Willis L Fairbanks (USMC, Ret), My Dad
08-22-2011, 02:45 PM
#32
Thread Starter
Pics from the reception. First one is Mother looking at the table with my dad's ashes in the clock. 
Next is a posterboard of pics from different periods of my dad's life - young Bill, middle-aged Bill, old Bill, family Bill, clock Bill, formal military Bill, informal military Bill, and Bill and Nell. My niece put it together. I think she did a great job. Above the pic in the middle is my parents' marriage certificate from Aug 21, 1942 and below is my dad's retirement letter from the Marine Corps after 26 years. In it is mentioned the two bronze stars he won with combat "V".
Next is a posterboard of pics from different periods of my dad's life - young Bill, middle-aged Bill, old Bill, family Bill, clock Bill, formal military Bill, informal military Bill, and Bill and Nell. My niece put it together. I think she did a great job. Above the pic in the middle is my parents' marriage certificate from Aug 21, 1942 and below is my dad's retirement letter from the Marine Corps after 26 years. In it is mentioned the two bronze stars he won with combat "V".
08-22-2011, 02:52 PM
#33
Nice, Deb.
08-31-2011, 12:12 PM
#35
Thread Starter
Dad's burial at Arlington National Cemetery will be on Fri, Sept 23 at 2 PM. If anyone is interested in attending, PM me for details.
09-14-2011, 04:26 PM
#36
Thread Starter
The +1 and I went to dinner this evening at the restaurant where the estate is hosting a dinner the evening after the ceremony. It is still very good and the owners know me there and will treat us well. 
Unfortunately, the +1 will miss the ceremony and dinner. He is obligated to run in a crazy race called the Ragnar Relay (Cumberland MD to DC - 200 miles) and is one of the organizers for his team. It's a big deal and was planned months ago - obviously before we got the date for the ceremony. There are 300 12-person teams. Each person runs three legs - total of about 33 hours, depending on the pace of the runners. I told him that IMO his relationship with my dad when he was living means more to me than whether he's there for the ceremony or not. Fortunately, my mom feels the same way. The race starts that Fri at 5 AM, so we'll see him sometime that Sat late afternoon/evening.
Unfortunately, the +1 will miss the ceremony and dinner. He is obligated to run in a crazy race called the Ragnar Relay (Cumberland MD to DC - 200 miles) and is one of the organizers for his team. It's a big deal and was planned months ago - obviously before we got the date for the ceremony. There are 300 12-person teams. Each person runs three legs - total of about 33 hours, depending on the pace of the runners. I told him that IMO his relationship with my dad when he was living means more to me than whether he's there for the ceremony or not. Fortunately, my mom feels the same way. The race starts that Fri at 5 AM, so we'll see him sometime that Sat late afternoon/evening.
09-14-2011, 04:43 PM
#37
Hope the ceremony and dinner goes well. Good luck to +1 with his race!
09-15-2011, 08:34 AM
#38
I agree with your thoughts that the relationship the hunkster had with your dad while he was alive is the more important thing. I hope the dinner, etc. goes well. Knowing how well you plan every detail, I'm sure it will be a lovely memorial to your father and his life.
09-22-2011, 05:39 AM
#39
Thread Starter
Looks like my dad will be in some fine company in Section 59 of Arlington Cemetery.
"In the early morning hours of 23 October 1983, a truck loaded with explosives crashed through the security perimeter of the United States Marine Corps Barracks in Beirut, Lebanon. In the explosion that followed, 241 U.S. Military personnel were killed and 80 seriously wounded.These young people, on a mission of peace in a land stricken by violence, were killed as they slept.
Twenty-one (21) of the young American victims of this cowardly act were returned to the United States and were buried near one another in Section 59 of Arlington National Cemetery. Near their gravesites is planted a Cedar of Lebanon tree which commemorates their sacrifice."
"Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper, USNR, (1906-1992)
Grace Murray (Hopper) was born in New York City on 9 December 1906. She graduated from Vassar College in 1928 and received a PhD in Mathematics from Yale University in 1934. She was a member of the Vassar faculty from 1931 to 1943, when she joined the Naval Reserve. Commissioned a Lieutenant (Junior Grade) 1944, she was assigned to the Bureau of Ordnance and immediately became involved in the development of the then-embryonic electronic computer. Over more than four decades to follow, she was in the forefront of computer and programming language progress.
