Saint George Saint Joan of Arc Michael the Archangel Watch Over our Men and Women in Uniform

Today, we will honor Men and Women in Uniform and Service to America at Leo High School.


Yesterday, my daughter and her classmates of Mother McAuley and the students of Brother Rice High School, lined Pulaski to welcome home the body of Army Spc. Jared Stanker killed in the service of his country.

Yesterday, a terrorist in uniform murdered his fellow soldiers at Fort Hood.

God Bless all who labor for Peace in Uniform and in Defense of America.

Saint George, Saint Joan of Arc,Michael the Archangel are Patron Saints of the Military.

One of the best Intercessions that Catholics pray is to St. George.

Faithful servant of God and invincible martyr, Saint George;
favored by God with the gift of faith, and inflamed with an ardent love of Christ, thou didst fight valiantly against the dragon of pride, falsehood, and deceit. Neither pain nor torture, sword nor death could part thee from the love of Christ. I fervently implore thee for the sake of this love to help me by thy intercession to overcome the temptations that surround me, and to bear bravely the trials that oppress me, so that I may patiently carry the cross which is placed upon me; and let neither distress nor difficulties separate me from the love of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Valiant champion of the Faith, assist me in the combat against evil, that I may win the crown promised to them that persevere unto the end.

Join Us for the Leo High School Veterans Observances Tomorrow, or Watch on Fox 32

Tomorrow's events at Leo High School in honor of our Veterans will be covered by Patrick Elwood and the great folks at FOX-32 Chicago - at 8:15, 9:15, and 11:00 A.M. - if you can not join us, please watch.
Leo High School, Leo Alumni Association, The Burbank Marine League Color Guard, Windy City Veterans, The Veterans Leadership Program, American Legion Giles Post #87& especially Mrs Rochelle Crump of Chicago Department of Child and Family Services will hold a special Veterans Memorial Observance at the Leo War Memorial in the school's courtyard. , Leo High School President Robert W. Foster & Principal Phil Mesina ( USAF ret.) and Vice Principal Frank Wilson (USMC ret.) will direct the observance which features presentations by Veterans, wreath - laying by Richard Furlong, President of the Leo Alumni Association. Leo Man David McKee ('46) always pipes in the colors and opens the ceremonies on the Irish War Pipes.

Leo High School erected a memorial in 1965 to the many Leo men who have died serving
America in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam and the Windy City Veterans of Chicago
updated the engraved names and constructed permanent lighting for the memorial. Last year more than two hundred persons joined the 220 Leo students in honoring America's war fallen. The War Memorial was dedicated by General Thomas Gerrity USAF ( Leo 1930) - a hero of the Fall of Bataan who escaped to Australia and returned to destroy 28 Japanese ships from his B-25 in the Bismark Sea and New Guinea. (click my post tite for more on Leo Man General Thomas P. Gerrity!

John Fardy (Leo 1940) was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his heroic sacrifice during World War II. Mr. John Houlihan (Leo ?41) served in the Marine Corps as did Mr. Dick Prendergast and twenty (20) more of his classmates from the Class of '43. Many Leo men have been decorated for heroism, including Mr. Jim Farrell (Leo '61), Mr. Jack Farnan, (Leo '63), and Mr. Jim Furlong ( Leo '65), all members of the Leo Hall of Fame and highly decorated Vietnam Veterans. The late Mr.Thomas Stack (Leo '61) organized the first welcome home to the Veterans of Vietnam. Mr.Tom Stack won two Silver Stars and three Bronze Stars in Vietnam.

Another highly decorated Vietnam Veteran, Gen. George Muellner, USAF (ret.) graduated from Leo, flew more than 600 combat fighter missions, commanded many fighter commands, and developed the STAR communications weapon system for Operation Desert Storm. Gen. Muellner is now the VP for Boeing Corporation's Stealth Projects.

The Veterans Memorial Observance will be held in the school courtyard located on 79th Street. The Public is invited to share in this Observance.
Labels: Jack Howard. Leo Alumni, Leo Alumni, Leo Veterans Observances
Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Patrick_Gerrity
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Fox32's Patrick Elwood Honors Veterans at Leo High School

Watch Chicago's Fox -32 on Friday morning, November 6th (One feature with Patrick Elwood at 8:15 and another other at 9:15) as Patrick Elwood honors and interviews Veterans, heroes all, of WWII, Korea and Vietnam.

On Monday, Veterans of America's Wars from Leo High School, the Montford Point Marines and the Burbank Marine League spoke with Fox Anchor/Reporter Patrick Elwood about their individual services over seas.

