FLYING WEST

from a book titled Tall Tail Tales and credited to Captain Michael Larkin, TWA





I hope there’s a place way up in the sky

Where pilot’s can go when they have to die

A place where a guy could buy a cold beer

For a friend and a comrade whose memory is dear

A place where no doctor or lawyer could tread

Nor a management type would e’re be caught dead

Just a quaint little place; kind of dark, full of smoke

Where they like to sing loud and have a good joke

The kind of a place where a lady could go

And feel safe and protected by men she would know

There must be a place where old pilots go

When their wings get too weary and their airspeed gets low

Where the whiskey is old and the women are young

And the songs about flying and dying are sung

Where you’d see all the fellows who’d flown west before

And they’d call out your name as you came through the door

Who would buy you a drink if your thirst should be bad

And relate to each other “he was quite a good lad”

And then through the mist, you’d spot an old guy

You had not seen in years though he’d taught you to fly

He’d nod his old head with a grin ear to ear

And say “Welcome my son, I’m pleased that you’re here!”

For this is a place where true flyers come

When the battles are over, and the wars have been won

They’ve come here at last to be safe and afar

From the government clerk and the management czar

Politicians and lawyers, the Feds and the noise

Where the hours are happy and these good old boys

Can relax with a cool one, and well deserved rest

This is heaven my son, you’ve passed your last test.

...there's a fellowship...

When a Veteran leaves the 'job' and retires to a better life, many are
jealous, some are pleased, and others, who may have already retired,
wonder if he knows what he is leaving behind, because we already know.

1. We know, for example, that after a lifetime of camaraderie that few
experience, it will remain as a longing for those past times.

2. We know in the Military life there is a fellowship which lasts long
after the uniforms are hung up in the back of the closet.

3. We know even if he throws them away, they will be on him with every
step and breath that remains in his life. We also know how the very
bearing of the man speaks of what he was and in his heart still is.

These are the burdens of the job. You will still look at people
suspi
ciously, still see what others do not see or choose to ignore and
always will look at the rest of the Military world with a respect for
what they do; only grown in a lifetime of knowing.

Never think for one moment you are escaping from that life. You are
only escaping the 'job' and merely being allowed to leave 'active' duty.

So what I wish for you is that whenever you ease into retirement, in
your heart you never forget for one moment that you are still a member
of the greatest fraternity the world has ever known.


A veteran - whether active duty, retired, or reserve- is someone who,
at one point in their life, wrote a blank check made payable to 'The
Government of the United States of America' for an amount of 'up to
and including my life'. . . and military wives are as much veterans as
their spouses.



From one Veteran to another, it's an honor to be in your company.

Military Ingenuity

Starting in 1941, an increasing number of British airmen found themselves as the involuntary guests of the Third Reich, and the authorities were casting-about for ways and means to facilitate their escape. Now obviously, one of the most helpful aids to that end is a useful and accurate map, one showing not only where-stuff-was, but also showing the locations of 'safe houses', where a POW on-the-loose could go for food and shelter. Paper maps had some real drawbacks: They make a lot of noise when you o! pen and fold them, they wear-out rapidly and if they get wet, they turn into mush.


Someone in MI-5 got the idea of printing escape maps on silk. It's durable, can be scrunched-up into tiny wads, and unfolded as many times as needed, and makes no noise what-so-ever. At that time, there was only one manufacturer in Great Britain that had perfected the technology of printing on silk, and that was John Waddington, Ltd.



When approached by the government, the firm was only too happy to do its bit for the war effort. By pure coincidence, Waddington was also the U.K. Licensee for the popular American board game, Monopoly. As it happened, 'games and pastimes' was a category item qualified for insertion into 'CARE packages', dis-patched by the International Red Cross, to prisoners of war.



Under the strictest of secrecy, in a securely guarded and inaccessible old workshop on the grounds of Waddington's, a group of sworn-to-secrecy employees began mass-producing escape maps, keyed to each region of Germany or Italy where Allied POW camps were located (Red Cross packages were delivered to prisoners in accordance with that same regional system). When processed, these maps could be folded into such tiny dots that they would actually fit inside a Monopoly playing piece.



As long as they were! at it, the clever workmen at Waddington's also managed to add:
1. A playing token, containing a small magnetic compass,
2. A two-part metal file that could easily be screwed together.
3. Useful amounts of genuine high-denomination German, Italian, and French

currency, hidden within the piles of Monopoly money!



British and American air-crews were advised, before taking off on their first mission, how to identify a 'rigged' Monopoly set by means of a tiny red dot, one cleverly rigged to look like an ordinary printing glitch, located in the corner of the Free Parking square! Of the estimated 35,000 Allied POWS who successfully escaped, an estimated one-third were aided in their flight by the rigged Monopoly sets. Everyone who did so was sworn to secrecy Indefinitely, since the British Government might want to use this highly successful use in still another, future war.



The story wasn't de-classified until 2007, when the surviving craftsmen from Waddington's, as well as the firm itself, were finally honoured in a public ceremony. Anyway, it's always nice when you can play that 'Get Out of Jail Free' card.



Keep Smiling

Happy Birthday Marine Corps

Veteran's Day 2008

2009 Meeting and Duty Schedule

555th HONORS SCHEDULE 2009...


Dinner Meeting..................DUTY WEEK

29 JAN 09...........................02-06 FEB 09
19 MAR 09...........................23-27MAR 09
07 MAY 09..........................11-15 MAY 09
25 JUN 09............................29 JUN-3 JUL 09
13 AUG 09............................17-21 AUG 09
01 OCT 09...........................05-09 OCT 009
19 NOV 09............................23-27 NOV 09

