Just a gentle reminder to turn your phones to vibrate or, better yet, to off during a meeting. It is very disruptive to have phones ringing and, worse, Comrades answering their phones during a meeting. If you are expecting an emergency phone call, please remove yourself from the meeting before taking the phone call. Remember to salute the colors on the way out of the room and when you return.
Craig is originally from Spokane, WA and served in the Navy 1968-1972. Vietnam service was aboard the USS Enterprise with CAG 13 and VA 196 from Aug 1970-Feb 1971. Duties included Plane Captain and organizational maintenance. Educated in Aviation Electronics, Business and Project Management, his civilian career was an Operations Manager. He has 3 sons and 6 grandchildren. He and Carolyn Louise live in Mukilteo.
Paul is originally from Baltimore, MD. He spent 1970-80 in the Army Reserve, but enlisted in the Navy in 1980 where he served for 23 years before retiring. His specialty was photojournalism. Assignments included Beirut, Lebanon, Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Other stations include Diego Garcia, Antarctica support, Italy and Sicily. He’s been a Public Affairs Supervisor on the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Carl Vinson. Awards include Navy Recruiting Service Ribbon, Humanitarian Service Medal and Operation Deep Freeze Medal. He has BA and BS degrees from the University of Maryland and a Masters Degree in Education from Old Dominion University. He is a part-time substitute teacher in Kitsap County and enjoys coin collecting. He and Laurie Ann reside in Lynnwood.
The Chief Petty Officer Selectee Class 121 has extended an invitation to anyone who wishes to attend the 14th Annual September 11th Remembrance Day Ceremony on base. If you wish to attend, please RSVP to [email protected] or 425-304-3357. The ceremony is from 0745 to 0830. If you don’t have a pass to get on base, you’ll need to receive permission so RSVP as soon as possible so your name will be on the list at the gate.
Traci Williams, Chair of the National Military Services for the Department of Washington, will be speaking about this vital VFW program and how it helps our current troops.
Think back. Why did you join VFW?
Next question—Why did you stay in VFW?
Very often the answer to both questions is the same. For many of us it is best summed up by our organization’s slogan, “No One Does More For Veterans.” Sure, we enjoy the camaraderie and are proud to wear our covers and be identified with this great group, but it is our overriding purpose that drives most of us.
Just who are these veterans that we do more for? Often they are simply nameless faces in unknown places. But as individuals they are one with us and we feel moved to help them through whatever difficulties they may be facing.
Here in Edmonds Post 8870 we have an opportunity to help another important group—one that is not nameless and faceless—in fact these veterans are very well known to us: our own members. Let me explain.
As you undoubtedly know by now, we have voted overwhelmingly to move our monthly meeting location to the American Legion Hall. Our brothers in the Legion have welcomed us and show every sign of being ideal hosts. In return we have a very simple obligation: to leave the premises as neat and clean as we found them. To make sure this happens, 8870 is forming a House Committee.
This will be a group that will have only two main responsibilities: To set up the room for our meeting and to restore it to its original condition when we are through; and to decide what to have for lunch or refreshments and to arrange for people to prepare it.
It is a once-a-month job, but a crucial one. Some of us are well-experienced in such matters. Others are simply eager to find an ongoing way to serve. So far, without even trying, we have three members who have stepped forward. We need four to six more at a minimum.
How about it, could you help out? It is an easy job, which you will share with other comrades, and it will take at most a couple of hours a month. It is your chance to live our motto of Doing More for Veterans, OUR veterans.
Contact me at [email protected] or at 425 670-2686. Thanks.
The National Convention was held in St. Louis this year and unlike previous years, I didn’t attend the proceedings. I did, however, watch it live via the VFW website who streamed it (if you don’t know what the term mean, ask your grandkids). I guess it could be summed up as being unremarkable. No earthshaking decisions, hotly debated resolutions or by-law changes. Of significance, was the Vice President, the acting director of the VA, and two Senators attempting to schmooze the gathering on what they are doing to fix the problem of veterans’ treatment by the VA. Meanwhile, the VFW passed a resolution that said Congress needs to fund the VA adequately and fund it now (meaning before Congress goes on vacation). Other than that, there were a lot of awards and a bunch of faces that are on the stage each year congratulating themselves on a job well done. I believe the videos are still available so if you go to VFW.org you can watch the proceedings for yourself.
