Hampton Bays School Districts Honors Local Veteran

In continuing its mission to honor a local veteran each month of the school year, the Hampton Bays School District recently paid tribute to Vietnam veteran Lee Allen by flying an American Flag in his honor throughout the month of October.

The American flag was raised during a ceremony at Hampton Bays Elementary School on Oct. 16.

During the event, high school jazz band members performed and Allen’s biography was read.

Allen was born in December 1943 in Queens while his father was serving in the Army in the South Pacific.

After the war, the family moved to Long Island when his father became employed by the New York Telephone Company.

Allen attended school in Hampton Bays from 1955 to 1959 and then graduated in 1962 from Bay Shore High School, which is where he met his wife Peg.

After graduation, Allen enrolled at Paul Smith’s College in the Adirondacks before transferring to C.W. Post in Westbury. He then went on to follow in his father’s footsteps by going to work for the New York Telephone Company.

In March 1966, Allen was drafted into the army. He was sent to Fort Gordon in Georgia for basic training and then transferred to Fort Belvoir in Virginia for engineering school.

He was then assigned to the 563rd Support Company stationed at Fort Lee in Virginia.

Just two months before his deployment to Vietnam, Allen married Peg.

The two lived on base until October of 1966 when Allen was assigned to the First Logistical Command at Long Binh.

Their mission was to provide transportation of heavy material to outlying combat units and complete ongoing construction projects.

While in Vietnam, Allen and his unit showed the true compassion of the American soldier by supporting a local orphanage. The unit arraigned to have building supplies sent to the orphanage.

In October 1967, Allen was sent back to the United States where he was assigned to Fort Bragg where he worked to supply support for the 82nd Airborne Division.

In March 1968, he was honorably discharged.

After returning to civilian life, Allen returned to work for the New York Telephone in Bay Shore and he and his wife welcomed their first son Gregg.

Then in 1972, Allen built a home in Hampton Bays and the family established their roots within the community.

Two years later, the Allen family welcomed a second son Jason. Both boys graduated Hampton Bays High School.

In May of 1995, after 31 years, Allen retired from the phone company as an Area Operations Manager and began volunteering in the community.

He is a member of the Hand-Aldrich Post of the American Legion where he sits on the Boy’s State Nominating Committee.

In addition he is the financial officer and Quarter Master of the Veterans of Foreign in Westhampton and is a three-term past president of the Southampton Kiwanis Club.

Allen has also held leadership roles at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church and is currently the director of The Brotherhood of St. Andrews.

Photo Caption: Hampton Bays Vietnam Veteran Lee Allen was honored by the Hampton Bays School District on October 16. Also pictured are Mr. Allen’s wife, Peg, his son Jason, his daughter-in-law Casey and his grandchildren, Olivia and Lyla.

Photo courtesy of the Hampton Bays School District