For God and Country June 2014 Seward Post 5 Newsletter Volum e 11 , Issue 06

American Legion Seward Post 5 E-mail: [email protected] Phone: (907) 224-5440

COMMANDER’S COMMENTS

By Clare Sullivan

Another hugely busy month, but I think May is generally on average one of busiest in the year, where we had something to support our veterans and our community. I’d like to thank everyone who helped in all our events including: Armed I’d like to give a special thanks to the commander of the USCGC Forces Day and the Harbor Mustang - Lisa Motoi and the outstanding crew. They are and have Opening weekend, the been an incredible part of our cemetery clean up, Mother’s American Legion Family. Day Breakfast, third Sunday of the Month Breakfast, Cub Whenever we had functions, Scout End of Year Dinner support, scholarship awards whether it was a celebration presentation at Seward High School by all our and parade participation on organizations, the Combat the 4th of July, or observing Fishing Tournament the passing of a veteran in support, and of course our our community and providing dignified military honors at the Memorial Day Luncheon and memorial service, the crew of the Mustang was there to help. Ceremonies here and at Thanks guys you have and are a huge part of Post #5 and so Byers’ Lake in Wasilla. appreciated!

As always our consistent and great volunteers were I would like to list everyone who was involved in all these activities here to help. We even had not only in this past month but in years’ past but I think I’d have a a few new faces which book and not a short few page newsletter in order to get everyone helps a lot and expands our listed. That might not be the best use of my space here but if you solid friendships in our get an opportunity, please take a look at our Facebook page. You’ll American Legion Family. get a good appreciation of what we do and what we’ve accomplished. There is an “album” for each of our events and you can see our American Legion Family “in action.”  We have some pretty special people in our organization!

This month looks to be another good and busy month, fortunately not at the same frenetic pace as May (I hope ). We should be able Our American Legion Family with some other good folks in to schedule ourselves with expected activities including our weekly town accomplished a lot that helped to honor our military, events of Bingo and Poker that you’ll see on the calendar, plus of honor and remember our departed fallen heroes, and help our course we will have a Flag Day Ceremony Seward neighbors and their families. Your actions speak on Saturday, 14 June at around 6pm and volumes as to your character and your commitment to this Father’s Day Breakfast on Sunday 15 community and our veterans. It is so appreciated and June. although we do not get a lot of fanfare or publicity for our activities; we do all with the right motivation and incredible We will also have a special visit from a dedication because we all know and care about our mission of group of Vietnam Veterans of the 1/52nd supporting and helping others. I have to admit, it is Infantry Regiment who will be having a sometimes a bit demanding on all of us with all our busy reunion in the second week of June in schedules, but with lots of good folks who continually step up Seward. to the plate, it makes it easier on everyone! I thank you all; your selfless service makes the difference for our American Legion and for many in this town. Con’t

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These folks will be enjoying all that Seward has to offer for about a week and will be spending quite a bit of time at According to American legend, the post. If you’re seeing a lot of new faces at the post, in June 1776, George Washington give them a hearty welcome as other comrades in arms. If commissioned Betsy Ross, a these visitors aren’t enough, we will also be hosting this Philadelphia seamstress, to year’s American Legion Riders (ALR) Riders on Motorcycles create a flag for the new nation Parade (ROMP) 12-15 June. So it will be a busy time with in anticipation of a declaration new American Legion Family members running through the of its independence. post and enjoying our town and post. Come on by, it will be a good time for all! On June 14, 1777, John Adams spoke about the flag at a meeting of the Continental Flag Day, like our other Congress in Philadelphia. He said, "Resolved, important patriotic that the flag of the thirteen United States holidays, is necessary shall be thirteen stripes, alternate red and to preserve our significant white; that the Union be thirteen stars, history and to educate white on a blue field, representing a new constellation." There and keep traditions alive. have been twenty-seven official versions of the flag so far; Observing Flag Day not stars have been added to it as states have entered the Union. just honors a great flag The current version dates to July 4, 1960, when Hawaii but it also reminds us of became the 50th state. where we have been as a young country fighting Many Americans sing, pledge, and pay respect to the flag, "Old for our freedom, and Glory," as a symbol of the country's democracy and the incredible journey independence. Saluting the flag is a way to celebrate and we have travelled to be honor the United States of America. the great nation that we are now. The road to where we are has been paved with bravery and the blood of those Flag who found it worthwhile to keep pursuing our ideals of freedom and justice. As life’s events compete for our Desecration attention, these patriotic holidays frequently get shelved or receive token attention. Sometimes the overt Amendment demonstration to display patriotism is met with a bit of resistance or hesitancy simply because the observances For the ninth time in his career, Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, have taken the backseat to other activities surrounding proposed a flag-protection amendment in the Senate on this the day. With that said, we have the obligation as last year on June 13, 2013. Hatch introduced Senate Joint members of the American Legion Family to keep these Resolution 17, proposing an amendment to the U.S. Constitution traditions alive and inspire others by our actions of our that would give Congress the authority to protect the U.S. love of country. flag from physical desecration.

