CPT Brian Faunce Memorial Fund

Today I had the great honor to represent American Gold Star Mothers at the dedication of a WWII Memorial in Atlantic City honoring Bernie Friedenberg. SSgt Friedenberg tried to enlist when Pearl Harbor was bombed and was rejected by Marines, Navy and Army due to poor vision. Undeterred he managed to enlist in the Army as a Medic and was told he would have “limited” duties. Bernie served in Operation Torch in Algeria (1942), ‘Fighting First’ in Sicily (1943), Omaha Beach, D-Day (1944), through the hedgerows in France and the Battle of the Bulge (12/1944). He has been awarded 2 Silver Stars, 2 Bronze Star with Valor and 2 Purple Hearts. So much for being “limited”! Amazing!!!
I get very emotional thinking about the young men who perished on D-Day and all the heart broken Gold Star Families. What a different world we would have today without the heroes who fought so courageously to stop the N***s.
Bernie wrote his memoirs and I need to get his book. God Bless our WWII Vets! My dad served on North Africa.

Yesterday I had the honor of giving a Memorial Day Reflection at the Chapel of Four Chaplains. The event was a Mass organized by the Ancient Order of Hibernians. It was truly an honor for me. I was also presented with a folded flag ‘from a Grateful Nation and the Chapel of Four Chaplains’. Being a Gold Star mom I have met some of the most amazing people and have had some amazing experiences.

Today I looked at my phone and saw that the ANC (Arlington) App had opened, on its own. Then I saw that it was 11:11. Now, Brian’s birthday is 11/11 so whenever I see 11:11 I think he is with me. I wonder if he was trying to communicate with me. Maybe just stopping by for Mother’s Day. I am so grateful to have been his mom for 28 years, almost 29. He was a joy. Well, most of the time! Some of my favorite pictures of my favorite son.

Anthony Suhocki, the 2024 CPT Brian Faunce Memorial Award recipient with the Faunce Family. Congrats to Anthony and thanks to all the PSU AROTC Cadre & Cadets for your support.
And the support of all our Award recipients.

Last night we celebrated the 21st presentation of the CPT Brian Faunce Memorial Award. This year’s recipient is Cadet Anthony Suhocki. Many thanks to all who have supported our Fund over these past 21 years. I hope Brian would be honored and proud.

My American Legion last night hosted the National Commander’s dinner, I volunteered to help and had the honor to meet & greet Ray Firmani a 102 yo WWII co-pilot! Check out his book ‘Against All Odds’

Congratulations to Daniel Frachette for his promotion to LTC!
LTC Frachette is a CPT Brian Faunce Award recipient, 2007. Dan is currently serving in Germany with his wife Lorraine and two children.

My friend Patrick stopped by Brian’s marker to get a photo. Here is the Wreaths Across America wreath, 2023. Many thanks to Patrick.

As Christmas approaches I am reminded of a ‘Brian Story’. When Brian was about 8 yo I found the perfect hiding place for his gifts, as I wanted him to be surprised. I put his most coveted gifts in the truck of his dad’s car. Back then you had to have the key to access the trunk, good idea! Christmas Eve comes, the kids are sent to bed and I go out to the driveway to get his presents from the trunk. The car was not there! Brian’s dad had taken the car to the local service station for inspection. I ran to the service station, praying that the car would be in the lot. But it wasn’t, it was locked inside the garage. Christmas morning comes and Brian had the traditional gifts to open: PJs, book, a few small things. My heart was breaking. If Brian was disappointed he did not show it. He was gracious and expressed not one complaint that Santa did not bring him what he asked for. He knew his mom & dad were Santa, so we took him to the kitchen and explained what had happened. I had tears streaming down my face and Brian reached out to comfort me! Christmas that year was a Saturday so the service station would not be open until Monday. Monday morning I think Brian woke me at around 6:00 asking if we could go to the station to get his gifts! He got his gifts and was happy. I was so proud of him! I am still proud of him for the way he handled himself. He was a good boy and he grew up to be a fine man, a great soldier and husband. Love you Brian and miss you!

With Veterans Day approaching, I just want to reach out to all Veterans, especially our CPT Brian Faunce Award recipients to thank you for your service and enjoy your day! Please think of Brian as it is his birthday! 11/11/74, born in the 11th hour. Brian taking command of Bravo company, 6/1/03.

Sunset Beach, Cape May Point, NJ honored CPT Brian Faunce for the 20th time on the anniversary of Brian’s death, 9/18. After a rainy, windy day the weathered cleared for our last Flag Lowering Ceremony. We had family and friends travel from all over. CA, TX, FL, CO, FL, VA, PA, MD NJ. Many thanks to all who came to honor and remember our boy!

Sunset Beach, Cape May Point is clearing up! CPT Brian Faunce Flag Lowering Ceremony is scheduled for 6:00. Hope to see you!

