VFW’S HURRICANE DISASTER RELIEF

TET 50 YEARS LATER OFFENSIVE An artist emerges from the trenches of WWI

COMEDYAS THERAPY Leading the way in supporting those who lead the way.

USAA is proud to join forces with the Veterans of Foreign Wars in helping support veterans and their families.

USAA means United Services Automobile Association and its affiliates. The VFW receives financial support for this sponsorship. © 2017 USAA. 237701-0317 VFW’S HURRICANE DISASTER RELIEF

TET 50 YEARS LATER OFFENSIVE An artist emerges from the trenches of WWI

COMEDYAS THERAPY

JANUARY 2018 Vol. 105 No. 4 COVER PHOTO: An M-60 machine gunner with 2nd Bn., 5th Marines, readies himself for another assault during the COMEDY HEALS Battle of Hue during the Tet Offensive in 20 A VFW member in New York started a nonprofit that offers veterans February 1968. Strapped to his helmet is a a creative artistic outlet. One component is a stand-up comedy work- wrench for his gun, a first-aid kit and what appears to be a vial of gun oil. If any VFW shop hosted by a Post on Long Island. BY KARI WILLIAMS magazine readers know the identity of this Marine, please contact us with details at [email protected]. Photo by Don ‘A LOT OF DEVASTATION’ McCullin/Contact Press Images. After hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria 26 ON THE COVER roared through Texas, Florida and Puer- 14 to Rico last fall, VFW Posts from around Tet Offensive the nation rallied to aid those affected. 20 Comedy Heals Meanwhile, VFW National Headquar- 26 Hurricane Disaster Relief ters had raised nearly $250,000 in finan- 32 An Artist Emerges cial support through the end of October. BY KARI WILLIAMS IN EVERY ISSUE WAR ‘BROUGHT OUT’ 2 Command Post THE ART IN DOUGHBOY 32 4 Mail Call Horace Pippin, an infantryman with the 6 Now Hear This “Harlem Hellfighters” was wounded in 8 Issues Up Front France during World War I. After coming 10 Washington Wire home, Pippin used his experience in the 36 trenches as fodder for his unique style Better Health of oil painting that made him nationally 38 Member Corner renowned. BY BARRY HUDOCK 46 Reunions A ‘CAPABLE AND CARING’ MAN 48 Vets in Focus Korean War veteran Bob Currieo, who 34 served as VFW’s Commander-in-Chief in 1982-83, died Oct. 17. Currieo, who also served as VFW’s Political Action Committee director and Washington Office executive director, had a long history of helping veterans, both nationally and in his home state of Arizona.

CHECK OUT OUR DIGITAL VERSION AT WWW.VFWMAGAZINE.ORG NEED HELP? VETERANS CRISIS LINE: 1-800-273-8255

JANUARY 2018 • WWW.VFW.ORG • 1 COMMAND POST FROM THE CHIEF VFW Supports a National

Official publication of the VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS World War I Memorial OF THE UNITED STATES STAFF hat an honor it was in tise on behalf of DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS, November to represent PUBLICATIONS & PUBLIC AFFAIRS our members. Joe Davis VFW in Washington, The commis- SENIOR EDITOR D.C., at the groundbreak- sion selected Tim Dyhouse W ASSOCIATE EDITOR ing ceremony for the national World the memorial’s War I memorial. As the nation’s premier design in 2016. Janie Dyhouse SENIOR WRITER group of combat veterans, VFW is com- It is called Kari Williams mitted to seeing this structure become a “The Weight EDITORIAL ASSOCIATE reality. of Sacrifice” by Dave Spiva Amazingly, WWI is the only major Chicago-based ART DIRECTOR Lauren Goldman 20th century U.S. conflict that does not architect Joseph COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF Keith E. Harman ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE have a national memorial in Washington, Weishaar and GLM Communications, Inc. D.C., to honor its veterans. VFW is New York-based sculptor Sabin Howard. Jackie Tobin, Vice President, Digital/Print Media on record — through the passage of Renderings of the design can be viewed 500 1st Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030 (212) 929-1300 FAX 212-929-9574 Resolution 301 at our most recent nation- at the commission’s website www.world Email: [email protected] al convention — supporting a WWI war1centennial.org. memorial. Another of the commission’s tasks is EDITORIAL OFFICE Address all communications for publication to: The groundbreaking ceremony was commemorating the Great War during The Editor, VFW Magazine held at the memorial’s future site in the 100th anniversary of U.S. involve- 406 W. 34th St., Suite 523, Kansas City, MO 64111 (816) 756-3390 Pershing Park. Dedicated in 1981 to ment. The premier program is the 100 www.vfw.org; [email protected]

Army Gen. John Pershing — the man Cities/100 Memorials project, which VFW magazine is protected through trademark regis tra- who led U.S. forces in WWI — the 1.75- is tailor-made for our Post members. tion in the United States and in the foreign countries where VFW magazine circulates. VFW magazine (ISSN 0161-8598) acre site is directly southeast of the They have taken up the program’s objec- is published 10 times a year by Veterans of Foreign Wars, 406 White House on Pennsylvania Avenue tive — refurbishing WWI monuments West 34th Street, Kansas City, MO 64111. Non-profit standard class postage paid at Oklahoma City, Okla., and additional between 14th and 15th streets. and memorials in their communities mailing offices. It will honor all 4.7 million Americans — with gusto. Two VFW Posts — 968 Publications Agreement No. 1476947 who served in uniform during the Great in Raymond, Wash., and 3104 in South Available on recording for the blind and those with physical War. Of those veterans, nearly 2.2 mil- Hadley, Mass. — and their efforts were handicaps that preclude reading material. Contact: [email protected]. lion served in Europe between June 26, featured in the November/December 1917 — when the first U.S. ground troops 2017 issue of VFW magazine. SUBMISSIONS arrived in France — and Nov. 11, 1918, The World War One Centennial Unsolicited manu scripts and pho to graphs must be ac com pa- nied by return postage and no re spon si bil i ty is assumed for safe when the war officially ended. Commission originally hoped to have the handling. Poetry submissions not accepted. VFW maga zine is available in microfilm fromNA Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 998, A total of 116,708 Doughboys died national memorial completed in time for Ann Arbor, MI 48106-0998. Payment of membership dues during the war. This includes 53,513 a dedication on Nov. 11, 2018 — the 100th includes $1.98 for a year’s subscription to VFW magazine. who died from hostile action. Another anniversary of the end of the Great War. CHANGE OF ADDRESS/DECEASED MEMBER 204,002 were wounded. We support But that dedication could be delayed. [email protected] 1-800-963-3180 this memorial as a lasting tribute to their As of mid-October 2017, the U.S. Forward address changes to: Data Entry, VFW, bravery, courage, commitment, service Commission of Fine Arts and the National 406 W. 34th St., Kansas City, MO 64111. Be sure to furnish your old ad dress, also your Post number, and sacrifice. Capital Planning Commission had yet to when requesting change to new address. To ensure To back up our official resolution give their final approval of the design. We accuracy, please clip and enclose your present address as printed on a recent copy of VFW magazine. supporting the memorial, we’ve com- also were waiting for the National Park mitted $300,000 to help build it. As of Service to issue a construction permit for NON-MEMBER SUBSCRIPTIONS early October 2017, according to the U.S. the site in Pershing Park. U.S. and its possessions, $15 per year, $1.50 per copy. For subscription in other countries, $20 per year. World War One Centennial Commission, I believe these are minor details that Make checks payable to VFW Magazine and send to: about $14 million had been privately will be worked out. A representative Quartermaster’s Office, 406 W. 34th St., KC, MO 64111. raised for the construction fund. It is from the centennial commission told me VFW OBJECTIVES To ensure national security expected to cost $40 million to finish it. in October that “it is our intention to not through maximum military strength. We’re extensively involved with the let another year go by during the WWI To speed the rehabilitation of the nation’s disabled and needy veterans. centennial commission, which is in Centennial without building the WWI To assist the widows and orphans charge of assuring the memorial’s com- and the depen dents of disabled and needy veterans. memorial to permanently remember our To promote Americanism through education in pa tri o tism pletion. VFW Quartermaster General Doughboys.” and constructive service to the communities in which we live.

Debra Anderson is a member of the com- I and all VFW members wish them the Copyright 2017 by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States mission and provides advice and exper- best of luck. We will be paying attention. MEMBER ALLIANCE FOR AUDITED MEDIA

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THE FACES OF TODAY’S VETS comedy helping VA Choice Program member’s photography class helps vets featured at smithsonian vets gain WWW.VFW.ORG confidence OCTOBER 2017 IN KANSAS CITY & NEW ORLEANS Member’s Veterans It assumes that the VA will pay [outside 118th National Convention VFW MEETS IN providers] in full for such substitute ‘THE BIG EASY’ Helping Photos at services. If VA fails to pay, then the Smithsonian Veterans provider is free to collect the unpaid

REMEMBERING SOMALIA charges from the veteran. The Choice As a former Air Force 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF Blessings to the Program does not insulate the veteran narcotic detector OPERATION RESTORE HOPE BRINGING SMOKE THE DONKEY BACK FROM IRAQ gentlemen for from personal liability to the third-party dog handler, I was their wonderful provider. delighted to see Senior Airman construction of MICHAEL MANTEGNA Candace Colburn with her military tiny homes for vets. They are super ALPHARETTA, GA. working dog Kormi on the cover — men who care. proving once again that we women BYRON D. PAINTER JR. The VA decides if you qualify for can still do the job. PITTSBURGH the Choice Program, depending on the RAE ANN PANTHER, EMAIL distance from a VA facility you live. I’ve been looking into the tiny The VA decides if you can see an out- I am so moved by your article on homes, even before they became popu- side provider depending on the length Stacy Pearsall. As a veteran’s wife with lar, as a means to help both civilian and of time it takes to get a VA appoint- three small children, I am especially veteran homeless and seniors to live a ment. The VA decides when you get an moved by the photos of the dads and better life. Now that I’ve seen the con- appointment with an other-than-VA children. What a talented woman! cept proving itself, I will include these provider. Correct me if I’m wrong, but SAMANTHA HORN tiny houses in my work to help both is this the program they call Veterans HENNING, MINN. segments of our population. Choice? EDWIN B. ALLISON, EMAIL JIM HAINES, EMAIL I, along with my daughter, am depicted in Stacy’s article. I work I saw the Bastion article, and I love for VA, and we have Stacy come to a it. Thanks for taking the time during Smoking is an number of our events to take photos a hectic convention week to come see of veterans. She is a great addition to what we are up to at Bastion. Addictive Disorder our outreach efforts and has become JEREMY BREWER In my past, I was a heavy smoker. I quit a part of our family. BASTION COMMUNITY OF RESILIENCE “cold-turkey” in May 1987 when my PAUL CORBETT, EMAIL EMAIL primary care physician told me that “if you don’t quit, I guarantee that within six months you’ll be dead.” Cold-turkey DMZ Vets Exposed quitting can be done if one just remem- Forever GI Bill bers what my physician told me. to Mustard Gas The bill number should be S. 1598, not LOU CUMMING Saw the title and article in the magazine. S. 1589. LA JOLLA, CALIF. I jumped up and cheered until I read LARRY HOLMAN the full story. The expanding time frame EMAIL This article was of great interest to was just for earlier vets. I completed me. It brought to mind a recent conver- three tours in Korea (1977-78, 1986- sation I had with a young female doctor 87, 1991-92). I’ve walked chest deep ‘No Ordinary Donkey’ at the VA hospital. She was stunned through the canals, creeks and rice pad- It was the first time for me hearing when I told her our C-rations in dies. After we returned to our tents, I about this wonderful story, and I was Vietnam included cigarettes. For many noticed from my neck to my crotch were very touched. I am a retired Air Force of us teenagers, it was a free ticket to hundreds of red puffy blotches that are lieutenant colonel, and served two years years of addiction. Between cigarettes still present today. The VA told me I was at Incirlik Air Base in Turkey and love and Agent Orange, being diagnosed out of the time frame. I believe there animals. I could very much make a con- with lung cancer should have come as should be a start time frame, but open nection with this story. no surprise to me. end because the stuff is still there. DENNIS R. HADEEN, EMAIL ALAN USDROWSKI KENNETH DOMINGUEZ, EMAIL ELK GROVE VILLAGE, ILL. (Continued on page 44.)

“Mail Call” features letters from our readers in nine issues per year. If you have questions, comments or concerns about any subject or article from our most recent issue, letters can be emailed to [email protected], with the subject line, “Mail Call,” or mailed to: VFW magazine, Mail Call, 406 W. 34th Street, Suite 523, Kansas City, MO 64111. Letters must be no more than 200 words, and VFW magazine reserves the right to edit letters for clarity, length and accuracy.

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Green Beret Receives Medal of Honor Elizabeth Dole to

A Vietnam War Special Lead VA Caregiver Forces medic received the Committee nation’s highest military award Oct. 23 at the White VA in October appointed former

WHITE HOUSE PHOTO House. President Donald North Carolina Sen. Elizabeth Dole Trump presented former to head a new veterans caregiver Army Capt. Gary M. Rose committee. The panel will advo- the Medal of Honor for cate for improvements to VA’s Rose’s courageous actions Comprehensive Assistance for more than 47 years ago. Family Caregivers program. On Sept. 11, 1970, Rose, The program currently pro- of the 5th Special Forces vides monthly stipends to more Group, was working than 20,000 caregivers of severely President Donald Trump places the Medal of Honor around with the highly secre- wounded Post-9/11 veterans. One the neck of Gary M. Rose on October 23 at the White tive Military Assistance consideration that Dole’s com- House. The former U.S. Special Forces medic earned the Command, Studies and mittee will study is extending the prestigious honor during Operation Tailwind, a secretive Observation Group program’s benefits to caregivers of four-day operation in September 1970 in Laos. (MACSOG). He and a veterans from all wars. company-sized element VFW supports such a move. of Americans and Montagnards were dropped via helicopter some 60 miles inside Delegates at VFW’s 2017 national Laos as part of Operation Tailwind. convention approved Resolution 611, The covert mission’s objective was to divert North Vietnamese Army forces from which calls for expanding eligibility their fight against the Royal Lao army in other areas of Laos. The 136-man team, to VA’s program for all caregivers. which included 16 Green Berets, also was to collect intelligence. The resolution also urges Rose’s unit was in contact with the enemy almost as soon as it landed. On the Congress to fully align the pro- second day of the four-day mission, then-Sgt. Rose received the most severe of his gram with the Department of several wounds. As he tended to a soldier wounded outside his unit’s defensive Defense’s Special Compensation for perimeter, shrapnel from a rocket-propelled grenade blew a hole in his foot “about Assistance with Activities of Daily the size of my thumb,” he later said. Living program. According to a battle account, “Rose then dragged the wounded soldier back to the Dole is an experienced care- company with one hand while holding back and engaging the enemy with his weapon giver. She cares for her husband, in the other hand.” Rose used a stick as a crutch for the rest of the mission. former Kansas Sen. Robert J. Dole, In total, Rose’s unit had only three KIA, none of whom were American. He was a life member of VFW Post 6240 credited with treating 60-70 soldiers and saving many lives. When Rose learned in Russell, Kan., who was severely that he would be receiving the Medal of Honor, he deflected praise. wounded in World War II. “That medal, to me, recognizes the service of all men in all those years that For more information about VA’s served in MACSOG,” Rose said. “It’s a collective medal from my perspective.” caregiver program, visit www.care giver.va.gov. VFW Disbursed $2 Million Last Year U.S. Troops VFW notched a new record last year in tary and veteran families don’t need. I’m its continuing quest to help military and proud VFW has a program that gives Leave Vietnam veteran families. Its Unmet Needs pro- them a place to turn to when they need Jan. 27: On this day in 1973, rep- gram awarded more than $2 million in it most.” resentatives of the United States, grants to nearly 900 families in 2016-17. The program provides up to $5,000 in South Vietnam and North Vietnam Those numbers shattered the previous the form of one-time grants — not loans signed the Paris Peace Accords, record of $550,000 distributed to 184 — to veterans, troops and their families which officially ended direct U.S. families in 2015-16. experiencing financial hardship. As of military involvement in the Vietnam “The VFW Unmet Needs program Aug. 31, 2017, Unmet Needs had provided War. Two of the document’s objec- continues to touch lives every day,” VFW nearly $8 million in grants to more than tives secured the release of 591 Commander-in-Chief Keith Harman 4,850 families since the program’s cre- Americans held as POWs by North said. “Panicking over whether to fix the ation in 2004. Vietnam and allowed the orderly car, replace the hot water heater or put For more information, visit https:// withdrawal of U.S. combat troops food on the table are stresses our mili- www.vfw.org/assistance/financial-grants. from South Vietnam.

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BY KARI WILLIAMS

fter leaving the Marine Corps of graduation, out in 2004, Nathaniel Fick pur- earning their male sued joint degrees at Harvard counterparts 41 per- AUniversity, earning master’s cent to 31 percent. degrees in international security policy After leaving the and business administration. He also military, Fick said wrote a New York Times bestseller, he pursued a joint- SUMMIT MONTGOMERY OF THE COURTESY PHOTO recounting his war-time experiences. degree at Harvard, Currently, he is the CEO at Endgame, a in part, to make cybersecurity company in Arlington, Va. sense of his time in Fick’s success is indicative of post- the war zone. 9/11 veterans who outrank their civilian “I wanted to counterparts in employment, income and understand the world events that Nathaniel Fick, a Marine Corps veteran, education, according to a new study con- I’d been part of,” said Fick, who led speaks in March 2017 during the Montgomery ducted at City University of New York one of the first American units into Summit, an invitation-only event for investors, by Lawrence Cappello. The study was Afghanistan after 9/11. executives and entrepreneurs to discuss busi- released in June by the Center for Latin As far as the MBA, the Marine said he ness and technology innovations. American, Caribbean and Latino Studies. wanted to transfer his military leader- Fick, who served on the USS Dubuque ship experience “to the language of busi- with the 1st Bn., 1st Marine Regt., said ness” and build a private-sector business. the national average of 5 percent, the his military training was invaluable “What I loved in the military was report states. for his civilian success. He added that building and leading teams, and I want- Household income for veterans “many essential” business traits are cul- ed to find a way to keep doing that in my “increased steadily across all races/eth- tivated in the military. life,” Fick said. “I thought the natural nicities,” according to the report. “Things like attention to detail and way to do that would be to build and “Furthermore, median household integrity and commitment and the real- lead businesses.” income for the total 9/11-era vet- ity that showing up is often half the Fick also wrote an autobiography, One eran population remained well above battle,” Fick said. “So I think military Bullet Away: The Making of a Marine the national average, approximately service is a great training ground for Officer, recounting the early days of the $12,000 higher, for the working-age careers in business, and there are a lot Iraq and Afghanistan wars. More than population throughout the 10-year peri- of great business executives who never 10 years after it was published, Fick said, od,” the report states. spent a day in uniform.” “thousands of copies” are sold every year. Fick said the Marine Corps is a Cappello explored socioeconomic “values-driven organization,” and those and demographic trends “among non- VETERANS EARN MORE values — honor, courage and commit- active duty American veterans who In addition to academic success, the ment — “infuse and inform” the deci- served in the armed forces during the report also found that veterans had sions made as a Marine. The military, Post-9/11 era” between 2005 and 2015, higher employment rates compared to according to Fick, also helps with quick the report states. The study is broken their civilian counterparts, 77 percent to decision-making. into categories of population demo- 70 percent, respectively, in 2015. While “I think that military training is great graphics, employment, income, poverty female veterans had lower employ- in the sense that it helps people get and educational attainment. ment rates than males, “their numbers comfortable with a bias for action and Between employment and income have remained steadily higher than the get comfortable with making decisions status, Cappello contends that “military female national average,” the report in absence of pure information,” Fick service is a path to economic success states. Female non-veterans had a said. “That kind of speed on your feet is that is, quite literally, above average.” 66 percent employment rate in 2015, an important result of military training.” As far as education, 47 percent of post- compared to 69 percent for female vet- To view the full report, visit http:// 9/11-era veterans have earned a college erans in the same year. clacls.gc.cuny.edu/files/2017/07/ degree, whereas civilians are at 39 per- However, unemployment rates for Cappello-Veterans-Report-FINAL.pdf. J cent. Female veterans had a higher rate 9/11-era veterans are consistent with EMAIL [email protected]

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Veteran ID Cards U.S. DEPARTMENTVETERANS OF AFFAIRS Now Available It’s been two years since the Veterans Identification Card Act of 2015 called on the VA to issue veteran IDs to veterans who apply. The ID card application process opened in November. The law mandates that cards contain a veteran’s name, photo and a non-social security identification number, though you must enter your social security number to obtain a card. The cards are valid only for proving military service and cannot be used for benefits through the VA nor to gain access onto military installations. However, those who are currently “Every veteran — past, present, and future — will now be eligible for VA or military benefits will continue to have those able to prove their military service without the added risk of through their current methods. identity theft,” Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.), who introduced Veterans also will not be able to use the cards as proof of the ID card legislation in 2015, told Military.com. “These ID age because they are not official government-issued IDs. cards will make life a little bit easier for our veterans.” To apply, veterans must register with Vets.gov, a website An important piece of information to note is that the ID that authenticates veterans through the ID.me system. This cards are available only to honorably discharged veterans, requires vets to upload a copy of a valid government photo according to VA spokesman Curt Cashour. ID and provide their Social Security number, in addition to At press time, the VA offered no indication about how long entering other information. it would take to process the ID applications.

VA Opens Third Crisis Line Call Center GI Bill Time Limit Lifted One of the most important aspects The VA is set to open to reach us,” VA Secretary of the Forever GI Bill (see November/ its third Veterans David Shulkin said. “The December 2017 “Washington Wire”) Crisis Line call center new center in Topeka gives is that it no longer stipulates when in January. Located on us more feet on the ground certain veterans can use their Post- the campus of the VA Eastern Kansas and an easier way for veterans to connect 9/11 GI Bill education benefits. Health Care System in Topeka, Kan., it with us when they need us most.” Veterans discharged or released from will serve to handle the increase of calls When fully staffed, the call cen- active duty on or after Jan. 1, 2013, to the Veterans Crisis Line as a result ter in Topeka will employ 100 indi- can use those benefits at any time. of VA’s initiative to enable vets calling viduals. There also are call centers in “Previously, veterans eligible for the VA’s Community Based Outpatient Canandaigua, N.Y., and Atlanta. the Post-9/11 GI Bill had to use their Clinics and Vet Centers to “press 7.” “VFW has long-identified the impor- benefits within 15 years,” VFW’s The VFW has been the primary tance of immediate assistance for vets National Legislative Service Associate proponent of this initiative since the reaching out for help,” said VFW’s Director Patrick Murray said. “This beginning. VFW and Auxiliary members National Legislative Service Director rule still applies to those who earned Daniel and Pauline Duffy from Florida Carlos Fuentes. “This is a milestone for the benefit before that date.” first recognized the need in 2013 for a veterans and their families.” The new rule also applies to the “press 7” function. This allows vets to Established in 2007, the Veterans children of deceased veterans who speak to a crisis line responder instead Crisis Line received more than 530,000 earned the benefit after Jan. 1, 2013, of having to hang up, call 1-800-273- calls in 2017. It takes 8 seconds on aver- as well as all Fry Scholarship spouses. 8255 and press 1 to get help. age for calls to be answered, with 1.3 For more information about the “When it comes to preventing veteran percent of calls rolled over to a backup specifics of theForever GI Bill, visit suicide, we will do everything we can to center and 4.7 percent of calls being benefits.va.gov/gibill. make it as easy as possible for veterans abandoned, according to the VA.

FOR MORE INFORMATION about specific legislation or VA benefits, contact VFW’s Washington Office at [email protected]. A member of VFW’s National Veterans Service staff will respond as soon as possible.

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Ooh-Rah! USMC Men’s Ring

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12 • VFW • JANUARY 2018

ÔTHE TURNING POINTÕ AP PHOTO

LEFT: A map of South Vietnam in 1968 shows key areas, such as Saigon and Hue, attacked by the North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong during the Tet Offensive. According to the VFW-produced book Brutal Battles of Vietnam, some 81,000 lives were lost during this time in Vietnam.

