Merry Christmas

Last Christmas we gathered together to celebrate with Jerry. This year, Jerry and Rita are watching over us. The party upstairs is getting popular.

Jerry surrounded by his grandchildren



Jerry surrounded by his kids




Merry Christmas!

World War II - B17 Survival Story

Subject: WWII - B17 Survival Story

 

Navigator - Harry C. Nuessle

Bombardier - Ralph Burbridge

Engineer - Joe C. James

Radio Operator - Paul A. Galloway

Ball Turret Gunner - Elton Conda

Waist Gunner - Michael Zuk

Tail Gunner - Sam T. Sarpolus

Ground Crew Chief - Hank Hyland 

B-17 in 1943

A mid-air collision on February 1, 1943, between a B-17 and a German fighter over the Tunis dock area, became the subject of one of the most famous photographs of World War II. An enemy fighter attacking a 97th Bomb Group formation went out of control, probably with a wounded pilot then continued its crashing descent into the rear of the fuselage of a Fortress named "All American", piloted by Lt. Kendrick R. Bragg, of the 414th Bomb Squadron. When it struck, the fighter broke apart, but left some pieces in the B-17. The left horizontal stabilizer of the Fortress and left elevator were completely torn away. The two right engines were out and one on the left had a serious oil pump leak. The vertical fin and the rudder had been damaged, the fuselage had been cut almost completely through connected only at two small parts of the frame and the radios, electrical and oxygen systems were damaged. There was also a hole in the top that was over 16 feet long and 4 feet wide at its widest and the split in the fuselage went all the way to the top gunners turret. 

 

Although the tail actually bounced and swayed in the wind and twisted when the plane turned and all the control cables were severed, except one single elevator cable still worked, and the aircraft still flew - miraculously! The tail gunner was trapped because there was no floor connecting the tail to the rest of the plane. The waist and tail gunners used parts of the German fighter and their own parachute harnesses in an attempt to keep the tail from ripping off and the two sides of the fuselage from splitting apart. While the crew was trying to keep the bomber from coming apart, the pilot continued on his bomb run and released his bombs over the target.

When the bomb bay doors were opened, the wind turbulence was so great that it blew one of the waist gunners into the broken tail section. It took several minutes and four crew members to pass him ropes from parachutes and haul him back into the forward part of the plane. When they tried to do the same for the tail gunner, the tail began flapping so hard that it began to break off. The weight of the gunner was adding some stability to the tail section, so he went back to his position.

The turn back toward England had to be very slow to keep the tail from twisting off. They actually covered almost 70 miles to make the turn home. The bomber was so badly damaged that it was losing altitude and speed and was soon alone in the sky. For a brief time, two more Me-109 German fighters attacked the All American. Despite the extensive damage, all of the machine gunners were able to respond to these attacks and soon drove off the fighters. The two waist gunners stood up with their heads sticking out through the hole in the top of the fuselage to aim and fire their machine guns. The tail gunner had to shoot in short bursts because the recoil was actually causing the plane to turn.

Allied P-51 fighters intercepted the All American as it crossed over the Channel and took one of the pictures shown. They also radioed to the base describing that the empennage was waving like a fish tail and that the plane would not make it and to send out boats to rescue the crew when they bailed out. The fighters stayed with the Fortress taking hand signals from Lt. Bragg and relaying them to the base. Lt. Bragg signaled that 5 parachutes and the spare had been "used" so five of the crew could not bail out. He made the decision that if they could not bail out safely, then he would stay with the plane and land it.

Two and a half hours after being hit, the aircraft made its final turn to line up with the runway while it was still over 40 miles away. It descended into an emergency landing and a normal roll-out on its landing gear.

When the ambulance pulled alongside, it was waved off because not a single member of the crew had been injured. No one could believe that the aircraft could still fly in such a condition. The Fortress sat placidly until the crew all exited through the door in the fuselage and the tail gunner had climbed down a ladder, at which time the entire rear section of the aircraft collapsed onto the ground. The rugged old bird had done its job. 

