Orientation Planned for Fourth Honor Flight to D.C.

PASCAGOULA -- Orientation for the fourth Mississippi Gulf Coast Honor Flight has been set for 8 a.m. Aug. 25 at the Joppa Shrine Center in Woolmarket.

Honor Flight organizers are looking for volunteers to help "make the day go smoothly for our guardians and veterans," said Jennifer Walton, Honor Flight secretary.

She said medical team also needs medical volunteers to assist in evaluations of the prospective veterans.

The fourth Honor Flight has been set for Sept. 25, and the WWII veterans will leave from the Gulfport International Airport.

Walton may be contacted at jpresley31@hotmail.com, or 251-709-7378.

NCBC Gets New Commander

GULFPORT -- On July 8, Capt. Rick Burgess took on duties of new commanding officer of the Naval Construction Battalion Center and 20th Seabee Readiness Group.

Naval Construction Battalion Center Changing Hands
Local 15 TV

Burgess took over from Capt. Lou Cariello.

Both officers are with the Civil Engineer Corps.


Change of Command at NCBC
The Sun Herald/July 9, 2011

Gulfport Officially Opens Robert Curry Public Safety Center

GULFPORT -- While police staff already have moved in the new Robert J. Curry Public Safety Center, personnel with the city's court system will soon follow suit, according to local media.

On Thursday, Gulfport officials and employees and the public turned out for the official opening of the $22 million building in downtown. Police personnel moved in during December last year, according to reporter Anita Lee at http://www.sunherald.com/

"We're finally home," a beaming police chief, Alan Weatherford, said, "and we're in a state-of-the-art facility that was built for law enforcement."

City Celebrates New Home for Police, Courts @ sunherald.com

Gulfport Opens New Safety Center, Honors Fallen Police Officers @ wlox.com

The building was named for former police officer Robert Curry, who was killed in 2008 while helping to escort a funeral procession on U.S. 49. Curry's mother, Dorothy Gibson, attended the dedication of the new public safety center, which was built to house police and court system staff.

"He will always be sadly missed," said Gibson at wlox.com. "We thank God for giving us Rob for just a little while."

See photographs of the dedication ceremony at sunherald.com

Among the more than 200 people who attended the ceremony for the Robert J. Curry Public Safety Center were his wife, Leslee Curry, and their two children, teenager Krysten and grade schooler Trevor.

"I love it. It's very good for all the officers and for the whole department. It's a good reminder of Rob, and to keep his memory alive," said Leslee Curry to wlox.com reporter Elizabeth Vowell.

According to the news reports, the building includes rooms named for seven other Gulfport police officers who died in the line of duty. As well, a monument to the fallen officers stands outside the building.

Seabees Get New Fitness Center, Barracks, Bigger Firehouse

GULFPORT -- Congressman Gene Taylor and Sen. Roger Wicker were among dignitaries who attended dedications of three new and renovated buildings at the Naval Construction Battalion Center.

Ribbon cuttings were held to celebrate construction of a new fitness center and new barracks, or living quarters, and an expanded fire house for the Seabee base.

The Seabees' official Website said the "fitness center includes an aquatics training facility, a gymnasium with two full size basketball courts, two racquet ball courts, strength and aerobic training areas. The living quarters are for enlisted bachelors at the construction training center.

The facilities are part of a $320 Katrina recovery project, which includes buildings that have been completed and others still under construction.

Get media details about the ceremonies:

Seabees Dedicate Trio of New Facilities

Gulfport base celebrates ribbon cuttings

www.wlox.com Sept. 28, 2009, Monday

Seabee Heritage Foundation Gulfport

www.seabeehf.org

Seabees Provide Mentors for Gulfport Students

www.navy.mil

Read history about Gulfport's Seabees at www.militarynewcomers.com

Military, Officials, Polk Family Say Goodbye

People lined the route of the procession for funeral and burial of Staff Sgt. Johnny Roosevelt Polk on Saturday, Aug. 15.

The morning service at Little Rock Baptist Church followed a Friday evening wake at the church.

Read news reports of the services and events for the U.S. Army member:

Family, friends bid farewell to Sgt. Johnny Polk

www.wlox.com Aug. 15, 2009

Patriot Guard Riders Praise Sgt. Polk

www.wlox.com Aug. 15, 2009 (video subject to time limit)

Family and Friends Pay Their Respect to U.S. Army Seargeant Johnny Polk

www.wlox.com Aug. 14, 2009 (video only subject to time limit)

Gulfport Council Salutes the Life and Service of a Fallen Soldier

www.wlox.com Aug. 14, 2009 (video only subject to time limit)

Services planned for Staff Sgt. Johnny Polk

GULFPORT -- Funeral services for Staff Sgt. Johnny Roosevelt Polk have been set for this weekend, Aug. 14 and 15.

A viewing will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday and services at 1 p.m. Saturday at Little Rock Baptist Church on 15th Street. Burial will be at 3 p.m. at Biloxi National Cemetery.

Processions honor soldier killed in Iraq

www.sunherald.com

A route for the funeral procession has not been finalized.

Marshall Funeral Home in Biloxi is handling arrangements.

Sergeant 1st Class Johnny Roosevelt Polk attended Harrison Central High School in Gulfport, where he was a member of the football team. He also worked as a volunteer firefighter in Gulfport.

He joined the United States Army on March 12, 1992, and completed Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training as a canon crew member MOS 13B) at Fort Sill, Okla.; July 1992 to July 1993, his first assignment was to Camp Casey, Korea, where he served as a gunner; July 1993 to July 1999 his second assignment was to Fort Bragg, N.C., where he served as a section chief; July 1999 to July 2000 his third assignment was to Camp Casey, Korea, where he served as a section chief; July 2000 to November 2005 his forth assignment was to Fort Hood, Texas, where he served as a section chief.

