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Official Car of American Legion Baseball
As a Legionnaire, getting home means more to you than scoring runs. Rather, it's arriving home safely. To help protect your loved ones, LeSabre offers an impressive list of safety features. Visit www.lesabre.buick.com or call 1-800-4A-BUICK. LeSabre ''^Buick(^ " 901 © 1 9 9 8 G M C Peace of Mind \ci _~~J LeSiibrc is a rcgistere( Vol. 145, No. 1 The Magazine for a Strong America July 1998 T^^ ARTICLES GRASSROOTS GRIT By Trent D. McNeeley Citizens can influence tiieir elected servants—and it's an important part of tfieir duty. 1 TALIflNG POINTS In tfie 61st National Oratorical Contest, 54 cfiampions weigfied tfie U.S. Constitution. II ACROSS AMERICA WITH LARRY WOODS Interview CNN's roving reporter likes earning fiis byline on the nation's byways. 11 KOREA'S LINGERING GRASP By James Brady As a young f^arine, he fought for freedom; as a mature writer, he recalls what it took. i LET FREEDOM ZING! By Jack Gebhardt On the night of July 4, black powder makes the skies bright. i
I^^^^^ D OWN T O V 1 C T D Ti 7 IT'S A GRAND NEW FLAG AMENDMENT National Commander Anthony G. Jordan explains the surge to success. 1 ROAD MAP TO THE AMENDMENT In a great effort, there have been great days and other days that inspired greater effort. THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE By Stephen Presser Protecting the flag is a crucial step in restoring a constitutional society
CONDUCT UNDECOMING FREE SPEECH By Armstrong Williams In a civil society, there is no right to behave destructively. hi THE MIRAGE OF SLIPPERY SLOPES By Richard Parker Five justices considered the flag a "point of view. " Citizens have a stake in correcting them. hi
AN AMENDMENT FOR FREEDOM By Daniel S. Wheeler It is time for "We, the People" to safeguard the whole of our freedom of expression. hi WHERE YOUR SENATORS STAND IVIost are co-sponsors of the amendment; the rest will be offered the opportunity hii
HARD-WORKING HEROES From around the nation CFA volunteers put in wonderful days in the neighborhood. hi! OLD GLORY, YOUNG VIEWS High school essayists celebrate the unique, essential symbol—the U.S. Flag. hll AN URGENT CALL TO ACTION What you can do to help with the campaign. hi A R T M E N T^^^^^l
VETVOICE LEGION NEWS VETAWAYS
BIG ISSUES 1 VETERANS UPDATE M PARTING SHOTS
WASHINGTON WATCH 1 VETS ii COVER By Ron Morecraft
The American Legion Magazine, a leader among national general-interest publications, is published monttily by The American Legion for its 2.7 million members. These wartime veterans, worl JULY 1998 • THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE • j " J ' Presenting the NEWALL-TERRAIN n TMi ^iMii^ii©^ DR® FIELD and SILVER OF BRUSH MOWER NAZI GERMANY -the Amazing Walli-Beiiind Brush Cutter tliat- CLEARS & MAINTAINS meadows, FOR GOD AND COUNTRY 700 N. Pennsylvania St. pastures, woodlots, wooded and rough'Ugh " P.O. Box 1055 non-lawn areas with ease. CTJTS tall grass,^ Indianapolis, IN 46206 weeds, brambles, tough brush, even 317-630-1200 Nationai hardwood saplings up to 1" thick! Commander Anthony G. Jordan most CHOPS/MULCHES Publislner/Editor-in-Chief everything it cuts. Leaves NO Dick McNally This "Swastika" silver 2 Mark TANGLE of brush to pick up coin was hoarded during World Editor • like hand-held brushcutters and Joe Stuteville War II. Most were later destroyed. sicklebar mowers. 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Henkemeyer. Vice Chairman, Sauk Rapids, MN: James R. Kelley, National Commander's Representative, Wayne, PA; George F. Ballard, Belleville, IL; Samuel Barney, Lancaster, OH; J O. Berlhelot, Gonzales, LA; J. Leslie Brown Jr., FREE Louisville, KY; Joseph F. Chase, Hatboro, PA; Donald R. Conn, South Bend, IN; James W. Conway, Charlestown, MA; Bettylou Evans, Laurel, DE; James H. Hall, Hopew/ell, Video NJ; Hoy M. Haught, Huntsville, AR; Ada P. Henderson, Kenova, WV; Halbert G, Horton, Topeka, KS; Eugene J. Kelley, Savannah, GA; Henry E. Lamb Sr., Lacey, WA; J. & Brochure Fred Mitchell, Brewton, AL; Russell H. Laird, Des Moines, lA; Everett G. Shepard III, Woodstock, CT; George G. ilN'HOME "If our bed doesn't give Learn, with no cost or obligation, Sinopoli, Fresno, CA; Tom C. Smith, Oklahoma City, OK; 90-DAY you that better night's how we've combined the most James J. Charleston. Arlington Hts., IL, and Casimir F. 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Telephone No. I Member Audit Bureau of Circulations 2 • THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE • JULY 1998 Hear WHY THE air to fill an entire concert Call now and BosE^ Wave' RADIO hall, the waveguide pro- MAKE SIX interest- was named a duces room-filling sound from free PAYMENTS. "Best New a small enclosure. This technology The Wave radio is available for $349 Product of 1994" and performance is available in no directly from Bose, the most BY Business Week. other radio. respected name in sound. Tabletop radios are popular for their You'll touch a button and hear your So call 1-800-845-BOSE, ext. convenience and small size. But their favorite music come alive in rich stereo R82v69, to learn more about sound quality leaves much to be sound. You'll hear every note the way our in-home trial and satis- desired. No one really expects high- it's meant to be heard. The Wave radio faction guarantee. When you fidelity sound from a radio. 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CDD-R8269, What's New" award. The TV programs, or The Mountain, Framingham, MA 01701-9168, or fax to 1-800-862-BOSE (1-800-862-267.3). key is our patented acoustic movies by connect- waveguide speaker tech- ing the Wave radio nology. Just as a flute to your CD or cas- strengthens a breath of sette player, TV, or VCR. Better sound through research « I iny^ttier offer and available on credit card orders only. Price does not include ;e marks used by permission. Frank Beacham, Radio Worlds l2/93.Wiredy 6/94. '/iC/iJirj!: The Senate Special Committee on Aging met on March 3 1 to discuss this Crucial Construction issue. a member of the U.S. Navy both It was the unanimous opinion of ASbefore and during WWII, I enjoyed committee members that Congress Adm. Zumwalt's article in the "had gone overboard in their attempts April issue ("Ship-Shape and Sailing to rein in spending," and that they Strong"). However, I am sure other should revisit the venipuncture, surety Seabees were disappointed that bond, and interim payment system Zumwalt neglected to mention the issues to come up with more accept- Navy Construction Battalions. The able solutions. Seabees knew little about military pro- In the meantime, I welcome any tocol, but they got the job they were suggestions Secrest or your other read- given done. That job was to build ers may have on this issue. roads, docks, tank farms, hospitals and Sen. Ernest "Fritz" Hollings airstrips. And on many occasions they South Carolina had to defend what these men con- structed. I feel that the Seabees were worthy of at least a sentence, if not a paragraph. CHRISTMAS AT WAR PNC Joe L. Matthews House Calls Fort Worth, Texas READ with appreciation Leon A. FOR the December issue of THE I Secrest's letter to the editor (Fewer AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE, House Calls, May) in which he Smoking Mad we'd like to run recollections of urged readers to make their Congress- me get this straight. At the same wartime veterans—with related men aware of the impact of home IETtime that the Department of Veter- photos—of the most significant health care provisions outlined in the ans' Affairs and a few members of Christmas they spent in uniform. Balanced Budget Act of 1997. I cer- Congress are saying it would be giv- If you have a compelling tainly shared Secrest's concerns and ing away the store to provide benefits Christmas memory from the war am working to correct the problems for tobacco-related illnesses stemming years, plus a related photo, and created by the provisions of this mea- from a veteran's tobacco use while in would like to share them with The sure. service. President Clinton announces American Legion family, please I did not support the Balanced Bud- his determination to restore food focus your account to less than 300 get Act. These provisions were includ- stamps and other largess to illegal words. Forward your Yule recol- ed in the BBA to curb spending and aliens. lection and the photo or a copy of reduce fraud and abuse. There were Maybe one of our politicians can it for consideration; all photos dramatic increases in home health- our explain why thousands of people who care spending from 1990 to 1997. will be returned. Veterans whose have entered this country illegally Some members of Congress apparent- Christmas memories and photos need only ask to receive millions of ly believed senior citizens and dis- are selected for publication will be dollars, while the pleas of our own ail- abled individuals were receiving ser- paid $50. Submissions without ing veterans are subjected to a Byzan- vices that were not needed. I argued photos cannot be considered. tine maze of legalistic hair-splitting, that the cost of the increase in home Only submissions postmarked only to be denied treatment for rea- health care spending was due more to on or before Oct. 1 will be eligi- sons of cost. the success of a concerted effort to ble, and all will be subject to nor- OM. OStland Jr. reduce the cost of hospitalization and mal editing for style £uid content. State College, Pennsylvania that fraudulent practices by some THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGA- home health agencies would be better ZINE will publish as many Christ- pursued through the judicial system. mas memories of the war years as Correctioos In other words, we deliberately dis- space and design considerations May's VetVoice Archie E. Lux charged seniors from hospitals who allow. Writers should make sure IN(mistakenly identified as Lutz) of still need a great deal of medical atten- addresses and telephone numbers North Bend, Washington, visited tion, and home health filled this gap. are attached to both article and World War II battlefields in France, I have co-sponsored bills introduced photo. Submissions should be Germany and Belgium in 1983, not by Sens. Edward Kennedy and Richard sent to: 1993. We regret the error. Shelby to begin correcting some of A photograph regarding The Amer- at these problems. I will continue work- Christmas War ican Legion Senior National Drum and ing with beneficiaries and home health The American legion Magazine Bugle Corps Championship failed to agencies to do what I can to reverse the P.O. Box 1055 identify Pennsylvania Department provisions and hope this will be Indianapolis, IN 46206 Commander Louise Chase. We apolo- accomplished in the near future. gize for the oversight. 4 • THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE • JULY 1998 An Officially Authori^ficLJoliaJ^^ne Collector Plate 16332-277-001 Satisfaction Guaranteed. If you wish Co return any Franklin Mint purchase, you may do so within 30 days of your receipt of that purchase for replacement, credit or refund — turn m U.S. Hmi IM[ Gomiiiuiioiii? Rep. Richard A. Gephardt (D-Missouri) For families, for work- As America's economy ers, for America, the continues to move for- United States needs to ward, economies on the withdraw from the Inter- other side of the world are national Monetary Fund, not bail it on the brink of collapse. This seems out. Majority Leader Dick Armey unreal to most Americans who hear has explained the risks of a bailout: the bullish nightly news from Wall "Left unexamined and un- Street and Main Street. We have checked, this policy will enhance the erroneously come to believe that our chances of the Asian contagion infecting other regions, own economic progress has insulated us from the turmoil weaken financial systems worldwide, and ultimately occurring in world markets. cause the very panics and crashes it is intended to avert. However, the economic crisis in Asia—South Korea, [The IMF bailout policy] is highly dangerous." Thailand, Indonesia and others—is not half a world away He is referring to a moral hazard and the natural con- in terms of its ability to affect the United States. In the sequence of a sustained world-wide credit expansion of new global economy we are all next-door neighbors. unprecedented proportions. According to free-market The crisis has caused Asian markets to plummet and economics, all credit expansions set the stage for a cor- currencies to be devalued. Those economies are drown- rection. Markets make the necessary corrections and ing under a tide of debt and bankruptcies and are being should be allowed to do so. The most important congres- destabilized by high unemployment and negative eco- sional responsibility to currencies is a sound dollar. nomic growth. The immediate response is: Why us? Why The International Monetary Fund's supporters claim must the United States come to the aid of foreign that this IMF request is a "neutral" exchange of assets. economies and foreign workers? This exchange is not neutral for the taxpayer. If we were The bottom line is that the United States has the most to give marked bills to the IMF today. Wall Street and to gain from the new system of interconnected global corrupt foreign leaders would have them tomorrow. economies. A great deal of the growth in corporate earn- We take money out of the paychecks of the working ings and employment we have enjoyed in the past five people of this country and give them nothing in return years has been driven by the increase in trade with the they cannot pay for child care or education with the very Asian economies now in crisis. IMF's special drawing rights (SDRs), nor can they go to If those countries go under, they will stop buying the the IMF for a loan to pay off credit cards, tuition, cars or cars, computers, food and a myriad of other products that mortgages. This is not a fair deal for average Americans. we sell to Asia. And if their currencies continue to col- It is not a neutral exchange for our country, either. We lapse, they will be able to dump cheap exports into U.S. are being asked to tax our citizens more in order to give markets, destroying their American competitors and our their hard-earned money to the IMF in exchange for jobs. Either way, an unchecked Asian crisis will cause SDRs. Supporters claim that this is merely an exchange American growth to stall—and bring us higher rates of of monetary assets with no budgetary consequences. But unemployment and lower economic growth. when we get past the gimmickry and shell games, we We can't afford not to act. Stepping in was the right find that our support of the IMF has contributed signifi- thing to do. And I am taking the lead in Congress to give cantly to our debt, according to U.S. Treasury figures. the IMF the resources and the tools it needs to do its job Bailout supporters claim that we make money on our in Asia. Congress must pass a plan that helps the IMF holdings at the IMF. This is true, but the net transaction and protects our interests. is negative: What we make is less than what we are Some want to wash their hands of it. But we are too paying on the national intertwined in the world debt. In other words, we economy to walk away are borrowing at a higher Your Opinions Count, Too. from the Asia crisis. It just interest rate than we Senators and representatives are interested in con- isn't an option— it is a earn. We need to stop the stituent viewpoints. You may express your views by necessary investment, budgetary shell games writing The IHonorable (name), U.S. Senate, Wash- made out of self-interest, ington, DC 20510, or The IHonorable (name). House used to deceive the to ensure that the founda- of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515. You may American people. tion for American eco- We call the U.S. Senate at (202) 224-3121; the House at must oppose new fund- (202) 225-3121. nomic growth into the next ing for the IMF. century is preserved. 0 • THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE • JULY 1998 TiTE 71 u 1 u ^ulili?:Uk'i« MILITARY WATCHES One oS a Kind Wrist Watcli! 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The back is engraved with your initials, the Signature Armed Force division of which you were a member, and the years I Nam you served. This is a Limited Edition, with each watch being individ- I ually numbered. This ruggedly built, fashionable watch is perfect for Addr I all occasions. j_City_ .Zip_ another $94 billion next year to make from your local department store. the federal budget look balanced. Joe Dougherty of Jane's confirms Another problem: Rep. Nick Smith that New York City has purchased of Michigan says the system faces an 10,000 copies for fire fighters, police unfunded liability of $3 trillion over officers and transit officers, and adds the next 75 years. that several other major U.S. cities are The talk in Washington is that set to make bulk purchases. another commission will educate the public about possible solutions, includ- ing lower benefits, higher Social Secu- Nice NiSo rity taxes and raising retirement ages. [L Nino's storms did about $1 billion But Smith and other sponsors of the in damage to California. But overall, Social Security Solvency Act think the it might have contributed $6 billion answer must include worker-owned to the U.S. economy. That's right: El retirement accounts in which they can Nifio was a net plus. set aside some of their Social Security The reason, according to the taxes in a private investment fund. respected publication World Climate With a leading senator, Daniel Report, is that warmer temperatures By CliffKincaid Patrick Moynihan of New York, sup- helped Americans save about $5 bil- porting a variation of this approach, it lion on heating bills during the winter. looks likely that both parties could And because El Niiio weather patterns agree on a plan to save Social Security discourage the formation of hurricanes, for the Gipper Name One by privatizing at least part of it. Americans saved about $1 billion in a tribute to the former president, property damage. INCongress last spring renamed Wash- ington National Airport Ronald Rea- Institute Won't Be Co-Ed Ain't What It Used To Be gan National Airport. But the tribute LAMENTING the Virginia Military doesn't end there. Grover Norquist, Institute's change to co-ed status might have missed it, but April president of Americans for Tax two years ago, supporters of the YOU22 was Earth Day, an event Reform, is working to get airports, Southern Military Institute are creating designed to rally support for the mountains, bridges and other sites in an all-male military college. environment. Participation has dwin- all 50 states, as well as Eastern Europe Established by Dr. Michael J. dled since the first Earth Day celebra- and Central America, named in honor Guthrie and other VMI alumni, SMI tion 28 years ago because, says the of the man whose policies were credit- seeks public support to create a four- National Center for Public Policy ed with promoting the downfall of year, degree-granting college for males Research, enormous progress has been Soviet communism. Norquist already only. It's an experiment in private edu- made in cleaning up the environment. has met with government officials in cation that will receive no government The Washington think tank's fig- the former communist-dominated support. SMI will provide male cadets ures are startling: Almost 30 years ago, country of Poland to name something with training in moral values, Ameri- pollution was killing people by the in Reagan's honor there. can history. Western civilization and dozens during heat waves in New York Reacting to an editorial suggestion military history. City, rivers were catching fire from from Investor's Business Daily that industrial waste and oil spills were Reagan's likeness be added to Mount damaging the California coast and Rushmore, Michael Kamburowski of Protect Yourself soaking seabirds. Today, however, air ATR says it's a great idea but would YOU'VE seen scare stories about the pollution emissions have declined by have to be accomplished over a period horrifying prospect of a chemical or 24 percent, lead emissions by 98 per- of 10 or 15 years. biological attack on the United cent and soot by 71 percent. Seventy- "More than any other person," the States. Recently, a defecting Russian five percent of our rivers and 82 per- paper said, "Reagan was responsible scientist told ABC news that his former cent of our lakes are safe for for the end of the most tyrannical sys- colleagues have developed a "demonic swimming, and oil spills generally tem of government known to man." weapon" made of Ebola and smallpox have become a thing of the past. Also, "for maximum kill potential." the nation's forest growth exceeds har- But what to do? Jane's Information vests by close to 40 percent. A Social Insecurity Group, a firm described as the closest Even though more Americans than looked like a good plan: use the thing to a commercial intelligence ever consider themselves environmen- ITfederal budget surplus to "save agency, has just published a Chem-Bio talists, the think tank says, environ- Social Security." But the surplus Handbook ($30), which describes how mental organizations are losing mem- comes out of Social Security. A total to identify and treat chemical and bio- bers. Greenpeace, for example, has lost of $82 billion is coming out of the logical agents. One idea is to create a almost half of its 1.2 million members Social Security trust fund this year and de-contamination site using materials over the last several years. |j' THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE • JULY 1998 Masters of land and sky^ How confidem 'MMtm e urad i>rd Exc:y /viN ge bald eijgle and the gray wolf. Lord of tire skies and 9345 Milwaukee Avenue Niles, IL 6071 4-1 39¥ sovereign of the snowy earth. Once endangered. OF PLATE COLLECTING Now diriving sigain in die wild. Here on a snowy Your Imadfomd ridge, against the backdn)p of majestic mountiuns, YES. Please enter my order for "United in Spirit." ' ^ EXCHAN'GE AdWITAGES: I understand I need SEND NO MONEY NOW. I will be tiiese noble creatures have die power to stir some- billed $29.95* when my plate is shipped. •A hand-numbered limited-edition dung wild wifliin our hearts. 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Best of jdl—pricetl at •An unconditional 365-day guarantee i Telephone ( ) $29.95—itj> a sjiectacular art value. allowing you to return your plate l| I Check one: Are you purchasing this plate "United in Spirit" is issued in a strictly limited for a full refund of everything you ;[ For yourself? 