Great COLA News

2009 COLA for Retired Pay
Each year military retirement pay is adjusted to meet the increased cost of living. This Cost-of-Living-Adjustment (COLA) varies from year to year based on the previous year's Consumer Price Index (CPI).
2009 Update: The 2009 military retired pay cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will be 5.8%. This increase, which goes into effect on December 1, 2008, also applies to SBP annuities, Social Security checks, and VA disability and survivor benefits. Retirees will see the increase in their January, 2009 checks.
Note: This annual Cost-of-Living-Adjustment is NOT in anyway related to the annual military pay raise for active duty and reserve servicemembers. In fact, this years COLA increase is larger than the 2009 military pay raise of 3.9%.
All retirees who retired before January 1, 2008 will receive the 5.8 percent Cost-of-Living-Adjustment.
Retirees who first became a member of the uniformed services before Sept. 8, 1980 and retired on or after January 1, 2008 will receive the 5.0 percent Cost-of-Living-Adjustment.
Retirees who first became a member of the uniformed services on or after Sept. 8, 1980, and retired in 2008 will receive a Partial COLA on a prorated basis as follows:
• Jan. 1, 2008, and March 31, 2008, will receive 5.0%
• April 1 - June 30, 2008 will receive 3.8%
• July 1 - Sept. 30, 2008 will receive 1.2%
• Those who retired after Oct. 1, 2008, will see no COLA this year.
Retirees who first entered the military after Sept. 8, 1980 and retired before Jan. 1, 2008 will also receive the 5.8 percent COLA.
Retirees who first became members of the uniformed services on or after Aug. 1, 1986 and elected to receive a Career Status Bonus at 15 years, and retired on or before Jan. 1, 2008, will receive an increase of only 4.8 percent.
A special thank you to the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) for providing the 2009 COLA figures.

Happy Birthday US Navy! 13 OCT 1775

Bell P39Q-15BE 44-2911 Airacobra

By Mark Sheppard
Illustrations by Kjetil Aakra
Photos by Boris Osetinskij
Sumitted by Hal Fulton




Discovery

This amazing Bell P39 was located at the bottom of Lake Mart-Yavr within the Russian Arctic Circle in the summer of 2004. As with other recoveries over the years, it was discovered by a fisherman who saw the silt covered outline through the crystal clear water.

The P39 sat on the bottom of a shallow lake at a depth of 5m, covered and buried up to the top of the propeller spinner in fine silt. Covered in silt, no markings were initially visible but after a little brushing, a red star appeared together with a yellow serial on the fin and rudder. With the serial now known, a search through the archives showed the pilot had disappeared on a transfer flight in November 1944.

Taking advantage of the good weather, the recovery team used air bags, tripod frames and a truck winch to bring the P39 to the shore. It caused concern that when the P39 emerged both the cockpit doors were still closed. Usually, if it was a water landing, one or both would have been jettisoned allowing for a quick exit. If the lake had been frozen, the team would still have expected one door to be open following any force landing.

The reason soon became apparent; for some unknown reason, the pilot had not exited the P39 and his remains were located in the cockpit. Missing for 60 years, the pilot was buried on 6 October 2004 with full military honours at the Glory Valley Memorial, near the Litza Valley, NW of Murmansk.

The P39 was remarkably complete, only missing the starboard inboard leading edge. As is always the case with magnesium-based components, the wheel hubs and engine cam covers to the engine had dissolved over the years and disappeared.

An interesting discovery was that the wing 0.5in machine guns had been removed. This in itself was not unusual, but in the area for the ammunition trays the team discovered six cans of American stew and spare lengths of ammunition. The 11 1/2 oz food cans contained cooked pork, lard, and onions with spices and had been packaged by Beerfoot Farms Company, Southboro. Massachusetts. USA. Not all lend-lease supplies were hardware!

The main fuselage weaponry was in place including the Colt-Browning M4 37mm cannon that fired through the spinner with 30 rounds of ammunition. The two 0.5inch heavy machine guns were located over the cannon and fired through the propeller and each had 200 rounds of ammunition as well.

The most amazing discovery was in the document case on the starboard door. The team located the maintenance record book for this P39. Although a few pages had perished, the majority was still legible. Nearly all of the Russian information that follows concerning flight hours/dates, servicing and pilots’ names come from this unique document.

The P39 was easily disassembled before being transported to Moscow where it received its export licence. It was then transported to Jim Pearce’s facility in West Sussex, England where it is currently being cleaned up and inspected. This amazing and historic P39 is currently for sale.

Military Artist Frank Thomas to be in Medina

Historical Artist Frank Thomas will present his art and a lecture 14 SEP 6:00pm at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints located at 4411 Windfall Road. Windfall Road is just East of the intersection of I-71 and Route 18, turn left on Windfall, the Church is at the right where Windfall deadends into Granger. There is no charge.

LDS Religious Artist Frank Thomas was an official U.S. Army Combat Artist in Vietnam (1967) and one of only two official Army artists sent to the Persian Gulf to paint Operation Desert Storm. His military paintings and art prints of the U.S. Army in battle are thrilling and dramatic, resulting from his combat experiences both as a field artillery officer and as an artist. They give a vision of action as seen through the eyes of a combat artist. His Civil War and Old West "Horse Soldier" paintings and art prints reveal an artist who rides, owns and knows the horse. Frank Thomas' art studio site also offers his religious canvas paintings and art prints placed in LDS Temples and Church buildings.

Check out Frank Thomas' website at wildgoose@crystalpeaks.com

Happy Birthday US Air Force

Happy Birthday U.S. COAST GUARD

4 August 1790

HAPPY 4th of JULY

SERVICE BIRTHDAYS

U.S. MERCHANT MARINE 12JUN1775 U.S. ARMY 14JUN1775

Write those Folks in WASHINGTON!

TRICARE Beneficiaries About to be Turned Away?
Week of June 02, 2008

Barring congressional action, the Medicare payment rate to physicians will be reduced by 10.6% in July of 2008. This directly affects TRICARE beneficiaries because TRICARE payment rate is based upon Medicare's sustainable growth rate (SGR) update formula. This means that doctors will be forced to accept less money for medical procedures. In the past these reductions have caused doctors to turn away TRICARE patients and will likely do so again if the reduced payment rates are not blocked.

This issue will adversely affect survivors, retirees, members of the active-duty, Guard and reserve and their families, especially those living far from military installations

The Viet Nam Wall is in Wadsworth

28 MAY 08 - The truck arrived in Wadsworth at approximately 1635 escorted by Rolling Thunder and others So much for schedules...

29 MAY 08- Wall will be erected in the square of town.

30 MAY 08 - 10:00AM - Opening Ceremony. Will remain open 24 hours per day.

1 JUN 08 - 6:00PM - Closing Ceremony and Taps

MEMORIAL DAY

Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 - 363) to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays), though several southern states have an additional separate day for honoring the Confederate war dead: January 19 in Texas, April 26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; May 10 in South Carolina; and June 3 (Jefferson Davis' birthday) in Louisiana and Tennessee.
In 1915, inspired by the poem "In Flanders Fields," Moina Michael replied with her own poem:
We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies.

She then conceived of an idea to wear red poppies on Memorial day in honor of those who died serving the nation during war. She was the first to wear one, and sold poppies to her friends and co-workers with the money going to benefit servicemen

For a more complete history see: www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html

Military Ball CANCELLED !!!

The Military Ball scheduled for 17 MAY has been postponed until a future date. Anyone who prepaid will receive a refund at the next dinner meeting.

Fulton is Right on the Mark - Beacon Journal Letter

What KSU speaker
left out about May 4

I read with interest the article (''Former U.N. inspector speaks bluntly at KSU,'' May 5) on the remembrance of the May 4 shootings at Kent State. Regretfully, while the speaker (Scott Ritter, former U.N. weapons inspector) made several good points, he also managed to forget several others equally important.

For what it's worth, KSU has the same problem. It would have been nice had he mentioned the threats to downtown businesses (if they didn't place anti-war signs), the burning of the buildings and some of the other things those who lived nearby heard about.

The deaths and wounding of the students were, indeed, a tragedy but the Ohio National Guard did not come on campus because a bunch of students were holding a peaceful protest. They came because people were afraid, and public property was being damaged.

According to the speaker, the ''rights of American freedom of speech and assembly were trampled.'' My copy of the Constitution says: the ''rights of the people peacefully to assemble.'' (Emphasis added by the writer.) Regrettably, this did not happen.

I was a GI Bill commuter student at Kent from 1958 to 1967. I received a very good education, but I also learned that KSU was bigger on rights than responsibilities.
As a final note, Kent owes Professor Glenn Frank a huge debt of gratitude for the major role he played in calming things down. I can only hope he was recognized for it.

Harold A. Fulton
Wooster

Gottcha, but just for fun.

The Marine Sergeant says,"Never happened in the Corps!" The Chief remarks, "They don't even do that in the Navy." Do what? Look closer... "Oh no, Joe!"

The Wall That Heals to be in Wadsworth (UPDATE)

Downtown Wadsworth and the Wadsworth American Legion Post 170 are proud to announce The Wall That Heals, a half scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC, will bring the message of The Wall home to Wadsworth from May 29,2008 to June 2, 2008.

The Wall That Heals features a half scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC, complete with the 58,249 names of those killed of missing in action. A 53 foot trailer carries The Wall That Heals, and when emptied for display, the trailer becomes a mobile museum which tells the story of the Vietnam Wall, the era during the conflict, and a computerized name locator.

"We are honored to have The Wall that Heals displayed in our community. It will provide all of us an opportunity to honor those who paid the ultimate price for service to our country and to learn more concerning this important time in our country's history", remarked Mayor of Wadsworth, Robin Laubaugh..

The Wall That Heals exhibition is organized by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, the organization charged with preserving The Wall in Washington, DC and its vast legacy. National sponsors of the tour include Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Charitable Trust, Federal Express, Fujitsu Transaction Solutions, Inc., Harley-Davidson Foundation and Target Corporation. Local sponsors include: Wadsworth American Legion Post 170, O’Neill Group, City of Wadsworth, Wadsworth Schools and Veterans of Foreign Wars #1089.

Opening ceremonies will be held at 10am on Friday, May 30, on the Town Square. The Wall That Heals will be open 24 hours a day beginning at that time. There is no charge for admission.

MIA SSG Matt Maupin Found

DNA analysis has confirmed that human remains found in an unspecified region of Iraq are those of missing Army Staff Sergeant Matt Maupin.

In a Sunday evening press conference, Staff Sergeant Maupin's parents Keith and Carolyn said they were told of the news around around 1 p.m. Sunday.

"My heart sinks, but I know they can't hurt him anymore," Keith Maupin said.


"It hurts, it hurts," Carolyn Maupin said outside the Yellow Ribbon Support Center in Union Township. "After you go through almost four years of hope, and then this is what happens, it's like a let down," Maupin continued.

20-year-old Maupin was captured on April 9, 2004 when his fuel convoy, part of the 724th Transportation Company, came under attack near the Baghdad International Airport. A week later, the Arab television network Al-Jazeera aired a videotape showing Maupin sitting on the floor surrounded by five masked men holding automatic rifles. On June 28, a video purporting to show his execution was released, but Army officials said the quality was so poor that it could not be verified.
Keith and Carolyn refused to believe it was their son, and the Army had listed him as missing-captured. The Maupins lobbied hard for the Army to continue listing their son as missing-captured, fearing that another designation would undermine efforts to find him.

Keith Maupin said the Army told him early on that there was only a 50 percent chance his son would be found alive. He said he doesn't hold the Army responsible for his son's death, but that he did hold the Army responsible for bringing his son home.

"I told them when we'd go up to the Pentagon, whether he walks off a plane or is carried off, you're not going to leave him in Iraq like you did those guys in Vietnam," Keith Maupin said.

Vigils were held throughout the Tri-State after Maupin went missing, and yellow ribbons went up immediately. For three years and eleven months, Maupin has been listed as missing.

Maupin was a 2001 graduate of Glen Este High School in Union Township and played on the football team. He then attended the University of Cincinnati for a year before joining the Army Reserves.

Dan Simmons, the athletic director at Glen Este, remembered Maupin as a quiet but hardworking backup player on the school's football team.

"Matt was a selfless kid on the football field," Simmons said. "He did whatever the coaches told him. He wasn't a starter, but he made the other kids play harder."

A month after his capture, Maupin was promoted to the rank of specialist. In April 2005, Maupin was promoted to sergeant.

When Carolyn Maupin was asked what the community could do to help her family during this time, she replied, "[Just] stay by our side and support us, that would be great."

An 8:30 p.m. candlelight vigil was held at the Yellow Ribbon Support Center, which is located on South Eastgate Boulevard in Batavia.


