their country who reads this will have tears in their eyes, including me.

Prayer chain for our Military...

Prayer:

'Lord, hold our troops in your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. Amen..'

Prayer Request: When you receive this, please stop for a moment and say a prayer for our troops around the world.

Of all the gifts you could give a Marine, Soldier, Sailor, Airman, & others deployed in harm's way, prayer is the very best one.

GOD BLESS YOU!!!

Thank you, Tina!

From Glenn Dye ('60) of TX - 05/28/10 AND From Patti Johnson Stowe ('62) of FL - 05/28/10 AND From My Daughter, Adrienne (Harty - Hillsboro HS, IL / American School, IL - of IL) - 05/28/10 - "Memorial Day - Have a Happy Holiday!":

Proud to be an American!

MEMORIAL DAY

It is the
VETERAN,
not the preacher,
who has given us freedom of religion.

It is
the VETERAN,
not the reporter,
who has given us freedom of the press.

It is
the VETERAN,
not the poet,
who has given us freedom of speech.

It is
the VETERAN,
not the campus organizer,
who has given us freedom to assemble.


It is
the VETERAN,
not the lawyer,
who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is
the VETERAN,
not the politician,
who has given us the right to vote.

It is
the VETERAN who
salutes the Flag,

It is
the VETERAN
who serves
under the Flag.

ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.

We can be very proud of our young men and women in the service no matter where they serve.

God Bless them all!!

Makes you proud to be an American.

Thank a serviceman/woman for their sacrifice for our country - I just did.

I did, too - and thank YOU, Sweetie-Pies!

       From My Husband, Paul Harty (Bardolph HS, IL - '61) of IL - 05/29/10 - "HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY !":

For all of our American military personnel, wherever they may be.

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY !

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG,
OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ,
AND TO THE REPUBLIC, FOR WHICH IT STANDS,
ONE NATION UNDER GOD,
INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL!

KEEP IT LIT!! KEEP IT LIT!

Please pray for all of the troops who are defending our country.
And God Bless our Military who are protecting the USA.
Thanks to them and their sacrifices, we can celebrate our freedom.
We must never forget who deserves credit for the freedoms we have, and of which we should be eternally grateful.

I watched the flag pass by one day,
It fluttered in the breeze.
A young Marine saluted it,
And then he stood at ease.

I looked at him in uniform
So young, so tall, so proud,
With hair cut square and eyes alert
He'd stand out in any crowd .

I thought how many men like him
Had fallen through the years.
How many died on foreign soil
How many mothers' tears?

How many pilots' planes shot down?
How many died at sea?
How many foxholes were soldiers' graves ?
No, freedom isn't free.

I heard the sound of Taps one night,
When everything was still,
I listened to the bugler play
And felt a sudden chill.

I wondered just how many times
That Taps had meant "Amen,"
When a flag had draped a coffin
Of a brother or a friend.

I thought of all the children,
Of the mothers and the wives,
Of fathers, sons, and husbands
With interrupted lives.

I Thought about a graveyard
At the bottom of the sea.
Of unmarked graves in Arlington.
No, freedom isn't free.

Enjoy Your Freedom & God Bless Our Troops!

When you receive this, please stop for a moment and say a prayer for the men and women who serve our country.
Of all the gifts you could give an American soldier, prayer is the very best one.

   Thank you, Dools!

From My Niece, Shari, of VA - 05/29/10 - "☆★ MEMORIAL DAY ☆★":

My Dad's Promise

Memorial Day …

At the end of this month, we will be celebrating a holiday that means a lot more to some then others. If you have been in the service this is your day. If you have been in the service and have fought in a war this is more than just your day. It is, for you, a day in which you visually see the gratitude that Americans have for the sacrifices you have made. As the daughter of a man who served in a war, I am grateful that I have a Memorial Day to thank the many men and women who have given me the freedom that I am so blessed to have today. As a child, my Dad didn't really talk much about his experiences in the war; however, there was something special about Memorial Day for him that I would like to share.

My sisters and I were raised Catholic. I came from the type of Catholic family where Mom and Dad stayed home on Sundays but the children all had to go to mass. Our rewards for going was getting a check next to our name on the list that Sister Mary Annunciata held in her hand and went over in class on Monday morning; plus one dollar to buy bagels at the bakery on the way home for breakfast. Looking back at it now it seems so wrong but as a child it seemed so right.

One Memorial Day morning, I saw my dad and older sister sitting at the kitchen table. He was real serious and seemed to be very sad. My sister who was five years older than me was listening intently. He held rosary beads and a photo in his hand. He was talking about them to her. I crept closer until I could hear them.

He was telling her about a buddy of his that had been killed during the war. He told her of how, one night, they had been in a hole waiting for the enemy. It had been a really dark night without any light from the moon or stars. He and his buddy were telling each other what they wanted the other to do in the event that one or the other did not make it. Of course, their intent was to make it but guys in that situation would always talk about what they wanted if they didn't.