UNITED STATES ARMY CENTER OF MILITARY HISTORY

14 • VFW • JANUARY 2018 THIS MONTH MARKS THE 50-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE TET OFFENSIVE, NORTH VIETNAM’S AMBITIOUS PLAN TO CONQUER ITS SOUTHERN NEIGHBOR. U.S. TROOPS ‘THE TURNING POINT’ CRUSHED THAT HOPE, DEALING THE COMMUNISTS A RESOUNDING MILITARY DEFEAT. BY DAVE SPIVA

he first two months of 1968 too. In fact, more U.S. servicemen were proved to be a watershed killed — 246 KIA — on Jan. 31, 1968, at point of the Vietnam War. the beginning of the offensive, than any TUp until January 1968, U.S. other day of the war. The deadliest week troops had maintained a strong presence of the Tet Offensive — and at that point in South Vietnam. Afterward, troop lev- of the Vietnam War — was Feb. 10-17, els would begin to decrease as political 1968, which had 543 KIA and 2,547 WIA opposition to the war mounted. throughout South Vietnam, according to Militarily, though, the Americans VFW magazine’s Combat. Being the most fighting in Vietnam continued to per- popular holiday in Vietnam, Tet sym- form admirably. Throughout the war, bolizes the solidarity of the Vietnamese U.S. troops inflicted far greater casual- people, regardless of their religion. The ties on the communists than they suf- holiday was traditionally observed as a fered on the battlefield. ceasefire, called the Tet Truce. But com- The same holds true for the Tet munist forces broke tradition in 1968. Offensive, North Vietnam’s grand plan to The communist armies planned coor- overrun the south. The campaign thrust dinated attacks on more than 100 cit- more than 80,000 North Vietnamese ies and military bases in South Vietnam Army (NVA) and Viet Cong troops — the on the Lunar New Year. And the attacks exact number is unclear — in coordinated were perhaps not as coordinated as their attacks throughout South Vietnam. planners had originally intended. The NVA and Viet Cong received heavy In August 1967, North Vietnam’s time casualties during the offensive. More than zone changed to coincide with Beijing’s, half who took part in the Tet Offensive which is one hour ahead. As a result, were killed, wounded or captured, accord- North Vietnam’s Tet occurred one day ing to The Vietnam War: An Intimate before South Vietnam’s holiday, which History, by Geoffrey Ward and Ken Burns. possibly confused some communist And although it was a massive military troops who planned to attack in the south. defeat for North Vietnam, the ferocity Whether it was confusion or a dis- and scope of the operation stunned the traction from the main offensive, many American public. More importantly, a attacks happened after midnight on Jan. majority of Americans had begun to lose 30, the day before the South Vietnam faith in how U.S. politicians were prose- holiday. Most of the Tet Offensive cuting the war. attacks, however, came the next day, According to a February 1968 Gallup with the U.S. Embassy in Saigon as one ABOVE: Marines of the 1st Bn., 5th poll, 57 percent of respondents disap- of the targets. Marines rest alongside a wall of Hue’s proved of the Johnson Administration’s imperial palace after battling for the handling of the war. SECURITY FORCES BATTLE IN SAIGON Citadel during the Tet Offensive. U.S. “It was the [political] turning point of The fight in Saigon was one of the more forces lost 147 Marines and 69 soldiers the war,” said Otto Lehrack, an author well-known battles of the Tet Offensive. during the Battle of Hue. and former Marine officer who served Thousands of Viet Cong entered South two deployments in the Vietnam War. Vietnam’s capital in the weeks leading up Tet was a costly fight for Americans, to the holiday. In one of its first attacks,

JANUARY 2018 • WWW.VFW.ORG • 15 AP PHOTO

Defense of Saigon Merits Recognition

The 716th Military Police (MP) Battalion, 89th MP Group, 18th MP Brigade distin- guished itself on Jan. 31, 1968, in Saigon. Living up to its mis- sion to “fight as infan- try when required,” Two MPs in Saigon aid a wounded MP the battalion earned during fighting at the U.S. Embassy a Presidential Unit Citationf or its compound on Jan. 31, 1968. U.S. and defense of the U.S. Embassy and South Vietnamese forces ousted about other locations around het city. Listed 1,000 Viet Cong out of the city during the below are MPs, infantrymen and air- first week of the Tet Offensive. men who earned individual awards in the 13-hour fight. Viet Cong breached the Mac Dinh Chi was significant and covered extensively entrance of the U.S. Embassy, according by Saigon-based American media, more Distinguished Service Cross to Brutal Battles of Vietnam: America’s casualties were sustained in a battle that • Army Pfc. Paul V. Healey, B Co., Deadliest Days 1965-1972, VFW’s official had already been underway in Khe Sanh. 716th MP Bn., 89th MP Group, account of Vietnam’s major land battles. 18th MP Bde. Spec. 4 Charles Daniel and Pfc. William VIETNAMÕS LONGEST BATTLE Sebast, of the 527th MP Company, were More than a week before the Tet Silver Star among the first killed at the embassy. A Offensive, NVA troops began their siege Eight from the Army’s 716th MP Bn. few hours later, men of B Co., 716th MP on Khe Sanh. Located some 15 miles • Pfc. Roland Bowen*, A Co. Bn., launched a counterattack to retake the south of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) • Sgt. Michael Grieve*, A Co. embassy from the invaders. and about six miles east of Laos, Khe • Spec. 4 Ronald Kendall, C Co. Security forces were the only U.S. mili- Sanh was the site of the longest battle of • Spec. 4 Charles Miller, B Co. tary units allowed in Saigon due to the pre- the Vietnam War. • Pfc. Steven Sears, C Co. vailing status-of-forces-agreement. This According to Brutal Battles of Vietnam, • Sgt. John Shook, B Co. included no U.S. combat units allowed about 6,000 Marines defended Khe Sanh, • Spec. 4 Alvin Troyer, C Co. in the South Vietnam capital. As a result, including 5,000 Leathernecks of the • 1st Lt. Gerald Waltman, C Co. when called upon, the MPs and security 26th Marine Regiment, the 1st Bn., 9th guards were ready to fight as infantrymen. Marines, and the 1st Bn., 13th Marines. Four from C Company of the Army’s “We converted from an MP battalion There, Marines faced off against some 52nd Infantry Regiment, which was to a tactical infantry battalion in less than 20,000 NVA troops. attached to the 716th MP Bn. three hours, and, in essence, we were An interrogator who was based at the • Spec. 4 Vincent Giovannelli unassisted for the first 12 to 18 hours,” Cam Lo Combat Base less than five miles • Staff Sgt. Herman Holness said Lt. Col. Gordon D. Rowe, command- south of the DMZ during the first days of • Sgt. 1st Class James R. Lobato er of the 716th Battalion, according to the battle at Khe Sanh said there were omi- • Spec. 4 Bruce McCartney Brutal Battles of Vietnam. nous warnings in the days leading up to Also according to the book, military Tet. Marine Staff Sgt. Allen “Gunner” Kent Six from the Air Force’s 377th police and security guards attached to said that through the interrogation sub- Security Police Squadron, which the 716th MP Bn., 89th MP Grp., 18th team in Khe Sanh he learned that commu- defended the Tan Son Nhut Air Base MP Bde., were the “eyes and ears in the nist forces were preparing an attack. on Saigon’s outskirts. opening stages of the battle for Saigon,” “We were getting indications that • Maj. Carl Bender said Lt. Col. Richard E. George, provost something was going to happen — we just • Sgt. Alonzo Coggins marshal in Saigon on Jan. 31. didn’t know when,” said Kent, who at the • Sgt. William Cyr* During the embassy attack, four sol- time was a part of the 17th Interrogation • Sgt. Louis Fischer* diers of the 527th MP Company and a and Translation Team. • Sgt. Edward C. Hebron* Marine security guard were killed. A Kent, the VFW Commander-in-Chief • Sgt. Roger Mills* total of 27 Americans died and 44 were from 1994-95 and Adjutant General from * posthumous wounded. Though the Battle of Saigon 2005-13, said he transferred to Phu Bai

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© 2017 Aging In The Home Remodelers 82036 January 1968, he and his men started Marines Earn Navy Crosses at Khe Sanh seeing “a lot of increased activity” near The nearly three-month long siege of the Marine base at Khe Sanh the DMZ. actually started more than a week before the Tet Offensive. The “We intercepted a lot of formations of Leathernecks’ stout defense resulted in two Navy Crosses, the mili- North Vietnamese heading south towards tary’s second-highest award for valor in combat. Hue,” said Lehrack, a member of VFW • Marine 2nd Lt. Thomas Brindley*, India Co., 3rd Bn., 26th Marines Post 11575 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. • Marine Col. David E. Lownds, commander, 26th Marines. * posthumous ÔA BEAUTIFUL CITYÕ The scale of fighting in Hue exceeded all other urban battles of the Vietnam War. Combat Base for Hue, just 65 miles south of the DMZ and the Tet Offensive. FIGHTING NEAR THE DMZ six miles west of the South China Sea, was “We had inter- While some of the best known confronta- the former imperial capital and cultural rogation subteams all over northern I tions of the Tet Offensive happened in the epicenter of Vietnam. The city had about Corps and throughout South Vietnam,” urban areas of Vietnam, U.S. troops also 140,000 inhabitants and didn’t experience explained Kent, the current quartermas- fought extensively in the countryside. much of the war until the Tet Offensive. ter of VFW Post 9972 in Sierra Vista, Marines of India Co., 3rd Bn., 3rd Then-Marine Lance Cpl. Robert Ariz. Marines, were situated on the McNamara Wallace, a 106mm gunner with For 77 days, Marines slugged it out Line near the DMZ at a strongpoint Headquarters and Support Co., 1st Bn., 1st with communist troops at Khe Sanh and called Alpha 3. To the east was Gio Linh, Marines, said he traveled through Hue on suffered 205 KIA and 852 WIA. On July location of Alpha 2, and to the west was a truck caravan heading from Quang Tri 5, a few months after the battle, MACV Alpha 4 at Con Thien. to Phu Bai about a week before the battle. commander Army Gen. Creighton “It was the closest outpost to the DMZ “I remember us remarking what a Abrams ordered the Marines at Khe in all of South Vietnam,” said Lehrack, a beautiful city it was,” Wallace said. “That Sanh to abandon the base. former Army captain who was the com- all changed. Just a few days later, we “The whole purpose of [the attack at] mander of India Company. “We caught were back in the truck caravan heading Khe Sanh for the NVA was to tie up the [NVA troops] coming into and out of into Hue.” United States Marine Corps [during the South Vietnam all the time.” Wallace, who was VFW’s Commander- Tet Offensive],” Kent said. Lehrack said that toward the end of in-Chief in 1991-92 and is currently the AP WIDE WORLDPHOTO

During the Battle of Khe Sanh, one of the most important battles of the Vietnam War, 6,680 Marines withstood repeated assaults from 20,000 NVA regulars over a period of 77 days. Mortar, rocket and artillery fire was a daily occurrence, producing extreme mental fatigue among the Americans. Eventually, massive airstrikes by Air Force, Navy and Marine aircraft, plus reinforcements, brought the siege to an end.

