B.m.c. Durfee High School Alumni

Fall River, Massachusetts (MA)

Military Alumni

Military High School Alumni

Honoring Our Heroes

This area is dedicated to our alumni that have served or are serving in our armed forces!

Lost Class Rings

Have you lost your B.m.c. Durfee High School class ring? Have you found someone's class ring? Visit our Hilltoppers lost class ring page to search for your class ring or post information about a found ring.

Honored Military Alumni

Alfred Furtado
Alfred Furtado
Class of 1961
Army, 3 Years

SP4 - 6th missile battalion 65th artillery, Key West, Florida. Cuban Missile Crisis.
Alice Lindsay Tatro
Alice Lindsay Tatro
Class of 1977
Air Force, 8 Years

Communications
Andrea Raiter
Andrea Raiter
Class of 1975
Army, 20+ Years

Served in Germany during the Cold War.
Retired at the rank of First Sergeant.
Antonio Borges
Antonio Borges
Class of 1964
National Guard, 20+ Years

Joined 215th Army Band Massachusetts Army National Guard in 1966 transferred to 88th Army Band Rhode Island Army National Guard attained rank of Warrant Officer 1, Bandmaster. In 1976 transferred back to the 215th Army Band. Performed at various military installations on the East Coast, concert tour of the Country of Greece, performed in the Netherlands for the 50th Anniversary of the Liberation of the Netherlands, and retired in 2006. Total service of 37 years.
Bill Hathaway
Bill Hathaway
Class of 1967
Navy, 16 Years

Enlisted in USNR in May, 1969. Went to Hospital Corps School, Great Lakes from July, 1970 through October, 1970. Served at Naval Hospital - guam from November 1970 to June 1972. Was a ward corpsman on the orthopedics ward treating Vietnam casualties, mostly amputees.

Stayed in the reserves serving until 1985. Most of my reserve service was as a field medical service technician with the USMC reserves.

Was an HM1 when my military career ended.
Bill Vieira
Bill Vieira
Class of 1963
Air Force, 5 Years

Communications Specialist. Phillipines, Thailand, California, Vietnam, Florida. In Vietnam (1966-67)served as advisor to ROK Tiger Division In Binh Dinh Province between Qui Nhon and An Khe
Bob Servant
Bob Servant
Class of 1967
Air Force, 20+ Years

Served in the Air Force 33 and one-half years after enlisting in 1969. Received a commission in 1980 from Officer Training School and retired as a full colonel in 2003.
BRIAN CUNHA
BRIAN CUNHA
Class of 1980
Army, 20+ Years

GOD & COUNTRY
Brian D. Furtado
Brian D. Furtado
Class of 1985
Marine Corps, 4 Years

Served 1985-1989
Carol Lynch
Carol Lynch
Class of 1977
Navy Reserves, 20+ Years

Currently serves as the Deputy Judge Advocate General (Reserve Affairs and Operations)/Deputy Commander Naval Legal Service Command. Rank Rear Admiral.
Carolyn (Goncalo) Coe
Carolyn (Goncalo) Coe
Class of 1975
Air Force, 10 Years

Airborne Cryptologic Linguist
Charles Hodgate
Charles Hodgate
Class of 1951
Navy, 4 Years

Took in one of the birds he loved to fly
Cynthia (Silvia) Dunn
Cynthia (Silvia) Dunn
Class of 1981
Air Force, 4 Years

Electronic Cryptographic Equipment Systems Specialist in Zweibrucken Germany
Dane Berry
Dane Berry
Class of 1963
Army Reserves, 20+ Years

Retired LTC. 1967-1994.
Daniel J Freeman
Daniel J Freeman
Class of 1972
Navy, 20+ Years

Navy - Dental Technician, RI Air National Guard- TSGT, NCOIC. Dental Service.
Donald L. Berry
Donald L. Berry
Class of 1965
Army, 20+ Years

Served from 1967 to 1995. Served in Viet Nam as a gunship helicopter pilot. Held jobs as pilot, medical operations officer, audiologist, commander of Alaska Medevac, instructor at the Academy of Health Sciences, and Computer Chief at an intelligence production facility for Defense Intelligence Agency. Retired and now grandfather full time with 11 grandkids.
Donald L. Berry
Donald L. Berry
Class of 1965
Army, 20+ Years

Served from 1967 to 1995. Served in Viet Nam as a gunship helicopter pilot. Held jobs as pilot, medical operations officer, audiologist, commander of Alaska Medevac, instructor at the Academy of Health Sciences, and Computer Chief at an intelligence production facility for Defense Intelligence Agency. Retired and now grandfather full time with 11 grandkids.
Edmund Mello
Edmund Mello
Class of 1956
Marine Corps, 20+ Years

Pvt-Sgt, W1thru CWO4, Lt - Capt
4 yrs as a DI at Parris Island, Vietnam . Great life. Semper Fi
Eduardo F. Cidade, Sr.
Eduardo F. Cidade, Sr.
Class of 1974
Coast Guard, 20+ Years

Joined right out of high school at 17 years of age.
Married in 1978. Two children, both adults, both moved away.
Led a life of adventure that one could cram five lifetimes into.
Retired as a CWO3 out of Cleveland, OH and settled in the hills and farmlands of Western Pennsylvania.
Now an independent technical writing consultant and documentation expert.
Oh yeah, I fulfilled one boyhood fantasy: I'm a firefighter (volunteer)
Emanuel C. Resendes
Emanuel C. Resendes
Class of 1993
Navy, 16 Years

1992 Delayed Entry Program

1993 Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes

1993 TAD, NAB, Little Creek, VA

1993-1995 USS Conolly (DD-979)
Operation Support Democracy, Drug Ops, Red Sea Maritime Intercept Ops, Partnership for Peace

1995-2003 CBMU 202, Groton, CT

2003-2005NMCB 27, Brunswick, ME

2005 NMCB 5, Port Hueneme, CA
Operation Iraqi Freedom III

2005- Present NMCB 27, Brunswick, ME

Rate: EO1 (SCW)

Designator: SCW (Seabee Combat Warfare Specialist)

NEC: 90SP Individual GWOT IA/ILO Special Operations Support Team. Training and experience as a member of a Special Operations Team. GWOT IA/ILO personnel executing orders in support of U.S. Special
Operations, in combat zones around the world, which provide logistic and other types of support of theater operations.

Construimus, Batuimus - We Build, We Fight!
Seabees Can Do since '42.
Ernest Oliveira
Ernest Oliveira
Class of 1960
Air Force, 20+ Years

US Air Force (1964-1970)
Rhode Island Air National Guard (1972-1997)
MA National Security and Strategic Studies, Naval War College, 1983
Retired as Colonel O-6
Aeronautical rating Master Navigator with over 3500 hours military flying time in B-52, T-29, C-119, and C-130 aircraft.
Served three combat tours in Southeast Asia, over 200 combat missions.
Commander, 282 Combat Communications Squadron
Commander, 281 Combat Communications Group
MILITARY AWARDS AND DECORATIONS:
Legion Of Merit
Distinguished Flying Cross
Meritorious Service Medal (Two Oak Leaf Clusters)
Air Medal (Seven Oak Leaf Clusters)
Air Force Achievement Medal (Two Oak Leaf Clusters)
Presidential Unit Citation (Oak Leaf Cluster)
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (Combat "V" For Valor and Three Oak Leaf Clusters)
Combat Crew Medal
National Defense Medal (Two Stars)
Vietnam Service Medal ( Eleven Battle Stars)
Air Force Longevity Ribbon (Six Oak Leaf Clusters)
Air Force Reserve Medal
Air Force Training Medal
Small Arms Expert Ribbon (Bronze Star)
Republic Of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Vietnamese Cross Of Gallantry
Rhode Island Star
Georgia Meritorious Service Medal
Rhode Island National Guard Service Medal.
Francis T. DiNucci
Francis T. DiNucci
Class of 1965
National Guard, 30 Years

