Gold-Star-Mothers-Book

Gold-Star-Mothers-Book

GOLD STAR MOTHERS AND GOLD STAR FAMILIES DEDICATION “HONOR THROUGH SERV I CE ”

'FALLEN STAR' MEMORIAL I N HONOR OF THE WARF I GHTERS AND THE I R FAM I L I ES

THE GATE OFF I CE & TECHNOLOGY PARK | ABERDEEN PROV I NG GROUND

ABOUT THE ‘FALLEN STAR’ MEMORIAL

In 2009, St. John Properties was selected to build The GATE Office &Technology Park at Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG). Since then, we’ve constructed 12 buildings and over 652,000 square feet of space on base. As a result, we have become part of the Aberdeen Proving Ground family.

Our commitment to community goes far beyond the real estate at The GATE. It is a commitment to being a good corporate citizen and to doing what is right.

their creative talents to work. Our team at St. John Properties worked closely with the Hemsley’s and the result was the ‘Fallen Star,’ a stainless steel sculpture, located at The GATE at Aberdeen

During the dedication, we met Janice Chance and other members of the Gold Star Mothers and Gold Star Families. We heard stories about their loved ones who had died serving our Nation and defending our freedom. We learned about their dedication, turning sadness and sorrow into ser- vice to others and continuing the service their loved ones started. We realized that something was missing at the ‘Fallen Star’ Memorial – the human element that captured the commitment of the Gold Star Mothers and Gold Star Fami- lies. We contacted Will Hemsley to create a sig- nificant tribute – a bronze statue in their honor, which we dedicated on October 25, 2016. St. John Properties is privileged to provide a last- ing reminder of the dedication of our Military, their families and the many individuals touched by those who support our Warfighters and who have made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve and protect our freedom and our Country.

Proving Ground, that stands 16’ high, is 26’ wide and weighs more than 3,000 pounds. The ‘Fallen Star’ Memorial was dedicated on September 29th, 2015. The outpouring of support from so many communities rein- forced that it was the right thing to do. COL (Ret.) Susan Myers, Ph.D., joined us for this special dedication in honor of her late husband. Warfighters who had been with Major General Greene when he was killed, some of

In August of 2014, when the world learned of the tragic death of Major General Harold “Harry” Greene in Afghanistan, we felt it was important to pay tribute to the General. He was the highest ranking Military officer who had been killed in live war off-shore since Vietnam and had served at APG prior to his deployment to Afghanistan. It was also import- ant to honor the other fallen he- roes along with their families.

"Honor Through Service" Gold Star Mothers and Gold Star Families Dedicated in Honor of their Significant Sacrifice, Service and Patriotism May the Nation Never Forget Freedom Isn't Free... Gold Star Mothers and Gold Star Families plaque inscription

Upon receiving permission from the Department of the Army to construct a memorial, we contacted Tilghman and Will Hemsley, two talented Maryland artists, and asked them to put

whom were injured during the assault on the General, attended the ceremony. Special recogni- tion was extended to the Gold Star Mothers and Gold Star Families for their sacrifices and service.

May the Nation never forget, freedom isn’t free.

‘FALLEN STAR’ MEMORIAL 1

O C T O B E R 2 5 , 2 0 1 6 DEDICATION

2 MEMOR I A L DED I CAT I ON

Guests at the memorial in honor of the Gold Star Mothers and Gold Star Families dedication event.

MEMOR I A L DED I CAT I ON 3

4 MEMOR I A L DED I CAT I ON

MEMOR I A L DED I CAT I ON 5

6 MEMOR I A L DED I CAT I ON

ABOVE: LTG Robert S. Ferrell

CENTER: Congressman C.A. ‘Dutch’ Ruppersberger

ABOVE: COL (Ret.) Chuck Hoppe gave the Invocation

TOP RIGHT: Clifton Basnight sang the National Anthem

MEMOR I A L DED I CAT I ON 7

TOP RIGHT:  Edward St. John, St. John Properties

TOP LEFT: Jim Costigan, General Dynamics C4 Systems

RIGHT: Janice Chance, Gold Star Mothers Maryland Chapter, addresses attendees

8 MEMOR I A L DED I CAT I ON

MEMOR I A L DED I CAT I ON 9

10 MEMOR I A L DED I CAT I ON

ABOVE: Clare Carberry, model for the sculpture, with artist Will Hemsley and Janice Chance

