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Veteran of the Month James Madden

James Madden was born in 1932 and attended St. Boniface grade school and Mastbaum High School.

He enlisted in the Navy when he was 17 in September of 1950.  After basic training he was assigned to the attack amphibious transport USS Menifee APA-202, based in Long Beach, CA.    From April 1951 to March 1952, the Menifee ferried troops between Japan and Korea and within Korean waters for the distribution of United Nations forces. During that time Jim visited Japan, Hong Kong and Hawaii.

USS Menifee

He was honorably discharged in November of 1953 and went to work, first at the Stetson Hat factory and then for Progress Lighting.

He married Dolores and together they have 5 sons and 1 daughter with 15 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren. They have lived on Paul Street in Frankford since about 1957.

He retired in 2003 and has enjoyed his retirement while keeping active with family and church activities at St. Joachim.

Jim Madden, We thank you for your service.

 

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7th Annual North Catholic VS Frankford Football Game

The 7th Annual North Catholic VS Frankford football game will be held on Thanksgiving day! Please contact us if you are interested in attending the game. We will be posting the shirt design once shirts are ordered!

Prices are:
$15.00 for a shirt.
$5.00 to attend the game.
$20.00 for admission,shirt,hot dogs, water and soda!

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE message us with sizes and the team of your choice if you are going so we can order sizes needed!
Please share this post to spread the word! Please contact JASON C. HULL on Facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1872589556308413/

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Veteran of the Month – Leonard B. Brantley

Leonard B. Brantley was born on February 12th, 1948 in the Northeast section of Philadelphia. Lenny, as he was known, attended Hamilton Disston Elementary School and went to Lincoln High School and also Philadelphia Community College. Lenny was baptized at an early age at Star of Hope Baptist Church in Tacony.

Leonard B. Brantley

Lenny joined the U.S. Navy in 1966 and was shipped to Great Lakes, Illinois for his basic training. Upon completion of his basic training, he was assigned to various ships and traveled to many Naval bases around the world. During the Vietnam war, he was assigned to an anti-aircraft ship in the Asian seas.

Lenny received various medals and certificates  and was promoted to the rank of P. O. (Petty Officer) 3rd class. Lenny served for 3 years and was honorably discharged for medical reasons.  Lenny was employed at various jobs such as Acme Metal, ATT Metal Company and then went to work for the U.S. Postal Service.

He loved to travel New York and Vegas.   He loved the nightlife and nightclub scene. He was the life of every party or family gathering. Lenny was a sharp dresser and loved the Arts, haircutting and hair styling. He was very much loved by his family and friends and he will be greatly missed.

Rest in peace Lenny and thank you for your service.

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The Killing Streets

There have been 11 homicides in Frankford so far, this year.

Below are listed the names of the people who were victims of homicide and the circumstances of the crime that took their lives.  They were people with futures and possibilities that were lost the instant they died.  They left wives, parents, children and friends behind.  They should not be anonymous nor forgotten and we should not accept these deaths as normal.

Eric Robinson, 35, (no picture available) was talking to a woman on the sidewalk outside of a business about 8:30 PM on the 4500 block of Melrose Street on Thursday, January 12th.  A man, who had been waiting inside the business then exited and fired 7 shots, killing him. No arrest has been made in this case.

Emanuel Ervin, 21-year-old father of a 4 year old son, was shot in the head, neck and chest on Tuesday, January 31st at about 9 PM at 4825 Tackawanna Street.  He was taken to Einstein Hospital where he later died.  No arrest has been made in this case.

Emanuel Ervin – photo from the Philadelphia Obituary Project

Harold Aiken, 23, was shot in the head and hand on Tuesday, April 4th, on the 2000 block of Bridge Street at about 9:15 PM.  He was rushed to Aria Hospital Torresdale where he died the next day. No arrest has been made in this case.

Harold Aiken- photo from the Philadelphia Obituary Project

Kenyon Childs, 27 years old, died of injuries when he was shot multiple times in the head and torso at about 11:20 AM on the 1300 block of Bridge Street near Oakland on June 19th at about 7:20 AM.  He lived on the 5300 block of Castor Avenue.  No arrest has been made in this case.

Kenyon Childs- photo from the Philadelphia Obituary Project

Kristian Scott, (no picture available) 24 year old father of a 3 year old son, was walking along Torresdale Avenue near Scattergood Street on Wednesday, June 21st at about 9:30 PM when someone came up to him and fired 3 shots with 2 of them hitting him in the chest.  Officers took him to Aria Health-Torresdale where he died the next morning.  No arrest has been made in this case.

Robert DePaul, 45, and August Dempsey, 42, were a couple who were shot by their next-door neighbor on July 15th at about 10 PM on the 4700 block of James Street.  Kenneth D. Hoyle has been arrested and charged.

August Dempsey and Robert DePaul from Facebook

Michelle Saint-Aude, 25, (no picture available) was shot several times by a former boyfriend on July 18th at about 1:10 PM on the 1200 block of Sanger Street.  She was transported to Einstein Hospital where she was pronounced dead.  The shooter was identified by police and after a 7 hour standoff, took his own life.

Jose Reyes, 37, (no picture available) was on the 1600 block of Margaret Street on July 16th at about 9:25 PM when he was shot and killed in an apparent robbery.  No arrest has been made in this case.

Jamie Ricks, 54 year old father of two, was shot and killed in an apparent attempted robbery on Friday, September 1st at 1:15 AM on his way home from work.  No arrest has been made in this case.

Jamie Ricks and son Riley at St. Joachim Church in 2013

Michael Jones, 25, (no picture available) was shot and killed on the 1500 block of Dyre Street right at the 7-Eleven on Frankford Avenue.  Kevin Robinson, age 20,  was arrested by Officer Hugo Lemos for this crime on October 4th.  He is being held at the Curran-Fromhold Corrections Facility.  He had previously been arrested on the 5200 block of Frankford Avenue on May 26th for a narcotics violation and on August 17 of 2016 for Robbery on the 4700 block of Griscom Street.

 You can see that no arrest has been made in most of these cases.  If you have information about any of these crimes, you can make an anonymous tip. Call 215.686.TIPS (8477) or email tips@phillypolice.com. Include as many details as you can.

Information for this story came from news reports, the Philadelphia Police Department and the Philadelphia Obituary Project.