Major Seymour Miller's first experience with the American Red Cross was while serving in the Signal Corps during World War II. The US Army Signal Corps was responsible for military communications on the battlefield, whether via messenger, wireless, teletype, semaphore (flags) or even carrier pigeon. Because of its scientific know-how, the Corps was also involved in development of related technology such as radar.

Then-First Lieutenant Miller was part of the 17th Signal Operations Battalion, which was responsible for handling the communications at the forward headquarters of the First US Army with General Courtney Hodges in command. After landing on Omaha Beach and while his battalion was moving across France, Miller wrote a rousing song for the Signal Corps entitled "We'll Get the Message Through", adopting the slogan of the Army Signal Corps. He wrote this even though he was not even close to a piano or music paper. He sent the melody, harmonic chords, and lyrics, written on whatever scraps of paper he could find, to the American Red Cross in London in the hope that someone in the Red Cross could place what he wrote in more musical form. Red Cross volunteer Miriam Brunner took the information and wrote a playable arrangement on regular music paper.

This song was used successfully as an inspiring piece at battalion formations, marches and social functions. In fact, it was recognized in the European Theater of Operations as the ETO Signal Corps song. More recently, it was sung in 2003 at a Signal Corps Symposium held at Fort Gordon, Georgia, which was presided over by General Janet A. Hicks, the commanding officer of the Signal Corps Center.

If you'd like to see the piano-vocal sheet music for "We'll Get the Message Through", click here.

After the war, Seymour resumed his career as an attorney, started shortly prior to America's entry into the war. He and his wife Claire have since supported more than 75 organizations, including the American Red Cross in Greater New York. They recently decided to fund two Charitable Remainder Trusts for their sons and they wanted to select an organization they felt strongly about to serve as Trustee, and thereafter receive the remainder. Their choice? The American Red Cross.

"The Red Cross is an important American institution with a sense of permanence," Seymour said. "It's an A-1 outfit that has been helping Americans for over a century. If I won the lottery tomorrow, I'd give the organization millions - the Red Cross is a natural choice for me."

On the eve of the 100th anniversary of the American Red Cross in Greater New York, Seymour and Claire Miller presented the Red Cross with a generous outright gift and also set up the two Charitable Remainder Trusts - one for each of their sons. For the rest of their sons' lives, these Trusts will pay them income, after which whatever is left in the Trusts - the "remainder" - will go to the American Red Cross. Not only will his sons benefit from income for the rest of their lives, but the Millers were also granted a charitable deduction when they funded the Trusts. As trustee, the Red Cross will take care of all of the administrative details.

"I wanted the funds to ultimately go to a charity with a long and stable track record. I love the 'Americanness' of the Red Cross and I also appreciate that American Red Cross has taken a strong, courageous stance in support of its counterpart in Israel, the Magen David Adom," Seymour said. "We feel secure knowing that, after we're gone, the Red Cross will be here and will responsibly manage our Trusts to pay income to our two sons."

Time and again, the Red Cross is there when it's needed!

Our deepest thanks go to Seymour and Claire Miller and to many others who have made named the American Red Cross in Greater New York as the beneficiary of a trust, will, retirement plan, charitable gift annuity, or other planned gifts. Their generosity will be a lasting legacy that will keep the vital work of the Red Cross alive well into our second century.