He told my dad about his wife. He told him that she was the love of his life. He told him about how they had met in high school and always knew they were meant to be. He told him about how they were planning on buying a little house and having a family but because he had been called to war all that had been put on hold. He wore rosary beads around his neck that she had given him to remember her. He had a photo of her in his helmet. He told my dad, "If I die take the photo and rosary beads and give them to her. Tell her not to forget me".

My dad was telling my sister about how he tried to find her and how he had had no luck. He told my sister of how guilty he felt that he could not fulfill his buddies wishes. He told my sister that he made a promise that he couldn't keep so he was going to do something for the rest of his life that would in some way make up for that.

From that Memorial Day forward, my dad got dressed in his uniform, he took the photo and the rosary beads to church and prayed for the soul of his buddy. The photo and the rosary beads were buried with my dad the day he died. It was what he wanted. In honor of my dad and his buddy, I now go to mass on Memorial Day and bless the day that he and his buddy fought to make my country safe.

~Isodora

☆★☆★☆★

"There was nothing macho about the war at all. We were a bunch of scared kids who had a job to do."
- E. R. Sledge (WWII, Pacific)


   Thank you, Shari! This reminded me so much of the WWII stories my own daddy, the late Robert Buckley (John Marshall HS - '25) used to tell me when I was a little bitty girl.

From Joe Madagan ('57) of FL - 05/28/10 - "VMI Barracks":

Hi, Carol:

Thought of you and       Paul (Harty - Bardolph HS, IL - '61 - of IL) as I drove near Edwardsville on my way from Kansas to the Commonwealth of Virginia. It was way too early in the morning to give you all a call or to invite you for breakfast at Bob Evans.

Still thinking of you all, and your late brother-in-law ( Miles Nowitzky - Granby HS - '50) I took this photo of the Parade Field and the Barracks at the Virginia Military Institute. One of my favorite places to visit.

TYPHOON Regards,
Joe Madagan ('57) of FL

From Joe Madagan ('57) of FL to     My #2 Son, Brent Harty (Hillsboro HS, IL - '90) of TX - 05/28/10 - "Stonewall Jackson":

Greetings LT Harty:
Thought this image might get your blood up.

Army Strong,

Joe Madagan

   Thank you so much, Major Madagan! You're an amazingly thoughtful man! I'm so sorry we missed connection (once again); it's only been - what? - 53 years since we last saw one another?!?
http://www.nnhs65.com/SITE-MAP.html

     http://www.nnhs65.com/old-stomping.html

          http://www.nnhs65.com/OOSG-S-Z.html

               http://www.nnhs65.com/pool.html

   I'm sure Brent enjoyed seeing the picture of Stonewall's statue as much as I did. Both images made me homesick for the Sacred Soil of Virginia (which admittedly isn't all that difficult to achieve...)!

From Jane Chambers of VA - 07/01/09 AND 02/07/10 - "CNC BOOK BROCHURE & AD" AND 61-62 DECADERS ADDENDA:

http://www.nnhs65.com/CNC-CNU/brochure(2).pdf

http://www.nnhs65.com/CNC-CNU/CNC-Memories-Book-219390602.pdf

http://www.nnhs65.com/CNC-CNU/61-63-DECADERS-ADDENDA.doc

   Contact Dr. Chambers at cncmemories61_71@yahoo.com.

   Thanks, Jane!

FINALLY:

From ArcaMax Jokes - 05/30/10:

Quirks of Life

I don't understand these complaints about the postal service. Time was,you could put a two-cent stamp on a letter and mail it, and it would arrive at its destination in two days. Now you put a thirty-seven-cent stamp on a letter and it can take four to five weeks to arrive. Still only a penny a day!

Quirks About Life You Notice By The Time You Are Fifty

.. Most people deserve each other.
.. All the good ones, no matter what it is, are taken.
.. The one who snores will fall asleep first.
.. The length of a marriage is inversely proportional to the amount of money spent on the wedding.
.. The gifts you buy your spouse are never as good as the gifts your neighbor buys their spouse.
.. If you help a relative in need, he/she will remember you the next time they are in need.
.. The probability of meeting someone you know increases greatly when you are out with someone you do not want to be seen with.
.. Toothaches always start on Friday night right before the weekend when the Dental Office will be closed.
*************

The Drill Sergeant

One of my husband's duties as a novice drill instructor at Fort Jackson, S.C., was to escort new recruits to the mess hall. After everyone had made it through the chow line, he sat them down and told them, "There are three rules in this mess hall: Shut up! Eat up! Get up!"

Checking to see that he had everyone's attention, he asked, "What is the first rule?"

Much to the amusement of the other instructors, 60 privates yelled in unison, "Shut up, Drill Sergeant!"

