EULOGY ALBERT TARBELL

THE VETERANS OF THE 504TH PARACHUTE INFANTRY REGIMENT OF THE 82d AIRBORNE DIVISION

JOIN ME IN EXTENDING OUR DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO THE FAMILY OF ALBERT TARBELL, AS WE

MOURN THE PASSING OF A COURAGEOUS COMRADE IN ARMS.

ALBERT TARBELL ENTERED THE SERVICE AS A TEENAGER, IMBUED WITH A SPIRIT OF

PATRIOTISM, FROM St. RAEGIS MOHAWK INDIAN RESERVATION, NY. HE WAS THE FIRST

MOHAWK INDIAN TO GRADUATE FROM THE US ARMY PARACHUTE SCHOOL THEREBY BECOMING THE

FIRST MOHAWK INDIAN PARATROOPER IN THE FAMED 82d AIRBORNE DIVISION.

REFLECTING UPON HIS LIFE, ALBERT WILL BEST BE REMEMBERED FOR HIS DEDICATION TO

THE FREEDOM OF THE COUNTRY THAT HE LOVED. HE DEFINED THE TERM “HERO” BY HIS

RECORD OF COURAGE AND LEADERSHIP IN THE FACE OF ENEMY FIRE.

ALBERT AND I WERE IN THE SAME RIFLE COMPANY FROM ANZIO IN JANUARY 1944 UNTIL

THE END OF THE WAR. HE SURVIVED THE FURY OF BATTLE AND THE KILLING FIELDS IN THE

BATTLE OF ANZIO, ONE OF THE BLOODIEST BATTLES OF WW II. WE WERE IN THE SAME

FLIMSY CANVAS BOAT IN THE FIRST WAVE THAT CROSSED THE WAAL RIVER IN NIJMEGEN,

HOLLAND ON SEPTEMBER 20th 1944. HE SHOWED UTTER DISREGARD FOR HIS LIFE AND SAFETY

WHILE ASSAULTING ENTRENCHED ENEMY MACHINE GUNS WHICH TOOK A HEAVY TOLL ON THE

LIVES OF HIS BUDDIES.

IN THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE WE WERE ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF BATTLE FOR THE CITY

OF HERRESBACH, AN IMPORTANT ENEMY CENTER WHERE WE WERE OUT NUMBERED 10 TO 1. WITH

JUST TWO PLATOONS ABOUT 56 MEN WE TOOK THE CITY WITHOUT THE LOSS OF A SINGLE 504

PARATROOPER.

IN THE BATTLE AT DEN HUEVEL WOODS IN HOLLAND SEPTEMBER 1944 WHEN THE ENEMY HAD

ENCIRCLED ONE OF OUR PLATOONS IN H COMPANY. THEIR MASSIVE ARTILLERY BARRAGE HAD

KNOCKED OUT THE TELEPHONE LINES BETWEEN COMPANY HEADQUARTERS AND THE BELEAGUERED

OUTPOST. SGT. ALBERT TARBELL VOLUNTEERED TO REPAIR THE PHONE LINES WHILE THE

ENEMY BARRAGE WAS STILL ON. HIS ACT OF BRAVERY REPAIRED THE LINES AND RESTORED

COMMUNICATIONS. HIS ACT OF COURAGE HELPED SAVE THE LIVES OF MANY OF HIS BUDDIES.

DURING THE COURSE OF OUR MILITARY SERVICE ALBERT AND I FORGED A BOND BETWEEN US

GREATER THAN BROTHERHOOD. SINCE THEN WE HAVE KEPT IN CLOSE CONTACT AND THE BOND

WE FORGED IN COMBAT STRENGTHENED BETWEEN US.

WHILE WE MOURN THE PASSING OF A TRULY GREAT AMERICAN HERO AND PATRIOT, I

PERSONALLY HAVE LOST MORE THAN JUST A FRIEND BUT A PIECE OF MY SELF.

FOR ALL OF USE WHO GRIEVES HIS PASSING, WE CAN FIND SOLACE KNOWING HE HELPED

MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE AND OUR LIVES HAVING BEEN ENRICHED BY

KNOWING HIM.

ALBERT TARBELL’S RECORD OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN WAR AND PEACE WILL FOREVER BE A

SOURCE OF PRIDE FOR THE MOHAWK INDIAN NATION.

JAMES MEGELLAS DSC

1st Lt. H COMPANY, 504 PIR 82d AIRBORNE DIV.

