ANCIENT ORDER OF HIBERNIANS - DIVISION 51

Support Our Veterans

• Friday, November 4th - Three (3) Shopping Carts full of food and $495.00 collected.
• Saturday, November 5th - Nine (9) Shopping Carts full of food and $780.00 collected.
• Sunday, November 6th - Nine (9) Shopping Carts full of food and $580.00 collected.
  
  Grand Total - 21 Shopping Carts full of food and $1,855 collected. All of the proceeds will be presented to the Philadelphia Veterans Multi-Service and Education Center's Perimeter Program for Homeless Veterans, before Veterans Day this week.
  
  Thanks to all of the Ladies of LAOH Division 51 who worked the collection point Friday Night, and to the Men of AOH Division 51 who manned the collection point Saturday and Sunday. Our 2011 total (Spring and Fall) is Forty (40) Shopping Carts full of food and $4,287.00 collected. In the last eight years we have collected a total of 120 Shopping Carts of food, and $12,537.00 for the Center.
  
  Special thanks to Frank McHale, Bob Kee and Elaine McHale for co-chairing this annual event for the Division; it is the oldest and largest Charity event we do. And special thanks once again to the management and staff of the Port Richmond Village Thriftway Market for their continued support of this project and of our veterans.
  

On Saturday, October 2nd 2004, the Philadelphia Irish - American community gathered to honor an Irish born Medal of Honor recipient; who for over 90 years rested in an unmarked grave in a Philadelphia cemetery.

Corporal Thomas F. Prendergast was born in Waterford, Ireland in 1871. He immigrated to the United States (Massachusetts) and joined the United States Marine Corps. While serving in the Philippine Insurrection Campaign (1899 - 1902) his actions earned him the Congressional Medal of Honor, our Nation’s highest award for valor.

Corporal Prendergast died in a Philadelphia Hospital in 1913 and was buried in a borrowed grave in Greenwood Cemetery in the Frankford section of Philadelphia.

Medal of Honor Citation:

CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR

PRENDERGAST, THOMAS FRANCIS

Rank and Organization: Corporal

U.S. Marine Corps G.O. Navy Department

No. 55, July 19, 1901.

For distinguished conduct in the presence of the enemy in battle while with the Eight Army Corps, 25 27, 29 March, and 4 April 1899 (Philippines Insurrection Campaign). Born April 2, 1871, Waterford, Ireland. Died April 26, 1913, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The dedication ceremony was organized by the Philadelphia Board of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, in cooperation with the Friends of Greenwood Cemetery organization. Over 150 people attended the ceremony, including Honor Guards from the United States Marine Corps., the American Legion, the Cape May County Police & Fire Emerald Society, and A.O.H. / L.A.O.H. Division 51 - Fishtown. The Philadelphia Police Department Honor Guard provided a Firing Team and Bugler, and the Philadelphia Emerald Pipe Band (A.O.H. Division 46) provider pipers.

Brother Leonard Rhoads F.S.C., Deputy Chaplain of Division 51, sprinkled Irish soil on the Corporal’s grave, and blessed the grave with Holy Water from the Shrine of Our Lady of Knock in Ireland. Philadelphia County A.O.H. Marshal Phil Bowdren served as Master of Ceremonies for the dedication.

Following the ceremony, a representative of the Medal of Honor Society asked if the Philadelphia A.O.H. would help them with getting headstones on the graves of five other Medal of Honor recipients that are buried in Philadelphia cemeteries. Division 51 Vice President Jim Kingsmill and Phil Bowdren are assisting the Medal of Honor Society with this project.

DEDICATION OF HEADSTONE OF CPL. THOMAS F. PRENDERGAST, U.S.M.C. - MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT

DEDICATION OF HEADSTONE OF CPL. THOMAS F. PRENDERGAST, U.S.M.C. - MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT

DEDICATION OF HEADSTONE OF CPL. THOMAS F. PRENDERGAST, U.S.M.C. - MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT