Our speaker at the last meeting was Jeff Mason, professional guide. Jeff, in conjunction with the JBLM, provides free fishing trips for wounded warriors. In addition, he is expanding the trips to widows and families of fallen soldiers. I met Jeff at Midwinter Conference in Vancouver and asked him to speak to our Post, which he graciously did. He has a great program and our Post contributed $500.
Dennis Lein Gaasland passed away peacefully on March 26, 2015, in Edmonds, WA. He enlisted in the Navy and served his country proudly during World War II ending up at the liberation of the Philippines as a Radarman 2C. Before arriving at the Philippines, the navy brought him throughout the south Pacific, just about circling the perimeter, being stationed on one tropical island after the other. After shipping out of San Francisco, with the obligatory goodluck coin toss as his ship passed under the Golden Gate Bridge, his first stop was New Caledonia. From there, he went to the Soloman Islands, New Hebrides Island, Guadacanal, the Russel Islands, then to the Phillipines through Leyte Gulf at Tacloban, then Dulig, then Guiuan, Samar, then finally to Calicoan Island where he was when the war ended. Then he headed home via Okinawa to Seattle. After the war ended, Dennis returned to Washington and he and Helen were married on November 22, 1947, in Seattle. They were married for 67 ½ years until his death. After the Navy, Dennis went to the University of Washington on the GI bill, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration in 1952. Dennis was a successful businessman, working for law firms in Seattle, while also being involved with the Kiwanis, and teaching business classes at Edmonds Community College. Because of his love of his country and Navy background, Dennis became involved with the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Edmonds branch, serving as the Commander. He was also active with the American Legion in Lake Stevens. The Post honored him at the April meeting and covered the Charter in his memory.
Commander
Jim Blossey
Senior Vice Commander
Terry Crabtree
Junior Vice Commander
Chris Edwards
Quartermaster
Dennis Peterson
Chaplain
Fred Apgar
Judge Advocate
Don Stapleton
Surgeon
Al Boyett
First Year Trustee
Mike Denton
Second Year Trustee
Jim Traner
Third Year Trustee
Jim McCann
Adjutant
Dick Simmons
Service Officer
Don Whedon
Has any veteran ever named their son Jody?
Why in the world would the Navy change from “Call to Colors” to the “Star Spangle Banner” and then blast it at 0800? They obviously have some late sleepers up in Everett.
How can politicians consistently snatch defeat from jaws of victory?
The Mariners have started their season as usual, blowing games in late innings and leaving men in scoring position without ever getting a hit. At least things are normal for the Mariner fan. Several weeks ago, I was talking to a client who was taking his 12 year old son’s team to Vietnam to teach the local kids baseball. It brought back a memory I hadn’t thought about for years.
In 1968, we were laagered in a jungle clearing somewhere in III Corp, exactly where I don’t recall. Somehow a baseball appeared and those of us who could slip away quickly started a game with a couple of different tracks participating. As I recall, my track was used as the backstop and the bat was a tent pole or a piece of an aluminum antenna staff. I remember getting a hit and going to first base which was the rim of a bomb crater. I recall thinking this is the only base in history where overrunning it could get you injured by falling into a 15′ or 20’ deep bomb crater left from a B-52 strike. I don’t remember much else other than 2nd and 3rd were somewhat safer. You had to be 19 or 20, love baseball, and be totally crazy to play in that environment. We didn’t play long (I suspect our First Sergeant probably came along and put us to work), but it was fun while it lasted.
I never played baseball again in Nam other than that one afternoon in that jungle clearing. But I do know that if the Mariners played with as much enthusiasm as we did that day, they’d be leading their Division.
Kenneth PaigeKen was formerly a VFW Member at Large who has transferred to Post 8870. He is originally from South Dakota. Ken is a Navy Veteran having served Sep 1955 – Sep 1958. He served aboard the USS Gurke DD-783 as a welder on Formosa Patrol in the Taiwan Straits. Ken was awarded the China Service Medal. He was a welder in civilian life and a member of Sheet Metal Workers Local 66. He also ran a salmon fishing boat out of Edmonds and still enjoys fishing. He and Maryann reside in Edmonds. They have 3 children and 5 grandchildren.