 Great war story!

Thanks to my Aunt Vivian for sending this along.

Wreaths Across America Day December 15 To Honor Veterans At National Iwo Jima Monument

All are welcome to attend the first annual Wreaths Across America Day ceremony to be held at the National Iwo Jima Monument on Saturday December 15, 2012 starting at 12 noon.

Seven ceremonial wreaths will be placed to remember all soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines who served, honor their sacrifices, and teach our younger generations about the high cost of our freedoms. The monument is...located on the Newington/New Britain town line on Ella Grasso Boulevard at the corner of Barbour Road.

Specially designated wreaths for the Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Merchant Marine, and POW/MIA will be placed on memorials during...a ceremony that will be coordinated simultaneously at over 750 participating locations all across the Country, including Arlington National Cemetery.

The Worcester Wreath Company from Harrington, Maine donates the wreaths to be placed on the headstones of our Nation’s fallen heroes. Recognition of the service and sacrifice of our veterans, and their families, is especially poignant during the traditional holiday season. In 2012 it is projected that over 400,000 wreaths will be placed nationwide, by over 150,000 volunteers as part of the Wreaths Across America mission to Remember, Honor, and Teach. Remember the fallen, Honor those who serve including their families who sacrifice, and Teach our children the cost of the freedoms we enjoy each day.

Wreaths Across America's website can be found by visiting www.wreathsacrossamerica.org

Gary Roy, President
Iwo Jima Memorial Historical Foundation

Sherlock Thanksgiving 2012

Mom and Dad were watching over us as we continued the tradition of gathering on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Over the years, as each of the siblings got married, the question of where to go for the holidays came up. We decided to go to the other side on the day and to have the Sherlock's gather on the Friday after for Thanksgiving and some convenient day after Christmas.

Not the best quality photo but it does show some fun was being shared!

Around the table from left to right: Avery, Keegan, Celia, Allison, Carolyn, Joan (just the tip of her head shows), Brianna (has more showing with half her face appearing), John, and Oliver who apparently is getting pushed into the center!

Using Google Hangout Franklin connected with other members in NJ and IL. This may be a new addition to the evolving tradition!

Celia continued one other prime tradition by making cheesecake using Dad's recipe. Dad's recipe it turns out was the one Mom used but really originated with Lillian Canton. So the more correct term should be Lillian's Recipe. In any case, Ceclia did a great job. Dad (Papa) would have had a couple of pieces for sure!

Joyal Brouillard Brunch

Albert wrote "the few, the proud, the family" as he sent out this photo from the Joyal Brouillard Brunch which was held this past Sunday at The Pines in North Smithfield.

If your ears were burning, maybe it was because the discussion mentioned you somewhere along its winding path!

237th Birthday of the Marine Corps

Tonight at West Valley Inn in West Warwick distinguished members of the UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS will gather to celebrate.  The occasion is the 237th Birthday of the MARINE CORPS.

This year it is one day early due to scheduling conflicts.  Several members of the Providence Police Department who I work with have organized it for several years.

Ed Malloy, Steve Cileli and Carl Weston along with several others have been working feverishly to bring a great format of events.

I met for breakfast and of course they are a little off as their good friend Jerry Sherlock is not with them tonight.  He has reported for duty on the streets of Heaven where all MARINES return.

Ed was very somber when he sent out the invitations in August.   Steve Cileli was excited about all the additional food that would be put out this year.  He chuckled fondly about Jerry always circling for crackers and cheese and of course holding out for dessert.   Carl Weston spoke of how much humor Jerry brought to the table.  If thats true Jerry was the ringmaster of that cast of characters.

Ed slipped me the sheet for the Roll of Honor that will be called tonight.  That list is read of the MARINES who have travelled on to the final journey.

It is a little quiet around here tonight.  Jerry would make this the first stop on the way to the Dinner posing for pictures.  Steve Cileli or I would drive him to the Dinner.

Of course the Corps marches on in History.

Ed Malloy tells me a photo of Jerry will be present at the head table.   He is not forgotten and sorely missed by his fellow MARINES.

Happy Birthday and SEMPER FIDELIS MARINES!

Odds in our favor

The Mass Saturday evening at St Michael's was a simple ceremony with a full church. After the homily, the names of the deceased were read in the order by month that they passed. A member of the family brought up the candle, had it lit, and then placed it on a table to the side on the altar. There was quite a collection when all was done.

The full listing of names:



Dolores and I took Mr and Mrs Proulx with us to the Mass. We stopped at Chelo's on RT 44 for dinner after. What would the odds be for us to be seated at the same booth where I last sat with Dad?

HONOR FLIGHT from Rhode Island

Tomorrow morning several veterans will be departing TF Green Airport for Washington, DC via HONOR FLIGHT.

Several friends of Jerry donated in his memory to HONOR FLIGHT.

It is fitting that members of the Providence Police Pipes and Drums will be playing several Tunes for these veterans.  Several of Jerry's friends and fellow MARINES will be playing.  Pipe Major Manny Soares and Lead  Tip Drum. Carl Weston will be present.  

The Veterans will be honored with the Minstrel Boy and the Military Set.  Army, Navy Air force and MARINE CORPS HYMN.  

Jerry was able to see the Pipes and Drums play at the half time show last year at Providence College Basketball season opener.  

The march out was MARINE CORPS HYMN.  As usual Jerry shot to attention upon hearing that.  As did every other MARINE in the house,

By Tradition MARINES drop what they are doing and come to attention upon hearing the USMC Hymn.

I am out of town or would otherwise be there.

I thank the organizers of HONOR FLIGHT.

My fellow members of the PPD Pipes and Drums.

Above all the veterans who will be going to Washington.  Of course the Service members KIA, MIA and those who have made the final journey home.

"The minstrel boy to the war is gone,
In the ranks of death ye may find him;
His father's sword he hath girded on,
With his wild harp slung along behind him;
Land of Song, the lays of the warrior bard,
May some day sound for thee,
But his harp belongs to the brave and free
And shall never sound in slavery!"

Lyrics from the MINSTREL BOY

Andy's Story

Steve,

I love getting the updates on "Jerry's Story".

One of my favorite times with your Dad is one of my favorite stories to tell. My brothers Richard and Ray and I took your Dad to see the movie "Letters from Iwo Jima". We felt so honored to be sitting with a survivor of that famous battle, especially since our dad Del also fought there.

When the movie was over, we all commented on how "realistic" it was.

Jerry very soft spokenly said it brought back a lot of memories and that the makers of the film had done a great job recreating the scenes of Iwo Jima. As far as realistic, Jerry said it wasn't very realistic. The only way to recreate the realism of the day would be to have live ammunition fire flying by you from all sides and know that at any moment you could be dead!!!

He said this with such calm and authority that it has stayed with me every since. Only those who have lived through combat can really know the "realistic" fears and feelings that come with it.

Hope all is well with you and your family.

I miss your Dad and feel blessed that I got to know him the last few years of his life.

Sincerely,

Andy Brouillard



Andy,

Thank you for sharing this. And thank you for taking Dad to the movie. I know he talked of it frequently.

Steve

"make up for his lack of accuracy"

Jerry's son Bob recalls a conversation with him from Sep 2007. Jerry had recounted some of his Marine training in the conversation.