The collective hearts and prayers of the Triple Nickel go out to SSG Maupin and his courageous famly.

555th Honor Detachment

"The membership of the 555th Honors Detachment wish to add their collective voices of congratulations to all associates of Wayne Savings Community Bank for being awarded the 2007 Wooster Area Chamber of Commerce "Business of the Year" award.

"Wayne Savings’ long standing reputation of being a community minded institution was a strong point in the 555th decision to use Wayne for their modest banking needs. Also Wayne’s Patriotism cannot be questioned. I know of no other local commercial institution that displays the American Flag in their lobby along with the five military service flags. It is indeed an impressive display. Thank you."

--- Elton Boyer, Ret. USA, Pres. 555th Honors Detachment

Cpl Frank Buckles, Last WWI Veteran

He's the last of a dying breed in this country: a man whose story deserves our attention, respect and thanks.

He is the last known living American veteran of World War I. His name is Frank Buckles, and Thursday was his day at the White House.

Frank Buckles had an appointment Thursday in the White House West Wing, which didn't even exist when he was born 107 years ago.

"Mr. Buckles has a vivid recollection of historic times," said President Bush of Buckles.

Since last month, Buckles has been the only living U.S. Veteran of World War I, the last of nearly 5 million "Doughboys."

"Well, I knew it would happen to somebody. I didn't think it was going to be me," said Buckles.

He was born in rural Missouri in 1901, the beginning of the 20th century. He lied about his age to enlist in the army when he was 15.

"I knew it was important, and probably, as a young boy, the thought of adventure," said Buckles.

But he arrived in France just as the guns went silent, missing the war.

Years later, working for a steamship line in the Philippines, another war found him. The Japanese invaded at the start of World War II, and Buckles spent three and half years as a prisoner, eating from a tin cup.

"In Manila, in the last year of the war, I would get three-quarters of a cupful of mush, lucky to have some beans," said Buckles of his imprisonment.

Today, he lives on the 330 acre West Virginia cattle farm he bought in 1954. He does 50 situps a day and only stopped driving a tractor five years ago.

"I was driving my car for exercise and to appointments when I was 102," said Buckles.

Honoring Those Who Served

Features of a military funeral in the United States

In the United States, the Department of Defense (DOD) is responsible for providing military funeral honors. "Honoring Those Who Served" is the title of the DOD program for providing dignified military funeral honors to veterans.
As of January 1, 2000, Section 578 of Public Law 106-65 of the National Defense Authorization Act mandates that the U.S. military must provide the rendering of U.S. military funeral honors for an eligible veteran if requested by the family. As provided by law, an honor guard detail for the burial of an eligible veteran shall consist of not less than two members of the armed forces. One member of the detail shall be a representative of the parent armed service of the deceased veteran. The honor detail will, at a minimum, perform a ceremony that includes the folding and presenting of the American flag to the next of kin and the playing of "Taps". "Taps" will be played by a bugler, if available, or by electronic recording. Today, there are so few buglers available that the U.S. military services often cannot provide one. The law allows Reserve and National Guard units to help with funeral honors duty.
Generally, the law allows for military funeral benefits for all veterans who were discharged under circumstances "other than dishonorable." Funeral directors will require the veteran's DD Form 214 to establish eligibility.
Those who are eligible for U.S. military funeral honors include:
• Former U.S. Presidents
• Military members on active duty or in the Selected Reserve.
• Former military members who served on active duty and departed under conditions other than dishonorable.
• Former military members who completed at least one term of enlistment or period of initial obligated service in the Selected Reserve and departed under conditions other than dishonorable.
• Former military members discharged from the Selected Reserve due to a disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty.
U.S. military funerals include all or some of the following depending on status of deceased (active, retired, veteran, rank/occupation)
• The coffin is sometimes transported by way of a horse-drawn caisson. For funerals of former presidents and officers of O-6 rank and above, a riderless horse, symbolizing a fallen leader, usually accompanies the caisson. But for many military funerals the casket is simply brought in a hearse. The coffin is usually draped in a U.S. flag as a pall.
• A 3-volley salute is fired for most branches of the military. For the Navy, a cannon will be fired, a practice which originated in the British Royal Navy. When a cannon was fired, it partially disarmed the ship, therefore firing the cannon represents trust and respect. A gun salute is given to those eligible (e.g., general officers, presidents, other high-ranking officials.)
• "Taps" is played on the bugle or trumpet, at a distance (30-50 yards) from the grave site. During this time the “Final Salute” is given. (A shortage of qualified buglers has led to the use of prerecorded versions of the song being used. The group Bugles Across America[1] is attempting to combat this practice.)
• The flag is folded and is then presented to next of kin, "As a representative of the United States Army, it is my high privilege to present you this flag. Let it be a symbol of the grateful appreciation this nation feels for the distinguished service rendered to our country and our flag by your loved one." (Generally, the flag is given to the next-of-kin as a keepsake after its use during the funeral service. When there is no next-of-kin, the flag is presented to a friend making a request for it).
( The flag for someone who dies during active duty is provided by that individual's branch of service. The U.S. Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) provides a U.S. flag at no cost, to drape the casket or accompany the urn of a deceased veteran who served honorably in the U.S. armed forces.)

Human Statue of Liberty

This photograph was said to be taken at Camp Dodge, Des Moines, Iowa in 1918. The caption states that there are 18,000 Officers and Men in the picture. Not only is this a remarkable feat, but is rather sobering when one realizes that of all these young men and hundreds of thousands of other young Americans in uniform at the time, only ONE (1) remains today. (Click Picture To Enlarge)

N.E. Ohio Tie to Up Coming Endeavour Flight

I thought you might be interested in knowing that Navy Captain Michael J. Foreman, a 1975 graduate of Wadsworth High School and inductee of the Wadsworth High School Hall of Fame, is scheduled for launch as mission specialist on the space shuttle Endeavour on March 11 2008 at 4 a.m. The mission is expected to last approximately 15 days. The launch has been rescheduled previously and could possibly change again, depending on conditions

Viet Nam Memorial Wall to be in Wadsworth

The traveling Viet Nam Memorial Wall is scheduled to be in Wadsworth from 30 May 2008 to 2 June 2008. As more information becomes available it will be posted on this site and announced in our meetings.

