2011 Induction Ceremony
The 2011 Maxine Flournoy Third Coast Squadron Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony took place on September 17, 2011 - a hot and sunny Saturday afternoon - in front of a crowd of veterans and those who were there to honor them.
This year's inductees included Cpl. Fortis Fitting, U. S. Army; Maj. Howard Lipstreu, USN/USMC; Cmdr. Phil Perabo Jr., USN; Sgt. Richard Brassington Jr., U. S. Army; Col. Donald Emmons, USAF; and Sgt. Robert Alanis, U.S. Army.
The event began with music performed by the Veteran's Band followed by the Alice High School Junior Air Force ROTC cadet color guard presenting the colors. An invocation was given and the Pledge of Allegiance was recited. Col. Stewart Burleigh then gave a short history of the Maxine FlournoyThird Coast Squadron and the Commemorative Air Force. He also made a point of mentioning service personnel who served in the other branches and reminded the crowd to remember them as well.
Following the awards, the event was turned over to the Veterans Band conducted by Ram Chavez, which gave a stirring presentation, presenting the flags of each service department and playing the anthems of the individual branches of service.
The Veterans Band then performed a special ceremony "The Table of Remembrance," which they had also performed last year at the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., for thousands of veterans and their families. A muffled drum beat played as a table was brought forth. A veteran dressed as a POW came forward to guard his flag. Upon the table were four place settings, with wine glasses upside down. As the drum continued, the covers worn by the branches of the service were carried reverently to the table and placed, one upon each plate. The glasses were raised, one at a time, for the members lost in each branch, then turned over and once again placed upside down. This was done to signify the service personnel who can no longer be with us to share in our lives. Salutes were slowly raised, again, one at a time, to individually honor the personnel of each branch. Then, the veteran came forward and gave a recitation of what it meant to be a POW.
Sgt. Burleigh once again ascended the podium and asked the crowd to close their eyes and remember the images they had seen as he called out the names of the significant battles fought by U. S. Veterans. He thanked the veterans and the crowd for attending and the Alice High School Junior Air Force ROTC cadets came forward to strike the colors, standing at attention while "Taps" was played.
2011 Inductees
#30: CPL. Fortis Fitting
U.S. Army
#31: MAJ. Howard Lipstreu
U.S. Navy / Marines
#32: CMDR. Phil Perabo, Jr.
U.S. Navy
#33: SGT. Richard Brassington, Jr.
U.S. Army
#34 COL. Donald Emmons
U.S. Air Force
#35 SGT. Robert Alanis
U.S. Army