Sumner Waite, 1911

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 we can all be proud of as Omega Mu Fijis.

Whether it was at Red River, 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, Beirut, Libya, 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 be grateful for the military service of every Omega Mu veteran from the Spanish-American War to the present. Thank you.

Omega Mu Veteran
Sumner Waite,
1911

Omega Mu Years

Maine Campus

University of Maine Prism

​Sumner Waite, middle

Press Club 

Maine Masque

Sophomore Declamations

Composer

University of Maine Athlete

Black Bear Football

 Black Bear Track and Relay Team

Military Career

World War I

Served in World War I as assistant chief of staff of the Thirty-Seventh Division and as chief of staff of the Third Division.

Sumner Waite celebrating Pig Dinner During World War I

European Theater of Operations during
​World War II

He commanded the Thirteenth Infantry Division.

Assistant Chief of Staff of the European Theater of Operations, and he served in France as the United States Army representative with General Charles de Gaulle. In addition, he wrote several important papers on the importance of tank warfare.

Prime Minister Winston Churchill, left, and General Charles de Gaulle

Tank Warfare during World War II

Sumner Waite, first on the left.

Sumner Waite, first on the right

China, Burma, India Theater of Operations
World War II

From 1945-1946 he as the assistant chief of staff of the China-Burma-India Theater

Sumner Waite received the Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, French Legion of Honor, French Croix de Guerre with palm, Belgium Croix de Guerre, and the Belgium Military Cross. He retired as a Brigadier General, and he was the third University of Maine alumnus to earn that rank

“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