Edmonds is a town that loves its veterans. I know that most of you reading this have never walked in a parade (notice I did not say march) so you have no idea of the reception we receive leading the Fourth of July parade every year. This year, thanks to Chris Edwards, we had 5 Humvees, and thanks to the Military Vehicle Collectors, we had 5 WWII vintage jeeps. With that many rides, anyone who wished to ride could do so although a bunch of us walked the mile long route. With approximately 10,000 folks lining the parade route, it is truly one of the best small town parades in the country. Two of our members, Jim Blossey, Commander, and Mike Den-ton, were MC’s of the parade and made sure to announce our arrival to the crowd as we passed by. We always have a combined parade with VFW Post 1040 from Lynnwood, American Legion Post 66, and this year we welcomed student veterans from Edmonds Community College, Next year we are anticipating opening up the parade to other Posts and veterans organizations who may not have a parade in their community. Hopefully, a few more of our Post members will chose to join us. Following the parade next year, we will be having our annual BBQ at the American Legion Hall on 6th Ave. S.
Ray Sittauer
Ray, a life member of VFW and our Post, passed away and the Charter will be covered in his memory. Ray was a Purple Heart recipient and a Navy veteran of WWII. His grandson, Eric Gouge, served in Iraq.
Julie Pounds
Julie, a charter member of the Post’s Auxiliary, passed away after a long illness. Our thoughts and prayers are with her husband, Duane, and the rest of her family.
Most of our members know what Post they belong to (test question—which Post do you belong to?) and what District they belong to (another test Question– What District does our Post belong to?) Beyond that, unless you’ve been a Post Commander, the hierarchy becomes a bit foggy. Our Department (states are called Departments), is comprised of 16 Districts. Each District has a Commander and the 16 Commanders are Department’s Council of Administration. Perhaps the most important role of the Council is the responsibility of approving the budget for Department. The Departments are grouped by Conferences and, not surprisingly, we are in the Western Conference. There are 17 Departments making up the Western Conference. What is a bit unusual is the fact that Latin America & the Caribbean, Kansas, North Dakota, and South Dakota are in the Western Conference. Finally, the four Conferences, Big 10, Eastern, Southern and ours comprise the National organization.
By the way, the answers to the test questions are Post 8870 and District One.
The article below was published on July 25th in the local newspapers. As you know, we dedicated the Plaza on Memorial Day this year. The hard part is coming up, design, fund raising, and completion. Everyone in the Post will have to help with one or more aspects of the project.
Edmonds Post 8870 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) of America is partnering with the City of Edmonds to hold an open design competition for the future Edmonds Veterans Plaza in downtown Edmonds.
The VFW Plaza Committee decided to conduct an open design competition to promote local participation and pride in the new memorial, which will be located next to the Public Safety Complex at 250 5th Ave. N. in downtown Edmonds.
“Edmonds is one of the few cities of its size without a tribute or memorial to veterans,” said Ron Clyborne, VFW member and Veterans Plaza committee member. “The plaza is meant to reflect the bravery, sacrifice and strength of the service members who will be recognized and remembered in this special spot in Edmonds.”
The City of Edmonds dedicated the future Edmonds Veterans Plaza on Memorial Day, May 26, 2014. Edmonds City Council member Strom Peterson, a member of the volunteer committee, spoke at the dedication and worked with the committee to establish the open design process.“The citizens of Edmonds are grateful for all who have served our country,’ Peterson said. “A great way for our local community to feel a part of this special tribute is to create an open and collaborative process with the public in the design of the Edmonds Veterans Plaza.”
The design competition will be open to individuals and groups, students and professionals. You can download the guidelines here or can request a copy by sending an email to [email protected]. Preliminary designs will be reviewed and selected by the VFW committee and then go through a formal design and approval process with the City of Edmonds.