Please consider reading up on our patriotic holidays, The American Legion has staunchly supported such an particularly Flag Day for this month and fly the flag. We amendment since 1989. On June 22 of that year, the U.S. have a great country and all our patriotic holidays are so Supreme Court decided in Texas v. Johnson that the state’s very important to us as a nation and a free people. flag-protection law violated the First Amendment; a year later, it declared the same was true for federal law. "This amendment is often misunderstood," said James E. Flag Day Celebrated Koutz, past national commander of The American Legion. "It does not protect the U.S. flag. It merely returns to Congress

June 14, 1777 the power to pass legislation that would protect the flag, a power that was taken away from them by the Supreme Court in Flag Day! On May 30, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson 1989. If passed by Congress, the amendment would have to be issued a presidential proclamation establishing a national ratified by three-fourths of the country’s state governments Flag Day on June 14. Many Americans celebrate Flag Day before it became the Constitution’s 28th amendment. by displaying the Red, White and Blue in front of homes The House version of the flag-amendment proposal, H.J. Res. and businesses. The day commemorates the adoption of 47, was introduced May 22 by Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Ala., the Stars and Stripes as the official flag of the United and Rep. Daniel Lipinski, D-Ill. States.

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Directors Notes…. Boys State Alaska…. By Bobby Dunno

The 47th Annual American Legion Alaska Boys State Program So where did May go? Seems to me just the other day I was will be held starting at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday June 7, 2014 prepping my bikes for spring and now it is the beginning of through Friday June 13, 2014. This year’s program will be held June, what's up with that! But seriously we have been blessed at Wilderness Lodge at St Theresa‘s Camp near Wasilla. The with all kinds of wonderful riding weather which is the reason Inauguration and Reception will be held on Friday evening June time has flown by. Some of us were having way too much fun. 13, 2014, beginning at 7:30 p.m. The Alaska Boys State Program And what's more we ain't slowing down with the advent of is open to High School Juniors (those who will be seniors during June. the 2014-2015 school year.) and are at least 16 years of age

and not over 18 years of age. Doing the ALRA Director duties had me visiting Post 1 and 28

promoting the possibility of starting a new ALR chapter in American Legion Boys State Anchorage filling some of the spare time I had during a few is among the most respected trips to the city. The good news up there is that membership and selective educational is building and I just need to get them organized. Post programs of government Commanders and Officers were enthusiastic and willing to see instruction for U.S. high ALR chapters added to their Post. school students. A participatory

program in which students become part of the operation of local, county and state government, Boys State was founded in 1935 to counter the socialism-inspired Young Pioneer Camps. The program was the idea of two Illinois Legionnaires, Hayes Kennedy and Harold Card, who organized the first Boys State

at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield. The entire The trip to Byers Lake for the Memorial Day ceremonies was program is non-partisan and free from propaganda. The rewarding. Visits to Post 1 and 35 during the trip up was fun and camaraderie made for some very fond memories for the political parties are purely mythical for the sole purpose of future. The weather of course was perfect the whole enabling the participants to set up their own city, county, and weekend and the ALR made a stronger prescience with the state governments, using the existing constitution and laws as additional Riders who rode up to attend the ceremonies. guides. The citizens are divided into two political parties, the “Nationalist” and Federalist.”