14951-E94991 or as a gift? 14951-e94992| edition, so order your plate today. Send no money have paid—including postage now. Just mail the coupon and die mitsters of the land and sky wiUlie yours! &m<,mv. ^ HI. "-.1 * - ATRICK Slevin isn't your typical Legionnaire. He's not your typical anything, for that matter. But he should be a paradigm for Legion- naires, at least in matters of poli- tics and government. Slevin fully understands the importance of good government and tries to implement posi- tive policies as mayor of Safety Harbor, Florida. At "Don't 29—less than half the age of most Leg- abdicate says, "but ionnaires—this member of Post 238 being a Girls to has made a mark in his community, leadership." State citizen in while also advancing ideals promoted by 1971 planted the —Patrick Slevin, Mayor of The American Legion. seed for me." Safety Harbor, Florida "The stereotype of the Legionnaire hiding Not every out in a Post home," Slevin says, "doesn't hold American feels the same calling to public ser- true here. Post 238 has taken programs impor- vice. Few will follow the examples of Minneso- tant to us and worked them into the community ta's James Ramstad, Indiana's m to Stephen Buyer, I at many levels." Taking a proactive approach. Florida's Michael Bilirakis and other Legion- Legion members can accomplish everything naires who now serve in the U.S. House of Rep- from helping unfortunate families in distress at resentatives. But most veterans and their fami- the local level to making a push for Legion- lies want to contribute in some way. Slevin says sponsored legislation on Capitol Hill, Slevin soldiers proved their commitment in conflicts adds. from World War I to the Persian Gulf War, and Molly Spearman agrees. As a state represen- now, as veterans, they continue putting it on the tative in South Carolina, Spearman makes deci- line for America. And many would do even sions affecting residents of the Palmetto State more, if they just knew how. every day. As Poppy Chairman and a past Girls The most important thing is to be heard on to Id it. Nation director, she affects the lives of Auxil- important American Legion issues: the flag-pro- iary members and young women nationwide. tection amendment, the GI Bill of Health, eco- Many times, the duties mesh. nomic development, education, crime, conserv- "I enjoy serving the people in my state as a ing natural resources, national security, legislator," Spearman says. "I have the opportu- veterans' preference and many more concerns. nity to help a variety "Elected officials, from school board mem- of people. Legislators bers to U.S. senators, listen to their constituents make decisions that in a variety of ways," says Charles Pesso, chair- will affect the lives of man of the Legion's National Legislative Com- citizens for years to mission. "It can be through telephone calls, let- come." She adds that ters, faxes, electronic mail or personal visits to the same feeling their offices." comes in service to In this nation's history, the citizen has been the American Legion more than a voter, a rights-bearing member, or a Auxiliary. consumer of services. The citizen also is a pro- For Slevin, being ducer, a public agent and a civil servant. an ardent supporter Addressing the tough challenges requires that of Ronald Reagan led people see themselves as essential to the democ- to his involvement in ratic process. politics. For Spear- Legionnaires can make a contribution by man, Girls State did keeping officials informed of how voters feel Legionnaires help by sharing their goals the trick. "I know it about various issues. Of course, the individual for the community with elected officials. sounds cliche," she Please turn to page 57 10 • THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE • JULY 1998 Complete Video Library Of The Greatest Naval Battles of World War II Including Battles of Midway and Coral Sea The Ofl -Winning, Full Length Complete Set of All 26 Original Programs — By Far The All 26 Original Most Thrilling Official Battle Films Ever Released! Uncut Programs They held TV audiences Absolutely spell- countless years to come! 1,000's of collections HERE'S WHAT YOU GET bound when first broadcast on national originally sold for $149.95, yours now at a give- TV. The last and final great battles in the away price! history of naval warfare. 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It's a com- Five • The Fate of Europe • Target Name plete video encyclopedia of the history of naval Suribachi 'The Road to warfare in World War II... all 26 original Address Mandalay • Suicide for Glory • full-length programs... to electrify, Design for Peace guaranteed City educate and entertain you and your family for State -Zip shiftier politicians, the Constitution is the one thing that holds fast and remains absolute, amazingly because of its dual nature: It is amendable, able to change as necessary but only when necessary, and yet woven through 11 MlB the entire document are certain fundamental truths, guidelines for the behavior of citizens and government officials alike," Plettenberg said. Plettenberg's competition in the final round sprang from the Departments of California and South Carolina. Loren Ann Rozakos, a junior at Terra Nova High School in Pacifica, Calif., traced the roots of American independence and the Constitution to reaction against "general warrants" first issued in the name of Charles II in 1754. General warrants became the "writs of assistance" so crucial in crystallizing colonial sentiment for revolution and indepen- dence—and for the Fourth Amendment TRIPLE GROWN THREAT Amanda Jill against unreasonable search and seizure. Bryant (left) won Rozakos, sponsored by Pacifica Post third, Loren Ann 238, finished second and won a $16,000 Rozakos won second and Erin scholarship. The daughter of Theresa Lynne Plettenberg Gavin Rozakos, she plans to attend the won first in the University of California at Los Angeles 1998 contest. and is evaluating the career possibilities of broadcasting, public relations, law and politics. She studies tap, ballet and lyrical and jazz dance and chairs the Youth Philan- thropist program at her school. EET Erin Lynne Plettenberg, 17. In Search and Seizure—Your Rights, Roza- During the final round of The kos put both specific points (Law officers may p its list American Legion's 61st National search anyone's garbage after it has been put High School Oratorical Contest, on the street for collection) and larger implica- the senior from Parkville Magnet tions in Fourth Amendment context: The Center in Baltimore, Md., talked amendment also has the effect of safeguarding her way into an $18,000 college the integrity and credibility of law enforcement scholarship. by setting high standards. That's the value of the first- "Tonight, when we return to our homes, we place finish she earned by pre- enter them knowing that we are members of a senting the U.S. Constitution as a free society, and that because of this freedom, living, maturing concept. The Living Constitu- we are safe from unlawful intrusion by govern- tion: Out of Its Infancy—Plettenberg's ora- ment or law enforcement," Rozakos reminded tion—called Americans "to promote morality, her audience. "The right to this privacy is con- patriotism and the improvement of life." sidered the soul of the Bill of Rights, and its Plettenberg, daughter of Johanna Christine protection is guaranteed in the Fourth Amend- Plettenberg and sponsored by Parkville Post ment. It remains as important today as it was 183, plans to attend Rice University in Hous- over 200 years ago when 55 delegates gathered ton, Texas, and considers economic analysis a together in Philadelphia to write the Constitu- likely career. After the contest, held in Indi- tion of the United States of America." anapolis April 17-19, she traced the roots of her Amanda Jill Bryant, a violin student and a winning oration to an insight on the linkage of senior at T.L. Hanna High School in Anderson, maturity and responsibility, freedom and rules. S.C., compared constitutional government to an "When my mom says 'Be home early,' does orchestra in which each citizen-performer has she mean by 9 p.m. or very early the next important responsibilities, especially the morning? As a country, America has been no responsibility to vote. The Constitution itself, different than a teenager trying to stretch cur- she suggested in winning a $14,000 scholar- few. We've put the Constitution to the test. ship, can be seen as a generator, one that stands "In a government full of shifty politics and Please turn to page 56 12 • THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE • JULY 1998 . Revolutionary • EASY-TO-USE New TRIMMER 0p ON WHEELS! Takes the place of hard-to-use hand-held trimmers and small-wheels mowers! •TRIMS far easier, better, more precisely than hand-held trimmers. Rolls light as afeather on two BIG WHEELS and GLIDES in any direction on front-mounted MOW-BALL™ support. •Plus MOWS everything from whole lawns (even wet, without doggingl) to tough, waist-high grass and weeds with incredible ease! Rocks, roots, stumps, etc., do it no harm because there's no steel blade to bend or dull. •Perfect for use with riding mowers for finish-up trimming and mow- ing. . .and for ALL trimming and mowing around smaller properties, vacation homes, hunting camps, etc. •Lightweight, maneuverable, incredibly EASY for anyone to use! "My yard has never looked so good! There's no comparison between the hand-trimmer and the DR. Ijust love this machine. Thanksfor inventing it!" - Ervin W. Wimple, Kansas City, Missouri YES! Please rush complete FREE DETAILS of the NEW, j So, WHY HASSLE smaller 3.5 HP DR® SPRINT™, 4 & 5 HP mid-sized, and largest 6 HP "PRO" DR« TRIMMER/MOWER-' Models, with and without with hand-held trimmers Electric-Starting, plus "Off-Season" Savings now in effect. or with small-wheels mowers? Please mail card or coupon TODAY for FREE DETAILS about City Zip the Revolutionary DR® To: COUNTRY HOME PRODUCTS® Dept. 3948T, Meigs Road, P.O. Box 25 TRIMMER/MOWER ! U.S. Govt. GSA Contract # GS07F-8718D Vergennes, Vermont 05491 LEGIONNAIRES CAN UNK TO CHILDREN'S MIRACLE NETWORK HE American Le- en based on "Their purposes and ours are gion encourages its need, not abili- the same—to aid children Departments and ty to pay. whenever possible, to relieve Posts to support the The Ameri- their burdens and do all with- Children's Miracle can Legion in our power to nurture them Network, whose mission is joined ranks through the critical early "Helping Hospitals Help with CMN stages of their lives." Kids." through Na- To smooth Legionnaires' The Internet is making it tional Execu- way, CMN and The Ameri- easier for Legionnaires to tive Commit- can Legion have created a help children with pressing tee Res. 9, ap- fund-raising guidebook to as- medical needs. A Children's proved by the sist Posts and individuals Miracle Network link was re- NEC at Spring raising money for local net- cently added to the Legion's Meetings in work children's hospitals. Web Site, at www. legion, May 1997. The guidebook contains org/children.htm. This commit- the names of local contacts CMN, founded in 1983 by ment is in line who can help with getting entertainers Marie Osmond with the Le- started. It also has several and John Schneider, raises gion's tradi- handy fund-raising sugges- critically needed money for tional support tions, plus information about 170 children's hospitals in a for programs recognition and awards avail- network encompassing the and activities able. Better still, Legion- United States and Canada. that support naires on-line can download Schneider is a member of the types of afflictions, from our nation's youth, says or order the guidebook from Sons of The American Le- cerebral palsy to cancer, and Elmer Fuhrhop, chairman of the Legion's home page. gion Squadron of Alamo Post other major medical condi- the National Commission on For more information, call 2, San Antonio, Texas. tions such as injuries from Children & Youth. (317) 630-1212, or e-mail, These facilities treat 12 traffic accidents. Thanks to "We are on the same track with Children's Miracle Net- million children every year, fund-raising efforts by net- as the Children's Miracle work in the "subject" line: children suffering from all work supporters, care is giv- Network," says Fuhrhop. FLORIDIANS AID INJURED FLAG RESCUER ordered Chrivia noticed no one had mer Boy Scout and Marine "Our prayers are with him. NOBODYDonny Chrivia to taken down the flag. To pre- Corps Junior ROTC member We're thinking of the loss to risk life and limb to serve Old Glory, he enlisted broke his pelvic bone, one [his] time and wages, and we protect the U.S. Flag, the help of a fellow cook to ankle, an elbow and several want to help him out. Chrivia but he did. For his lower the flag. ribs; he also suffered exten- has had his share of hard trouble he broke a few limbs As the pair struggled with sive internal injuries. luck." and suffered other extensive the huge banner, a powerful Moved by his unselfish Family members recall injuries in a freak accident in gust of wind billowed the act, members of No-Vel Post the young man's dream of south Florida last spring. folds of the flag and it shot 159 in Venice organized a joining the Marine Corps was On May 4, Chrivia, 23, skyward, with Chrivia a re- benefit dinner to defray some shattered by a hit-and-run was critically injured trying luctant, terror-stricken pas- of Chrivia's expenses. driver a few years ago. Re- to haul down a 30-foot by 20- senger. As his compatriot "For that reason alone, tuming from a JROTC drill, foot American flag outside watched, the wind burst lifted that he was trying to protect he was struck just a few the Venice, Fla., restaurant Chrivia 30 feet in the air, those colors, I think [that] blocks from home. He suf- where he worked as a cook. then slammed him onto the says a lot for this fellow," fered head injuries and a bad- As a massive storm ap- parking lot of an adjacent Post Commander Ray ly mangled left leg that pre- proached the area that day. business. In the fall the for- Hartzell told a local reporter. vented him from enlisting. ji| • THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE 'JULY 1998 An incredibly detailed, completely authentic —— die-cast metal replica of one of the most popular Oldsmobiles ever! What's the recipe for a classic? It begins Satisfaction guaranteed! with a good lineage. Oldsmobile had This 1955 Oldsmobile Super 88 is avail- built a reputation for excellence in able exclusively from the Danbury engineering. The Super 88 was spiced Mint for only $109, payable in four You can display the replica with the fabric convertible top. up with a rip-roaring V-8 engine, fab- convenient monthly installments of ulous styling, sleek lines and a stunning just $27.25 (plus any applicable sales profile. Today, it is a bonafide collector tax and $1.45 shipping and handling classic. Now, you can acquire a superb per installment). This attractive price die-cast metal replica of the 1955 includes a fact-filled, personalized Oldsmobile Super 88. Certificate of Title identifying you by Authentically detailed. name as the owner of this legendary replica. Your satisfaction is guaranteed. The 1955 Oldsmobile Super 88 is craft- Simply return your Reservation ed in the large 1:24 scale from over The steering wheel, Application today! 200 parts. The hood opens to reveal a horn rim and dashboard are exactingly re-created. miniature of Oldsmobile's powerful 324.3 cubic inch V-8. Both doors ^ open to showcase the fabulous interior with its authentic dash- board gauges and folding front seats. The replica also features functional front and rear suspension systems. The Danbury Mint Send 47 Richards Avenue no money Norwalk, CT 06857 The 1955 Oldsmobile Super 88 now. Yes! Reserve the 7955 Oldsmobile Super 88 for me as described Name in this announcement. If not delighted, I may return my replica Address within 30 days for replacement or refund. City State. Zip. CHANGE-UP FOR LEGION BALL LEGIONNAIRES INACTION L W J OVE over Wayne we can plan when everyone have constructed indoor Newton, The Ameri- is leaving and save a bundle amusement parks or host Merli and the late li fi I Gino II I can Legion World in air fares." "G"-rated entertainment. Joseph Sarnoski of 'I I Series is coming to The format also will reserve tickets for II I be To The northeastern Pennsylvania fiULl town Aug. 21-25— adopted by regional sites and American Legion World Se- were awarded the Medal of Viva Las Vegas! by several Departments. One ries, call (702) 798-6653. Honor following World War Sure, it will be hot (esti- benefit to local organizers is Use that same number to re- II, and now have a monument mates place the average tem- that there will always be a serve tickets for the annual to their bravery in Lackawan- perature in the mid-90s), but "local" team playing in the baseball banquet. This year's na County. it's a dry heat. evening guest speaker will be long- Post 86, Rockville, Mary- Besides, fans : game. Dur- time Dodgers manager Tom- land, regularly contributes to will be treated to ing the first my Lasorda. Banquet tickets The Metropolitan Washing- the cooling va- three days of cost $35 in advance or $40 ton Ear, a non-profit radio pors of "misters" the tourna- the day of event. For more reading service for the blind in the shady ment, the information on American serving Washington, D.C. stands of Cash- round robin Legion Baseball or Las Ve- Vince Corrao and other man Field. This schedule en- gas, check out The American members of Casas Adobes Triple-A stadi- sures both Legion Web site (www.le- Post 73 in Tucson, Arizona, um, home of the the state gion.org/ baseball), which have donated nearly 10,000 Las Vegas Stars, champion offers a tremendous amount books to VA Medical Cen- has 70 percent of and the host of information and history. ters for the use of hospital- its seating in the team will And for hotel reservations, ized veterans. shade, air-condi- play a 5 p.m. call Sunset Station, the offi- Former Army Specialist tioned suites for or 8 p.m. cial World Series headquar- and current Kentucky State those who want game—pro- ters, toll-free, at 888-SUN- Rep. Joseph A. "Jody" to reserve them viding a nice SET9 (786-7389). Haydon of Post 121 in Bard- and plenty of free draw at the gate. Updated rule books and stown, Kentucky, was hon- Gatorade for the players. For those who baseball manuals are avail- ored by the state legislature. "I can't remember when haven't been to Vegas lately, able from National Head- Former Sgt. Ronald the teams have played in a it's not just a gambling town quarters, Attn: American Le- Rexroat, who served with stadium such as this," says anymore. The desert gam- gion Baseball, Americanism Haydon in Vietnam from Oc- Larry Price, chairman of the bling mecca is branching out Division, P.O. Box 1055, In- tober 1968 to October 1969, National Baseball Subcom- by catering to the family mar- dianapolis, IN 46204 or call also received accolades. mittee. "These players will ket. Many of the major hotels (317) 630-1213. Legionnaires and Auxil- have all the amenities afford- iary of Admiral Arthur F. ed to Major Leaguers." Spring Post 4, Olongapo Along with the big-league Legion Supports Tech ROTC City, Philippines, continue venue, teams will depart their giving ways despite lo- from the previous double- cal disasters like the eruption elimination tournament to of Mt. Pinatubo and the clos- participate in a new, Oly- ing of Clark Air Base. They mpic-style format. The inau- continue to maintain the vet- gural run of the round robin erans' cemetery at the former tournament will place the military base and sponsor teams in two pools: National three area child-care centers. Division and American Divi- Frank J. Rodman of Flo- sion. riano-Stecker Post 340 in Each team will play at Hermansville, Michigan, was least three games. Another named the Upper Penninsula plus is that teams will be Legionnaire of the Year. able to plan when they will UPPER CUMBERLAND American Legion 135 members present a check for $3,800 Post 39 of Greenville, to fund scholarships for ROTC cadets at Tennessee Tech. Legionnaires Augus- return home. "Booking North Carolina, has secured ta IVIiller, Hal Martin, Commander Lester C. "Joe" Miller and Morgan Miller flights home was always a (far right) offer a facsimile check to Lt. Col. Mark Ochsenbein, chairman of the right to fly a POW/MIA monstrous task because no- the military science department, and Elaine Kelsey, director of the school's flag, along with a U.S. Flag, major giving program for the ROTC Alumni Endowment. Post 135 members body knew when they were in the veterans' section of the raised the money through their annual gun and knife show. ^ leaving," says Price. "Now local cemetery. • • IB THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE JULY 1998 NATIONAL ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN Fits ^ TO ATTRACT NEW CUSTOMERS Any Seal - in Your Better value than HH ^^^P Home and Car ^COMFORT AIR USHION mBESiEHm / SPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR BACK PAIN SUFFERERS Relax and help end back pain in your home, office or car. Air Cushion helps end painful pressure on tailbone, back and thighs. Pain-relieving lumbar support is designed to support your lower back. Soft, elegant "velour". Light- weight and super-sturdy. Item # Price Total (check one) 1 Regular for $7.99 38500 1 De luxe for $9.99 2 Deluxe $17 38501 j EeSI 3 Deluxe $24 " Make check to HealthHouse USA Price Total (from above) or charge VISA MASTERCARD Shipping & tiandling 3.75 ^ DISCOVER DAMERICAN EXPRESS $ *2-Day Express Delivery (Enter all13to16 card numbers below) e|p1r|s add $4,95 to above shpg. & hdig. Card # Subtotal In NY add sales tax Exp date (Mo)_ _(Yr)_ Mr/Mrs (RT38509-02) Grand Total Miss/Ms Address Full one-year money-back guarantee excluding I shipping and handling charges. *2-Day Expressi Delivery-ln City/State/Zip most eases orders for in stock items will , be shipped within 2 business days after we receive I hhih . , « ^ ^ ^ Or FAX Credit and process your order and should arrive 2 business pUiLllS HealthHouse USA, Comfort Cushion Card Order to: days' later. ©?998 Direct Marl America's 18 Most Loved Songs of Faith Sentimental AMERICA Journey Tennessee 44 Original Hits Ernie Ford of the BIG BANDS! Now in one stirring collection of the great sacred Here is a collection in which every big band memory is a pure gold songs comes the rich baritone voice of Tennessee Ernie Ford to touch you hit performed by the most popular bands ever to grace a bandstand. and your family in a very special way. Tennessee Ernie brings his own deep • faith to these all-time favorites and sings them more beautifully than you Sentimental Journey Les Brown/Doris Day I've Heard That Song have ever heard them before. Before Harry James/Helen Forrest • Chatteinooga Choo Choo Glenn Miller/Tex Beneke/Modernaires • On The Sunny Side Of The Street Tommy Dorsey • Begin The Beguine Artie Shaw • I Can't Get Started Old Time Religion • What A Friend We Have In Jesus • Bringing In Bunny Berigan • There! I've Said It Again Vaughn Monroe • Don't Be The Sheaves • Just As I Am, Without One Plea • The Old Rugged Cross • That Way Benny Goodman • Blues In The Night Woody Herman • His Eye Is On The Sparrow • Jesus, Keep Me Near The Cross • I Love Sunrise Serenade Glen Gray/ Frankie Carle • Tcmgerine • Amapola • To Tell The Story • Blest Be The Tie That Binds • Nearer My God To Green Eyes Jimmy Dorsey/Bob Eberly/Helen O'Connell • In The Mood Thee • Holy, Holy, Holy • I Need Thee Every Hour • The Church In Glenn Miller • Skyliner • Cherokee Charlie Barnet • Stompin' At The The Wildwood • Sweet Hour Of Prayer • How Great Thou Art • Savoy Benny Goodman • Night Train Buddy Morrow • Doodletown Abide With Me • Shall We Gather At The River • In The Garden Fifers Sauter-Finegan • Three Little Fishies Kay Kyser • Marie • TENNESSEE ERNIE FORD Opus No. 1 Tommy Dorsey • Beat Me Daddy, Eight To The Bar #122218 Double-Length Cassette $12.98 Will Bradley/Ray McKinley • Got A Date With An Angel Hal Kemp/ #122226 CD $14.98 Skinnay Ennis • At The Woodchoppers Ball Woody Herman • I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm Les Brown • And The Angels Sing Benny Goodman/Martha Tilton • A String Of Pearls Glenn Miller/Bobby Hackett • You Made Me Love You Harry James • Star Dust Artie Shaw/Billy Butterfield, plus more! BIG BANDS #129312 3 Cassettes $19.95 Remembering #129320 2 CD $24.95 The Fifties 40 Biggest Hits By The The Great Biggest Stars Of The 50's Eddy Let's turn back the clock to those happy days when we all liked Ike and loved Lucy and the music was pure fun. Howard Tennessee Waltz Patti Page • Memories Are Made Of This Dean Martin • You'll Love This Collection You Belong To Me Jo Stafford • Vaya Con Dios Les Paul & Mary Ford • Sentimental Reasons Till 1 Waltz Again With You Teresa Brewer • My Prayer The Platters • For Love Letters In The Sand Pat Boone • Mr. Sandman Chordettes • Love Is A Many Splendored Thing The Four Aces • It's All In The Game Tommy If you are one who goes back to the days before and after "the big Edwards • Sincerely McGuire Sisters • Little Things Mean A Lot Kitty war," then discovering this collection of Eddy Howard's best-loved Kallen • Cry Johnnie Ray • Secret Love Doris Day • Hey There Rosemary recordings will be like uncovering pure gold in grandmother's attic. Clooney • All 1 Have To Do Is Dream Everly Brothers • Chances Are Johnny Mathis • Wheel Of Fortune Kay Starr • That Lucky Old Sun Sin Ot's No Sin) • To Each His Own • My Adobe Hacienda • I Wonder, Frankie Lane • Kiss Of Fire Georgia Gibbs • Sh-Boom Crew Cuts • Be My 1 Wonder, I Wonder • I Love You For Sentimental Reasons • Auf Love Mario Lanza • Let Me Go Lover Joan Weber • I'm Walking Behind Wiederseh'n Sweetheart • On A Slow Boat To China • Be Anything, You Eddie Fisher • Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy Red Foley • Tammy But Be Mine • Careless • There's Yes! Yes! In Your Eyes • Room Full Debbie Reynolds • Venus Frankie Avalon • The Wayward Wind Gogi Of Roses • Maybe It's Because • Miss You • To Think You've Chosen Grant • Honeycomb Jimmie Rodgers • Mack The Knife Bobby Darin* Me • Rickety Rickshaw Man • Just Because • Maybe You'll Be There • Nel Blu Dipinto Di Bin (Volare) Domenico Modugno • The Three Bells Ragtime Cowboy Joe • Put 'Em In A Box, Tie It With A Ribbon • The Browns • Goodnight Irene Weavers w/ Gordon Jenkins, plus more! My Blue Heaven • The Girl That I Marry • Candy Kisses REMEMBERING THE RFTIES EDDY HOWARD #183111 2 Cassettes $19.95 #140012 Extra-long Cassette $12.98 #183129 2 CDs $24.95 #140020 CD $16.98 . Old Songs... Old Friends Dean Songs of WWI Martin ORIGINAL His Vintage Recordings RECORDINGS 1914-1925 20 Great Hits Memories are made of songs by Dean Martin. Here are 20 of fiis These original recordings were collected and lovingly restored and greatest, best-loved hits! digitalized. It's a piece of American musical history we must never forget. A special addition to your music library. Return To Me • Memories Are Made Of This • You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You • Dream A Little Dream Of Me • Dream • When It's A Long Way To Tipperary The American Quartet • Keep The Home Fires You're Smiling • That's Amore • I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face • Burning John McCormack • Till We Meet Again Charles Hart/Lewis James • Just In Time • Just Say 1 Love Her (Dicitencello Vuie) • Sway (Quien Over There Nora Bayes • K-K-K-Katy Billy Murray • Oh Johnny, Oh Johnny Sera) • You Belong To Me • All 1 Do Is Dream Of You • I'll Always Oh! The American Quartet • There's A Long, Long Trail/Roses Of Picardy Love You • Someday (You'll Want Me To Want You) • Angel Baby • John McCormack • Pack Up Your Troubles In Your Old Kit Bag Reinald It's Easy To Remember (And So Hard To Forget) • Cha Cha Cha • D'Amour (Melodie D'Amore) • Standing On The Corner • Volare Werrenrath • Oh! 