Nominations for Officers
Nominations for officers will be made at the March meeting with additional nominations in April with the vote for officers in April. If you are interested in serving as an officer, please contact Fred Apgar and let him know.
The Last Word
I was recently reading a blog online blasting VFW for their treatment of Vietnam veterans who attempted to join after returning from overseas. I guess I was startled by the bitterness that a lot of folks carried from 40 years ago and, quite frankly, I found it to be petty at best. It isn’t the first time I’ve run into it. I was having lunch with a local banker a few years ago who was a Army helicopter pilot in Nam. After asking him if he would like to join our Post, I had to listen to about his treatment from a VFW Post when he returned home. If my client hadn’t needed a loan from the guy, I would have got up and left. So I sat through his diatribe, picked up the check, and secured the loan from the bank on behalf of my client.
I wonder how these folks reach out and support the veterans in our community? How do they instill patriotism in our local schools? How do they reach out and support the young veterans returning home to insure their benefits will be provided them? How do they reach out to the Gold Star families and say they are sorry for the loss of a son or daughter? How do they assist WWII veterans with claims for benefits some 65 years after they have left the service. Perhaps they do, I can’t be the judge of their efforts. I know, however, that VFW does, and most certainly that Post 8870 does all of this and much more. So the next time some guy unloads on you or me about his treatment 40 years ago, let it go in one ear and promptly out the other.
In Memory—Leroy Middleton
The Post lost a long time member last month, Leroy Middleton. Leroy held numerous offices with the Post and was currently a member of our Relief Fund committee. In addition, he was the Post historian and our trivia provider. At the conclusion of every meeting, Leroy had a “Stump the Chumps” question which normally did stump us. The charter was covered in his memory at the January meeting and his smile and grace will be missed. A number of us attended the grave side services at the Edmonds cemetery and said goodbye to our friend and comrade.
Post’s Voice of Democracy Winner Places 5th in State Competition
Katarina Nguyen placed 5th at the Mid Winter Conference in Yakima. She represented our Post in the competition for the last three years and won the District competition twice. Both Sr. Vice Commander Fred Apgar and Commander Jim Traner attended the Mid Winter Convention in Yakima. There were 16 District winners at the banquet and all seemed to be 4.0 students, captains of their sports teams, class presidents, etc. so the competition was intense. The fact she was in the top five speaks to the quality of her essay. You may read it on line under the tab labeled “Youth Essay” and I encourage you to do so. Katarina is 4.0 student at EWHS, and plans on attending the U of W. We wish her the best in her future endeavors, wherever they may lead her.
Auxiliary President’s Corner
Hi! I would like you all to be my Valentines! We’re still working on ideas for a membership drive to have soon. If you have any ideas or comments about the membership drive you can send them to me by email at [email protected] , or regular mail to Valerie Ehlers at 912 N 143rd St., #6, Seattle, WA 98133. At the District 1 meeting in January, Valerie received a beautiful cup & saucer because our Auxiliary received new members this year.
We have selected some new projects for our Auxiliary to support and I will be requesting your participation in this, and future, articles. For the February meeting we are helping the Northshore Nourish program. Please bring a box of breakfast bars with you, send in to me or to our Treasurer a box of breakfast bars, or send in a donation for us to buy a box of breakfast bars ( Checks should be made out to Ladies Auxiliary VFW #8870 ). Our Treasurer is Connie Daily and she can be reached by regular mail at 7903 191st St. SW, Edmonds, WA 98026 . Thanks for your support!
Nisei Veterans Honored
The picture is a bit small but on stage at the U of W Meany Hall are 90 members of the famed 442nd Combat Regiment Team and the Military Intelligence Service are being awarded the Congressional Gold Medal by Army Gen. Peter Chiarelli. Commander Jim Traner and Post member Mike Reagan were invited to attend the ceremony. Mike has drawn portraits of all 21 of their Medal of Honor winners and, as many of you know, we have been quite close to the Nisei Veterans Committee.
Chaplain’s Corner
This was received from a member of our Post and I as your Chaplain am just passing it on. I do, however, suggest that there is much truth contained in this short ‘testimonial’. As the saying goes, “So soon we forget” and Our War on Terror (and Terrorist I might add) certainly falls into that category. Many within our Nation would claim that the War on Terror is over. But tell that to a family who recently lost a son or daughter. Tell that to the families of those mentioned below. Tell that to a mother, father, wife, son, or daughter whose child, husband, wife, father, son, or daughter has just deployed and into harm’s way. Our liberty is not free and our brave men and women – Army, Navy, Marine, Air Force, and Coast Guard – are paying the price, daily, for the liberty and freedom we continue to enjoy in this great land of ours. God Bless America and those who willingly defend Her.
