June 2021 Newsletter
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Freedom’s Voice The Monthly Newsletter of the Military History Center 112 N. Main ST Broken Arrow, OK 74012 http://www.okmhc.org/ “Promoting Patriotism through the Preservation of Military History” Volume 8, Number 6 June 2021 United States Armed Services Flag Day at the MHC Days of Observance The month of June has several Armed Services Days of Observance. We believe the most important are D-Day on June 6, Army Birthday and Flag Day, both on June 14. MHC Memorial Flag Plaza On Saturday, June 12, the MHC held its annual Flag Day commemoration. BG Tom Mancino (U.S. Army, Rtd.), Presi- Birth of Our Nation’s Flag by Charles Weisberger dent of the MHC, served as Master of Ceremonies. After the invocation, given by Keith Browne, the American flag was raised and Miss Natalie Dupree sang the national anthem. Museum Hours and Admission Fee That was followed by the raising of the service flags. Janet Viel and Mary Harandy of Blue Star Mothers Chapter 5 of Broken Tuesday – Friday: 10:00 – 4:00 Arrow presented a Gold Star flag to Mr. David Role in memory Saturday: 10:00 – 2:00 of his son. Dr. Everett Piper, the keynote speaker, gave a pow- Closed Sunday and Monday and major Federal holidays erful address emphasizing the unity rather than the diversity Adults – $5.00 of the United States. He also stressed that with the Constitu- Members and Children under 18 – Free. tion, Americans, “we the people”, had created a covenant government rather than a hierarchical one. Miss Lauren At- For more information, call (918) 794-2712. wood closed the program singing “God Bless America”. We offer a very big “thank you” to Dr. Piper and the other www.okmhc.org program participants as well to Keith Browne, who organized the event and the volunteers, who set up the site. We espe- cially appreciate everyone, who came out to enjoy the event. Miss Natalie Dupree sings the national anthem. BG Tom Mancino (US Army, Rtd.) and COL Paul Roberts (US Army, Rtd.) raise the 45th Division flag. Willard Parrish (rear), Vietnam War Silver Star recipient, and Keith Grimes (USAF, Rtd.) raise the American flag. Dr. Everett Piper delivers his address. Mary Harandy (speaking) and Janet Veil, President of Blue Star Mothers, Chapter 5, presented a Gold Star flag to Miss Lauren Atwood closed the program with “God Bless America”. David Role in memory of his son. MHC Benefit Golf Tournament On Friday, June 4, the MHC held its sixth annual benefit golf tournament at Battle Creek Golf Club. The weather was perfect; the course was in top shape, and everyone enjoyed themselves. We are most appreciative of the many sponsors, who made the tournament possible: Bill Whitescarver Real Estate, Broken Arrow Golf and Athletic Club, Bryce A. Hill Law Office, Floral Haven Funeral Home and Cemetery, George Hedrick, Jason Hadrava (Epic Wealth Management), BG Jim Wasson, Kathleen Garringer, Ken Collins (Young Living), Lil’ Links, Metro Appliances & More, Oklahoma Army National Guard, Ron Roark Insurance Agency, Security Center, Inc., Ste- ve Bruner (Bruner Investments), Stoney Creek Hotels, BGs Tom Walker and Ged Wright, Tulsa Federal Credit Union and Tulsa Teachers Federal Credit Union. Susan Thesenvitz and Janet Viel at the Blue Star Mothers table As always, we give a big “thank you” to Battle Creek for being a superb host, the players, without whom the tourna- ment would not have happened and all the volunteers, who made the tournament function smoothly. The following photos are a random selection of tourna- ment activities and player action. Susan Virdell, Jean Bailie and Tracy Henry at the registration table Cathy Johnson and Michael Tarman at the payment table (Tournament photos by Tracy Henry) Memorial Day around Oklahoma Tournament Winners Peter Plank visited an old friend. The white tees: Ken Collins/Young Living Team – members were Ken Collins, Darren Collins, James Simms and Dennis Roberts. Memorial Day at the 45th Infantry Division Museum – Oklahoma City The silver tees: Ron Roark Insurance Agency Team – members were Mark Harper, Steve Sewarengin, Tom Fischer and Jim Ingram. Congratulations to the winning teams! Soldiers of B Co., 2nd BN, 2nd Artillery Regiment stand ready in the rain to fire a 21-gun salute in honor of Memorial Day at Fort Sill. This Month’s Featured Artifact soldier in the 5th Provisional Company. Upon his arrival in the Philippines, he was posted to Fort William McKinley and as- signed to B Co., 31st Infantry Regiment. He wasn’t in the Philippines long. In August, the 31st Infan- try was ordered to Vladivostok, Russia, as part of the American Expeditionary Force, Siberia. This was during the Russian Rev- olution