The Hall of Fame was established several years ago to recognize significant military and civilian achievements and contributions to the military and ROTC program of the Cramers Saber Battalion, which includes members from URI, Roger Williams, and Salve Regina Universities. Photographs of the inductees will be permanently mounted on the lobby wall of the URI Memorial Union Building.
In a ceremony on September 14 filled with reflection, prayer and remembrance following terrorist attacks on the United States, Paul F. Helweg, class of ‘70 and president of the ROTC Alumni Association inducted the following men:
o The late Colonel Edward J. Regan, URI class of 1940. Regan was a senior combat commander in Europe throughout World War II. In 1944, at the age of 27, he became the youngest infantry regiment commander in the U.S. Army. He was highly decorated, receiving among others the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star, and Croix de Guerre from General Charles de Gaulle.
o Lt. Col. (retired) Kendell Moultrop, URI class of 1941. Moultrop was a combat leader during the invasion of North Africa and subsequent invasion of Sicily. He led a combat infantry company onto the beaches of Normandy, France during the June 6, 1944 D-day invasion. He received four Silver Stars for gallantry, two Bronze Stars, the Combat Infantry Badge, and others. He was wounded on Omaha Beach and returned to his combat company just prior to the Battle of the Bulge. After the war, he taught engineering at URI until retiring in 1980. He and his wife live in West Kingston.
o Lt. Col. (retired) John Leach, class of 1957. Leach served in two combat tours in Vietnam, earning the Combat Infantry Badge, the Bronze Star and numerous awards for gallantry. Following the war, Leach returned to URI as a professor of military science. He later became a public educator working in the Westerly school system. Leach is a resident of Westerly.
o Richard Smith, class of 1997. Although not a product of ROTC at his alma mater, Smith was elected to the Hall of Fame under a very special category—an alumnus of extraordinary talent who has given considerably of his time and resources to the ROTC program at URI. Smith was the major force behind the fundraising project to support the construction of a Vietnam Memorial, honoring the 17 from URI who were killed in action during the Vietnam War. Smith continues his fundraising efforts to honor these individuals. Each year, he donates two army dress blue uniforms in their honor to graduating ROTC seniors. Smith is a resident of Westerly.
For Information: Jan Wenzel, 874-2116