The Cape May Point, Sunset Beach flag lowering ceremony on 9/18 honoring CPT Faunce is scheduled to begin at 6:00 PM.
All are welcome.

For the last 19 years Sunset Beach at Cape May Point, NJ has flown the casket flag of CPT Brian Faunce on the anniversary of his death, 9/18, to honor him and celebrate his life. Sunset Beach has been so kind to us over the years as they no longer perform the Flag Lowering Ceremony after Labor Day. We are so grateful to Sunset Beach for continuing the honor for Brian but decided that year 20 will be the last. The exact time for the flag lowering will be posted when we get the time from Sunset Beach. Rain and or heavy wind will cancel the ceremony and will also be posted as soon as possible. I pray we have a beautiful day so we can honor Brian’s flag one more time. Please come if you can and help us lower the flag for the last time. It is so hard to believe it has been 20 years! He loved being a soldier and loved leading them. He wrote to me in a letter “a soldier will work his heart out for you, but he needs to know that you care”, and he cared.

Enjoyed Skit Night at Hawk Mountain, PA which culminates the CAP Ranger School. 150+ Cadets are led for 9 days by Seniors and Cadet Staff in Search & Rescue skills. Brian’s good friend Jay Rivera spoke to the cadets about how CAP impacted his life and career as a Marine Colonel.

From Memorial Day. Many thanks to my friend Patrick Hughes for visiting my boy, such an honor!

CPT Brian Faunce. Remember the fallen.

Remember the Fallen.

On 4/27 the Faunce family awarded the 20th CPT Brian Faunce Memorial Award to a graduating PSU Army ROTC cadet. Here is a link:

Pa. National Guard Soldier receives prestigious ROTC award A Pennsylvania National Guard Soldier, who was commissioned May 5 through the ROTC program at Penn State University, received a prestigious ROTC award April 27.

MSG Eli Thomas’s Full Military Honors’ Service was everything he deserved. I was so proud to represent my son.

Brian stopped by to visit, this morning at 11:11. He must have known I was on my way to the military honors service for Eli Thomas at ANC. Eli was the CSM for Brian’s battalion when he was in Iraq. I met Eli some years ago and Eli did attend Brian’s memorial service at ANC. I am here to represent Brian. Stopped by to visit Brian. Love you and miss you, my favorite son.

We are trying to update our contact list for past CPT Brian Faunce Award recipients. If you know of anyone please share and reply. Thank you very much. This year will be our 21st.

This year for Christmas Brian’s sisters both got ‘Brian bears’. These are bears made with Brian’s uniforms. Both bears have a cap complete with Captain bars. This was something I wanted to do years ago but never attempted the project. This year I found a talented Angel who did them and they are done beautifully! Bev Bonar , ‘Take me Along), creates beautiful bears from your loved ones cloths to keep them close to your heart.

I placed my Wreaths Across America wreath at the I95 Welcome Center, just inside PA from Delaware to honor Vietnam Veterans. WAA mission: Remember (the fallen), Honor (all who served), Teach (the next generation to never forget.)

Delaware Technical Community College hosted the Wreaths Across America Convoy today. I am so proud to be part of the WAA Del Tech team that had an awesome program embracing this year’s WAA theme ‘Find a way to serve’. We honored nine ‘Unsung heroes’, who devote their lives to serve Veterans and civilians on many ways. Honored the American Gold Star Mothers Wilmington Chapter’s president and a 101 year old WWII Vet who flew B15’s over Germany. The Del Tech Team did an awesome job decorating, planning an awesome hot chocolate station with all kinds of toppings and fabulous cookies made by the Del Tech Culinary Art’s students.
It was a great day!

The Faunces went to Arlington National Cemetery for Wreaths Across America ‘Family Pass Day’. We had the best day! Besides sisters Samantha & Danielle, we had mom, Brandon (Danielle’s husband), Russ (Samantha’s boyfriend), Brian’s best man, Sean & his wife Brianna and one of our CPT Brian Faunce Memorial Award recipient, Jake. We drank Yuengling to toast and honor Brian, then went to this great Tapas restaurant, Ambar, for a fabulous Brunch. We had a really great day! We miss you so much Brian. You will never be forgotten, not as long as I am alive! More pictures to come.

Today PSU AROTC, Ranger Team & Club and CrossFit honored Brian today with an honorary WOD. Many thanks to all who created it and performed it.

Today we remember the short life of CPT Brian Faunce. Born on Veterans Day 1974. Brian certainly accomplished a lot in his lifetime and his family is so proud of him and so grateful for who remember him.

The Faunce Team at the 1st Sgts Council Ruck March at Joint base Dix, Maguire, Lakehurst. Many thanks to the 1st Sgts Council for honoring and remembering our fallen.