ks4oc
09-14-03, 05:28 PM
It is with great sadness I report that Dean Wilmer Empfield, a former Staff Sgt and gunner-radioman with VMSB-231, became a silent key (passed away) at 0510 hours 9 Sept 03. Under hospice care for just 2 days, he was in his own bed with his wife and family at his side.
The small service will be in a few days and I don't have the details yet, but we hope the local USMC contingent can supply an honor guard. With the war and all we know their may be problems, but we are hoping. We have his dress blues to drape across the closed end of his casket and a great photo of a sharp Marine in his inform from 1942 to place next to it.
Please keep us up to date on the reunions plans. We'd love to attend ourselves I just saw Dean's old canvas flight cap and goggles.....dry rot has hit them bad...but perhaps I can do something creative as far as a photo goes.
Robert White
FYI…Silent Key is a Radio Operators term used to denote the passing of another radio operator, either Profession, or Amateur.
To see the WWII images that SSgt. Empfield's Son in-law, Robert White, sent me, you can go to the following web address:
http://www.angelfire.com/ga2/scoggins/231pix.html
The small service will be in a few days and I don't have the details yet, but we hope the local USMC contingent can supply an honor guard. With the war and all we know their may be problems, but we are hoping. We have his dress blues to drape across the closed end of his casket and a great photo of a sharp Marine in his inform from 1942 to place next to it.
Please keep us up to date on the reunions plans. We'd love to attend ourselves I just saw Dean's old canvas flight cap and goggles.....dry rot has hit them bad...but perhaps I can do something creative as far as a photo goes.
Robert White
FYI…Silent Key is a Radio Operators term used to denote the passing of another radio operator, either Profession, or Amateur.
To see the WWII images that SSgt. Empfield's Son in-law, Robert White, sent me, you can go to the following web address:
http://www.angelfire.com/ga2/scoggins/231pix.html