Veterans Plaza committee members include: Ron Clyborne (VFW), Jim Traner (VFW, Past Post and District Commander), James Blossey (VFW Commander), Jim Collins (VFW & Legion), Jack Hall (Edmonds Museum), Strom Peterson (Edmonds City Council), and Maria Montalvo (Corvias Foundation).
Lyle Branchflower enlisted in the Navy during the summer of 1961 and reported to duty as a Naval Aviation Cadet for Pre-Flight in Pensacola, Florida the following September. During that first week of active duty he learned two things right off. First, do not smile when the drill instructor asks you if your mother sent you here to screw up the whole damned Navy, and second, he knew he was getting out as soon as his 6 year military obligation ended.
Actual flight training began in T-34’s at Saufley Field Florida in January 1962. From there he went to Meridian, Mississippi to begin jet training. During that time, the Navy was transitioning older fighter squadrons in-to Phantom II (F4H later designated F4B) squadrons. That meant they needed to fill the training pipe line with Radar Intercept Officers immediately. Lyle was in the first class sent to Brunswick, Georgia for Radar Intercept Officer Training. The urgency of the training was ramped up a notch with the Cuban Missile Crisis. Lyle received his wings and commission and went to Miramar Naval Air Station (California) for further training in the Replacement Air Group (RAG) and then to VF-142 for deployment on the U.S.S. Constellation to the Western Pacific.
Enroute from San Diego to Yokosuka in May 1964, the Constellation received new orders. Go to Point Yankee (coordinates in the northern portion of the South China Sea). Remain on station. During the next couple of months the Constellation went from Point Yankee to the Philippines and back and forth and back. The Air Group trained and made occasional sorties over Vietnam.
On August 4th, the ship’s Claxton horn sounded and the loudspeaker came on, “GENERAL QUARTERS. GENERAL QUARTERS. THIS IS NOT A DRILL. GENERAL QUARTERS.” The U.S.S. Maddox and the U.S.S. Turner Joy were under attack. Fighters were launched into the night skies. Lyle was in the aircraft that was vectored to the Maddox and Turner Joy. They were flying at 50 feet. Lyle had three radar contacts. High anxiety voiced from Combat Information Centers on the destroyers. Inky black night. No visual contact of a PT boat. Lyle was unwilling to launch a missile without a visual even though there were three radar contacts and only two U.S. ships in the area.
President Johnson and Congress acted. A retaliatory strike was planned. Aircraft were launched on a raid against PT boat bases and supply depots in Hai Phong Harbor in North Vietnam. War had begun. Everett Alvarez began his 8 ½ year stay in the Hanoi Hilton.
The next several months merged into one continuous day and night of Combat Air Patrol (CAP), occasional photo escort missions into North Viet Nam and Laos, and bombing escort missions. They didn’t lose another aircraft for the duration of the cruise.
In February 1965, Lyle returned to Miramar Naval Air Station and began training for a new deployment to the Western Pacific in 1966. His active duty obligation was due to end in July of 1966, but he applied for an “early out” in order to go back to school in January 1966. His request was forwarded up the chain of command with a recommendation of “disapprove.” In Pearl Harbor, aboard the U.S.S. Ranger Lyle’s request came back approved. Had the approval arrived a day later, the Ranger would have passed the International Date Line and the admiral would have put an operational hold on him.
Lyle joined a reserve squadron at Willow Grove Naval Air Station outside of Philadelphia. Invariably, a pa-per or a test was due after serving his reserve weekends, so as soon as his reserve requirements were over, he separated from the Navy. A squadron mate chided him for foregoing the “easy money” reserve pay. Two weeks later, the squadron was called to active duty.
Lyle tells his friends who served as grunts that they just don’t understand how difficult service as a naval officer was. He would tell them that even though the stewards made the beds daily, they only put on fresh sheets once a week. Baked Alaska was only served on Thursdays in the ward room. And movies in the ready room could be interrupted by flight operations.
Lyle is pleased to join the VFW.