Photo By Sgt. Christopher Gallagher | Inductee Command Sgt. Maj. (ret) William “Joe” Gainey (center), former Senior...... read more read more
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“We come together today to honor and preserve the contributions of the most extraordinary All Americans in history.”
“Today we identify twenty-one All Americans as role models for our current generations of Paratroopers.”
“In celebrating this opening, in honoring our past, we honor our culture and shape our future,” said Maj. Gen. Erik Kurilla, commander of the 82nd Airborne Division, during his speech at the 82nd Airborne Division Hall of Fame inaugural induction ceremony.
Twenty-one past members of the 82nd Airborne Division were inducted into the Division Hall of Fame May 23, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
The Hall of Fame honors past members of the division who made a lasting impact and oftentimes went on to have long successful careers in the U.S. Army.
Earlier in the year, brigade command teams submitted nominations for the inaugural class to the All American Hall of Fame Selection Committee, a panel of senior leaders currently serving within the Division.
To be eligible for induction, members must have served a minimum of two years in the Division, must be a least five years removed from the Division, and must no longer be eligible to serve in the Division.
With these requirements in mind, a system was created to score and select the inaugural class.
Twenty-one inductees were selected for the first class, but beginning next year five, new inductees will be added during All American Week.
This year’s 21 inductees include:
General (Retired) John F. Campbell
Staff Sergeant Félix Modesto Conde Falcón
Private First Class Charles N. DeGlopper
Retired General Ann E. Dunwoody
1st Sgt. Leonard A. Funk, Jr.
Retired Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, William “Joe” Gainey
Private Joe Gandara
Lieutenant General James Gavin
Retired Command Sgt. Maj. Tadeusz "Ted" Gaweda
Retired Captain Roy Hanna
General James Lindsay
Retired General Dan McNeill
Retired Lt. Col. James "Maggie" Megellas
Retired Command Sgt. Maj. Kenneth "Rock" Merritt
Lieutenant Colonel Emory Jenison Pike
General Matthew Bunker Ridgway
General Roscoe Robinson, Jr.
General Maxwell D. Taylor
Retired Gen. James D. Thurman
John Towle
Sergeant Alvin C. York
While each inductee has their own story, Kurilla was able to summarize what the iconic All American veterans had done to be nominated for the Hall of Fame.
“Some of those celebrated on this wall behind me are figures larger than life - larger, even than their roles within this Division,” said Kurilla. “Some have broken down barriers, evolved national security, become household names in European countries, and opened doors for others that had been forever closed.
“Yet, they all share the common ancestry of the Double A patch. And that is what we celebrate today,” he added.
| Date Taken: | 05.22.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 05.24.2018 18:42 |
| Story ID: | 278400 |
| Location: | FORT BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 514 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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