and war between the Reds (Bolsheviks) and Whites (anti-Bolsheviks) was raging. The AEF’s mission was to guard the large quantities of supplies and railroad rolling stock, which the United States had earlier sent to the Russian Far East as aid for the war against Germany. They were also tasked with helping rescue the Czechoslovak Legion, which was being blocked by the Reds along the Trans-Siberian Rail- road. PVT Archie A. Ice wrote this letter at Vladivostok, Russia, in 1919, while he was serving in the American Expeditionary Force, Siberia, to his cousin, Miss Eula Lee, in Tulsa. See his story below. Mr. Paul A. Roales donated this unique artifact. A World War I American Soldier in Russia 31st Infantry Regiment in the field near Vladivostok The AEF in Siberia quickly grew to more than 7,000 men including two full regiments, the 31st and 27th, volunteers from three others and several support units. The 31st was assigned to guard the Trans-Siberia Railroad from Vladivostok north to Nikolsk-Ussuriski, a distance of about sixty miles. The survivors of the Czechoslovak Legion were successfully evacuated, but the mission was otherwise a failure as the Bol- sheviks soon defeated the White armies and gained control of the country. After the Armistice ended World War I, President Wilson ordered the mission terminated. PVT Archie Ice was among the troops organized as the 18th Casual Company aboard the USAT Thomas that departed Vladivostok in 1919. st He was not to return to the 31 Infantry, but rather to be sent Archie Andrew Ice and his wife, Gladys Katherine home for discharge. Thomas arrived in San Francisco in No- (Jones) Ice – date and location unknown vember, and PVT Ice was discharged on December 31, 1919. Ice returned to Tulsa, where he received employment with Archie Andrew Ice was born at, or near, Vinita in the Cher- Patterson Steel Co. as an ironworker. He married, began a okee Nation, Indian Territory, on February 1, 1899. The 1910 family and remained in Tulsa until early 1942, when he moved census shows the family living in St. John, Kansas, a small town to Compton, California. He probably went to California for of a little more than 1,700 people located northwest of Wichi- employment in better paying war work. Archie went to work ta. They later located in Tulsa, where Archie graduated from in the shipyards at San Pedro, while Gladys found employment Tulsa High School (later renamed Central High School) in 1918. at Douglas Aircraft as a riveter. The family’s last home was in He was inducted into the U.S. Army on January 29, 1918. After Long Beach. Archie Andrew Ice died in Los Angeles on Decem- basic training, Ice was ordered to the Philippines. He departed ber 13, 1972. We could find no burial information indicating San Francisco aboard the USAT1 Sheridan as an unassigned that his remains were likely cremated. 1 United States Army Transport Sixty-three years ago, I was the sole survivor of the eleven-man crew involved in a B-17 formation collision, February 12, 1944, near Mill Creek, Oklahoma. I was a tail-gunner assigned to Crew 853 (four officers and six enlisted men) undergoing phase training at the 395th Combat Crew Training School, Ardmore Army Air Field, Oklahoma. The following is an account of my experiences at Ardmore and as a tail-gunner flying out of England. On February 11, 1944, the rumor was that we had only two more training flights to go before going overseas. We participated in a low-level bombing demonstration. We actually became a crew on a troop train traveling from Salt Lake City, Utah to Ardmore. The men on the train were given numbers, mine was 853. We went from car to car calling out the number until we found the other nine with the same num- ber. We gathered in the car where our pilots were, got acquainted, and as enlisted men were told what to expect. Not knowing our destination, we traveled four days and nights arriving at Ardmore in the middle of the night. We quickly began our three-month intensive training phase which included air-to-air towed target and air-to-ground gunnery practice and simulated bomb raids, some as far away as Santa Fe, New Mexico. Bombardiers used smoke bombs to record and improve their accuracy. during the base "open house" held that day. We were awakened early on February 12, hurried to the chow hall, then to supply where we checked out a heavy leather flight suit, Mae West vest, and parachute. From supply, we went to the briefing room, where our mission for the day was discussed. We loaded on 4x4s and were taken to the flight line where we pulled the props through, then the engines of our B-17, No. 42-30481, were started. We taxied to the runway and waited our turn to take-off.