Monday, April 11, 2011

Recognize a Local Veteran

The QUSL Veteran's Advocacy Group is taking up an initiative to recognize and thank a local veteran.


They would like to extend this opportunity to you to write a letter for a WWII Veteran who is participating in the Honor Flight Program. The Veteran is the father of QUSL's Joan Emmet, a current 2L. His flight is taking place on May 14th, 2011. In light of this, should you wish to write, you should submit your letter by April 25, 2011 at 3pm. You can email a version or provide a hard copy to Brian Gregorio [Brian.Gregorio@quinnipiac.edu], or drop a hard copy off with Diane Bryant in Student Services. this will ensure all letters from QUSL will be mailed together. 
  • Veteran's Name:     Nicholas M. Michaels
  • Rank:                      Lieutenant Senior Grade, Retired 


Below is the Email from Joan Emmet encouraging participation!

Brian and Ian,

Not sure if this is out of line, but I thought contacting your group might be worth a try.  My 91 year old dad, a purple heart and bronze star naval veteran from WWII has been selected to participate in a one day trip to Washington, D.C. to be honored in a ceremony there on the 14th of May.  The Volusia Honor Air group is sponsoring and coordinating the event.  They'll be leaving from Daytona Beach Airport early on the 14th, fly up to D.C. and fly home all on the same day (hope it doesn't kill any of these aged vets).  On the way home, on the plane, they are organizing a "mail call" and will distribute mail to the participating members.  It is this mail call that they are requesting that friends, family, and anyone who is willing to write to my dad to thank him for his service to our country, which is why I thought of you all and hoped that if anyone in your group felt so inclined, that they might write a letter to my dad for his mail call.

My dad never really talked about his war experience as I was growing up and only recently has he shared some of his stories.  He was wounded after landing in the Marianas Islands but stayed in command of his troops until he could be safely relieved and evacuated.  Somehow, he wound up in a hospital in San Francisco where my mother was stationed as a navy nurse.  My dad, who has a great sense of humor asked the nurses who were attending to him if there were any nice Russian girls that they knew and they introduced him to my mother.  They were married a month shy of 60 years when my mom died in 2005.  I'm amazed that he has lived this long without her, but it is great testament to his spirit that he is still kicking around, though in somewhat failing health, his mind is sharp and he manages his finances online every day.

Dad was really my inspiration to become a lawyer.  Just after law school, he joined the navy and once he was out, he went into practice.  He is such a smart and honorable man!

If you would like to perhaps pass the attached letter around to your members and if anyone had any time to write a short note to him, letting him know you are a classmate of mine, I'm sure he'd be most appreciative and get real pleasure out of your thoughtfulness.  The attached has all of the information about where to send your letter.  Anyway, there is no obligation, just a thought...

Many thanks for your consideration,

Joan Emmet
JD Candidate, 2013
Quinnipiac University School of Law




If you have any questions, please contact Brian Gregorio [brian.gregorio@quinnipiac.edu].