SigEp Military History
VIEW THE MILITARY HISTORY ARCHIVES HERE
This Week in SigEp Patriot History
September 30–October 6, 2013
(The complete version of this work including photographs can be viewed at sigepblog.org)
SigEp Patriots Project (SPP) Update
* 4310! The SPP archives now contain information about 4,310 Brothers who serve/served in the U.S. military.
* 621! SigEps Who Serve – the official SPP Facebook group and the only such group comprised solely of SigEps Patriots – now has 621 members! Don’t worry, if you are not on Facebook there is also a listserve containing about 100 brothers-in-arms.
Are you a Brother who serves/served? Please let us know by emailing sigepswhoserve@gmail.com or go to http://www.facebook.com/groups/sigepswhoserve to join your brothers-in-arms. We will ask for your home chapter, rank, branch of service (Army, Navy, Air National Guard, Marine Corps Reserve, Coast Guard, etc), military status (active, reserve, retired, etc) and whether you are a combat veteran.
Perhaps you know of such a Brother. Please help SPP find our fellow SigEp Patriots by passing our contact information to him.
03 OCT 1918
World War I Veteran and NH Alpha Brother Private First Class Charles Enos Tayntor, U.S. Army Ambulance Service died on this date in Revigny-sur-Ornain, France of double pneumonia. Born in 1896, Brother Tayntor was a member of the Medical Corps, Base Hospital Unit 83, American Expeditionary Forces (AEF). He was called in to the service in JUN 1918, and after state-side training he sailed for France in September. Charles landed first in England, and he was in France but a few days before his death.
Respect can be paid to Brother Tayntor at Westfield Cemetery in Danielson, CT.
01 OCT 1955
The first U.S. super carrier, USS Forrestal (CV-59), was commissioned on this date, and named in honor of World War I Veteran, first Secretary of Defense and NH Alpha Brother Lieutenant James Vincent Forrestal, U.S. Navy Reserve. Forrestal was the second U.S. Navy ship named in honor of a SigEp Patriot.
02 OCT 1964
World War II Veteran VA Epsilon Brother James Green Watson died on this date.
05 OCT 1972
On this date, Vietnam War Veteran and KS Beta Brother Captain James Downs Latham, U.S. Air Force was on a mission over North Vietnam in his F-4E “Phantom II” fighter when he was shot down and immediately captured. At the time, James was a pilot assigned to the 435th Tactical Fighter Squadron during his second tour in Vietnam.
Over the next five weeks he was kept apart from his co-pilot in various bunkers before reunited for a long truck ride to Hanoi which lasted three weeks. When finally put in with other Americans, Brother Latham spent time in the “Hanoi Hilton” and the “Zoo” until released after 175 days in captivity.
“During my brief period as a POW many things became apparent to me. But the one that really made an impression on me was the value of freedom. I'm afraid people will never know how valuable freedom is until they have to live without it. After being held prisoner for four weeks in lower North Vietnam, the frustrations of captivity really got to me and I attempted to escape. Although I was free for only six or seven hours and the punishment received upon recapture was brutal, I became aware for the first time why men were willing to give their lives to be free.”
01 OCT 2008
U.S. Army World War II Veteran and PA Delta President Louis Youmans Errickson died on this date in Haddonfield, New Jersey. During World War II he served with the U.S. Army in China, Burma and India.
Following his military service, Brother Errickson graduated from University of Pennsylvania. For over 35 years he worked for Strawbridge & Clothier in Philadelphia.
Respect can be paid to Brother Errickson at Haddonfield Baptist Cemetery in Haddonfield, NJ.
30 SEP 2009
U.S. Marine Corps Veteran MO Alpha Brother Sam Knott, Jr., 72, died in McKinney, Texas on this date. Sam proudly served his country in the Corps after graduating from college. After graduation, Brother Knott began a 40 year career in the sporting goods industry at Elliott Knott Sporting Goods, a retailer in the Kansas City area. He later managed sales at SpotBilt Shoes, Swingster Athletic, and retired as VP International Sales and Marketing with Dunbrooke Sports Apparel, Division of American Marketing.
Sam attended the University of Missouri in Kansas City, and Baker University in Baldwin, KS.
01 OCT 2009
On this date, World War II Veteran and AL Alpha Brother Corporal Joseph Ambrose Brannan, Jr., U.S. Army Air Corps died peacefully at Columbus Hospice House in Columbus, Georgia following a brief illness. He attended the University of Georgia on a football scholarship before leaving to join the U.S. Army Air Corps where he served as a Corporal. Joseph returned from his military service, realized that his true team colors were orange and blue, and decided to attend Alabama Polytechnic Institute, now Auburn University.
Brother Brannan received a Bachelor of Building Construction Degree in 1949. Upon graduation, he worked for Murphy Pound Construction Company. In 1954, he opened Brannan-Cummings Construction Company which operated until his retirement in 1990. The company was known for the quality of their work, building many churches and schools in the Columbus area, including St. Anne Church, Pacelli High School Library, and the Convent Building for the Sisters of Mercy. He served as one of the first coaches of the Pacelli football team, and was a charter member of Green Island Country Club.
Respect can be paid to Brother Brannan at Parkhill Cemetery in Columbus.
05 OCT 2009
Vietnam War Veteran and NE Beta Brother Doctor Captain William Fritz Gust, U.S. Army died in his Omaha, Nebraska home at the age of 69. Before beginning his successful civilian medical career, Brother Gust served two years in the U.S. Army Medical Corps. His awards include the Bronze Star with “V” device and an oak leaf cluster, Army Commendation Medal and Combat Medics Badge.
