Leaders of the 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley hosted their Big Red One Year of Honor Leadership Professional Development panel and commemoration ceremony for 1st Infantry Division Medal of Honor recipients on October 20.
The ceremony honored 1st Inf. Div. Medal of Honor recipients Pvt. Sterling Morelock, 28th Infantry; Sgt. Michael B. Ellis, Company C, 28th Infantry; Capt. Bobbie E. Brown, Company C, 18th Infantry; Pvt. Wilbur E. Colyer, Company A, 1st Engineers; Sgt. Max Thompson, Company K, 18th Infantry; and 2nd Lt. Harold B. “Pinky” Durham, Battery C, 6th Battalion, 15th Artillery for their actions during battle and their bravery in the face of danger.
“This is our largest group of Medal of Honor recipients in a single month,” said Maj. Gen. D.A. Sims II, the commanding general of the 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley, during the commemoration ceremony.
“Although they do not know one another, each demonstrated the same virtues and commitment. The common thread that binds these six to the other 31 in our division is a tenacious dedication to those around them.”
October’s Big Red One Year of Honor commemoration ceremony was particularly significant because of the fact that the surviving family members of 2nd Lt. Harold B. “Pinky” Durham were also in attendance. “The ceremony today was very moving,” said Marilyn Durham, the sister-in-law of the Medal of Honor recipient. “When somebody has been remembered in such a way and be recognized in a place like this, I think it’s fantastic.”
The 28th Infantry Regiment Association, also known as the Black Lions, was also in attendance for the ceremony. Retired Army Maj. Mark Smith, a member of the organization, spoke on his experience with Durham on the battlefield. Smith said he was actually present at the scene on the day Durham died. He recalled that next to Durham’s body was one of his brave sergeants guarding his remains. He went on to state that, that is a moment that should never be forgotten by anyone in the Black Lions.
Following the ceremony, the panel discussion focused on victory, where panelists had the opportunity to discuss their experiences with victories -- which were won in the face of adversity, hardship, loss, and challenge.
The panel included retired U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Kirstie Ennis, an entrepreneur, athlete, and mountaineer; Randall Zimmerman, the head football and track coach for Junction City High School; Bob Kendrick, the president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum; and Kelly Cagle, a former Virginia Tech head women’s soccer coach.
Zimmerman, a Junction City High School coach, spoke about his experiences teaching in a community where most of his students come from military homes. “It’s the neatest thing to see kids who are born from all over the world with completely different upbringings come together and care for each other so much,” said Zimmerman. Zimmerman also described the values he instills within his team which reflect the values of the Army.
Kendrick, the president of the NLBM, opened up his appearance by drawing connections between Fort Riley and Jackie Robinson during the LPD and how Robinson once called Fort Riley his home. He spoke about the challenges of African Americans during those times when Robinson lived, stating that even when facing adversity or even hate, African Americans chose to fight for a country that wasn’t fighting for them.