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Gold Star Veterans

Troop 177 has been an active Boy Scout troop in Hampton for over 75 years. Troop 177, has had many successful Scouts that possessed a loving desire for the out of doors, but that's not all. Two men from that troop gave their lives for our country. Robert White and Robert Naves made the ultimate sacrifice during WWII. Both White and Naves are proudly represented on the Troop 177 flag with two gold stars. May they rest in peace.

Robert White was a member of Troop 177 and was part of the Hampton Academy class of 1943. During high school he played sports such as basketball and football. Also he played two instruments, the piano and later the accordion. In March of '44 he joined the 310th infantry. Sadly his friend, Richard Blake died in combat. This was White's best friend and the man he enlisted with. White felt badly about what happened so he wrote a letter to Blake's parents expressing his regrets and feelings. In July of 1945, White died in a train accident. He and Blake were buried in Hampton cemetery.

Robert Naves, a former scoutmaster of Troop 177, served as a staff sergeant in the 14th Air Force and fought under Brigadier General Frank Merrill, nicknamed "Merrill's Maurders. All Naves' life he was called "a mountain of a man" and " a strapping young man." The Maurders went to India after President Roosevelt asked for volunteers to take part in a dangerous mission. His infantry surprised the Japanese by blocking off the Japanese's only supply line. In later fighting Naves' infantry was ambushed in a convoy, Naves later died of injuries he received in this accident. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

This is Robert Naves' gravestone in Arlington National Cemetery.

This information came from the 1994 Hampton Academy Junior High Memorial Day assembly. These pictures were provided by the Hampton Historical Society.

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