Virginia SAR Compatriots Welcome Veterans with Honor and Respect at Dulles International Airport

(Dulles, Va. - August 28, 2024) — The Virginia Society Sons of the American Revolution (Virginia SAR) compatriots from three chapters came together to extend a warm and patriotic welcome to 117 veterans arriving on a Chicago Honor Flight at Dulles International Airport. The event was a heartfelt tribute to the brave men and women who served in the Korean and Vietnam wars.

As the veterans disembarked from the People Movers and transitioned to waiting buses, the SAR team consisting of members of Sgt Maj John Champe, Col James Wood II, and Fairfax Resolves chapters proudly presented the colors, creating a striking and respectful display. The veterans, representing all branches of the military—ten from the USAF, 80 from the Army, seven Marines, and 20 from the Navy—were visibly moved by the honor and recognition bestowed upon them.

Growing up in rural Maryland in the 1960s, while hunting, I frequently encountered abandoned farms and homesteads due to the encroachment of housing developments brought on by the post-World War II baby boom. Often, their structures were virtual time capsules and contained artifacts left in place by the previous owners.

To the chagrin of my friends, I would frequently spend more time exploring these buildings rather than beating the bushes for a rabbit or covey of quail.

Lewis "Lew" Miller Ewing (1934–2024)
(Colonel James Wood, II Chapter SAR)

Lewis M. “Lew” Ewing, 90, of Winchester, Virginia, died August 7, 2024, at Winchester Medical Center. Lew was born May 8, 1934, in Stephens City, Virginia, son of the late James Earl Ewing, Sr. and Anna Virginia Golladay Ewing.

Charles Leroy Mattocks, Sr. (1940–2024)
(Colonel Fielding Lewis Chapter SAR)

Charles Leroy Mattocks, Sr., 84, of Stafford, Va., died at Mary Washington Hospital, Fredericksburg, Virginia, on Sunday, August 18, of complications from a fall. He was born in Meadville, Pennsylvania, on March 26, 1940, to Daniel “LLoy” Raymond Mattocks, Sr. and Helen Dorothy Waid.

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Veteran John Rossmann Honored on 100th Birthday by Sgt Maj John Champe Chapter and Local Veteran Service Organizations

ASHBURN, Va., Friday, July 12, 2024 — On a momentous occasion, the Sgt Maj John Champe Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) organized a heartfelt commemoration to celebrate the 100th birthday of John Rossmann, a distinguished World War II veteran. Mr. Rossmann, who celebrated his 20th birthday on Omaha Beach during the D-Day invasion of Normandy as a soldier with the 4th Infantry Division, was honored for his exemplary service and citizenship. 

The event brought together multiple Veteran Service Organizations in Loudoun County to pay tribute to Mr. Rossmann’s remarkable life and contributions. The Sgt Maj John Champe Chapter presented Mr. Rossmann with the SAR Bronze Good Citizenship Medal, recognizing his outstanding citizenship as a soldier in WWII and his 21-year career as a Treasury agent combating counterfeiting and drug trafficking. Additionally, Mr. Rossmann received the SAR Law Enforcement Medal for his exceptional service with the U.S. Department of the Treasury. (Photo right: Family, friends, and presenters with Nella and John Rossmann.)