Boys State is an objective citizenship training program which includes individual responsibility to the Community, State and Nation. It is our earnest hope that each young man attending Looking toward the next few weeks we have the Ride for Boys State sessions will return to his Community a better Respect on the 7th of June leaving Anchorage and making citizen and will possess a desire to demonstrate this fact by his their way to Seward and the Breeze Inn where the award willingness to make contributions to make his Community a presentations and ceremonies will be hosted. The following better place in which to live. weekend will be the ALR ROMP hosted right here at Post 5. It is actually kinda relieving knowing that I don't have to ride Boys State is NOT a recreational camp. The Boys State very far to attend this time. But like everything else there Program is for qualified male High School Juniors only. will be a lot to do as the Riders will begin arriving on Thursday the 12th and the ROMP starts on the 13th and officially ends American Legion Auxiliary on the morning of the 15th. So there will be lots to do to sponsors a separate but make it a successful event. similar program for young women called Girls State. So with everything happening it shouldn't be too hard to find The 2014 American Legion an excuse to ensure the tires have air, lay on another coat of Auxiliary Alaska Girls State wax and polish then Get On Your Bike And Ride. Session will take place at the Salvation Army Kings Lake Center in Wasilla, Alaska on June 1st-7th, 2014.

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House and Vice Report……. Thanks to everyone for supporting the Post and the Club. If By Mike Calhoon you have any questions please feel free to contact me at 224- 5440/362-2029. Hello from the Second Vice/Club,

I would like to thank everyone who helped with Mother’s Day rd breakfast, the Armed Forces Day hot dog feed, 3 Sunday breakfast, Captain’s Dinner, Combat Fishing Tournament, and Memorial Day. There were way too many folks involved in all these activities for me to mention you by name without Sounding Off from the Sons…. forgetting some but know that all of your efforts helped the Post 5 Family complete, in fine fashion, all the all of its By Mike Calhoon

missions in a very busy month of May!!! Greetings from the SAL First Vice Commander. June is not quite as activity filled but we will be very busy from Jun 7-15. We will be co-hosting, along with the Army Rec May was, as usual, an extremely busy month for the Post 5 Camp June 7-15, a group of 64 family. Many Sons members were involved in Mother’s Day rd people here for a reunion of breakfast, Armed Forces Day hot dog feed, 3 Sunday the 1/52nd infantry which served breakfast, Combat Fishing tournament, the Cemetery clean- in Vietnam. We will also have up, and Memorial Day activities. David Osborn, Rob Olchin, the American Legion Riders Mike Kalnoski, and Ozzie Walters and Scott Wilde were all annual R.O.M.P. here June 12-15. instrumental with these activities coming of so well. We will have Flag Day Ceremony on June 14th. Last but not least we will have Father’s Day It is good to see the SAL continue to be a big part of what breakfast on June 15th which is also the 3rd Sunday of the the Post has happening on a regular basis. month. June will present even more opportunities to excel. The Post As you can see, as our normal business begins to pick up and old will be taking part in hosting the reunion of the some of the nd friends return for the summer, we will again have many folks who fought in Vietnam with the 1/52 Infantry June 8- opportunities to spend some quality volunteer time at the Post. 15. The American Legion Riders annual R.O.M.P. will be here th Please contact me and let me know if you can and would like to June 13-15. Flag Day will be on the 14 and Father’s Day th help. breakfast will be on the 15 . As you can see, the Post will need lots of help the second week of June when most I would like to take an opportunity to everything is happening. thank the Auxiliary Unit 5 and Sons th of American Legion Squadron 5 for Lots of logistical support will be needed the 8-15 . Please let their continued support in all the me know if you can come help the Post pull all of this off! Post 5 family activities. Without the devotion and giving spirit of these two parts of our family, the Thank you again for your support and I look forward to seeing Post would have a very difficult time you at the Post. making all of the activities we have such a success. We truly have a great “Legion Family” here in Seward and everyone should be very proud of what an organization like this can accomplish in a small town!!

I would like to look at June 7th as a Post Beautification Day so keep that in mind and we will see if we can spruce the place up before all the June activities hit.

Remember, the privilege of membership is not what you can get from the organization but what you can give to the veterans and the community we support.

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Auxiliary Notes…. United States Army Birthday By John R. Maass, Historian By Connie Kullander, E-Board US Army Center of Military History

Greetings, another month has just speed past us. June has th arrived, although not so pleasantly but we needed the rain. Happy Birthday to the United States Army! This June 14 is the th May was an incredibly busy month. We could not have done 239 birthday of our US Army! what we do without the returning, always wonderful volunteers!!!

