Saturday 26 Feb. 1977 started out like other drill days at the Armory except that the 41 soldiers standing in formation were in class A uniform.  That afternoon at 13:00 hrs. we would stand for our last formation and march past our Brigade Commander Col. Karl C. Verbeck as a Detachment in our Armory for the last time.  We spent the morning preparing with a rehersal, getting the military marching music on a small tape recorder to match our drill and ceremony.  The men would clean out their lockers and turn in any equipment not being transfered to Batavia. There was a solemnity to the day that was very much noticed by me as I was in charge and I was becoming part of the history of this fine building, as the last commander.

We were to clean out the entire building in the days to come with most everything being transfered to Albany.  We had to know which equipment, furniture, paintings etc. belonged to the State of New York or the Armory itself. The attic held many old surprises under years of soot and dust, some of which I cleaned and found to be useless except for historical old enlistment papers that I gave to the Historical Society. 

The afternoon came and I called the Detachment to Fall In.  Some members of the Medina High School Band were present to play the National Anthem.  Nearly a century of military tradition and honor was soon to be left to local history.  I was disappointed by the small civilian turnout, only 40 or so watched from the balcony overlooking the drill floor.  Col. Verbeck told the men they were welcome to join the company now being reformed in Batavia. He praised the unit for its honored service in past wars, but added that “it doesn’t seem right that strength should be rewarded this way.”  I stated what I have previously mentioned in previous blogs on this site but added “During this time of the volunteer service, we, the Guard and other reserve components were the backbone of this nation’s defenses in a national emergency.” Remember the Draft had been eliminated in 1973. Those words were proven to be so true since 2003 with the current situation in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Glenn Stalker, representing the Medina Village Board, read a resolution expressing the community’s appreciation to the troops, both past and present.  I had expressely asked our former Administrative Supply Technician, SFC Donald McElwee to be present as I was going to hand our Company Guidon (flag) to him for safe keeping.  The Guidon contained the silver bands, representing the Battle Honors of the Armory, that Co. F earned in WW II.  The state ordered me to send the Guidon to Albany and I refused saying that it must remain with the village.  During one part of the ceremony I called Don to come forward to receive the Guidon, it was fitting he should have this honor for he had been a member of Co. F prior to their activation in 1940, had served with the company throughout the war , remained with Co. C after the war as our only full time employee until his retirement just a few years earlier.

The ceremony brought back many memories to the veterans present but Don McElwee said it best, “It is an end of an era, Thinking back of the people I’ve known and heard about who served here…..well, it’s hard to express it in words right now.”

“They should have played the ‘Battle Hymn of the Republic’, commented another soldier. “It would have been more appropriate….since the battle is over and the men are going away.”