Historical Service

Stories of Theta Tau Brothers and their Historical Service

This Veterans Day we look to recognize our brothers who have dedicated time to the service of our country.

As one can expect from an organization that has spanned over a hundred years of history, our members have been called to serve in times of international conflict time and again. Many of our members may not be aware that the various wars have heavily impacted our organization as a whole. From the History of Theta Tau, we know that “Fraternity operations were greatly curtailed during World War I (1917-1918) and World War II (1941-1945). National Conventions were not held, and terms of national officers were extended by necessity. Chapters were affected as the pool of potential members dropped. ” Former Grand Regent Herman H. Hopkins (Beta, ’08), the first editor of our national magazine and the first Grand Scribe, served as the Acting Grand Regent for 27 months as Grand Regent Glass served abroad in the Navy during World War II.

Our national magazine, The Gear, has been printed since 1911 and its record has provided a historical archive for our brothers over the years. The following images and excerpts are pulled from various editions, written by brothers seeking to recognize their comrades-in-arms. While these pages have long been printed, it does honor to our brothers to bring them to the surface from time to time. I hope that as you read them, you are able to reflect on the sacrifices our brothers have made, and that you feel connected by their stories of service.

The Gear Directory Spring 1920 – A Rush Mission