A symbol of honor, respect
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
For a Vietnam vet, what does a Quilt of Valor mean?
Veteran Richard Daniel Majercik of Thompson said: “Somebody cares, you know. They really care about us (now) when they spat on us (before).”
It’s a tangible symbol of the brotherhood, the camaraderie and being a patriot.
He is just one of many veterans in northeastern Connecticut who have been awarded a Quilt of Valor.
His journey through Vietnam began with a “chat” with the draft board. They couldn’t draft his brother, who was in med school, but “we can get you.” Majercik enlisted in the U.S. Army under the Military Occupational Specialty – memorial services as he was a graduate of New England Institute in Boston.
It was 1967-1968 and after training, his orders to serve in Germany were rescinded and he was sent to Vietnam. Majercik was the first military embalmer in Vietnam. His first assignment was at a grave registration collection point with four others in An Khe in the Central Highlands where they went on search and recoveries. It was located next to a MASH unit, he said. The whole company was then transferred up to Da Nang to await orders to go further north.
Majercik was pulled out and transferred to the U.S. Army Mortuary, Da Nang. The Army then pulled from its ranks soldiers qualified in mortuary services, as the civilian service hired couldn’t keep up with the demands at that point in the war. That was by order of General William Westmoreland, commander of U.S. forces in Vietnam.
In a letter of appreciation to Majercik in May 1968, the chief of the mortuary said: “You were the first military embalmer to be assigned to embalming duties … and have come through some difficult moments.”
The chief also commended Majercik for preparing the remains of a French citizen (plantation owner) for shipment back to France. “You exhibited your professional skill by preparing his remains for viewing with the minimum of equipment. This brought appreciation from his family and great credit to yourself, the U.S. Army Mortuary, Da Nang, and the U.S. Government.”
Another letter of appreciation in June 1968 said: “During the TET Offensive of 1968 … you answered the call for volunteer embalmers to assist in the preparation of an otherwise insurmountable number of battle casualties. With your assistance we were able to return to the United States the embalmed remains of the largest number of battle casualties ever incurred in this conflict in a sixty-day period.”
He said when he was on the plane, leaving Vietnam, he didn’t look out the window. “I never looked back. It’s something you try to erase. I got out alive.”
Following his year in Vietnam, Sgt. Majercik was an instructor at the U.S. Army Quartermaster School (Memorial Activities Branch) at Fort Lee, Va., where he garnered more commendations. “Your performance has been unquestionably superior.” He received the Quartermaster School Distinguished Instructor Award in recognition of being a “truly outstanding instructor,” and he originated and revised instructional materials for the Memorial Activities and Graves Registration Officer courses. His name was added to a plaque in Mifflin Hall which was the command center at Fort Lee — a high honor.
Fellow mortuary service member Phil Jeffries of Pennsylvania was with Majercik through the whole three years. He nominated Majercik for the Quilt of Valor, pointing to his calmness in terrifying situations and his professionalism.
Majercik said Jeffries had been presented with a quilt and had then thought to himself “Dick did so much more. He deserves one,” Majercik said he didn’t have any idea the Quilt of Valor existed until he was contacted by Megan Shake, the group leader for the Niantic Bay Quilters of the Quilts of Valor Foundation.
The certificate that goes with the quilt says: “The Quilts of Valor Foundation wishes to recognize you for your service to our nation. We consider it our privilege to do so. Though we may never know the extent of your sacrifice to protect and defend the United States of America, we award you this Quilt of Valor as an expression of gratitude from a grateful nation.” More than 400,000 quilts have been presented and each one is unique. The designs are created after talking with the nominator and the recipient. According to the Connecticut state coordinator of the Quilts of Valor Foundation: “We are hoping to someday cover all our service people who have been physically or emotionally touched by war. We hope that in holding their quilt, each recipient will know that they are thanked and kept in the thoughts and prayers of all of us.”
The foundation was established in 2003. In that time, many veterans in northeastern Connecticut have been honored with one including Claudia Ludwig and Charles Gray-Wolf, Larry Christy, Michael Rocchetti, Michael Therrien. Ray Willliams, Archie Lapierre and many more.
After receiving the quilt, in his alone time, Majercik said the quilt brought back memories — and tears to his eyes. “What an honor.”
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captions, page 1:
Richard Majercik in Vietnam
Megan Shake presenting the quilt.
caption, page 7:
Far left: One side of the quilt with "One nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for All." Top left: The other side of the quilt. Bottom left: The label on the quilt.
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Hometown Heroes of WWII
Rockwell:Distinguished Service in 2 world wars
By Michael Rocchetti
Francis W. Rockwell served in the Navy for 44 years, from 1904 till 1948. During WWII, he fought at sea to keep the French seaports open and to protect allied shipping. Germany had deployed their fleet of submarines to disrupt trade and supply routes vital to the Allies. The German’s use of unrestricted submarine warfare was especially effective against merchant shipping. The French seaports of Brest, Boulogne, Calais, and Dunkirk had to be vigorously defended in order to keep them open to commercial and military shipping. The sea routes also needed to be protected so that troops and supplies could reach these ports.