On Friday, Fox 32 will feature Patrick Elwood's interviews during the Morning Shows.

At 11AM Leo High School, Mrs. Rochelle Crump, Pipe David McKee ( Leo '46), Windy City Veterans, Montford Point Marines, The Burbank Marine Corps League, The Leo Alumni Association and Leo Veterans of WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm 1 & 2, Afghanistan and Iraq, as well Chicago Police Officers and Firefighters ( all who serve and protect America) will lay wreaths at the Leo High School War Memorial, offer tribute, salute the colors and salute to taps for America's Fallen

Leo High School and Mrs. Rochelle Crump have teamed to pay solemn tribute to all who serve since 2001.

All are invited to join in the Leo Veterans Observances.

Many thanks to Patrick Elwood and Fox 32 Television!

Steve Reid - Leo Hall of Fame, College Football Hall of Fame,

Position: Guard
School: Northwestern
High School: Chicago, IL (Leo HS)
Years: 1934-1936
Inducted: 1985
Place of Birth: Chicago, IL
Date of Birth: 12/16/1914
Jersey Number: 44
Height: 5-9
Weight: 192

Steve Reid played football at Leo High School in his hometown of Chicago before enrolling at Northwestern where he became a three-year letterman for the Wildcats. He was captain and Most Valuable Player for the 1936 Big Ten Champions and was also Northwestern's most widely-picked All-American since Pug Rentner. Reid stood proud in defeat as well as in victory throughout one of the most exciting schedules of the 1936 season. A 5-9, 192-pound guard whose forte was blocking, he was often called upon by Coach Pappy Waldorf to pull out of the line to lead the interference. Reid played in the East-West Shrine Game and, in 1961, was named to SPORTS ILLUSTRATED'S "Silver Anniversary" All-America football team. During World War II he served as a Major in the U.S. Army Medical Corps and was awarded the Presidential Citation with three battle stars. Reid became Vice-Chairman of the Department of Surgery at Evanston Hospital, and Professor of Surgery at Northwestern University. He has been a Wildcat team physician since 1950, and earned national recognition by conducting a football helmet study which measures intensities of impacts in order to reduce head and neck injuries.

God Bless All Leo Men!


H/T to Dan Kelley!

Leo High School welcomes everyone to honor our Veterans at Leo High School on Friday November 6th at 11A.M.

Leo High School
7901 S. Sanagamon Street
Chicago, IL 60655
(773) 224-9600

Gen. Tom Gerrity Leo Man: All Veterans Invited to Leo High School -Nov.6th 2009 at 11AM

All Veterans, Law Enforcement and Firefighter members, please join the Students, Staff and Alumni of Leo High School for the

Veterans Observance at Leo High School
7901 S. Sangamon Street
Chicago, IL 60620
(773) 224-9600

Call to Colors, Flag Raising, Honors will be announced at 11AM by the bagpipes of David McKee ( Leo '46) - Pipe Master of the Stockyard Kilty Band.

The Leo War Memorial was constructed by the Leo Alumni Association and dedicated by General Thomas P. Gerrity* in 1965. Just the day before the Fall of Bataan in April, 1942, a group of American and Filipino pilots ( among them future President Carlos Romulo) escaped from Bataan by flying out a Grumman Amphibious Plane that they had repaired.

Lt. Tom Gerrity who had served as a bomber pilot, fighter pilot, ground liaison to Gen. Wainwright and infantryman on Bataan organized the repair and flight of the aviators. They would evade Japanese naval and air units and make it to Dole Field on Mindanao where they would meet Gen. Rosie O'Donnell ( not to be confused with the contemporary icon) and fly to Australia.

Gerrity would fly B-25 Missions against the Japanese in the Bismark Sea; sink 28 ships; and become a leading force in American Air Power. Gen. Thomas P. Gerrity, USAF.

General Thomas Patrick Gerrity was a United States Air Force general and was commander of the Air Force Logistics Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

Gerrity was born in Harlowton, Montana, in 1913. His family moved to Chicago, Illinois when he was a child. He graduated from St.(sic) Leo High School in 1930, attended Tilden Tech and later the Armour Institute, now the Illinois Institute of Technology, all three schools located in Chicago. He entered military service in August 1939 as an aviation cadet, completed flying school in May 1940 and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Army Air Corps Reserve.

His first assignment was with the 15th Bombardment Squadron at Barksdale Field, Louisiana, and in October 1940 he was transferred to the 17th Bombardment Squadron at Savannah Field, Georgia. While stationed at Savannah, he attended Armstrong Junior College.

