Newsletter for the Alumni and Friends of
Hicksville High School Hicksville, New York

The Editors:
Buffalo Bob Casale '61	Linda (Piccerelli) Hayden '60
Pat (Koziuk) Driscoll '56	Bob (Gleason) Wesley '61

Contributing Editors: Bob Gillette & Walter Schmidt

Webmaster: Roger Whitaker

To contact the editors, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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Hicksville Vietnam War Era Memorial Project Update

July saw the addition of 54 new names, bringing our current total to 1,572 Hicksville Veterans who served our country during the Vietnam War Era! 
Contributions continue to currently come largely from the work of one of our alumni in collaboration with the Hicksville Public Library Historian. With this dedicated effort and the additional contributions of the entire readership of HixNews, we expect the list will continue to grow in the months ahead.

Excellent progress has been made in filling in missing data for the list of names, but, it continues to be important, even if you don't have names to send us, to review the list for missing information or information needing correction. The need for this data is shown in red on the list. Please email me if you can help us fill in the blanks. High school class year has been specifically noted, where we have it, to make this review easier for you to scan the list for people you may know. We again made good progress in filling in the blank information in July, so let's all pitch in to continue this effort!

Once the list is finalized, there will still be much work to do; including fund raising, site selection, final design of the Memorial, approval by local authorities for site use, construction of the Memorial and finally its dedication.

In the meantime, please see the Honoring Our Veterans Section of this issue for the latest project information and the List of Veterans Names and what you can do to help this list grow, so that no one who deserves to be included is missed.

It is hard to believe that 36 years have passed by. The memory has faded probably partly due to a well-known fact that Vietnam was a conflict not having the full support of America's people.

Several former Hicksville alumni are hoping to see a memorial created at a location in Hicksville, possibly at the Junior High School. A huge list is being generated that contains the names of any former students that served in the military during the Vietnam Era.

Please go to Memory Lane to continue...

The Newsletter

Photo Gallery

Best Looking

Class of 1959

Class of 1960

Class of 1961

Class of 1962

Class of 1963

Class of 1964

Class of 1965

Birthdays & Anniversaries

Memory Lane

Hicksville Soldiers Killed or Wounded in Action

While creating the list, it was discovered that at least sixteen former students were killed in Vietnam. If you know of any additional alumni that died in Vietnam, please let me know. 

The list of those wounded is growing each week as more former military personnel submit information about their military careers. If your name appears on the following list, please write a sketch surrounding the circumstance of your wounds. 

One former student, Bill DeVoe from the class of 1968 had a heroic tour of duty in country back in 1970. Within several months, DeVoe was awarded two medals for valor, the Silver Star and the Bronze Star. His story follows...

Vietnam - "Hostile Landing Zone"

Sergeant Devoe distinguished himself by gallantry in action while engaged in military operations involving conflict with armed hostile forces in the Republic of Vietnam on 22 March 1970 while serving as a squad leader with Company C, 4^th Battalion, 12^th Infantry, 199^th Infantry Brigade.

On this date, Sergeant Devoe and his squad had just been inserted into a hostile landing zone when the helicopter was destroyed by a rocket-propelled grenade. Sergeant Devoe and his squad then came under intense enemy fire. Immediately, Sergeant Devoe maneuvered through intense hostile fire to direct the fire of his men. Sergeant Devoe moved over the rocks that separated his squad from the remainder of the Second Platoon to retrieve a radio. Finding that the radio was still in the helicopter, he ignored the hostile fire and returned to the burning helicopter to retrieve the radio.

He then returned to his squad and initiated radio contact with the rest of the platoon. As another flight of helicopters approached the landing zone, his machine gunner was wounded. Sergeant Devoe took the machine gun, collected fragmentation grenades from his men, climbed to a strategic position and engaged the enemy.

His suppressive fire forced the enemy to seek cover and permitted the men on the incoming flights to move to covered positions.

Sergeant Devoe's actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.

Casale's Corner

Glass of Milk

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one thin dime left, and he was hungry. He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house. However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door.
Instead of a meal he asked for a drink of water! . She thought he looked hungry so brought him a large glass of milk.

He drank it so slowly, and then asked, How much do I owe you?"
You don't owe me anything," she replied. "Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness."

He said, "Then I thank you from my heart."

As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically. His faith in humanity took a tremendous leap forward. He had been ready to give up and quit. His mindset was now changed, as was his outlook on life.

Many year's later, that same young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in specialists to study her rare disease.

Dr. Howard Kelly was called in for the consultation. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes.

Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room. Dressed in his doctor's gown he went in to see her. He recognized her at once. He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that day he gave special attention to her case. After a long struggle, the battle was won.

Dr. Kelly requested the business office pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge, and the bill was sent to her room.

She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill. She read these words ...
"Paid in full with one glass of milk"

(Signed) Dr. Howard Kelly.
Tears of joy flooded her eyes.

Love, Laugh, Be Happy