Page 13 - 5-22-15 Friday's Edition

FLORIDA SENTINEL FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015
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Mayor Joins Tampa Fire Rescue In Dedication Of Fallen Firefighters Memorial
On Monday, May 11th, Mayor Bob Buckhorn and Tampa Fire Rescue Chief Tom Forward dedicated the new Tampa Fallen Firefighter’s Memorial located at Tampa Fire Rescue Headquarters, 808 East Zack Street.
A reception was held following the ceremony. The memorial depicts a life size statue of a firefighter in a solemn stance.
The cost of the memorial was $110,000, and was made possible with donations from the Friends of Tampa Firefighters, as well as Simon Canasi, Senior Vice-President of the Canasi-Fernandez Group at Morgan Stanley, and the Zeta Pi Chapter of the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity at the University of South Florida.
Tampa Fire Rescue was born as the city’s first professional, paid fire department in 1895. In its history, 14 firefighters have died and two volunteers. (PHO- TOS BY BRUNSON)
From left to right: Fire Chief Tom Forward, Chief Judge Fic- Tampa Emergency
Mayor Bob Buckhorn, and Tampa Police Chief Fire Marshal carotta came out Service Coordinator, Fire Chief Tom Forward and his Eric Ward. Milton Jenkins. for the unveiling. Chauncia Willis. wife, Cynthia.
Military Organization Plans 18th Annual Memorial Day Program
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
On Monday May 25th, the Veter- ans of Foreign Wars Post 1339, VFW Post 10140, the American Legion Post 167, and the Buffalo Soldiers will host a Memorial Day Program. The event will begin at 10 a.m., at Rest Haven Memorial Park Cemetery, 4615 E. Hanna Avenue.
This year will mark the 18th con- secutive year that the organizations have remembered deceased veterans locally.
Melvin Collins, Commander of VFW Post 1339 said, the thought of honoring veterans from our commu- nity came about nearly 50 years ago.
“I lost two family members in one month in May 1967. My brother-in- law, James Bell, died on May 1, 1967. He was the 1064 Class Presi- dent at Middleton High School. Thirty days later, my nephew, Michael Collins died. He had also recently graduated from Middleton High School. I felt that we should do something to honor the memory of deceased veterans. Both had served in Viet Nam.”
Commander Collins hosted the first program at Rest Haven Memo- rial Cemetery on Memorial Day 1997. Over the years, the program has ex- panded adding the names of other veterans each year.
On Saturday, May 23rd, the group will visit the cemetery in preparation for the Memorial Day Program. Members of the organization and vol-
MELVIN COLLINS Commander VFW Post 1339
unteers will place flags on the graves of the veterans interred in the ceme- tery. Last year, they placed flags on more than 1,600 graves.
The organizations place the flags on those graves with military issued- headstones. “Any veteran who was honorably discharged is entitled to the military issued headstone. It de- notes the branch of the military the veteran served in,” he said.
Commander Collins said, “We do it in honor of our veterans. And to show support and pray for those that are in harm’s way to keep us safe. We invite the community to come out on Saturday and help us take pride in our community by remembering our friends and loved ones who have served this great nation.
“We also try to involve the next
1st SGT. ERIC BOWMAN, USMC Retired
... Guest Speaker
generation so that they will realize the importance of honoring our commu- nity members who have served in the military. I think that it is important that we keep this tradition going. It is important to pay tribute to the mem- ory of those who served their coun- try,” he said.
This year, 1st Sgt. Eric Bow- man, United States Marine Corps, will deliver the keynote address. He is married to Mrs. Holly Bowman and the father of two daughters, Ma’Kayla and Kiah. He is currently employed at Freedom High School as a Navy Junior Reserve Officer Train- ing Corps Instructor (NJROTC).
1st Sgt. Bowman was born and raised in Tampa. After graduating from high school, he entered the Ma- rine Corps in October 1989.
After completing Recruitment Training at Paris Island, South Car0lina, he received orders to attend Motor Vehicle Operations Course in Camp Pendleton, California.
His first assignment out of the country took place in 1990, when he was deployed to “Operation Desert Shield” and “Desert Storm,” in 1990. Two years later, he was deployed to Somalia, Africa, for “Operation Re- store Hope.”
Two years later, 1st Sgt. Bowman was deployed to Okinawa, Japan, after returning to the United States. In 1997 he served as Marine Corps Drill Instructor for three years. His next deployment took him back to Okinawa, Japan for a three-year stint.
1st Sgt. Bowman served two back-to-back tours of duty in “Opera- tion Iraqi Freedom,” with the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Bat- talion. His next mission was at the University of Wisconsin, where he served as Assistant Marine Officer for the Navy Reserve Officer Training Unit (NROTC).
During his tenure with the mili- tary, 1st Sgt. Bowman received the Combat Action Ribbon, the Meritori- ous Service Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal.
Refreshments will be served after the Memorial Day Program. For more information contact Commander Collins at (813) 238-5627 or (813) 293-8313.