AUGUST 25, 2009

THE VETERANS OF THE 504TH PARACHUTE INFANTRY REGIMENT OF THE 82d AIRBORNE DIVISION

JOIN ME IN EXTENDING OUR DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO THE FAMILY OF ALBERT TARBELL, AS WE

MOURN THE PASSING OF A COURAGEOUS COMRADE IN ARMS.

ALBERT TARBELL ENTERED THE SERVICE AS A TEENAGER, IMBUED WITH A SPIRIT OF

PATRIOTISM, FROM St. RAEGIS MOHAWK INDIAN RESERVATION, NY. HE WAS THE FIRST

MOHAWK INDIAN TO GRADUATE FROM THE US ARMY PARACHUTE SCHOOL THEREBY BECOMING THE

FIRST MOHAWK INDIAN PARATROOPER IN THE FAMED 82d AIRBORNE DIVISION.

REFLECTING UPON HIS LIFE, ALBERT WILL BEST BE REMEMBERED FOR HIS DEDICATION TO

THE FREEDOM OF THE COUNTRY THAT HE LOVED. HE DEFINED THE TERM “HERO” BY HIS

RECORD OF COURAGE AND LEADERSHIP IN THE FACE OF ENEMY FIRE.

ALBERT AND I WERE IN THE SAME RIFLE COMPANY FROM ANZIO IN JANUARY 1944 UNTIL

THE END OF THE WAR. HE SURVIVED THE FURY OF BATTLE AND THE KILLING FIELDS IN THE

BATTLE OF ANZIO, ONE OF THE BLOODIEST BATTLES OF WW II. WE WERE IN THE SAME

FLIMSY CANVAS BOAT IN THE FIRST WAVE THAT CROSSED THE WAAL RIVER IN NIJMEGEN,

HOLLAND ON SEPTEMBER 20th 1944. HE SHOWED UTTER DISREGARD FOR HIS LIFE AND SAFETY

WHILE ASSAULTING ENTRENCHED ENEMY MACHINE GUNS WHICH TOOK A HEAVY TOLL ON THE

LIVES OF HIS BUDDIES.

IN THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE WE WERE ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF BATTLE FOR THE CITY

OF HERRESBACH, AN IMPORTANT ENEMY CENTER WHERE WE WERE OUT NUMBERED 10 TO 1. WITH

JUST TWO PLATOONS ABOUT 56 MEN WE TOOK THE CITY WITHOUT THE LOSS OF A SINGLE 504

PARATROOPER.

IN THE BATTLE AT DEN HUEVEL WOODS IN HOLLAND SEPTEMBER 1944 WHEN THE ENEMY HAD

ENCIRCLED ONE OF OUR PLATOONS IN H COMPANY. THEIR MASSIVE ARTILLERY BARRAGE HAD

KNOCKED OUT THE TELEPHONE LINES BETWEEN COMPANY HEADQUARTERS AND THE BELEAGUERED

OUTPOST. SGT. ALBERT TARBELL VOLUNTEERED TO REPAIR THE PHONE LINES WHILE THE

ENEMY BARRAGE WAS STILL ON. HIS ACT OF BRAVERY REPAIRED THE LINES AND RESTORED

COMMUNICATIONS. HIS ACT OF COURAGE HELPED SAVE THE LIVES OF MANY OF HIS BUDDIES.

DURING THE COURSE OF OUR MILITARY SERVICE ALBERT AND I FORGED A BOND BETWEEN US

GREATER THAN BROTHERHOOD. SINCE THEN WE HAVE KEPT IN CLOSE CONTACT AND THE BOND

WE FORGED IN COMBAT STRENGTHENED BETWEEN US.

WHILE WE MOURN THE PASSING OF A TRULY GREAT AMERICAN HERO AND PATRIOT, I

PERSONALLY HAVE LOST MORE THAN JUST A FRIEND BUT A PIECE OF MY SELF.

FOR ALL OF USE WHO GRIEVES HIS PASSING, WE CAN FIND SOLACE KNOWING HE HELPED

MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE AND OUR LIVES HAVING BEEN ENRICHED BY

KNOWING HIM.

ALBERT TARBELL’S RECORD OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN WAR AND PEACE WILL FOREVER BE A

SOURCE OF PRIDE FOR THE MOHAWK INDIAN NATION.

JAMES MEGELLAS DSC

1st Lt. H COMPANY, 504 PIR 82d AIRBORNE DIV.

AUGUST 25, 2009