Memorial Day Memories

As we celebrate Memorial Day in the United States, I thought I’d share a bit about my great-grandfather, Marvin Monroe Alexander, Sr. We called him Dad-daw and he lived to be 98 years old. He was born January 8, 1894 in Wise County, Texas and passed away on April 8, 1992 in Fort Worth, Texas. The flag you see in the above photo flew over the U.S. Capitol on his 90th birthday. He was a wonderful man and loved by everyone in his family.

He was an infantry soldier in World War I. His Army basic training was at Camp Bowie in Fort Worth, Texas and he served in Company L of the 142nd Infantry Regiment. He fought in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive (Battle of Argonne Forest) in France, Fall 1918.? He was wounded and received a Purple Heart.

When we built our facility for ADV Integrity in Magnolia in 2022, I wanted to build a conference room to display his uniform that has been in our family for decades, as well as some other memorabilia including items from my grandfather, Marvin Monroe Alexander, Jr. who graduated from the Texas A&M College in 1943 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.

I’m sure many of you have family members who served in the military. It’s important for us to remember our history, think of those who died for the rights we have, and that as Americans we must celebrate those things that make us alike rather than be divided over those things that make us different. The future of our nation depends upon it.

On this Memorial Day, let’s take time to honor and remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation.