The one year Memorial Mass for Jerry will be celebrated this Sunday at 10:30 AM at St Michael's Church, Smithfield, RI.
St Michael's Church
80 Farnum Pike
Smithfield, RI 02917
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Thursday, February 28, 2013
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Providence Police Pipes and Drums Fundraiser
Last night was the Providence Police Pipes and Drums Fundraiser at the Whiskey Republic in Providence.
Jerry was one of our early supporters at our first fundraiser. He attended the opening Providence College Basket Ball game which was our first real public outing with our Kilts.
We exited the court playing the Marine Corps Hymn. Jerry immediately shot to attention from his seat. Something all Marines will do on hearing the Marine Corps Hymn.
Lead Tip Drum Sergeant Carl Weston and friend of Jerry made it clear last night that we would salute Jerry. Band president Sgt. Roger Aspinal announced before the Military set that it was the 68th Anniversary of the Flag Raising at Iwo Jima. Many MARINES present started howling out the Marine Corps Battle Cry. OOOHHH RAAAHHH!
Here is a clip of the military set played to a packed house. Jerry would have loved this:
Jerry was one of our early supporters at our first fundraiser. He attended the opening Providence College Basket Ball game which was our first real public outing with our Kilts.
We exited the court playing the Marine Corps Hymn. Jerry immediately shot to attention from his seat. Something all Marines will do on hearing the Marine Corps Hymn.
Lead Tip Drum Sergeant Carl Weston and friend of Jerry made it clear last night that we would salute Jerry. Band president Sgt. Roger Aspinal announced before the Military set that it was the 68th Anniversary of the Flag Raising at Iwo Jima. Many MARINES present started howling out the Marine Corps Battle Cry. OOOHHH RAAAHHH!
Here is a clip of the military set played to a packed house. Jerry would have loved this:
Saturday, February 23, 2013
23 FEB 1945 - 2 Flags on Mt Suribachi
The National Colors were raised on Mt. Suribachi on the island of IWO JIMA not once but twice.
There is much back story to the Flag Raising. It is complex and confusing.
However the simple fact is that the United States Flag was planted on Japanese soil by US MARINES.
Jerry was always adamant that there were in fact two flag raising's. As usual he was right.
Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal went ashore with General Holland "Howlin' Mad" Smith that morning and when they landed the second flag had just been raised. It was much larger and more visible.
SECNAV Forrestal was ecstatic by all accounts upon seeing the Flag. He turned to Gen. Smith and said, "Holland, the raising of that flag on Suribachi means a Marine Corps for the next five hundred years"
68 years ago toady the marked an emotional turning point in the battle. It didn't change the tempo of the combat. Members of the first and second flag raisers would be killed in combat on Iwo Jima.
6,000 Americans would be killed in 38 days of what is considered one of the fiercest battles in MARINE CORPS history.
Marines today say that the benchmark has always been Iwo Jima. MARINE Veterans of Korea, Viet Nam, Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan have all pointed to the MARINES of IWO as the truly serious Gunfighters.
Hard to look at Jerry in his later years as anything but a happy go lucky guy from Pawtucket. Who was proud of his family. I saw the grim determination in his face and the set of his jaw in his last days. The face of a MARINE Gunfighter who didn't have the word defeat in his vocabulary.
Tonight a special toast will be given by his friends from the MARINE CORPS and Family at the Whiskey Republic.
Semper FI.
There is much back story to the Flag Raising. It is complex and confusing.
However the simple fact is that the United States Flag was planted on Japanese soil by US MARINES.
Jerry was always adamant that there were in fact two flag raising's. As usual he was right.
Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal went ashore with General Holland "Howlin' Mad" Smith that morning and when they landed the second flag had just been raised. It was much larger and more visible.
SECNAV Forrestal was ecstatic by all accounts upon seeing the Flag. He turned to Gen. Smith and said, "Holland, the raising of that flag on Suribachi means a Marine Corps for the next five hundred years"
68 years ago toady the marked an emotional turning point in the battle. It didn't change the tempo of the combat. Members of the first and second flag raisers would be killed in combat on Iwo Jima.
