DCHS's I Served... program is a platform for Dutchess County veterans to share what they want us to know, in their own words.
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5-minute introduction to I Served... program
What lessons could be more valuable than those of our veterans? These men and women, generation after generation, give up their individual freedoms, and often give up their lives, or their quality of lives, so that others all of us can benefit. Our goal with the program "I served..." is to provide a platform for those who have served to speak directly, in their own words.
My view is, serve your country, and serve it well. ~ George Mackey, Hopewell Junction.
I am, was, and will remain ready to give my life for this county. ~ Greg Liu, Tivoli
I am glad I am an American Citizen. It's a great country. ~ Victor Sepe, Millbrook.
When we thank a veteran for their service, what might we be thanking them for?
24-minute video.
Above left: interviewees and their friends and families gathered July 28 to get a preview of the "I served..." pilot video at Milan Town Hall. Extraordinary thanks to the seven interviewees for their candor and participation. Above right: left to right, John Byron, Victor Sepe, Julia Liu, Greg Liu with Ken Mallen seated. Bob Couse absent from photo. We regret to announce that George Mackey passed away on July 20th. We are grateful not only for his service, but his story of service that he leaves us. "I served..." is an evolving program, please help spread the word to help us gain funding, and audiences for these lessons to be shared. Below: the seven men and women in our launch video.
Craig Marshall, a veteran, DCHS VP Chair and I Served... program lead explains...
Other veterans oral history programs.
World War One 1917 to 1919
Spanish American War 1898 to 1899
Dutchess County's Co. K
DCHS Collections.
Above: Co. K. musters out February of 1899 at the NY State Armory building at the corner of Market and Church Streets.
John K. Sague
Major John K. Sague, above, left, led Dutchess County troops. See research summary of their Asia Pacific service, above right.
Fred Knickerbocker
Below: Spanish American War Veteran of Pine Plains, Fred Knickerbocker, is profiled by his great-great-grandson, J.M. Kemp, in a 2018 DCHS Yearbook article. Further below are images from a talk Kemp gave at the 2018 Annual Meeting. Below right: Newspaper clippings relating to Knickerbocker and Co. K.
Civil War 1861 to 1865
Below: Volunteers emerge and assemble as the war begins in 1861. Below the image you'll find related DCHS Yearbook articles: Letters from Pvt. Evert Traver to his father, 1982 DCHS Yearbook. Overview of Civil War in Dutchess.County, 1983, 2015 and 2016 DCHS Yearbooks.
Revolutionary War 1775 to 1783
Below: When Congress passed a Revolutionary War Veteran Pension Act in 1833, among the applicants was African America veteran Jacob Lyle, who lived in the Town of Milan. Although his case remained suspended and not approved despite years of sworn testimony of Lyle and others, we gain detailed insight into the war through these documents. A typed transcript provided for easier reading. In 2018 the Town of Milan added his name to the Veterans Honor Roll outside Milan Town Hall.
Below: 1975 DCHS Yearbook article on Dutchess County in the Revolutionary War.