MEMOR I A L DED I CAT I ON 11

12 MEMOR I A L DED I CAT I ON

MEMOR I A L DED I CAT I ON 13

A B O U T ‘FALLEN STAR’ MEMORIAL

Dedicated in honor of Major General Harold (Harry) J. Greene and the Warfighters and their Families who paid the ultimate price

Major General Harold (Harry) J. Greene was born in Boston, MA on 11 February 1959, and grew up in Schenectady, NY. He was a man who was committed to his family, friends, Soldiers and Country. He lived life to its fullest, always believing in working for the betterment of all, and loved being a part of teams that solved complex problems. In a 34-year career that began at

Major General Greene was promoted to brigadier gener- al in late 2009, and served as deputy commanding gen- eral of United States Army Research, Development and Engineering Command at Aberdeen Proving Ground and the commanding general of Natick Soldier Systems Center. He was promoted to major general in 2012, and served as the Deputy for Acquisition and Systems Man- agement at the Headquarters of the Department of the Army. In January 2014 he was named deputy command- er of Combined Security Transition Command-Afghani- stan during Operation Enduring Freedom-Afghanistan until he was killed in action on 5 August 2014. Major General Greene was married to COL (Ret.) Susan Myers, Ph.D. Dr. Myers served as a professor at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsyl- vania and now serves as an executive with ManTech International Corporation. They have two children, a son, Matthew Greene, who is a U.S. Army Cap- tain, and a daughter, Amelia Greene. Major General Greene’s awards include the Distin- guished Service Medal (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters), Le- gion of Merit (with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters), the Meritori- ous Service Award (with 5 Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Commendation Medal (with 3 Oak Leaf Clusters), the Army Achievement Medal and the Purple Heart Medal. Major General Greene’s spirit lives on, and he would be thrilled to see that we are remembering those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to this Nation. He would want us to support their families and honor the legacies of them all.

“The idea for 'Fallen Star' was to produce something that had emotional impact and was visually representative of service in the Armed Forces. We wanted the sculpture to convey strength, yet still possess a quiet dignity in the setting. Those same qualities define the character of the men, women and families of those who serve.” - Will Hemsley

Fort Polk, LA, he earned a reputation as a leader with an exemplary work ethic, a sense of humor, humility and an ability to inspire those around him. He loved being a United States Army Soldier and would often greet those around him with, “What have you done for Soldiers today?” He was an avid fan of all New England sports teams and loved cheering on the New England Patriots. He was even fortunate enough to see his beloved Boston Red Sox win two World Series. Major General Greene received his commission as a combat engineer officer in 1980. His assignments in- cluded platoon leader, company executive officer and battalion staff officer, Fort Polk; resident engineer, Athens; project engineer, Istanbul; brigade engineer and company commander, V Corps, West Germany; staff officer and materials engineer, Army Aviation and Troop Command, St. Louis; product manager, Aerial Common Sensor, Fort Monmouth; and assis- tant director, Combat Developments Directorate, U.S. Army Maneuver Support Center, Fort Leonard Wood.

Memorial plaque

14 MEMOR I A L DED I CAT I ON

MEMOR I A L DED I CAT I ON 15

A B O U T MEMORIAL IN HONOR OF GOLD STAR MOTHERS AND GOLD STAR FAMILIES

The American Gold Star Mothers, Inc. was formed in the United States shortly after World War I to provide support for mothers who lost sons or daughters in the war. The name came from the custom of families of servicemen hanging a banner called a Service Flag in the window of their homes. The Service Flag had a star for each family member in the United States Armed Forces. Living service- men were represented by a blue star, and those who had lost their lives were represented by a gold star. Today, membership in the Gold Star Mothers is open to any American woman who has lost a son or daugh- ter in service to the United States. Gold Star Mother’s Day is observed On the last Sunday in September. The Gold Star Mothers continue to concentrate on provid- ing emotional support to its members, doing volunteer work with veterans in general and veterans’ hospitals in particular, and generally fostering a sense of patri- otism and respect for members of the Armed Forces. The term Gold Star Family is a modern reference that comes from the Service Flag. These flags/ban- ners were first flown by families during World War I. Today, the Nation recognizes the sacrifice that all Gold Star Family members make when a father, mother, brother, sister, son, daughter, or other loved one dies in service to the Nation. The strength of our Nation is our Army. The strength of our Army is our Soldiers. The strength of our Soldiers is our families. The Army recognizes that no one has given more for the Nation than the families of the fallen.