18 • VFW • JANUARY 2018 MARINE CORPS PHOTO VFW Washington Office executive direc- tor, hustled back to Hue after communist troops assaulted the city on Jan. 31. Wallace said once they arrived, “The shit hit the fan. As we started to go into the city, all that was heard was the sound of weapons being shot.” THE ‘FALLUJAH’ OF VIETNAM Initially, U.S. troops were ordered not to bomb or shell the city due to its religious and historical structures. However, that later changed due to the American casu- alties suffered in the battle. Wallace said the 106mm recoilless rifle was “indispensable” in Hue. He said the rifle was typically mounted on a mule, but “to be effective, we had to carry it.” “It was very heavy to haul around,” Wallace said. “It took a few of us to carry it. The shells also weighed 40 pounds.” Wallace said Hue was the first time Lance Cpl. Robert Wallace (left), of Headquarters and Service Company, along with Marines of Marines had fought in a city in a long Alpha Co., 1st Bn., 1st Marines, carries a 106mm recoilless rifle during the Battle of Hue. This time and referred to the battle as the photograph was taken moments before Wallace received his first of two wounds in the battle. Vietnam War’s “Battle of Fallujah” (the famous November 2004 fight in Iraq) for the Marine Corps. communists in Hue. In total, during the Tet experience in Vietnam and in the Marine After 26 days of intense fighting, Offensive, 81,000 people died, including Corps for inspiring him to be an advo- American troops, after suffering 216 KIA 3,895 U.S. troops and 14,300 Vietnamese cate for veterans who “had it worse” and 1,364 WIA, recaptured Hue. The 5th civilians. Hue was one of the places that than him. Marines accounted for more than half of saw the most death and destruction. Wallace said he gives thanks to the those killed in the battle. “Hue was a very defining moment for Navy corpsmen who assisted him and his a lot of us,” Wallace said. “We saw a lot of fellow wounded Marines. Wallace cred- THE WAKE OF TET things that we didn’t think we would ever its those corpsmen for giving him a “sec- According to Brutal Battles of Vietnam, see. It was just a life-changing experience.” ond chance on life.” at least 4,756 Vietnamese civilians were Wallace, who earned two Purple “They are the true heroes of Hue and killed or went missing at the hands of the Hearts while fighting in Hue, credits his Tet, as well as all the battles in Vietnam and other wars,” Wallace said. Lehrack said his time in Vietnam also Operation Hue City was “the defining experience” of his life. Marines and soldiers tenaciously defended Vietnam’s “I mostly wish I had done a better ancient capital of Hue from the onset of Tet through much of job, brought more of my Marines home,” February 1968. Heroic actions during the brutal house-to-house Lehrack said. “I think that’s the reason I urban fighting produced recipients of the military’s most volunteered for another tour two years prestigious awards. after I got back. I felt guilty ... I still feel that to this day.” Medal of Honor Kent said he doesn’t agree with • Marine Sgt. Alfredo Gonzalez*, A Co., 1st Bn., 1st Marines the common notion that the U.S. lost • Army Chief Warrant Officer Frederick Ferguson, C Co., 227th Aviation Bn., 1st Cav Div. the Vietnam War because of the Tet • Army Staff gS t. Joe Hooper, D Co., 2nd Bn., 501st Inf., 101st Abn. Div. Offensive. He added that “Congress” lost • Army Staff gS t. Clifford Sims,* D Co., 2nd Bn., 501st Inf., 101st Abn. Div. the war — “not the military.” “When all the smoke cleared, the Distinguished Service Cross American flag flew over every place that • Army 2nd Lt. Thomas Dobrinska*, B Co., 2nd Bn., 12th Cav, 1st Cav Div. it had before Tet,” Kent said. “The NVA and Viet Cong didn’t control one piece of Silver Star ground [in South Vietnam] when Tet was • Army Maj. Charles Krohn, 2nd Bn., 12th Cav, 1st Cav Div. over. How in the hell did we lose?” J * posthumous EMAIL [email protected]

JANUARY 2018 • WWW.VFW.ORG • 19 AFGHANISTAN VETERAN SETS

A member of VFW Post 433 in Sayville, N.Y., starts the nonprofit Project9Line to help veterans through the arts.

BY KARI WILLIAMS

PHOTOS BY JASON HOWARD

Army veteran Brian James performs in September with Project9Line’s comedy group at VFW Post 400 in Farmingville, N.Y. James, who was joining Post 2912 in Wheatley Heights, N.Y., as of press time, is one of more than 30 veterans who has participated in the comedy workshop Project9Line offers.

20 • VFW • JANUARY 2018 STAGE FOR COMEDY SHOWS

omedy is not a cure for the mental wounds service mem- bers receive overseas. But for CPatrick Donohue, it plays an important role. The Afghanistan War veteran said there are “no words to describe the inter- nal happiness” he feels because of his nonprofit Project9Line, which hosts a comedy workshop for veterans. Donohue said though it’s not the only activity that has helped him personally, comedy has made a difference with approaching others and speaking publicly. “[I’m able to] share my experiences just so much better now,” Donohue said. “It’s like night and day.” Donohue, a member of VFW Post 433 in Sayville, N.Y., started Project9Line Navy veteran “Tugboat Manny” Erias takes the stage in September at VFW Post 400 in in late 2013-early 2014 to help vet- Farmingville, N.Y. As part of Project9Line, Erias learned the ins and outs of comedy in order erans. Donohue served in Kandahar, to put together a routine based on his own experiences. Afghanistan, with the 2nd Bde., 101st Abn. Div., as a water-treatment specialist from 2010 to 2011, and said he was diag- nosed with PTSD while on active duty. “When I returned home from over- seas, I had a really, really rough time,” Donohue said. “It lasted for a few years. I finally asked for help, then went to VA for a few months and while receiving treat- ment, I realized some things I started to do had a profound impact on my life — writing, doing yoga, art.” He wanted to continue those activities not only for himself, but, he said, “to help veterans like me.” And thus Project9Line was born. The nonprofit helps veterans “com- municate their experiences and express themselves” through workshops, classes and programs focused on the arts, accord- ing to project9line.org. Project9Line hosts activities ranging from yoga and fencing Army veteran Sid Lynn participated in the most recent comedy workshop with Project9Line, to mixed-martial arts and comedy. allowing him the opportunity to perform in September at his own Post. “I really needed to take my focus off of some other things in my life that I was going through,” said Lynn, a former VFW District 1 commander in New York, “and I knew that Project9Line was there.”

WHAT DOES PROJECT9LINE OFFER? • Writing workshops • Art classes • Comedy workshop • Mixed-martial arts • Guitar group • Yoga • Fencing • Recreational horseback riding • Drum lessons

JANUARY 2018 • WWW.VFW.ORG • 21 Veterans celebrate after completing their comedy performance in September at VFW Post 400 in Farmingville, N.Y., as part of Project9Line’s comedy workshop. The workshop is one of a variety of arts-related activities the group organizes to help veterans.

VETERANS COMEDY ASSAULT COMEDY AS A CALLING said, “and I knew that comedy was some- Brian Cutaia, a founding Project9Line thing I’ve been interested in. So I just fig- The success of Project9Line’s comedy board member, suggested starting a com- ured that the both of them would go well. class spawned a comedy team, Veterans edy class. Cutaia has been a standup come- Getting away from some issues I was Comedy Assault, according to Patrick dian for more than a decade, having won experiencing with some very mean, bul- Donohue, the nonprofit’s founder. the Long Island Funniest Person contest in lying people and just helping me with 2007 at McGuire’s Comedy Club and has that.” Separate from Project9Line, veterans who been featured on Sirius satellite radio. Lynn, who served as a pole lineman in have graduated from the organization’s “It was a great cause, and then it Vietnam from February 1967 to May 1969 comedy workshop perform pro-bono and became something a lot more than just with the 40th Signal Bn., 1st Signal Bde. He paid shows. So far, the troupe has trav- doing it for a friend,” Cutaia said. “It said his only comedy experience prior to eled to Connecticut and Pennsylvania. became — ‘Wow, we’re really making an the workshop was with family and friends. impact on these people’s lives.’ ” “I expected to have 10 weeks of a good “We didn’t really know how to collectively When Cutaia was younger, he said, he time, culminating in a show,” Lynn said. “I market our services … I wanted to separate wanted to be a comic but later realized was looking for a nice time to intermingle from Project9Line so that way we could act “the lifestyle isn’t really all it’s cracked with other veterans and just put myself in independently,” Donohue said. up to be.” a different venue than I’d been in for the “It went from a dream to a hobby that I last few years.” Going into the class, Vietnam-era veteran still do all the time,” Cutaia said. “Maybe Cutaia said the experience has been John Rago said, he expected to just do I was supposed to start comedy to even good for him, too. He said he has developed his five-minute routine and “go through help these guys.” beneficial relationships with veterans who the class.” Sid Lynn, a member of VFW Post 400 have participated in the workshop. in nearby Farmingville, N.Y., participat- “I’ll teach them how to say a few jokes,” “But after the show was so much fun and ed in the most recent comedy workshop. Cutaia said. “They’ve taught me 10 times everybody had such a good time that a A former VFW District 1 commander more than I could have ever taught them.” lot of us said, ‘This is really neat, we have (New York, 2014-16), Lynn said those But at first, Cutaia said, he was something here,’” Rago said. “Maybe responsibilities conflicted with taking worried about bringing comedy to we can carry on with this and help other the course sooner. Project9Line because being on stage — organizations raise money by putting on a “At the end of two years, I really needed and possibly not getting a good reaction comedy show. So we continued.” to take my focus off of some other things — can be “very disheartening.” in my life that I was going through, and I “Laughter, they say, is the best medi- knew that Project9Line was there,” Lynn cine, so when you’re able to give people

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Gravity Defyer Corp. 10643 Glenoaks Blvd. Pacoima, CA 91331 WHAT’S IN A NAME? Project9Line earned its namesake from a term used on the battlefield. Its founder, Patrick Donohue, said “that overseas, the way to save your brother’s or sister’s life when they get injured is called a 9-line medevac.” the opportunity to spread medicine, that’s Each class “graduates” with a comedy ness about Project9Line and its causes. even better than the laughter,” Cutaia show held at a local VFW Post. The first “What I’ve found is that comedy is one said. “It’s something unique.” show was held at Post 433. of the best ways,” Donohue said. The workshop lasts eight weeks, but John Rago, commander of VFW Post Cutaia said Project9Line is “different Cutaia said “you can’t really teach com- 400, participated in the January 2015 than any other organization” because it’s edy.” comedy workshop. He is a Vietnam-era not run by doctors or therapists. “People are either funny or they’re veteran who served from 1970-72 in the “What I think comedy does for these not,” Cutaia said. “It’s showing them how Navy as a sonar tech 3rd class patrolling veterans is just something different,” to direct their funniness and how to make on the USS Francis Scott Key near Spain. Cutaia said. “We’re not here to talk to you, something they think is funny, make them Prior to Project9Line, the biggest audi- to find out what’s the root of things going develop it into a laugh.” ence Rago ever had was “around the on with you.” kitchen table.” His bit includes his time Rather, the comedy workshops help ‘IT’S YOU AND THE MIC’ in the Navy, but also his 43-year marriage. veterans take their minds off of issues in Seven people graduated from the first “I rag on my wife a lot,” he quipped. their lives, according to Cutaia. eight-week class in 2015, including But for Rago, performing in front of a “For some people, it has developed into Donohue. More than 30 veterans have room full of people was “unique.” an entire hobby or passion or a dream,” taken the workshop since, according to “The nerves start to get to you after a Cutaia said. “It’s something that will dis- Donohue, and the final shows at the con- while, especially the night of a show,” he tract. It’s something new to bring to peo- clusion of each course have been held at said. “My biggest fear was forgetting my ple that will give them something to look area VFW Posts. act and just drawing a blank. That was my forward to and something to give them- Veterans of “every branch [and] every worst fear, but again, another thing you selves progression with.” combat era” form the classes, according have to get over.” Lynn said in creating Project9Line, to Donohue, who participated because he Rago said he does not have PTSD, but Donohue has “helped countless veterans.” likes to “lead from the front.” he saw the comedy workshop “help other “He’s a wonderful young man,” Lynn “It was very, very nerve-wracking at guys who do suffer,” noting, however, that said, “and he’s got a lot going for him and first,” Donohue said. “It’s the most-scary it’s “not a cure.” he’s helped a lot of people.” thing in the world to just be on a stage. It’s “It helps them deal with the situation Donohue said he gets more satisfaction you and the mic.” and they become more open about it and from his involvement with Project9Line The class itself is built around creating their whole demeanor changes,” Rago said. than anything else. one, five-minute comedy set for each par- For Lynn, comedy helped take his “It’s been a lot of hard work and ups ticipant. The first few weeks, according to mind off of his problems. He used “pretty and downs, but my life today is great,” Donohue, are spent “learning what makes current personal experiences” for his rou- Donohue said. “And I have a lot to credit to a joke” and how to take life experiences tine, which did not include religion, poli- the [creative] outlets that I choose to par- and turn them into “funny” material. tics or anything “dirty.” ticipate in. But also, building Project9Line “Then we begin to do those jokes in “That’s where I wanted to be, and that’s and helping others has given me more front of each other and critique each what I did,” Lynn said. “Just the process, it than words could ever describe.” J other,” Donohue said. was a lot of fun. There were another 10-12 EMAIL [email protected] Cutaia explained that he wants veterans people in the group, and I knew one other to talk on stage as a first step and develop fella in the group and you [were] kind of the confidence that’s necessary in comedy. brought together. It was really a wonder- HOW TO CONTACT PROJECT9LINE He also teaches “basic rules of comedy,” ful experience.” such as not wearing a shirt with writing on Rago, who turned 67 in August, said the (631) 841-1141 it and putting the mic stand at the back of class of veterans formed a bond and sup- 25 Union Ave. the stage once removing the mic itself. ported each other. Islip, NY 11751 “Comedy is about your facial features,” “It gives me a chance to interact with Cutaia said. “How you act, how you pres- the younger guys… [and it] might make http://www.project9line.org/ ent the joke.” them realize they can get through this,” https://www.facebook.com/ They also focus on the writing style Rago said. Project9line/ and how to deliver jokes. https://twitter.com/project9line “There are different types of humor,” ‘MORE THAN WORDS https://www.instagram.com/ Cutaia said, “and then little things, too, COULD EVER DESCRIBE’ project9line/ like you have to put the funny word at the Donohue said the “most important” thing end of the sentence.” he does on a daily basis is spread aware-