DATES TO REMEMBER:

1. Saturday, June 12, 2010 - George Wythe Schools Closing Celebration. Contact Glory Gill (Wythe school nurse) at 727-2965 / ggill@sbo.hampton.k12.va.us with any questions or to contribute old memories - OPEN TO PUBLIC
2. Friday and Saturday, August 6 and 7, 2010 - The NNHS Class of 1970 will hold its 40-Year Reunion. Saturday night will be at the Kiln Creek Golf & Country Club. For details, contact Carol Comer Cutler at ca23comerww@aol.com or visit the reunion website at NNHS1970Reunion.myevent.com - CLASS OF 1970

3. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, August 6, 7, and 8, 2010 - The NNHS Class of 1960 will hold its 50-Year Reunion at the Marriott Newport News at City Center. For details, contact Karen Weinstein Witte at kwitte@tampabay.rr.com - CLASS OF 1960

4. Saturday, October 9, 2010 - The NNHS Class of 1963 will celebrate their 65th Birthdays at a Party on Saturday, October 9, 2010 at the Virginia Power Clubhouse, 1701 Waterview, Yorktown, VA from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM. For details, contact Susie Overton Jones at tnsjones@charter.net - CLASS OF 1963

5. Friday and Saturday, October 15 and 16, 2010 - The NNHS Class of 1965 will hold its 45-Year Reunion. For details, contact Dave Arnold at captarnold@vprj.net - OPEN TO ALL CLASSES, HOSTED BY THE CLASS OF 1965

6. Saturday, April 30, 2011 - The NNHS Class of 1954 will have a LUNCHEON. Mickey Marcella mcmiceli@verizon.net (757) 249-3800, Betty Hamby Neher, bjneher@cox.net (757) 898-5099 and Dr. Harry Simpson hdsdds@aol.com (804) 694-0346 will be the team leaders. - CLASS OF 1954
7. Saturday, July 9, 2011 (6:30 PM - 11:30 PM) - The Class of 1971 will hold its 40-Year Reunion at Point Plaza Suites and Conference Hotel, 950 J. Clyde Morris Boulevard, Newport News. For details, contact Richard Rawls at: Richard@Rawls.com - CLASS OF 1971

PRAYER ROLL:
http://www.nnhs65.com/requests-prayers.html - updated 05/17/10
BLOG:
http://nnhs.wordpress.com/ - updated 08/04/09

   Y'all take care of each other! TYPHOONS FOREVER! We'll Always Have Buckroe!

                        Love to all, Carol

==============================================

NNHS CLASS OF '65 WEB SITE: http://www.nnhs65.com

PERSONAL WEB SITE: http://www.angelfire.com/weird2/cluckmeat

==============================================

Carol Buckley Harty
618-530-9092

To donate, click on the Donate Button on the left, or just mail it directly to my home (address available upon request). Thanks! nnhs65@gmail.com

Amazing Grace

Words by John Newton, 1779
(24 July 1725 – 21 Dec 1807)

Amazing grace! (how sweet the sound)
That sav'd a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears reliev'd;
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believ'd!

Thro' many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promis'd good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call'd me here below,
Will be forever mine.

Bagpipes Version of "Amazing Grace" midi courtesy of http://breadsite.org/classic.htm - 05/25/08
at the suggestion of Dave Spriggs ('64) of VA - 05/21/08
Thanks, Dave!

"Amazing Grace" lyrics courtesy of http://www.littleleaf.com/amazinggrace.htm also at the suggestion of Dave Spriggs ('64) of VA - 05/21/08
Thanks again, Dave!

Memorial Day Image courtesy of Tommy Jenkins ('66) of VA - 05/21/10
Thanks, Tommy!

Animated Military Seals clip art courtesy of Al Farber ('64) of GA - 05/26/06
Thanks, Al!

Elaine's Memorial Day Bar Divider Line clip art courtesy of http://homepages.tesco.net/~derek.berger/holidays/memorialday.html - 05/24/06
Animated Tiny Birthday Cake clip art courtesy of Sarah Puckett Kressaty ('65) of VA - 08/31/05
Thanks, Sarah Sugah!
Navy Seal clip art courtesy of http://www.onemileup.com/miniSeals.asp - 05/29/06
Ferguson High School's Anchor clip art courtesy of Steve Silsby (Ferguson HS - '72) of NC - 12/14/05
Thanks, Steve!
Cheyenne High School (NV) Desert Shields Logo courtesy of http://www.ccsd.net/schools/cheyenne/sports.htm - 02/05/08
Army Seal clip art courtesy of Al Farber ('64) of GA - 05/24/06 (still missing...)
Thanks, Al!
Replaced by Norm Covert ('61) of MD - 02/09/09
Thanks, Norm!
Hillsboro High School's Topper (Band Version) clip art courtesy of http://www.hillsboroschools.net/schools/hhs/activities/music2/Band/bio.html - 06/07/08
Thanks, Mark!
American School Logo courtesy of http://www.americanschoolofcorr.com/grads.asp - 09/05/06

John Marshall High School's Justice Scale clip art courtesy of Cheryl White Wilson (JMHS - '64) of VA - 10/13/05 (replaced 02/23/09)
Thanks, Cheryl!