He is in good spirits, and told me some things about being in the Marines that I never knew - that he graduated from boot camp without having passed his marksmanship test on the M-1 Garand rifle that was the basic weapon for Marine infantrymen in WWII. He later qualified on it, on the 30 caliber machine gun, and also qualified on the carbine (a shorter weapon better suited for scouts and radiomen to carry. Papa liked it because it had a 15 round cartridge vs. the 8 rounds in the M-1, and he figured it would make up for his lack of accuracy. He also qualified on the 45 caliber pistol, because he did some assignments as a courier - bringing a briefcase of important papers from the officers on one island over to their counterparts on another island. The briefcase would be handcuffed to his left hand, and he had to be able to shoot the 45 if anyone messed with him.

Thanks for sharing this Bob.

If you have a memory or story of Jerry to share, please send it along.

Memorial Mass - Nov 3, 2012

St Michael's Church in Georgiaville, RI will be holding a memorial mass on Saturday, Nov 3, 2012 at 5:00 PM. This mass will remember all the parishioners who passed away this year. This was Jerry's most recent parish and where the funeral mass was held in February.

If you are in or around the area and want to join us at the mass, please let me know.



From the notification on the mass:

"Catholic tradition sets aside the month of November as a time to remember our loved ones who have died. During the 5:00 PM Mass on Saturday, November 3, there will be a simple ceremony to remember our parishioners who have died since last November. As a family who has suffered the loss of a loved one, I invite you to participate in this mass. 

After the homily, the names of those who have died since last November will be read. As each name is spoken, we invite you or a family member to come forward to place a candle next to the altar. After mass, you may take the candle home with you. If you do not wish to participate in the candle ceremony, you are still welcome to come to the mass. 

A candle with Gerald Sherlock's name on it will be available on a table at the front entrance to the Church. Please take the candle before mass begins so you have it with you when the names are read. You may sit wherever you wish, as there will be no reserved seating."

Honor Flight

Honor Flight is still performing its mission. You can help other WWII veterans visit their war memorial in Washington, DC.

Why WWII veterans?
We are loosing over 1,000 a day. Time is short. More recent veterans will have their time to come but the WWII vets need to be addressed now





A virtual honor flight is being held today, more info can be found here
http://www.sarahhillstories.blogspot.com/2012/08/virtual-honor-flights-for-wwii-veterans.html

Happy birthday, Jerry

It would have been Jerry's birthday today. Likely something of a gathering of families to celebrate.

He is missed but not forgotten!
.

The power of music!

A wonderful story from a WWII veteran

On September 4th, the same day Mr. Garnett's fellow veterans will fly to Washington, DC on an Honor Flight, a group of volunteers will bring a Virtual Honor Flight to his house. Veterans United Home Loans in partnership with Central Missouri Honor Flight will offer the first-ever "Virtual Honor Flight" via Google Plus Hangouts.  Using this group video chat room and live streaming technology on You Tube, Mr. Garnett and other aging veterans will get to see their memorial and experience the magic of an Honor Flight from the comfort of their own homes, even if they're too sick to fly.

More info on the virtual honor flight to be held on Tuesday, Sep 4th can be found here
http://www.sarahhillstories.blogspot.com/2012/08/virtual-honor-flights-for-wwii-veterans.html


Regular readers will recall that for Jerry's funeral donations to Honor Flight were requested. It is good to see their work still going on! And that thanks to folks like Sarah Hill a virtual honor flight can happen through the wonders of the technology available today.

Another tribute for Jerry

When I returned home from vacation recently, I had a stack of mail to go through and found a large envelop from the Veterans Administration. It contained the following letter on heavy parchment paper.

Thank you!

4th Annual VJ Day Candlelight Ceremony of Remembrance

4th Annual VJ Day Candlelight Ceremony of Remembrance to be held Sunday, August 12

The Iwo Jima Memorial Historical Foundation, Inc. will be holding their 4th Annual VJ Day Candlelight
Ceremony of Remembrance at the National Iwo Jima Memorial Monument on Sunday, August 12, 2012.
The public is invited to attend and participate in this ceremony by remembering a deceased loved one who
served at any time in the U. S. Armed Forces. This event is part of the National Spirit of '45 Day Campaign.