Retired as a (06) Colonel. Was in the MA National Guard for six years and left in 1971 with the rank of SGT. Join the CT Army national Guard in 1980 as a 2nd LT. Served both part time and full time in the CT Army national Guard. Retired as a (06) Colonel in 2006 at the age of 60.
frank breault
frank breault
Class of 1984
Army, 7 Years

searved in us army and navy
Frank x Breault
Frank x Breault
Class of 1984
Army, 7 Years

served in army and navy
Gene Botelho
Gene Botelho
Class of 1955
Air Force, 20+ Years

Retired in 1997 as a Master Sergeant with 31 years of service.
Gerald Violette
Gerald Violette
Class of 1955
Air Force, 20+ Years

Enlisted in USNR in Nov 1955 then went on active duty in the AF in Feb 1957. Spent 4 yr and 2 mo as either enlisted or as an Aviation Cadet. After completion of Navigator training I received a Commission in Apr of 1061. Spent the next 28 yrs flying all around the world Have been to all continents and accumulated over 12000 hrs of flying time. Ended my career in 1989 as a Lt Col.
Heather (Canuel) McWilliams
Heather (Canuel) McWilliams
Class of 1992
Air Force, 20 Years

Cryptologic Linguist
James Cottrell
James Cottrell
Class of 1967
Air Force, 8 Years

Communications Specialist, served 3 tours in Viet Nam with AF Special Operations.
James E Downs
James E Downs
Class of 1964
Navy, 5 Years

Began in Nuclear Power Program in 1968. Picked-up by NESEP (Naval Enlisted Scientific Education Program). Assigned to Marquette University. Pre-commissioning physical reveled diabetes and I was separated in 1974 with a disability retirement.

I worked in civilian management jobs until I retired for good in 1999.
Janine Perreault
Janine Perreault
Class of 1973
Marine Corps, 10 Years

Worked primarily clerical duty. One year overseas, in Okinawa Japan. Currently live in NC near MCB Camp Lejeune.
Jim Blackburn
Jim Blackburn
Class of 1963
Navy, 4 Years

Enlisted on March 17, 1964, US Navy, Attended Machinist Mate School; Engineering & Operation School and several others.

Home ported San Diego and Norfolk, VA. Served 2 deployments in Viet Nam on Operation Market Time. One Med Cruise. Great years which influenced my whole life after leaving the service.
Joan I Gray
Joan I Gray
Class of 1950
, 20+ Years

Joan I Gray, Colonel (Retired) USAF Nurse Corps. Class of 1950

Entered the Air Force Nurse Corps in November of 1961. Served at the following bases, Gunter AFB, Alabama, MacDill AFB Tampa Florida during the Cuban crisis. My next assignment was Tachikawa Japan, took care of wounded from Vietnam. Was there when Pueblo was captured.

During this assignment met and took care of a young marine from Fall River who looked me up forty years later, to say thanks. We still kept in touch, his name is Eddie Klek.

Returned from Japan to serve at OTIS AFB, Massachusetts. Reassigned to Saigon, VietNam. Took care of wounded, returning patients to hospitals in the states. Also served on a Medical team to go into the Villages to treat the Vietamese people. We did this on our time off

Upon return to the USA, I started my tour of duty at March AFB, served on a team that notified families of the loss of their loved one who died in the war zone. Took care of POW%u2019s coming back from VietNam.

Follow on assignment was Blytheville AFB in Arkansas, with a follow-on assignment for one year to the Air and Command School at Maxwell AFB, Alabama. I was one of six women among 900 men who attended the course. I participated in many classes to determine the accuracy and success of warheads and fighting forces. I also attended Air War College.