An Omaha native, Brother Gust retired in 2009 after 37 years on the faculty and staff of University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) and the VA Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System.
A longtime physician-educator at the UNMC, included serving as assistant professor in the UNMC Department of Internal Medicine and as director of the UNMC Hypertension Clinic. From 1984 to 1997, he was director of UNMC's continuing education program, and played a key role in UNMC's state-of-the-art distance education system.
At the VA, his assignments included section chief of general internal medicine, director of the primary care program, and associate chief of staff for education.
For more than 20 years, he co-hosted a weekly radio program, "Community Health Line," on KIOS-FM (91.5). The show concluded in 2007 and is believed to be the longest-running health program ever on Omaha radio. He also served as host of "The Wellness Connection," a monthly television program on Cox Cable's Health and Wellness Channel, and "VA Affairs," a monthly television program produced by the VA Medical Center.
At 33, Dr. Gust was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in his neck. He was successfully treated but high doses of radiation therapy resulted in complications later in life that ultimately contributed to his death.
Respect can be paid to Brother Gust at Westlawn-Hillcrest Memorial Park in Omaha.
04 OCT 2011
U.S. Army Korean War Veteran and MI Beta Brother Everardo “Ev” R. Ganz, 81, died on this date at Elkhart General Hospital in Elkhart, Indiana.
After his military service and graduating from Western Michigan University, Ev moved to Syracuse, NY in 1963 to assist his father-in-law in the family business, American Industries and National Products. He was a former director of the Wawasee High School Building Trades for several years. Brother Ganz also helped found the Syracuse Jaycees, and served on the Wawasee Flotilla committee for several years, as a member of the Tippecanoe Country Club, and on the board of directors of the Lakeland Youth Center.
Respect can be paid to Brother Ganz at Syracuse Cemetery in Syracuse.
04 OCT 2012
World War II Veteran and PA Delta Brother Captain Charles Shepherd Thompson, Jr., U.S. Army Air Corps died on this date in Vincetown, New Jersey. While at Penn, Brother Thompson was active within PA Delta and a participant in the ROTC program. Immediately following his graduation, Charles enlisted in the Army, and was subsequently assigned to command troops stationed in the Mediterranean Theater: Tunisia, Sicily, Rome-Arno, Naples-Foggia, North Apennines PO Valley and the South of France. In honor of his brave service and successful efforts in North Africa, Brazil awarded him their Southern Cross.
He graduated from University of Pennsylvania in 1942 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Charles began his engineering career at Schutes Hydraulic Pump Company located in Ben Salem, PA. In 1959, he continued his engineering career working with E. W. Bliss Co. which evolved into Engineering Arresting Systems Corporation of Aston, PA. a division of Zodiac Aerospace. During his 35 year tenure he helped develop and enhance the military arresting systems and ancillary equipment currently used by the US Air Force along with other worldwide Air Forces. Additionally, while at Zodiac, in addition to mentoring junior engineers, he was the inventor or co-inventor on eight U.S. patents. As a result of Brother Thompson's expertise and valuable contributions to the arresting systems made and refined at Zodiac, the lives of many pilots and their aircraft have been saved. Upon retiring from his successful Engineering career in 1994, he resumed his management of the Birches Cranberry Company on a full time basis.
Respect can be paid to Brother Thompson at Brigadier General William C. Doyle Veteran's Memorial Cemetery in North Hanover Township, NJ.
06 OCT 2012
WV Beta Brother Corporal James Jacob “Jake” Lantz, U.S. Army died on this date in Hamilton, Ohio. After graduating from high school in 1946, he entered the U.S. Army as a Medical Technician. After his return from service, Jake enrolled at West Virginia University, where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Medical Technology.
In later years, he received a Masters Degree in Health Care Administration from Central Michigan University. Brother Lantz was employed as Administrator of the medical laboratory at the Fort Hamilton Hospital for 26 years until retiring in 1989. After retirement, he shared his knowledge for two years as an instructor for medical assistant students at Southern Ohio College. Jake was also a very committed advocate for animals and was instrumental in organizing The Animal Adoption Center.
Respect can be paid to Brother Lantz at Jolliff Cemetery, Pine Grove, WV.
RECENT LOSSES TO THE ROLL
- Korean War Veteran and OH Gamma Brother James Logan Murray, 80, of Ocala, FL, passed away on 11 SEP. Jim attended the University of Kentucky and graduated from Ohio State University with degrees in Agriculture and Chemistry.
- U.S. Veteran PA Mu Brother Warren C. "Bungy" Rozelle, age 89, passed away 21 SEP at the Canandaigua VA Medical Center, Canandaigua, NY.
- Army National Guard (West Virginia) WV Gamma President Edward Andrew “Andy” Sigler III passed away after a long illness 24 SEP.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family, friends and chapter brothers of SigEp Patriots Murray, Rozelle and Sigler. While they are no longer with us, the greatest casualty is being forgotten, and the SPP pledges these Brothers will always be remembered.
CELEBRATIONS
- Operations IRAQI FREEDOM & ENDURING FREEDOM Veteran, TN Beta Brother Aaron Karcher celebrated his promotion to Major in the U.S. Air Force on 30 SEP!
- Operation ENDURING FREEDOM Veteran and AL Epsilon Brother Mass Communication Specialist Second Class Leslie N. Long, U.S. Navy and his wife recently bought a house!
Have great news about a promotion, new orders, the birth of a child or anything else? SPP would love to share it with everyone! Just send an email to sigepswhoserve@gmail.com.
Fraternally and Respectfully,
Brother Ed Jones, NY Eta ’96
Chief Petty Officer, U.S. Navy Reserve
Founder, SigEp Patriots Project
sigepswhoserve@gmail.com