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Honoring Our

Military Veterans &

Active Duty Personnel on

VETERAN’S DAY 2015

November 11, 2015

Sardis Missionary Baptist Church 1615 4th Court West,

Birmingham AL 35208

Rev. Dr. Kurt S. Clark, Sr., Pastor

Isaiah 40:31, “… they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they

shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they

shall walk and not faint.”

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PHO

TO:

2014

SM

BC V

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AY

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EBR

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My America Too! By Evelyn Dilworth Williams

Morning Promises & My Evening Songs ©2004

America affords the venue for a life that’s good

With fear and idleness in fact not understood

Taking simple resources and making into delicacies

Self-framing them as unique upgrades past tendencies

When a former slave starts a school as a college

To equalize the use of once forbidden knowledge

That will sustain through the course of passing time

Only in America can one make such a radical climb

America’s doors to prosperity swing both ways

Evidence is there when we review the life of slaves

From the dinner table with servings of hog intestines

To this day are accepted as a delight that was predestined

Slave descendants and others go to foreign lands and fight side by side

Return home and the relationships immediately subside

Only in America will they return to the battlefields

Abandoning home-grown rancor to be later revealed

America is an inimitable home-base whether straight or bent

Her design is an indigenous, self-determined, shackled content

With such a variety she spun into a land with freedom’s intent

Not by her doings but with the divine power that’s heavenly sent

Where in the world is there another America

So protected by all those of valiant might

Keeping her charge in plain sight

Giving the world freedom's timeless light

What a land!!!

A land,

that will forever stand.

A claim of pride to live as an AMERICAN!

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Veterans

NAME & RANK

BRANCH OF

SERVICE

YEARS OF SERVICE

PHOTO

Israel Askew, Captain

US Air Force

Active Duty

Winston L Baker, SFC

US Army 25 Years

Combat Vietnam

Purple Heart Vietnam

Campaign Medal (3 bronze

stars), RVN Gallantry Cross,

other awards

Linda Butler LTC

US Army Reserve

29 years, 3 months of Service

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Veterans

NAME & RANK

BRANCH OF

SERVICE

YEARS OF SERVICE

PHOTO

Rev. Dr. Kurt S. Clark, Sr., E-4

US Army & US Army National Guard

1988-1994

Specialist

Desert Storm

Clifford L. Clark E-4

US Army 1964-1966

Vietnam

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present

help in trouble” - Psalm 46:1

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Veterans

NAME & RANK

BRANCH OF

SERVICE

YEARS OF SERVICE

PHOTO

Charlie L. Jones E-3

US Army

Chester Cochran E-5

US Army 1969-1971

Platoon Leader, Basic & AIT

Section Leader, Vietnam

Julius L. Cunningham, Jr. E7 SFC

US Army 22 Years

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Veterans

NAME & RANK

BRANCH OF

SERVICE

YEARS OF SERVICE

PHOTO

Billy R. Dawson E-3

US Coast Guard

1972 - 1975

Eddie Dick SGT

US Air Force

1949-1952

Ronald Dick AZ2

US Navy 1971-1974 Aircraft Carrier USS Saratoga, Bermuda, Memphis

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Veterans

NAME & RANK

BRANCH OF

SERVICE

YEARS OF SERVICE

PHOTO

Glenn Drayton, Sr. ADJ 2

US Navy 1973-1977 Aircraft Carrier USS Saratoga, Plane Captain & Certified Jet Mechanic in the SH-3H Helicopter

George Evans SGT

US Army US Army Reserve

4 Years Assignments included 1st Battalion 83rd Artillery Unit Baumholder, Germany. Attended First US Army NCO Academy

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Veterans

NAME & RANK

BRANCH OF

SERVICE

YEARS OF SERVICE

PHOTO

John Neil Frazier PFC

US Army 1970-1972 Vietnam

Lannie Guster, E-5

US Army 1970-1972 Financial Specialist Ft Greely, Alaska

Beatrice

Guyton

US Air Force Air National Guard

4 Years

9-1/2 years Radio Operations- (Communi-cations Tech-nology)

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Veterans

NAME & RANK

BRANCH OF

SERVICE

YEARS OF SERVICE

PHOTO

Tommy Guyton, E-4 Specialist

US Army Generator Mechanic

Alvin L. Hicks, SFC

Alabama National Guard

27 Years

“Be strong and courageous, for the LORD will be with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:9

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Veterans

NAME & RANK

BRANCH OF

SERVICE

YEARS OF SERVICE

PHOTO

Austin Holifield E-3 (Video Biography)

US Army 1951-1953 Korean War

Clarence Horton, PFC

US Army & Army Reserve

2 Years

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Veterans

NAME & RANK

BRANCH OF

SERVICE

YEARS OF SERVICE

PHOTO

Ryan L. James, Sr. Gunnery MSGT

US Marine Corps

24 Years of Service

Michael Johnson, Colonel

US Marine Corps

28 Years of Service Comptroller for 4th Marine Aircraft Wing

Clarence King

US Army 2 Years

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Veterans

NAME & RANK

BRANCH OF

SERVICE

YEARS OF SERVICE

PHOTO

Marcus Matthews, SSgt

US Marine Corps

Retired: 20 Years of Service Persian Gulf, AMTRAK (Amphibious Assault Motor Vehicle Personnel), Instructor, Recruiter, Iraq War, Purple Heart

