HomeMy WebLinkAboutMexican War Dedication Program, 2017MEXICAN WAR MEMORIALDEDICATION CEREMONY
Wednesday, Sept. 13 • 5:30 p.m.
2017 Board of Directors and Officers
Memorial for all Veterans of the Brazos Valley, Inc.
John Anderson .........................................Audit CommitteeSteve Beachy............................. Special Assistant to the President
Glenn Burnside................................................ChaplainIrma Cauley .................................Brazos County Representative
Chip Dawson ...................................History Committee (Chair)Chris Dyer ..................................ACBV Ex-Officio Representative
Jerry Fox ..................................................... TreasurerDennis Goehring ..................................Fundraising Committee
Mike Guidry ............................................Event CommitteeJohn Happ....................Vice President, Development Committee (Chair)
Brian Hilton .................................................. SecretaryRandy House ................................................. President
Fain McDougal ..................................Development CommitteeLacey Lively ..................... Chief Information Officer Committee (Chair)
Louis Newman ..................................Development CommitteeDavid Sahm .................................Design Committee (Vice Chair)
David Schmitz .........................City of College Station RepresentativeJim Singleton....................................Design Committee (Chair)
Travis Small............................... Special Assistant to the PresidentKean Register................................. City of Bryan Representative
Perry Stephney .........................................Event CommitteeJohn Velasquez .........................................Flag Coordinator
Bill Youngkin .................................... Event Committee (Chair)
Veteran Affiliations
Air Force AssociationAmerican LegionBrazos Valley Marine Corps LeagueDisabled American VeteransMilitary Officers Assoc. of America
Order of DaedaliansVeterans of Foreign WarsVietnam Helicopter Pilots AssociationVietnam Veterans of America
Mexican War Memorial Dedication
Sept. 13, 2017
Lynn Stuart Pathway • Veterans Park & Athletic Complex
3101 Harvey Road • College Station, Texas
CALL TO ORDER SGM Perry Stephney, USA (Ret.) BVVM Board of Directors
NATIONAL ANTHEM COL Lawrence Lippke, USA (Ret.) Brazos Valley Chorale
INVOCATION MAJ Glenn Burnside, USMC (Ret.) Chaplain, BVVM Board of Directors
MEXICAN WAR ERA MUSIC Brazos Brass “The Death of Ringgold” by J.W. Turner.
WELCOME & INTRODUCTIONS LTG Randolph House, USA (Ret.) President, BVVM Board of Directors
KEYNOTE ADDRESS GEN Michael W. Hagee, USMC (Ret.) 33rd Commandant of the United States Marine Corps. (2003-2006)
MARINES’ HYMN Brazos Brass Directed by Mary Sullivan McNeel
RIFLE SALUTE & TAPS American Legion Post 159
General Michael W. Hagee
General Michael Hagee joined the U.S. Navy in 1963 and received
a commission in the U.S. Marine Corps as an infantry officer upon
graduation from the United States Naval Academy in 1968. He
retired as Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps at the end of
2006.
During almost 39 years of service as a Marine, he held numerous
command assignments that included platoon, company, battalion,
Marine expeditionary unit, division and Marine expeditionary
force. His staff positions included operations, training teaching
and manpower billets as well as executive assistant to the Deputy
Secretary of Defense and executive assistant to the Director of the
Central Intelligence Agency.
General Hagee’s other joint assignments included policy and
operational responsibilities at the unified command level, liaison to
the Presidential Envoy to Somalia and member of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff.
His military service took him to a wide variety of countries in every
area of the world. Besides serving tours in Japan and Germany, he
deployed to and operated in the Mediterranean, the Caribbean,
the Western Pacific, Northern Europe, Korea, Africa, the Middle
East, South Asia and Southeast Asia. He has interacted with senior
military and civilian leaders throughout the world.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the U.S.
Naval Academy, a masters degree in electrical engineering from the
U.S. Naval Postgraduate School and a masters degree in national
security studies from the U.S. Naval War College.
