Newsletter Articles

The photo above shows how our post meeting looked last month, and apparently will continue in the foreseeable future, as long as the Covid19 pandemic keeps things shut down. The meeting was held online in the “Zoom” application. Past Commander Jim Traner, who maintains a pro level Zoom account for his business, kindly allowed the use of his account and set the link up for the meeting. The link was then sent out to all members on the email list to allow everyone to join on line. 27 members joined us. (The photo reflects a smaller number and I believe was taken early as members were logging on.)

Elections of officers for the coming year were held, and the slate selected at the April staff meeting (also held in the Zoom format) was proposed and unanimously approved by all in attendance. The only change in officers from last year is Alden Gilliland as our new Post Service officer. Alden is working his way through the Service Officers training materials and is ready to do what he can to help veterans in need. 

A proposal to fund the Veterans flagpole and memorial plaque at the new Edmonds Waterfront Center (formerly the South Snohomish County Senior Center) in the amount of $ 2,000.00 from the Post Relief Fund was made with a unanimous favorable vote. 

Our usual Memorial Day observance at the cemetery has been cancelled as has our Poppy Drive at the local stores. We are planning a “virtual” poppy drive, using online ads which will be discussed in more detail elsewhere in this newsletter. 

We have also learned this week that the annual Edmonds 4th of July parade and fireworks will not be held this year. Crowds at those events approach 20,000, far above the size of gathering permitted under current health guidelines. 

We urge all members to log on to the link which will be sent via email for our May 20 meeting. The meeting will start at 6:00 PM , as usual. (p.s., you’ll have to make your own dinner.) 

Elections were held at the April Post meeting for Post 8870 leadership for the coming year. Here is the list of officers for the next VFW year, to be installed at the May meeting. 

Commander: Rose Gilliland 
Sr. Vice Commander: Carl Kurfuss 
Jr. Vice Commander: Duane Bowman 
Quartermaster: Dennis Peterson 
Chaplain: Dan Doyle 
Adjutant: Jim Murdock 
Judge Advocate: Jim Traner 
Surgeon: Jay Hansen 
Service Officer: Alden Gilliland 
Trustee: Mike Denton 
Trustee: Kerry Watkins 

Every year on Memorial Day, the Edmonds Memorial Cemetery Board chooses one or more Edmonds veterans, or groups of veterans to be honored with ceremonies, speeches, music and presentations of memorabilia. The plan for 2020 was an observance of the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II and some specific Edmonds resident veterans of that conflict. Due to the ongoing Covid 19 pandemic, the annual ceremonies at the cemetery have been cancelled for this year. 

As part of the preparation for the event, Edmonds resident sketch artist, and Post 8870 member Michael Reagan prepared a sketch portrait of the late John W. (Wild Bill) Crump, which was to have been presented to Crump’s family on Memorial Day. Crump was an Army Air Corps pilot, flying P40, P47 and P51 fighters out of England against Germany, accompanied by his pet coyote “Jeep”. Those interested can find details of his Air Force career and his many contributions to the Edmonds community, not to mention the story of “Jeep” (to our knowledge, the only coyote ever to fly second seat in an Air Corps combat mission) at a web site prepared by his son Bob which you will find at: http://wildbillcrump.com/. 

Since were were unable to follow the original plan, Reagan and a few members of our Post gathered (appropriately socially distanced of course) on Sunday, May 3 at the Edmonds Veterans Plaza to present Reagan’s portrait of their father to two of Crump’s sons. The portrait is of Crump in the cockpit of his fighter with “Jeep”. 

In the photo are, (L to R) Mike Reagan, Erik Crump and Bob Crump.