Charles McMullin, III E-5

US Marine Corps

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Veterans

NAME & RANK

BRANCH OF

SERVICE

YEARS OF SERVICE

PHOTO

Roger R. Moore

E-4

US Army 1972-1975

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Veterans

NAME & RANK

BRANCH OF

SERVICE

YEARS OF SERVICE

PHOTO

Leon Nash, Sr. SFC

US Army & Army Reserve

1974-2000 26 years: 3 years Active 23 years Army Reserve

Tommy N. Nollie, Jr. 1st Class

US Navy 1979-1999 Desert Storm

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Veterans

NAME & RANK

BRANCH OF

SERVICE

YEARS OF SERVICE

PHOTO

James F. Odom MSGT (Video Biography)

US Army

21 Years of Service Duties in Italy, Greece, Turkey, Korea, Germany, Vietnam, the Middle East and Africa. Stateside duties were on Nike Missile sites and with Special Operations at Fort Bragg, NC and Fort Campbell, KY.

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Veterans

NAME & RANK

BRANCH OF

SERVICE

YEARS OF SERVICE

PHOTO

Thomas Penick

US Army

B. Roy Powell E-3

US Army Signal Corps

1963-1964

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Veterans

NAME & RANK

BRANCH OF

SERVICE

YEARS OF SERVICE

PHOTO

Stephen M. Reaves Specialist

US Army 4 Years 3rd ID Fort Stewart, GA Iraq

Freddie E. Sawyers E-3

US Air Force

1966-1969 Vietnam

Lizzie B. Simpkins SP4

Women's Army Corps

1957-1960 Army Chemical Center, MD

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Veterans

NAME & RANK

BRANCH OF

SERVICE

YEARS OF SERVICE

PHOTO

Freddie L. Walters E-6 (Video Biography)

US Army & Army Reserve

36 Years of Service Desert Shield Desert Storm Vietnam

Joe L. Williams, Jr. SP4

US Army 1958-1960

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Veterans

NAME & RANK

BRANCH OF

SERVICE

YEARS OF SERVICE

PHOTO

Thomas Earl Williams, Airman 1st Class

US Air Force 1962-1966

Inact. Reserves 1966- 1968 Security Specialist /Military Police Stateside and Asia

Earl S. Wilson, Corporal

US Paratrooper (US Army)

1953-1956 188 Airborne Division Korean Veteran

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Active Duty

NAME & RANK

BRANCH OF

SERVICE

YEARS OF SERVICE

PHOTO

John Askew, Lt. Colonel

US Air Force

Active Duty

Eric Foster, Jr.

US Army Active Duty

Timothy Irwin

US Marine Corps

Active Duty

Donald LaQuitus Johnson

US Army Active Duty

Benjamin Marshall

US Navy Active Duty

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Active Duty

NAME & RANK

BRANCH OF

SERVICE

YEARS OF SERVICE

PHOTO

William David McClung, III

US Army

Active Duty

Desmond Ross

US Air Force

Active Duty

Frederick Kendall Sawyers Lieutenant Colonel

US Air Force

Active Duty

Darion Young

US Marine Corps

Active Duty

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Active Duty

NAME & RANK

BRANCH OF

SERVICE

YEARS OF SERVICE

PHOTO

Henderson Williams, Jr.

US Navy Active Duty

ROTC

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“Gone, but never forgotten”

NAME & RANK

BRANCH OF

SERVICE

YEARS OF SERVICE

PHOTO

Sam Hopkins, III SGT

US Army

1967-1970 Vietnam, 1967-1968

Caesar Huff, Corporal

US Army

1953-1955 71st IMF Div. Band

Arlington Cemetery

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NAME & RANK

BRANCH OF

SERVICE

YEARS OF SERVICE

PHOTO

James Simpkins, MSGT

US Air Force

20 Years Served in Vietnam War and the Cuban Crisis

James Finch Corporal/ Technician Fifth Grade

US Army 1943 – 1946

World War II, Southwest Pacific, received the Good Conduct Medal, received the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal

Demetrius A. Nollie, Airman 1st Class

US Air Force

1981-1984

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Dear Lord,

Today we honor our veterans,

worthy men and women

who gave their best

when they were called upon

to serve and protect their country.

We pray that you will bless them, Lord,

for their unselfish service

in the continual struggle

to preserve our freedoms, our safety,

and our country’s heritage, for all of us.

Bless them abundantly

for the hardships they faced,

for the sacrifices they made, and

for their many different contributions

to America’s victories

over tyranny and oppression.

We respect them, we thank them,

we honor them, we are proud of them,

and we pray that you will watch over

these special people

and bless them with peace and happiness.

In Jesus’ name we pray,

Amen.

By Joanna Fuchs

"PEACE I leave with you, my peace I give you, not as the world gives do I

give to you, let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." -JOHN 14:27

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Downloadable color copies of this booklet are available online on our website at www.sardisalive.org

To amend this booklet, please contact the Sardis Missionary Baptist Church office at

205=786-4376

For more information about honoring American Veterans, please access the following website: http://www.va.gov/