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Hart • I Don't Want To Get Well Van and Schenk • Just A Baby's Prayer At Twilight Henry Burr • The Caissons Go Rolling Along John Phillip Sousa • The Further It Is From Tipperary Billy Murray • The Laddies Who Fought And Won Harry Sioux Lauder • We Don't Want The Bacon-What We Want Is A Piece Of The Rhine The Peerless Quartet • The Yanks Started Yankin' Arthur Fields • I've Got My Captain Working For Me Now Al Jolson • My Dream Of The City Sue Big Parade The Peerless Quartet with Billy Murray • Smiles Lambert Murphy • Let The Rest Of The World Go By Elizabeth Spencer/Charles Hart • How 'Ya Gonna Keep 'Em Down On The Farm After They've Seen 42 Great Heart-Warming Paree? Arthur Fields. ..plus more! Songs from the War Years SONGS OF WWI #188417 2 Cassettes $19.95 Original Hits! * Original Stars! #188425 2 CDs $24.95 This fabulous collection brings you 42 of those great jukebox favorites that warmed the hearts of separated sweethearts and kept our spirits high. 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In fact, it is the lesser- this roving known among us to whom Woods correspondent goes devotes much of his time and energy beyond deadlines and with his Sunday morning show, Across America. headlines—and his subjects are The show — says Woods' boss, the folks living next door. CNN's News Vice President Ed Turn- er—got its start almost eight years ago when the network giant recognized it needed to provide more than "hard" or "spot" news to its ITH a polished cowboy boot viewers. With a remorseful shake of the head. Turner says journalists today all-too-often get propped up on a file cabinet and caught up in the blood and guts of a story and overlook the story's heart. "If we were covering the telephone receiver tucked the crucifixion of Christ," he sighed, "we'd prob- ably miss the dawning of Christianity." That's snugly between his right ear and why he chose Woods to do Across America, Turner says —to look through the frenzied shoulder, Larry Woods leans back crowds and document those whose lives are extraordinary. in his swivel chair and flips through some notes as And so he does: Be it telling a story about a man from Missouri who has spent his entire life he carries on a conversation with Helen Gurley- overcoming obstacles attributed to being literari- ly crippled by dyslexia, following the life of a Brown, the former editor of Cosmopolitan Maga- young girl bom without arms or legs, or docu- menting the real story behind the demise of two zine. It's an informal chat sprinkled with an occa- hapless cowboys in an Indian raid near the tiny town of Freedom, Okla., Woods goes Across sional chuckle from the personable Woods, whose America to paint electronic pictures for us all to enjoy on Sunday mornings. In the following quiet southern charm and sophisticated wit leave interview, he talks to Charles Newcomb, a free- lance contributor to this magazine, about his work. the impression that the conversation is being held between two good friends. ^BiCAN LESION MA6AIINE: You 20 • THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE • JULY 1998 TRAVELING MAN "I've got the best job In the ' business," boasts Woods, host of the boast you have "the best popular CNN with pictures of family and over the world on B-47s with the likes job in the business." feature, Across friends. With all the famous of Gen. Curtis LeMay and had a great America. How is it that you find people you've encountered time. It changed my life— I had no working on Across during your career, why idea what I was going to do before I America so much more rewarding aren't their photos up there, too? joined, I just knew working at going- than conventional journalism? A These are the people who are nowhere construction jobs wasn't most important to me. Although what I wanted. Larry Woods: Well, think about I've developed friendships with some it: I get to travel all over the country very famous people, the people you Ilc: What made you decide to and do stories about people who are see in the pictures here are the ones become a journalist? Was it some- very special —people who have who bring real meaning to my life. thing you thought about earlier in touched others in some remarkable life? way. After years of being a journalist Q» You received your journalism A No, actually it wasn't. I was an involved in everyday hard news, what training when you went to college engineering student at the Uni- I'm doing now is a breath of fresh air. on the GI Bill. Was this helpful? versity of Florida, but my math skills I love what I'm doing, and I'll have to A Yes it was. I'm one of those peo- were pretty weak, to say the least. The admit it has probably spoiled me. pie who are beholden to the mili- school had a well-recognized journal- tary for what it has given me. Aside ism program, so I made the switch Q. Spoiled you? from traveling all over the world and early on. Next to marrying Dee, it was A Yes. I'm not at all interested in meeting interesting people when I was the best decision I've ever made. going back to conventional jour- a radar-navigation technician in the [Regrettably, Dee Woods died after nalism. When the day comes I can't Strategic Air Command back in the this interview was conducted.] do this anymore, then I think it will be '50s, it gave me the opportunity to go time for me to retire and write my to school and make a good living for You mentioned that you've novel. me and my family. I joined the Air "paid your dues in the trenches." Force on the "buddy plan" with my Does that mean you haven't always D. Your office walls are covered old pal, Ray Foster. 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Cliff Stearns of Florida was medical science can't explain or treat. crafting legislation to provide priority care to Persian Research into the causes of undiagnosed illnesses—report- Gulf veterans through Dec. 31, 2001. It also would extend the ed by thousands of returning Gulf veterans—and study of the same priority to veterans of future wars, thus avoiding the environmental hazards they faced, are the goals of HR 3279, delays and bitter post-war experiences of sick veterans from the Persian Gulf Veterans Act of 1998, introduced by Rep. Operation Desert Storm (Gulf War illnesses), Vietnam (Agent Lane Evans of Illinois. Orange) and preceding conflicts. The Legion also supports this bill, which would call on the "This bill, although much more modest in scale than the Gl National Academy of Sciences, the nation's premier indepen- Bill, parallels its vision," says National Commander Anthony G. dent scientific institution, to analyze all pertinent studies linking Jordan. "It applies the lessons learned from our past to solve undiagnosed illnesses to veterans' service in the Gulf. the problems of veterans today and for years to come." After their victorious return from the Gulf in 1991, veterans Notes Stearns, a member of the House Veterans' Affairs began reporting a puzzling array of symptoms—chronic fatigue, Committee: "The Gulf experience and that of prior wars has respiratory ailments, headaches, dizziness, muscle weakness, taught us that, despite the best protective measures, some vet- hair loss, stress and psychological disorders, among others— erans will return from future overseas combat with unexplained that they believe are linked to environmental hazards they faced illnesses. We need to be armed to provide them prompt, effec- during their deployment. The hazards ranged from inhaling tive treatment," says Stearns, an Air Force Vietnam-era veteran. smoke from oil well fires set by retreating Iraqis to possible low- The most pressing concern for sick Gulf War veterans is level exposure to chemical and biological agents released when receiving timely diagnosis and treatment for their illnesses, no U.S. troops destroyed Iraqi ammunition dumps. matter what the cause. Stung by criticism from the veterans' community and others That need points up the importance of the other major pro- for their inaction, the VA and Department of Defense in recent vision in the proposed bill. The measure would create a nation- years have poured millions of dollars into research and treat- al center devoted to the study of war-related illnesses and ment efforts designed to assist Gulf veterans. Both depart- would guide research into their causes while developing effec- ments established registries (the VA in 1992 and DoD in 1994) tive treatments. that identify the medical conditions of sick veterans and have "The bill not only is a key part of the VA's current efforts to redoubled their outreach efforts to make up for lost time. determine which medical approaches effectively treat these ill- Ongoing fundamental reforms within VA are changing how nesses, but it will help create a VA system ready to hit the deck the system delivers care to veterans. It's transforming the VA running after our next war," reports Legionnaire Matthew from a hospital-based system to an out-patient system guided Puglisi, who recently appeared before a House panel to explain by the managed-care principles that predominate in the civilian the Legion's position. "The bill provides VA with the opportuni- sector. being graduated from Howard Univer- The 89-page handbook provides the West Confirmed as VA Chief sity in 1965. He later earned a law latest information on important The Department of Veterans' degree and was recalled to active duty changes in eligibility for VA medical Affairs officially has a new secretary to serve in the Army's Judge Advo- care. It also describes other federal to oversee its vast health-care delivery cate General Corps. benefits, including education, disability and benefits systems. The new VA secretary, a member compensation, pensions, home loan Togo D. West Jr. was confirmed as of American Legion Post 113, Depart- guaranties, vocational rehabilitation, secretary by the Senate last May. West ment of Idaho, also has worked as an life insurance and burial assistance. was named acting secretary by the attorney in the private sector. The booklet includes details on bene- White House in December 1997, sev- fits and services for particular groups, eral months after Jesse Brown Benefits by tlie Book such as women and Gulf War veterans. resigned the position. West served as The latest edition of one of the fed- The Government Printing Office secretary of the Army from 1993 until eral government's best-selling booklets sells the booklet for $3.75, but the full his recent appointment and was an is now available from the U.S. Govern- text is available free through the Inter- associate deputy U.S. attorney general. ment Printing Office. Published by the net at www.va.gov/benefits.htm. For He also served as general counsel for Department of Veterans Affairs (VAj, copies, ask for GPO stock number the Defense Department. Federal Benefits for Veterans and 051-000-00214-8 from the Superinten- West was commissioned an Army Dependents has been revised to dent of Documents, P.O. Box 371954, second lieutenant of artillery after include changes in law for 1998. Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954. 24* THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE • JULY 1998 42 Road Map to the Vote Chronology oftheflag amendmentfight F»3 The Constitutional Right of the People Amending the Constitution, important jobs without expec- ment will do. First, it will not when necessary, is one of tation of recognition or re- protect our flag. It will empow- the duties ofcitizenship. ward. They often fight Insur- er Congress to legisla- By Stephen Presser F • 4 pass mountable odds because they tion outlawing flag desecra- know what they're doing is tion, if it chooses to do so. Conduct Unbecoming decades have right. And they don't quit until A year ago, the House of Free Speech passed since that blis- the mission Is accomplished. Representatives passed the Destruction is not a natural IHREEtering autumn day For nine years. The Ameri- flag-protection amendment. right. By Armstrong near Tarn Ky, Vietnam. can Legion family has strug- Senate Joint Resolution Williams F«6 Army Staff Sgt. Web- gled to accomplish an impor- 40 Is awaiting debate and a ster Anderson and his tant mission: to amend the vote—and that could happen The Mirage of Slippery unit were slugging it Constitution to restore to the at any time. To be adopted, Slopes out against North Viet- American people the right to SJR 40 needs a minimum of Worthy amendments are namese forces. In the protect the flag—a right they 67 votes. We're close to that Initial assault, Ander- enjoyed for 200 years before number, and we've worked By Richard Parker • F 8 son was wounded in both legs the Supreme Court took It hard to get where we are. Now yet he continued the fight. away in 1989. We didn't seek it's time to clock in overtime. An Amendment for An enemy grenade landed this fight; it was thrust upon us As this campaign comes Freedom near a wounded soldier, and when the Supreme Court ruled down to the wire, I urge each Elitists can 't be convinced, Anderson grabbed It and that flag burning Is protected of you to contact your sena- but they can be outvoted. hurled It away. The soldier speech under the First tors and urge them to support By Daniels. Wheeler..? was saved, but a blinding Amendment to the Constitu- the flag-protection amend- flash and thundering roar tion. We have charged forward ment. Where Your Senator ripped away one of Ander- with courage, conviction and If they are co-sponsors, Stands son's arms. Still, the gritty the confidence that what we thank them for it; If they're not, sergeant, who later would lose are doing is right. to it, tell Several remain to be urge them support both legs, kept fighting and In- Most Americans share our them why you favor It and re- enlisted. F«11 spired others to drive on and view. More than 80 percent of mind them that an overwhelm- win the day. Anderson was citizens polled support the ing number of their con- Hard-Working Heroes awarded the Medal of Honor flag-protection amendment, stituents believe as you do. Yourfellow citizens aren't for his heroism. and 49 state legislatures have Time is short and every let- • sitting out thisfight. ... F 1 Years later, Anderson, a adopted resolutions urging ter, visit and telephone call member of South Carolina's Congress to pass the mea- counts. One Supreme Court Old Glory, Young Views Winnsboro American Legion sure. justice took away our freedom Essays show vibrant lovefor Post 215, was speaking to a To that end, I commend to to protect our flag and one • the American flag. F 1 group of students. One asked you this special section on the senator's vote might be all It if he would be willing to put his flag amendment. It provides takes to restore it. One more An Urgent Call life on the line again for his valuable Information about the letter might be all it takes to Action To country. He looked the young- flag-protection Issue, and I en- persuade your senator. The climax ofthefight ster In the eye said: "What I courage you to use this mater- Please, write that letter today. requires the best of did was worth It. Kid, I only ial In any way you see fit to The clock is ticking. Let's efforts F-15 have one arm left, but my promote passage of the accomplish our mission so country can have it any time It amendment. that one day we can look into wants." the eyes of our children and The Webster Andersons of THERE has been some con- say with pride, "We fought this this world astound and inspire fusion and misinformation battle for you. And yes. It was me. They step forward to do concerning what the amend- worth It. " [•2 • THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE • JULY 1998 1 HE battle to secure a flag- to obtain two-thirds majority Iprotection amendment has for flag-protection amend- been waged for more than ment. nine years. Below are high- 25 AUG 1992" Presidential lights from that campaign: candidate Bill Clinton tells 21 JUNE 1 989* By a 5-4 vote, American Legion National the Supreme Court rules in Convention delegates in Texas v. Johnson that burning Chicago he opposes flag- the American flag is free burning. speech protected under the Memorializing resolution First Amendment. This abro- campaign gains steam gates flag-burning statutes in throughout 1992-93; by the 48 states. American Legion end of 1993, 35 state legisla- National Commander H.F. tures had approved resolu- "Sparky" Gierke voices the or- tions. Gallup Organization ganization's disgust over the polls show overwhelming pub- ruling. lic support for flag-protection J U LY/AUG 1 989" American amendment. alizing resolution, becoming Vote" project promoted by The Legion launches petition drive 24 AUG i9i94^ Formation of the 49th state to do so; Ver- American Legion. to collect 1 million signatures Citizens Flag Alliance publicly mont is the only state not to ci=A Board Chairman Patrick of Americans demanding flag- announced; goal is to promote pass the measure. H. Brady appears at several protection amendment. Goal flag amendment and educa- White House counsel ap- news conferences and CFA reached; petitions presented tion; the non-profit group pears before Senate Judiciary member organizations' meet- to the Congress. seeks membership of other Committee and says President ings. mi 2 OCT 1 9 8 9" H o US e and civic, social and fraternal orga- Clinton is opposed to flag 12 JUNE 1 997^ House pass- Senate adopt House Resolu- nizations. Constitutional amendment; American Legion es HJR 54, 310-114; 1 tion 2978, a federal statute scholars gather in Williams- National Commander William House members did not vote. to protect the flag; Legion pre- burg to discuss flag-protection Detweiler also testifiesl. American Legion National dicts statute will not stand the amendment. 2 8 J U iM E 1 9 9 5 H J R 79 Commander Anthony G. Jor- test of the courts. For the remainder of the year, clears House 312-120; 290 dan announces Show Your i28 bet 1 giBga HR 2978 be- CFA groups organize in all 50 votes were needed for the two- Colors, America! campaign for comes Public Law 101- states; National CFA mounts thirds majority required for 1998. All Americans urged to 131; flag burned on steps of aggressive publicity campaign passage of a constitutional display U.S. Flag from homes, the Capitol in Washington to promoting flag awareness. amendment. businesses, schools, etc., be- protest enactment of the law; 21 MAR 1 99i5^ Sens. Orrin Polls conducted in key states ginning Memorial Day and not other public flag-burnings re- Hatch, R-Utah, and Howell show strong support for flag lower the flags until the Sen- ported around the country af- Heflin, D-Ala., introduce Sen- amendment among registered ate passes the amendment. ter passage of PL 101-131. ate Joint Resolution 31, voters; polls also show candi- 4 FEB 1998^ Senate Joint FEB/MAR 199ba February- calling for the amendent; dates' position on flag amend- Resolution 40, a proposed March 1990 Federal judges in Reps. Gerald Solomon, R-N.Y., ment may determine citizens' flag-protection amendment is Seattle and Washington, D.C., and G.V. "Sonny" Mont- votes in 1996 elections. introduced. Within a month, rule PL 101-131 unconstitu- gomery, D-Miss., introduce a 12 DEC 1995^ Senate rejects the measure has 61 co-spon- tional. similar bill, House Joint Res- SJR 31 by a vote of 63-36; sors. 11 jME199bW Supreme olution 79, in their chamber. CFA pledges to continue fight 25 MAIri 1998a A hearing on Court rules PL 101-131 uncon- CFA officials vigorously en- for the amendment. SJR 40 is held by the Senate stitutional. courage member groups and 1996^ Poiis conducted in var- subcommittee on the Constitu- 21 JUNE i996a House fails individuals to persuade their ious states show registered tion, Federalism and Property to muster required two-thirds representatives and senators voters believe they should Rights. The measure must majority to pass a flag-protec- to become co-sponsors. have the right to determine if clear the Senate Judiciary tion amendment. 