KEYNOTE ADDRESS
General Hagee’s U.S. awards include the Defense Distinguished
Service Medal with two palms, Defense Superior Service Medal,
Legion of Merit with two Gold Stars, Bronze Star with Combat “V”,
Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal
with Gold Star, Navy Achievement Medal with Gold Star, the
Combat Action Ribbon and the National Intelligence Distinguished
Service Medal; and personal decorations from France, Japan,
Colombia, Mexico and Spain.
He is currently a director on several boards of directors of major
U.S. companies and non-profit organizations. He also provides
advice to the senior leadership of several other U.S. companies.
. . . . .
“General Hagee is a Marine’s Marine….From the fire-swept
rice paddies of Vietnam to Operation Iraqi Freedom, his
keen vision and steadfast leadership have set the standard
for future generations of Marines….a courageous leader
whose discerning wisdom and deep sense of duty have
been a linchpin to the security of this Nation during a truly
challenging time – we have been fortunate in having him as
the Commandant of the our Corps of Marines.”
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson, Texas
Senate Floor Speech on Sept. 29, 2006
. . . . .
Known for his high ethical standards and dynamic leadership, he
personally developed a four-year Character Development Program
at the U.S. Naval Academy at the direction of the Secretary of the
Navy (1994).
The Mexican-American War played
a critical role in defining the border
between the two nations that remains
in place today.
In 1847, knowing that the capture of
the Palacio Nacional would greatly
disrupt the Mexican army, General
Winfield Scott ordered his forces,
including United States Marines, to
seize the enemy fortress during the Battle of Chapultepec.
On Sept. 13, 1847, after two days of battle, the Marines gained
control of Chapultepec Castle, better known as “Halls of
Montezuma”, and raised the American flag over the palace to mark
their victory. Upon returning home, these same Marines presented
this flag to the Commandant of the Marine Corps. The victory at
the Halls of Montezuma remains a part of Marine Corps tradition,
immortalized in the opening line of the Marines’ Hymn.
In recognition of funding completion, members of the the Brazos
Valley Veterans Memorial board of directors and the Brazos Valley
Marine Corps League Detachment 1391 hosted a groundbreaking
on Nov. 10, 2016, the U.S. Marine Corps’ 241st birthday. Today’s
dedication ceremony also marks the 170th anniversary of the
Battle of Chapultepec.
MEXICAN WAR MEMORIAL
ABOUT THE SCULPTOR – J. PAYNE LARA
Born in nearby Brenham and raised in Navasota, J. Payne Lara showed an early interest in drawing, and he displayed an exceptional talent for molding and
shaping clay figures. Growing up in a family of cowboys, Lara’s Texas heritage
serves as an important source of inspiration for his art. He has sculpted all of the
bronze statues on display along the Lynn Stuart Pathway at the Brazos Valley
Veterans Memorial. His art has been featured in a variety of publications and television programs, and it continues to earn him recognition today.
Sincerest thanks to all of our contributors
and participants!
CHARLES & ANITA SZABUNIEWICZ
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MARINE CORPS LEAGUE BRAZOS VALLEY DETACHMENT 1391
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WICK & CODY MCKEAN - JaCODY, INC.
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J. Payne Lara | City of College Station Parks & Recreation |
Bugler David Jones, American Legion Post 159 | RDM Pros |
COL Lawrence Lippke, USA (Ret.) | Brazos Brass: John McSpadden
(Trumpet), Robert Herring (Trumpet), Mary McNeel (Horn), David Wilborn
(Trombone) & Larry Campbell (Tuba)
Programs by
ABOUT THE MUSIC PERFORMED BY BRAZOS BRASS
The “The Death of Ringgold” was composed by J.W. Turner. This five stanza choral
was written in memory of the death of Major Samuel Ringgold at the battle of
Palo Alto. According to some sources he was the first United States officer to fall
during the Mexican-American War.
P.O. Box 11055 • College Station, Texas 77842
info@bvvm.org • 979.696.6247
bvvm.org