This page is dedicated to the alumni of Robert E. Lee High School who served in the Armed Forces. We invite you to send in your stories and photos. We are honored to post those items on this page. Thank you for what you did for us and for our country.
God bless America and God bless each of you!
(Note: Please pause the music at the bottom of this page before clicking on either of the following videos.)
The Nurses Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery honoring the nurses from all branches of military.
Two iconic photographs taken decades apart, yet so hauntingly similar.
Stories and Photos of Our Heroes:
Gary Bain-Poet Laureate of Lee HS:
Vietnam 1969
Gary and South Vietnamese Soldier
Gary on a hospital ship, Gary and Vietnamese children, Gary and an American soldier
Gary wrote:
I wanted to share with you an interesting story that happened while I was in the hospital on the island of Guam. I was there the month of May 1969. While there I realized others were getting their paychecks but I was not. I made an inquiry. I found out that there was another Gary L. Bain who was a Lieutenant (LT.) I was a lance corporal (L/CPL). My checks had been sent to his hospital since enlisted men were not kept in the same hospital with officers.
He came by to visit me prior to being sent home. He said that he wanted to see the person who had his name.
A few years ago I received an email from a Gary L. Bain wanting to know if I was the same Gary L. Bain he had met in Guam. I wrote back and we have been corresponding since. He went on to fly planes and eventually retire from the Marines. He is an adventurer and has a web site www.videoexplorers.com. He was shot down in Vietnam and was rescued from the enemy. He has his story there as well as some video footage. Check it out when you can. Gary
Mark Hulsey served in the U.S. Army from 1972 - 1981:
He wrote:
"My military story started in Gainesville where I graduated from the University of Florida in 1972 after having participated in ROTC and received my commission as a 2nd Lieutenant on June 10, 1972. I then went on active duty in September '72 at Fort Benning, Georgia, attending Infantry Officers Basic Course, followed by attendance and graduation from the Cryptological Basic Course at Fort Devens, Massachusetts in May 1973. I was assigned to the 502nd Army Security Agency ((ASA) in Augsburg, West Germany."
"I was lucky enough to be assigned to the 2nd Electronic Warfare Company, where I participated in numerous NATO and Central Army Group Europe training exercises dealing with electronic warfare and the jamming of communications, interfacing with a Canadian Captain and a German Major , as a 2nd Lieutenant. I also participated in Fifth Corps exercises as an electronic warfare player."
The highlight of my tour in Germany was leading my Russian and Czech linguists on live intelligence gathering exercises on the West German-East German and West German-Czech borders. We actually monitored the Russian and Czech Armies on maneuvers recording top secret intelligence, transcribing the same and forwarding it on to Field Station Augsburg which would be then forwarded to the National Security Agency at Fort Meade, Maryland. These live missions were exciting and very fulfilling, not only for the linguists in my platoon, but also for a young lieutenant from Lee High School."
"After leaving the Army in July '75, I was able to finish my Masters degree in International Relations from the University of Southern California, while working at the Army Education Center in Augsburg. Then I returned to the States and attended law school. I stayed in the Army Reserve until 1981, leaving as a Captain with a honorable discharge."
"Two of my closest friends, to this day, are two Lieutenants I met in the Army. One, Ben Hardesty from West Virginia, I introduced to a Jacksonville girl, Jeanie Mann and they've been married since July 1975. The other, Bill Miller, I served with in Germany and was his best man at his wedding in Augsburg in 1974. Bill Miller has gone on to fortune and fame with Legg Mason in Baltimore and has received much publicity for his stocks and bonds and management acumen for Legg Mason; he's been written up in both the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal."
"My time in the military was extremely fulfilling and I'll never regret serving my country."
David Armstrong served in the U.S. Air Force from 1970 to 1976.
David wrote:
"In that my GPA at St. Johns River Junior College had dropped, my local draft board was taking interest. So I enlisted in the Air Force on July 17, 1970, I did basic training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio , Texas then Aircraft Maintenance School at Sheppard AFB, Wichita Falls, Texas, After that swell training, I was assigned to MacDill AFB, Tampa, FL. I was assigned to the 4424 Combat Crew Training Squadron. The role of this squadron was to train pilots for its sister squadron stationed in Ubon, Thailand.
The planes in our squadron were old B-57B and the reworked B-57G. The Gmodels had the earliest version of IR tv and laser guided bombs. Back then the group in Thailand would take off at night and bomb the Ho Chi Minh trail. Back then, the laser guided bombs were not close to what they have today. Anyway, as a crew chief, I was assigned a plane and it was my job to do pre-flight and post flight inspections and maintain the aircraft so it would be ready to fly next time.
I did this for almost 2 years, so I guess I spent the Vietnam war in Tampa. I did receive orders to go to Thailand, however, the draft ended and all the national guard units suddenly needed people. The Air Force came up with a program for certain career fields to transfer to a guard unit. So instead of going to Thailand (which I now regret), I went to the airport at Jacksonville and spent the next 4 years working on F-102 and F-106 fighters for the Florida Air National Guard. I was honorably discharged in 1976."
