Friday Honor Guard Squad (Dad second from left)

Dad with one of the last remaining Doolittle Raiders

My father, Richard J. Francis a/k/a/ Dick Francis, joined the Friday Squad of the Ft. Sam Houston Cemetery (all-volunteer) Honor Guard (Memorial Service Detachment-MSD) on November 5, 2004 in San Antonio, Texas when he was 84 years old.   

He served faithfully for 7 years until his failing health caught up with him. In the Squad Room every Friday, the door would swing open and with a big smile on his face he greeted his fellow guardsmen with a robust …. “Hello Fellas!!” In the Squad Room he laughed and shared jokes and stories and never missed an opportunity to put a little fun into his volunteer work.  He was greatly loved for his dedication to serve his fallen comrades, but remembered fondly for his sense of humor. He still holds the best attendance record in the Honor Guard. 

Daddy was living with my husband Skip & I when he became a volunteer Honor Guard.  In fact, while I was attending a health fair at Ft. Sam Houston I met Gene Kuwik, the Friday Squad Leader and he encouraged me to ask my father to join.  On Friday mornings he would come downstairs to the kitchen and I would salute him and ask, “What would you like for breakfast, Sir?” He would laugh and ask if he could have bacon and eggs (his favorite breakfast). To tell you the truth I was very proud of my father for choosing to serve his country at  84 years old.  

My dad was a true American patriot. He had loved his country for a long time and joined the Army in March of 1941 at the tender age of 23.  His first assignment was to the 11th Cavalry Unit in Camp Sealy, California where he reported to duty in June of 1941 just 9 months before Pearl Harbor.  He was assigned re-mount duty training horses that were being shipped out. 

Daddy in uniform in 1941

During World War II Dad was assigned as a driver to the 727th Amphibious Tractor Battalion deployed to the south pacific and was involved in fierce fighting both in New Guinea and the Philippines as he transported infantry onto the beaches and supplied ammunition to the troops.  After the war was over, dad returned home and received an honorable military discharge from the Army in December of 1945. Still eager to serve his country, he entered civil service at Kelly Air Force Base in 1956 and served for 21 years.  In 1958 he joined the Air Force Reserves and retired in 1977.

                                      Friday Squad Leader, Gene Kuwik and Dad

Dad found joining the Honor Guard at 83 years old a new challenge!  It took a while for him to be able to keep up with the full steps as the formation of the riflemen approached their duty station in the cemetery for graveside services.  And the rifle was heavy to reload for a man of his age.  But as luck would have it, the Friday Squad Leader Gene Kuwik was a kind and generous soul. Gene slowed down the squad to taking half steps until daddy could keep up. And just until my father had the strength to lift the rifle and reload, Gene would offer a helping hand.  My father was so proud of himself the day he could take full steps and reload his rifle all by himself.

DADDY’S SQUAD STORIES –

• Daddy not only volunteered every Friday, but whenever there was some kind of Honor Guard event, he signed up.  Often the Honor Guard would recruit new volunteers at the PX at Fort Sam Houston.  Gene Kuwik would gladly tell anyone that whenever a possible recruit expressed any hesitation about volunteering because they were “too old” my father would be summoned over to prove that they could!
• One of the funniest stories started as a joke that my dad told the Friday Squad one day.  It goes like this:  “A man began his new job at a desk in a huge room full of other men.  As he sat down to his desk, one of the men called out the number “39”.  All the men began to laugh.  Minutes later, another man called out the number “75” and once again all the men laughed again.  After the laughter died down, a third man yelled out the number “29” and all the men broke out in laughter for the third time.  The new employee got up and walked into the manager’s office.  He asked the manager why the men called out a number and all the men laughed?  The manager answered that it was because all the men in that room had worked together for several years.  In that time each had told a favorite joke.  Instead of repeating the jokes, they numbered them and so when a man called out a number, the others knew the joke that was associated with that number and that is why they laugh.  Well, the new employee said he would like to call out a number and asked to see the list of jokes.  The next day the new man came to work and sat down at his desk.  He had studied the list of jokes and picked 3 of the funniest ones on the list.  And so, he called out the number “11”. No one laughed.  Then he tried the second number “35” and once again no one laughed. He gave it one more try and called out the number “68” and there was dead silence.  He then got up from his desk and walked into the manager’s office.  He reported that he had studied the list of numbered jokes and had picked 3 jokes and called out the numbers and nobody had laughed.  “Well”, said the manager … “Some people know how to tell a joke, and some don’t!”  After my dad told the Friday Squad that joke, when a new Honor Guard recruit got into the van to transport them from one gravesite to another, my daddy would yell out 29!  Everybody in the van would laugh except the new recruit, who would invariably ask, “What’s so funny about the number 29?” 
• The Friday Squad liked to have parties.  Since Daddy was living with us my father asked if he could have a pool party for the Friday Squad.  When the day came, Skip & I prepared lots of food and drinks and put a drink cooler out on the porch so that they would have easy access to the soft drinks and beer.  Skip commented that because of their advanced age, this party would probably not last very long.  So, the gang arrived and proceeded out to the pool.  It wasn’t long before my father came back into the house asking me if we had a ball they could use.  I inquired, “Are you asking me for a ball that your friends can play with in the pool?” He grinned and answered “Yes”.  We had gone to a Spurs Game the week before and had a little Spurs promotional basketball and I gave it to my dad.  Before long I found out why he wanted the ball.  They had emptied the cooler of soft drinks and beer and put it into the pool and were using it as a basket to throw the ball into!  And, when the ball was accidentally thrown over the basket and out of the pool, my daddy was the one who chased it down and brought it back into the game!  I asked Skip if I should go out there and tell my father not to run around the edge of the pool?  Skip said, “Nah, let him have fun with his friends!”  They stayed all day and then asked if we were going to watch the Spurs game that night and could they stay and watch it with us.. And that is exactly what they did!

