Dedication of Cabin John Park VFD Meeting Room

By Chief James P. Seavey, Sr.

Cabin John Park Volunteer Fire Department

The Cabin John Park Volunteer Fire Department held its Annual Fire Prevention Open House at the River Road Station #10, Nov. 6. Concurrent with the festivities was the Dedication of the Department’s Meeting Room in honor of PFC William Ronald Bissell, of the United States Marine Corps. 

The open house, held from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., was attended by over 750 members of the community.

The highlight of the day was the dedication of the Department’s Meeting Room, at 2 p.m. The colors were presented by the Cabin John Park VFD Color Guard and were accompanied by a lone bagpiper, Captain Ricky Blandford of the Montgomery County Fire Rescue Pipes and Drums. He played the Marine Corps Anthem, while marching through the packed room at the beginning of the ceremony.

A number of dignitaries attended the event, along with representatives from the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 5633 of Cabin John and also the Vietnam Veterans of America. Both groups made presentations to the family in memory of PFC Bissell and the VFW Post had a commendation from the Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, specific to the day’s event. The Vietnam Veterans of America representative, Bill Gray, who also serves as the Chair of Montgomery County’s Commission on Vietnam Veterans, presented a citation from the County Executive Isiah Leggett to the sisters of PFC Bissell, all three of whom were in attendance.

PFC Bissell was killed in the Quang Nam Province of South Vietnam on May 22, 1968, while serving active duty during the Vietnam War.  He was an active volunteer firefighter at the Cabin John Park VFD from 1966 until his untimely passing. Ronnie was the epitome of leadership, serving at a very young age as a Boy Scout Troop Leader and motivating others to join the volunteer fire department.

Department Chief, James Seavey, Sr. presented the family with a Chief’s Order posthumously promoting Firefighter Bissell to the rank of Sergeant with the Department and Department President James Lee Hunter then presented the family with a Sergeant’s fire helmet.

Department Vice President, Mike Harting, himself a USMC Veteran of Operation Desert Storm, read a poem that he wrote as a tribute to Ronnie and then presented the family with one of two plaques that will be hung in the Meeting Room, now titled “The William Ronald Bissell Memorial Meeting Room.” The other plaque, of solid bronze, with PFC Bissell’s official U.S. Marine Corps. Image etched upon it, was unveiled by the family.

One of the most touching remarks came from Retired USMC Sergeant Lawrence Hoffa, who drove up to the ceremony from Greenville, South Carolina. Sgt. Hoffa was with PFC Bissell’s platoon on the day he was killed with a single shot from a sniper. He vividly recalled the events of the day and also what a wonderful person he found in Ronnie while they served together. Sgt. Hoffa retired from the Corps. In 2003, as one of the last enlisted Vietnam Veterans serving in active duty.

The room fell silent as Ronnie’s sister, Carri, said that after 43 years of grieving, she feels that with the ceremony of the day, she can finally put the loss of her brother to rest!  She said that a huge weight had been lifted off of her shoulders and she was grateful to the Department for the great tribute.

The Cabin John Park Volunteer Fire Department was honored to have finally formally recognized the contributions of PFC William Ronald Bissell, both, as a firefighter in the community and more so as a soldier to a grateful nation.

The Department had the assistance of the video unit of the Montgomery County Fire Rescue Service to both, record the event and also to provide a live feed down to the Engine Room of the station, where an additional 200 plus members of the public viewed the ceremony.  Additional photos and more coverage can be found at the Department’s website at www.cjpvfd.org.