The 4th Annual VJ Day Candlelight Ceremony of Remembrance will remember and honor ALL of America's Veterans who served at any time in the Armed Forces of the United States and who have since passed away or who were KIA/MIA. Among those are the 100 Connecticut servicemen who were killed in action during the World War II Battle of Iwo Jima. The names of those men are inscribed on the black granite panels of the monument. The ceremony also remembers those who survived the battle but who have since passed away. 


The public is invited to attend this Free event and participate by remembering any special veteran in their lives who is no longer with us. The ceremony will include bagpipes, invocation, speakers, taps, rifle salute, riderless horse and the lighting of candles. The public is invited to call the name of a loved one to be remembered and toll the bell for each. Relatives or friends of the 100 men KIA who are listed on the monument or survivors of the battle who have passed away are asked to contact us.

Those wishing to attend are asked to first gather at 5:30 p.m. at the Newington Memorial Funeral Home
located at 20 Bonair Ave. in the center of Newington. There will be a brief ceremony which will include the
folding of an American flag which represents all veterans who have passed away. Everyone is invited to
bring a photo of the veteran they would like to remember and place it on the Wall of Honor.

Due to limited parking at the Monument, a bus will be provided to transport visitors to the National Iwo Jima Memorial. This bus will be part of a formal escorted procession to the National Iwo Jima Memorial where services will begin at 6:30 p.m. In case of rain, the entire ceremony will take place at the Newington Memorial Funeral Home.

The Battle of Iwo Jima was fought February 19th through March 26th, 1945. It was the bloodiest battle in
Marine history, resulting in the deaths of 6,821 American servicemen and wounded over 19,000 more. The
Iwo Jima Memorial Historical Foundation, Inc. is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization whose mission is to
maintain the National Iwo Jima Memorial, educate others about the history of the Battle for Iwo Jima and to
perpetuate the memory of those who fought and died there.

We are seeking Sponsors and Volunteers to help with this event. For more information, please contact Gary
at (860) 291-9666 or email SOSIwoJima@yahoo.com. You may also visit the Iwo Jima Survivors website or Facebook page at www.SOSIwoJima.com for more information and directions to the Newington Memorial Funeral Home or National Iwo Jima Memorial Monument.

Families are ...

Cousin Elaine sends this along that had been typed by her mother (Pauline) and that still hangs on her own refrigerator as a constant reminder.

Well said!

Mariette S. Bruneau, 80

Mariette S. Bruneau, 80

EAST PROVIDENCE - Mariette S. (Joyal) Bruneau, 80, formerly of 500 Mendon Road, South Attleboro, died Saturday July 14, 2012, at the Philip Hulitar Hospice Center, Providence. She was the wife of the late Rodolphe P. Bruneau to whom she was married 54 years. 

She was born in Pawtucket a daughter of the late Armand A. and Ernestine R. (Brouillard) Joyal. Mrs. Bruneau volunteered for numerous organizations throughout her lifetime and spent the last 25 years dedicated to Amos House in Providence. 

She leaves her loving family, daughters Ann M. McGahern and her husband Michael of South Attleboro, Michelle A. Brissette and her husband Joseph of Rumford, six grandchildren, four sisters and one brother. She was predeceased by two sisters and two brothers. 

Her funeral will be held on Wednesday at 9 a.m. from the Perry-McStay Funeral Home, 2555 Pawtucket Ave., East Providence, with a Mass of Christian burial at 10 a.m. in St. Francis Xavier Church, North Carpenter Street, East Providence. Burial will be in Notre Dame Cemetery, Pawtucket. 

Calling hours are on Tuesday, 5-8 p.m. 

In lieu of flowers contributions to Amos House, 415 Friendship St., PO Box 72873, Providence, RI 02907 would be appreciated.

Mariette was Rita's sister. Shown here in a Brouillard Brunch photo with her brother Albert in January 2012.

Obituary originally published by the Attleboro Sun Chronicle