Congratulations to NORMAN and WANONA STALLINGS on June 3, when they celebrate their 53rd wedding anniversary. They were married in Dillon, South Carolina, and now they are the parents of one son and grandparents to Jessi, who is 6-years-old.
Norman retired from the army as a master sergeant, and Wanona retired a few years ago from the Killeen library. They’ve lived in Killeen for almost 35 years.
JUSTIN LETHCO, who graduated this month from Tarlton State University in Stephenville with his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, is on his way to Nashville, Tennessee for a two-month internship with Big Machine label group. After his internship, Justin hopes to become a producer in the music business. Good luck, Justin. Proud parents are Shelly Letcho of Harker Heights and Mark and Lisa Letcho of Killeen.
MEMORIAL DAY was first known as Decoration Day when it began back in 1868 as a time to honor only Union soldiers who had died in the Civil War. Then in 1882, the name was changed to Memorial Day, and all those who died in previous wars were honored as well.
Moina Michael first conceived of the idea of wearing a red poppy to show support for the fallen troops. The poem, “In Flanders Field,” which was written during World War I by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae of the Canadian army, inspired her to use the poppy. In 1922, the Veterans of Foreign Wars became the first organization to sell the red poppies to raise funds for the veterans.
Just a few words of McCrae’s soulful poem are a grim reminder of lives lost: “In Flanders fields the poppies grow between the crosses row on row that mark our place….We are the dead. Short days ago we lived….If ye break faith with us who die, we shall not sleep, though poppies grow in Flanders fields.” .
BOOK REVIEW: With summer almost here, it’s supposed to be time for light “beach blanket “reading. But here’s a historical saga that that will not only educate, but it will leave you in awe: ‘THE LAST STAND,” by Nathaniel Philbrick is a detailed account of the battle of the Little Big Horn that delves into the lives of the participants and explains the circumstances as all converged on that fateful day of June 25, 1876.
General George Armstrong Custer received his rank of general during the Civil War but was actually a lieutenant colonel at Little Big Horn. Known for his bravery, his swagger, his recklessness, which was often, he managed to make a name for himself in and out of the army. Many mistakes were made that day in June, and one of the biggest was that Custer chose to divide his own battalions into wings, which basically split his regiment of about 670 men into four separate components. Then there were the three companies of about 130 men commanded by Major Marcus Reno that didn’t respond in time to help Custer - it’s noted that Reno was probably drunk at the time.
In that final battle, Custer’s two brothers, his brother-in-law, and his young nephew were among the almost 200 troops that perished with him.
After scouring through hundreds of documents, with memorable quotes from personal interviews, and vivid descriptions, Philbrick brings to life the daily struggles the soldiers and the Indians faced in the untamed land. .
The book covers Custer’s personal life, the troops he led, the lives and customs of many Indian tribes - a great deal is written about Sitting Bull - and the country’s quest for the west. There are times you can almost hear the shouts of the troops and the sounds of the horses’ hooves as they galloped across the plains. It’s quite a ride!
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