12 APR 1 995W Hawaii state the flag should have constitu- Committee before it is voted 26 JUNE 1990^ Senate fails lawmakers adopt flag memori- tional protection. "Get Out The on by the full chamber. JULY 1998 • THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE • [.J I By Stephen B. Presser HE flag-protection senters In Johnson, wondered no basis for declaring that pre- made as clear as it could in amendment is neces- how legislation prohibiting serving this sort of license was its opinions that any statute sary because of the flag desecration that had been the only symbolic value of the prohibiting flag desecra- Supreme Court's sur- on the books In most states for flag. tion would be construed as prising decision In decades, without objection, Following Texas v. John- an impermissible interfer- I Texas v. Johnson could have suddenly become son, in a wave of public out- ence with free speech (1989). There, by a Impermissible. Rehnquist, af- rage. Congress passed a Why am I for this bare 5-4 majority, the ter observing that several of statute forbidding flag dese- amendment, when the court declared that the high court's greatest cration. The statute was sup- Supreme Court has twice flag burning was champions of the First Amend- posedly drafted in neutral lan- rejected the constitutionali- speech protected by the First ment thought that the flag guage, in order to seem as not ty of flag desecration, when Amendment and therefore could be protected from dese- to be attacking speech. Sever- many members of the legal could not be banned. This de- cration, noted that the protec- al of us told Congress that academy and many commen- cision outraged four justices tion of the national symbol only an amendment could au- tators in the media remain op- and many other Americans, ought to be entitled to thorize flag-desecration posed to it? First, until the who thought that defendant constitutionality as n statutes since the Johnson decision, it was wide- J Gregory Johnson's conduct In a matter of common o lo Court was dis- ly believed that the First incinerating the flag after re- sense, perhaps, posed to read any Amendment could properly be peatedly chanting "Red, white rather than as a prohibition on construed to allow punish- and blue, we spit on you," was matter of sophisti- conduct Involving ment of flag desecration. an outlandish act of arson, not cated First Amend- the flag as an in- Since that view has only been the kind of speech James ment jurispru- ^ fringement of overturned by the slimmest of Madison had in mind when he dence. the First Supreme Court majorities, I and his colleagues were draft- In Texas v. > Amendment. believe widespread public ing what became the First Johnson, the ^ ^ We were proved opinion, expressed in the con- Amendment. majority even de- right when, a tinued grass-roots desire for a Chief Justice William Rehn- clared that the only year later, the constitutional amendment, qulst, writing for the dis- permissible "symbolic value" Supreme Court found the new ought to be the most relevant of the flag was that It stood for statute unconstitutional. Sad- factor in defining the nature of Stephen B. Presser is a the right to express oneself in ly, some senators still believe our First Amendment free- professor of constitutional law opposition to the flag and that a statute protecting the flag doms. To put this another way, and history at Northwestern desecrating the flag was sim- could be held constitutional the current flag-protection University School of Law in ply a manifestation of this and resist an amendment for amendment effort is a vital ex- Evanston, III. right. The Supreme Court had that reason. But the court ercise in participatory democ- [•/| • THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE • JULY 1998 CLOSE VOTE Chief Justice Rehnquist, writing for dissenters in Texas v. Johnson, wondered how state legislation prohibiting flag desecration suddenly could have become impermissible after decades of use. been living through period in 'If there is one clear principle in current a which this delicate balance of Court jurisprudence, it is that Supreme constitutional philosophies the Supreme Court will hold that any and purposes has gone awry. We are at a point where the statute dealing with the flag is interfer- personal liberty element of our First ence with purported Amendment tradition has, in effect, spun ii freedoms.' Stephen B. Presser out of constitutional control. It has become commonplace to colonized and later : It was the genius of our lament the decline in national m declared indepen- : Constitution and of much of standards and morality. It is I dent. But the i our political history that we rarely recognized that a signif- racy, in popular sovereignty, framers also realized that with- : usually managed to grant icant part of the problem is and deserves support for that out responsibility, without or- : more individual freedom than that many of the people and reason alone. der, without submission to the : was available in any other the courts have forgotten what Second, I believe the flag- rule of law, there could be no : country but to balance it by the Constitution, and perhaps protection amendment is a protection for life, limb and i community-centered re- even the flag, stood for. small but vital step in returning property, and there could be i straints. Recent events in America us to a constitutional path no lasting liberty. : When the Supreme Court's such as the riots following the from which we have strayed It was one of the goals of : majority, in its Johnson deci- first Rodney King trial several and in redressing a delicate the Constitution's framers to : sion, created a single symbol- years ago, the explosion in balance that has become dan- foster a sense of community : ic meaning for the flag, its out-of-wedlock births, the in- gerously skewed. among all citizens of our re- : apotheosis of individual self- crease in mindless and ran- Our framers understood public, to secure a certain : expression, it betrayed a fun- dom acts of violence, or even there were two important ele- baseline of civilized behavior. i damental misunderstanding of the recent widespread failure ments to the constitutional tra- Many of our judges, and the : America's founding. of many governmental officials dition we inherited from Great majority of the Supreme Court : If there is a single message to abide by the simplest moral Britain—a liberty element and in the two flag decisions in par- : I've understood from 25 years principles or the rule of law, a responsibility element. With- ticular, appear to have gone : of teaching and writing about are products of our failure as a out liberty, we could not hope too far in embracing an individ- : our laws and Constitution, it is constitutional society. That's a to realize the aspirations to- ualistic constitutional jurispru- : that each time we move too far failure to remember that with ward religious freedom and re- dence and to have forgotten : in one direction, there is a re- individual liberty ought to publican government for other elements in our political : action, sometimes a violent come basic decency and re- which the United States was and constitutional tradition. : one. In recent years we have sponsibility. JULY 1998 • THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE • [.{j HE freedom of speech, as guaran- teed by the First Amendment, while of- ten threatened, has I withstood the as- saults of those who would seek to deny it to us. It has proved to be one of our most im- portant freedoms, but we must maintain constant vigi- lance that neither is it abused. Flag burning is a lurid abuse By Armstrong Williams of that right. Moreover, it is alarming that one of our most premacy of the Constitution, tee to all Americans those in- Many people feel it is their cherished freedoms would be which guarantees the rights of alienable rights with which we right to criticize and challenge used to protect the desecra- all citizens. It Is the law of the have been endowed by our authority. The right to rebel tion of our flag. land, superseding state and Creator. has been respected by The exact nature of the local statutes. America is the land of the philosophers, writers and oth- First Amendment and what Congress passed the Sedi- free, but that freedom has not er thinkers for centuries. They types of speech it protects tion Act in 1798, making it a come easy. Many are still de- ask: Are we to deny ourselves has been argued ever since crime to "write, print, utter or nied the same freedoms most and others that right and be- the adoption of the Constitu- publish" anything negative of us take for granted. Without come simple and unthinking tion. Perhaps no other section about the government with in- the guarantee of our Constitu- subjects of our government? of that great document has ex- tent to defame, or incite con- tion, we would be a sorry lot, No! We are not powerless cited so much debate. Even tempt or hatred of Congress afraid to do or say anything subjects of an exclusive and today, there is still disagree- or the president. At the time, it that might remotely cause insular regime. We, the peo- ment. Does it cover acts such was deemed necessary to harm to any group or individ- ple, are the source of authori- as flag burning? Just what protect the government from a ual. It is doubtful we would be ty, which is the basis of does it cover? riotous public. It was a the greatest nation in the democracy. The Constitution disaster, and Thom- world today if we were without There is, however, a dis- \\ tt T states that "Con- as Jefferson re- that noble document. It puts tinction to be drawn between gress shall make voked the law into words our beliefs as constructive criticism and de- no law," but it when he took of- Americans. structive opposition. Dis- says nothing fice in 1801. The U.S. Flag is another course on our particular brand about what states Can you imag- essential and powerful sym- of democracy should never may do. In the ^ ine if such a bol of our great nation. It rep- aim to weaken our system of 1964 case, law existed resents the strength of our government. The goal of dia- The New York > today? Our unity and embodies the spirit logue is to improve and build, Times v. Sulli- w country would be of the phrase: "e pluribus not tear down; to move for- van, the Supreme in chaos. I think it unum." The Stars and Stripes ward and not regress. Court ruled that states is safe to say that our symbolizes liberty, too. Amer- While free speech is one of could not bar free speech any fledgling nation would not ica is the "land of the free and the four freedoms protected more than the federal govern- have survived. Certainly, it the home of the brave," many by the First Amendment, it ment. This maintained the su- would be a far different world of whom fought and died for cannot be applied to flag today had that law been al- their beloved country. These burning. It is different from Armstrong Williams is a na- lowed to stand. patriots did not sacrifice their speech in that no words are tionally syndicated columnist. Threats to our freedoms lives so that others might spoken and nothing is written. He wrote Stopping the Hate did not end there. Our history abuse their God-given free- It is a destructive act of disloy- for the September 1997 issue. has been a struggle to guaran- doms. alty and should never be pro- • THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE • JULY 1998 — tected as a right. No part of is the moral thing the Constitution, however to do. To stand loosely interpreted, can be idly by and allow used to defend such conduct. the desecration of Timothy IVIcVeigh blew up our flag is an out- the Alfred Murrah Federal rage, and most Building in Oklahoma City out Americans will of anger to protest the govern- not—should not ment's action against the tolerate such be- Branch Davidians in Waco, havior. All citizens INCENDIARY ACT Texas. He was wrong to use who truly love they seemed to raise as many Scott Tyler of Chicago was arrested on the steps violence. If citizens are dissat- of the U.S. Capitol immediately after testing the their country questions as they answered. isfied or upset with govern- Flag Protection Act of 1989. should support Thomas Jefferson, in his inau- ment policy, there are many protecting our gural address on March 4, other peaceful, nondestruc- never be protected as a natur- flag from malicious destruc- 1801, offered to let all those tive avenues to make your al and legal right. That is why tion. with whom we disagree grievances known. it is so important for us to An amendment to protect "stand undisturbed as monu- Ted Kaczynski felt threat- pass an amendment to the the flag is not a drastic move ments of the safety with which ened by what he perceived to Constitution to protect the and will not endanger our error of opinion may be toler- be the growing and unregulat- U.S. Flag from those who rights. It will not curtail our ated where reason is left free ed power of technology and would desecrate it. The argu- right to free speech, as some to combat it." That might be also reacted violently, send- ment that the act of flag burn- claim, because physical dese- true when it comes to speak- ing letter bombs to those who ing is protected under the cration is an act—a destruc- ing one's mind, but desecra- he felt in some way symbol- First Amendment is ill-found- tive act that cannot logically tion of our nation's flag cannot ized what he feared. Such be- ed and mistaken. No one can be protected under the mantle "stand undisturbed." The way havior, however rationalized, argue that conduct is the of free speech. to protect Old Glory is through cannot be tolerated. As citi- same as speech. As we pro- George Washington be- a constitutional amendment, zens of the United States of tect the one, we also must en- lieved that the Constitution and the U.S. Senate should America, we all must respect sure the other is not abused. was made more perfect each listen to the majority of Ameri- and follow the same laws and An amendment to protect time it was amended. The first cans who support it. It's the rules of conduct. our national symbol—the U.S. 10 amendments greatly im- right thing to do, and the time An act of destruction can Flag—is not only necessary, it proved that document. Yet, is now. JULY 1998 • THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE ' \»] — fuSI SLOW BURN San Francisco demonstrators consign Old Glory to the fire. About 60 incidents of flag desecration By Richard Parker "ave occurred m the last tour years. the Because our opponents have own era, great champions of will, of course, remain wholly SUPPORTINGflag amendment is distorted the issue, I'll start by free speech endorsed the intact; it will simply have re- a way of support- countering their most nega- practice. One was Justice stored to it the meaning long ing freedom of tive arguments. Then I'll make Hugo Black, the leader in de- taken completely for granted. speech. Does that the case for the amendment veloping modern First- Opponents of the flag surprise you? If as a much-needed enhance- Amendment law. Another was amendment, nonetheless, are you followed only ment of freedom of speech. Chief Justice Earl Warren. addicted to exaggeration. In the media's cover- We're often told the flag The practice and endorse- alarm, they go on to insist it age of the issue, it amendment would "amend ment of flag protection is, would open the door to im- would. For the me- the First Amendment." This is therefore, both deeply rooted prisonment of individuals who dia— like most opponents of nonsense. All it would and of very long standing in paint pictures or wear cloth- the amendment— insist on "amend" is a recent mistake our constitutional tradition. ing or advertise businesses framing the question as "pro- by the Supreme Court. with an image of the flag. tecting the flag versus pro- For more than 200 years, THE disruption came only in Even worse, they say, it would tecting free speech." This is a constitutional lawyers—be- 1989. That was when a nar- start us down a slippery clever move. But it is a mis- ginning with James Madison, row majority of the justices, by slope, "amending away" all of leading, cynical maneuver. It the "father" of the First 5-4 vote, suddenly decided to our freedom of speech, step is time to set things straight. Amendment— believed that "read" the First Amendment by step. This is absurd. I want to make five points. the people, through their gov- as forbidding specific protec- The amendment, in fact. Is ernment, could protect their tion of the American flag. This very limited. All it would do is Richard Parker is a profes- flag from desecration. The decision would be surgically permit Congress (not the sor of constitutiorial law at people exercised the power. removed by the proposed states) to protect an actual Harvard University and ttie au- No one supposed it abridged amendment. "flag" (not an image of a flag) thor of Here, the People Rule. the freedom of speech. In our The First Amendment itself from physical desecration • f.|| THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE • JULY 1998 — m can flag, unlike some others, and so the foundation of free does not represent just one speech—has eroded. Special- "point of view." It does not interest groups and elitists of stand for one party or one all sorts celebrate not con- government. It is, as the dis- nection but separatism. They senting justices insisted, might say smugly they love "unique." It stands for our na- the flag. But they instruct us tion, for what we have in com- that the flag stands, now, for mon, above our differences. the freedom to desecrate it. Where will this leave a Martin BY authorizing the flag's Luther King Jr. of tomorrow? protection, the proposed The number of incidents of amendment, therefore, would flag desecration, about 60 in squelch no viewpoint. Those the last four years, is not the wanting to express any mes- heart of the matter. What mat- sage would be free to do so by ters most is our response to any means other than trashing them. The key response has a flag. A minimal respect for been that of the court. By de- our national community—as grading our symbol of nation- symbolized by the American al community to a "point of flag—would simply be recog- view" in competition with that nized as separate from con- of a flag burner, by doing so tention among diverse points in the name of the First of view. Amendment, the five justices Opponents of the flag did real damage to opportuni- amendment try to trivialize it, ty for effective exercise of claiming it's meant to protect rights under that amendment. the feelings of a minority of To undo the damage we have hypersensitive people. (Patri- one recourse. That is to exer- ots are the ones they have in cise our right under Article V mind.) This, they say, under- of the Constitution. mines free speech. But they miss the point. For the aim of EXERCISING the right to the amendment is not to pro- amend the Constitution is tect anyone's "feelings," but to participation in —and a test enhance—at its very founda- of—our system of freed<«n of tion—the freedom of speech. speech. Because it's an utphill A robust system of free struggle, it calls for corrmit- speech—of wide-open dis- ment to the possibility of open burning it, urinating on it, than 11,000 amendments agreement with one another— debate. Yet, because it threat- defecating on it. Congress have been proposed. Only 27 depends, at bottom, on con- ens elite control over the Con- would be allowed to prohibit have been ratified. If there's a nection to one another. It de- stitution, it calls up, in opposi- such acts, but the amendment slope, it runs uphill. pends on community. It tion, the most repressive in- does not specify imprison- Although you might not depends on some agreement stincts. Opponents of the flag ment. Its carefully focused know it from the scare rhetoric that, despite our differences, amendment wrap themselves language is answer enough to typical of our opponents, the we are one, that the problem in the mantle of free speech, the pretended fears of its po- United States should not be of any American is our prob- but they routinely mock it. Ro- tential application. confused with Nazi Germany lem. Without this much con- botically, they repeat the same or the Soviet Union. nection, why listen to one an- so-called arguments, irrespon- BASIC constitutional safe- This confusion Is, in fact, other? Why not just see who sibly trivializing and exagger- guards give the lie, more- the crux of the court's mistake. can yell louder and who is ating the effect of the pro- over, to panic over a "slippery Its 1989 decision turned on a stronger? Civil-rights leaders posed amendment, blankly ig- slope." Whatever law Con- claim that, in singling out our understood the danger. They noring the case for it. gress enacts must win the national symbol for protec- saw the importance, especial- This is the test of our own support of both houses. It is tion, government was discrim- ly to minorities appealing to faith in the freedom of subject to presidential veto. inating In favor of one "point of majorities, of respect for the speech. This is our chance to Judges and juries oversee the view"—and against competing value—and the unique sym- show that, while our oppo- case-by-case enforcement of "points of view." Discrimina- bol—of national community. nents are afraid of open de- any law. And if others were to tion among competing views That is why they displayed the bate, while they try to shut it go on and promote other, does, indeed, violate a basic American flag so proudly in down, we will make clear to all broader constitutional amend- First Amendment principle. the great marches of the that it is we, not they, who are ments, they'd face the But the justices misapplied 1960s. the true supporters of the process of ratification. More the principle. For the Ameri- Respect for this value First Amendment. JULY 1998 • THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE • [•{) years ago, by a Clearly, Congress was out- vote of 371-43 in the raged at the high court's deci- KINEHouse of Represen- sion, as were the majority of tatives and 91-9 in the American people. Howev- the Senate, Con- er, the statute did not pass gress passed The without debate. There were Flag Protection Act some who wanted a constitu- of 1989. Responding tional amendment guarantee- to the Texas v. John- ing Congress the power to son decision in protect the flag. Others wanted which the Supreme Court to give the statute a chance, ruled that flag desecration is arguing not to amend the Con- protected free speech under stitution before seeing if a the First Amendment, the statute would be sustained. House and Senate overwhelm- A few months later, the By Daniel S. Wheeler ingly voted in favor a statute Supreme Court struck down which stated: Whoever know- the federal statute. In no un- tion. But this reasoning is spe- the citizenry. It's about making ingly mutilates, defaces, physi- certain terms, the high court cious if the only result would a bold statement that tolerance cally defiles, burns, maintains opined that a law seeking to be to sustain a statute they had of abhorrent behavior has its on the ground, or tramples protect the flag from desecra- previously voted for. limits. It's about saying loudly upon any flag of the United tion violated the First Amend- and clearly that we, the Ameri- States shall be fined under this ment guarantee of freedom of a member voted for the can people, will not under IF — title or imprisoned for not more speech. Further, the court 1989 statute, presumably he any circumstances—tolerate than one year, or both. strongly implied that no statute or she felt it was consistent behavior that we know to be This subsection does not could be crafted to coexist with the First Amendment. evil and contrary to the civility prohibit the disposal of a flag with the