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urricane Harvey caused Hurricane Harvey, which made land- $4,500, according to McCombs. the windows of VFW Post fall Aug. 25, was the first major hurri- As the Post awaits word from the insur- 3904 in Rockport, Texas, to cane to hit the Texas coast since Celia in ance company to determine how to pro- Hblow in. Air pressure forced 1970, according to the National Weather ceed, McCombs said, the American GI the roof off the building, and it landed in Service. Forum in Rockport is allowing the Post to three neighboring yards. Part of the front McCombs, who served three tours meet at its building. wall also fell in. (1983, 1992 and 1996) in the Persian Gulf But days later, Post members held and during Operation Desert Storm with ‘THERE’S NOT EVEN A LEAF ON A TREE’ a meeting in the parking lot, amid the the Navy, said as soon as word spread Hurricane Maria, a Category 4 storm, destruction. about the damage to Post 3904, he started swept through Puerto Rico Sept. 20, leav- “It was a complete act of defiance and receiving calls. Messages arrived from as ing at least 18 dead and the majority of the unity,” said Post Commander Jimmy far as Boston, Mass., and Tacoma, Wash., island without power, according to The McCombs. “It was our way of saying along with various Texas Posts. As of Weather Channel. Harvey can kiss our — you know.” September, the Post had received about Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Buchanan, life member

ABOVE: Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Jansen Schamp reassures civilians on Aug. 31, 2017, after a rescue at Pine Forest Elementary School in Vidor, Texas. U.S. Fleet Forces Command personnel rescued seven adults, seven children and four dogs at the school, which had been serving as a shelter until flood waters from Hurricane Harvey reached its grounds. Harvey made landfall Aug. 25 and was the first major hurricane to hit the Texas coast since 1970.

26 • VFW • JANUARY 2018 AS COMMUNITIES IN TEXAS, FLORIDA AND PUERTO RICO SUSTAINED DAMAGE DURING ‘DEFIANCE AND UNITY’ LAST YEAR’S HURRICANE SEASON, VFW POSTS RALLIED TO OFFER SUPPORT.

of VFW Post 8800 in Canyon Lake, Texas, process of being cleared in October. The had “three major shelters running” that and commander of U.S. Army North, is number of military aid flights had dimin- the Red Cross could not reach with its the Department of Defense’s liaison in ished, too, according to Buchanan. equipment. Puerto Rico. He arrived on the island The number of island inhabitants “We were preparing three meals a day Sept. 28 and said the damage “was abso- in October with power, according to and shipping it out to about 2,000 people lutely catastrophic.” Buchanan, was “hovering around 21 per- a day,” Stewart said. “It was far worse than anything I’d ever cent.” It was around 2 percent when Mark Windsor, VFW Post 2493 com- seen,” Buchanan said. Buchanan arrived in late September. mander in Mt. Wolf, Pa., led a donation Maria, according to Buchanan, is the “It’s still way below what anybody effort with Post 556, of York, Pa., to make “10th most-powerful storm ever record- would be satisfied with,” Buchanan said. deliveries to Conroe. ed,” including those that did not hit land. About 60 percent of the island had Windsor said he wanted to show that Maria earned its place in the top 10 along- access to water, as of October, through its Post members were willing to send dona- side hurricanes Katrina and Rita, The normal system rather than “delivery of tions, as well as be on hand to deliver Weather Channel reported. clean water,” according to Buchanan. them. The island also sustained “tremendous The people of Puerto Rico’s “sense of “It’s a relief to know that you’ve got wind damage,” according to Buchanan. community,” according to Buchanan, has other VFWs that care enough to drive 25 “For much of the island, there’s not shone through in the hurricane’s after- hours straight through just to offer any even a leaf on a tree,” Buchanan said. math and will “help them get back on assistance they can,” Windsor said. Buchanan said that after Maria hit the their feet.” Donations came from throughout their island, DoD realized its requirements in “The one thing that has amazed me is communities, including local businesses. support of FEMA and the local governor the sense of community and the power “Filling the truck was the easy part would be “far larger than we had in Irma.” of families and the fact that people seem for me because of the community,” said He oversees the Army, Navy, Air Force to be bending over to help each other,” Windsor, who served in Korea in 1989-90 and Marine Corps teams totaling about Buchanan said. with A Co., 102nd Military Intelligence 17,000 federal responders, the majority Bn., as an electronic intelligence inter- from the DoD. ‘FILLING THE TRUCK WAS THE EASY PART’ ceptor. Given the extent of the damage, Floyd Stewart, Post 4709 commander in Windsor also took $6,850 in checks Buchanan said, parts of Puerto Rico “have Conroe, Texas, said that when Harvey hit, and cash to Conroe. In making the trip, rebounded fairly quickly.” Major roads, a call went out from Friends of Conroe, a Windsor joined forces with past Post 2493 he added, have been cleared, and minor nonprofit group. Commander Matthew Baskette, Post 2493 roads “up in the mountains” were in the The county, according to Stewart, Auxiliary member Cheryl Witmer, Post PHOTO COURTESY OF JOSE ROSA COURTESY PHOTO PHOTO COURTESY OF JOSE ROSA COURTESY PHOTO PHOTO COURTESY OF JOSE ROSA COURTESY PHOTO

Jose Rosa, commander of VFW Post 3282 Members of VFW Post 3282 in Port VFW Post 3282 in Port Orange, Fla., took in Port Orange, Fla., loads donations for Orange, Fla., collect donations for hurricane donations for hurricane relief efforts. hurricane relief efforts into a van. Rosa’s relief efforts. Post Commander Jose Rosa Post Commander Jose Rosa said the Post Post lost power for about six hours as a said the community looks at VFW for collected more than $1,000 for Hurricane result of Hurricane Irma, but later opened support. “The day after the storm, there Maria victims, as well as filling three trucks its doors to the public. “We have helped [were] a lot of people in our Post because with items to be distributed in Puerto Rico. several people who were isolated by the they had no power and no TV, and we did,” storm and helped them clear up their yards Rosa said. and their fences,” Rosa said.

JANUARY 2018 • WWW.VFW.ORG • 27 VFW Posts Provide Relief During California Wildfires 2493 staff member Kelly Witmer and Post As wildfires raged along the coast of California in October, VFW Posts throughout the 556 Commander Ron Etheridge. state provided relief in their communities. One member of Post 4709, Mike Glenn Ross, commander of VFW Post 1929 in Petaluma, Calif., opened his Post for 12 Eshenbaugh, waded through knee-deep days as a shelter for displaced members of the community. waters in Spring, Texas, near Cypresswood Ross, who served in the 1991 Persian Gulf War as a tanker with the 2nd Armored and Interstate 45, to help residents in the Division, said the Post had “the second largest evacuation aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. facility” in the city, housing 430 people. “I’m a veteran,” Eshenbaugh said. Ross said there was no damage in Petaluma, but “every- “That’s what veterans do.” body knew somebody” who lost a home or a business in A veteran’s counselor for the Texas Santa Rosa, roughly 20 miles north. When the Post’s shel- Veterans Commission, Eshenbaugh ter closed, Ross said, there were four people remaining, served in the Army from 1992 to 2001 and all of them had other housing arrangements. with tours in Bosnia and Saudi Arabia Julia Sutton, Post 768 commander in Windsor, Calif., set with B Btry., 43rd Air Defense Artillery as up her Post as a “central hub” for supplies and distribution a Bradley linebacker crewmember. to affected areas. The Post, according to a report Sutton “I just wanted to help out in any way I submitted to the Department of California, coordinated dis- could,” Eshenbaugh said. tribution with Vietnam Veterans of America and AMVETs. Dave Raborn, commander of VFW “With the resources we have gathered, we will be offer- Post 2019 in Mount Airy, N.C., said his ing assistance to our local evacuation centers, as well as run- Post opted to take donations for hurri- ning resources to other veterans buildings,” Sutton stated. cane relief in Florida and Texas because For more in-depth coverage of VFW’s response to the “that’s what we’re supposed to do.” His California wildfires, read the January/February 2018 issue Post also partnered with Post 9436 in of Checkpoint at https://www.vfw.org/news-and-publica- Pilot Mountain, N.C.

CALIFORNIA NATIONAL GUARD PHOTO GUARD NATIONAL CALIFORNIA tions/checkpoint. Raborn, who served in Vietnam (1967- A California Army National Guard crew chief watches from a hovering UH-60 Black 68) with the Air Force’s 3rd Security Hawk helicopter as water is released from a bucket firefighting system onto a Police Squadron as a security policeman, wildfire in northern California near Santa Rosa on Oct. 12, 2017. said the Post, along with other partners in town, started collecting donations in early September. But still, he said, “we VFW Disburses More Than $250,000 wish we could do more.” VFW Junior Vice Commander-in-Chief Doc Schmitz raised $57,605 in support of VFW’s emergency relief fund at his conference in Kansas City, Mo., in September. The funds will ÔIT WAS TOTAL DEVASTATIONÕ assist troops, veterans and their families affected by hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. The Pennsylvania contingent was in VFW’s Unmet Needs program also has assisted more than 500 veterans affected by Texas for one full day, and Stewart the hurricanes, disbursing $192,400. As of late October, VFW national headquarters was showed them the affected areas. receiving about 100 applications eew kly, according to Linda Ferguson, manager of special “We went into River Plantation sub- programs and projects at VFW nationalhe adquarters. division, which starts out high and dry and drops to the river bottom. And they still build houses in there,” Stewart said. Post Outreach Post 1836 (Lufkin, Texas) “[The road] dropped off one hill on River The following Posts, Districts and Post 7108 (San Antonio, Texas) Plantation Drive and within 100 yards of Departments are just a sampling of those Post 4474 (Wharton, Texas) going down that hill, it was total devas- that contributed in the aftermath of hurri- Post 9192 (Killeen, Texas) tation.” canes Harvey, Irma and Maria. Post 4709 (Conroe, Texas) The Pennsylvania Post members want- Post 9934 (Dana Point, Calif.) Post 8790 (Houston, Texas) ed to take photos, so, Stewart said, they Post 3166 (Liberal, Kan.) Post 8787 (Austin, eT xas) stopped in front a house, not knowing Post 7272 (Bellingham, Mass.) Post 6008 (Hewitt, eT xas) whose it was. Post 6692 (Rush City, Minn.) Post 12058 (Kyle, Texas) “A lady comes out of the house, and Post 12124 (Meridian, Miss.) Post 12160 (Sinton, Texas) I went over to introduce the guys from Post 610 (Sidney, Neb.) Post 6386 (Ingleside, Texas) Pennsylvania,” Stewart said. “The first Post 2813 (Woodside, N.Y.) Post 7473 (Elsa, Texas) thing she did was grab me around the Post 2019 (Mount Airy, N.C.) Post 4815 (San Antonio, Texas) neck [in gratitude]. She had been at the Post 4203 (Rockingham, N.C.) Post 430 (Canyon, Texas) Post and got supplies and got food when Post 845 (Downingtown, Pa.) District 20 (San Antonio, Texas) her house first flooded.” Post 556 (York, Pa.) District 9 (Amarillo, Texas) Windsor said that was “the defining Post 2493 (Mt. Wolf, Pa.) Department of Alaska moment” of the trip. Post 152 (North Kingstown, R.I.) VFW of Ohio Charities “I knew in my heart and my soul that

28 • VFW • JANUARY 2018 Leading the way in supporting those who lead the way.

USAA is proud to join forces with the Veterans of Foreign Wars in helping support veterans and their families.

