Chapter 1

Provost Marshal’s Office, United States Army Waterville Arsenal Waterville, New York Monday January 6th, 1930, hours.

Provost Marshal’s Office Staff Sargent Malissa Johnson speaking, this is an unsecured line, How may I help you?

This is NY State Trooper Corporal Robert Desmond and I request to speak with the duty officer on official business please.

Yes, Corporal Desmond, The Duty Officer is 1st Lieutenant Tressa Sommers. I will transfer your call to her, one moment please.

Lieutenant Sommers, a NY State Trooper Corporal Robert Desmond is on line one and requests to speak to you on official business. Yes, Mam line one.

1st Lieutenant Sommers

This is Lieutenant Sommers speaking on an unsecured line, how may I help you?

NY State Trooper Corporal Robert Desmond

Mam, I have disturbing news to convey to Colonel Robert Hayowentha Pierce Senior USA. I am the senior investigating officer at a fatal crash in Troy this evening. I have to notify him that all members of his family traveling in a White Sixteen passenger van registered to a Major Robert Hayowentha Pierce Junior USA with West Point Military Academy Faculty Sticker were fatalities. I request an escort to the Colonel’s residence and a Chaplin to accompany us. I will be arriving at the Main Gate in about 15 minutes. I will give you and the Chaplin all the information I have at that time.

1st Lieutenant Sommers

Corporal Desmond, I will meet you at the Main Gate in 15 minutes.

Sargent Major I am sorry to call you but, a NY State Trooper Corporal Robert Desmond is due at the Main Gate in 15 Minutes to convey to Colonel Pierce that members of his family are fatalities involving a crash in Troy this evening. I have pulled the Casualty Notification Manual, and it requires me to contact the Commanding Officer immediately. With the XO on leave I am calling for assistance. How should I manage this situation?

Command Sargent Major Vernon Albert Lewis Residence

Lieutenant Sommers you will not call the Colonel. Contact the duty Chaplin and give him the information you have, inform him I instructed you not to call the Colonel, Then request he meet me at the Provost Marshal’s Office in 15 minutes. I will take care of notifying all that needs notification. Call public affairs and inform them of the situation. A press release will be issued when we have more information. No Official interviews or comments at this time.

Mary, I will need you to accompany me to the Colonel’s Residence. A State Trooper is going to inform him of a fatal accident involving all of his family members. I will not know who is involved until I speak with the state Trooper in 10 minutes.

Provost Marshal’s Office 1945 hours Lieutenant Sommers Duty Officer

Trooper Corporal Robert Desmond this is Command Sargent Major Vernon Lewis and Captain Gerald Martin the Arsenal Chaplin. Will you be requiring my attendance SgtMaj?

Command Sargent Major Vernon Lewis

Yes, Lt Sommers, you will accompany us to the Colonel’s Quarters. Corporal Desmond what information do you have.

NY State Trooper Corporal Robert Desmond

About 1845 this evening the vehicle carrying Major Robert Hayowentha Pierce Junior USA, his wife Martha, Captain Danial Mark Pierce USA his, wife Janett, and Captain Samuel James Pierce USAF, his wife Palapala were traveling East on Hoosick Street when it was rammed by a delivery company truck that ran the 10th Street stop light and shoved their vehicle on its side and in the path of a rival delivery company that was heading West and was involved in a delivery race with them. The resulting second crash pealed the roof of the Pierces vehicle resulting in severe fatal head trauma to all six passengers.

The delivery drivers and accompanying supervisors all failed field sobriety tests, all Four will have BAL blood tests at the hospital.

How do we proceed from here?

Command Sargent Major Vernon Lewis

We will escort you to Colonel Pierce’s Quarters and let you inform him. I will let you know that he is a widower, and he has his Five grandchildren with him the oldest Four are Eleven-year-old girls and the youngest is a Five-year-old boy. Now the Colonel will have to tell them that their parents will not be coming home to kiss them goodnight. I pray I never have to do that to my grandchildren.