THE LOST 52

The Final Patrol
Lord, this departed shipmate with dolphins on his chest is part of an outfit known as the best.
Make him welcome and take him by the hand.
You'll find without a doubt he was the best in all the land.
So, heavenly Father add his name to the roll of our departed shipmates still on patrol.
Let them know that we who survive will always keep their memories alive.

1941-1942
USS SEALION (SS 195) December 10, 1941
USS S 36 (SS 141) January 20, 1942
USS S 26 (SS 131) January 24, 1942
USS SHARK (SS 174) February 11, 1942
USS PERCH (SS 176) March 3, 1942
USS S 27 (SS 132) June 19, 1942
USS GRUNION (SS 216) July 30, 1942
USS S 39 (SS 144) August 16, 1942
1943
USS ARGONAUT (SS 166) January 10, 1943
USS AMBERJACK (SS 219)February 16, 1943
USS GRAMPUS (SS 207) March 5, 1943
USS TRITON (SS 201) March 15, 1943
USS PICKEREL (SS 177) April 3, 1943
USS GRENADIER (SS 210) April 22, 1943
USS RUNNER (SS 275) May 28, 1943
USS R 12 (SS 89) June 12, 1943
USS POMPANO (SS 181)August 29, 1943
USS GRAYLING (SS 209) September 9, 1943
USS CISCO (SS 290) September 28, 1943
USS S 44 (SS 155) October 7, 1943
USS WAHOO (SS 238) October 11, 1943
USS DORADO (SS 248) October 12, 1943
USS CORVINA (SS 226) November 16, 1943
USS SCULPIN (SS 191) November 19, 1943
USS CAPELIN (SS 289) November 23, 1943

1944
USS SCORPION (SS 278) January 5, 1944
USS GRAYBACK (SS 208) February 26, 1944
USS TROUT (SS 202) February 28, 1944
USS TULLIBEE (SS 284) March 26, 1944
USS HERRING (SS 233) June 1, 1944
USS GUDGEON (SS 211) June 7, 1944
USS GOLET (SS 361) June 14, 1944
USS S 28 (SS 133) July 4, 1944
USS ROBALO (SS 273) July 26, 1944
USS FLIER (SS 250) August 13, 1944
USS HARDER (SS 257) August 24, 1944
USS SEAWOLF (SS 197) October 3, 1944
USS ESCOLAR (SS 294) October 17, 1944
USS DARTER (SS 227) October 24, 1944
USS SHARK II (SS 314) October 24, 1944
USS TANG (SS 306) October 24, 1944
USS ALBACORE (SS 218) November 7, 1944
USS GROWLER (SS 215) November 8, 1944
USS SCAMP (SS 277) November 9, 1944
1945
USS SWORDFISH (SS 193) January 12, 1945
USS BARBEL (SS 316) February 4, 1945
USS KETE (SS 369) March 20, 1945
USS TRIGGER (SS 237) March 26, 1945
USS SNOOK (SS 279) April 8, 1945
USS LAGARTO (SS 371) May 3, 1945
USS BONEFISH (SS 223) June 18, 1945
USS BULLHEAD (SS 332) August 6, 1945


"We shall never forget that it was our submarines that held the lines against the enemy while our fleets replaced losses and repaired wounds," Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz, USN

Ohio State Income Tax and Retired Military Pay

The recently signed legislation which exempts retired miltary pay from Ohio Income Tax goes into effect starting with retired pay received after 1 JAN 2008. You are still expected to pay the income tax on 2007 retired military pay. See the article at:http://usmilitary.about.com/od/taxes/a/ohio.htm or Google Ohio retired military pay.

Proposed VA Budget for FY 2009

The proposed $94 Billion Veteran's Affairs budget for FY2009 can be viewed on line at the web address below or by Google searching for 'VA Requests $94 billion for FY 2009.' It is well worth your time to explore this critical information.

http://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=1448

High School Civics?

What are these students up to? Check this address to see the School Board explanation. http://www.mhs.montebello.k12.ca.us/CONTACT/message.pdf or Google Montebello High School California.

The ‘media” must have been covering bigger issues when this sorry event occurred, They were probably following Brittney Spears.

Congressional Medal of Honor

The Congressional Medal Of Honor is our nations highest award for bravery, it is not given, it is earned! It has, to date, been awarded 3445 times. Regretfully, many of those recognized received it posthumously. Despite the fact that the Navy was the first to adopt this award, (Dec.,1861) it was the Army (adopted Feb. 1862) that was the first to award it. Also interesting is the fact that it was originally conceived to be given only to enlisted personnel and NCOs; officers were excluded. It was not until March 1863 that the Army would allow it’s presentation to Officers and March 1915 before the Navy (including Marines and Coast Guard) would include officers.



Medal of Honor recipients may be buried in Arlington National Cemetery, their children are eligible for consideration for any military academy without a Congressional sponsor. They are lifetime eligible for “space A” travel. They currently receive a monthly stipend of $1,067; the original pension, established in 1916 was $10.00 monthly. Contrary to popular belief, there is no military regulation requiring all ranks to salute a MOH recipient; it is, however, permissible though not mandatory, to render the salute when the medal is worn.



MOH Factoids

13, February, 1861, Bernard J.D. Irwin,an Assistant Army Surgeon rescued sixty soldiers at Apache Pass, Arizona. This was the first heroic act for which an MOH would later (1894) be awarded. . This action actually took place before the award had been proposed.



21, July,1861 Dr. Mary Walker became the only woman recipient. Interestingly, because of the overuse of this award, hers and a number (actually 911) of others were revoked in 1917. In 1977, Dr. Walker’s MOH was restored.