I was then assigned to Barksdale AFB as Assistant Chief Nurse. I was again in charge of all of the twelve outpatient clinics. Then on to Wiesbaden Germany to supervise all sixteen Outpatient Clinics. Was in charge of transporting the hostages who were held in Iran to the hospital, for further Aeromedical evacuation to the USA.

My last assignment was Wright Patterson AFB in Dayton Ohio. Assistant Chief Nurse, responsible again for all fifteen outpatient clinic. Served a total of 24 years.

Was awarded thee Meritorious Service Medals, AF Commendation Medal, Vietnam Service Medals, and several more for outstanding performance.. Was also awarded the highest Civilian Outstanding awarded for performance and supervision to all personnel at Wiesbaden Hospital in Germany .

Retired at the rank of full Colonel. Retired at Wright Patterson AFB, then moved to Wichita Falls, Texas. I am now very active with my church First United Methodist, VietNam Veteran group, Society of AF Nurses, the North Texas Genealogical Society, and the Sheppard Air Force/WF Breast Cancer Support group as a survivor.
John C. Mello
John C. Mello
Class of 1965
Navy, 4 Years

Enlisted in February 1966 till September 1969. Was a sonarman (PO3) aboard the USS Willis A. Lee (DL-4) stationed in Newport, RI. Went on 3 Mediterranean and 1 Red Sea cruises.
Shellback.
John Deschenes
John Deschenes
Class of 2000
Army, 4 Years

I enlisted in January of 2001 as an M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank Crewman and completed basic at Ft. Knox KY. I was then stationed at Ft. Hood TX where I deployed to Iraq in 2003 as part of the initial push. I came back from Iraq in 2004 and soon after was sent to Ft. Drum NY to train national guard units on the computer systems and tactics used in Iraq. I completed my tour of duty in 2005. While in Iraq my unit lost 2 great men.
John Deschenes
John Deschenes
Class of 2000
Army, 4 Years

Severed as an M1 abrams Crewman and seved in Iraq at the begining of the campain
John J carvalho Jr
John J carvalho Jr
Class of 1968
Army, 3 Years

enlisted in the Army January 27 1969 served in Vietnam July 13 1969 through July 12 1970 I was with a combat engineer unitwhile on a convoy August 1969 my unit was ambushed 2 people fatality injured and numerous injurieslived in a tent most of my tour in Vietnam I guess that's why today I'm not really fond of camping lol
John T Tunney
John T Tunney
Class of 1963
Air Force, 4 Years

Proud to have served. Honorably Discharged. 1100th Support Group Headquarters Command Washington DC.
John Tunney
John Tunney
Class of 1963
Air Force, 4 Years

1963 through 1967. Proud to have served in the United States Air Force
John William Gardella
John William Gardella
Class of 1965
Army, 4 Years

Served in Vietnam.
Joseph A Marshall
Joseph A Marshall
Class of 1965
Air Force, 4 Years

USAFSS. Served with the 6994th Security Squadron flying out of NHA Trang Vietnam in 1968 as a member of the flight crew on a EC-47.

Classmates Spotlight

B.m.c. Durfee High School Classmates

Jeffrey Furtado
Class of '95

Alumni Stories

High School Alumni Stores

Read and submit stories about our classmates from B.m.c. Durfee High School, post achievements and news about our alumni, and post photos of our fellow Hilltoppers.

School News

Next Class Reunion - 1953

Greetings....I am one that plans well in advance. Does anyone from the 1953 Reunion Committee know when our next Class ...
Read More »

Our B.m.c. Durfee High School military alumni are some of the most outstanding people we know and this page recognizes them and everything they have done! Not everyone gets to come home for the holidays and we want our B.m.c. Durfee High School Military to know that they are loved and appreciated. All of us in Fall River are proud of our military alumni and want to thank them for risking their lives to protect our country!