Mark L. Hersey, 1884

Our Omega Mu brothers who served in the military are cherished and constant fraternal friends, and we would like to say thank you for the steadfast, purposeful commitment you made to our nation to defend those four freedoms we all believe in: “Freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.” For those brothers who were killed in defense of these freedoms, they will always occupy a consecrated place in our linked fraternal heart because they exemplify the idea of superlative commitment, strength, and fortitude for the good to the end itself. The greatness of their collective purpose and will, on our nation’s behalf, will never be forgotten. By their “clear-eyed faith and fearless heart,” these brothers have left us a fraternal legacy that echoes what we often say about Omega Mu Fijis: “Perseverance and determination are omnipotent.” Their code of integrity, courage, duty, responsibility, and self-sacrifice on behalf of our nation is a powerful legacy that we will always be proud of as Omega Mu Fijis. 

​Whether it was at New Orleans, Red River, Fort Blakely, Marianna, San Juan Hill, Santiago de Cuba, Chateau-Thierry, Verdun, El Guettar, Elba, Monte Della Vedetta, the Battle of the Bulge, Rabaul, Inchon, Pusan, Chosin Reservoir, Pork Chop Hill, Hue, Easter Offensive, Phu Cat, The Iron Triangle, Hamburger Hill, la Drang Valley, Bien Hoa, Khe Sanh, Rumaila,  Al-Batin, Medina Ridge, Kabul, Kandahar, our Omega Mu brothers have demonstrated devotion to duty in defense of freedom and liberty. They are the stability of our nation, and we, the Omega Mu brotherhood, revere, honor, and salute their persevering and determined spirit within our great nation and our historic brotherhood. We will always honor the heroism of all of our brothers who have served in the armed forces from the Civil War to the present. Thank you. 

Omega Mu Veteran
Mark L. Hersey,
​1884

Military Career

​Mark L. Hersey started his military career by serving in the 9th Infantry at Fort Mojave and Fort Apache in Arizona, working as an Indian Agent with the Hualapai, Mojave, and Apache Indians. He was as a company commander, signal officer, topographer, and quartermaster. He would also serve in the
9th Infantry during the Boxer Rebellion. 

9th Infantry

Fort Mojave, Arizona

Fort Apache, Arizona

Maine State College Faculty

1894-1895 Maine State College faculty photo with Mark L. Hersey, first row, wearing stripped pants. 

Spanish-American War

Mark L. Hersey served in the Spanish-American War, and he saw action in Santiago, Cuba.

Boxer Rebellion

Mark L. Hersey was a captain in the 9th Infantry during the Boxer Rebellion, and he participated in the China Relief Expedition from Tientsin to Peking. 

General Arthur MacArthur, Jr., father of Douglas MacArthur. 

Captain Mark L. Hersey

The 9th U. S. Infantry marching toward Peking from Tientsin, China. 

Mexico

Mark L. Hersey was part of the 10,000 men U.S. military operation, led by Brigadier General John J. Pershing,  to capture Pancho Villa after he had raided various towns, most notably the town of Columbus, New Mexico.  President Wilson gave the order to Newton D. Baker, a Phi Gamma Delta brother, to plan the invasion of Mexico by Pershing and his men. Although Villa was not killed or captured, the expedition into Mexico did stop Villa's raids on border towns in the United States. 

Brigadier General John J. Pershing and his men going into Mexico. 

World War I

Hershey was Phi Gamma Delta’s highest-ranking officer during World War I, and he briefly com manded the 4th Infantry Division during World War I. He Fought in the Meuse Argonne Offensive and St. Mihiel. He led the 4th Division of the 2nd United States Army on a successful assault on the German position at Bois des Loges. For his service during World War I, Mark L. Hersey Hersey was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, the French Legion of Honor, and the Croix de Guerre.

 Meuse-Argonne Offensive Map

Mark L. Hersey's IV Division during the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.

Hersey led the 4th Division on a successful assault on the German position at Bois des Loges.  

USS General Mark L. Hersey

The USS General M. L. Hersey (AP-148) was commissioned on July 29th, 1944. The ares served by the Hersey included the Admiralty Islands. the Russell Islands, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, the Philippines, the Palaus, and the Marianna. On its last wartime voyage home, it was reported that a cruiser that was near the USS Hersey, the U. S. S. Indianapolis, was sunk by a Japanese submarine.

“In July 1945, the Indianapolis completed a top-secret high-speed trip to deliver parts of Little Boy, the first nuclear weapon ever used in combat, to the United States Army Air Force Base on the island of Tinian, and subsequently departed for the Philippines on training duty. At 0015 on 30 July, the ship was torpedoed by the Imperial Japanese Navy submarine I-58, and sank in 12 minutes. Of 1,195 crewmen aboard, approximately 300 went down with the ship.[4] The remaining 890 faced exposure, dehydration, saltwater poisoning, and shark attacks while stranded in the open ocean with few lifeboats and almost no food or water. The Navy only learned of the sinking four days later, when survivors were spotted by the crew of a PV-1 Ventura on routine patrol. Only 316 survived.[4] The sinking of the Indianapolis resulted in the greatest single loss of life at sea, from a single ship, in the history of the US Navy.” 

The USS Hersey was the flagship bringing occupation troops to Japan in September 1945, and it received one battle star for her wartime service in World War II and two battle stars for service during the Korean War. 

USS General Mark L. Hersey coming home.

Post-War Years

The University of Maine awarded General Mark L. Hersey with the Degree of
​Doctor of Laws.

Portraits of Mark L. Hersey in 
The Smithsonian Museum

“What if the space be long and wide,
That parts us from our brother’s side
A soul-joined chain unites our band,
And memory links us hand in hand.”
​(Phi Gamma Delta fraternity song)

Fraternally,
Chip Chapman, ’82
​Perge