First Amendment be- Why then would such an indi- necessary if free speech is to when it has become worn or cause desecrating the flag rep- vidual now believe that a flag- flourish in our society. soiled. As used in this section, resented a legitimate point of protection amendment, nar- These senators need to the term "flag of the United view that deserved constitu- rowly drawn, would not be hear from you now. if they vot- States" means any flag of the tional protection. consistent with the First ed for The Flag Protection Act United States, or any part It was at this point that flag- Amendment? The only logical of 1989, they agree with 80 thereof, made of any sub- protection proponents and consistent position for a percent of the American peo- stance, of any size, in a form switched to advocating a con- supporter of the 1989 statute ple that the Supreme Court rul- that is commonly displayed. stitutional amendment that now must be to support the ing was wrong and that the flag would do no more flag amendment. deserves protection. The same X than enable Con- Ratification of this amend- arguments that made the gress to again pass ment by 38 state legislatures statute the right vote in 1989 I the same statute to would clearly declare: "We, the also argue for a YES vote for I protect the flag that people, believe Congress is an amendment in 1998. I ^ had been previously capable of passing reasonable Thank them for their 1989 i struck down by the federal statutes to protect Old vote. And for the very same Supreme Court. Glory from acts of physical reasons, urge them to vote for A large number of desecration." the flag-protection amend- senators are in the The amendment is about ment. curious position of freedom. It's about freedom of having voted for the speech. It's about the most im- Daniel S. Wheeler is the 1989 statute but now portant freedom of speech of president of The Citizens Flag oppose an amend- all: the right of the American Alliance, Inc. He's also the ex- ment that would allow people to be heard on an issue ecutive director of American them to re-enact that that is important to them. Legion National Headquarters statute! Many claim It's about letting we, the at Indianapolis and former DESECRATION The use of Old Glory In "art " like this has had the effect of making Americans they do not wish to people, decide whether or not publisher/editor-in-chief of sejisitive to the issue of flag protection. amend the Constitu- laws will reflect the values of this magazine. [•10 • THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE • JULY 1998 CO-SPONSORS OF THE FLAG-PROTECTION An/IENDMENT Abraham, Spencer (R-Mich) Allard, Wayne (R-Colo) Ashcroft, John (R-Mo) Bond, Christopher (R-Mo) Breaux, John (D-La) Brownback, Sam (R-Kan) Burns, Conrad (R-Mont) Campbell, Ben Nighthorse (R-Colo) Cleland, Max (D-Ga) Coats, Dan (R-Ind) Cochran, Thad (R-Miss) Collins, Susan (R-Maine) Coverdell, Paul (R-Ga) Craig, Larry (R-idaho) D'Amato, Alfonso (R-NY) DeWine, Mike (R-Ohio) Domenici, Pete (R-NM) Lett, Trent (R-Miss) YET Vn*zi,MichaeV(R-Wyo)* Lugar, Richard (R-Ind) THOSE WHO HAVE TO RECOME CO-SPONSORS Akaka, Daniel (D-Hawaii) Kerrey, Robert (D-Neb) Faircloth, Lauch (R-NC) Mack, Connie (R-FIa) Kerry, (D-Mass) Feinstein, Dianne (D-Cal) McCain, John (R-Ariz) Bennett, Robert (R-iltah) John Ford, Wendell (D-Ky) Murkowski, Frank (R-Alaska) Biden, Joseph (D-Del) Kohl, Herbert (D-Wisc) Frist, Bill (R-Tenn) Bingaman, Jeff (D-NM) NiclclVs* *D'o*n*{R-Okia) Landrieu, Mary (D-La) Boxer, Barbara (D-Calif) Gorton, Slade (R-Wash) Lautenberg, Frank (D-NJ) Reid, Harry (D-Nev) Bryan, Richard (D-Nev) Graham, Bob (D-FIa) Leahy, Patrick (D-Vt) Roberts, Pat (R-Kan) Bumpers, Dale (D-Ark) Gramm, Phil (R-Texas) Levin, Carl (D-Mich) Rockefeller, John (D-WV) Byrd, Robert (D-WV) Grams, Rod (R-Minn) Roth, William (R-Del) Lieberman, Joseph (D-Conn) Grassley, Charles (R-lowa) Chafee, John (R-Ri) Santorum, Rick (R-Penn) McConnell, Mitch (R-Ky) Gregg, Judd (R-NH) Conrad, Kent (D-ND) Sessions, Jeff (R-Ala) Mikulski, Barbara (D-Md) Daschle, Thomas (D-SD) Hagel, Chuck (R-Neb) Shelby, Richard (R-Ala) Moseley-Braun, Carol (D-lll) Dodd, Christopher (D-Conn) Hatch, Orrin (R-Utah) Smith, Gordon (R-Ore) Moynihan, Daniel (D-NY) Dorgan, Byron (D-ND) Helms, Jesse (R-NC) Smith, Robert (R-NH) Murray, (D-Wash) Durbin, Richard (D-lll) Patty Hollings, Ernest (D-SC) Snowe, Olympia (R-Maine) Hutchinson, Tim (R-Ark) VeingolV, Rus's* (D-wIsc) Reed, Jack (D-RI) Specter, Arlen (R-Pa) Hutchison, Kay Bailey (R-Texas) Robb, Charles (D-Va) Stevens, Ted (R-Alaska) Glenn, John (D-Ohio) Inhofe, James (R-Okia) Sarbanes, Paul (D-Md) Thomas, Craig (R-Wyo) Harkin, Tom (D-lowa) Johnson, Tim (D-SD) Thompson, Fred (R-Tenn) Inouye, Daniel (D-Hawaii) Torricelli, Robert (D-NJ) Thurmond, Strom (R-SC) Kempthorne, Dirk, (R-ldaho) j'effords! jim (R-Vt) Wellstone, Paul (D-Minn) Kyi, Jon (R-Ariz) Warner, John (R-Va) Wyden, Ron (D-Ore) Kennedy, Edward (D-Mass) JULY 1998 • THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE • [.ll kricaoseverptoeslii tWr colors l]prtio| topwiiorii. why a giant flag, and why The CFA consists of 126 Somerset? organizations. The Elks work, "Patriotism runs hot and just as The American Legion cold," Zorn reasons. "We does, at the grass-roots level. wanted to show we were For example, when the Gunni- proud of our country. We son, Colorado, Elks Lodge thought, 'Hey, come on, let's learned that the new elemen- show the colors.' We got to- tary and middle schools in gether, and it all worked out. Gunnison and Crested Butte We're trying to do everything did not have classroom flags, ITWAUESlO/VGIn Pennsylvania, we can to get people in- it immediately enlisted several the Somerset volved." community organizations in County Flag The Somerset County Flag raising money to purchase the Committee keeps Committee mobilized neigh- flags. a 30- by 60-foot bors who share a profound When they delivered the edition of Old Glory aloft. love of country and its primary flags, Gunnison Lodge also symbol. It takes a team effort held a presentation for the to keep the flag flying. Each schoolchildren on the history costs $1 ,200 and lasts only six of the U.S. Flag. Elks often THE WHOLE CLOTH says local veterans' groups. months. honor youth leaders, such as IRAVELERS approaching Scouts, the Daughters of the "It's simply beautiful when Eagle Scouts, with certificates the Somerset exit on the American Revolution and oth- the wind blows," says Zorn. and new flags or flag lapel western Pennsylvania Turn- er local groups formed a com- The people of Somerset pins for poster contest win- pike are greeted by a mam- mittee in 1995 to promote pa- County got together for their ners. moth reminder that Old Glory triotism and flag awareness. country's flag — and it all In the case of the flag-pro- retains an honored place Owners of a Ramada Inn worked out. tection amendment, the Elks' among residents of this near the turnpike offered a 99- dedication runs deep, as U.S. scenic, hilly region. year lease on a 1 1 0- by 50-foot PATRIOTIC PARTNERS Sens. Edward Kennedy and "You can see it [from] two plot where the committee POWERFUL partners like the John Kerry discovered in late miles away. We're very proud erected a 120-foot flagpole Benevolent and Protective 1997, when many of the of it," says Legionnaire Jerry and landscaped the grounds. Order of Elks are shoulder- 52,000 members of the Mass- Zorn, speaking of the 30- by Local Scouts and grade- ing the Citizens Flag Alliance achusetts Elks Association 60-foot U.S. Flag. Zorn, the school children help maintain mission in much the same way staged a letter-writing cam- Department of Pennsylvania's the area, says Zorn, a mem- a strong coalition rallied for paign urging support of Sen- western district commander. ber of Post 445 in Berlin. But the Persian Gulf War. ate Joint Resolution 40. [•12 • THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE • JULY 1998 "We wish to lead the battle American Legion her tenure to convinc- to stop desecration of this na- Auxiliary emblems. ing members of the tional symbol, our American The 'tender' area House and Senate flag," wrote one Elks official. can hold 10 to 15 that protecting the "We ask your assistance in people." flag of the United leading this battle here in This year the States from physical Massachusetts and in the leg- growing Zillah Day desecration is the islature in Washington." festival featured an right thing to do. Her Kennedy and Kerry voted antique car show weapon of choice: let- against the amendment in across town from ter writing. 1995, but hearing such words the main craft, con- "Sen. Connie Mack from constituents might cession, ride and supported us early change their minds this time. celebration area. on," Murphy says, The same holds true for all Post 1 30's Locy, "but Sen. Bob Graham senators; they must be re- with additional didn't. Thanks in part minded they represent Ameri- crewing led by Post to an intense, grass- TO THE COLORS (From left) Jack Sampson, Mayor Russ cans who want their flag pro- Vice Commander Sutherland, Jim Topps and Jerry Bach celebrate roots letter-writing tected, and the Elks—service- Jack White and Sutherland's proclamation of the Show Your Colors, campaign, however, minded, patriotic, courteous Post Chaplain Bob America! campaign. we have finally per- and resolved—have taken up Lewis, offered shut- suaded Graham to co- the duty. tle service from the car show and encouraged all residents sponsor the flag-protection to a point convenient to the to join in the Memorial Day to legislation. That's a major vic- CAMPAIGN TRAIN rest of the festival. Veterans Day Show Your Col- tory for us." It brought the HE Show Your Colors, "It's a convenience to our ors, America! campaign. number of flag-amendment IAmerica! campaign is high- visitors and helps reduce traf- "Seeking this proclamation co-sponsors to 61. ballin' through the Yakima fic congestion a bit," Ours was just our first project in the At press time. Murphy was Valley with Legionnaires of says. "And our approach to Show Your Colors campaign," making plans to teach fellow Washington's James H. ticketing was that we didn't reports Jimmy Topps, hus- Juniors about the flag-protec- Schooley Post 130 at the take tickets; we gave every band to the Unit Auxiliary tion campaign at an upcoming throttle. Post 130 serves Zil- passenger Show Your Colors, president and a director of the camp and leadership training lah, a small, dynamic commu- America! material." Department CFA effort. "Local conference. Murphy says she nity whose population (2,300) Cub and Boy Scout units re- briefs the girls about what the has more than doubled since OUR TOWN sponded enthusiastically amendment is and exactly the last census. Zillah cele- MORENlORENCI, Mich., in mid- when we talked to them about why it is needed. Then, brates its festival, Zillah Day, April stood up for the door-to-door hanger distribu- younger Juniors color flag-re- May 9, and Post 1 30 got more \ShowShow Your Colors, Ameri- tion of CFA material. They lated pictures while older than double duty out of its ca! campaign at a city council were ready to go with this be- ones write letters. The materi- "Locy" this year. meeting attended by four Leg- fore it was delivered. als are mailed to members of Explains Post commander ionnaires and Auxiliary Unit "On Memorial Day, we ded- Congress—thanking support- Roger Ours: "'Locy' is a pa- President Deb Topps. The Le- icated a new flagpole the Post ers or encouraging those who rade vehicle based on a medi- gion family of the 2,500-mem- provided for our Little League have yet to co-sponsor to seri- um-truck chassis. It looks like ber community had petitioned diamond, which was another ously consider doing so. a locomotive and its tender. Mayor Russ Sutherland for a opportunity to stand up for the Our Locy is decorated with proclamation endorsing the flag amendment before the The American Legion and The efforts of the Citizens' Flag Al- public," says Topps. liance to return I to the American people the right the volleyball court, 17- I = to protect their ONyear-old Jodi Murphy likes i flag. nothing better than to ^ Sutherland, spike the ball. On Capitol Hill, ^ a past comman- Murphy hopes proponents of der of Morenci the flag-protection amend- Post 368, quick- ment in Congress will bring ly obliged. His their undecided colleagues to proclamation their side of the court. cited The Amer- The good guys will win if ican Legion's this ambitious young woman mission to safe- has a say in the matter. guard the prin- As the Department of Flori- YOUNG LEADER Jodi Murphy, 17, GOOD TRAINING Legion Post 130 of Zillah, Wash., ciples of jus- da Junior president of the dedicates her work on the flag uses its "Locy" to distribute Show Your Colors, amendment to her late tice, freedom American Legion Auxiliary, America! literature. grandmother, Emily Sinclair. and democracy Murphy has dedicated most of JULY 1998 • THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE • f^lJ — and undying determination. Morning unveils a wasteland, punctuated with craters, bod- ies and sinking ships; morning reveals the destruction of Fort McHenry. "Yet, one symbol stands proud and tall upon the bank of desolation; withered but persevering, one symbol ad- vocates liberty and indepen- dence. That symbol, the Unit- ed States Flag, boldly defied the British onslaught during the War of 1 81 2 and simultane- adults have strength of argumentation, ously exemplified the very soul registered their sup- quality and originality, and un- of America—her tenacity, her YOUNGport for the flag derstanding of citizens' rights hunger for justice and free- amendment through to petition their government dom. casts a haze over the light of the Citizens Flag Al- under the U.S. Constitution. "Although America's flag democracy that each life liance Essay Con- Department winners may have withstood the enemy helped to build and preserve. It test, The American earned $1,000 scholarships in 1812, now, near the turn of makes hypocrites of those Flag Protection and advanced to compete for the 21 St century, it lies vulnera- who would send Americans to Amendment: A Rigfit 10 national scholarships rang- ble to yet another attack, an at- fight for a noble cause but then of ttie People... The ing from $3,000 to $10,000 (na- tack on its physical integrity, at the same time protect the Right Thing to Do. The goal of tional winners had not been an attack of legalized desecra- 'right' to deny the people the the contest is to inspire stu- named at press time). tion, an attack in which the fac- full meaning of what is being dents in grades 9 through 12 to Each winning entry not only tors of political legitimacy fought for, by allowing it to be study government and the U.S. reflected strong writing skills tradition, ideas and effective- burnt. Constitution. Entries were but also displayed remarlcable ness—are endangered and "Flag desecration serves judged on clarity and perception regarding protect- susceptible to extinction." no purpose to the protester. ing the symbol of the Union. Other essayists, like The disgust and outrage pro- For example, here is an ex- Camille Edmison, the Depart- duced by passersby viewing a cerpt from New Mexico's De- ment of Arkansas winner who 'peaceful flag-burning protest' partment winner, Kelly attends the Arkansas School far outweighs the message the Jaramillo of Belen High for Mathematics and Sciences protester is trying to convey. School: in Perryville, pointed to veter- The attention is on the action "Cannonballs sear the ans' sacrifices and questioned of the protester, not his mes- ominous heavens as hell the purpose of flag-burning sage, no matter how important unfurls its fury. The battle protests: it may be. rages on. ..falling sparks il- "When 26 million Ameri- "It is in his best interest to Ig luminate the battlefield of cans fought for the flag to fly in use productive means of l| land and water. Darkness the name of freedom, why nul- protest, as his safety and [the] 1| shrouds the combatants, lify what they fought for? Dis- potency of his message are at jl and yet the conflict rages gracing the flag does just that. risk when burning or otherwise with a newfound ferocity It makes a mockery of death, desecrating the flag." toil, anguish and the pain of The next generation has CAMIllE EDMISON "Disgracing the families everywhere who sac- spoken, and its message is flag.. .makes a mockery of death, toil and anguish, and the pain of families rificed lives, money, and time clear: Let the people decide if everywhere who sacrificed lives, mon- to preserve democracy for us they want Old Glory protect- ey and time to preserve democracy." and others around the world. It ed. [•]/| • THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE • JULY 1998 ment. Senators and their staffs place great stock in what their constituents at home are saying about the is- sues. It's possible readers in your community are not aware SJR 40 will soon be voted on and your letter might per- suade others to join the cam- paign. Make your letter suc- cinct. Speak from the heart. SHOW YOUR cams, MRIEA! This special campaign un- furled Memorial Day weekend and continues through Veter- ans Day. Continue to fly Old Glory daily and encourage your family, friends, neigh- bors, and local civic, govern- ment and business offices to do so. Your Post can be used for special events related to the flag-protection and flag-edu- cation programs. Be sure to contact local news organiza- tions in advance to cover your events. For more information about Show Your Colors, America!, call (800) 424- FLAG. It's important members of The American Legion family and The Citizens Flag Alliance act now because the vote in SUPPORTERS of port the amendment, tell them DC 20510. the Senate could come at any the proposed flag- why you favor it and remind Your senators' offices also time. protection amend- them that an overwhelming can be reached by calling the ment, Senate number of their constituents Capitol switchboard at (202) IsJoint Resolution believe as you do. 224-3121. Senators also 40, there are a When writing your letter, have offices in their home number of ways state your support for the states and their telephone your help can steer amendment in the first para- numbers can be found under the amendment to graph. Identify the amend- "U.S. Government" in the blue victory. ment as SJR 40. Be courte- pages. ous and concise as to why the CONTACT YOUR SENATORS amendment is necessary. Ad- LEHERS TO THE EDITOR If they are co-sponsors, dress your letters to: The Hon- Your local newspapers can ANTHONY G. JORDAN thank them for their support; if orable (full name). United provide a forum for your views NATIONAL COMMANDER OF they're not, urge them to sup- States Senate, Washington, on the flag-protection amend- THE AMERICAN LEGION JULY 1998 • THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE • [•15 Enlisted African-American Association Women's Clergy National Guard U.S. Assn. Family Research Council Air Force Association Fleet Reserve Association Air Force Sergeants Association Forty & Eight (La Societe des Alliance of Women Veterans Quarante Hommes et Huit Chevaux) American Diamond Fox Associates, Inc. Veterans, Nat'l Assn. American Gl Forum The General Society, Sons of the Revolution of the U.S. liptectioo. Gold Star Wives American Gl Forum of of America, Inc. the U.S. Founding Chapter Grand Aerie, Naf I Alliance of National Vietnam Polish National Fraternal Order Texas Society Sons of The American Families for the Return Veterans Coalition Alliance The American of Eagles Legion of America's Missing Revolution Native Daughters of Polish National Grand Lodge, Servicemen American Legion the Golden West The Travelers Fraternal Order Union Auxiliary Nat'l Association for Protective of Police Native Sons of the Polish Roman Catholic American Merchant Uniformed Services Association Grand Lodge Golden West Union of North Marine Veterans Nat'l Assn. of State The Ukranian Gold of Masons of Navajo Codetalkers America Directors of Cross American War Oklahoma Association Veterans' Affairs, Polish Scouting Mothers The Uniformed Great Council of Inc. Navy League of the Organization Services Association Ancient Order of Texas, Order of U.S. National Center for Polish Western Hibernians Red Men United Armed Public Policy Navy Seabee Association Forces Association Association of the Hungarian Veterans of America Polish Women's U.S. Army Association U.S. Coast Guard National 4th Infantry Navy Seabee Alliance Baltic Women's Enlisted Association Hungarian (IVY) Division Assn. Veterans of America The Reserve Officers Council Reformed Auxiliary U.S. Marine Corps National FFA Association Benevolent Federation of Combat & Organization Non-Commissioned America The Retired Enlisted Correspondents Protective Order of Officers Association Nat'l Federation of Association (TREA) Association the Elks Just Marketing, American Hungarians, The Orchard Lakes Bunker Hill Inc. Schools Robinson U.S. Pan Asian Inc. American Chamber Monument Knights of International Naf I Federation of PAC Pennsylvania Association, Inc. Columbus of Commerce State High School Eastern Division Ruritan National Catholic Family Life Korean American U.S.A. Letters, Inc. Past National Scottish Rite of Insurance Assn. of Greater U.S.C.G. Chief Petty National Grange Commander's Freemasonry, Officers Association Catholic War Washington Organization Northern National Guard Veterans Ladies Auxiliary Jurisdiction Veterans of the Association of the Patrol Craft Sailors The Chosin Few of Veterans of WWI Vietnam War, Inc. U.S. Association Scottish Rite of Croatian American MBNA America Freemasonry, Vietnam Veterans Nat'l League of Polish American Association Southern Institute Marine Corps Families of American Congress Jurisdiction Croatian Catholic League Prisoners and Missing Vietnam Veterans of Polish Army in The Seniors America, Chapter Union Marine Corps SE Asia Veterans Coalition 566 Czech Catholic Mustang Assn., Inc. National Officers Association Union Association (NOA) Marine Corps Polish Falcons of 63rd Infantry Division Association, Czechoslovak Reserve Officers Nat'l Organization of America Virginia War Christian Democracy Association World War Nurses USAR Memorial Polish Falcons of in the USA Sons of Confederate Foundation Medal of Honor National Service Star America, District II Daughters of the Recipients for Legion Veterans WAVES National Polish Home Army American Colonists the Flag National Sojourners, Sons of The Women's Army Polish Legion of Drum Corps Military Order of Inc. American Legion Corps Veterans American Veterans, Associates the Purple Heart Association National Society of U.S.A. Sons of the oftheU.S.A. Dust Off Association the Sons of the Revolution in the Women's Overseas Polish Legion of The Military Order of American Revolution State of Wisconsin Service League Eight & Forty (des American Veterans, the World Wars Huit Chapeaux et National Twenty U.S.A. Ladies Standing Rock Sioux Woodmen of the Quarante Femmes) Moose International & Four Auxiliary Tribe World • • [•Ijj THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE JULY 1998 Campaign Special •.MiiiiolirrTni Replacement Flags House Sets Schoolroom Sets 3' X 5' Nylon Outdoor United States Replacement Flag (Unmounted) Nylon flags combine high tensile strength with durability. 100% colorfast and fast drying. Features embroidered stars, double-stitched seams and heavy canvas headings vv'ith full size brass grommets. Four-row lock-stitching on back, stitched & bar-tacked fly hems. Suggested Retail is $32.90.^ f^OS No. 72920. .