■f Social Events
Legal advertisements
♦ Classified ads
-The News-Journal
Wednesday, October 8, 2003
Life Sr Leisure
Brothers meet aboard USS Constitution for new rank
By Chief Journalist (SW/AW) Mark O. Piggott
Special to The News-Journal
They come from a small town in North Carolina.
One is a corpsman. the other an electronics technician.
They joined the Navy nine months apart. They only see
each other during visits back home in Raeford. After
13 years in the Navy they've finally done something
together.
Chief Electronics Technician Christopher 0. Leggett
and Chief Hospital Corpsman Michael A. Leggett were
both recently selected for advancement to chief petty
officer (CPO). On top of that, the brothers finally got the
chance to be together during the Fleet CPO Training Week
held aboard USS Constitution.
Christopher, 30. is stationed at Submarine Training
Facility in Norfolk, Virginia while Michael, 32, is sta
tioned aboard USS Louisiana (SSBN 743) in Kings Bay,
Georgia. Getting the two brothers together on the consti
tution trip took a little help from the right people.
"I originally wasn't slated to go." Michael said. “When
1 found out Chris was coming, I told my COB (Chief of the
Boat), and he pulled some strings to get me here. That's
what chiefs do for their Sailors."
For the past seven years prospective chief petty officers
from around the fleet have been invited to Charlestown,
Massachusetts to visit “Old Ironsides." and get a lesson in
Navy history and traditions, as well as some quality
training on being a chief petty officer.
“Leadership training." said Master Chief Electronics
Technician Steve H. Brandt, command master chief USS
Constitution. “This program was established to help the
new chiefs take on the tasks of today's Navy."
For the Leggett brothers, it's the chance opportunity
for the two of them to finally work together, as brothers,
as Sailors and as Chiefs.
“We've never served togetherat any time in our ca
reers." Christopher said. "The pleasure of being with m\
brother is first and foremost. And to learn from the chiefs
and the other selectees with their specialties, surrounded
by all this history is highly motivating."
Michael added. "This is my first time in Boston, so
being here means a lot to me —being able to take
advantage of the training we're getting here, so we can
take it back toour commands and use it ourselves and hope
it makes us better chiefs."
Though Christopher has been in the submarine service
for his entire career. Michael has not. He served with the
Fleet Marine Force for six years before Christopher con
vinced him to join the "silent service."
"1 told him what our Independent Duty Corpsman
(1 DC) do onboard submarines," Christopher said, "and the
benefits of being a submarine IDC. That's all it took."
The brothers are highly competiti\e when it comes to
a lot of things, especially advancement. "We've been
chasing each other since we both came in." Michael said.
“He made 3rd class before I did. but I made 1st before he
did."
"When w e found out v\e both made chief this time, our
first time up. it felt really good." Michael added.
When you ask the Leggett brothers what their goal is.
both say. "to serve together at a command." But not just
any command — they have something special in mind.
"It's our goal, before the end of our careers, to ser\e
together." Christopher said, "and w e want to serve on USS
North Carolina."
USS North Carolina (SSN 777) will be the fourth in the
next-generation attack submarine, the Virginia class, pro
viding the navy w iih the capabilities it requires to maintain
the nation's undersea supremacy well into the 2 Isy cen
tury.
The ship will have improved stealth sophisticated
surveillance capabilities and special warfare enhance
ments that will enable it to meet the Navy’s multi-mission
requirements.
Though North Carolina is not slated to join the fleet
until 20()b. the two brothers are optimistic about serving
together on the submarine.
"That's our home state," Michael said. "It’s our ulti
mate goal. We've already made one goal; we both made
chief, so that one is next."
For related news, visit the Commander, Submarine
Force. U.S. Atlantic Fleet Navy NewsStand page at
w ww. news.navy.mil/local,^sublant.
Family participates in brothers’ pinning
The Leggett brothers are the sons of Annie D. Leggett
of Raeford and the late McAllister Leggett.
Michael is a 1988 graduate of Hoke High and a 1991
graduate of Chowan College. He enlisted in the Navy in
1991.
Christopher is a 1990 graduate of Hoke High and
enlisted in the Navy in 1990. Both brothers are members
of Silver Grove Missionary Baptist Church.
Michael’s anchors were pinned on by his wife, April,
and two sons Austin and Justin. Annie Leggett pinned the
anchors on her son Christopher's uniform with the help of
Swanda Tollison, his younger sister, a resident of Mont
gomery. Alabama.
Other out-of-town family members who traveled to
Kings Bay for thechief petty officer initiation and pinning
ceremony are Herlon and Retha Hardimon,Virginia;
Doretha Black, Myra Locklear, Busterand Marie Morrison,
al I of Raeford; Jerry and Che ry I Hoi 1 ingswort h of Moy ock.
North Carolina; and Lisa Maye of Virginia Beach, Vir
ginia,
Rank histot7
The chief petty officer rank was authorized by the U.S.
Navy in 189T The word "chief means taking first place
and denotes its senior position among enlisted ranks.
The position of the chief petty officer is one of special
honor. It shows not only that the chief has served success
fully but that the services prox ided have met with the
commendation of one's seniors that thechief is proficient,
trustworthy and reliable.
Becoming a chief petty officer also means changing
from the traditional enlisted sailors uniform to the khaki
uniform worn by the chief petty officer.
, The fouled anchor is the emblem of the chief petty
officer rank. Attached to the anchor is a length of chain and
the letters U.S.N.
Christopher, on the left, and Michael with mother Annie Leggett
Hoke students help mark Revolutionary War patriot’s grave
By Franklin N. Horton
Special to The News-Journal
On Saturday, while finishing their last bit of driving
education. Danielle Pope and Jamie Stark helped their
instructor mark a Revolutionary War Patriot’s grave —
with their parent s permission, of course. They became the
photographers for le Marquis de Lafayette Chapter of the
Sons of the American Revolutionary during the event.
Their instructor. Lt. Col. Frank Horton, USA, Ret., who is
the NC State SAR Secretary, read the Liberty Pointy
Resolves during the ceremony.
The patriot honored on the occasion was James Gee, a
hatter in Cumberland County. Buried in small family
cemetery, just behind Terry Sanford High School, he
started the second hat factory in America. On June 20,
111 about 13 months before the Declaration of Indepen
dence, he and 54 other patriots signed a document calling
for freedom from the oppressive British Government. By
signing this document, he became a target for loyalists in
the area.
James Gee was born in 1741 in Prince George County,
Virginia and came to Cross Creek in the late 1700s, just
before the Revolution. At that time, Fayetteville did not
exist as a city. There were twocommunities existing in the
area where Fayetteville now stands, Campbelltown, on
the Cape Fear River, and one mile west. Cross Creek.
After the Revolutionary War, the two communities com
bined to become Fayetteville, named after the Marquis de
Lafayette. Fayetteville is the only city in the United States
bearing his name that the famous general visited in 1824.
James Gee married Mary Walker in 1771 and together
they had 10 children. James became a militia captain and
fought in several battles during the war, most notably
under General Nathaniel Greene, the hero of Guilford
Courthouse.
Mary w as once u rged to con v i nee her husband not to go
off to battle but to remain close to home. She is reported
to have remarked, “I would poison his drink, if he did not
go." She also is famous for helping Patriots and their
families during the war.
The Liberty Point Resolves, first known as the
Cumberland Association, was lost in history for many
years. While the act and event were known to historians,
the original document could not be located. It later became
known as the Liberty Point Resolves deriving from the
spot where the document was signed. It was rediscovered
during the 200th anniversary celebration. Like so many
"lost" documents, it was discovered catalogued in the
Southern Historical Collection of the North Carolina-
Chapel Hill.
Today, a granite boulder at Liberty Point in downtown
Fayetteville lists the names of the patriots. On this corner
of Bow and Person streets in Fayetteville, a blow for
freedom was struck on June 20. 1775.
On Saturday. September 13,2003. the marking of his
resting place recognized James Gee's act of courage with
a Sons of the American Revolutionary Patriot grave
marker. Participants in the event beside the students were
the vice president of the NC State SAR chapter, Lt.Col.
Joe Harris, USA. Ret., le Marquis de Lafayette Chapter
President Steve Pitlard; Liberty Point Chapter DAR Re-
irT
f
.•a- ',.4
From left, Maj. Dick Bishop, Jamie Stark, Danielle Pope and Lt. Col. Frank Horton.
From left, Paul Gee and Lt. Col. joe Harris.
gent Mary Anne Peeples; NC State SAR Chaplain Clark
Wiser, the Fayetteville Independent Light Infantry Color
Guard; le Marquis de Lafayette Chapter member. Dr.
Robert Downing, who played a church hymn from the
period and who also played taps; Marquis de Lafayette
Chapter Vice president Lt. Col. Lloyd Leitz. USA; and
Chapter Historian Major Dick Bishop, USA Ret., as well
as other members of the chapter. Those officials led the
SAR Pledge and Recessional. Also in attendance was the
Robert Rowan DAR Chapter Regent. Mrs. Dixon, mem
bers of other DAR Chapters and members of the Gee
family, many who drove to Fayetteville from Florida and
Georgia for the occasion.
NC State VP Lt. Col. Joe Harris, USA. Ret unveiled the
Patriot marker. And Paul Gee. a direct descendant of
Patriot Captain James Gee, SAR Chapters throughout the
nation, actively participate in the marking of grave sites of
the Patriots who gave so much that this nation might be
free.
The Sons of the American Revolution welcomes all
men 18 years and older who descend from Patriots who
helped in any way during the Revolutionary War.
The next ceremony the Marquis de Lafayette Chapter
will sponsor and support is the recognition of the Battle of
King’s Mountain on October 7. 2003. On that day, the
Over the Mountain Men will march to the battle site to
honor those patriots who defeated the British and their
loyalist supporters there on October 7, 1781. The wreath
commemoration service will be at 11 a.m. that day with
other activities following.
Danielle and Jamie took many pictures of the James
Gee grave marking and their photos are displayed here.
As a side note, some very decisive battles of the
Rex'olulionary War were fought here in this area. Battles
such as Moore’s Creek. C’amden. King's Mountain, the
Cow Pens, and Guilford Courthouse, are some of the most
famous. The battle at the Cow Pens is still studied at
military schools today. In addition, the skirmishes in and
around Charlotte got that city nicknamed the Hornet's
Nest. One also cannot forget Ramseur’s M i 11 and Cowan’s
Ford, where Patriot forces delayed the British until the
Battle of Guilford Courthouse. Following Guilford Court
house. the next major battle was the siege at Yorklown,
which ended in the British surrender. However, warlike
activities continued throughout the Americas until 1783
with the treaty of Paris.
Lt. Col. Frank Horton, USA, Ret., is a member and
registrar of the Marquis de Lafayette Chapter and the
Halifax Resolves Chapter. Sons of the American Revolu
tionary. He is also the North Carolina Society Sons of the
American Revolutionary secretary. He belongs to several
lineage societies interested in preserving history and en
suring that America’s Patriots’ deeds are part of today's
educational activities. He regularly presents programs on
the building ot the American flag coupled with the Revo
lutionary War in the south.
.V.
From left, Lt. Col. Frank Horton, FILI Color Guard
Sons of the American Revolutionary members Dan
jutson and Waverly McLeod.