The U.S. Navy played an important role in protecting these French ports. One of the ships that was part of this effort was the Navy destroyer USS Winslow (DD-53) commanded by Lt Commander Francis W. Rockwell. The French government was so appreciative of his efforts, that they gave him their highest award – the Legion of Honor “Chevalier”. He was also awarded the Navy Cross, with the following citation: The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Commander Francis Warren Rockwell, United States Navy, for distinguished service in the line of his profession as Commanding Officer of the USS WINSLOW, engaged in the important, exacting and hazardous duty of patrolling the waters infested with enemy submarines and mines, in escorting and protecting vitally important convoys of troops and supplies through these waters, and in offensive and defensive action, vigorously and unremittingly prosecuted against all forms of enemy naval activity during World War I.
Francis W Rockwell was born in South Woodstock CT on July 2, 1886, the son of Francis W. Rockwell and Elizabeth (Trowbridge) Rockwell. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1908. He was a career Naval Officer, so after WW1 he had numerous assignments and commands both ashore and at sea – including service as a professor of electrical engineering and physics at the Naval Academy. By the time of WWII, Francis Rockwell was a Rear Admiral commanding the 16th Naval District in the Philippine Islands. In early 1942, he was awarded the Silver Star for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service for safely evacuating General MacArthur after the fall of the Philippines. He was also awarded the Navy Distinguished Service Medal for organizing the orderly withdrawal of remaining US Naval Forces from the Philippines. He would then command the Naval Task Force that invaded Attu during the Aleutian Islands Campaign. Later he commanded the Atlantic Fleet’s Amphibious Training Command until the end of the war.
Rockwell retired as a Vice Admiral in 1948, and lived in Georgia until his death in 1979. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery along with his wife, Mary Allison (Wilmer) Rockwell.
Hometown Heroes is a series published in the Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger with this mission: We owe it to our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines to make sure that they are never forgotten, and that the memory of their service and sacrifice will forever live on in the hearts and minds of the grateful people of Putnam.
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Espinosa takes 5th in U.S.
CHICAGO — Another annual National Elks Hoop Shoot is in the books and Putnam’s own Bryce Espinosa, a 12-year-old 6th grader at Putnam Middle School, was one of finalists shooting free throws at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago.
Espinosa has been competing for the last five years. The qualifying process requires winning at the Local level (Putnam Lodge #574), then moving on to CT District level, then CT State level, then to The New England Regionals.
He first made it all the way to the New England Regionals in 2023, and this year was the first time to the finals. This is not the first time to the Nationals for Team Espinosa! — Bryce’s older brother, TJ was a finalist back at the 2023 National Hoop Shoot.
Espinosa’s road to Chicago is impressive. At the Locals, he shot 20 of 25. He moved to the District level to score 24 of 25. On to the State level, Bryce hit another 24 of 25. Then it was on to the Regionals in Portland, Maine, where Bryce hit a perfect 25 of 25.
At the Nationals, Bryce scored an incredible 23-25. While it wasn’t enough to win the match, it was an awesome display of the hard work he put in to get there, and showed he had “Grit”!
Overall, his shooting was 116 out of 125 shots, a 93 percent success rate.
In Chicago, there were 12 finalists, representing the 12 Elks Hoop Shoot regions. They each shot 10 shots in the first round. These 12 shooters hit a total of 111 of the 120 shots taken, five of them including Bryce, hit 10 for 10.
Elk Directors noted that this was toughest competition they could remember.
Bryce hopes to qualify to shoot again next year, and Team Espinosa (including his parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends) will be ready to head back to Chicago to cheer him on again. And it wouldn’t surprise many either to see his younger sister, Teagan shooting there as well. The Elks National Hoop Shoot was a great experience and he can’t wait to take this journey again. Bryce and his family extend sincere thanks to all of the wonderful people in the Elks organization, (especially including New England Regional Directors Mike and Sharon Stewart from the Putnam Elks Lodge) for this opportunity and the wonderful work they do.
caption:
New England Regional Directors Mike and Sharon Stewart with Bryce Espinosa.
29th Drug Takeback hits 120+ lbs.
PUTNAM — The 29th Drug Takeback day in Putnam took in 120.2 pounds of prescription drugs.
Substance Abuse Program Director at the Hale YMCA Romeo Blackmar said over the past 28 years Takeback days have averaged more than 120 pounds of unused, expired and unwanted medications turned in for safe disposal.
“This amounts to over one and a half tons of medications that have been removed from possible misuse by teens and adults,” he said.
He added that combined with the Prescription Drug Drop-Off box in the Putnam Police Department lobby since 2012, another ton of medications have been safely disposed of by the Putnam Police Department.
The Drug Takeback days are conducted on the last Saturday in April and in October.
Putnam Police Department Captain Justin Lussier said since the last Drug Takeback last October, the police station lobby box has taken in about 500 pounds.
He said the lobby box has taken in “thousands of pounds of unwanted medications. We routinely empty the box about once a week and they typically weigh anywhere from 25-40 pounds.” The box is available 24/7, no questions asked.
Blackmar said the program started in 2010 with the Putnam Police Department and members of the Local Prevention Council (LPC) beginning with PRIDE and now Hale YMCA Youth and Family Center Drug Prevention. The twice-yearly Takeback is sponsored by the federal Drug Enforcement Agency.
Drug Takeback
Despite the rain, at least four boxes of prescription drugs were gathered at the 29th Drug Takeback Day held April 26. From left: Putnam Police Officer Kyle Maheu, Substance Abuse Program Director, Hale YMCA Youth and Family Center, Romeo Blackmar; and Deb Barbour, secretary for the Putnam Lions Club. Linda Lemmon photo.
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