The American Legion Lithuanian Post 154 For God and Country

Legionnaire 3rd Quarter 2020

CCCommander’sCommander’s Message saying farewell to our fellow comrade. I wish to espe- cially thank Victor Siaurusaitis, Al’s son, for sharing I hope you and your families are well. his dad’s autobiography and allowing me to print it. I estimate that about 25% of our members were born The COVID-19 virus continues to cripple the civilized in Lithuania or in Displaced Persons’ Camps in Ger- world. US deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic have many and experienced similar hardships fleeing from exceeded 125,000. Nonessential businesses have communism. After reading Algirdas’ autobiography, I been closed, People have been ordered to wear masks suggest you share and discuss it with your kids and and stay 6 feet apart. As expected, there have been grandkids. It will reinforce the WWII history that they many cancellations and postponements of events. learned in school. Some states had begun to partially remove restric- tions, but to increased COVID cases, have reversed Lithuanian Post 154 formal Installation of Officers their plan. Some health professional do mot expect us normally held in September has been canceled. to be back to normal until a vaccine is available. The Lithuanian Festival has tentatively been resched- Department of Maryland Convention in Ocean City has uled to September 12 - 13 at Lithuanian Hall. been cancelled. A “mini” convention with just business meetings will be held at the War Memorial on Septem- The Windmills International Dance Festival has been ber 19th. Legion College, Memorial Service and social rescheduled to October 10 at Lithuanian Hall. activities will be eliminated. Posts have been in- structed to submit the names of Post Officers for Most of our members are in the most vulnerable 2020 - 2021 and Convention Delegates to Depart- population. I urge you to continue to be cautious. Stay ment by August 30th. home as much as possible and away from crowds. Stay well! Since we have not had any meetings during the virus lockdown, we were unable to nominate Post officers Joe Jankevicius for F.Y. 2021. I am asking our current officers to con- Commander tinue to serve in their current elected positions until we are able to have a General Meeting to vote in offi- cers for next year. Subject to government guidelines. MMMembersMembers Nominated to be Post 154 Officers in we hope to have our next Executive Meeting on July 2020 --- 2021 22nd —1 PM at Spirits West and our next General Meeting on August 12th —11 AM at Lithuanian Hall. The following Post 154 members have been nomi- We need to have names of nominees for F.Y.2021 nated to be Lithuanian Post 154 Officers for Post officers and delegates to Department Convention 2020 - 2021 as well as delegates to the American by the August meeting. At that meeting, we will vote in Legion Department Convention. the officers and delegates. Also at that meeting, we will Install new officers that are present. If you wish to Commander Joe Jankevicius nominate any member of our Post to any office, with Vice Commander Gintaras Buivys their permission, please contact Vincent Dulys or me Adjutant / Finance Officer Vincent Dulys with their names. I encourage all present officers to Service Officer Augustinas Uleckas accept nominations for F.Y. 2021 Chaplain John Maskavich Judge Advocate Patrick Dohlus Due to the COVID pandemic, the only in person Lithua- Historian Henry Gaidis nian Post 154 gathering last quarter was at Algirdas Sergeant At Arms Toivo Tagamets Siaurusaitis private gravesite service. I wish to thank Executive Committee John Potts the Siaurusaitis family for allowing us to join them in Executive Committee Vitas Siaurusaitis Page 2 Legionnaire - 3rd Quarter 2020

MMMembershipMembership Taps

Fiscal Year 2021 On May 18, 2020, at the age of 89, membership year is Lithuanian Post 154 Member Algirdas from July 2020 to June Siaurusaitis passed away. Algirdas 30, 2021. Members was a Korean War veteran who served will be receiving their his country with great distinction. He renewal notice from was a member of Lithuanian Post 154 National this month. since 1968.

Please make your At the May 21, 2020 grave site remittance of $30 payable to American funeral service, a American Legion, Legion Post #154 Lithuanian Post 154 detail, was hon- and mail to my home ored to be able to wish farewell to our address. I will mail your fellow Legionnaire. The Post per- new membership card formed Flag Honors and played Taps. for Fiscal Year "2021". Lithuanian Post 154 offers the Also you can renew on- Siaurusaitis family our deepest line on our web site condolences. "www.lietuvis.net". Click "Online Member- FAREWELL ship Renewal" and Fellow Legionnaire follow prompts.

Vincent T Dulys PPPayingPaying the Bills ––– COVIDCOVID----1919 Challenges Membership Chairman Lithuanian Hall Reopening Update

Dear Family and Friends of the Lithuanian Hall,

Happy Birthday As the City of Baltimore and State of Maryland begin to reopen, we are

July eager to welcome you back to the historic Lithuanian Hall. Though our Raymond W. Beares doors have been closed for the past few months, we are grateful that so Terrence Chesson many of you have kept us on your mind and contributed to keeping the Joseph Gaila Hall alive during this difficult time.

