Last week I brought you some recent news in the case of Ontario resident Edward Edwin Dodds, a Medal of Honor recipient from Civil War days. His medal was earned for saving the life of his officer back in 1864 at the Battle of Ashby's Gap. The blog may have noted that Dodds was the sole recipient of the medal from his regiment during that war.
A blog before that brought you some of the story of PEI born Charles MacGillivary who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery during the Battle of the Bulge during WWll. His medal again was the sole medal for his unit.
A blog before that brought you some of the story of PEI born Charles MacGillivary who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery during the Battle of the Bulge during WWll. His medal again was the sole medal for his unit.
Sgt. MacGillivary was presented his medal by President Truman in 1945. The recent blog told that within a few weeks the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) offices in Fort Myer Florida would be named after the Sgt, in a program that for years has honoured past recipients who were foreign born.
Mac is shown above with the President and the Fort Myers new facility is shown on the left. It however turns out that rather than being so named, the facility is actually being dedicated in memory of this brave immigrant to the US. Still a great honour indeed. (Charles became a US citizen before going off to war.)
At noon on the 21st of this month, many USCIS officials, and employees, other officials and the public gathered to witness the official opening of an office in the area that, from that day forth, would prevent an applicant having to travel upwards of 2 hrs to received citizenship services.
There was another very select group who also attended. Twenty men and women who waited 5, and 10 and in one case apparently 18 years to official become citizens of the United States. Some who have apparently never voted before in their lives.
And there was another smaller group of important folks there that day. Family and friends of Charles MacGillivary.
Mac is shown above with the President and the Fort Myers new facility is shown on the left. It however turns out that rather than being so named, the facility is actually being dedicated in memory of this brave immigrant to the US. Still a great honour indeed. (Charles became a US citizen before going off to war.)
At noon on the 21st of this month, many USCIS officials, and employees, other officials and the public gathered to witness the official opening of an office in the area that, from that day forth, would prevent an applicant having to travel upwards of 2 hrs to received citizenship services.
There was another very select group who also attended. Twenty men and women who waited 5, and 10 and in one case apparently 18 years to official become citizens of the United States. Some who have apparently never voted before in their lives.
And there was another smaller group of important folks there that day. Family and friends of Charles MacGillivary.
As you enter the Naturalization Ceremony Room shown at above left, you pass under the famous JFK quote taken from his book.."The Nation of Immigrants" started back in 1958. While difficult to read, the quote in above image also appears as the title for this blog. On the right are some of the anxious and no doubt a little nervous but very excited citizens in waiting.
One must wonder what was going through this woman's mind while she walked below that quote on entry to the room.
It would be in 1945 at Fenway Park that a game ball in the world series would be presented to Charles MacGillivary by then US Congressman Jack Kennedy, in the very park that the Congressman's grandfather tossed out the very first ball back in 1912. And the woman to the left walking under that Kennedy quote would be Charles own daughter Charlene Corea, shown at left.
Shelly Randall, Fort Myers Field Office Director told this blog that she was tasked with dedicating the office to a Medal of Honor recipient who was NOT born in the United States, a man... or woman... who truly represented the very mandate of the Department...encouraging citizenship.
She added that she wanted to find someone with connections to the immediate area, had earned the medal for actual combat in the face of the enemy and was from one of the more recent conflicts.
She did a lot of research and then came across the story of, not only a combat wounded vet but also a major hero who had often wintered in the area with his wife. Reading the story of this fascinating veteran told her he was the very man she was looking for. Not only did he fit the bill so far, his chosen role as an advocate for veterans for decades also convinced her that he was the man that they should now honour. It was only after the decision was made that they learned that a relative actually lived close by. And her name was Charlene Corea!
It would fall to USCIS Deputy Associate Director of Field Operations Michael Valverde to introduce Charlene to the audience.
Rather than recall his military record, no doubt covered by others at the event, he chose to talk of some of the less know accomplishments that Charles reached in service to his fellow citizens. He mentioned how Charles was instrumental in the original creation of the very society of today and known as the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, and how he would one day become its only foreign born President. Many years later another became #2 with this distinction but that was recently just learned by most.
He noted the work Charles did in the creation of the standard MOH grave markers throughout the US and beyond..(including in Canada,) and his work to create a state vehicle licensing that recognized the veterans. The authorities wanted to give him the very first number plate..with the number one, but Charles being Charles, did not want to stand out from the crowd and insisted in taking what ever number finally came up when they got to his name.
I do not have the comments that Charlene shared about her father but I expect that they included the pride he had in not only being Canadian born, but on becoming a naturalized citizen of the United States. She probably also mentioned the struggles that he put aside to continue to serve his nation as a good citizen and that those gathered had a similar responsibility to seek and rise above challenges and then move forward with a new life in America.
It would be in 1945 at Fenway Park that a game ball in the world series would be presented to Charles MacGillivary by then US Congressman Jack Kennedy, in the very park that the Congressman's grandfather tossed out the very first ball back in 1912. And the woman to the left walking under that Kennedy quote would be Charles own daughter Charlene Corea, shown at left.
Shelly Randall, Fort Myers Field Office Director told this blog that she was tasked with dedicating the office to a Medal of Honor recipient who was NOT born in the United States, a man... or woman... who truly represented the very mandate of the Department...encouraging citizenship.
She added that she wanted to find someone with connections to the immediate area, had earned the medal for actual combat in the face of the enemy and was from one of the more recent conflicts.
She did a lot of research and then came across the story of, not only a combat wounded vet but also a major hero who had often wintered in the area with his wife. Reading the story of this fascinating veteran told her he was the very man she was looking for. Not only did he fit the bill so far, his chosen role as an advocate for veterans for decades also convinced her that he was the man that they should now honour. It was only after the decision was made that they learned that a relative actually lived close by. And her name was Charlene Corea!
