Salute to a Fallen Brother
by Jon Williamson • July 2008 • 3 Comments •
In a few days we will celebrate Independence Day. For many of us the 4th of July is a time of fun and celebration, of hot dogs and ice cream, parades and evening fireworks. Others will pause in quiet reflection and remembrance of times when we were not a free people, but rather held under a tyrant’s thumb; when we chose to fight for the freedoms and liberties that we continue to enjoy today, hundreds of years later.
On this occasion, flags are flown in front of millions of homes and are placed beside the graves of our soldiers, whether they are in American cemeteries or on countless battlefields throughout the world.
Men of our great fraternity have served in our armed forces from the 1880s through today, serving in harm’s way with bravery and distinction. They continue to remind us that freedom is not free and requires eternal vigilance.
On January 6th, 1941, Franklin Delano Roosevelt gave a speech to the Congress of the United States that outlined “Four Freedoms” that that should be enjoyed by all: The “Freedom of speech and expression,” the “Freedom of every person to worship God in his own way,” the “Freedom from want” and the “Freedom from fear.” Many of our brothers have given their all to protect these freedoms.
Decorated Veteran
Thousands of brothers of Lambda Chi Alpha have fought on foreign soils and hundreds have made the ultimate sacrifice. This includes a score who died on September 11, 2001, one of whom was Robert Joseph Hymel (Louisiana-Lafayette 1969). It has been said of Brother Hymel that he was a good and faithful son, husband, father and grandfather. All true! He was also an American who was dedicated to his country through his service in the U.S. Air Force. He rose in rank to lieutenant colonel and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, two Purple Heart Medals, and the Defense of Freedom Medal.
During the Vietnam War, in December 1972, he was the co-pilot of a B-52 Bomber on a mission over Hanoi, North Vietnam, when his plane was struck by a surface-to-air missile. The crippled plane made it back to base, but crashed upon landing.
Pulled from the wreckage, Bob Hymel would spend one and a half years recovering from his extensive injuries. Rather than retire on disability, he spent an additional 20 years in uniform and served in the Persian Gulf War.
Service to Country
Upon his retirement he became an analyst for the Defense Intelligence Agency and was assigned to the Pentagon. It was in this capacity that he was working when the terrorists flew the passenger plane into the Pentagon on September 11th.
During his funeral at Arlington National Cemetery, a lone B-52 flew overhead and gently dipped its wings in tribute to this fallen warrior. Lambda Chi Alpha acknowledges his courage and dedication to duty and life well lived.
Robert Griffiths Says:
July 2nd, 2008 at 12:50 pmI had the privilege to write the September 11, 2001, article for the C&C while I was assistant editor from 2001-2002. It was one of the most emotional events of my life to talk with fraternity brothers and family and friends about their fallen loved one so soon after the attacks and while emotions were still so raw.
I am glad their memories continue to live on and are readdressed years later.
Jerome Duncan IM256 Says:
July 2nd, 2008 at 1:54 pmI knew Brother Bob Hymel at DIA during his first assignment as a Lt Col and later when he returned as a civilian. We were part of a team that worked a very sensitive and classified problem in the mid-90s. We also had frequent contact on relatively mundane issues over several years. Bob was a good man who often provided a unique perspective to the problem of the day. He was one of the four friends I lost on 9/11. I miss his friendship as well as that of the others who died that day.
Glen Alan Graham Says:
August 13th, 2008 at 12:25 pmThank you for sharing this remembrance of one of our Brothers who served his country faithfully in the military, and who fell in the terrorist attack of 11 September A.D. 2001.
Altho’ I know other Lambda Chis perished on that infamous day, and in the “Twin Towers”, it’s good to hi-lite that the Pentagon also was struck that day and that hundreds died there, too, at the hands of evil men. My uncle, who was a Major General in the US Army when he retired, has said that his office during his Pentagon service was adjacent to where the hijacked jet hit. Speaking of the Pentagon and Brother Hymel — God rest his soul — causes me to wonder if any Brothers were on “the flight that fought back” and stood with Terry Beamer in defying the evil men on board?
Also, it’s good that we remember the terrible events of that dark day at this time. Our Commander-in-Chief warned us right away that the newly-declared War on Terrorism would be long. And yet folks seem to forget so quickly why our troops are in Afghanistan and Iraq. One may legitimately question our after-triumph procedures in each country. After all, we blew the follow-up in the former country once before (after our Stinger missiles, etc., helped the mujaheddin drive out the Soviets) and paid the price when our neglect fostered the rise of the Taliban and their beloved Osama. But, please Brothers, let’s not forget that Mideast Moslems have a long education in their blood-thirsty religion, and will take a long time to learn the ways of the Prince of Peace whose light we follow!