12, April, 1862, The Andrew’s Raid, led to the first Medals of Honor actually presented….this being done on 25, March, 1863



12, May, 1862, Drewery’s Bluff, Va. while aboard the U.S.S. Galena, Corporal John Mackie, became the first Marine to win the MOH



3, April, 1863, the Navy presents it’s first Medals to forty one sailors for actions at Ft.s Jackson and St. Phillip



18, July, 1863, Ft Wagner, S.C. William Harvey Carney of the 54th Massachusetts Colored Infantry, a former slave became the first black to win the Medal



6, April, 1865, 2nd. Lt. Thomas Custer, brother of George Custer, won a second MOH becoming the only Army man in the Civil War to win two. He became the first of nineteen recipients who would share this notability. He was to later die with his brother at The Little Big Horn,



27, September, 1942, Guadalcanal, Canadian born Douglas Monro became the first and only Coast Guardsman to receive the Medal Honor. His award was posthumous.



5, August, 1950, Korea. Louis Sebille became the first member of the newly created USAF to earn the MOH. A WW II, B-26 bomber pilot, his award was posthumous.



22, October, 2007. Navy Seal, Lt. Michael P. Murphy was posthumously awarded the Medal for actions in Afghanistan.



As on June 1, 2006, there was only one MOH recipient still on active duty.



For more information on this topic, put Congressional Medal Of Honor on your subject line and follow the links.



Hal Fulton

The Number You Never Forget

The Number We Never Forget…..The Hunk Of Metal On MY Keychain
Some of the older guys may remember reporting for pay, usually in the Orderly Room, sometimes in the Day Room. We saluted the duty officer, signed our name and serial number, picked up our cash and were out the door. In case of someone getting a bit overeager, I also recall the .45 on the table.

The serial number was something we were all issued….in some cases at the recruiters office, in other, at MEPS. It marked literally everything we owned, our shoes, shirts, coats, caps, and even those horrible boxer shorts. It’s probably the one number we will never forget!

Historically they were a relatively new addition to the military bag and were only used for about fifty –six years. The first one issued was given to Army Master Sergeant Arthur Cram on February 28, 1918 . Officers didn’t get theirs until June, 1921 when General John Pershing was awarded the number O-1. Without going into a lot of detail, the first two digits designate the state of enlistment (Ohio’s being either 15 or 52) the rest being the individual’s personal number. In some cases, there is an alphabetical designator preceding the number (RA=Regular Army, US=Draftee, AA=Air Force Enlisted Women etc.). In 1969, the Army and Air Force switched from serials to social security numbers. The Navy and Marines made the switch in 1972 with the Coast Guard following in 1974. Some whose service spanned this era ended up with two numbers. In view of the problem of identity theft and the many “doors” having ones social security opens, there has been talk of going back to serials.

Just so you know, the notch on the dog tag was not what the old troops told us it was for. It was, instead, an indexing device to position the metal for stamping. Sorry but that!

As a bit of background, when mankind entered the “modern” era, armies became larger, battles became larger and casualties more numerous. Along with this, came the need for some form of personal identification. During the Civil War for example, these ranged from pieces of paper in the pocket to commercially purchased pins or discs or even stamped on Large Cents. In 1906, the Army authorized personal identification tags, the Navy followed in 1917. These half dollar sized discs were stamped with the name, rank and unit….when serials came into use, they were added. Depending on the time frame, they also included religion, blood type, date of last tetanus shot. During WW II, Jewish soldiers in the ETO could elect to either drop the H (Hebrew) leaving the space blank, or replace it with a P (Protestant)
Hal Fulton

TET - Forty Years Ago Today

The communist attack of at least 100 cities, the Tet Offensive ,broke out on the Tet's Eve(Lunar New Year) - in the early morning of January 30, 1968 at many cities of Central Vietnam, such as Da Nang and Qui Nhon (Pictured above), as well as cities in the central coastal and highland areas. Other cities to the south that included Saigon, were attacked 24 hours later at the small hours of January 31. Thus the offensive lost its element of total surprise and was a military disaster for the Communists: they lost over 10,000 men and did not manage to hold any of their objectives. Nevertheless the Tet Offensive created a crisis within the Johnson administration, which became increasingly unable to convince the American public that it had been a major defeat for the communists. American losses were said to exceed 500.
Most Americans know someone who served during this dramatic and difficult war. Many of us remember the evening news bringing the horror of battle into our homes; Americans were exposed to the plight of the ‘boy next door’ on a daily basis. For many, concern for these brave young men and women translated into respect and gratitude for them. For others, the American Soldier became a symbol of oppression and someone to blame for any and every disagreement they had with our government.
Some say the wounds of Viet Nam will never heal and when some ultraliberal names are mentioned, even after 40 years, the hair still stands up on the necks of most veterans. I personally like to remember those who served. When I noticed today was 31 January, I immediately remembered the CBS Evening News showing the fighting in Saigon and the full face camera shot of my best friend, an MP, firing at VC from the roof of the of the MP HQ, no helmet, just a flack jacket, a M-16 and a desire to stay alive in an awesome firefight. He did. He will probably read this and say, “No big deal, I just did what I was asked to do!”
On this day I want him and all veterans to know that they are all heroes, that I still appreciate their tireless sacrifices and that those who did not return are remembered.

Lyrics for Taps?

During the Civil War, one of the easiest ways for a soldier to remember and recognize the many bugle calls heard both in battle and throughout the duty day was through words or ditties that were set to the notes of the calls for this exact purpose. Following this common practice, soon after Taps was first sounded in July 1862 unofficial lyrics were put with the music, below are some of the more popular verses:

Day is done, gone the sun,
From the hills, from the lake,
From the sky.
All is well, safely rest,
God is nigh.

Fades the light; And afar
Goeth day, And the stars
Shineth bright,
Fare thee well; Day has gone,
Night is on.

Thanks and praise, For our days,'
Neath the sun, Neath the stars,
Neath the sky,
As we go, This we know,
God is nigh.

Tradition credits Union Army General Daniel Butterfield, Congressional Medal Of Honor recipient (above) with being the composer of Taps. Some say he penned lyrics as:
“Dan, Dan, Dan, Butterfield, Butterfield.”

Bob Hope - Patriot and 'Veteran'

The man with the ski nose and quick wit demonstrates his love for his country and those who fight to keep her free by doing what he knows best, making people laugh. He is there on the open-air stage, the deck a ship, or floor of a hospital , leaning on his signature golf club, dressed in a strange mixture of field uniform and shtick. He delivers old one-liners and pokes fun at the brass. He lightens the hearts and the load of the thousands who have gathered to hear him, respected and loved by all regardless of service branch, rank, race, creed, color or generation. For a moment his audience is transported out of harm’s way. For a moment they feel peace and joy. For a moment know they are loved.