• One day daddy arrived home after his Honor Guard duty and was covered in dust.  I asked him why.  With a grin on his face he explained that one of the guys who put each rifle into the rifle rack at the rear of the van accidentally pulled the trigger of a rifle one day and had shot the headliner of the van.  After this happened more than once, the headliner started to look ragged and come down. One of daddy’s fellow guardsmen grabbed the corner of the headliner and ripped it off. Dust and rust flew everywhere, covering their uniforms. 

        Daddy in the Honor Guard Van

From the age of 84 to 91 my father made us all so proud as he took his place on the firing line to pay honor to his fallen comrades at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery as a volunteer honor guard rifleman. He continued to serve his country as a “Veteran Honoring Veterans” no matter what the weather or how he felt. Our dad was a man of honor and he kept his promise to serve his country on the Memorial Service Detachment (MSD) Friday Squad.

In the last year of his life, when he was too feeble to perform his duties, my sister Kathy would take him out to the Cemetery where he would stand at the edge of the road, in uniform and salute the Friday Squad as they marched away from another grave side ceremony.  One day Gene Kuwik stopped and gave daddy the leader’s sword and told him to command the squad, which daddy did with great pride!! 

                       Dad with the leader’s sword commanding the Friday Squad

Officially, dad never retired from the Honor Guard       

On Christmas Day of 2011 when my young niece was told that he had died, she said, “That means grandpa gets to go to Jesus’ Birthday Party today in Heaven today!” Dad would have loved that! Not only was he a patriot, but he maintained a strong faith in God all of his life.  

When my father died at the ripe old age of 91, the entire MSD membership turned out for his grave side service.  The Honor Guard, which he served faithfully for 7 years, was responsible for Dad’s last honors. Just as he had proudly given last honors to many other veterans, it finally was his turn.

DAD’S FINAL LETTER TO THE MSD FRIDAY SQUAD

(Read after his funeral to his fellow Honor Guardsmen)) 

Dear Guys, 

It has been such a pleasure to have served with you these past few years! I thank you for the opportunity and honor to have served with you in serving our fellow veterans. It has been a lot of fun! Being with you on Fridays was one of the highlights of my week. I’ve been so proud to have served in that capacity. 

As a token of appreciation for serving with you, please accept this small gift to help outfit the one who fills my shoes, and to the MSD fund. I salute you in departing! Gratefully and with fond memories,

Trooper Dick Francis

#29  Ha. Ha.

NOTES: 

Honor Guard Rifleman, Richard J. (Dick) Francis assisted in rendering final tributes to more than 1,870 military veterans during his 8 years of volunteer service at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery. 

I was given the distinguished honor of becoming an Honorary Member of MSD when I advised them on fund raising and grant writing which sustains them to this day. I serve as a tribute to my father.

God Bless Him and God Bless the Honor Guard and all those who honorably serve or have served our great country in military service.

Daddy’s Favorite Breakfast – Perfect Poached Eggs

Ingredients

• 4 large eggs

Method

1. Heat the water:

Fill a saucepan with several inches of water. Heat the water on high until it reaches a boil and then lower the heat until the water is at a bare simmer (just a few bubbles coming up now and then).

2. Crack the egg into a small bowl and gently slip it into the water:

Working with the eggs one at a time, crack the egg into a small bowl or cup. Place the bowl close to the surface of the hot water and gently slip the egg into the water.

If you want, use a spoon to push some of the egg whites closer to their yolks, to help them hold together. Add all of the eggs you are poaching to the pan in the same way, keeping some distance between them.

3. Turn off the heat, cover the pan, and let sit for 4 minutes:

Turn off the heat and cover the pan. Set a timer for 4 minutes. At this point the egg whites should be completely cooked, while the egg yolks are still runny.

Note that the timing depends on the size of the eggs, the number of eggs in the pot, and if you are cooking at altitude, so adjust accordingly. If you are at altitude, want firmer egg yolks, or are poaching more than 4 eggs at once, you may need to cook them longer. If you try 4 minutes and the eggs are too cooked, reduce the time.

Serve over toasted bread with butter; bacon cooked in a 400 degree oven over a rack on a cookie sheet for about 10-15 minutes; piping hot coffee!

INSPIRATION:

Always continue the climb.  It is possible for you to do whatever you choose, if you first get to know who you are and are willing to work with a power that is greater than ourselves to do it.  

-Ella Wheeler Wilcox