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“In 1967 our unit, 1st Squadron of the 11th Armored Cavalry, was dug in for the Christmas truce. We were in a FSB close to the Cambodian border. I won’t give you my thoughts on truces in a war as I would be banned on FB. One of our guys got a very small artificial tree from his family. I’ve been searching my memory as to the trooper but I’m drawing a blank after 50 years. We had no decorations but we did have some Jiffy Pop, carefully hoarded in our track from a stop in Base Camp a few months earlier. After tearing off a chunk of a brick of C-4 (plastic explosive for you civilians), we lit it and popped the Jiffy Pop. Someone had their sewing kit stashed in their gear and we threaded the popcorn and strung it around the tree. Every Christmas I look at our beautiful tree and remember that pathetic little tree that brought Christmas joy to a bunch of GI’s dug into a mountain top far from home.”

Jim posted this piece describing that little “Charlie Brown” Christmas Tree on Facebook recently and it was also published in the Edmonds Beacon. The photo, of different tree in Vietnam, was posted on Facebook around the same time as Jim’s post by another Vietnam vet.

Christmas in Vietnam, jim traner

2018 VFW/Legion Christmas Party a Rowsing Success!

Generous members brought food and toys for the food bank and toy drive

The annual VFW/American Legion holiday party was held on December 15 at the Legion Hall and was attended by 61 members and guests. There was food aplenty, including the holiday favorite turkey and trimmings, ham and assorted desserts. It was all delicious!

Buck scored pretty well on the raffle drawings, taking home three

The staff members of both posts donated raffle items, and, in addition, a beautiful quilt was donated by Dorothy Harkness, which was auctioned off separately from the raffle items. Also sold at auction were two portraits of the winning bidders’ choice by Mike Reagan.

This lovely quilt, donated by Dorothy Harkness was auctioned off with Clare Walderman offering the winning bid.

Between the raffle revenues and the auction items, over $ 1,000 was raised to be split between the relief funds of Post 66 and Post 8870.

Many thanks for the efforts of the food preparation and clean up crew and to the donors of the fund raising items for making a great event possible.

Buck scored pretty well on the raffle drawings, taking home three.

This lovely quilt, donated by Dorothy Harkness was auctioned off with Clare Walderman offering the winning bid.

Generous members brought food and toys for the food bank and toy drive

VFW Post 8870 2018 VFW/Legion Christmas Party

Post 8870 Teacher of the Year Receives District 1 Award

Post 8870’s teacher of the year was also named the District 1 Elementary teacher of the year at the District awards meeting on January 5.

Devon Ames, who teaches 5th grade at Serene Lake Elementary in Mukilteo Received her award certificate and moves on to represent Post 8870 and District 1 as our nominee for the Department of Washington award which will be announced officially at the Mid Winter Conference in Yakima later this month.

Devon is shown above receiving her certificate from District Commander Doug White.

Post 8870 Teacher of the Year, VFW WA District 1 Teacher of the Year

Post Youth Essay Award Winner Takes 2nd Place at District

Post 8870 chose Sophia Hradec, a third grader from Machias Elementary School in Snohomish as our Youth Essay winner at her grade level. At the District 1 Awards ceremony in Everett, Sophia was awarded second place in the District Competition.

Sophia will be at our January Post meeting with her parents, to present her essay and receive her award from the post. We won’t publish her essay here, in order to not spoil the surprise.

VFW Post 8870 Youth Essay Award Winner, Youth Essay Award Winner, Youth Essay District Award

Wreaths Across America

On December 15, the annual Wreaths Across America event was held at the Veterans Cemetery at Evergreen Washelli in north Seattle. Several VFW Post 8870 members participated, including those members who who are part of the combined honor guard of our South Snohomish County VFW posts.

Each December on National Wreaths Across America Day, supporters gather to “Remember, Honor and Teach” by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery, as well as over 1,400 additional locations, at sea, and abroad.

Post 8870 donates funds to purchase wreaths annually to support this mission.

Wreaths Across America

News from the Auxiliary

by Valerie Ehlers

At the November District 1 meeting I met Department VFW Commander Linda Fairbank and received one of her pins. I also met Department President Ruth Lamoureux and Department Junior Vice President Marjorie Stetson. All the Auxiliaries were thanked for all the hard work we’ve done this year. Membership goals were discussed and we were told that we will be getting a new auxiliary in the district very soon! We contributed 10 hygiene kits for homeless veterans to District President Mary Davenport along with some other auxiliaries. We also gave some extra supplies that could be used in making more kits.

We have set up our display in the lobby of Edmonds Senior Center. Come by, take a look, and let me know your thoughts about it. You can call me at 206-853-5673, or send me an email at [email protected].

We are always happy to welcome new members to the Edmonds Auxiliary to VFW Post 8870. If you are interested in joining us, give a call or send an email to Valerie at the phone number or email address above.

Merry Christmas and a Happy and Blessed New Year to you all! We look forward to seeing everyone at our January meeting!

News from the Auxilliary, VFW Post 8870 Auxilliary

Report your Community Service

When you attend the Post meeting, record these activities on the sheet provided at the Guard’s desk.

Be sure to include the number of hours in which you were engaged in the activity, mileage incurred, and any out-of-pocket expenses.

A few examples of community service activities that qualify are listed below. If you are in doubt as to whether an activity qualifies, go ahead and report it. We will sort it out .