Mother’s day breakfast was wonderful as usual. We had a wonderful assortment of foods to tantalize your pallet. Then we had Armed Forces day down in the boat harbor, When the American Revolution broke out, the rebellious colonies with master griller Vernon cooking the dogs, while the did not possess an army in the modern sense. Rather, the ladies served chips, sodas, baked beans and potato salad. revolutionaries fielded an amateur force of colonial troops, Thank you to all those who lent a hand. cobbled together from various New England militia companies. They had no unified chain of command, and although Then Combat fishing day, with the morning starting a 4:00 Artemas Ward of Massachusetts exercised authority by informal am and continuing until 10:00 that night. We do this event agreement, officers from other colonies were not obligated to with the Armed Forces YMCA folks, and for our active obey his orders. The American volunteers were led, equipped, duty military. armed, paid for, and supported by the colonies from which they were raised. Last we had Memorial Day which was a huge success. The rain held off so no one got wet during the ceremony. A huge “Thank You “goes to our service men and woman of our USCG Cutter Mustang for their help with all the different details of the ceremony. Also thank you to everyone who helped In the spring of 1775, this “army” was about to confront British with the cemetery, the poppies, and the crosses. troops near Boston, Massachusetts. The revolutionaries had to Sharon, Betsy, Michelle, Suzi, and Melody you guys did re-organize their forces quickly if they were to stand a chance great on fluffing and getting the poppies ready for this against Britain’s seasoned professionals. Recognizing the need to last month. enlist the support of all of the American seaboard colonies, the

Massachusetts Provincial Congress appealed to the Second We had graduation last month as well. We had 3 Continental Congress in Philadelphia to assume authority for the scholarships go out to individuals of the community. New England army. Reportedly, at John Adams’ request, Congress Hopefully this will give them a boost to a new career so voted to “adopt” the Boston troops on June 14, although there is they can start their new lives in this big world. no written record of this decision. Also on this day, Congress

resolved to form a committee “to bring in a draft of rules and With that we start on this month of June. We have Flag regulations for the government of the Army,” and voted Day on the 14th and then we have Father’s day breakfast on $2,000,000 to support the forces around Boston, and those at the 15th. Then look out because summer begins on the 21st. New York City. Moreover, Congress authorized the formation of We will need lots of help for the 4th of July, as it lands on ten companies of expert riflemen from Pennsylvania, Maryland, a Friday, so if you can find it in your time schedule we need and Virginia, which were directed to march to Boston to support lots of help in the beginning of the month. With that said, the New England militia. just another “THANK YOU” to everyone who has helped in

the last month!!! You guys are awesome!!! Washington received his appointment as

commander-in-chief of the Continental Army For God and Country the next day, and formally took command at Boston on July 3, 1775.

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Brief History of the During the war, both North and were sponsored The Korean War (1950–53) was a military conflict between the by external powers, thus facilitating the war's Republic of Korea, supported by the , and the metamorphosis from a civil war to a proxy war between Democratic People's Republic of Korea and People's Republic of powers involved in the larger Cold War. From a military China (PRC), with air support from the Soviet Union. The war science perspective, the Korean War combined strategies and began on tactics of World War I and World War II — swift infantry 25 June 1950 and an attacks followed by air bombing raids. The initial mobile armistice was signed on campaign transitioned to trench warfare, lasting from 27 July 1953. The war January 1951 until the 1953 border stalemate and armistice. was a result of the political division of Korea by agreement of the victorious Allies at the conclusion of the Pacific War. The Korean peninsula had been ruled by Japan prior to the end of the war. The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office In 1945, following the surrender of Japan, American (DPMO) announced on 30 May 2014 that the remains of a U.S. administrators divided the peninsula along the 38th parallel, serviceman, missing from the Korean War, have been with United States troops occupying the southern part and identified and will be returned to his family for burial with Soviet troops occupying the full military honors.