It would fall to USCIS Deputy Associate Director of Field Operations Michael Valverde to introduce Charlene to the audience.
Rather than recall his military record, no doubt covered by others at the event, he chose to talk of some of the less know accomplishments that Charles reached in service to his fellow citizens. He mentioned how Charles was instrumental in the original creation of the very society of today and known as the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, and how he would one day become its only foreign born President. Many years later another became #2 with this distinction but that was recently just learned by most.
He noted the work Charles did in the creation of the standard MOH grave markers throughout the US and beyond..(including in Canada,) and his work to create a state vehicle licensing that recognized the veterans. The authorities wanted to give him the very first number plate..with the number one, but Charles being Charles, did not want to stand out from the crowd and insisted in taking what ever number finally came up when they got to his name.
I do not have the comments that Charlene shared about her father but I expect that they included the pride he had in not only being Canadian born, but on becoming a naturalized citizen of the United States. She probably also mentioned the struggles that he put aside to continue to serve his nation as a good citizen and that those gathered had a similar responsibility to seek and rise above challenges and then move forward with a new life in America.
Not sure who the first men is at the left but the remainder of the officials are all with USCIS. From left to right are Kathy Baranowski, Tampa Deputy District Director, Tony Bryson, Tampa District Director, Michael Valverde identified above, Kathy Redman Southeast Regional Director, Steve Pecinovsky Tampa District Chief of Staff and Shelly Randall, Fort Myers Field Office Director. They are cutting the ribbon to officially open the new facility and about to conduct the first ever citizenship services at Fort Myer Florida.
The officials produced this wonderful program, no doubt handed out to all at the ceremony. This is a 4 page item with page 1 above.
Here's 2 and 3
And 4. The image of Charles is probably prior to his receiving his Medal of Honor on September 1945. The snowy image shows the horrific conditions in which his unit was battling during the Battle of the Bulge and where he had one arm shot away. He was able to stick his stump into the ground to freeze it, and thus stop the blood draining out. Failing that he surely would have died.
The above image shows Charlene with a plaque she prepared for the offices.The the same image being the one on the back of the day's program, and on display during the citizenship ceremony as shown in the lower photo as the press interviews the Field Office Director Shelley Randall.
I'm told the plaque will find a home on the wall of the main entry area to the building so that all that enter can read about Canadian born Charles MacGillivary.
I'm told the plaque will find a home on the wall of the main entry area to the building so that all that enter can read about Canadian born Charles MacGillivary.
This day came to an end with 20 very happy new citizens with chests full of pride after so many years of struggles to arrive at this Fort Myers ceremony. By combining the ceremony with the dedicating of the facilities to an immigrant who had accomplished so much, no doubt has to give these new citizens the knowledge that their hopes and dreams can also become true if they work hard enough to make it happen. The service also yet again goes to show of the incredible bond between Canada and the US.
When I advised Charlottetown PEI's federal MP of the event he sent off a letter to thank those involved for recognizing this bravery, whether it comes from an American, a Canadian or a citizen of another country. Tipping off our own embassy at DC, our top military attache, Admiral Truelove also sent along his best regards and added that the US is Canada's most important ally and defense partner. "Our defence relations are longstanding and well entrenched. The dedication to Sgt. MacGillivary, a Canadian who served his adopted homeland with distinction, is a testament to that relationship."
When I advised Charlottetown PEI's federal MP of the event he sent off a letter to thank those involved for recognizing this bravery, whether it comes from an American, a Canadian or a citizen of another country. Tipping off our own embassy at DC, our top military attache, Admiral Truelove also sent along his best regards and added that the US is Canada's most important ally and defense partner. "Our defence relations are longstanding and well entrenched. The dedication to Sgt. MacGillivary, a Canadian who served his adopted homeland with distinction, is a testament to that relationship."
On a final note, today is the 2nd last day of October... Womens History Month in Canada. The above medal is called the Governor Generals Medal in Commemoration of the Persons Cases, and thus PERSONS CASE engraved in both official languages along its circumference
The medal has been awarded just over 200 times since back in 1979 and usually at a formal ceremony in Ottawa on the 18th, the very day of the decision in 1929 that women were actually PERSONS. DAH!
This year the celebrations have been put off for a few weeks to join with the celebrations from one of the western provinces on their anniversary of gaining the womens vote 100 years ago.
Time has run out, and space to boot, to give the month the honourable coverage it needs, but I would encourage all to read up on a few names sadly not nearly well known. These include civil war heros Sarah Emma Edwards, and Isabella Fogg, the famous five of course and the three ladies hardly ever getting any press coverage, but the leaders in the movement to have the very month of celebration in Canada. Of course I refer to Victorians Lynne Gough, Cathy Blazkow and the late Cathyrne Armstrong my mother.
see you next week
Bart
The medal has been awarded just over 200 times since back in 1979 and usually at a formal ceremony in Ottawa on the 18th, the very day of the decision in 1929 that women were actually PERSONS. DAH!
This year the celebrations have been put off for a few weeks to join with the celebrations from one of the western provinces on their anniversary of gaining the womens vote 100 years ago.
Time has run out, and space to boot, to give the month the honourable coverage it needs, but I would encourage all to read up on a few names sadly not nearly well known. These include civil war heros Sarah Emma Edwards, and Isabella Fogg, the famous five of course and the three ladies hardly ever getting any press coverage, but the leaders in the movement to have the very month of celebration in Canada. Of course I refer to Victorians Lynne Gough, Cathy Blazkow and the late Cathyrne Armstrong my mother.
see you next week
Bart
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