$34. $13' 3' X 5' 100% Cotton United States Outdoor Replacement Flag (Unmounted) Dyed field and sewed stripes. Suggested F^etail is $14.20. No. 72930 $++r9Q $8^ All Flags Made in the United States of America Special Pricing Good Through Veterans Day 1998 Consult the 1998 Emblem Sales Catalog for our complete flag offering!! Order Toll Free wiTif Visa, MastemCard oh Discover AT (1-888-4LEOIOK) Housesets The- Classic Deluxe Houseset 6' X 1 " aluminum pole with white enamel finish, matching loracket, 2'/." gilt wooden ball ornament, 3' x 5' nylon U. S. flag with embroidered stars and sewed stripes, School Room Flags halyard, cleat & snap hooks. Not shown. Dyed rayon U. S. Flags on Manufacturer's Suggested Retail $62.50 etaonized staffs with gilt spear- No, 72901..,. $55.05 $44.95 heads. Made in U, S. A, TWO sizes. Nylon 3' 5' 6" 24"-~3' ~ 100% X Flag Shipping & Handling 1 X staff A $9.80 value! Embroidered stars & .sewed stripes plus No. 72788 $6,00 6' 3-piece pole w/eagle, wall bracket, Up to $ 1 0.CX) Add $ 1 .95 6 or more, each $5.^0 $4.25 halyard and gift/storage box. A $35 value! $10.01 - $25.00 $3.95 24" X 36"—4' staff - A $ 13,60 value! No. 72909 $20.00 $20.95 $25.01 - .$50.00 $4.95 No. 72789 $12.00 100% Polyester 3' x 5' $5O.01 - $75.00 $5.95 6 or more, each $ 1 1 .00 $8.95 Flag with printed stars & stripes plus $75.0 1 - $ 1 (X).OO $7.95 wall Bracket for above flags. 2-piece 6' pole & wall bracket. Not shown. $1(X).01 & Over $9.95 No. 72790 $1,60 No. 72803 $13.80 $8.95 Send Orders to: National Emblem Sales, Dept. SYGAi, The American Legion, P. O. Box 1050. lndianatx)lis. l.\ 46206 Enclosed is: Clieek or Money Order $ or Charge My Account #. _Expires_ .Signature (Required), Send to: Please Send ITEM iXl , PRICE Name Street Address City. .State. Zip. Slii|>|>ln)j .\da & Handling ( By James Brady In a strange, T was a strange war in a small country far away, and far-away land, it ended 45 years ago this month. And in the three Americans years and one month that it lasted, nearly as many Americans died as in the paid tlie price decade of Vietnam. For some, Korea is for anotlier sloughed off as a "forgotten war," which is understand- able, falling as it did between World nation's War II, the great historical event of this century, and Vietnam, which resonated freedom. so bitterly here at home. But Korea is worth remembering, and not only for the 54,000 who were killed there and the 8,100 still listed as missing in ac- man's presidency. It demonstrated that, tion. given the right circumstances, a usual- It successfully (unlike Vietnam) ly impotent United Nations could act prevented the communist takeover of a decisively and effectively against ag- free country. It ended the career of one gression. And what happened in Korea of our greatest generals, Douglas gave stunning pause to Red China and MacArthur. It helped define Harry Tru- its vast army. A much smaller force of /j2 • THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE • JULY 1998 a half dozen U.S. divisions, a fine British Commonwealth division, a scattering of French, Greek, Turkish and other detachments, and the mud- dled and largely lackluster Republic of Korea armed forces stopped 40 Chi- nese divisions. first year of the war was dra- THEmatic with spectacular dashes up and down the peninsula (a third big- ger than Florida and roughly the same shape if you reverse the "panhandles"), brilliant end runs (the Inchon landing), and traps being laid (at the Yalu River and the Chosin Reservoir). But from then on, it was largely a static war with trenches and bunkers and barbed wire and mortars and night raids and shelling. For the men who fought in Pi- cardy and Flanders Fields in 1917, Ko- rea would have seemed familiar. Lee's men and McClellan's, slogging through the Peninsula Campaign east of Richmond, also would have recog- nized the fighting. There were planes, of course, and warships, and tanks. Artillery, too, plentiful and quite good on both sides, and mines, always the mines. But if ever a "modem" war belonged to the rifleman and other infantry, this one did. The First World War gave us Hem- ingway and Faulkner, and Over There and All Quiet on the Western Front. World War II was Leon Uris and Mail- er and James Jones and Mister Roberts and the best love songs and war movies ever. Vietnam is a cottage industry. James Brady's celebrity profiles in Parade Magazine reach an estimated 80 million Americans every Sunday, and his columns in Advertising Age are must-reading on Madison Avenue and in the media. His latest novel is Gin Lane. 1998 • THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE • Korea was, creatively, a poor rela- tion. Some solid histories. A marvelous war journal. The Last Parallel, by Mar- tin Russ. A couple of flicks. Some Ed Murrow television reports over CBS. David Douglas Duncan's black and white photos in LIFE. Marguerite Hig- gins' dispatches to The New York Her- ald Tribune. We didn't have a song. Not even a protest song. No Bob Dy- lan. All Korea gave us was M*A*S*H. I arrived in Korea Thanksgiving weekend of 1951, with the second win- ter of the war coming on, a replacement second lieutenant to join Dog Compa- ny of the 7th Marines as a rifle-platoon leader. Dog Company, with the 1 st Ma- rine Division, was still in North Korea, dug in and holding a series of ridge- lines 2-3,000 feet high, stretching from the seacoast into the country's interior. There was already a foot of snow on the ridges and plenty more on the high- er mountains to our north and west, some of them running to 6,000 feet and higher. In the valley between us and the North Koreans ambled a puny stream called the Soyang-Gang. To our right we could see the Sea of Japan with, at a distance, a cruiser and accompanying destroyers, looking like a child's toys. STREET BY STREET Three Marines return fire during a part of tlie figlit for Seoul tliat who'd been shot up taking this same progressed barricade by barricade. John Chafee of Rhode Island ridgeline in the September offensive CAPT. OVER THE TOP Some Leatherneclo had to was the company commander. He and were now coming back for another use scaling ladders to strike inland from the as a ri- at the had fought on Guadalcanal crack North Koreans. In Korea, beaches of Inchon. fleman and on Okinawa as a platoon they patched the wounded and sent OUT OF THE FIGHT On an improvised leader. A graduate of Yale and of Har- them back up. stretcher, a Chosin Reservoir casualty is vard Law and a married man, he was Understandably, such men weren't carried to an aid station. now back to fight again—as were so all that jolly. Mack understood such many reservists of all branches. Chafee matters; I was scared by it. The ridge- later would be governor of his state and line was called 749 (in terms of meters secretary of the Navy. Today he is a of altitude), and men who took it in lit U.S. senator. None of that mattered in September still spoke of having to pry 1951, only how well he commanded the North Koreans out one at a time, roiiioni'jonii 200 Marines in combat. dead or alive. Mostly dead. That fight J, The company was short two officers reminded older Marines of "the big when Mack Allen of Lynchburg, Vir- war." Along this ridgeline one of our |ii<)l only hy< llio ginia, and I arrived. Bob Simonis was platoons still shared the high ground there, a fellow we knew at the Quanti- with "the neighbors," the North Kore- co Marine training area in Virginia ans, their trenches only 40 yards from 54,000 troops and, by now, something of a star for his ours. daring night raid across the Soyang- Our first five days with Dog Compa- who were killed Gang and up into enemy trenches. ny were something. A week before. There was nothing impressive about Mack and I had been surfing at Waiki- Simonis in Virginia, quiet type; here ki Beach. The third or fourth night the there, but for thi the criteria were somewhat different. North Koreans threw between four and Allen fought as an enlisted Marine at five hundred rounds of mortar in 15 8,100 still listed the end of World War II and later grad- minutes, all of it on us, on Dog Compa- uated from Virginia Military Institute. I ny. And the instant the incoming end- was green and was sure it showed. It ed, on came their infantry. Our ma- as missing. didn't help much that the supply col- chine guns, sighted along the outside umn we'd climbed with up to the main apron of barbed wire, caught them line of resistance included Marines there. Only one got through and some- 44 • THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE • JULY 1998 the line at the end of February, they marched us through steaming commu- nal showers and burned our clothes. I was less green now, and had been promoted to first lieutenant and now served as Dog Company executive of- ficer. When the snow melted and the mud dried, the expectation was that the Chinese army, lurking in the west and having grown enormous by now, would drive south once again to cap- ture Seoul for the third time in a war not yet two years old. So the 1 st Marine one shot him on the roof of a bunker as froze that second winter; the boots and Division, with its reputation for effec- he was attempting to shove a grenade the cold-weather gear was better. But tiveness against the Chinese (who down the chimney. At first light we men lost feet stumbling onto uncharted called us "yellow-legs," for our canvas went down to find a half-dozen dead mines. A February pneumonia swept leggings), was shifted a hundred miles North Koreans hanging in the wire. the ranks. Marines shot other Marines to the west to defend the low hills north There was plenty of blood in the snow by mistake and cracked up in their of the Imjin River about 25 miles from from their wounded retreating down- guilt. We killed North Koreans and the Korean capital in a blocking posi- hill. We followed them for awhile, peeled their bodies off the wire, and I tion, masking the city. tracking them by their blood, but didn't found I could go through their pockets It was in these 200-meter hills that catch up. One of the Koreans had and not shudder, looking for maps, for the Marines battled the Chinese over dysentery; he was gutshot and his ID, for intelligence. In one stretch we the next 16 months until the cease-fire. stools were bloody. fought from Jan. 10 through Feb. 26, It was hard fighting. Our battalion Except for a couple of family wakes 46 days, along the ridgelines without commander. Col. Noel C. Gregory, had in Brooklyn and one car crash, I'd nev- relief or showers or a change of made Mack the battalion adjutant. I er seen a dead man before that night clothes. We spit coalblack from can- was made the intelligence officer. and morning. dles and lanterns used to light the Mack and I asked each other, what the Over that winter and into the spring bunkers, and a sergeant went mad from hell does an adjutant do? An intelli- we learned about each other. And we the wind howling through the ports of gence officer? Col. Gregory calmed fought the North Koreans. Few men his bunker. When we came down off Please turn to page 54 JULY 1998 • THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE • 4g — Filling the night sky of July 4 with flash and thunder demands an exacting artistry balanced on an inexact science. By Jack Gebhardt LACK powder! The smell was unmistakable, irrevo- cable, sweet, sulfuric, prompting both exhilara- tion and dread. The smell of it tinted the warm air as the sun set over Philadelphia on July 4, 1776. Representatives from each of the 13 colonies this fragile Congress—had been meeting for months to decide the course of the country's destiny. Today they were ready, finally and formally, to announce the Declaration of Inde- pendence, which Thomas Jefferson had introduced six days before and adopted July 2. Citizens of Philadelphia had been gathering, shouting, firing their Jack Gebhardt, at 11 , clenched a lit firecracker in his hand to prove that if you held it tight enough, it wouldn't hurt. He proved himself wrong. Lucki- ly, he' s now a 10-fingered full-time writer and author of The Enlightened Smoker's Guide to Quitting. 40 • THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE • JULY 1998 '...[This day] I fireworks will be 1 I demon- stration. It used the celebrated | same formula for with bells, black powder (salt- ^ peter, charcoal and bonfires and * f sulfur) that was used illuminations H in Columbus' day from one end and is still used. During the of this ] 1800s, fireworks continent to went mostly unreg- ^ ulated and became the other, m more dangerous. In from this 1864, one citizen of time forwardf Philadelphia noted in his diary, "as a evermore.' general rule, 30 or —^John Adams, 1776 40 homes are set afire every Fourth of JulyV Toward the end of the 1800s, one favorite firecracker was a foot and a half long LOOK UP Fireworks have been widely popular from the earliest and when dropped into a metal postal colonial days, but the look has box—as they often were—would blow changed dramatically. the box to pieces. Some manufacturers went so far as to substitute dynamite John Adams' prescience for the black powder to increase the proved exact. Beginning the power and sound. flintlocks in the air, celebrating the next year, and for every year thereafter, On July 4, 1903, fireworks injured brave decision. the celebration and illuminations have 4,000 people and killed 445. In 1907 As the sun set, each of the ships on continued. Both he and Jefferson en- there were 1,100 fatalities and twice the riverfront, which comprised the joyed the annual celebration for anoth- that many injured. Between 1900 and fledgling navy of the new United er 50 years to the day, dying within 1930 more than 4,000 people died from States, fired off 13 cannons to com- hours of each other on July 4, 1826. fireworks. A call arose for greater re- memorate this new beginning. And The Fourth of July and fireworks strictions and safety. Today, the U.S. then from the Commons, a large field now go together like ketchup and hot Consumer Product Safety Commission west of Sixth Street, 13 rockets were dogs, but fireworks had also been part reports that fireworks injury rates are at fired into the sky, and then more can- of the colonial experience since the be- an all-time low, even though 40 of the nons were fired, a bonfire was lit as ginning. On the evening of July 24, 50 states allow the sale of some form of backdrop for speeches, questions and 1608, "We fired a few rockets," wrote fireworks. In the past 10 years, 25-30 explanations. As the gathering ended, Captain John Smith, yet another 13 rockets fired skyward. "which flying in the ayre, so terrified the poor sav- THAT night, those who supported ages that they supposed this seditious move showed their nothing impossible that bravery by putting candles in their we attempted; and de- windows at home. The loyalists, not sired to assist us." anxious for such a fight, kept their win- In the colonies, little dows dark. A candle lit a window in firecrackers were called John Adams' Philadelphia lodgings as "squibs," and were so he sat at his desk writing to his wife: "I popular that in 1731 a ban am apt to believe that (this day) will be was passed in Rhode Is- celebrated by succeeding generations land to dissuade "prank- as the great anniversary festival. It sters" from their mischief. ought to be commemorated.. .by solemn George Washington's in- acts of devotion to God Almighty (and) auguration in 1789 was solemnized with pomp and parade, with accompanied by a huge shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bon- fires and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward evermore." • • JULY 1998 THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE \] HERE'S a brief glossary to help you sound like an expert when you're watching this year's Fourth of July extravaganza: AMERICAN SHELL The firework "blos- soms" you see come from either an American shell or an Oriental shell, distinguished not by where they are made but by their shape. The Ameri- can shell is cylindrical and has a ran- dom pattern of colors that generally last longer than the oriental shell. The Oriental shell is spherical and produces the spectacular spreading chrysanthemum type of blossom which takes up the whole sky. ; The aerial display. Fireworks people refer to the explosion of an aerial show as a "break," as in "It broke low, or it broke high, or it broke late." from metal machines or implements In France, they call the fi- could spark an explosion, or the oil nale of the fireworks shows, the "bouquet." As in, "Abb, here comes from a machine might create an ex- the bouquet." plosive mix with the chemicals. In Chi- CLASSIFICATIONS Fireworks, and larger nese workshops, loud talk is forbidden ordnance, are classified into Class A, percent of all injuries have come from so that the touchy "soul" of black pow- Class B or Class C, depending on how illegal or pieces. homemade der might be honored and soothed. much powder is used. Class C are Although fireworks, including rock- "Cutting room workers owe their lives consumer fireworks with 50 mg pow- ets, pinwheels, fountains and firecrack- to no smoking and lots of prayers," der (enough to cover a fingertip) al- ers, have been popular from the earliest says a member of one American fire- lowed in a firecracker and 130 mg al- lowed in rockets. Class B, for which colonial days, their looks have works family. licenses are necessary, are the type changed. Most early fireworks ap- "The ingredients are only 10 percent seen in public displays and will typi- peared dull white or orange. Although of the task of producing a beautiful ef- cally contain 28,400 mg of powder. a "cookbook" was published in 1845 fect," says Dr. John Conkling, execu- Class A are military ordnance, bombs detailing how to achieve different col- tive director of the American Pyrotech- and artillery shells. Colors: Watch for ors—add barium for green, calcium for nics Association, the trade group of the the different blending of colors. Red requires the least heat, and then or- orange, copper for blue, sodium for fireworks industry. "How fine the ange, yellow, green, are all progres- yellow and strontium for red — the chemical powders are, what binder is sively "hotter." White is the hottest. volatility of these chemicals, especially used and the order in which the ingredi- Until very recently, the hardest color when inexpertly mixed, prevented ents are blended and mixed will change to attain was a bright, electric blue. widespread use. In the late 1800s, the result. There's a lot of art involved." It is still rare in fireworks. "metal fuels," such as aluminum, mag- It's the art, more than the chemicals, FIREWORKS FOR EVERYOHE by Bob Weaver, nesium and titanium, came on the mar- that brings out the oohs and ahhs. (12.95/ppd., Blue Sage Productions ket. They bum at a higher temperature The large "blossoms" we see on In- 4247 Alder Dr. San Diego, CA. 92116) This little book is the Buyer's and emit brighter light of various colors dependence Day comprise a lifting Guide to Consumer Fireworks, de- and quickly became essential. charge, to get the package aloft, a scribing and rating what's available bursting charge, which opens the fire- in every state. A great place to start. early Americans works at apogee, generally about five ALTHOUGH MORTAR The round metal tube, gener- rolled their own fireworks, the in- seconds after lift-off, and a sound ally buried in the ground, out of dustry soon became focused in a charge, since the explosion required to which aerial shells seen at public few family firms, as it remains today, open a blossom is not necessarily very displays are launched. with secrets being passed down from loud. The sparks and flashes which we PYROTECHNICIAN The professional (or one generation to the next. Around the see come from the powder form of fire- serious amateur) fireworks designer, world, most fireworks, including (or work, while the larger, longer glows handler and/or torch man. perhaps most especially), the large come from bigger concentrations of SHAPES The most common forms of "professional" (Class B) fireworks seen various chemicals. Fourth of July fireworks, by shape, are: chrysanthemum, weeping wil- in the park on the Fourth of July, are What would the Fourth of July be low, peony, palm tree shell, rockets made by hand, as they have been for a without fireworks? More are ignited (generally with trailing stars), hum- thousand years. In many factories, only each year than for any other national mers and red-tipped comet. wooden hammers and cardboard-cov- celebration in the world. Wouldn't ered benches are used because friction John Adams grin! • • /||| THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE JULY 1998 Rid Of Germ Carrying Rodents Plus; Spiders, Ants, Pay Get Fleas Why And Other Pests, No Danger To Children Or Animals $22.00? ©Ultrasonic Our Price Vibrations Scares $4.95 Away All Pests Safely & Quickly Watch as our ultrasonic pest repellent emits a high frequency sound that instantly scares away pests but can't be heard by humans or pets. Imagine, now you can plug one in every room in your house. It's as If you This super suction puller removes minor dents from your car with its fast work- fumigated your entire home. It's completely ing vacuum action. Simply place the Dent Eliminator™ on the dent and gently safe and very effective. pull. Anyone can do it. Won't damage the car's paint. Save a fortune on costly For a peace of mind, Pest Control auto body repair. Also great to carry sheets of glass, metal, and mirrors safely. Easy to use. Lightweight. 