AN EAGLE TAKES FLIGHT Downloaded from http://PRR.Railfan.net Original document from the collection of Rob Schoenberg ©2011 - Commercial reproduction or distribution prohibited The President THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON sent a letter August 22, 1966 enry Hoffman stopped pruning H the hedge and looked hard at the visitor. "Are you pulling my Dear Mr. and Mrs. Hoffman: leg?" he said. The visitor again identified him- I learned only recently that yours is the only family with self as a newspaper reporter and five sons currently on active duty in any of the military said he wanted to know how Mr. services, an experience unprecedented in the United States Military Corps. Hoffman felt about the letter from the President. I am deeply im~ressedby this record. "What letter from what presi- dent?" said Mr. Hoffman, who is a As you may know, each day I receive reports which indicate PRR policeman and likes his facts the bravery of our servicemen and which make me realize precise. even more the magnitude of our debt to them. Meanwhile, inside the house, his wife, Clara, had just opened an en- This certainly applies to your fine sons who individually velope engraved, The White House, and collectively have demonstrated the highest degree of but before she could run outside and loyalty and dedication. tell her husband about it, the phone rang and another reporter began But just as I am proud of them, I also want to commend you questioning her. for imparting to them a deep 'sense af patriotism and a full What this was all about was a let- understanding of the responsibilities of citizenship. ter from President Lyndon B. John- As long as we have families such as the Hoffmans, I have son, commending the Hoffmans for not the slightest doubt that the liberty this nation has having five sons on active duty with Henry Hoffman, father of five Marines, enjoyed for almost two hundred years will continue to be the Marines at the same time-the is a PRR policeman at Greenville, N.J. a birthright for future generations of Americans. first such family in Corps history. The newspapers had got word action in all his brothers. I wish you would express to each of your sons my appreciation, about the letter in Washington be- The next in age, Henry, decided as well as that of the entire country, for the contributions fore the Hoffmans actually received to enlist at 17. At that age, he they are making to the cause of free men everywhere. it. needed parental approval, and Mr. Things got busier and busier Hoffman refused. "You're still a Mrs. Johnson joins me in extending best wishes to all of around the Hoffman home on Bing- kid," he said. "Wait a couple of the members of your courageous and devoted family. ham Avenue, Rumson, N. J. Neigh- years." bors came crowding in. A news pho- The next day, Henry went out tographer arrived to take shots of came back home with the Marine the proud parents. recruiting sergeant. A letter came from Governor "How could I hold out against that Richard J. Hughes expressing his kind of determination?" Mr. Hoff- man says. "I signed." pride in this patriotic New Jersey Mr. and Mrs. Henry J. Hoffman family. Congressman James J. How- Henry is now a staff sergeant in 92 Bingham Avenue ard made known that he would in- the procurement division at a Ma- Ruson, New Jersey troduce the news story in the Con- rine depot on Long Island. gressional Record. The third son, Walter, is now a "It all kind of overwhelmed us," corporal with a Marine security de- says Mr. Hoffman, who does security tachment in Athens, Greece. He's now a private first class at a send for me." duty at the PRR's big: watwsids The fourth, Robert, is a corporal Marine tank repair school in Cali- The story of the Hoffman family, freight yard 'at Greenville, in North with a Marine air unit in Vietnam. fornia. spread by wire services, has ap- Jersey. The fifth son, Richard, practically The Hoffmans have three other peared in newspapers across the The Hoffmans' involvement with had to fight his way into the Corps. children: two daughters, Mrs. Grace country and has brought many let- the United States Marine Corps be- He's near-sighted, and when he took Baun and Elizabeth Ann, and a son, ters of praise. gan nine years ago. The eldest son, his physical he was told that even Joe, 13. A. woman in Houston wrote that George, came home one day with with his glasses he didn't quite meet Joe already has organized his she had two daughters but no sons the