James W. Little

James — Margaret Homan. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

From findagrave.com:
Walter Edward Little, Lt. Colonel, U.S. Army Retired 89, of Providence, RI, died April 19, 2015, peacefully at home surrounded by his family.

He was the beloved husband of Mary E.(Remington) Little. They were married on October 7, 1950 and celebrated 64 years of marriage in 2014.

Col. Little was born in Providence on February 26, 1926. He was the son of James M, and Evangeline Monroe Little. He was one of nine children.

Col. Little entered the U.S. Army Air Force as a tail gunner in 1943. He began as an enlisted man and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in 1950. He went to Rhode Island College (now URI) on the GI Bill and graduated in 1950. He was a combat army officer and served at the end of World War II, in Korea, and twice in Vietnam. He earned his Green Beret in 1961 as one of the first members of Special Forces during the Kennedy Administration. He was in 1st Special Forces, B Detachment in Vietnam commanding all Special Forces in II Corp. under General Khanh in 1962. He was in the 1st Special Forces during the Battle of Plei Mrong in 1963. He was a guard at Dachau weeks after the end of WWII and a witness to the Holocaust. He was passionate that the world never forgets what was done during the Holocaust. Col. Little was awarded a Bronze Star, qualified for a Purple Heart, was a Master Parachutist and a Expert Marksman in Carbine, Pistol and Rifle. He attended Basic and Advanced Commissioned Officer’s School, Ft. Benning , GA, Special Forces School, Ft. Bragg, and Command and General Staff College, Ft. Levenworth. He served in Army Intelligence and worked behind enemy lines in Vietnam as a member of the MACV/SOG, a covert US Special Forces Operation (a unit whose existence was once denied and whose story was not told until long after the war). Their mission was cross boarder operations, intelligence gathering or raiding missions on the enemy’s home ground and rescue missions. He trained service members of the Italian, Greek, German, Vietnamese and Japanese Armies in special operations. His was described in his service record as a forceful and dynamic officer, and loved as a gentle, strong and caring husband and father.

Besides his wife, Mary, he leaves four children and seven grandchildren. His children are Joseph E. Little and his wife Marion (Dubois), Catherine Little Bert and her husband, Dr. Arthur Bert, James W. Little and his wife Margaret (Homan), and David E. Little and his wife Darsie Alexander. He has a surviving sister, Joan Swiss. His surviving grandchildren are Fr. Ambrose Callery Mary Little, O.P, Daniel Little, Margaret Little, Katie Little, Samuel Little, Sophie Little and Nina Little. He was predeceased by one grandchild, Jeffery Little.

His funeral was held on Monday, April 27, 2015 at the Russell J. Boyle & Son Funeral Home, Providence. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at St. Augustine Church, Providence. Burial with Military Honors followed at R.I. Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Exeter.

Walter married Mary Elizabeth Remington 7 Oct 1950. Mary (daughter of Eugene A. C. Remington and Anna F. Rushe) was born 28 Dec 1927, Providence, RI; died 4 Jan 2019, Providence, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Obituary:
Mary Elizabeth (Remington) Little, 91, of Ravenswood Avenue, Providence passed away peacefully on Friday, January 4, 2019. She was the wife of the late LTC Walter E. Little.

Born December 28, 1927 in Providence RI, she was the daughter of the late Eugene and Anna Remington.

She leaves her son and daughter-in-law, Joseph and Marion Little of Wakefield; daughter and son-in-law, Catherine and Arthur Bert. M.D. of Fernandina Beach, Florida; son and daughter-in-law, James and Margaret Little of Hebron, CT; son and daughter-in-law, David Little and Darsie Alexander of Katonah, NY. She was Baka and Grammy to her seven living grandchildren, Callery (Fr. Ambrose), Dan, Meg, Sam, Katelyn, Sophie and Nina. One special grandchild, Jeffery Little, predeceased and has been patiently waiting for her.

Mary was the quintessential wife of an Infantry Officer. She was smart, resilient, gentle, kind… and tough. She chose to leave the comfortable confines of Rhode Island to follow her love, Walter, around the globe. Married in 1950, they spent the first three years of their life in Salzburg, Austria.

For the next two decades, she would live in New Mexico, Georgia, South Carolina, Okinawa, New York City (Governors Island), Maryland, and Stuttgart, Germany. To be married to a Special Forces Officer takes a special woman. One who can raise her family while her husband serves the country on long and often dangerous assignment. She was every bit as strong – and fierce - as her warrior husband.

Mary was the solid foundation of the family. She was a superb baker, cook, and seamstress. As she travelled from base to base, she kept her family safe and comfortable. Her Catholic faith was essential to everyday existence. A surprising number of Army Chaplains wore camouflage vestments in war zones custom made for them by Mary Little.

Mary and Walter returned to Providence for good in 1970 so they could give their children the stability and family love so necessary to success. Important to that stability was the life-long connections made with numerous Remington aunts and uncles, Gene and Mary, Andy and Anita, Frank and Arlene, Jimmy and Beatrice, and numerous, fun cousins.

A mass of Christian Burial in St Augustine Church, Mt Pleasant Avenue, Providence will be held on Monday, January 7th at 10:00am. Relatives and friends are invited to visiting hours Monday morning from 8-9:30am in the J F Skeffington Chapel, 925 Chalkstone Avenue, Providence. Burial will be private.

James — Evangeline Monroe. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

I am making an assumption that this family group in the 1930 Federal Census, living in Providence, RI, belongs to this particular Eugene, son of Levi.

Eugene married Anna F. Rushe 15 Nov 1925, Providence, RI. Anna was born 9 Nov 1903, Scotland; died 5 Jul 1979; was buried , Gate of Heaven Cemetery, East Providence, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

In the 1910 Federal Census, this Remington family is living at the rear of 13 Greenville Ave., Johnston, RI

In the 1920 Federal Census, Levi & Mary are aged 44 & 52, and living at Smithfield, RI, with their four children. In 1930 they are aged 54 & 62, and are living at 125 Wilson St., in Providence, RI.

Levi married Mary Elizabeth Lincoln 14 Sep 1895, RI. Mary (daughter of Alfred C. Lincoln and Martha E. Evans) was born 22 Aug 1867, RI; died Aft 1 Jun 1930. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Mary's maiden name, exact birth date, and parents' information were obtained from the data of Tom Hoot at Rootsweb's Worldconnect, and confirmed with data from the cemetery records.

REMINGTON, MARY E. 1867 - 14 SEP 1965 CR002