6,000 Americans would be killed in 38 days of what is considered one of the fiercest battles in MARINE CORPS history.
Marines today say that the benchmark has always been Iwo Jima. MARINE Veterans of Korea, Viet Nam, Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan have all pointed to the MARINES of IWO as the truly serious Gunfighters.
Hard to look at Jerry in his later years as anything but a happy go lucky guy from Pawtucket. Who was proud of his family. I saw the grim determination in his face and the set of his jaw in his last days. The face of a MARINE Gunfighter who didn't have the word defeat in his vocabulary.
Tonight a special toast will be given by his friends from the MARINE CORPS and Family at the Whiskey Republic.
Semper FI.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
The Sherlock's - once upon a time
Probably either in 1944 or 1945 as all are in uniform. This photo was available at Martina's funeral. The Higgins family readily agreed to make copies for those of us who wanted one. That the copy arrived in the mail on Feb 19th was special! Thank you!
Left to right, back row: Edward, John, Gerald, Henry, Paul
front row: Helene, Angela, Grandpa Sherlock, Grandma Sherlock, Fran, Martina
 |
| Sherlock Family |
Left to right, back row: Edward, John, Gerald, Henry, Paul
front row: Helene, Angela, Grandpa Sherlock, Grandma Sherlock, Fran, Martina
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
1st Anniversary - Feb 19, 2013
Two things for today.
One: 68 years ago, the Marines landed on Iwo Jima. Among them Jerry charged ashore as part of the 1st Joint Assault Signal Company in the 4th Division. He was lucky to walk off the island when it was all over. When asked about his time there, most of the time he said: "the real heroes did not come home."
Two: 67 years after he had landed and was lucky to walk off the island, Jerry took his last walk from us. I still think there was something about that connection.
Deep in the archives, there are recordings of Jerry talking of his life. I was fortunate to capture from his earliest memory up to the beginning of the 1950's. Unfortunately, I did not get more than that. His health problems started intervening. A couple of times when we did sit to record turned out to be TIA incidents where we rushed off to the hospital. I got a little gun shy after those incidents.
What we have we can listen to again and again. And treasure for the guidance and example he did set!
-----------
This is a brief recording where Jerry recalls his earliest memory and how there were two "Henry's".
Time: 4 minutes, 8 seconds
One: 68 years ago, the Marines landed on Iwo Jima. Among them Jerry charged ashore as part of the 1st Joint Assault Signal Company in the 4th Division. He was lucky to walk off the island when it was all over. When asked about his time there, most of the time he said: "the real heroes did not come home."
Two: 67 years after he had landed and was lucky to walk off the island, Jerry took his last walk from us. I still think there was something about that connection.
Deep in the archives, there are recordings of Jerry talking of his life. I was fortunate to capture from his earliest memory up to the beginning of the 1950's. Unfortunately, I did not get more than that. His health problems started intervening. A couple of times when we did sit to record turned out to be TIA incidents where we rushed off to the hospital. I got a little gun shy after those incidents.
What we have we can listen to again and again. And treasure for the guidance and example he did set!
-----------
This is a brief recording where Jerry recalls his earliest memory and how there were two "Henry's".
Time: 4 minutes, 8 seconds
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Iwo Jima - 68 years ago - Feb 19
On Feb 19th, it will be 68 years since the flag was raised on Iwo Jima and one year since Jerry left us. Special commemorative events will be held in CT on Sat and Sun, Feb 23, and Feb 24.
The poster for the event to commemorate this important date:
Additional information can be found on the Support our Survivors webpage http://www.sosiwojima.com/
This day will be one of prayers for those who fought with Jerry on Iwo Jima. He always said that the real heroes did not come home.
An anniversary Mass for Jerry will be held 10:30 AM on Sunday, Mar 2 at St Michael's Church in Smithfield, RI.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Allie and Brad (video)
Allie and Brad got married last week, hard to believe it is a week already! My brother Bob was able to capture this video of the ceremony at the last minute to share with Diane and others who could not make it to the ceremony.
It was a very nice event. I think this captures the ceremony very well.
The storybook story got off to a great start last week!
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