USAA means United Services Automobile Association and its affiliates. The VFW receives financial support for this sponsorship. © 2017 USAA. 237701-0317 ARMY PHOTO BY CAPT. TYSON FRIAR we took our supplies to where they need- ed to be,” Windsor said. The United States Coast Guard also has been involved in recovery efforts in the wake of Harvey, Maria and Irma. Vice Admiral Karl Schultz, Atlantic area com- mander, said manpower has been “lever- aged” throughout the Coast Guard from as far away as Guam, Hawaii and Alaska. At the height of recovery, there were more than 2,000 Coast Guard members on site for Harvey, including active duty, reserve, civilian and Coast Guard auxil- iary, Schultz said. Irma and Maria had “well over 1,000,” according to Schultz, and there were roughly 800 active-duty Coast Guard members already assigned to Puerto Rico prior to Maria. As of mid-October, Schultz said, the Coast Guard was in Texas, “still deeply in the fight” and is a “supporting player” in Army Capt. Benjamin Stork cares for a patient on an HH-60 Blackhawk helicopter headed Puerto Rico. to the USNS Comfort, a Navy hospital ship off the coast of Puerto Rico on Oct. 20, 2017, following Hurricane Maria. Stork is a flight surgeon assigned to the 101st Airborne KEY WEST: ÔEXTENSIVE DAMAGEÕ Division’s 6th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade. Hurricane Irma made landfall Sept. 10 at Cudjoe Key as a Category 4 hurricane. Later that day, the storm had weakened to building’s roof “peeled back,” allowing power for about six hours. a Category 3 by the time it reached Marco water to get into the building, damag- “Overall, we didn’t fare too badly,” Island, some 220 miles away. ing the restaurant and bar. He estimated Rosa said. “I have to say we were pretty VFW’s southern-most Post, Post 3911 in the Post suffered between $200,000 and blessed.” Key West, Fla., “suffered extensive dam- $300,000 in damages. Rosa’s Post opened its doors to the pub- age,” according to Post Commander Abe Though Conn said there was “a lot lic and offered to send resources where Conn. of devastation” at the Post, the building needed. Conn, who served three tours in itself was still standing. “We have helped several people who Afghanistan (2002-03, 2005-07 and 2012- Jose Rosa, commander of VFW Post were isolated by the storm and helped 13) with the 930th Army Liaison Team 3282 in Port Orange, Fla., said his Post them clear up their yards and their fenc- of the Florida National Guard, said the remained in good shape, though it lost es,” said Rosa, who served in Vietnam from 1971-73 in the Air Force as a C-130 crew chief and during Operation Enduring Freedom in 2002. Conn had not personally set foot inside his Post home, but said other members had gone in to “assess the damage and fig- ure out what’s what.” “We hope to see all of our brothers and sisters and neighbors down here,” Conn

PHOTO BY STEVEN SMITH/ROCKPORT PILOT SMITH/ROCKPORT STEVEN BY PHOTO said. “We’ve got a very big vacationing crew. We hope everybody who comes down will stop in and say hello and have a cold drink with us.” To donate to VFW disaster relief efforts, text “NEEDS” to 80888 to make a $10 donation, or mail checks ear- When Hurricane Harvey made its way through Rockport, Texas, winds blew in the front marked “Emergency Relief” to: VFW windows of VFW Post 3904, air pressure caused the roof to separate from the building and Quartermaster General, 406 W. 34th part of the front wall fell in, according to Post Commander Jimmy McCombs. Despite the Street, Kansas City, MO 64111. J destruction of the Post, its members met in the parking lot, surrounded by the debris, in its EMAIL [email protected] first meeting after the storms.

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InspiredWORLD WAR I ARTIST

WWI Army veteran Horace Pippin fought with the famed “Harlem Hellfighters” during the Great War. His oil-on-canvas depictions of his experiences in France made him famous.

BY BARRY HUDOCK

attended a segregated, one-room school- house. Horace enjoyed art even in child- hood, but the realities of growing up in a poor black family meant he had to leave school to find work at 15 years old. He worked in a variety of manual labor jobs until he enlisted in the Army in March 1917, just as the U.S. was about to enter WWI. He joined the 15th New York National Guard Regiment, soon to be renamed the 369th Infantry Regiment and known more informally, and more famous- ly, as the Harlem Hellfighters, or Harlem’s Rattlers (see sidebar). Cpl. Pippin served with K Co., 3rd Bn. The 369th spent 191 days at the French ABOVE: Horace Pippin s America marks the centena- front, immersed in the dangerous trench painted “Dogfight Over the ry of its involvement in World warfare that was a common experience Trenches” in 1935. The War I, the achievement of for Doughboys. With his fellow soldiers, self-taught artist fought one veteran deserves com- Pippin faced withering machine-gun fire with the 369th Infantry A memoration. Horace Pippin, who fought and devastating artillery attacks. They Regiment in France and was wounded in the right in France with the renowned 369th spent weeks in trenches that were wet arm during World War I. Infantry Regiment of the 93rd Infantry and filthy. Along with the violence, mud, After the war, he began Division, went on to achieve importance lice and rats were constant features of painting as a form of as an artist after the war, despite war their days. physical therapy for that wounds that left him partially disabled. Sometime during that period, Pippin disability. “His work is endlessly fascinating and was shot in the right arm by enemy snip- quite beautiful,” said Anne Monahan, a er fire. TOP RIGHT: Horace current fellow at The Met in New York “We don’t know exactly when he was Pippin, self-portrait and an independent scholar who spe- wounded,” said Jeffrey Sammons, a his- cializes in 20th century art. “American tory professor at New York University. “It art would be diminished if he were not doesn’t turn up in his diary. But it seems known.” likely to have happened at Sechault, late Born in West Chester, Pa., in 1888, in the war, around Sept. 26 or 27, 1918,” Pippin moved at age 3 with his mother Returning home to West Chester with and two siblings to Goshen, N.Y., where he a crippled right arm, Pippin was unable to

32 • VFW • JANUARY 2018 do most of the kind of work by which he’d previously earned his living. Receiving ÔHELLFIGHTERSÕ SERVED 191 DAYS ON THE FRONT modest disability payments from the More than 350,000 black soldiers served in World War I, almost Army, he turned to all of them in segregated units. Though most of those soldiers art as a method of served in support roles, such as loading ships, digging ditches self-expression and or building roads, that was not the case for the 369th Infantry dealing with his Regiment, more commonly known as the Harlem Hellfighters, new life. He start- or Harlem’s Rattlers. ed working with a “They spent 191 days at the front, longer than any other technique called American unit in World War I,” said Jeffrey Sammons, a history pyrography, burn- professor at New York University. ing images onto Sammons is co-author of the book Harlem’s Rattlers and the wood panels with Great War: The Undaunted 369th Regiment and the African hot instruments. In this way, he creat- Horace Pippin’s American Quest for Equality. He noted that sending the 369th into ed what Monahan calls “folksy narrative “The End of The battle was not ht e Army’s original plan, but a combination of cir- panels” — simple but moving scenes of War – Starting cumstances led to the move. rural home life and the outdoors. Home,” which The regiment had been training at Camp Wadsworth, near But at the beginning of the 1930s, he completed in Spartanburg, S.C., where its presence stoked racial tensions he turned to a topic he had not tried to 1933, was his first that military and local leaders feared would erupt into violence. depict before in his art: his war experi- successful attempt Getting them out of the area became a priority. ence. At the same time, he changed the to capture his World “At the same time, the French were desperate for manpow- medium he was working in, moving now War I experiences er,” Sammons said. “They had been pleading with [General to oil paints on canvas. Completely self- on canvas with John] Pershing [commander of the American Expeditionary oil paint. He said taught, Pippin learned to use his left arm Force on the Western Front during the war] to turn troops over that his time in the to hold and guide his right hand holding war zone “brought to them. He refused. Finally, not knowing what to do with the the brush. out all the art in 369th, Pershing turned them over to the French.” “His first painting on canvas was of, me. I paint from The Hellfighters began training under French command in what appears to be, the battle in which it today.” An art March 1918 and were sent to the front in May. Though they wore he was wounded,” Monahan said. “So historian believes American uniforms, the soldiers of the 369th used French weapons Pippin took up a whole new medium to that the painting and other gear. explain the subject [of his wartime expe- depicted the battle Over the next six months, the 369th distinguished itself for riences]. He wanted to work on a bigger in which Pippin was its valor and its success in battle. It fought in the Second Battle scale than the wood panels would allow.” wounded. of the Marne, which was the last major German offensive of That painting was The End of the War the war, and played a key role in the important Meuse-Argonne — Starting Home. He followed that with offensive of the U.S. and French armies. many other paintings, including some One of the regiment’s members — Pvt. Henry Johnson, of further war images, such as The Barracks C Company — earned the Medal of Honor for his exploits on and Dog Fight over the Trenches. Pippin May 15, 1918, in Then-Pvt. Henry said at one point that his war experience the Argonne Forest. Johnson, of C Co., “brought out all the art in me…. I paint 369th Inf., 93rd Johnson and anoth- from it today.” He also chose subjects Inf. Div., earned er Hellfighter — Pvt. from rural black home life, American a Medal of Honor Needham Roberts history and the Bible. Pippin’s work for repulsing a — held off about began to gain some notoriety around the German attack 12 Germans who region and then nationally. and saving the life attacked ht eir sentry At the end of the 1930s, Pippin of another soldier position. achieved national acclaim. His paintings on May 15, 1918, Command Sgt. were displayed in major galleries around in the Argonne Maj. Louis Wilson, of the country, purchased by wealthy col- Forest of France. the New York National President Barack lectors and celebrities, and published in Guard, accepted the Obama presented Time, Vogue and Life magazines. Pippin the award to a New award on behalf of died of a stroke in 1946, but he remains York National Guard Johnson in a June 2, an important figure in American art. J representative on 2015, White House EMAIL [email protected] behalf of Johnson ceremony. in 2015. Barry Hudock is a freelance author based in Albany, Minn.

JANUARY 2018 • WWW.VFW.ORG • 33 Past Commander-in-Chief James ‘Bob’ Currieo Dies

ast Commander-in-Chief Monmouth, N.J., serving three years as the VFW Political James “Bob” Currieo died Oct. chief instructor at the U.S. Army Signal Action Committee 17, 2017. He was 83. Center & School. Three years later, he in August 1989, and P Funeral services were held returned to Fort Huachuca, this time as in August 1994, was Oct. 25, 2017, at Adair Funeral Homes chief instructor of the U.S. Army Combat appointed exec- Avalon Chapel in Oro Valley, Ariz. Mass Surveillance and Target Acquisition utive director of was on Oct. 27, 2017, at St. Andrew the School. He retired at the rank of sergeant VFW’s Washington Apostle Parish in Sierra Vista, Ariz., fol- major in 1973. Office, a position he held until July 1996. lowed by burial at Fort Huachuca, Ariz. Joining VFW in 1962, Currieo was In September 1996, Currieo rejoined Currieo was born May 12, 1934. a member of Post 9972 in Sierra Vista. McCain’s staff and retired in 2013. He graduated from the University of Currieo was elected in August 1982 to In a tribute to Currieo, presented Nov. Arizona in 1977 with a bachelor’s degree the position of VFW Commander-in- 14, 2013, McCain said that when Currieo in education. He later earned a master’s Chief at the organization’s 83rd national returned to Arizona after working for degree in the same discipline. convention in Los Angeles. VFW, he “leapt at the chance to have him Currieo joined the Army in 1951 and In addition to his VFW activities, Currieo back on my staff.” served from February 1952 to April 1953 was named one of Arizona’s outstanding “In the nearly 20 years that Bob served during the Korean War as a gunner young men by the National Junior Chamber in my office, he opened more than 8,000 with the 3rd AAA (Automatic Weapons) of Commerce in 1966. He served on the cases,” McCain said. “That is 8,000 ser- Battalion of the 3rd Infantry Division. Arizona Governor’s Veterans Advisory vice members, veterans, military spous- From 1955 to 1958, Currieo served with Council from 1974 to 1976. es and families who called out for help the 91st AAA Battalion in Germany. After his term as VFW commander- — calls that I am proud were answered After returning stateside, Currieo began in-chief, Currieo was appointed special on my behalf by a man as capable and a 10-year tour as chief instructor at the assistant to the VA Administrator Harry caring as Bob.” U.S. Combat Surveillance School in Fort Walters. From 1987-89, he served on the Currieo is survived by his wife, Cecilia; Huachuca. staff of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). daughter, Denita; and son, James. J In 1968, Currieo transferred to Fort Currieo was appointed director of EMAIL [email protected]