Leslie Townes (Bob) Hope was born in England 29 May 1903. His family moved to Cleveland, Ohio when he was five years old. He began to entertain professionally in his late teens and early twenties, enjoying a long and revered career on the stage as well as radio, the large screen and television. He performed and made appearances well past his 90th year. He died 27 July 2003. Honored and decorated for his many talents and contributions, he is best remembered by most Americans, especially U.S. Veterans as being a patriot contributing to the strength of our forces in his own unparalleled style.

Hope performed his first United Service Organizations (USO) show on May 6, 1941, at March Field, California. He continued to travel and entertain troops for the rest of World War II and later during the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the 1990–1991 Persian Gulf War. When overseas he almost always performed in Army fatigues as a show of support for his audience. Hope's USO career lasted half a century, during which he headlined approximately sixty tours. For his service to his country through the USO, Hope was awarded the prestigious Sylvanus Thayer Award by the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1968.

A 1997 act of Congress signed by President Clinton named Hope an "Honorary Veteran". He remarked, "I've been given many awards in my lifetime — but to be numbered among the men and women I admire most — is the greatest honor I have ever received.” In his biography, Bob Hope: The Road Well-Traveled (1999), Lawrence J. Quirk writes about the sacrifices Hope made to entertain U.S. servicemen, those whom he called "my boys".

To date, Bob Hope remains the only individual ever to be named “Honorary Veteran” by an Act of the United States Congress.

Thanks for the Memories…

U.S. Flag - It's a Matter of Respect

One need only travel as far as the next home game to see that so many of our fellow citizens, for what ever reasons, do not follow proper Flag Etiquette. But look closely, it is not just the younger folks who appear oblivious; disrespect, ignorance and inattentiveness are not a matter of age.

Those of us who do try to render proper respect need to remember the necessity of being examples for our fellow citizens to follow. We need to render proper and timely salutes, standing tall and proud. We should all take advantage of the ‘teaching opportunities’ which present themselves constantly. We need to encourage the young veterans to prepare to shoulder the load, the standards, so proudly carried forward by those soldiers of past decades. And finally, we need to acquaint others with at least the following concepts:

To salute the flag, all persons come to attention. Those in uniform give the appropriate formal salute as specified by the uniform service. Citizens not in uniform salute by placing their right hands over their hearts. Men with a head cover, a hat or cap, remove it with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in uniform should render the military salute.

In a parade the flag should be in front of the marchers. At the moment the flag passes, all persons should show respect by standing at attention, facing the flag with their right hand over their hearts. Persons in uniform should face the flag and render their formal salute. During a parade it is appropriate to salute only the first United States Flag; subsequent U.S. Flags may be saluted at your discretion. When other types of flags are included in a color guard, the United States Flag should be centered in front of the others or carried to their right. It is never appropriate to dip the American flag. Dipping the flag is a sign of disrespect.

During the playing of the national anthem when the flag is displayed, all present except those in uniform should stand at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. Men not in uniform should remove their hats with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in uniform should render the military salute at the first note of the anthem and retain this position until the last note. When the flag is not displayed, those present should face toward the music and act in the same manner they would if the flag were displayed.

The flag is a symbol that represents all of America. It is not a political symbol. It is a symbol that each American should respect, for it represents the honor, courage and sacrifice of those who struggled to deliver freedom, justice and opportunity to all Americans

The flag signifies a people dedicated to liberty, justice and freedom for all. It is our companion around the world. The flag summons confidence on sight and will long be an ensign everywhere for all who love freedom and honor.

History of the 555th Honors Detachment

In 1987, VA identified the Cleveland area as one of ten areas of the country most
in need of burial space for veterans based on veteran populations. An Environmental
Impact Statement was prepared in 1992 and in Jan 1993 the Secretary of Veterans Affairs formally selected a 274 acre site in Guilford Township 45 miles south of Cleveland in Medina County near the town of Rittman for construction of a National Cemetery. A contract to develop the master plan was awarded to William Behnke Associates, inc., Cleveland, Ohio, in September 1994. This firm completed the construction contract documents in April 1998. An $11.1 million construction contract was awarded to Welty Building Company of Akron, Ohio, in June 1998 and construction was started. 65 acres would be developed in the first phase. This would provide 15,900 full-casket gravesites and 3000 sites for cremated remains.

The new National Cemetery now named the Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery (OWRNC) had its first burial in June of 2000. All Veterans who have served honorably
have earned the right to have Military Last Rites. Federal law provides for a two person military detail to fold and present a burial flag to the next of kin along with the playing of taps.
It was the desire of the Director of the National Cemetery to provide more than the
minimum. A firing detail made up of local Volunteer Veterans was added. Mr. James Anderson, a WWII vet from Medina County, volunteered to organize teams from Northern Ohio Veteran Organizations to provide all necessary last rites. His approach was to organize by County with each County responsible for services for one week.
Anderson came up with enough volunteers to cover 6 weeks at a time. It was regrettable
that Wayne County did not come up with enough volunteers from Veteran Service Organizations to participate at the National Cemetery.

In April of 2000, three Wayne County brothers, Lloyd, Arden, Elton Boyer were talking
about the lack of participation by Wayne County. One brother, Elton, suggested forming
a new Wayne County Veteran Organization just to provide last rites at the National
Cemetery. As a result of this discussion the 555th Honors Detachment was born.
It is sometimes referred to as "The Triple Nickel". The "5" in the name symbolizes
the five military services. The 3 fives is symbolic of the three brothers that
proposed the concept.

In late summer and early fall of 2000 numbers stated to grow with veterans that
wanted to participate. By October there were 16 names on the roster ready for duty.
At least seven members had served in the 447th Civil Affairs Company an Army Reserve
Unit with headquarters in Wooster, OH during the 50s and 60s. Enlisted members
of the 447th had formed an all Volunteer Drill Team that became involved in local
Military last rites The 447th was deactivated in 1967 and many of these people
had not seen each other for these many years. Several other veterans wanted very
much to become active. This included Navy, Air Force and Marine veterans. This
was the beginning. We had 16 volunteers ready for their first duty.

