Ocean Lodge No.89, F.&A.M

by Walter K Tuzeneu,  Past Master, Ocean Lodge No. 89

I was recently privileged and honored to hear a report of Freemasonry at it's best, yet it was under the most horrific conditions you could possibility imagine. My son-in-law and Brother, William Manigold, who is the current President of High Twelve, called me on the phone and said he would pick me up for a High Twelve meeting. He wanted me to attend because he had special speaker coming that I would appreciate. I was rewarded, refreshed and reminded of the privilege and honor of being a member of our Great Fraternity.

Speaking at the luncheon was Captain Ian Cairns, a decorated member of the New Jersey Army National Guard, serving with an Embedded Training Team. They were sent to Afghanistan last year to provide guidance and support to that country’s national police and army. He is paratrooper, an expert commando and an Army Ranger and has served three tours of duty.

Captain Cairns is also a Master Mason as is his brother and father. He has also presented the lectures for all three degrees. His father and brother were overjoyed when he was appointed a Grand Chaplin about 1998.

In his talk, Captain Cairns described several occasions of combat activity, where the help he received was from masons. There were four masons in addition to himself on the team  that he recognized by a hand shake, and later confirmed by display of the correct points for acceptance in masonry.

Captain Cairns’ most spellbinding incident was about getting help to transport several severely wounded casualties airlifted to a field hospital for treatment. The team was serving as first responders when a suicide bomber killed 20 civilians and wounded 30 others at a local market. With only two medical professionals on site, the rest of the team had to act as doctors and perform life-sustaining treatment with virtually no supplies for more than five hours until a helicopter could reach the field triage site.

Captain Cairns’ urgent call for air transport was received by Spanish troops who were not permitted to go beyond the no fly zone established by International Authority. His team and the wounded, was twenty miles past the perimeter of the no fly zone.

At this point after reviving one captured and severely wounded Taliban four times, the ordeal was taking it's toll on the team. They were becoming frustrated, angry at the prospect of getting nearly fifty severely wounded and dying to a hospital.

He was tired, angry and near the breaking point. He finally grabbed the area phone and sent the only message he could think of to get help if the right people were listening, "Oh Lord, My God, is there no help for the widow's son?".** The entire area heard the message and one in particular, a British officer and a Mason, recognized the desperate situation.

He responded to Captain Cairns that he would ask permission to cross the no fly zone, a distance of fifty miles, to reach them. When the British officer was officially denied permission to cross, he subsequently defied his commander and flew his Chinook helicopter across the zone. With a crew of twelve combat solders, upon landing he ordered four members of his crew, who were also masons, to station themselves at the four comers of area, and protect all within this area until he returned. He knew they could be depended upon to the follow his order.

Captain Cairns respect, devotion and requests for help which he knew he could depend on, exemplifies what Masonry should and can be. It made me realize the responsibility we accept when we are made Master Masons. I may never have faced a problem of helping and saving wounded and dying, however, listening to Captain Cairns’ story made me feel my sixty five years of participation were important.

Editor's Note: ** This phrase is no longer a secret. It was in Dan Brown's book "The Lost Symbol" and can be found everywhere on the Internet.
(Edited 2009-11-13)