On Veterans Day and Remembrance Day, the Fraternity recognizes one of its own, Brother J. David Bailey, West Virginia ’43. He is the oldest known veteran of the Battle of the Bulge during WWII; in January 2022, Brother Bailey turned 100 years old!
A member of the 106th infantry, his regiment was captured by German forces in December 1944 while en route to relieve troops on the front. In the right place at the right time, he was eventually able to escape. He has been recognized with the French Legion of Honour (France’s highest order of merit), Combat Infantry Badge, two Bronze Stars and four Service Ribbons.
On September 7, 2022, Brother Bailey was recognized in the U.S. Senate by West Virginia’s Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, Kappa Kappa Gamma, daughter of Oxford Cup recipient Arch Moore, West Virginia ’51. Brother Moore, a West Virginian congressman and governor himself, befriended Brother Bailey back in the day.
Brother Bailey was a guest of President Barack Obama at the White House on Veterans Day in 2011.
Brother Bailey and other Battle of the Bulge veterans placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on January 25, 2022, commemorating the anniversary of the end of the battle.