Prayer Request
We are asking everyone to say a prayer for Darkhorse” 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, and their families. They are fighting it out in Afghanistan &have lost 9 marines in 4 days. IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE the message spread if more could pass it on. Nothing in the media about these guys because no one seems to care:
Rest in peace: Justin Allen, 23, Brett Linley, 29, Matthew Weikert, 29, Justus Bartett, 27, Dave Santos, 21, Chase Stanley, 21 Jesse Reed, 26, Matthew Johnson, 21, Zachary Fisher, 24, Brandon King, 23, Christopher Goeke, 23, Sheldon Tate, 27.
All are Marines that gave their lives for YOU this week.
Please Honor THEM by forwarding this.
Father Brian F. Kelly, Ph.D., Chaplain
Cathedral Catholic High School
San Diego, CA 92130
It makes no difference what our political views are. Whether we are a Democrat or a Republican, Right Wing or Left Wing, Liberal or Conservative, we are first and foremost Americans and these were ‘Our Native Sons’ and fellow comrades in arms.
“Heavenly Father, receive each into Thy Fold and comfort the bereaved. Amen!”
New Member Profiles
Dennis Peterson
Dennis grew up in Minnesota and after attending college for two years, he joined the Air Force in 1966. After completing basic training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, he was assigned to technical school at Chanute AFB in Illinois. His specialty was in avionics for fighter aircraft. He was assigned to Luke AFB in Phoenix before being deployed to Tuy Hoa Air Base in the Republic of Vietnam. He served a one year tour of duty in Southeast Asia, working primarily with F-100’s. Upon his return to the states, Dennis serviced the flight control systems for F-106’s at an Air Defense Command Base in Michigan. After living in Arizona for five years, Dennis and his family returned to Minnesota. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota. He and his wife live in Mukilteo, and they have two children and four grandchildren.
Al Starkenburg
Al has lived his entire life in Washington, attending school at various times in Ellensburg, Shoreline, and Carnation. After playing football during his senior year in high school, he enlisted in the Marine Corps. He reported for basic training at Marine Corps Base, San Diego after which he was assigned to 29 Palms Marine Base for artillery training. He served a one year tour in Korea in 1954-1955. After a brief assignment at Camp Pendleton, Al worked in security at Lake Meade Base. Upon his discharge from the Marine Corps, Al returned to the Seattle area and attended and played football at Everett Community College. For the next 40 years, Al has been a salesman in the food and beverage industry. He and his wife reside in Edmonds. They have four children, nine grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
Charles Saint
Charles is a native of Del Rio, Texas who enlisted in the Army immediately after graduating from high school. After basic training at Ft. Leonard Wood in Missouri, Charles trained to become a combat engineer. During his year-long tour in Iraq, he served time in Baghdad and Taji. Charles was medically discharged and now resides in Seattle.
New Member Profiles
We don’t have room to run all of the profiles of our new members so look to the next issue for additional profiles. By the way, don’t be shy in inviting any of your veteran friends to a meeting—we’d love to run their profiles in a future newsletter.
Rock Roth presents Students with Essay Certificates
Capt. Rock is shown presenting certificates to students at Discovery Elementary School. Their teacher, Ms. Cochran, is with them. Rock did a great job of promoting the VOD, PP, and Essay contests in the Mukilteo and Edmonds School Districts. We are seeing the results of Rock and Fred’s hard work by the number of participants who entered this year.
The Last Word
For all of you Vietnam Vets, if you want to feel old, you were in the middle of the Tet Offensive 44 years ago assuming you were “in country” as I was. Time sure has a way of going fast but that 7-10 day period left very lasting memories for me. It was suppose to be a cease fire period just like Christmas had been. I suspect that will be the last time the US military agrees to a cease fire short of the ending of a war. Each generation has their “Tet”, whether it’s the Battle of the Bulge, Heart Break Ridge, or Tora Bora that leaves a lasting memory on those who were there and with time, they will be the only ones who remember it. But that is only right because they have ownership to that piece of history.