This past Sunday, May 24, our worship services were celebratory as we celebrated with the Church universal, the Day of Pentecost. The music was joyful, the color of the day was red, bottles of bubbles were handed out and we were reminded that, when you open the bottle, you see clear liquid. When you add your breath to it, it adds life, just as the Holy Spirit adds life. Without the breath of the Holy Spirit, we aren’t much of anything. Come Holy Spirit, give us life.

Following communion, children of the parish, and a few adults, picked up kazoos that were provided to play during our final hymn. The sound of the kazoos represented the sound of rushing wind, during that first Pentecost.

After our last hymn, we moved to the church’s cemetery, where our mood switched from celebration to solemnity. We were in the cemetery to pay tribute to Memorial Day, when we as a nation remember and honor those men and women of our country who paid the ultimate sacrifice of giving their lives, while in service to our country.

The crucifer led us to the grave of PFC Michael “Mike” Douglas Gilmore. His grave is in Plot 10, the Frownfelter-Butler-Gilmore plot. A wreath of flowers was placed at his grave, remembering him and all others who paid the ultimate sacrifice. His grave is on the far wall, a couple of plots down. Mike was a member of Service Battery 2nd Battalion 13th Artillery based out of Phu Loi, Vietnam. On 3 April 1969 Service Battery trucks were on a resupply detail for C Battery. A con

voy of ammunition trucks was ambushed with command-detonated mines planted in the road service. PFC Gilmore died the following day. Additional personnel were wounded in the encounter.

“Without the unswerving devotion to duty, driving ammunition trucks over roads constantly mined and ambushed, the cannoneers of 2nd Battalion 13th Artillery would have been unable to continue the mission of delivering timely fire when needed by friendly ground units. Service Battery was part of the team and a major reason for the success the battalion achieved in Vietnam. Rest in Peace, PFC Gilmore. Your memory endures with the cannoneers of the Red Dragon Clan.” From a unit veteran, William E. Novakovic, Oakmont, PA.

Mike was a 21-year-old draftee who was killed by a land mine after being in Vietnam for 8 days. He was survived by his mother, Mrs. Elizabeth L. Frownfelter of 203 North Channel Drive, Wrightsville Beach, NC, his stepfather A. Lynn Frownfelter, sisters Pat, Mickey and Bonnie, 2 nephews and 3 nieces.

His name is on the Vietnam Wall in Washington, DC. He was awarded the Purple Heart Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Good Conduct Medal.

On his marker are the words:

My thanks to Elaine Henson for locating PFC Michael Gilmore’s grave and information for this article.

Faithfully,

Fr. Singer ♰

For additional information please visit:

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund: The Wall of Faces

Find a Grave Memorial

St. Andrew's Cemetery: Frownfelter Butler Gilmore