"Here is a picture of one of my planes- I just loaned them to the pilots":
"I was in the U.S. Army from 1968 to 1974. I took basic training at Ft. Polk, Louisiana, then went to Fort Wolters, Texas, then to Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, on to Pirmasens, Germany, then to Fort Stewart, Georgia, and then ETS."
Joe Crusselle served 25 years in the United States Air Force:
Joe wrote:
" WAS IN USAF FOR 25YRS WAS IN NAM SEPT 69-JAN70-NOV 70-JAN71-FEB71 MAY71-JUNE71 JUL71 TWO TOURS IN PI TWO TOURS OKI-STATION IN KANSAS, NORTH CAROLINA, MONTANA"
Gary Macik served in the U.S. Army from 1970 to 1995:
In 1970, Gary was sitting on a plane, dressed in jungle fatigues, headed for Vietnam. An officer came on board and pulled him off that plane, and put him on a plane headed to Germany. A coincidence? - Gary said that it was his mother's prayers that were answered that day.
Jack Lanier served 32 years in the United States Air Force. He served in Vietnam in 1972, and has also served 3 tours of duty in the Middle East during the Global War on Terror. Jack earned a Meritorious Service Award for Valor:
Roy Johnston served over 30 years in the United States Air Force:
"I entered the Air Force in Dec. of 1968. Retired at Patrick AFB in Dec. 1999. I retired at the rank of Chief Master Sergeant. I spent twenty years of my thirty years service all over the world, from Alaska to Iceland to England and Hawaii and too many more to count. My Final ten years were spent working with the Space Program at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in FL."
Bobby Wilhoit joined the Marine Corps on February 26,1968, and was killed in action on August 2, 1968 in Quang Nam, Vietnam. Bobby was a drummer in the Robert E. Lee Marching Generals Band.
Vietnam Veterans Wall, Panel 49W-line 2
Gary Bain wrote about Bobby Pittman, Lee Class of 1965:
"Robert Edward Pittman known as 'Bobby' to the 'Willowbranch Park Rats' was a personal friend and graduate of the Robert E. Lee Class of 1965. He graduated with my brother. On September 28, 1966 Bobby, a PFC in the Army, was an observer in a reconnaissance aircraft which was sent to recon off the coast of North Vietnam. At 4:00 a.m., a SAM alert (Surface to Air Missile) was broadcast for the area that he was flying in. A short time later radio contact was lost. Both Bobby and his pilot, Lt. Jimmy MacBrasher were listed as killed in action, bodies not recovered. Bobby's remains have never been found therefore he is listed as Missing in Action."
Vietnam Memorial Wall, 29E-line 38
Gary Bain wrote about Harry Gene Bloomfield:
"Harry was a Willowbranch park rat. I used to play football, softball, tetherball, all the good fun sports back then with him since our lives revolved around that park. I can't remember if Harry graduated from Lee or quit school and joined the Marines in 1967. He began his tour of duty on November 9, 1967. Harry was killed in action during the battle of Hue City during the 1968 Tet Offensive, one of the most violent offensives of the war. The area he died in was called Thua Thien. He died February 15, 1968. He was 19 years of age."
Vietnam Memorial Wall, 39E-line 43.
I hope you take the time to read this...... To understand what the flag draped coffin really means.... Here is how to understand the flag that laid upon it and is surrendered to so many widows and widowers. Do you know that at military funerals, the 21-gun salute stands for the sum of the numbers in the year 1776? Have you ever noticed the honor guard pays meticulous attention to correctly folding the United States of America Flag 13 times? You probably thought it was to symbolize the original 13 colonies, but we learn something new every day!
The 1st fold of the flag is a symbol of life. The 2nd fold is a symbol of the belief in eternal life.
The 3rd fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veterans departing the ranks who gave a portion of their lives for the defense of the country to attain peace throughout the world.
The 4th fold represents the weaker nature, for as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in time of war for His divine guidance
The 5th fold is a tribute to the country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, 'Our Country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right; but it is still our country, right or wrong.'
The 6th fold is for where people's hearts lie. It is with their heart that They pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States Of America , and the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.
The 7th fold is a tribute to its Armed Forces, for it is through the Armed Forces that they protect their country and their flag against all her enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of their republic. The 8th fold is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day. The 9th fold is a tribute to womanhood, and Mothers. For it has been through their faith, their love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great has been molded. The 10th fold is a tribute to the father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of their country since they were first born. The 11th fold represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon and glorifies in the Hebrews eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The 12th fold represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in the Christians eyes, God the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit.
The 13th fold, or when the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost reminding them of their nations motto, 'In God We Trust.' After the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it takes on the appearance of a cocked hat, ever reminding us of the soldiers who served under General George Washington, and the Sailors and Marines who served under Captain John Paul Jones, who were followed by their comrades and shipmates in the Armed Forces of the United States, preserving for them the rights, privileges and freedoms they enjoy today. There are some traditions and ways of doing things that have deep meaning. In the future, you'll see flags folded and now you will know why. Share this with the children you love and all others who love what is referred to, the symbol of ' Liberty and Freedom..'
MAY GOD PROTECT US ALWAYS
ONE NATION, UNDER GOD, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
“What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments,
but what is woven into the lives of others." -- Pericles
A veteran is someone who, at one point in his/her life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America" for an amount of up to and including his/her life.
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