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However, for calls to a Personal Operator in which a service is completed, you will be charged 99 cents per call, and minutes will be deducted from your monthly rate plan balance equal to the length of the call and any call connected by the Personal Operator. Jitterbug, GreatCall and 5Star are registered trademarks of GreatCall, Inc. Copyright ©2017 GreatCall, Inc. ©2017 firstSTREET for Boomers and Beyond, Inc. BETTER HEALTH NEWS TO IMPROVE YOUR LIFE Hypertension is Common in Older Veterans High blood pressure is deadly and can appear without warning. Here’s how to control it. BY STUART GOLDMAN TWO NUMBERS DICTATE BLOOD PRESSURE Hypertension is ypertension, commonly measured using a scale called millime- known as high blood pres- ters of mercury (mmHg) that includes sure, is the most common a top number and a bottom number. chronic medical condition H The top number is systolic pressure, among veterans. In fiscal year 2017, approximately measuring the amount of pressure in the 2.4 million veterans were determined arteries during contraction of the heart to have hypertension, according to muscle. The bottom number is diastolic VA. Additionally, the VA/DoD Clinical pressure, measuring the pressure in the Practice Guideline for the Diagnosis and blood vessels when the heart muscle is Management of Hypertension in Primary between beats. Those with hyperten- Care Setting states that more than 37 per- sion have a top number at or greater cent of veterans have hypertension. than 140 and a bottom number at or By comparison, the American Heart greater than 90 (140/90 mmHg). Association says 85 million Americans have hypertension. Some 77,000 VA patients, or about 0.3 percent, had service-connected hyper- according to the VA/DoD guideline. old. Kent had a heart attack in the 1990s. tension in FY17, according to VA data. The troubling nature of hyperten- “I have a bad heart condition, which As of Aug. 31, close to 400,000 veterans sion is that it is asymptomatic — nearly the doctor says is because of the high in total had service-connected hyper- one out of six Americans does not know blood pressure,” said Kent, now serving tension. they have it, according to the American as quartermaster for VFW Post 9972 in Jon Harris, the VFW assistant depart- Heart Association. Allen “Gunner” Kent, Sierra Vista, Ariz. ment service officer who handles claims VFW’s former Commander-in-Chief Hypertension can be reduced by applications at the VA Medical Center (1994-95) and Adjutant General (2005- prescribed medication, losing weight, in Kansas City, Mo., said hypertension is 13), did not know he had hypertension exercising, changing diet, drinking less not easily connected to military service until a doctor diagnosed him during a alcohol, smoking less and reducing unless it is caused by conditions such as routine physical after he returned home stress. Kent, now 76, said he quit smok- diabetes or heart disease. from the Vietnam War. ing 20 years ago and has “lost a little “(Hypertension is) fairly common Kent served two tours in Vietnam weight” the past couple of years. He with the population of older veterans, with the Marine Corps beginning in takes blood pressure medication when such as Vietnam veterans and those 1967. He was an interrogator with the he wakes up in the morning and again at with diabetes,” Harris said. “It’s also 17th Interrogation and Translation Team night before bedtime. He also takes an much more prevalent in the African- before spending six months with an aspirin every day “just to keep the blood American community.” Army advisory group at Cam Lo. In 1975, flowing well” and sees a doctor every six If not controlled, hypertension can he returned to Vietnam for the evacu- to eight months for regular checkups. lead to a stroke, kidney problems, heart ation of Saigon. In all, Kent served 24 “Do what the doctor tells you to do,” failure, a heart attack or eye problems. years in the Marine Corps from 1958-82. Kent advised, “and do it religiously.” J Throughout the 2000s, the percentage of Kent has a family history of heart EMAIL [email protected] veterans who controlled their hyperten- problems. His father, a Marine who sion improved dramatically, from 45.7 served in World War II and the Korean Stuart Goldman is a freelance writer percent in 2000 to 76.3 percent in 2010, War, died of a heart attack at 49 years based in Overland Park, Kan.

LEARN MORE ABOUT HYPERTENSION VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline Centers for Disease Control and for the Diagnosis and Management of Prevention: National Center for Health Promotion Hypertension in Primary Care Setting: www.cdc.gov/bloodpressure and Disease Prevention: www.healthquality.va.gov www.prevention.va.gov Veterans & Active Duty Military Need to American Heart Association: Be Especially Vigilant About High Blood National Heart, Blood and Lung www.heart.org Pressure: https://helloheart.com/military- Institute: www.nhlbi.nih.gov veterans-hypertension/

36 • VFW • JANUARY 2018 AMERICA REMEMBERS PRESENTS

t was January, 1968. Over Christmas, Bob Hope, Raquel Welch and other entertainers were in Vietnam performing for the Christmas Iholiday — and a group of lucky troops were able to see the show live. Back at home, Americans were able to see highlights of the shows on tele- vision in January, ever mindful of all those who were serving in Vietnam. With the start of the New Year, American troops were preparing for another year in Vietnam. Many longed to return home, and they counted down the days before their expected date to return home. The days were long and tedious and filled with uncertainty and danger. In this faraway country, a major Vietnamese holiday was also approaching: Tet, the Vietnamese New Year. The Tet holiday was the most celebrated to day and night bombardment, and cut off the time in Vietnam, and a time when the fighting in Vietnam usually ceased overland supply route to the base. The base would for a short period. Many South Vietnamese soldiers were granted leave and remain under siege for more than two months. joined family and friends for this special celebration. Hue was a cultural center in South Vietnam. The Meanwhile, the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong had been planning for fighting in Hue was intense, and lasted for four weeks. months a surprise attack on South Vietnam. The Communist forces would The Marines and South Vietnamese forces had to fight unleash a wave of attacks on South Vietnam while the South Vietnamese building to building, street by street, to reclaim the city. were celebrating their lunar New Year. With little warning, shortly after Much of the city was destroyed and losses on both sides midnight, the sounds of combat exploded in Saigon and other locations. were high. The assault had started. The Tet Offensive was well-organized and conducted Quang Tri City was in the north of Vietnam and an countrywide, eventually including more than 100 towns and cities. The important government headquarters. It was an important Tet Offensive was by far the largest military operation conducted up to target for the NVA. Bien Hoa and Da Nang were home to that point in the war, and it proved to be a pivotal turning point in the war. major military air bases for the United States. They were both attacked at the start of the Tet Offensive, but attacks were Honoring All Those Who Served turned back by the allied forces. The 50 th Anniversary of the Tet Offensive th In honor of the upcoming 50th anniversary of the Tet Offensive, and in EXCLUSIVE 50 ANNIVERSARY TRIBUTE salute to all who served during the Vietnam War, America Remembers Order today and we will arrange delivery of your working ©AHL,©AHL, Inc.Inc. proudly announces the Tet 50th Anniversary Tribute Pistol. For this Tribute through the licensed firearms dealer of your choice. historic Tribute, we selected a working Colt® Government Model® pistol You will receive your Tribute with our 30-day guarantee of The artwork on the Tribute features battles in caliber .45 ACP, a classic military firearm, and a trusted sidearm satisfaction. If you are not completely satisfied, return your Tribute scenes from urban settings, like Saigon and during the Vietnam War. Only 1,000 Tributes will be issued in this to us in original, unfired condition for a complete refund. Hue. You’ll also see an image of the flag exclusive edition. The artwork on the Tribute features banners and artwork Our nation’s involvement in Vietnam spanned three decades. raising over the Thuong Tu Gate at the highlighting important battles and scenes from the Tet Offensive. Craftsmen It’s estimated that more than 2,500,000 Americans served in Citadel in Hue. When Hue was overrun commissioned specifically for this project by America Remembers Vietnam. More than 58,000 lost their lives and another 350,000 by the Communist forces, they quickly decorate each pistol in sparkling 24-karat gold and gleaming nickel, with were wounded. When the Tet attack started, America had over replaced the South Vietnamese flag which blackened patinaed highlights to accentuate the details of the artwork. 400,000 soldiers and Marine servicemen in Vietnam. flew at the Citadel with a huge Viet Cong On the slide, you’ll find six important battles of the Tet Offensive – Hue, This historic 50th anniversary Tribute honors the generation who banner. This banner could be seen Khe Sanh, Saigon, Da Nang, Quang Tri and Bien Hoa. Saigon was the served during the Vietnam War. They didn’t hesitate to put their throughout the city and was a daily capital of South Vietnam and the surprise attacks on Saigon during the first lives on the line and sacrifice when our country called. All of them reminder of the overthrow and occupation night included an attempt to overrun the US Embassy and to capture the deserve our gratitude. If you’re a veteran who served, or you want of this treasured Vietnamese city by the National Radio Station. to honor a family member or friend who served, this handsome Viet Cong and the NVA. This scene shows A Marine Corps Combat Base was located at Khe Sanh. The NVA had Tribute pistol will be a lasting tribute to all who honorably served a South Vietnam banner once again flying built up significant forces around Khe Sanh, far outnumbering Americans in Vietnam. Order yours today to secure your place in this edition over the citadel after the city was reclaimed and South Vietnamese forces. During Tet, the NVA subjected the base honoring all those who proudly served in Vietnam. on February 24, 1968.

The artwork on the right side includes an M48 tank. The M48 “Patton tanks” helped provide cover and firepower in the urban setting, as our troops reclaimed the cities, street by street. Both sides of the slide also feature a banner that reads Tet Offensive January 1968, commemorating this pivotal period in the war. On both sides of the slide, you’ll find crisscrossed M16 and M14 weapons used during the Tet Offensive, with the date 1968 and Tet Offensive and Lest We Forget at the bottom.

I wish to reserve ___ of the “Tet 50th Anniversary Tribute Name ______Pistol”, a working Colt .45 pistol, at the current issue price of $1,995.* My deposit of $195 per pistol is enclosed. I wish to pay the balance at the rate of $100 per month, no interest or carrying charges. Address ______Certificate of Authenticity included. Thirty day return privilege. *All orders are subject to acceptance and City/State/Zip ______q Check enclosed for $______. credit verification prior to shipment. Shipping and handling will be added q to each order. Virginia residents Charge payment of $ ______to: please add sales tax. Daytime Telephone No. ( ______) ______q VISA q MasterCard q AMEX q Discover ® No. ______Exp. ______America Remembers H q Display Case: I wish to reserve the optional, luxuriously lined, 10226 Timber Ridge Drive Ashland, Virginia 23005 Display Case Available custom-made display case with locking glass lid. My payment www.americaremembers.com An optional custom-built, wooden display of $149* is enclosed or add to credit card. To place your reservation toll-free call 1-800-682-2291 case is available for purchase. MEMBER CORNER TIPS AND NEWS ON RECRUITING

If you have forgotten your password, click “Forgot username or password” or email [email protected]. Once you are logged in (to check if you are logged in, look at the upper right corner, and you should see “Hello,” fol- lowed by your name), you will see the “My VFW” page with a number of links. Arteaga said the most useful link is OMS, found under Membership Quick Links. “The Online Membership System allows our members to have direct con- VFW Website has trol over their membership,” she said. “They are able to renew their dues online ÔWealth of InformationÕ or set up auto pay to renew automatically each year. They can update their mail- s we ring in the New Year, ing address, phone number and email Paying a visit to now is a good time for a address in just a few moments.” www.vfw.org is a good refresher on logging onto Furthermore, Arteaga said that AVFW’s website — www.vfw. members can make a dues payment, idea for all members. org — for the specific reason of access- request a duplicate card and manage ing the Online Membership System other account areas under the “Personal (OMS). Services” tab to the left of the page. BY JANIE DYHOUSE If you have never logged onto VFW’s OMS also is a good resource for Post website, you are missing out, accord- leadership, Arteaga said. ing to VFW Membership Department’s “It gives our Posts quick and easy Associate Director Tara Arteaga. She access to membership tools and helps said there is a “wealth of information” us with fast and accurate membership for seasoned and new members. processing,” she said. But first, here’s a primer on how to The website also has a search func- log in: tion for locating a service officer. This • Go to www.vfw.org. is especially important, Arteaga said, • Click “login” in the upper right corner. when a member needs help filing a • Log in with email address and claim or knows someone needing help. password. Aside from the membership tools, If you have no account, click “Create www.vfw.org has sections for VFW’s an Account” and then follow these scholarship programs such as Voice of prompts: Democracy and the Sport Clips-funded • Enter first name (as shown on your Help a Hero project. VFW membership card). There also is information on Unmet • Enter last name (as shown on your Needs emergency grants and how to VFW membership card). apply. The “Publications” tab provides • Enter VFW membership number. a form for submitting a unit or ship • Enter email address. This does not reunion notice. need to be the address you provided Arteaga said a “nice” feature of the when you signed up for member- website is the “Find a Post” section. For ship (if you provided one). You can members traveling, it’s a good way to use any email address you have locate a VFW Post to visit. access to for your website login. “We encourage all of our members to • Enter a password. Be sure to select familiarize themselves with www.vfw. VFW’s Online Membership System a strong password that you will be org,” Arteaga said. “You never know offers a “Membership Quick Links” able to remember. If you lose your when you are going to be asked ques- section as shown above, as well as a password, you can always use the tions about VFW and what we do. The “Members Resources” area. To access “Forgot username or password” website is a great place to educate your- these areas and more, visit www.vfw.org option to reset it. self so that you can answer anything and enter your login information. • Re-enter your password, then click that comes your way.” J “Create Account.” EMAIL [email protected]