casual announcement that he the standards. own Marine unit among the neigh- to give to the armed services, and and two buddies had dropped in at "You mean all my brothers will borhood kids. They've dug foxholes she wanted the Hoffmans to know the recruiting station in Asbury be in and I won't?" Richard shouted. and have pieced together uniforms that they had her prayers. Park and joined up. It took two M.P.'s to calm him. out of odds and ends. Joe naturally But there were also two "anti" "He was only 19-we'd hoped he'd The Marine recruiting officer final- appointed himself lieutenant. letters, saying Americans have no be around the house a while longer ly said that if Richard could get a The Hoffman family was invited business fighting in Vietnam. -but there it was, and we were letter from his eye doctor testifying to a reception at a Marine headquar- To this, Mrs. Hoffman replied: proud of him," says Mr. Hoffman. that his eyesight had been constant ters in New York, and a colonel kid- "The United States is helping the George is now a lieutenant in for a number of years and was not dingly asked young Joe if he was people of Vietnam resist Commu- charge of the weather station at a likely to worsen, he'd be considered. there to enlist. nism. If it wasn't done there, it Marine base in North Carolina. Richard came back with the letter "1'11 be here at the right time," would be dumped in our own laps George's action set off a chain re- the next day. Joe said firmly. "You won't have to and we would be fighting here." George C. Neues is transportation William E. Swigart, Jr., of Hunt- A lost briefcase can mean disas- manager for the Herald-Tribune ingdon, Pa., who is president of the ter to a harried businessman. That's Best foot Fresh Air Fund which sends hun- Mutual Benefit Insurance Company, why F. C. Brennecke, of Harris- dreds of New York City boys to a praised the help given by Robert burg, wrote: forward summer vacation in the country Moresi, ticket sales and service clerk "I was a passenger from Philadel- each year. He wrote a note of thanks at the PRR's Pittsburgh station, in phia to Harrisburg. Mechanical dif- for PRR smoothness and efficiency locating a raincoat left aboard a ficulty at Paoli necessitated trans- during the airline strike, when PRR train by a guest in Mr. Swigart's fer to a substitute train. In the trains assumed much of the extra home. changeover, I left my briefcase in travel burden. Mr. Moresi took the telephone the original car. "How George Keegan, station call from Mr. Swigart after it was "The brakeman (A. S. Welch) master at New York's Penn Station, learned that the visitor had left the put a message off at Lancaster, and accomplished the job of handling coat aboard a train headed for Pitts- the briefcase was located and our large groups is a mystery," Mr. burgh. Mr. Moresi arranged to have brought to me on the next train to Neues wrote. it taken from the train and sent Harrisburg. "Passenger sales representative back to Huntingdon. ' "It is another example of the Herb Fox (left) was on hand to as- "We were privileged to have had smooth functioning of a great sys- sist, and we thank him and all of the his special help," wrote Mr. Swig- tem and its dedicated workers. It other persons who helped make our art. "His attention was generous and may be routine to you, but it meant trip as comfortable as it was." pleasant." a great deal to me." Downloaded from http://PRR.Railfan.net Original document from the collection of Rob Schoenberg ©2011 - Commercial reproduction or distribution prohibited The eagles - have flown .. ne of the most impressive bird from its base. 0 migrations in history is nearing What's more, none of them had its end. even the faintest trouble finding a It is the flight of the PRR's 14 Penn new roost after they were shooed Station eagles. Even Audubon would from their 56-year-old nests above have marveled. the entrances to the PRR passenger Each granite eagle weighs 5700 terminal at New York. pounds, has a wingspread of 74 It was in October, 1963, that the inches, and stands 63% inches high Railroad announced its intention of giving the eagles away. A few weeks later, recalls Kenneth Simpson, manager of the chief engi- neer's office in New Yo:k City, the total number of requests for the birds went over 500. The requests came from as far away as Puerto Rico and California, Maine and Florida. "What to do with the eagles be- came more of a problem than we ever thought it would be," Mr.