The 555th first duty week was the first week of October 2000. On Thursday before
our duty week a dinner was held at Hawkins Cafeteria for planning our up coming
duty. Spouses and friends were welcome. This is the organizational pattern that
is maintained today. The 555th now has duty every 7 weeks with an average of 5
funerals per day. The 555th has conducted as many as 36 services in one week.

Membership continues to grow with 84 active members on the roster as of Jan 2007. The 84 membership is made up of personal from the Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and WWII Merchant Marines from WWII to the current conflict including both men and women. 10 WWII Veterans, including two women are on the 555th roster. Membership is open to anyone who has served honorably in any branch of the military, including National Guard, Reserve, and WWII Merchant Marines who are willing to take an active part in providing last rites for military burials. Members are expected to wear a uniform of a veterans' service organization or the Military uniform of their branch of Service. All are now wearing their branch of service uniform. We have been told that there is no other organization in the country that the volunteers wear their service uniforms for this duty. No membership dues are currently collected .

Since our beginning in 2000 the Triple Nickel has continued to evolve. We became
an Ohio non-profit corporation in 2002. The 555th has received recognition for service from Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery, Newman’s Own, and Department of Defense as an Authorized Provider in the Military Funeral Honors Program. Color guards are provided for many local events. Speakers are available to local groups for their program needs related to a variety of Military Honors subjects.

The Triple Nickel has now assumed responsibility for raising Veteran Casket flags at the Wayne County Veteran’s Memorial at the Wooster Cemetery. In the late 1990s the Wayne County Veteran’s Service Office offered to any deceased veteran’s family the opportunity to fly the Veteran’s Casket flag at the Wayne County Veteran’s Memorial. The 555th , with the leadership of Roger Bucher, has conducted this flag raising ceremony sense early in 2002. Each requested Veteran’s flag is flown for at least two weeks. Roger’s team members who have participated in this ceremony include Cy Schrock, Dick Silver, Bill Rastetter, Dave Drumm, Jason Winkleman, Cal Frye, and Joseph De Luca Jr.

Members of the 555th are encourage to try new activities on their own which will support honoring of Patriots. This has resulted in flag raising at High School Athletic events, color guards for a variety of events, honor rifle salutes, installation of flag poles where appropriate, speakers and programs for high school students/civic organizations and support to smaller communities for their Patriotic Days Activities i.e. Memorial Day, 4th of July, Veteran’s Day, local Military Funerals not at the OWRNC, and others. One member, Harold Fulton, has written “REFLECTION ON A VETERAN” which is read at all funerals conducted by the 555th. A copy is presented to the family of the deceased. Other Volunteer Organizations are now asking if they could use “REFLECTION ON A VETERAN” for their services.

Since the inception of the 555th Honors Detachment in 2000 five members have been selected by the Wayne County Joint Veteran’s Counsel as Wayne County Veteran of The Year. These Veterans are Millard DeLauder 2001, Charles Craig 2003, Lloyd Boyer 2004, Joseph De Luca 2005, and Elton Boyer 2006. Two other current 555th members, Francis Wells and Harry Surls had been inducted into the Wayne County Veteran of The Year Fraternity in1995 and 1998 prior to the formation of the Triple Nickel.

A memorial stone was donated to Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery Memorial Pathway by the 555th honoring all local patriots. The inscription on the stone reads, “HERE REST THE SOUL OF OUR NATON”. OWRNC Memorial Pathway has more Memorial Stone donated by Patriotic Organizations than any other National Cemetery in the Veteran Administration System..

The 555th Honors Detachment insignia that was designed and adopted by the
members. The five points symbolizes the five services. The stylized shepherd's
crook is a symbol for ever vigilant. The blue color is for valor. The gold is Honor. This
insignia is on our unit flag. The flag was special made and donated to the 555th
by Tom Hickman, LTC USA (ret.). Col Hickman was appointed as the first Honorary Commander of the 555th Honors Detachment.

The 555th is a totally independent Volunteer Veteran organization with no connection with any Government Military organization!

This document was prepared by:
Elton D. Boyer, Pres. 555th Honors Detachment Inc.
Jan, 2007
Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in

555th ... a Gettysburg Connection

Certainly one of the defining moments in American History is the Civil War and certainly one of the most significant events in that war was the Battle of Gettysburg. It was the farthest North the Confederate Armies ever advanced. During those three July days in 1863 the complexion of the war changed and, never again, was the Confederate Army the potent force it had once been. Over 157,000 Union and confederate troops were engaged, over 79,000 were killed and over 3,555 Union dead remain there in a part of the battlefield set aside for a National Cemetery.

Of local interest, approximately 150 Wayne Countians served there. Most of them (one hundred) were from Wooster, with most serving in the 4th and 107th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiments. Another group (including several who, reportedly, were tired of carrying a musket and walking) served in Cushings 4th U.S. Artillery. They were at the "Angle" located at the very center of the Union line and where Pickets Charge was broken.

As far as is known only one from our area died in the battle, Private John Kratz, an ancestor of Juvenile Court Judge Ray Leisy, was killed on July 1 while defending Cemetery Hill with the 107th. His body was never recovered and he remains, to this day, one of the many “unknowns”. Another Ohioan of note who served there was Private George Nixon whose great grandson Richard, was to become President of the United States. He was mortally wounded on July 2nd, his grave being one of one hundred thirty-one in the Ohio section.

On November 19, 1863, the Gettysburg National Cemetery was dedicated by President Abraham Lincoln. His three-minute “few appropriate remarks” remain one of the most eloquent speeches ever given. It is commemorated and reenacted on each anniversary of that date. It has also been a tradition, on this date, to decorate the graves in each of the state sections with flags. A lesser known tradition is the placement of Lincoln pennies on the marker stones.

The only group of graves not so honored were those of the one hundred thirty-eight US Regulars killed during the battle. In 2005 the 555th purchased flags and, in an ongoing project, adopted them. This is certainly appropriate in view of our mission of honoring those who have served and who have paid the ultimate price.

Hal Fulton
Fasu@aol.com

555th Lays Holiday Wreaths at Wayne Co Memorial