190527 May 27, 2019
Memorial Day, 2019
Tommy Towery
LHS '64
I have repeatedly stated that we only had one classmate from the Classes of '64-'65- or '66 killed while on active duty in the military serving his country. That was Capt. Dennis Faber of the Class of '65. Dennis, serving as navigator, and seven other crewmen were killed during a C-130 training mission near Little Rock, Arkansas, on Sept. 8, 1978. Dennis was married to Cherri Polly, LHS '66 at the time.
Capt. Dennis Faber of the Class of '65
The Lee High School Class of '67 had four who gave their all in Vietnam. Their names are listed below:
1. Jimmy Kiger (USMC)
Casualty was on Sep 17, 1966
in QUANG TRI, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
GUN, SMALL ARMS FIRE
2. Frankie Acton (US Army)
His tour of duty began on May 20, 1965
Casualty was on Apr 11, 1966
SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
GUN, SMALL ARMS FIRE
3. David Mallory (USMC)
His tour of duty began on Jan 17, 1969
Casualty was on Feb 25, 1969
in QUANG TRI, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
OTHER EXPLOSIVE DEVICE
4. Sam Smith (US Army)
His tour of duty began on Feb 06, 1968
Casualty was on Jul 14, 1968
in QUANG NAM, SOUTH VIETNAM
HOSTILE, GROUND CASUALTY
OTHER EXPLOSIVE DEVICE
Memphis, TN - We only get one time a year to honor our fallen classmates so I continue to do so in the Memorial Day issue of Lee's Traveller. Many (many, many) classmates were veterans and many of those who served from our classes have died since serving. We honor them on Veteran's Day. However, Memorial Day is dedicated to those service members who died while on active duty and those are the ones we remember in this issue.
The following email addresses were returned to me and will be removed from my list:
bamm48@yahoo.com
gail_gallagher35@yahoo.com
If either of you have a new address please send it to me to remain on my email list. Thanks.
Wedding at Graceland
Coming June 1 on Hallmark Channel
Tommy Towery
LHS '64
Apparently the Hallmark Channel's "Christmas at Graceland" was such a hit they decided to do a follow-on. Since I was in the Christmas movie I was notified of the opportunity to be in the latest movie, "Wedding at Graceland" - to which I responded and was selected. I missed several opportunities because I went to Hawaii twice in February when they first started shooting, but when I got home I finally got another opportunity. My screen opportunities were small, and I have not yet seen the movie so I do not know if I show up on camera or not. If you decide to watch it, I was hired to be a background talent in a scene where Kelley Pickler is planting a tree in front of a new bank, in the rain. Yes, it rained the whole day we were filming and rather than wait for another day, we shot the scene in the rain. Should I make it on the screen, look for me standing in the crowd watching her plant the tree. If I show up I'l catch a screen capture and publish it in next week's issue. I think because of the financial agreement made between Hallmark and the State of Tennessee, extras are only allowed to work on one day or in one scene while the movie is being filmed. I think they promise they will hire as many state residents as they can and therefore most opportunities are for "new faces only" when they are looking for people in the same movie.
Mildred Stroud, mother of Don Stroud, LHS '65, Celebrates her 99th Birthday.
Do you remember her?
From Our Mailbox
Subject: Prentice Hicks
Walt Thomas
I ran across this while perusing the Vietnam Veterans Group on FB. If I remember correctly, wasn’t Prentice Hicks a Lee General? I opened his bio on the site and it listed his hometown as Huntsville, AL. The post had a picture of another soldier that was with him. I thought I would send it to you to post, edit or ignore. I didn’t know if it might open old wounds for family and friends, or if it might clear up some of the circumstances surrounding his initial disappearance and probable death.
(Editor's Note: Walt, I could not find Prentice Hicks in any '64, '65, or '66 class listing in the Silver Sabre copies I have. Perhaps someone else might know better.)