Leaving active duty after the war's end, Dr. Hopper was a member of the Harvard University faculty and, from 1949, was employed in private industry. She retained her Naval Reserve affiliation, attaining the rank of Commander before retiring at the end of 1966. In August 1967, Commander Hopper was recalled to active duty and assigned to the Chief of Naval Operations' staff as Director, Navy Programming Languages Group. She was promoted to Captain in 1973, Commodore in 1983 and Rear Admiral in 1985, a year before she retired from the Naval service. She remained active in industry and education until her death on 1 January 1992.
USS Hopper (DDG-70) is named in honor of Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper.
She was a mathematician and a pioneer in the use of computers in the military, particularly in the United States Navy. She was one of the inventors of the computer language "COBOL" and was the first person to use the word "bug" to describe an error in a computer program.
She is buried in Section 59 of Arlington National Cemetery."
William Colby, Director of the CIA. In Section 59.
Quite a few Medal of Honor recipients, too.
"In America there is no greater honor for a war hero then the Congressional Medal of Honor, which was established between 1861 and 1862 by Congress. During war and times of conflict, certain individuals stand out who participated in battle — Lt. John C. Morgan is to this day the only officer originally not acceptable for military service to assist three nation’s Air Forces, fly 25.5 combat missions, free fall 19,500 feet from the air, spend fourteen months as a POW and earn the Medal of Honor.
John C. Morgan said; “There are very few heroes. Under the circumstances I think most people would have done the same.”
Morgan’s heroics should remain a constant reminder to us all that no matter what challenges us, and no matter how many times we are told we cannot do something, we all have the ability and the strength to face big life changing moments head on.
From Aug. 24, 1914 to Jan. 17, 1991, Lt. John C. Morgan’s life was anything but ordinary.
Today he is buried in Section 59 of Arlington National Cemetery; however his historic story lives on in the book and Hollywood classic, “Twelve O’ Clock High.”"
"In the early morning hours of 23 October 1983, a truck loaded with explosives crashed through the security perimeter of the United States Marine Corps Barracks in Beirut, Lebanon. In the explosion that followed, 241 U.S. Military personnel were killed and 80 seriously wounded.These young people, on a mission of peace in a land stricken by violence, were killed as they slept.
Twenty-one (21) of the young American victims of this cowardly act were returned to the United States and were buried near one another in Section 59 of Arlington National Cemetery. Near their gravesites is planted a Cedar of Lebanon tree which commemorates their sacrifice."
"Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper, USNR, (1906-1992)
Grace Murray (Hopper) was born in New York City on 9 December 1906. She graduated from Vassar College in 1928 and received a PhD in Mathematics from Yale University in 1934. She was a member of the Vassar faculty from 1931 to 1943, when she joined the Naval Reserve. Commissioned a Lieutenant (Junior Grade) 1944, she was assigned to the Bureau of Ordnance and immediately became involved in the development of the then-embryonic electronic computer. Over more than four decades to follow, she was in the forefront of computer and programming language progress.
Leaving active duty after the war's end, Dr. Hopper was a member of the Harvard University faculty and, from 1949, was employed in private industry. She retained her Naval Reserve affiliation, attaining the rank of Commander before retiring at the end of 1966. In August 1967, Commander Hopper was recalled to active duty and assigned to the Chief of Naval Operations' staff as Director, Navy Programming Languages Group. She was promoted to Captain in 1973, Commodore in 1983 and Rear Admiral in 1985, a year before she retired from the Naval service. She remained active in industry and education until her death on 1 January 1992.
USS Hopper (DDG-70) is named in honor of Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper.
She was a mathematician and a pioneer in the use of computers in the military, particularly in the United States Navy. She was one of the inventors of the computer language "COBOL" and was the first person to use the word "bug" to describe an error in a computer program.
She is buried in Section 59 of Arlington National Cemetery."
William Colby, Director of the CIA. In Section 59.
Quite a few Medal of Honor recipients, too.
"In America there is no greater honor for a war hero then the Congressional Medal of Honor, which was established between 1861 and 1862 by Congress. During war and times of conflict, certain individuals stand out who participated in battle — Lt. John C. Morgan is to this day the only officer originally not acceptable for military service to assist three nation’s Air Forces, fly 25.5 combat missions, free fall 19,500 feet from the air, spend fourteen months as a POW and earn the Medal of Honor.
John C. Morgan said; “There are very few heroes. Under the circumstances I think most people would have done the same.”
Morgan’s heroics should remain a constant reminder to us all that no matter what challenges us, and no matter how many times we are told we cannot do something, we all have the ability and the strength to face big life changing moments head on.
From Aug. 24, 1914 to Jan. 17, 1991, Lt. John C. Morgan’s life was anything but ordinary.
Today he is buried in Section 59 of Arlington National Cemetery; however his historic story lives on in the book and Hollywood classic, “Twelve O’ Clock High.”"