WS Chronicle

SPECIAL TO THE CHRONICLE

On Nov. 6, Mount Zion Baptist Church recognized its veterans at the 11 a.m. service. Their names were listed at the entrance along with a display of caps representing each branch of the military.

To pay tribute to the veterans, each church member was pinned with a patriot ribbon and each veteran was given a special souvenir.  The veterans and their families sat in a reserved section. Flags for each branch of the military were displayed in the church sanctuary.

On behalf of the Senior Missionary Department, Maurice Johnson commended the veterans for their dedicated service and their sacrifice. Earnest Squire, a veteran, made remarks.

Pastor Dr. Serenus Churn had the veterans gather at the altar for a prayer of thanks.  It was truly a very moving moment for the veterans and for the congregation, Johnson said.

Profiles of two veterans were highlighted on the printed bulletin, prepared by Howard Shaw:

*Retired Army Flight Officer Terry Bailey, a native of Winston-Salem, is one of the original Tuskegee Airmen, the first Black servicemen to serve as military aviators in the U.S armed forces, flying with distinction during World War II. Though subject to racial discrimination both at home and abroad, the all-black units completed over 1,500 missions without losing an escorted bomber to enemy fighters.

The Tuskegee Airmen returned home with Bailey 150 distinguished Flying

Crosses.  The highly publicized successes of the Tuskegee Airmen helped pave the way for the eventual integration of the U.S. armed forces in 1948.   The 2012 movie “Red Tails,” starring Cuba Gooding Jr., tells the story of the Tuskegee Airmen.  Airman Bailey was unable to attend a White House Ceremony honoring the Airmen, but he was present when North Carolina paid tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen at the State Capitol in 2012.  He and his wife, Hiji, were also guests for honors by the North Carolina Transportation Museum. They reside in Winston-Salem.

*James Garner Sr.  was a decorated veteran of the Korean Conflict, for which he received two Purple Hearts, and the Soldiers’ Medal, the highest honor for heroism outside combat for saving the lives of two soldiers who were drowning in a river. Garner’s war injuries, which included the loss of his left leg, did not prevent him from leading an active sporting life.

A dedicated golfer, Garner sponsored an annual golf tournament to benefit Hospice of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County.  He and his wife, the former, Dorothy Latham, reside in Kernersville.

Ruth Torrance chaired the committee that planned the Veterans Recognition. Others on the committee were Annette Henighan, Maurice Johnson, Veronica Jones, Annette Squire and Jerrye Griffin, president of the Senior Missionary Department.