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All orders IT'S MISTAKE come with a 30 day money back guarantee. PROOF Qty. Price Total Dent Eliminator™ $4.95 I Pest Control 9.95 Bird Song Clock 19.95 I n Drill Bit Repairer 9.95 Black Box Converter 49.95 I GS-27 Scratch Remover _ 14.95 Hair Trimmer 6.95 STYLES I O Trimmer Blade Refills 3.95 No Federal License 6 Shot Semi-Automatic 29.95 Stainless steel blade gives you a profes or Gun Permit Needed! I Tear Gas $8.95 Blanks $1 0.95 sional trim every time. Comes with dif Now you can arm yourself with the most effective .22 cal- I Shipping & handling charges add $1.00 ferent blade exposures so you can cut iber non-lethal tear-gas handgun available. Each shot I Total at the length you want, easily and sounds so real that an intruder will be instantly scared away This handsome 6-shot heavy duty frame semi-automatic is clip expertly. Leaves hair attractively Name fed. The smooth easy-trigger action allows to fire off you each I trim. Why Pay $19.95? and every round in rapid succession. Our gun responds perfectly to Hair Trimmer $6.95 your every movement, and is extremely easy to handle. Easily fits in a pocket or purse. So now walk without fear. Tear gas not sold in Wl. & CA. Blade Refills City (3 to a pack) $3.95 TRA-LOUD _c I $29.95 _|State^ 84th NCB #10384 VC-5 (1st Navy Hvy Attck Sqdrn) #13315 107th NCB #18651 VPB-26 (WWII) #10634 Reunion coordinators can Amphib Attack Boats (WWII) #21897 VR-24 Assn #10783 enroll their units in VETS* CBMU-599 (WWII) #17871 VS-892, Korean TBM Sqdrn #17827 by sending a self-addressed, LCI (R) 1026 #21607 YMS-398 #18105 stamped envelope to VETS'", P.O. LST-1041 (45-56) #13383 VETS"' IS a service that pro- Box 901, Columbia, MO 65205. LST-451 (WWII) #19496 AIR FORCE vides information about mili- Unit names are published one LST-521 #21372 tary reunions, helps veterans time a year. LST-B95 Survivors Assn #22961 28th Bomb Wing Assn #15189 LST-707 (WWII) #23934 38th Bomb Wing (France 50-58) #19995 find old buddies and arranges LST-851 (WWII) #18566 56th Weather Recon Sqdrn #12944 reunions, travel and accommo- ARMY LST-937 (41-45) #20354 307th Bomb Wg, Lincoln NE (54-65) #23913 dations. LST-980 #19591 330th/331st FIS (Stewart AFB) #14937 IstFAObs Bn #16238 NASWF Albuquerque (53-60) #18273 339th TC Sig Co #13088 2nd Inf Div. 9th Rgt (Manchu Assn) #15229 REUNION INFORMATION PC-1176 #23589 452nd Bomb Wing (Korea, 50-52) #15126 4th Gen Hospital (WWII) #16598 PC-825 #21385 512th Weather Recon Sqdrn #12946 This month there are 809 8th Army Hq (Japan/Korea, WWII) #14787 USS Baldwin DD-624 (WWII) #12474 517th Air Police Sq (Wiesbaden, Ger) #13715 10th Sta Hospital (WWII) #15953 military reunions listed on USS Begor APD-127 (WWII) #10048 6912th Berlin Island Assn #23962 11th Engrs(WWII) #16436 these pages. In addition, USS Bigelow DD-942 (all) #19213 Air Force Gunners Assn #15155 17th INF ASSN (all wars & peacetime) #23944 VETS® has information on USS Boyle DD-600 #21697 Charleston AFS, ME (all yrs) #14919 27th Inf Div, 105th Rgt, E Co (WWII) #15624 re- USS Bush DD-529 #18237 Crash Rescue Boat Assn #14647 more than 12,000 other 32nd Inf Div, 128th Rgt, Serv Co #15532 USS Carpellotti APD-136 #13846 Navigators & Observers Assn #12577 unions. Call weekdays, 8 a.m. 35th Inf Div, 134th Rgt (WWII) #15531 USS Colorado BB-45 Alumni Assn #22993 Photo Mapping Assn #20426 to 5 p.m.. Central time. Normal 37th Inf Div, 117th Engr Bn (WWII) #19188 USS Consolation AH-15#18022 Pilot Class 52-B #15187 40th Inf Div, 185th Rgt (WWII) #19183 long-distance charges apply. USS Corson AVP-37 #17677 Sentry/Patrol Dog School #13156 42nd Inf Div, 222nd Rgt, IVI Co #16575 Phone: (573) 474-4444 USS Delta AR-9/AK-29 #12216 Warbird Roundup #23174 44th Tank Bn Assn (S Pacific, WWII) #10386 Fax: 474-7904 USS Dorothea L Dix AP-67 (WWII) #18000 (573) 52nd Cmbt Avn Bn, Camp Holloway Assn #11292 USS Draco AK-79 #12611 e-mail: [email protected] 75th Rangers, Papa Co (VN) #23537 ARMY AIR FORCES USS Estes AGC-12 Assn (all years) #17675 Web site: www.vets.org 84th Inf Div "Rail Splitters " #15955 USS Fieberling DE-640 #13943 5lh AF, 5lh Sta Hospital #20038 95th AAA Gun Bn (51-52) #23556 If you know the VETS® five- USS Francis Marion LPA-249 #13229 8th AF, 390th Bomb Grp (WWII) #10469 108th Evac Hospital #10766 (WWII) digit number assigned to your USS Gandy DE-764 #22836 9th Assn, Inc (incI AAF) #19017 115th/196thFABns #20665 AF Gherardi DD-637/DMS-30 (42-55) #17431 ship or unit, please give it to the USS 9th AFA, TC Rep #19016 137th Sig Radio Intel Co #15726 USS Grouper SS/SSK/AGSS 214 #23446 14th AF Assn "Flying Tigers" #11447 operator. The number is printed 138th Engr (C) Bn #10347 #18631 USS GwlnDM-33 20th Ftr Grp Assn #12584 after each outfit's name listed in 142nd Gen Hospital (WWII) #16684 USS HartDD-594 #10906 43rd Bomb Grp (H) Assn (WWII) #11003 the magazine. If you don't know 151st IVIed Bn,BCo (WWII) #19486 USS Helm DD-388 #10348 47th TC Sqdrn #21432 163rd Inf Rgt Assn #23601 the number or do not see your USS Hilbert DE-742 #17500 63rd Sta CompI Sqdrn (SP) (WWII) #16901 179th FA Bn Assn #15964 ship or unit listed in the maga- USS Holder DD/DDE-819/DE-401 #10026 71st Ftr Wing, Hq/Hq Sqdrn #16759 191st Tank Bn Assn #15337 USS Hubbard DE-211/APD-53 (44-46) #30107 111th Tac Recon Sqdrn (VTOII) #16752 zine, VETS® operators can still 224th AAA S/L Bn (WWII) #20708 Iron LST-840 USS Co #10723 312 Bomb Grp (L) WWII #23924 provide you outfit information. 225th AAA, SL Bn (WWII) #30139 USS Jacob Jones DE-130 #17637 317th Air Serv Sqdrn #16918 Units enroll in VETS® daily. 246th CA Assn (WWII) #10985 USS J William Ditter DM-31 #14699 376th Bomb Grp (H) Assn (WWII) #12382 256th FA Bn, A/B/C/Hq/Serv Btrys #15851 USS Kendrick DD-612 (WWII) #14333 595th SAW Bns #15411 264th FA Bn (WWII) #15315 PLANNING A REUNION" USS Koiner DE/DER-331/WDE-431 #18033 904th Sig Co Depot Avn Assn #16830 279th Inf, Co G #15410 USS LCI (L) 986 (44-46) #23936 931st Sig BnAvn Sp #16764 VETS® will help you ar- 280th FA Bn (WWII) #16212 USS Lough DE-S86 #23593 1984th Trk Co #16950 range your outfit's reunion at no 323rd Engr L E Co (Korea) #22971 USS Louisville CA-28 #18426 3505th AAFBU, Scott Fid (44-46) #19456 cost and save money in the 359th Engr, F Co (WWII) #15925 USS Megrez AK-126 #10638 All Aerial Gunners #17300 391 St AAA AW Bn (WWII) #23239 process. Finders/Seekers® ser- USS Morris DD-417 (40-45) #21285 Pilot Class 45-A (La Junta AAB, CO) #23676 410th Engr (C) Bn #12571 vices are included free for USS Nashville CL-43 #18264 440th/472nd Sig Hvy Const Bns (inci AF) #10154 USS Norman Scott DD-690 #17698 VETS® managed reunions. 468th AAA AW Bn (SP) (WWII) #11537 USS Oglethorpe AKA-100 (all yrs) #22139 MARINES VETS® also will maintain 518th AAA Gun Bn (WWII) #10891 USS Ozark LSV-2 (WWII) #13453 S35th Ord HM Co #20103 1st Airdrome Bn, 15th Def Bn (42-44) #10830 reunion coordinators' mailing USS Passumpsic AO-107 (46-73) #21962 555th FA Bn (Korea/Hawaii, 49-54) #22075 1st IVlar Div H-3-7 Korea (50-55) #23971 lists and unit archives, and han- USS Plymouth Rock LSD-29 #19488 560th Ord HM Co (WWII) #15907 5th/14th Def Bns Assn (WWII) #13764 dle all reunion publicity needs. USS Power DD-839 (all yrs) #23162 605th Ord Bn Assn #19044 5th Mar Rgt, 3rd Bn (Korea, 50-53) #19502 USS Prairie AD-15 #18619 648th TD Bn #10901 18th Rgt, 2nd Bn, E Co (WWII) #17162 USS Pursuit AM-108/AGS-17 #11021 REUNION FACILITIES 700th QMC (Ger, WWII) #13269 22nd Mar Rgt Assn, Inc #12475 USS Raby DE/DEC-698 #13447 & TRAVEL 726lhMPBn (WWII) #15260 Avn Supply Marines (East Chapt) #17100 USS Rail DE-304 #23377 736th FA Bn Assn (WWII) #19716 Marine 4.5 rocket #10812 Call VETS® for the lowest USS Rowan DD-405 #18215 750th Tank Bn, D Co (WWII) #16049 SATS/EAF Assn #23590 possible hotel, banquet, tour and USS Saipan CVL-48 Assn #17346 757th Tank Bn (WWII) #16264 USS Coral Sea CVB-43 (Mar det, 47-89) #23363 USS Satyr ARL-23 (all yrs) #11672 travel rates. 802nd Engr Assn #15223 VMF/VMA-211 Assn #12431 USS Sevier APA-233 (WWII) #10782 (573) 474-4444 813th Engr Avn Bn (WWII) #23647 VMSBAfMTB-232 #13115 USS SheaDM-30 #10309 816th Engr Avn Bn #12833 USS Soubarissen AO-93 #10497 FINDING A BUDDY 864th Engr Avn Bn (WWII) #15250 USS St Lo CVE-63A(C-65 #17315 mNT MARINE 871st Ord HAM Co (PGC)/54th QM Co. #16201 Looking for a buddy or long USS Stockton DD-646 #18241 881st ORD Co (43-86) #23888 Stribling DD-867 #11595 Pennsylvania Schoolship Assn #23360 lost relative? Finders/Seekers® USS 893rd AAA AW Bn, A Btry #15353 USS Tattnall DD-125/APD-19 #11173 service will send you a comput- 979th FA (SP) Bn #23250 USS Taussig DD-746 #18307 er listing of names, addresses 1258th Engr (C) Bn (WWII) #30050 USS Tautog SSN-639 #19503 1878th Engr Avn Bn,CCo #13361 and phone numbers of people in USS Telfair APA-210 #14649 255-ft cutters (all) #23810 3166th Arty Fire Ctrl 616th OBAM #14195 the United States who have the USS Thadeus Parker DE-369 #21366 Loran units 26/21 1/390/91 -94 #17023 3405th (aka 67th) Ord, A Co (WWII) #15655 same name as the person you're USS Tutuila ARG-4 (44-72) #17390 USCGC Courier WAGR/VI/TR-410 #22399 A/B Ranger Inf Cos Assn (Korea) #16313 USS Underbill DE-682 #17325 USCG Cutterman's Assn (Portland, ME) #23945 seeking. Finders/Seekers® guar- Camp Breckenridge, KY (all personnel) #16200 USS Velocity AM-128 #22556 USS Gallup PF-47 #14426 antees you will get at least one Para FA Test Btry (42) #16325 USS Vicksburg CL-86 #17518 USS Gen M C Meigs AP-116 #20797 US Forces in Austria (45-55) #17247 name that matches, or it will USS Vulcan AR-5 (41-91) #10779 USS Samuel Chase APA-26 Assn (WWII) refund your money. Search fees USS Walter C Wann DE-412 #17331 #10284 are $15 per name. Allow four USS Whipple DD-217 #18145 USS Sea Cloud (Greenland Ptrl, 40-45) #18758 weeks for a reply. USS Wilkinson DL-5 #23614 Write: Finders/Seekers®, 3rd NCB(WWII) #10711 USS Willis A Lee DL-4 #21383 MISCELLANEOUS 6th Beach Bn (Normandy, D-Day) #22323 USS Windsor APA-55 (43-45) #12153 P.O. Box 901, Columbia, MO 7th NCB (WWII) #21062 USS Winged Arrow AP-170 #17707 Burtonwood Assn (All) #21734 65205; or call (573) 474-4444. 1 6th Weather Serv Assn #1 8652 USS Wrangell AE-12 Assn #21917 Korean Vets Assn of Nebraska (50-55) #22853 MasterCardA^ISA and Discover 28th NCB (WWII) #17563 VA-163 (VN) #18114 Northwest Panama Canal #17244 accepted. 50th NCB #17357 VAH-21 Project Trim VO-67 #12589 USMC/Vietnam Helicopter Assn #17258 50' THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE • JULY 1998 fGNETic Field Generate Constant Soothing Relief.,.Help Melt Away Hurt, Soreness, Cramps, Even For Sufferers of Corns, Calluses, Bone Spurs or Fallen Arches! I -Therapeutii. mugim:^- Science's latest breakthrough therapy for aching feet! draws away aches and pains. In just TOTALLY SAFE, minutes this magnetic field helps your feet are killing you...if every step you bring the body's own natural pain TOTALLY If take is utter agony...then here from medical relievers to tortured nerve endings. 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MAGF-25 magna-wave therapy, proven so effective...you FOR 30 DAYS.ENIOY TOTAL RELIEF 1 Eversley Avenue, Norwalk, CT 06851-5844 OR THEY COST YOU NOTHING! may actually walk, hike or even dance all night Please send me the Magne-Soles ordered below on your money- without constant stabbing pain! Send for 'MAGNE-SOLES' today TVy them for back guarantee (less p&h). One Size Fits All. 0 One pair Magne-Soles only $19.98 plus $5.00 p&h. IN BOTH HOSPITAL AND MEDICAL SCHOOL a full 30 days. If you do not experience TOTAL p&h. TESTS, MAGNETIC THERAPY DRAWS AWAY PAIN RELIEF, INCREASED FLEXIBILITY plus SAVE- Two pair Magne-Soles only $34.98 plus $6.00 SAVE MORE- Four pair Magne-Soles only $59.98 postpaid. PAIN IN AS LITTLE AS 10 TO 45 MINUTES! a DRAMATIC REDUCTION IN SWELLING, Enclosed is $ check or M.O. Each of these "MAGNE-SOLES" is a flexible, STIFFNESS, SORENESS-simply return for a Or: Charge It: nVisa MasterCard Discover soft mbberized solid state magnetic material full refund. You have tried the miracle of Acct # Exp Date which assures a total magnetic therapy from medical magnetic therapy entirely at our risk, heel to toe. Each insole is perforated for cool our expense. What could possibly be a fairer comfort all day long! With every step you take, test? So why suffer another painful step- Address_ this magnetic field increases circulation and ACT NOW! City . Adverlisement An you SB? IN SEARCH OF... TAPS "Look What Seniors This column is for readers searching for groups of Taps notices are limited to only those Legionnaires veterans for purposes other than forming a reunion (use who have held high National or Department offices. We column) or to find witnesses to verify health VETS" VA regret that we cannot extend the honor to all members. Can Get FreeP' claims (use COMRADES IN DISTRESS column). No notices seeking information about relatives or friends will Bernard H. Gollinger, VA, Nat'l Rehab. Comm. (Special) amazing new Washington DC An be published. Notices are published free, on a space- Advisory Board (1953-57), Nat'l VA&R Executive book reveals thousands of little-known available basis. If a notice does not appear within six Section (1994-98), Dept. V. Cmdr. (1953-54), Dept. months of submission, please resubmit. Rehab. Chmn. Government give-aways for people over 55. (1954-55, 1994-98), Dept. Adjutant (1969-73), DepL M&PA Chmn. (1985-86). Each year, lots of these benefits are GIs stationed at the 20th Fid hospital at Bad William C. Sweeney Jr., Nat'l Convention Comm. NOT given away simply because people Kreuznaen between Sept. 1952 and March 1953. (1975-84), Nat'l M&PA Comm. (1966-67, 1969-70), Contact: George Butzin, 2118 W. Justice Dr., Dept. Boys State Chmn. (1972-73), Dept. Cmdr. they're available... the don't know and Greenfield, IN 46140. (1972-73), Dept. v. Cmdr. (1969-70). government doesn't advertise. Anyone who served with the 7th Ord. (DS) Co., Korea, William B. Long, TX, Nat'l Foreign Rel. Council V. Chmn. (1987-89), Nat'l Dist. Guests Comm. (1989- Many of these fabulous fireebies can be 1952-54. Contact: Rocco Mararelli, 12 Getty Rd., Stony Point, NY 10980. 98), DepL Cmdr. (1997-98), DepL V. Cmdr. (1987- yours regardless of your income or assets. Anyone who served in the 1536th AAF BU Homestead 88), Dept PR Chmn. (1988-94), DepL Publications Entitled "Free for Seniors", the book tells Air Base, Homestead, FL, 1943-44. Contact: Paul Chmn. (1988-91, 1992-94). F. Davis, France, White, 611 Poe St., Wilson, NC 27893-4624. Howard CA and Nat'l M&PA Comm. you all about such goodies as how you can: Personnel assigned to or witnessed shows by the 6th (1961-62), AIL NEC (1962-64), Nat'l Legislative Council, (1993-94, California), DepL V. Get free prescription drugs. Special Services Pit. in England, Belgium, France Cmdr. (1961), DepL Cmdr. Dept. Asst. Adjutant Get free dental care. and Germany, 1944-45. This platoon performed (1961-62), (1964-66). entertainment for all of the front line units of the day. Get up to $8(K) for food. Contact: Stanley Hopton, 68 Trumbyll St., How you can get free legal help. Watertown, CT 06795. Get help in paying your rent. Any member of the 30th Inf. Reg. who was processed COMRADES IN DISTRESS through the replacement depots at Toul or Epinal, $15,000 free money to spruce up your France, Jan. 1945. Contact: Shirley Smith, 2350 Readers who can help these veterans are urged to home! Parkridge, St. Louis, MO 63144. write a witness letter, including the CID number. Send the Anyone who served aboard any of the six landing ship $1,800 to warm you this winter. letters to CID, The American Legion Magazine, P.O. Box vehicle vessels commissioned in WWII. Contact: Access the very best research on our George Hasten, USS Osage LSV-3 Association, 1055, Indianapolis, IN 46206. Notices are published only at the request of American planet on how you can live longer. 17221 N. 1800th St., Mashall, IL 62441-3912. Legion Service Officers representing claimants using Personal histories, photographs and base publications Forgetful? Here's valuable free informa- Search for Witness Forms available from Legion relative to USNTC Bainbridge, Md., for research Department Service Officers. tion you should get now. project. Contact: Paul Fleming, 2927 Duncan Rd., cholesterol Wilmington, DE 19808. Stop blood pressure & Army, Co. B, 48th Tank Bn., 14th Armored Div. Ralph Anyone who served aboard the USS Oswald, DE 767. life. R. Torcello needs witness to verify shrapnel wounds worries from ruling your Contact: Walter B. Miller, 3045 Brook Dr., Decatur, to his arm during the Battle of the Bulge. 1390 Free help if you have arthritis. GA 30033-3937. Army, B-1-1 (basic training). Fort Ord, CA. Robert M. Anyone who served in the 38th Inf. Co. D, 2nd Pit., 2nd Free facts could help incontinence. Gardner needs witness to verify he fell from top Div. and was captured during the Battle of the Bulge. bunk of guard shack during seizure in December Free eye treatment. Contact: M. R. Huntzinger, 820 Hickory Way, 1962. 1391 Noblesville, IN 46060-8516. > Free help if you're depressed. Army, 7th Inf. Rgt., Heavy Tank Co. James R. Griffith Anyone who served with the 77th Service Sqdrn., AAC, New Cancer Cure? Maybe! Get free in- needs witness to verify his case of frostbite incurred at Field, Moultrie, Ga., Field, Spence and Hunter Jan.-Feb. 1953 in Korea. 1389 formation. Savannah, Ga., WWII, 1942-43. Contact: E. Hall 64th Indianapolis, IN I*- New prostate cancer developments. Kempson, 725 E. St., C-29, 46220. Get paid $100 a day plus expenses to Personnel who served in the 774th Field Arty. Btry., travel overseas! CA to the end of WWII. Contact: Archie Layton, 940 LIFE MEMBERSHIPS Township Rd. 2408, Perrysville, OH 44864. $5,000 free to help pay your bills. A copy of the aircraft carrier USS Bunker Hill book for Life Membership notices are published for Confidential help with your sex life. the for the personnel of year 1945, published by and Legionnaires who have been awarded Life Memberships that ship. Contact: William Wingfield, 1514 Rock St., Free impotence treatments. by their Posts. Sioux City, lA 51105. » Hot Flashes? New research helps! Life Membership notices must be submitted on official Anyone who served in the Army 1st Cav., 11th ACR forms which may be obtained by sending a self-ad- > Find out if a medicine you are taking (ARPs) Phu Lio, Vietnam, 1970-72. Contact: Kenny dressed, stamped envelope to: Life Memberships, The Trujillo, P.O. Box 1 7091 Phoenix, AZ 8501 1 could be affecting your sex life. , American Legion Magazine, P.O. Box 1055, Indianapolis, Anyone who served on the LCT 25, Oct. 1942 to June more, and IN 46206. There's more! Much, much 1944. Contact: John Henry Cbupe, 3621 Rawhide "Free for Seniors" comes with a solid Ct., Las Vegas, NV 89120. Randall Busch (1998) Post 270, Venango, NE. Boot camp company photograph taken at Sampson, guarantee. Unless it makes or saves you Andy Alonzo (1998) Post 589, Salinas, CA. NY, Unit D Co. #205, November or December 1944. Kenneth Hill Post Spring Lake, NC. AT LEAST ten times its cost, simply return Contact: William Dignan, 13935 Talmage Loop, (1997) 230, Johnny Wilkie (1998) Post 230, Spring Lake, NC it for a full refund within a year. Bayonet Point, FL 34667-8037. A. Maria Butterworth (1997) Post 122, Bay Pines, FL. Former members of the 227th F.A. Bn., Btry. C who To get your copy of "Free for Seniors", Robert Durgin, Joseph Kupiec, Clarence Bachand served in WWII. Contact: Cecil Harvey, P.O. Box 265, (1998) Post 391, Charlton, MA. send your remittance of only $12.95 plus Williamstown, 01267. MA Charles Widman, H. Edward Ball (1997) Post 199, $2 postage and handling (total of $14.95) All Marines who went through boot camp at Parris Nanuet, NY. Island, of Pit. 449. June 1944, and were members Albert Mendoza (1998) Post 14, San Bernardino, CA. to: FREE FOR SENIORS, Dept. FS7106, Contact: Ralph Citro, 32 North Black Horse Pike, Henry Cotton, John Carlson, Leroy Seaton, Carl Weber - 718 12th Street N.W., Box 24500, Blackwood, NJ 08012-3040. (1997) Post 182, Granby, CT. Canton, Ohio 44701. Personnel who served aboard the USS Sanborn (APA- Jack Austin, Lawrence Campbell (1997) Post 332, 193), WWII. Contact: William P. Robertson III, RR 1 Rockton, IL. to MasterCard, To charge your VISA or 1 Franklin, 04634. Box 1 , ME Robert Maine (1998) Post 211, Holdingford, MN. include your card number, expiration Anyone who served with the 155 Port Bn., in Alaska, James E. Harris Jr. (1998) Post 515, Latrobe, PA. date, and signature... or call toll-free England, France and Belgium, 1942-45. Contact: Hanford E. Moxley (1998) Post 191, Mount Airy, MD. James Sullivan, 5 Sunset Dr., Leicester, MA 01524. Alfred R. Bucca (1998) Post 1948, Washingtonville, NY. 1-800-772-7285, Ext. FS7106. Anyone who served in the 70th Engr. Combat Bn., Co. James E. Hinkhouse (1998) Post 79, Correctionville, lA. Want to save even more? Do a favor B, Salffelden, Austria, 1951-52. Contact: John William F. Gardner (1998) Post 579, Cooperstown, NY. Zawilinski, 650 Rt. 81, Killingworth, CT 06419-1126, Lynn R. Lampi (1998) Post 57, Fairbanks, AK. for a friend or relative and order 2 books or e-mail [email protected]. Anton M. Mouritsen (1998) Post 71, Kansas City, MO. for only $20 postpaid. Call or send for "Free for Seniors" right away and you'll also receive 4 National Write or call: Institute of Health Special Reports On It's Free! Arthritis, Sleep, Memory Loss, and Foot The Taiking American Care FREE! Anil YBuBoB't Have Legion Magazine These free reports are limited in P.O. BoK 1055 quantity and will be sent on a first come, ToBeAMemlier! first served basis. You must respond right INDIANAPOIIS, IN 46206 The American Legion Magazine is now to be sure of getting your copy. available on cassette tape for Why not do it right now while you're blind or handicapped veterans. 317-63D-1272 thinking of it? ©i9s« tco fsohzs http:llwww. trescoinc. com 52 • THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE • JULY 1998 ! THESE LOW VITAMil PRICES!" SiUi*" 500 MG. TABLETS ALOE VEHA JUICE VITAMINS NIACIN* ML NATUIiAL..C01D STABILIZED TIME RELEASE BY MAIL FROM a QT. /GAL. $9.95 '"'YmYrald'gloui"'' $2.98 !Ss H^^250-$9.49 LEE NUTRITION QUARTZ WATCH STARCH, MTIFICIAIFUVOSS! ITEM #50080 m 100 DAY SUPPLY Get a Glow In The Dark Multi-Function, . BETA-CAROTENE j Quartz Watch in Either a Man's or Woman's Model I VITAMIN 25,000 LU. 