He went to the Philippine Islands in October 1941 with the 17th Bombardment Squadron and was assigned to the Air Ground Support Section of the Luzon Forces. In February 1942 he joined the 21st Pursuit Squadron at Bataan, transferring in April to the 13th Bombardment Squadron for duty in Australia. He assumed command of the 90th Bombardment Squadron on New Guinea in August 1942. During this period he flew 49 combat missions.

In November 1942 Gerrity was assigned to the Army Air Forces Materiel Command at Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio, as project officer on B-25, B-26, B-29, B-32, YB-35 and B-36 bombardment aircraft. During this assignment he attended the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. After graduation in October 1945 he resumed his former position at Wright Field, and in January 1946 became chief of the Bomber Branch in the Aircraft and Missile Section. While Chief of the Bomber Branch he attended the advanced management course at Harvard University. Later he was named chief of the Aircraft and Missile Section.

In March 1950 Gerrity assumed command of the 11th Bombardment Group, Strategic Air Command at Carswell Air Force Base, Texas. He was transferred to Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., in March 1953 as director of procurement and production engineering in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Materiel and later was named assistant for production programming in the same office.
Gerrity was transferred to the Air Materiel Command in August 1957 and assumed command of the Oklahoma City Air Materiel Area at Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma. In July 1960 he was appointed commander of the Ballistic Missile Center of the Air Materiel Command at Los Angeles, California. As a result of the reorganization of the Air Research and Development Command and the Air Materiel Command into the Air Force Systems Command in April 1961, General Gerrity became the first commander of the Ballistic Systems Division in Inglewood, California.

In July 1962 Gerrity became deputy chief of staff for systems and logistics at Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C. He also served as senior Air Force member, Military Staff Committee, United Nations. In August 1967 he became commander of the Air Force Logistics Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
His decorations included the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Silver Star, Air Medal with oak leaf cluster, Army Commendation Medal, and the Purple Heart. He received an honorary doctor of humanities degree from the University of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Gerrity died on February 24, 1968, and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery, next to his wife, Margaret B. Gerrity.[2]

Leo High School site of Veterans Observance 11/06/09 at 11AM

Leo High School, Leo Alumni Association, The Burbank Marine League Color Guard, Windy City Veterans, The Veterans Leadership Program, American Legion Giles Post #87& especially Mrs Rochelle Crump of Chicago Department of Child and Family Services will hold a special Veterans Memorial Observance at the Leo War Memorial in the school's courtyard. , Leo High School President Robert W. Foster & Principal Phil Mesina ( USAF ret.) and Vice Principal Frank Wilson (USMC ret.) will direct the observance which features presentations by Veterans, wreath - laying by Richard Furlong, President of the Leo Alumni Association. Leo Man David McKee ('46) always pipes in the colors and opens the ceremonies on the Irish War Pipes.

Leo High School erected a memorial in 1965 to the many Leo men who have died serving
America in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam and the Windy City Veterans of Chicago
updated the engraved names and constructed permanent lighting for the memorial. Last year more than two hundred persons joined the 220 Leo students in honoring America's war fallen. The War Memorial was dedicated by General Thomas Gerrity USAF ( Leo 1930) - a hero of the Fall of Bataan who escaped to Australia and returned to destroy 28 Japanese ships from his B-25 in the Bismark Sea and New Guinea. (click my post tite for more on Leo Man General Thomas P. Gerrity!

John Fardy (Leo 1940) was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his heroic sacrifice during World War II. Mr. John Houlihan (Leo ?41) served in the Marine Corps as did Mr. Dick Prendergast and twenty (20) more of his classmates from the Class of '43. Many Leo men have been decorated for heroism, including Mr. Jim Farrell (Leo '61), Mr. Jack Farnan, (Leo '63), and Mr. Jim Furlong ( Leo '65), all members of the Leo Hall of Fame and highly decorated Vietnam Veterans. The late Mr.Thomas Stack (Leo '61) organized the first welcome home to the Veterans of Vietnam. Mr.Tom Stack won two Silver Stars and three Bronze Stars in Vietnam.

Another highly decorated Vietnam Veteran, Gen. George Muellner, USAF (ret.) graduated from Leo, flew more than 600 combat fighter missions, commanded many fighter commands, and developed the STAR communications weapon system for Operation Desert Storm. Gen. Muellner is now the VP for Boeing Corporation's Stealth Projects.

The Veterans Memorial Observance will be held in the school courtyard located on 79th Street. The Public is invited to share in this Observance.