ALBERT PIKE
LODGE OF PERFECTION
By: Ill. Marlin L. Mills, 33° - Venerable Master
As I sit down to write my last message as Venerable Master of the Albert Pike Lodge of Perfection, I cannot help but think of all of those who helped make this past year the huge success it has been. I could not even begin to name names because there is not time nor space to list all of you who have in some way made this a year I will never forget.
I would like to thank those people from the Lodge officers to the degree teams, stage crew, property, robbing, lights, sound, prompters, photographer, kitchen, office, building, parking and I’m sure that is not all. But you can see how many people it takes to make a successful year. And there would not be lodge without the officers and members attending. There would not have been a degree without the degree teams and all those who work behind the scenes. We would not have had those wonderful breakfasts, lunches and dinners before our meetings if it were not for those who volunteer in the kitchen. The Feast of Tishri, ring ceremony and honors day, Installation, bull roast, and family day picnic were all done by a great team! There is no “I” in team and “I” would not have enjoyed our year nearly as much had it not been for each of you. Together “we” are the Scottish Rite and there is also no “I” in we.
As we prepare for the coming Holiday Season may I wish you all the blessings our Supreme Architect may bestow upon you and your family. |
SCOTTISH RITE FUTURE
Ill. John R. Biggs, Jr., 33°
Most Worshipful Grand Master
of Masons in Maryland
Brethren,
 Isn’t it amazing how quickly time seems to pass; another wonderful time of the year is behind us; and I hope that each of you enjoyed a wonderful Holiday Season with your family.
It is a most rewarding time of the year for Masons, as we head into January. Lodges will be installing new leadership, and those new leaders will be planning new events and activities for their Lodges. So it is with our Scottish Rite Bodies, who, on January 31st, will gather together to see and support our new leadership as they take the helm and begin to execute their plans for another productive year in the Orient of Maryland.
On a different subject, part of the charge we give to Worshipful Masters as they are being installed is: “You agree to avoid private piques and quarrels." This is certainly something we should all strive to do in our lives. We all need to come together and support our Sovereign Grand Inspector General, Bro. Hans Wilhelmsen, and the Board of Directors as they strive to carry our Scottish Rite into the future. Making a decision to do something or not do something is never an easy task. There will always be some that disagree regardless of the outcome. But one thing I am very sure of is that I have the utmost faith in our S.G.I.G. – he is a man I have a great deal of respect for, and truly has Masonic principles and ideals ingrained into his character.
Brethren, I have enjoyed the two years I spent as your Deputy Grand Master, and I look forward to being with you and serving you for the balance of my term as Grand Master. If there is anything I can do to help you, please let me know.
Fraternally,
John R. Biggs, Jr., 33°
Grand Master
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ENDOWED SCOTTISH RITE LIFE MEMBERSHIP
Ill. E. Ray Leppo, Jr., 33°
Personal Representative
Valley of Baltimore
 Have you thought about the advantage of a Scottish Rite Life Membership?
Endowed Life Membership is available to any member in good standing in a Lodge of Perfection, whose dues are paid up to date, and thereby will be relieved from further payment of dues. The purchase price is $600.00 and the Lodge of Perfection of which he is a member shall continue to secure income from such funds even after the demise of the member. The fee for those over the age of 75 is $300.00. For more information, please contact the Scottish Rite Office at 410-243-3200.
Fraternally,
E. Ray Leppo, Jr., 33°
Personal Representative
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WORLD WAR II - LEST WE FORGET
Ill. Bennie G. Owens, 33°
Personal Representative
Orient of Maryland
 During World War II, it was my lot to serve aboard the U.S.S. Block Island. The Block Island was an Escort Carrier (sometimes called a Jeep or Small Carrier). I served on both ships bearing this name. USS Block Island, CVE 21 was sunk in the Atlantic on May 29, 1944. USS Block Island CVE 106 was commissioned in Tacoma, Washington, December 30, 1944, and left Pearl Harbor April 17, 1945, to join the Fleet and participate in several battles, such as Okinawa and Borneo. The story I wish to relate is not the battles that we were involved with, but something that happened just after the signing of the treaty on the USS Missouri on September 2, 1945. We were steaming toward Korea to provide air cover for some operations when we were ordered to change course and head for Formosa. We were in company with the USS Santee, CVE 29 and the Destroyer Escorts USS Gary and USS Kretchmer. The Air Group on the Block Island were Marine Fliers. Col. Cooley was chosen to receive the surrender of the Prisoner of War camp on the Island and decided to take a small company of Marines (all plane handlers who had not seen a gun since boot camp). The Marines were transferred to the Destroyer Escorts (DE’s) to go in to the dock at Kirun, Formosa.
In the meantime one of the Planes from the Block Island had Landed at the Air Strip to confer with the intelligence people and to assess the needs of the POW’s on the Island. It was decided that Medical Care was the first priority. Dr. Bernard Barrett, Lt. MC, USN, who was attached to Marine Fighter Squadron 5ll and two Pharmacist Mates from the Block Island and two from the Santee were immediately flown to the Airstrip. I was one of the Pharmacist Mates. You can imagine me lying in the belly of a TBF as it was catapulted from the Carrier, one of the lasting thrills of my life. The Japanese met us at the Airstrip in what looked like a 1936 DeSoto and transported us to the POW camp. They were very cordial at this time. The POW’s had taken control of the camp and there were no Japanese weapons visible. There were about 1,200 POW’s in the camp and a great number of them were in need of medical treatment. I have never worked so hard in my life as we did to prepare these men for transport to the DE’s and then to the Carriers and then to hospitals in Manila. We had less than 24 hours to prepare them for transport. The condition of the POW’s remains in mind to this day almost 60 years later. If anyone has any doubt as to the treatment that POW’s at the hands of the Japanese, I can tell you that it was horrible. We had medical supplies and food and worked very hard to get these men ready for their trip home. We were interrupted sometime in the morning and were able to observe this small group of Marines with full gear and rifles marching into the camp. You can not believe the feeling that we hospital corpsmen had as we watched the Marines march into that camp. We were extremely proud to be Americans.
On Tuesday, September 11, 1945, the POW’s were landed and transported to hospitals in Manila. It made us feel great that after all these years of WAR, we could be a part of an operation that would allow some of these Allied Prisoners of War to start their journey home. British, American, Dutch, and others were among those we rescued. From the Bataan Death March through the Malayan jungles they had been taken captive. They worked for months and years in the copper mines of Northern Formosa. We did thank God for this important opportunity.
The war was over. Now wouldn’t it be great if men could to learn to live together by the tenants of our institution? However, history has already shown us that we still have despots that will require military intervention. Let us all remember the sacrifice that so many have made and honor those who spent time in POW camps in any war and assure them that their sacrifice was not in vain.
Respectfully submitted,
Bennie G. Owens,
former PHM1C, USN
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