RYEVETS
DIGITAL
MUSEUM
Geo. Mergenthaler Memory by Susan B. Miles
Why RyeVets Matters
History of Rye - Part 1
History of Rye - Part 2
History of Rye - Part 3
WWII - A Chronicle of Sacrifice - Part 1
WWII - A Chronicle of Sacrifice - Part 2
Thomas M. Black, USMC. Memory by Barbara Black McConville
Philip A. Oldham Articles
WELCOME TO RYEVETS.ORG
For more than fifteen years, RyeVets has been dedicated to preserving the stories of the men and women of Rye, New York, who answered their country's call.
Today, the archive contains more than 2,100 biographies spanning multiple wars and generations of service. Among them are recipients of the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, and many other decorations. Some made the ultimate sacrifice. Others returned home to become teachers, police officers, firefighters, business owners, community leaders, and parents who helped shape the Rye we know today.
RyeVets was never intended to tell the story of only the most famous veterans. Its purpose is to preserve the story of an entire community and ensure that those who served are remembered not simply as names engraved on a monument, but as people whose lives had meaning before, during, and after their service.
As time passes and living memories fade, preserving these stories becomes ever more important. Through photographs, newspapers, military records, and family histories, RyeVets seeks to ensure that future generations will always know the men and women who helped define this community.
They served their country.
They returned home and built a community.
They were Rye.
THEY GAVE THEIR TOMORROWS FOR OUR TODAY
The memorials that stand before Rye City Hall bear the names of the men who never returned home. Their sacrifice became part of the foundation upon which our community was built.
The Faces of a Generation
Watch the men and women of Rye come to life through restored historical photographs from the Second World War.
Where They Lived
Explore the neighborhoods, streets, and homes that shaped the lives of Rye's veterans. Gold Stars indicate those who died in service to their country.
Samler, John F.
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John F. Samler was born on April 30, 1921 in New Jersey. His father Lafayette was born in Pennsylvania and his mother Mary was born in New Jersey. John was the middle child of three, he had an older brother Robert and a little sister Mary. His father was employed as a chauffeur and their family lived at 52 Grapal Street. John attended Rye High School and graduated in 1939. He enlisted and served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II.
Veteran Code: KIA-52
Date of Birth:4/30/1921
Died On:3/8/1945
Street Address:52 Grapal St.
Service Number:804319
Branch of Service: U.S. Marine Corps – 1st Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Division
Black, Thomas M.
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Biography: Thomas M. Black was born November 11, 1925 in Davenport, Iowa. He was the middle child of nine and the third of six boys. The family relocated to Rye in 1928. He was a communicant of the Church of the Resurrection and had graduated from Resurrection School and Rye High School class of 1943. The family lived at 369 Midland Ave. He enlisted in U.S. Marine Corps during World War II. See Expanded Biography Below
Veteran Code: KIA-50
Date of Birth:1925
Died On:3/3/1945
Street Address:369 Midland Ave
Service Number:925334
Branch of Service: U.S. Marine Corps – 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division
Davidson, Robert H.
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Robert H. Davidson was born in Massachusetts in 1919. In Rye his family lived at 5 Oakwood Ave and were members of the Presbyterian Church. Robert was a Rye High School Graduate, Class of 1936. He served as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II.
Veteran Code: USMC-15
Date of Birth:1/15/1919
Died On:10/10/1982
Street Address:5 Oakwood Ave
Service Number:0-7430
Branch of Service: U.S. Marine Corps – Second Battalion, Twenty-Third Marines, Fourth Marine Division
Larkin, James L.
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James Larkin was born in New York in 1922. He lived at 262 Purchase St, with his parents, James P. and Minnie, and sister, Margaret. His father was a private chauffer and his sister a legal secretary. His mother was from Northern Ireland and his father from New York. They were members of the Church of the Resurrection. James was a Rye High School Graduate, Class of 1941. He enlisted in 1942 and served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II.
Veteran Code: KIA-49
Date of Birth:4/5/1922
Died On:3/4/1945
Street Address:262 Purchase Street
Service Number:372265
Branch of Service: U.S. Marine Corps – HQ Company, 3rd Battalion, 26th Marines, 5th Marine Divsion