northern part. The failure to hold free elections throughout the Army Cpl. Richard Isbell, 20, of Fishtrap, Ky., will be buried Korean Peninsula in 1948 deepened June 7, in Staffordsville, Ky. In April 1951, Isbell was the division between the two sides, assigned to Company H, 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Division and the North established a (ID). While deployed near Popsudong, South Korea, the 7th Communist government. The 38th ID was attacked by overwhelming Chinese forces, which Parallel increasingly became a caused Isbell’s unit to begin a fighting withdrawal to a more political border between the two defensible position. During this battle on April 25, 1951, Koreas. Although reunification Isbell was reported . However, after the negotiations continued in the months preceding the war, war, Isbell was reported by returning POWs as having been tension intensified. Cross-border skirmishes and raids at the captured by Chinese forces and died in captivity from 38th Parallel persisted. The situation escalated into open dysentery on June 30, 1951, in a prisoner of war camp known warfare when North Korean forces invaded South Korea on 25 as Camp 5, in Pyoktong, .

June 1950. It was the first significant armed conflict of the Cold War. In 1954, Chinese and North Korean Communist forces exchanged the remains of war dead with the United Nations The United Nations, particularly the United States, came to forces during Operation Glory. In 1956, a military review the aid of the South Koreans in repelling the invasion. After board declared Isbell’s remains as unidentifiable. He was early defeats by the North Korean military, when a rapid UN transferred to be buried as unknown in the National counter-offensive repelled the Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii, known as the North Koreans past the 38th “Punchbowl.” Parallel and almost to the Yalu River, the People's Republic In 2013, due to advances in forensic technology, scientists of China (PRC) came to the aid from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) of Communist North. With determined that the possibility of identifying the remains Communist China's entry into was likely at that time. The unknown remains were disinterred the conflict, the fighting took for analysis and possible identification. on a more dangerous tone. The rapid Chinese counter-offensive repelled the United Nations Today, 7,883 Americans remain unaccounted for from the forces past the 38th Parallel. The Soviet Union materially Korean War. Using modern technology, identifications aided North Korea and China. The threat of a nuclear world continue to be made from remains that were previously war eventually ceased with an armistice that restored the turned over by North Korean officials or recovered from border between the Koreas near to the 38th Parallel and North Korea by American teams. created the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), a 2.5-mile (4.0 km) wide buffer zone between the two Koreas.

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Since not everyone can get to Facebook, I thought I would Memorial Day Con’t add a few select photos of the events and our great volunteers for the past month’s activities. We have some great volunteers in our American Legion Family… Combat Fishing Tournament Banquet

Memorial Day

Thanks to all who attended and participated in all our May events!

Page 8 Seward, Post 5 Newsletter YOUR BUSINESS CARD SIZE AD HERE FOR ONLY $5 PER MONTH!

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Inspection Services

June 2014 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 1 2 Mexican Martes 3 4 5 6 7 BINGO!!! 6:30PM Food at ALR Meeting KARAOKE 7PM Food at

available at 7pm available at “Texas Hold ‘em” Post – call for Post – call for 6PM Luscious OMAHA POKER 7PM what’s cooking! what’s cooking! Leftovers

Luscious Leftovers 8 9 Mexican Martes 10 11 12 Steak Night 13 14 “Texas Hold ‘em” OMAHA POKER 7PM Post Meeting Auxiliary SAL Meeting KARAOKE 7PM 6PM 7pm Meeting 7pm 7pm

Luscious Leftovers

BINGO!!!! Luscious 6:30PM Leftovers ALR ROMP Food available 13-15 June Flag Day US Army Birthday 15 16 Mexican Martes 17 18 19 Steak Night 20 21 Father’s Day BINGO!!! 6:30PM Food at Food at KARAOKE 7PM Summer Begins Breakfast available at available at Post – call for Post – call for

OMAHA POKER 7PM what’s cooking! what’s cooking! Luscious Food at the post – call for what’s Leftovers out to eat!  Luscious Leftovers 22 23 Mexican Martes 24 25 26 Steak Night 27 28 OMAHA POKER 7PM Start of the Food at KARAOKE 7PM Food at Korean War available at available at

Post – call for Post – call for “Texas Hold ‘em” 6PM Luscious Leftovers what’s cooking! what’s cooking!

Luscious Leftovers BINGO!!!! 6:30PM

29 30 BINGO!!! 6:30PM

“Texas Hold ‘em”

6PM Luscious Luscious Leftovers Leftovers OMAHA POKER 7PM