Page 4 - Florida Sentinel 5-25-18

Feature
Military Organizations Plan 22nd Annual Memorial Day Program
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
On Monday May 28h, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1339 will host its Annual Memorial Day Program. The event will begin at 10 a.m., at Rest Haven Memorial Park Cemetery, 4615 E. Hanna Av- enue.
This year will mark the 22nd consecutive year that the organization has paid tribute locally to deceased members of the military.
Melvin Collins, Com- mander of VFW Post 1339 said, the thought of honoring veterans from our community came about several years ago.
Commander Collins
said the organization recog- nizes those veterans who may no longer have living family members to remember them.
One individual being re- membered this year is Lance Corporal John Bell, Jr., a member of the United States Marine Corps.
Lance Corporal Bell
was a Tampa native and the only child of the late Mr. and Mrs. John Bell, Sr., of East Tampa. He attended the pub- lic schools of Hillsborough County.
Lance Corporal Bell
graduated from Blake High
MELVIN COLLINS Commander VFW Post 1339
School in 1963. While at Blake, he served as a 220- pound guard-tackle on the State Championship team of 1962.
He was the first casualty from Hillsborough County in the Viet Nam War. He died on August 18, 1965, at the age of 20.
In February, of this year during Black History Month, City Councilman Frank Reddick was instrumental in having a marker placed at the corner of N. John Bell, Jr., Drive and East Chelsea Street.
Commander Collins
said, “We do this to show our loved ones that they are not forgotten. We are asking fam- ily members, neighbors, and
SGT. JAMES JOHNSON ... Guest Speaker
friends to come on out to help us honor our fallen Veterans who served or who gave all for our country to remain free. We do this to honor John Bell, Jr., and many others that only we remember.”
Commander Collins
also remembers two family members who gave their lives within 30 days of each other in May 1967. His brother-in- law, James Bell, died on May 1, 1967. Bell was the 1964 Class President at Mid- dleton High School.
On May 30, 1967, his nephew, Michael Collins, died in Viet Nam. Collins was also a recent Middleton High School graduate.
Commander Collins
hosted the first program at
LANCE CPL. JOHN BELL, JR. 1/26/1945 —- 8/18/1965
Rest Haven Memorial Ceme- tery on Memorial Day 1997. Over the years, the program has expanded adding the names of other veterans each year.
Keynote Speaker This year Sgt. James Johnson, a member of the 641st RSG, St. Petersburg, where he is the Assistant Chaplain, will deliver the
keynote address.
A Tampa native, Sgt. Johnson graduated from King High School in 1986. He served 2-1/2 years active duty and has spent the last 15 years asamemberoftheU.S. Army Reserve.
A father and grandfather, Sgt. Johnson is currently employed at the Florida Sentinel Bulletin as an Ac- count Executive. He is mar- ried to Mrs. Williamena Johnson and is the son of Mrs. Sheryl Johnson and the late Rudolph Johnson.
Sgt. Johnson said, “It is an honor and a privilege to deliver the keynote address at the Memorial Day Program and speak among Veterans. My father, an uncle, and a good friend are buried there.”
For more information about the event, contact Commander Collins at (813) 238-5627 or (813) 293- 8313; Carl Harris at (813) 404-3080; or David Harris at (813) 310-1653.
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