Animated Army Flag clip art courtesy of http://www.angelfire.com/ny4/KevsGifsGalore/Patriotic.html - 06/18/03

Marine Corps Seal clip art courtesy of the late Herbert Hice of MI - one of my Famous Marines who served in the South Pacific during WWII.
Thanks again, Herbie!!

Back to NNHS Newsletters - 2010

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		My Dad's Promise Memorial Day … At the end of this month, we will be celebrating a holiday that means a lot more to some then others. If you have been in the service this is your day. If you have been in the service and have fought in a war this is more than just your day. It is, for you, a day in which you visually see the gratitude that Americans have for the sacrifices you have made. As the daughter of a man who served in a war, I am grateful that I have a Memorial Day to thank the many men and women who have given me the freedom that I am so blessed to have today. As a child, my Dad didn't really talk much about his experiences in the war; however, there was something special about Memorial Day for him that I would like to share.


My sisters and I were raised Catholic. I came from the type of Catholic family where Mom and Dad stayed home on Sundays but the children all had to go to mass. Our rewards for going was getting a check next to our name on the list that Sister Mary Annunciata held in her hand and went over in class on Monday morning; plus one dollar to buy bagels at the bakery on the way home for breakfast. Looking back at it now it seems so wrong but as a child it seemed so right. One Memorial Day morning, I saw my dad and older sister sitting at the kitchen table. He was real serious and seemed to be very sad. My sister who was five years older than me was listening intently. He held rosary beads and a photo in his hand. He was talking about them to her. I crept closer until I could hear them. He was telling her about a buddy of his that had been killed during the war. He told her of how, one night, they had been in a hole waiting for the enemy. It had been a really dark night without any light from the moon or stars. He and his buddy were telling each other what they wanted the other to do in the event that one or the other did not make it. Of course, their intent was to make it but guys in that situation would always talk about what they wanted if they didn't. He told my dad about his wife. He told him that she was the love of his life. He told him about how they had met in high school and always knew they were meant to be. He told him about how they were planning on buying a little house and having a family but because he had been called to war all that had been put on hold. He wore rosary beads around his neck that she had given him to remember her. He had a photo of her in his helmet. He told my dad, "If I die take the photo and rosary beads and give them to her. Tell her not to forget me". My dad was telling my sister about how he tried to find her and how he had had no luck. He told my sister of how guilty he felt that he could not fulfill his buddies wishes. He told my sister that he made a promise that he couldn't keep so he was going to do something for the rest of his life that would in some way make up for that. From that Memorial Day forward, my dad got dressed in his uniform, he took the photo and the rosary beads to church and prayed for the soul of his buddy. The photo and the rosary beads were buried with my dad the day he died. It was what he wanted. In honor of my dad and his buddy, I now go to mass on Memorial Day and bless the day that he and his buddy fought to make my country safe. ~Isodora ☆★☆★☆★ "There was nothing macho about the war at all. We were a bunch of scared kids who had a job to do." - E. R. Sledge (WWII, Pacific)
Thank you, Shari! This reminded me so much of the WWII stories my own daddy, the late Robert Buckley (John Marshall HS - '25) used to tell me when I was a little bitty girl.

		Hi, Carol: Thought of you and Paul (Harty - Bardolph HS, IL - '61 - of IL) as I drove near Edwardsville on my way from Kansas to the Commonwealth of Virginia. It was way too early in the morning to give you all a call or to invite you for breakfast at Bob Evans. Still thinking of you all, and your late brother-in-law ( Miles Nowitzky - Granby HS - '50) I took this photo of the Parade Field and the Barracks at the Virginia Military Institute. One of my favorite places to visit.


TYPHOON Regards, Joe Madagan ('57) of FL

		Greetings LT Harty: Thought this image might get your blood up. Army Strong, Joe Madagan


Thank you so much, Major Madagan! You're an amazingly thoughtful man! I'm so sorry we missed connection (once again); it's only been - what? - 53 years since we last saw one another?!? http://www.nnhs65.com/SITE-MAP.html http://www.nnhs65.com/old-stomping.html http://www.nnhs65.com/OOSG-S-Z.html http://www.nnhs65.com/pool.html I'm sure Brent enjoyed seeing the picture of Stonewall's statue as much as I did. Both images made me homesick for the Sacred Soil of Virginia (which admittedly isn't all that difficult to achieve...)!