Page 10 - Florida Sentinel 2-23-18

Local
City Installs Plaque Honoring Tampa Man Killed In Vietnam
Hillsborough County Seeks Nominations For Annual Neighborhood Recognition Awards
LANCE CPL. JOHN BELL, JR. 1/26/1945 — 8/18/1965
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
In May of last year, Mrs. Rosalie Jones told the Sentinel that she didn’t know when the plaque hon- oring Lance Corporal John Bell, Jr., had disap- peared.
However, she doesn’t have to wonder about the plague anymore. Recently, Councilman Frank Red- dick and the City of Tampa Planning and Development Department agreed to com- memorate Bell’s life by re- placing the plague with a marker.
Bell was the first casu- alty from Hillsborough County in the Viet Nam War. He was killed on August 18, 1965. He was 20-years-old. The street located in
Marker Erected on Corner of John Bell, Jr., Drive and E. Chelsea Avenue.
Program celebrates achievements by groups and individuals
Think you belong to one of the best neighborhood as- sociations in the area? Did your homeowners group ac- complish a project in 2017 that was a home run? Do you know an individual who has gone above and beyond to make a difference where they live? Shine a spotlight by submitting a nomination in Hillsborough County’s annual Neighborhood Recognition Awards pro- gram.
Nominations are being accepted in 10 categories designed to recognize indi- viduals, groups, and organi- zations that have enriched the quality of life in neigh- borhoods through outreach, improvement projects, vol- unteer work, safety pro- grams, art, partnerships, and board leadership. There’s even a category set aside for outstanding con- tributions by a youth volun- teer or youth group.
The deadline for nominations is 5 p. m. on Friday, March 16.
Neighborhood groups may nominate themselves, other groups, and/or indi- viduals for their efforts to improve the quality of life in unincorporated Hillsbor- ough County, or the cities of Tampa, Plant City, and Temple Terrace.
Each nomination should include supporting informa- tion, such as samples of pro- motional material, website links, photographs, news clippings, and letters of sup- port.
The winners will be an- nounced at the 15th Annual Hillsborough County Neigh- borhoods Conference on May 12 at the Sheraton Tampa East Hotel, 10221 Princess Palm Ave. in Tampa. Winners must be present to accept the awards.
For details about each award category, eligibility requirements, nomination forms, and instructions for completing and returning the applications, go to HCFLGov.net/Neighbor- hoods and click on the “Neighborhood Recognition Awards” button, or call (813) 272-5860.
Northview Hills was re- named in his honor.
Councilman Reddick
said, “I am honored to have a marker recognizing Lance Corporal Bell, Jr., in- stalled at the corner of N. John Bell, Jr., Drive and East Chelsea Street. He was a true American.”
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 public schools of Hills- borough County.
He graduated from Blake High School in 1963. While at Blake, he served as a 220- pound guard-tackle on the State Championship team of 1962.
In a 1965 interview with the Sentinel, his father said they wanted the son, nick-
named “Butch,” to attend college. However, he had other plans and joined the U. S. Marines.
In a letter, which turned out to be the final correspon- dence with his parents, Lance Corporal Bell wrote them a letter that ar- rived two days before the news of his death.
The letter stated in part:
“I am presently involved in a big push. I hope from the bottom of my heart I can make it. If not, it is the Lord’s way.
“I will always re- member you and Dad as the two most important people in the world to me.IdowishthatI could have come home to marry Betty, but I don’t think so. Goodbye. Love, Butch.”
PAGE 10-A FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2018