Gil Hempel, CWO3 US Army (retired), will be the fourth member inducted into the East Greenwich High School Wall of Honor at a ceremony at the high school Wednesday, April 12, at 6 p.m. The ceremony will be followed by a collation in the school's cafeteria. The event is free and any and all are welcome to a night that reflects on the joys of growing up in small town America.

Also being inducted that night are Channel 10 photographer, Bob Farrell; Colonel (US Army-ret.) Richard Kenyon and Drusalina Weild, who was an outstanding high school and college student known for her fund-raising efforts on behalf of children and the disadvantaged.

Hempel, born in 1924, attended East Greenwich schools until he volunteered to serve in World War II. He served in the European Theatre and participated in the invasion at Omaha Beach, the Battle of the Bulge, and the liberation of the German Republic.

Returning from Europe, Gil continued to serve in the Army. On assignment in Taiwan, he instituted Boy Scouting to that country. Back in the States, Hempel served at bases in Alaska, Kansas and Maine. He returned to East Greenwich and retired from the service in 1969.

Back in his hometown he worked tirelessly as the Director for the Chamber of Commerce and as a Rotarian and Paul Harris Fellow. He was Deputy Director of Civil Defense; Director of Emergency Management; a fire commissioner; a member of the building committee for the East Greenwich Firemen's Hall; and an initiator of a visit by the American Wind Symphony. He also joined the Kentish Guards and rose to the rank of colonel. He is best remembered for his work on East Greenwich's Tercentenary Celebration and ran the whole show to perfection. Later, he became a general of the Rochambeau Army reenactment and march to Yorktown.

Hempel was a life member of the Military Officers Association; Disabled Veterans; VFW and the EG Veteran Firemen's Club. He was appointed military aide to R.I. Governor Garrahy, and military coordinator for the State of Rhode Island.

Unfortunately, Hempel passed away in March 2015. He will be honored posthumously at the Wall of Honor event in April.