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TABLETS Heart Healthy CAPSULES HERBAL EYE CARE VITAMIN VITAMIN 60-$7.49 550 MG. Tabs 100-$4.50 B-12 B-12 from the Sinuses to tiie Lungs 120-$13.49 100-$2.10 100-$1.19/500-$5,29 100-$1.99/500-$7.99 ITEM #50670 ITEM #50345 ITEM #51437 ITEM #50203 ITEM #502 60CAPLETS-$10.59/120-$19.25 K JCITY STATE ZIP.:ip © 1998 LEE NUTRITION J My kid brother and I drove over there thought, well, that's good business. in my '39 Buick convertible. The chest But when he caught the next, it went KOREA was stored in the depot's cellar, down off. The last I saw of Rowe he was be- where they held freight and kept lost ing carried off on a stretcher, alive but Continued from page 45 luggage and such. I handed in a paper, not much more. I later heard he'd been and the railroad clerk led us deeper awarded a Navy Cross for his foolish- our doubts. The Chinese might be into the cellar. There, along with my ness. When he phoned in 1990 to say coming south, he said, and he liked the footlocker and the lost suitcases, were he'd read my book, I asked what hap- idea of having some experienced rifle- coffins from Korea, stacked and tidy, pened to him after Yoke. platoon leaders around. each with its American flag neatly He'd lost some fingers and the sight Some of the most awful and blood- lashed on. in one eye, he said, spent nine months iest fighting took place in those low They, too, were home. in the hospital, fell in love with his hills in the final year of the war. Both nurse, married her, went back to teach- the Marines and the Army held out- OVER the years I tried several times ing school and coaching football, posts just north of the main line of re- to write of all this, to try to make moved to California, got a pilot's li- sistance, and night after night the Chi- sense of Korea. Tried to figure out cense, wrote several books and had 10 nese swarmed toward, and too often why we went, and so willingly. I had children! He was pretty casual about over, those outposts. It was absurd, in answers for that: We were the children it. Here was someone I thought was a way. A ceasefire was being negotiat- of the Great Depression. A job was a finished, and he ended by having a life ed. What difference did it make if the job. More to the point, our elder broth- richer than most men dream. demarcation line were 600 yards north ers and fathers had fought the Japanese That, too, was Korea. or south of where it now was? Was the and the Nazis and beaten them. There When they finally dedicated that life of a single soldier, on either side, freshly remained an honorable tradi- Korean War memorial in Washington worth it? tion of duty. Of service. Of that corny a couple of years ago, I took the train Right up to the day the armistice old chromo, patriotism. I kept trying to down from New York. There was a was signed, the Chinese attacked. In a get it down effectively on paper, once Dog Company reunion, and Sen. single, small, murderous brawl, 30 or even turning truth into fiction, writing Chafee and I went to it and then went 40 Marines might die, a hundred or a novel. None of the book publishers I out to dinner together. Just to talk. To two hundred Chinese. Platoon leaders approached was interested. Vietnam remember. Chafee was a hero of mine, called down our artillery on their own was the trendy stuff now. Korea? That and just to share a meal was important. positions; barrels of gasoline were set was a long time ago, and who cared? The next day was hot but sunny, and I afire to parboil the attackers. The thing By 1990 I'd published a half dozen was one of the thousands and thou- was as brutal and primitive as the as- other books and had developed a style sands there on the mall as the president saulting of castles in the Middle Ages and a following and knew my way and the brass and great men orated and or fighting the Saracens during the around, and so I gave Korea another the band played and jets flew over- Crusades. We had everything but whack. Why not? I wanted my kids to head. Back in the grand air condition- broadswords and chain mail. Martin know what it was like, and for the men ing of the Ritz-Carlton hotel, I called Russ wrote about the last few nights of of my age to read about it, while we one of my daughters in Manhattan to the war when, knowing the ceasefire were still alive and not too old and tell her how it went. would become effective in a matter of frayed to care. So I wrote The Coldest Until that moment, I'd enjoyed the hours, the Chinese continued to attack. War. whole business. Very cool, I was. And Marines continued to send out am- When it came out on June 25, 1990, then my daughter asked, "and how was bushes and raids, bloody grappling for 40 years to the day from that Sunday it. Poppy?" a few lousy yards, killing and being when the war began and the North Ko- And I couldn't answer. But sat killed. reans came south across the 38th Par- there on the bed crying, holding the I was rotated home the Fourth of allel, Dan Rather and Walter Cronkite phone and unable to talk. I hadn't ex- July weekend in 1952. Mack Allen and Jim Lehrer and Mario Cuomo got pected that. I hadn't realized the hold shipped over—stayed in the Corps. He behind the book and gave promotional Korea still had on me. It was some wanted command of a rifle company. I quotes. The publisher submitted it for time before I could call her back and didn't have his passion, his VMI pro- a Pulitzer Prize nomination and The talk. Was it the loss of friends, or of fessionalism. Just getting out of there New York Times called it "a superb my own youth, that weighed on me? alive was enough. I didn't want any- personal memoir of the way it was." I Why should I become so emotional af- thing else, ever, out of life. That was don't say that to puff myself but in ter so long a time? how I felt then; sometimes how I still gratitude that, finally, Americans Occasionally in the mail I receive feel all these years later. would get a chance to read about "our an offer to make a trip back. When There were no newspaper open- war." they held the Olympics at Seoul I ings, so I took a job writing advertis- Among the old salts who called was could have gone as a journalist. Dog ing copy for Macy's and was at work a Jack Rowe out in Fallbrook, Calif. Company had its own trip back. Why week or two after getting home. That's He was another Dog Company pla- didn't I go and attempt in some way to what you did then; you came home toon leader, one that I'd not seen since shake off Korea, to write an end to it? and went looking for a job. No parades Memorial Day of 1952 when we were I guess I answered that myself in were staged, but neither did people attacking a Chinese-held hill called The Coldest War : "I knew I would spit at us in the streets. Later that sum- Yoke and not doing too well at it. The never go back to Korea, never sign up mer I got a letter from the Navy De- Chinese were lobbing and rolling for an old soldiers' tour. I didn't want partment. My sea chest had been grenades downhill, and the grenades, to see the hills again or feel the cold or shipped back from Korea, and I could and the wire, had us pinned. Jack hear the wind out of Siberia, moaning. pick it up at Grand Central Terminal. caught one grenade, tossed it back, and I didn't want to disturb the dead." • THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE • JULY 1998 " There are times when everyone would like a little extra volume to enhance their hearing! It's So Small It's Almost Invisible In the Ear... MaxiSoundM Personal Sound Amplifier uses sophisticated micro-miniaturized circuitry to provide affordable, in-the-ear sound amplification by Martin Howard Max. Output 116dB "After seeing your ad in the news- For the last couple of years, I've con- Avg. Output llldB paper, I decided to take a chance \ II Peak Gain stantly had to ask people to repeat 43dB on your product. Imagine my sur- what they just said to me... I've turned Avg. Gain 35dB prise when Ifirst tried your sound up the volume on the TV so loud that Frequence Range amplification product and it everyone in the house complains... 600-5900 worked great. 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CHARGE ORDERS CALL 1-800-770-1155 9AM td 5PM EST TALKING POINTS Continued from 12 i Pick Of The Pros idle without public involvement. "The United States Constitution has survived longer than any other written constitution," Bryant noted. "I suggest it is because it puts into our hands as citizens of the United States duties and Financial professionals will tell you to shop aiomid for the best money market obligations to our government. It is yields. Join yom^ fellow Legionnaires, and enjoy superior rates and security with our government—our Constitution." an American Legion-sponsored GoldSavers® money market account offered Bryant, the daughter of Mike and by MBNA America® Bank. Compare the yields listed in the chart below to the Julia Monday and Robert Bryant, was cmrent }aelds on other bank money market accounts and to major money fimds. sponsored by W.A. Hudgens Post 14 You'll see why an American Legion-sponsored GoldSavers money market accoimt of Anderson. The National Honor is the pick of the pros, hi contrast to money funds, the GoldSavers account Society member plans to attend gives you tlie peace of mind of FDIC insurance. So when yom- portfoHo calls for Furman University in Greenville, S.C., liigh peld, liquidity, and security, choose an American Legion-sponsored and then teach. Bryant's oration. The GoldSavers money market account. You be the pro. Orchestra, lamented the high number of non-voters: "I ask, why don't we have 100 percent voting?... I am concerned that people just don't care. We have an obligation to vote and to encourage others to do the same." "The guarantee of this Constitution is powerless unless we the people take a stand and make the orchestra of the Constitution play harmoniously and be For accounts with Annual Percentage the supreme law of the land.... I am balances of: Yield (APY)^ going to play my violin the best I Bryant promised. $50,000 or more 3.70% possibly can," On behalf of The American Legion, $10,000-$49,999 5.45% Joseph E. Caouette Jr., chairman of $2,500-$9,999 5.20% the National Americanism Com- mission assigned the 54 Department Please call for current Annual Percentage Yields (APYs). APYs are effective through 5/3/98. winners a mission: "You've been lauded and commended. Now I'm Call 1-800-900-6653., Ext. 6324 going to turn the tables on you with a Motidiiy llii-oujih lMi -r.n.,l I.. ,Im.,I,„, ,..„,„„. -,MMl„ : \1B\\; FDI^— Yelvington, Department of Hawaii, -„;,. , ;,,„l(,nl,|S,nr,,;„,. l,.lr,,ilK ,ri;„lr,r,l ,r ,M, r , , Nl rk mI ' caught a plane for the Kwajalein li:Hik. \.A.OI')'li\\ll!\\ AiiHTira liiii.k, \. \ \l,nil« r tl)l( .. Islands, half a world away. Clayton Callan, Department of Indiana, headed for Muncie, an hour up the road. —Robert Imler Treat yourself^ to the most Citizens current and up-to-date lag veterans publication! Alliance, Inc. The Dispatch $12 (317) 630-1349 1-800-424-FLAG • THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE • JULY 1998 20510; or The Honorable (full name), U.S. House of Representatives, Wash- GRASSROOTS ington, DC 20515. Another means of contacting elect- Continued from page 10 ed officials is by electronic mail. Most members of Congress and many local must decide on his or her opinion. officials are now on-line and monitor Finding information can be as easy as e-mail transmissions from their con- hopping on the Internet, either at home stituents, helping them gauge con- INSULATED or at a local library. The American stituent opinion. Make use of this new WINTER SUNROOM CONVERTS Legion's Web site (www.legion.org) means of communicating with elected TO A SUMMER SCREEN ROOM! contains information on issues signifi- representatives on vital issues. cant to veterans, including Gulf War health issues and the GI Bill of Health. CITIZENS must include their name The Citizens Flag Alliance Inc. and address, preferably at the top (www.cfa-inc.org) is a coalition striv- of the e-mail message, because ing to persuade Congress to pass a most legislators have only enough help !!umi constitutional amendment to protect to respond to those who live in the li the American flag from physical dese- member's congressional district. cration. Members of Congress, state legisla- The CFA Web site includes mes- tors, and local officials also are listed sage points and significant events in in the blue pages of most telephone the quest to protect Old Glory, as well directories. Congressional e-mail NEW... Full top-to-bottom wall area screens! as results public opinion polls addresses can be found at Congress.org from QWIK" window/screen change system Oo-il-yourself kit, and questionnaires outlining Senate (www.congress.org). This site allows no contractors needed Meets building codes lor snow & wind loadsn Unique Climate extras, support in the 105th Congress. "Netizens" to access a directory of Control System No comes com- plete Buy tactory direct & save America's #1 value since 1974 Acting under the directive of House congressional leaders and to check Speaker Newt Gingrich to make feder- what's new in Congress. Send $2 for Color Catalogue, Prices, al legislative information freely avail- If face-to-face meeting is prefer- SENT FIRST CLASS MAIL able, a Library of Congress team able, go for it. Remember, however, brought THOMAS (thomas.loc.gov) that it is difficult to arrange an appoint- C||n||-„ I / Sun Porch Structures, Inc. on-line in January 1995. As new files ment, or even speak by phone, with UUnrDrCr PO Box 368. Dept LEG Westport. CT 06881-0368 are received from the Government elected representatives. They are VISION Printing Office, they are indexed and extremely busy and seldom have the made available. luxury to spend a great deal of time on It's SO EASY Information includes the floor activ- a single issue. The next option is to ities of Congress each week; summary, visit with members of their staffs. Try to have the garden status and full text of bills; the Con- to see one of their administrative assis- you've always wanted gressional Record including index; tants, legislative assistants or their leg- with a DfT ROTO committee reports and Web sites; his- islative director. The administrative TILLER/POWER - torical documents, and links to other assistant evaluates constituent requests COMPOSTER! , resources on the Internet. passed on by legislative assistants. The legislative director makes recommen- ONCE armed with information, dations concerning particular legisla- members of the Legion family tive issues and action required. should sit down and craft a mes- When visiting an elected represen- sage. Writing remains the most popular tative, be mindful of his or her sched- means of communication with a con- ule and, above all, be prepared and gressional office. Letters should be plan the visit carefully. brief, direct, specific, courteous and Make an appointment with the • POWER-DRIVEN WHEELS do the work while personal. Remember to ask for a member's appointment secretary or you simply guide it with either hand! So PERFECTLY response to a specific inquiry, and fol- scheduler. Be on time, show patience BALANCED, it's easy for anyone to operate! low up to thank representatives for and understanding if asked to wait, and • NO SHAKING.. .NO STRAIN like you get with front-tines or hand-held tillers! their support, even if the legislation is be prepared to answer questions on the • TILLS seedbeds, even tough sod with ea.se. ..plus defeated. issue or legislation concerned. POWER COMPOSTS crop residues, leaves, For those whose writing skills are More than anything else, good citi- weeds, cover crops, etc., directly into your soil! suspect, try the Internet Public Library zens never give up. Slevin says one of • Leaves NO WHEELMARKS __ or FOOTPRINTS because (www.ipl.org), the first on-line public his primary themes as mayor is, "don't I0(jLR3GE the tines are in the REAR! library. For help with composing a abdicate leadership." |(8c»)6S2- l|SS" message, check out the informative "Each citizen can make a differ- Please mail this coupon today for FREE DETAILS of the DR' i ROTO TILLER/POWER COMPOSTER including prices, i "A+ Researching and Writing" section ence," Slevin says. "I hope to instill specifications of Manual and ELECFRIC-Starting models, and j [ with a step-by-step guide to develop- that in people. It's not just the [politi- "Off-Season" Savings now in effect I j ing a well-structured argument. cal action committees] and the polls Letters should be addressed "Dear that determine policy. Every person I Address I City Senator" or "Dear Representative," can influence policies affecting us and I _ TO: COUNTRY HOME PRODUCTS', Dept. 3948R : and be mailed to: The Honorable (full the children of America." ! Bo_x 25j_ Vergenne_s. VT _0549 i 1_ _ _Mei£L>Lo2.dJJD. | name), U.S. Senate, Washington, DC —Trent D. McNeeley JULY 1998 ' THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE • |jj Sitting in McLean's parlor on April 9, 1865, Grant proposed, and Lee accepted, the gener- ous terms that ended the bitter war and reunited the United States. In fact, the tone of the meet- ing was so cordial Grant noted, "I almost forgot the object of our meeting." Could such a divi- 1 sive war today be settled in an afternoon of courteous discussion? An organized tour through Virginia can retrace a good portion of the Civil War. Visitors can march to Richmond, stand atop Ball's Bluff, n follow Lee's retreat— all while enjoying a leisurely drive through the diverse countryside. "There stands Jackson like a stone wall!" shouted Confederate Brig. Gen. Barnard Bee. He was referring to Brig. Gen. Thomas J. Jack- son as "Stonewall's" Virginia troops held their ground at the first battle of Manassas (called Bull Run by the North). At Manassas National Battlefield Park, farmhouse, where visitors can take walking and dri- Robert E. Lee ving tours of the first and second Army of Northern battles. They'll learn how the untest- Virginia to Ulysses ed Union troops picked berries S. Grant, can be an appropriate finale while marching to their first battle in for a day of Civil 1861. Spectators from nearby Wash- War site-seeing. ington, D.C., toting picnic baskets Visitors can also salute Stonewall followed to view what would surely Jackson at be a colorful day. The result of the Manassas National first battle sent spectators fleeing Battlefield Park and tour the Old Stone and left more than 4,600 soldiers House, which served killed, missing or wounded—dash- as a hospital after ing visions of a short war. the Bull Run battles. Back at Appomattox, a radio- guided tour starts at Petersburg National Battlefield. Travelers can PPOMATTOX Court House. That relive Lee's retreat by tuning name misled many to believe Gen. 1610 AM and following the Robert E. Lee surrendered to Gen. radio broadcast through Ulysses S. Grant in the town's cour- the placid countryside on thouse. The error stems from the a 20-stop driving route. fact that many 19th-century Vir- Along the way, updates ginia towns, which served as the will be broadcast on county seat, had the words "Court Lee's advances House" appended to their names. and reverses, his Travelers will discover the site crossings of the Confederates headed home with pardons the actual as they visit River of surrender Appomattox printed on this press, displayed the central Virginia town of Appomattox. and his reaction to at Clover Hill Tavern. There, visitors will learn that on the Palm Sun- Grant's request day Confederate soldiers scouted for a worthy for surrender. On April 7, Grant sent a letter to location for the summit; the courthouse was Lee "to shift from myself the responsibility of closed. Wilmer McLean, one of the few who any further effusion of blood by asking of had not fled from the approaching armies, was you... surrender." persuaded to open his home for the ceremony. The final stop of the tour is the courthouse • THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE • JULY 1998 IjB 6 Live Long, Live Well! proper, where on April 12, 1865, Con- federate soldiers stacked their Ginkgo Biloba is one of Europe's most scientifically researched weapons, furled their flags and began and widely prescribed natural remedies. European experts the long trek home. The original vil- suggest that Ginkgo Biloba can increase blood circulation to lage is part of the Appomattox Court- the brain to enhance alertness and improve memory. house National Historic Park. 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In an interview glamorous since becoming a jour- the Year Award from your old alma with me, Wallace first told the world nalist? mater. This puts you in some presti- he'd been wrong about his feelings gious I can't think of anyone in the company. What do you con- A regarding racial matters. Then there's business who has —everyone sider the most important factors in Jimmy Carter—a truly good man if starts out with the grunt jobs. In my your success? there ever was one. I've been blessed, case it was as the prep editor covering and I've been A I've also become good friends with lucky. local sports for The Gainesville Sun. I the Rev. Billy Graham and Gen. got the job after lying through my I guess keeping in mind that the William Westmoreland since working teeth about my experience—well, story is what is important had some- with them on stories. But I honestly thing to do with that. actually I just stretched the truth a lit- There are too can't say their friendships are any tle. many talking heads out there more important to than those I've reporters love me But I had a family to feed, and I who to see their face on developed with I've the tube and hear people met along really needed the job. I did it well, themselves talk. I the way whose names you would however, and not very long went by like to let the camera do the talking never recognize. before they put me on the court beat. when it's obvious it should— if the story is there the it. Those were the days when I learned camera will tell Q. Are there any characters the importance of getting good There's no room for "I" in this busi- you've met along the way who you research done and then putting togeth- ness if you're going to do it right. My might feel have interested you more er a solid factual story in time for staff and I maintain a strong drive for than usual? deadline. excellence in our work; and a drive for Well, again-7-most I excellence, to me, means making the of the people A year or so later I applied for and A meet interest me or I wouldn't be got a job with The Atlanta Journal and story come alive through those doing stories about them. I guess you Constitution. We moved up there and involved in it, not through those who could say some have surprised me, fell in love with Atlanta. We had four are telling it. though like Fidel Castro, for exam- children before we knew what hap- — ple. pened, and to make some extra money Q. You've done many touching, Hank Aaron and I went down to I took stringer assignments covering human-interest stories for Across Cuba to do a story about the island's the south for The New York Times. My America. What stories interest you boys of summer they have quite a name got noticed by Time magazine, the most? — reputation for producing top-notch and I went to work for them for three I like to think the last story we A ball players down there, you know. and a half years—during which time I did is the most important one were having dinner with was fortunate enough to have two we've done, simply because they all We Castro, he told back-to-back cover stories. Then have their own merits and they're all and me he almost became a professional Atlanta Magazine offered me the job good stories about people who have baseball player himself. He said he once had a pretty of editor, and I eagerly took it so I made a difference in the lives of oth- good curve could spend more time at home with ers. ball and nearly signed with the my family. There are a number of them that New York Yankees—but Fidel Castro We went after controversial issues have moved me to stay in contact with decided to become a guerrilla instead, other publications were afraid to deal those involved, and I've developed a and we know how that turned out. with and made Atlanta into an award- friendship with many of the people winning magazine. Then I began to I've worked with—famous people and Q. How does television journalism have differences of opinions with the everyday people alike. Some of the impact the lives of viewers, and owner and found myself down in people I've worked with aren't what areas need to be addressed Florida as editor of The Tallahassee involved in the stories I do, but they with regard to responsibility in Democrat. help me document them by providing reporting, which, at times seems to It was a good job—but everything I background information, logistical be imbalanced? wanted in life was back in Atlanta, support, research—things like that. A That's a big one. Television is so and I couldn't help feeling like I had These people continuously impress me pervasive in our society. There to get back there. That opportunity with how willing they are to help us are TV sets everywhere from tiny came when CNN started up in 1980. I spotlight some of the subjects of my shacks in Third-World countries to went to work back in a grunt job I was stories, and I've stayed in contact with New York City corporate board really over-qualified for, but it got me many of them over the years. Your rooms. No doubt about it, television is back home. own American Legion Posts in differ- everywhere. Ted Turner was able to get me out ent areas have been an invaluable That gives those of us in the busi- into the field to do stories in a relative- source of information in places where ness an immense amount of power to ly short time, but I'll have to admit it I've done stories, and I've met some influence people's lives, and we need was humbling to be back on the bot- very nice people when calling on them to remember the responsibility that tom of the ladder while I was there. for help. goes along with that power. I think Then one day he came to me with the I get involved with the people in some of us in the business don't do idea for Across America, and I've my stories. They say you shouldn't in that, and it makes me sad when I see it been doing it ever since. this business, but I do because the sto- happening. JULY 1998 • THE AMERICAN LEGION MAGAZINE • |j3 Loss of Face Brittany came to her mother and asked, "Mommy, do you know what you look like?" "Yes, dear. Of course I do." "That's good, because Brenda and I just broke your bedroom mirror." In the Black Old accountants never die, they just lose their balance. Misdirected A little old lady riding the bus was very anxious about missing her stop. She poked the driver with her umbrella and asked, "Is that the First National Bank?" "No, madam," replied the driver, "that's my rib." Pre-emptive Strike A mother of two young sons was sorting out the details of a fight between them. 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