Involvement in a recycling program
Picking up trash along streets
Volunteer time to assist in planning and conducting Veterans programs/ parades/events
Any activities that promote Americanism (flag flying, public ceremonies, guest speaking engagements, and so forth)
Involvement in youth activities (youth sports, Scouting, etc.)
Mileage you incurred while involved in community service activities

community service, VFW community service, VFW community service hours, VFW community service report

A stirring Program at November Post Meeting

The November meeting of Post 8870, taking place the day before Thanksgiving was relatively lightly attended, no doubt due to the necessity of some members to be at home with family making preparations for the holiday. Still, some 24 stalwart members attended and we were treated to a two-part program that was memorable.

First, our past Teacher of The Year, Nancy Thompson of Serene Lake Elementary in Mukilteo, joined us to perform her new musical composition of the “In Flanders” Fields poe. A beautiful new piece of music, both well composed and superbly performed. We sincerely hope that Nancy is able to have her composition published and made widely available.

Part two of our program was courtesy of Post Member Chris Edwards, who brought two of his fellow National Guard troops to give a demonstration on the proper steps involved in folding the flag as we do it at burial services, as well as some explanation of the symbolism involved in each of those steps.

Chris Edwards, demonstration on the proper steps involved in folding the flag, National Guard troops, Teacher of The Year Nancy Thompson of Serene Lake Elementary in Mukilteo, VFW Post 8870 speakers

Memories of Operation Barrel Roll

by Fred Apgar

Forty years ago I lost a dear friend in a senseless motor vehicle accident on an icy road in Montana. His name was Anonn Puanyathio, he was Thai, and he was a courageous warrior. His call sign was Hilltop. We became friends during my tour in Southeast Asia. We were both involved in the ground war in Northern Laos (Barrel Roll).

Fred Apgar, then

The ground war in Laos was waged by a US sponsored army, comprised almost exclusively by Hmong, a native Laotian ethnic minority. Operations relied on a network of road watch teams (RWT) and forward air guides (FAG).

Hilltop was a FAG, a fearless trooper who accompanied Hmong soldiers and served as a link between ground forces and our airborne command center. Hilltop was among the best of our FAGs. We worked together for a year and became life-long friends. His friendship was a gift. Anonn had a wonderful sense of humor and was one of those individuals who thrived in combat. He was born to be a warrior.

Fred Apgar, now

Hilltop’s hometown was close to the base at which I was stationed in Thailand. When our schedules permitted, he took me to his world. We shared some memorable experiences. Anonn was a quiet and gentle person, but in the field he was a respected leader; assertive, and confident, who exuded a command presence. On numerous occasions, Hilltop engaged in firefights with the North Vietnamese and Pathet Lao, suffering several wounds, and forced to recede into the depths of the jungle, evading the bad guys to await pick-up at first light.

Anonn Puanyathio

I was honored to have Anonn attend our Squadron’s Sawadee Party for those of us whose deployment was over and were returning home. It was at that party, our last time together, when Anonn presented me with a gift of two pictures; one of him at Long Tieng and one of himself sitting on top of a captured Soviet made PT-76 tank. He also presented me with a Soviet made watch he salvaged from the wreckage. The successful ambush took place in the Ban Ban Valley.

It took more than a year after the war ended, but finally, Hilltop received permission to fulfill his life-long dream and immigrated to the United States. After surviving the war, it was ironic that Hilltop’s life would end on a snow covered Montana highway.

Anonn Puanyathio

Three years ago, I was privileged to return to the battlefields of Barrel Roll. One of my destinations was the Ban Ban Valley in search of a connection to Hilltop. Of course, I will never know if the tank I found was the very same tank that Hilltop had stood upon in 1969. I like to think it was.

Anonn Puanyathio, Ban Ban Valley, forward air guides (FAG), Fred Apgar, Hmong soldiers, Long Tieng, Northern Laos, Operation Barrel Roll, road watch teams (RWT), Squadron’s Sawadee Party

In Memoriam: George H.W. Bush President, Navy Veteran, VFW Life Member

George H.W. Bush, In Memoriam, VFW life member

Like many wartime pilots, Lt. j.g. George H.W. Bush named his airplane after a girl back home. But he had to call it “Barbara III,” since he lost his first two planes — one during training and one to enemy fire. That’s how dangerous flying was in World War II. There were 16 pilots in George H.W. Bush’s squadron, according to retired Adm. Samuel Cox, director of Naval History and Heritage Command. “Half of them were killed or captured before the end of the war,” Cox said.

He flew the TBM “Avenger”, a carrier based torpedo/ bomber which had a three-man crew. His target on Sept. 2, 1944, was a Japanese radio transmitter on the island of Chichi Jima.

His plane was hit as he began his run into the target but he stayed with it until he dropped his bombs. Out over the water, Mr. Bush told his crew to bail out.

“The Japanese came out after him. Some fighters from the flight were able to strafe the Japanese boats and keep them away during the four hours that Bush was actually in the water,” Cox said. A U.S. submarine got to him before the Japanese could. A 20-year-old George H.W. Bush spent 30 days on that submarine thinking, as he later told the author James Bradley, “Later, I learned that neither Jack Delaney nor Ted White had survived. One went down with the plane; the other was seen jumping but his parachute failed to open.” Bush has been quoted as saying “I think about White and Delaney every day”

George H. W. Bush was one of eight VFW members who have become U.S. Preseidents.

Source: CBS NEWS December 4, 2018, 6:41 PM

In Memoriam, News, Newsletter Articles

The Commander’s Corner