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JANUARY 2018 • WWW.VFW.ORG • 43 MAIL CALL, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 Somalia 25 Years Later Dak To Remembered Tinnitus Under the timeline for 1993, Sept. 26 is Great article. One of my friends in high I read your article with great interest as listed as the day the first Black Hawk school was a medic named Gary Shaw. I have had tinnitus since 1943 when I was shot down. That shoot down actu- He was killed on Nov. 11, and his fam- enlisted in the Navy. The VA will allow ally occurred on Sept. 25, 1993. Under ily was given the Distinguished Service only 10 percent for hearing loss because Oct. 6, reference is made to three Cross in 1968. One great guy and broth- of tinnitus. They do not seem to care Marines wounded in a land mine explo- er Vietnam vet. about the severity of it. sion. The action actually occurred JERRY MASLOWSKI, EMAIL LYLE WESCOTT, EMAIL on Oct. 3, 1993. I was chief of the Mogadishu International Airport AMC I was in D Co., 1st Bn., 12th Inf. Regt., There is a high rate of cure after using Command Post from Sept.-Dec. 1993. 4th Inf. Div., during the assault on Hill Lipo Flavonoid Plus. It worked for me. I lived through and experienced that 875. We had several wounded, but MARVIN HILL which I have commented on above. didn’t sustain near the grief, casualties NEWBURGH, IND. BILL SIMS, EMAIL and deaths as the brave troops of the 173rd Airborne. It was nice to be at least My ears ring incessantly. I, too, have Thank you for the wonderful articles acknowledged that we were there. white noise in order to sleep. “Silence your magazine runs month after month. DENNIS LEWALLEN is deafening” has never rung so true. I noticed two errors in the Somalia arti- BELOIT, KAN. Thanks for the information. cle. The first KIA was Domingo Arroyo JAMES BERRY, EMAIL Jr., who died on Jan. 13, 1993. Anthony No account of the battle of Dak To David Botello died on Jan. 25, 1993. I is complete without reference to Spec. Nowhere in this article does it talk caught this because I placed Navy logos 5 Dwight Hal “Skip” Johnson, a tank about how the VA can help manage the for both of these Marines. driver awarded the Medal of Honor. condition. The only thing it really talks WILLIAM JOHNSON JR. Johnson pulled a soldier from a burning about is that it exists and there have CAMDEN, S.C. tank. He then killed several NVA, reliev- been issues for veterans to get their ing his platoon. claims approved. CAL CHERITREE, EMAIL ROBERT KEEFE, EMAIL

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But if you’re taking CoQ10, U.S. adults are suffering from health problems users also report a sharper, more focused mind there’s something important you should know. because of mitochondrial dysfunction. and memory, and even younger-looking skin and As powerful as CoQ10 is, there is a critical thing hair. Jerry M. from Wellington, Florida, used Ultra Common ailments often associated with Accel II and was amazed at the effect. it fails to do. It can’t create new mitochondria in aging — such as memory problems, heart issues, your cells. “I noticed a difference within a few days,” says blood sugar concerns and vision and hearing Jerry. “My endurance almost doubled. But it’s not Taking CoQ10 is not enough difficulties — can all be connected to a decrease just in your body. You can feel it mentally, too,” in mitochondria. “There’s a little-known NASA nutrient that says Jerry. “Not only do I feel a difference, but the multiplies the number of new power generators in Birth of new mitochondria way it protects my cells is great insurance against your cells by up to 55%,” says Dr. Al Sears, owner Dr. Sears and his researchers combined the a health disaster as I get older.” of the Sears Institute for Anti-Aging Medicine in most powerful form of CoQ10 available — called Increase your health span today Royal Palm Beach, Florida. “Science once thought ubiquinol — with a unique, newly discovered this was impossible. 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This is ideal for people who are feeling or can do is increase their ‘health span.’ This is the in a supplement called Ultra Accel II. looking older than their age… or for those who are length of time you can live free of disease and with tired or growing more forgetful.” all your youthful abilities and faculties intact.” Discovered by a NASA probe in space dust, PQQ (Pyrroloquinoline quinone) stimulates “My favorite part of practicing anti-aging medicine Medical first: Multiply the “power generators” something called “mitochondrial biogenesis” — a is watching my patients get the joy back in their lives. in your cells unique process that actually boosts the number of Ultra Accel II sends a wake-up call to every cell in Al Sears, M.D., recently released an energy- healthy mitochondria in your cells. their bodies… and they actually feel young again.” boosting supplement based on this NASA nutrient In a study published in the Journal of Nutrition, Where to find Ultra Accel Il that has become so popular, he’s having trouble Right now, the only way to get this potent keeping it in stock. mice fed PQQ grew a staggering number of new mitochondria, showing an increase of more than combination of PQQ and super-powered CoQ10 is Dr. Sears is the author of over 500 scientific 55% in just eight weeks. with Dr. Sears’ breakthrough Ultra Accel II formula. papers on anti-aging and recently spoke at the To secure bottles of this hot, new supplement, WPBF 25 Health & Wellness Festival featuring The mice with the strongest mitochondria buyers should contact the Sears Health Hotline at Dr. Oz and special guest Suzanne Somers. showed no signs of aging — even when they were the equivalent of 80 years old. 1-877-353-0632 within the next 48 hours. “It takes Thousands of people listened to Dr. Sears speak time to get bottles shipped out to drug stores,” on his anti-aging breakthroughs and attended his Science stands behind said Dr. Sears. “The Hotline allows us to ship the book signing at the event. the power of PQQ product directly to the customer.” Now, Dr. Sears has come up with what his peers Biochemical Pharmacology reports that PQQ Dr. Sears feels so strongly about this product, consider his greatest contribution to anti-aging is up to 5,000 times more efficient in sustaining he offers a 100%, money-back guarantee on every medicine yet — a newly discovered nutrient that energy production than common antioxidants. order. “Just send me back the bottle and any multiplies the number of tiny, energy-producing “Imagine 5,000 times more efficient energy,” unused product within 90 days, and I’ll send you “engines” located inside the body’s cells, says Dr. Sears. “PQQ has been a game changer for your money back,” said Dr. Sears. shattering the limitations of traditional CoQ10 my patients.” The Hotline will be taking orders for the next supplements. “With the PQQ in Ultra Accel II, I have energy 48 hours. After that, the phone number will be shut Why mitochondria matter I never thought possible,” says Colleen R., one of down to allow them to restock. A single cell in your body can contain between Dr. Sears’ patients. “I am in my 70s but feel 40 Call 1-877-353-0632 to secure your limited 200 to 2,000 mitochondria, with the largest again. I think clearer, move with real energy and supply of Ultra Accel II. You don’t need a number found in the most metabolically active sleep like a baby.” prescription, and those who call in the first 24 THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. THIS PRODUCT IS NOT INTENDED hours qualify for a significant discount. To take TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT, CURE OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE. RESULTS MAY VARY FROM PERSON TO PERSON. NO INDIVIDUAL RESULT advantage of this great offer use Promo Code SHOULD BE SEEN AS TYPICAL. OFFER NOT AVAILABLE TO RESIDENTS OF IOWA VETUA when you call in. WERE YOU OR A LOVED ONE DIAGNOSED WITH

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At Harbor Freight Tools, the “Compare” or “comp at” price means that the same item or a similar functioning item was advertised for sale at *Original coupon only. No use on prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase or without original receipt. Valid through 4/28/18. or above the “Compare” or “comp at” price by another retailer in the U.S. within the past 90 days. Prices advertised by others may vary by location. No other meaning of “Compare” or "comp at" should be implied. For more information, go to HarborFreight.com or see store associate. VETS IN FOCUS INSPIRING PROFILES OF EXTRAORDINARY VETERANS The Best-Conditioned Chaplain in the VFW A Vietnam vet turned to bodybuilding and running to placate the ‘wicked’ effects of PTSD. He’s since earned titles in both sports. BY KARI WILLIAMS

andbags and a bamboo stick. [There was] blood all over the ground, That’s how Vietnam veteran trees were all just chopped up, every- Jerry Augustine stayed in shape thing chopped up and then the smell of Soverseas. And it helped lead him death,” Augustine said. to a bodybuilding journey that culminat- Doctors, according to Augustine, pre- ed with the honors of Mr. New England scribed him Prozac in 1992, which made and Mr. Northeast America in 1975. him “so lethargic” he could not work. Augustine served in Vietnam from “A friend who was from a family that Aug. 4, 1966 to Aug. 4, 1967. He initially competed in running in road races sug- was with the 3rd Bn., 21st Inf., 196th gested that I try running to relieve stress,” Light Inf. Bde., and was transferred to Augustine said. “I immediately ran that the 2nd Bn., 12th Inf., 4th Inf. Div., after evening, something I had never done seven months. A friend from the Army except basic training, and I felt a relief.” suggested that Augustine try bodybuild- Every weekend for 17 years, begin- ing because he “had good potential.” ning in 1992, Augustine competed in a “I just loved the competition,” race, ranging from 5Ks to marathons. Augustine said, “and when I came out “When I got into running, it seemed of Vietnam, I just had these goals that I like every road race, I had to do the best had to do. I had to be the best at some- I could,” Augustine said. thing. I think it was because we didn’t Then in 1996, at 50 years old, he get the recognition when we came home entered the Empire State Building Run- from Vietnam.” Up — a race up 86 flights of stairs in Augustine, who served as a com- the 1,250-foot-tall building. Augustine

bat infantryman, said he was “really AUGUSTINE OF JERRY COURTESY PHOTO earned second place with a time of 14:58. wired up” after returning stateside. He VFW member Jerry Augustine uses running He competed in the run-up regularly, worked at his father’s roofing company as a way to combat symptoms of PTSD. consistently placing second or third and and lifted weights in the evening. He began competing in the Empire State keeping his times between 14:28 and He competed professionally for eight Building Run-Up in 1996, winning first place 15:03. In 2001, he won the 50-59 age years, ending his bodybuilding career in the 50-59-year-old division in 2001. division with a time of 15:18, compet- with the victories as Mr. New England ing against 18 others in the division. and Mr. Northeast America. His focus During his first week in Vietnam, Augustine spent time training in Las then shifted to the family roofing busi- while on ambush patrol, he fell into a Vegas at the Hilton Hotel, running its ness, which he bought from his father. backyard well. 38 flights of stairs in preparation for the In 1981, Augustine was diagnosed Another time, Augustine was nearly first-place victory. with a mood disorder and underwent hit by a rifle-propelled grenade that hit He competed again in 2002, placing “day treatment” for two years at the a tree and bounced on his boot. third in his division, and in 2007, he Newington (Conn.) VA Hospital. “That should’ve killed me right on the secured third place in the 60s division. “PTSD had a real wicked effect on spot,” Augustine said. Augustine’s athletic accomplish- me,” said Augustine, who has been mar- His unit also was at the Battle of Dau ments also earned him a place in the ried and divorced three times. “It wasn’t Tang while attached to the 1st Infantry Middletown (Conn.) Sports Hall of Fame. good [for] my Division. One of Augustine’s jobs was to He currently is a chaplain for five family life, and put fallen soldiers in body bags. organizations, including VFW Post I became like “[The] night that we did that, we had 1840 in Middletown, Conn., and the a walking time to go into the jungle where the battle American Legion. J bomb almost.” was, we had to stay in their positions … EMAIL [email protected]

VFW member Jerry Augustine once held the bodybuilding competition titles of Mr. New England and Mr. Northeast America. After returning from Vietnam, Augustine began an eight-year bodybuilding career that ended with those

PHOTO COURTESY OF JERRY AUGUSTINE OF JERRY COURTESY PHOTO victories in 1975. He began competitive running in 1992 and earned titles in that sport, too.

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