Rye, NY American Legion Post 128

The City of Rye continued its tradition of honoring Rye veterans on Veterans Day, Saturday, November 11, 2023.  Rye American Legion Post 128 conducted the ceremony at Rye City Hall at 10:30 am on a beautiful fall day.

American Legion Post 128 Commander Fred de Barros led the ceremony. He highlighted the American Legion values of the importance of preserving our American traditions and values, improving the quality of life for our nation’s children, caring for veterans and their families, and most importantly, teaching the fundamentals of good citizenship.

Rye City Mayor Josh Cohn, County Executive George Latimer and Assemblyman Steve Otis delivered remarks. Rev. Deacon Katie Lawrence of Christ’s Church conducted the Invocation. Robin Latimer sang beautifully.  The Rye Sons of American Legion were the Honor Guard, and the Rye Boys Scouts were recognized. The students at Midland Elementary School presented cards to Commander de Barros to distribute to local veterans.

In a separate ceremony on November 9, students at Milton School had breakfast for veterans. Six veterans attend that special event.

To personalize the Rye veterans’ experience, courtesy of http://www.ryevets.org, Legionnaire Terry McCartney read the intertwined story of two Rye veterans, Charles Moxhay and Elliott Eakin who flew a B-17 together as members of the US Army Air Corps 8^th Air Force in WWII.

Here are some photos from Veterans Day 2023.

The following is the story of Charles Moxhay and Elliot Eakin read at the ceremony.

The Uncommon Story of Eakin and Moxhay

This is the uncommon story of two graduates of the Rye High School Class of 1935.  They knew each other in peace, they knew each other in war, and they both returned to Rye as veterans and involved citizens after WWII.  The lives of Charles Moxhay and Elliott Eakin are forever intertwined.

Charles Moxhay

Charlie Moxhay was born on September 22, 1917.   His family lived at 591 Milton Road and were members of Christ’s Church.  Charlie was a Rye High School Graduate, Class of 1935.

He served as an officer in the U.S. Army Air Corps during WWII.  Charlie was a bombardier on a B-17 in Europe during the war.  He and his crew flew 30 combat missions over Germany.  He served with the 452nd Bomb Group, 730th Bomb Squadron of U.S. 8th Air Force.  The squadron was first activated in June 1943 at Geiger Field, Washington. 

While waiting in Washington to be assigned a station, Charlie ran into a fellow Rye High School graduate and friend, Elliot Eakin. The two were eventually stationed in Britain together and Elliot was the pilot of the plane.

Elliott Eakin

Elliot Eakin was born to Constant M. and Margaret Elliot Eakin on February 2, 1918.  The family lived in Manhattan for his early life and his father worked there at an electronics company.  However, when the Great Depression hit in 1929, Elliot was sent to live with his maternal uncle in Rye.  He lived with his uncle and aunt, Chetwood and Julia Eakin, and their children Harry, John, and Julia at 2 Stuyvesant Avenue.

Elliot attended Milton School and graduated from Rye High School in 1935.  In high school he was active in athletics and took a special interest in local civics.  Elliot was a member of the National Honor Society, the stagecoach staff and was Class Secretary.

In February 1942 Elliot was commissioned a second lieutenant in the US Army Corps and earned his pilot wings in June 1943.

Wartime

Charlie and Elliot flew on 30 combat missions together.  Charlie said, “I can remember at least five times when Eakin saved my life” and called him a “superlative” pilot.  Eakin himself praised their crew for its individual expertise that worked together easily, “we developed a smooth working team that brought us through many a rough spot.”

Their plane, dubbed the “Inside Curve” after the pitch in baseball known to be hardest to hit, was a B-17 Flying Fortress.  It flew in raids over Germany without a dedicated escort of fighter pilots.

After completing their 30 missions, 1st Lieutenants Moxhay and Eakin were both awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal for their incredible heroism. The Inside Curve continued service with a new crew.  On its 113th mission, it was shot down over Bremen, Germany on December 10, 1944. There were no survivors.

Charley and Elliott flew as members of the US Army Air Corps 8^th Air Force.  Eighth Air Force airmen suffered the most casualties of any command in World War II – 26,000 were killed in action; another 28,000 became prisoners of war. Their valor was unparalleled. As the teenagers and young men of the Eighth battled the enemy at 25,000 feet, such bravery earned them 17 Medals of Honor, 220 Distinguished Flying Crosses, and more than 420,000 Air Medals

After the War

Charlie Moxhay had lived in Rye from the time he was 4 until he and his wife moved to Leesburg, FL in 1994.   ”He knew all about Rye. He was kind of a historian of the city,’ his wife said. Charlie wrote two books, “Rye on the Water” and “100 Years of Health Care in Rye”.  He was also president of the Rye Historical Society in the 1980s.  Charlie was a member of the Lions Club, the Masonic Lodge and the American Legion. He was also a Boy Scout leader there in the 1950s and ’60s and was awarded the Silver Beaver Award by the Boy Scouts in the 1960s.   He was also President of the Rye YMCA in the 1970s and sat on the national board of the YMCA. He and his wife traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the opening of the Jerusalem YMCA.

Elliott Eakin welcomed a son, Brian, in 1944 and a daughter, Melissa, in 1961. They raised their family in Rye at 111 Hix Avenue.  Elliot was a member and later Chairman of the Rye Democratic Committee.  He worked on the school board and held a passion for the community.  The family were members of The Coveleigh Club.

One final thought.

Charlie Moxhay returned to Rye in October 1944 and spoke to the Lions Club.   Here are his words to reflect on:

“Fellows who have seen their buddies die before their eyes are never the same again,” Lieutenant Moxhay said.  “They act the same, look the same, but there is something different about them. I wish that something could be done to make civilians at home and returning soldiers who have been in combat understand each other.”

Read more at http://www.ryevets.org.

Veterans Day video: https://ryeny.new.swagit.com/videos/280931

Rye Record coverage: https://ryerecord.com/in-praise-of-veterans/