Harold “Bud” CamandonaBud enlisted in the Army in Seattle in 1952 and served for 2 years. He was an artilleryman and served with Battery C 90th Field Artillery Battalion in Korea for 10 months 1953-54. He was awarded the Korean Service Medal with 1 Bronze Service Star.
Bob Vaagen’s hometown is Spokane. He joined the Air Force in September 1967 after graduating from Washington State University. His nearly six years of service included several stateside assignments. He was at CCK Airbase, Taiwan 1970-71 as a C-130 pilot and member of the 345th Tactical Airlift Squadron. He flew 200 combat sorties in Southeast Asia which included delivering troops and cargo into forward operating bases. Bob is retired. He and Kathy live in Edmonds and have 2 sons.
Mike was honored by the MOH Foundation for his Fallen Heroes Portraits. The award is given once a year and presented at their annual dinner in Washington DC. There are three awards given, 2 for citizen valor, and one for one for citizenship. Interestingly enough, one of the awards for valor was given to the young man who was a hall monitor at Seattle Pacific University and jumped the gunman who entered the common area and began shooting. When he paused to reload, John Meis jumped him and pep-per sprayed him preventing any additional shots. Before he was restrained, the gunman killed one and injured two. The fact that Mike and Jon are both from here is a testimony to our citizens.
Rodney Lam, Buck Weaver, Jim Harkness, Norm Goldstein, and Amos Chapman. Not shown Fred Die-trich and Dan White.
Mike Reagan donated these plaques for service to our WWII veterans. Unfortunately, Fred Dietrich and Dan White couldn’t attend the meeting and will get theirs at a later meeting. There plaques are carved by an individual in Port Angeles, as I recall, and Mike was presented one after he spoke on his Fallen Heroes Project. Mike then generously donated sufficient funds to insure that each of our WWII veterans were honored with a Plaque. The picture doesn’t do justice to the craftsmanship.
Senior Vice Commander Christopher Edwards recently presented a certificate of appreciation to the members of VFW Post #8870. Speaking on behalf of the recently inactivated 81st Brigade Special Troops Battalion, Chris thanked Post #8870 for its “meritorious support of our nation’s Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen”. Chris, who is the First Sergeant of the Headquarters Company, recognized the Post’s dedicated service to all veterans and members of their families. The certificate of appreciation was signed by Chris and the Brigade’s Commander, Captain Laura Martinez.
With only one dissenting vote out of 33 members attending the meeting, the Post voted to move its monthly meeting from our noon meeting to a 6PM meeting on the third Thursday of the month. The meetings will continue to be held at the American Legion Hall. We will have a meal at 5:15PM and the business meeting will commence at 6PM. The reason for the move is to allow our younger veterans (and a lot of older veterans, too) who are still working to attend the meetings. We also realize that for half the year it will be dark by the end of the meeting and for several months, it will be dark by the beginning of the meeting. Therefore, those comrades who cannot drive in the dark are urged to let us know and we shall arrange to have you picked up and dropped off at your home. Our Post was the only Post who met during the work week hours (Post 921 in Snohomish meets on Saturday afternoon) and we hope that this move will not only encourage younger members to join VFW but attend our meetings and enjoy the comradery of our members.
Ron Clyborne brought the Post up to date on the progress of Veterans Plaza. To condense it down to a tight paragraph, the project is moving forward but now comes the time to raise the necessary funds to bring it to fruition. The estimated cost is $450,000. I know that sounds like a ton of money, but this is a community project and we will need to have significant contributions from the community. Tom Mesaros, Army veteran, City Council member, and professional fund raiser is assisting us in putting together a citizens’ committee. In addition, VFW and AL will organize a fund raiser. Our target date for completion is November 11, 2016, Veterans Day.