While assigned to Fort Hood, he was deployed to Iraq from March 2004 to March 2005. In November 2005 to November 2008 his fifth assignment to Fort Sill, where he served as an instructor and training Management NCO. While assigned to Fort Sill, he was deployed to Iraq from February 2006 to February 2007, November 2008 to July 2009 sixth assignment to Fort Hood, where he served as a Howitzer section chief. Upon arrival, he prepared to immediately deploy to Iraq with the 3-82 Field Artillery Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division on Feb. 6, 2009, until he was killed in action Saturday, July 25, 2009.

Staff Sgt. Polk was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star medal and the Purple Heart Medal.

He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign War Post 1193, Lawton, Okla., and the Masons Masonic Lodge. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, and the Dallas Cowboys football team. He will be remembered as a very compassionate, funny, giving, and dedicated man.

"He would always make me smile!"

He is preceded in death by his father, Alton Polk Sr. of Greenville, La; and mother Herman M. Polk of Gulfport.

He is survived by his wife, Wanonia Janise Polk of Killeen, Texas; children Antoine J. Azeheart of Milton, Fla., Xavier D. Jones, Mary T. Gardner, Alvin L. Jones and De'Andra I. Jones, all of Killeen; brothers Walter B. Polk of Gulfport and Artha J. Polk of Picayune, Miss.; and sister Mary A. Polk of Memphis, Tenn.

Remembering Varnado and Barron

GULFPORT -- It's been four years now since another two families lost loved ones serving in the military on foreign soil. 

Spc. Danny Varnado, 23, and Spc. Bryan Barron, 26, died May 23, 2005, while serving in Iraq. 

Both men were from Gulfport, and were members of the Mississippi National Guard, 155th Brigade Combat Team known as Dixie Thunder.  

(This information will be updated later.)

Tributes during the Year

Before the year ends we want to catch up with some tributes, memorials and dedications that may have been missed during 2008.

One of those tributes includes a candlelight vigil for Lt. Robert Curry with the Gulfport Police Department. He died Aug. 14 following a traffic accident on U.S. 49 while helping escort a funeral procession.

The vigil, which included a poker run, was held at Nate's, 11444 U.S. 49

Lt. Col. Federick Joiner Gaston III

Gaston had extensive law, military career

Lt. Col. Frederick Joiner Gaston III, 49, and a resident of Biloxi, was killed in Gastonia, N.C., on Saturday, Aug. 2, 2008, the victim of an armed robbery attempt. He was born March 27, 1959, at Johnson Air Force Base near Tokyo, Japan, and had resided in Biloxi since 1986.

As a child, he lived in Montgomery, Ala.; Misawa, Japan; Biloxi and then in Gulfport. Lt. Col. Gaston graduated from Gulfport East High School in 1977.

Upon receiving his bachelor's degree in computer science from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1982, he became a commissioned officer in the United States Air Force. He also earned a master's degree in telecommunications from USM.

After serving on active duty at Langley AFB, Va., and Keesler AFB in Biloxi, he continued in the active reserve of the United States Air Force and was commissioned as a lieutenant colonel. At the time of his death, he was traveling to Washington, D.C., to fulfill his active duty requirements in the Air Force.

He is survived by his loving wife of 22 years, Angela, and a son, William Lee Gaston, both of Biloxi; a daughter, Melissa Davis, and her husband, Chris Davis, and granddaughter, Naomi Davis, all of Metairie, La.; his parents, Frederick and Michiko Gaston Sr.; a sister and a brother, Anne Gaston and F. William Gaston Jr.; and three nephews, all of Gulfport.

Lt. Col. Gaston was serving as a deputy for the Jackson County Sheriff at the time of his death.

He joined the Moss Point Police Department as an officer in early 2007 and served as the Interim Police Chief for Moss Point from January to late June 2008. He was a Gulfport police officer for 17 years before leaving in early 2007 as a lieutenant.

For most of his years as a police officer he had been intensely involved in educational and enforcement programs targeting prevention of alcohol abuse by drivers. Immediately after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York City and the Pentagon, his Air Force Reserve unit headquarters called him into special active duty assignment to assist with physical security planning because of his valuable law enforcement expertise.

In his diversified roles as a communications officer with the Air Force and his law enforcement service, he took full advantage of all his knowledge and experience by using his knowledge in all areas to provide the most comprehensive and optimal solutions to all his endeavors.

He used his computer skills to help move the Gulfport Police Department into the computer age for all patrolmen. Frederick had also provided his service for security detail at Barnes and Noble bookstore.

Officer Down Memorial/Moss Point

Gaston believed in serving and protecting to provide everyone with a safer community.
He had an uncanny knack for working with people to promote harmony in diverse communities, as evidenced by his work with Curley Clark, the Jackson County NAACP president.

Frederick believed strongly in serving and protecting his local community and was planning on running again for a Harrison County Justice Court judgeship.

Visitation was held Aug. 8 at St. James Catholic Church, 366 Cowan Road, Gulfport, MS 39507.

A Celebration of Life Service was Aug. 9 at St. James Catholic Church, where friends visited one hour prior to the service. Interment followed at the National Cemetery in Biloxi, with full military honors rendered by the United States Air Force.

The Riemann Family Funeral Home, 274 Beauvoir Road in Biloxi is in charge of arrangements. For more information, please call (228)388-9516.