The Gold Star Mothers Maryland Chapter, Inc. is an organization comprised of mothers whose chil- dren died while in military service or as a result of that service, or are missing in action. Their mission is “finding strength in the fellowship

of other Gold Star Mothers who strive to keep the memory of our sons and daughters alive by working to help veterans, those currently serving in the mili- tary, their families and our community.” As members of the National American Gold Star Mothers, Inc. organization, a 501 (c) 3 National nonprofit Veterans Service Organization, they are governed by the National organization’s constitution and bylaws; however, much of the service is done at the chapter level. Maryland Chapter members volunteer many hours at the VA medical centers, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Bethesda, the USO, and other veterans service and community organizations. The Chapter frequently partners with organizations that support veterans and active duty service members and their families. They also actively participate as guests and speakers in many patriotic events throughout the year. In all of these activities, they heal together while helping others. More information about the Maryland Chapter of the Gold Star Mothers of America can be found at www.marylandgoldstarmoms.com.

Artist's original concept

Memorial plaque

16 MEMOR I A L DED I CAT I ON

MEMOR I A L DED I CAT I ON 17

A B O U T THE ARTISTS WHO CREATED THE MEMORIALS

Tilghman and Will Hemsley created the 'Fallen Star' Memorial.

Tilghman Hemsley is a fine artist, specializing in oil painting and bronze sculpture. His Maryland Waterman’s Monument is located at historic Kent Narrows on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Tilghman has also been a waterman on the Chesapeake Bay for more than 30 years. He took over as Captain of the legendary Harry Carter’s 1940’s vessel, Breezin’ Thru, in the 1990’s, continuing his tradition of excellence. Will Hemsley created the Gold Star Mothers statue. He is a painter and sculptor who lives and works on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. His oil paintings of life on the Chesapeake Bay are popular among collectors, and his sculptures are featured prominently in the lobbies of numerous businesses and institutions across Maryland. Like his father, Will is also captain of a charter fishing boat on the Chesapeake Bay.

Tilghman and Will Hemsley at the ‘Fallen Star’ dedication

18 MEMOR I A L DED I CAT I ON

ABOUT ST. JOHN PROPERTIES

Established in 1971, St. John Properties, Inc. is one of the Mid-Atlantic region’s largest and most successful privately held commercial real estate firms. Headquartered in Baltimore, the company has developed and owns more than 18 million square feet of office, flex/research and development, retail and warehouse space. The company has more than 2,000 tenants in Maryland, Colorado, Louisiana, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin. St. John Properties is the exclusive developer of The GATE Office and Technology Park at APG in partnership with Aberdeen Proving Ground. The GATE at APG is a 416-acre state-of-the-art business park for lease to government sector and non-government users, with more than 652,000 sq. ft. constructed since 2009 and up to 3 million sq. ft. available on completion.

Edward St. John, Founder and Chairman; Sharon Akers, Executive Director, Edward St. John Foundation, Inc. and Vice President, Corporate Relations; and Larry Maykrantz, President, St. John Properties with Janice Chance, President, Gold Star Mothers Maryland Chapter, at the Gold Star Mothers and Gold Star Families dedication

MEMOR I A L DED I CAT I ON 19

V I D E O MEMORIAL IN HONOR OF GOLD STAR MOTHERS AND GOLD STAR FAMILIES

Produced by Francis Hemsley

Francis Hemsley was born and raised on the Eastern shore of Maryland, where he works full- time as the captain aboard the charter boat Ark Angel . Francis attained an early appreciation for life on the water and those who make their living on it. A 2009 graduate of Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania, he began pursuing his passion of documentary-style, visual storytelling. When not working or traveling the East Coast’s many waterways, Francis produces documentary-style material for businesses. His feature documentary on Maryland watermen, Chesapeake Free , will be released in 2017.

20 MEMOR I A L DED I CAT I ON

MEMOR I A L DED I CAT I ON 21

SCAN THIS CODE WITH YOUR MOBILE DEVICE TO ACCESS MORE INFORMATION

ST. JOHN PROPERTIES 2560 Lord Baltimore Drive Baltimore, MD 21244 410.788.0100 | SJPI.COM

MD | CO | LA | NV | PA | UT | VA | WI