August Because of your generosity, we raised $11,553. However, we still face a Algimantas Grintelis budget gap of $2,442. We would like to be able to reopen without this Victor A. Kareiva additional debt. We know that the times are tough for many in our com- Thomas A. Keane munity, but we ask you to help us one more time, so we can continue Roy W. Kemmer serving you and preserving our Lithuanian heritage. Please consider mak- Joseph Lazaravich ing a donation to "Lithuanian Hall Association", and mailing it to: 851 Hugh H. Mills Jr. Hollins St. Baltimore, MD 21201. Mark Nauyalis Toivo Tagamets Thank you for your consideration and for helping to keep our Lithuanian Algirdas M. Veliuona traditions alive in Baltimore. Ačiū!

September Vincent Dulys The Lithuanian Hall is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. For more infor- Dena Norton mation please contact the Lithuanian Hall at [email protected] or Vitas Siaurusaitis call the Hall at 410-685-5787.

Page 3 Legionnaire - 3rd Quarter 2020

MY MEMOIRS by Algirdas Siaurusaitis EEEARLYEARLY YEARS IN LITHUANIA brother Juozas and I de- I was born in 1931 in the village of Vaidotai, Vilkav- cided to race to the water- iskis region, Lithuania. My father Juozas Siaurusaitis was ing spot. At the bank of awarded a parcel of land, about 25 acres, for his voluntary the creek my horse military service in the 1918 fight for Lithuania's independ- stopped abruptly, and I hit ence . On this land, he built a farm, married my mother, the ground landing on my Elena Kezenis, and raised four sons, Juozas, Algirdas elbow. I walked back to my (me), Jonas and Vitas. Vaidotai no longer exist, be- father crying. My father cause after the second Russian occupation of asked me where I was Lithuania, all farms were confiscated by the govern- hurting, felt around my el- ment, and the farmers were made to work in collec- bow, and gave my arm a tive government run farms. Even the farm buildings quick yank. I let out a were razed to "improve" the land. So, on the map, my scream and was as good birthplace is located about two miles east from Ger- as before. That was the end of our racing. many (now Kaliningrad region occupied by Russia), Our school was about two miles away. It was a seven miles south from Kybartai, and seven miles large building holding four grades and had a built-in north from Vistytis. apartment for two resident teachers. They were a Our farm was small by any measure, but it young, married couple. Juozas and I walked to school supported our family, and with occasional hired help, and sometimes we got caught at school in a snow was self-supporting. There were three buildings: a blizzard. Then, my father would come in a sleigh to two bedroom house, a barn, and a building housing get us. The winters in Lithuania were very cold. The the farm animals. There was no plumbing in the ground froze in the beginning of December and did house, and water was hauled from a well for all pur- not thaw until March, with a lot of snow falling poses. The heating of the house and cooking was by throughout the winter. In the spring, when the snow a wood/peat burning combination of stove and oven melted, the creeks would rise. Yes, there was an- which had a brick bench extension into the bed- other creek close to the school. Here is another inci- rooms to provide heat. The exhaust led to a large dent that sticks in my mind. One morning my brother smoke chamber located in the attic and then to the and I came to this swollen creek, and my brother chimney. The chamber was used to smoke fresh jumped over it. I jumped, and landed in the middle of meats. Now that I think about it, it was an ingenu- it. Not enough to drown, but wet top to bottom. When ous, economical design. The barn was used for stor- I got to school, the teachers took me to their apart- ing crops. My father grew rye, wheat, barley, clover, ment, where I spent the whole day drying out. I fin- tobacco for his pipe, and flax that produced cooking ished the fourth grade at this school in 1939. That oil from the seeds. The flax stalks were dried, and was it for my schooling. I was needed to help at the processed to produce thread which was used to farm. weave home-spun cloth. My mother had a large OCCUPATIONS OF LILITHUANIATHUANIA vegetable plot each year and a flower/fruit garden In 1939 the Russians occupied Lithuania. around the house. We had horses, cows, sheep, Russia and Germany had a secret peace agreement pigs, chickens, ducks and geese for our own use and which included the occupation of Poland and Lithua- sale at Kybartai market. There was no gas powered nia. Lithuania fell to Russia. The Russian occupation farm equipment, and all field work was accom- was very sudden, such that Lithuania's president plished by horse and manpower. As we were growing barely escaped to Germany. He later fled to the USA, up, we were expected to help with all farm work. I where he died in a house fire trying to save impor- could handle most tasks by the time I was thirteen. tant documents. One memory sticks in my mind. Our farm was next to The Russian government was brutal in en- a swamp from which peat had been depleted. On the forcing the communist regime. Tens of thousands edge of this swamp there was a creek with a shallow of Lithuanians were arrested, packed into cattle spot where horses were watered. Our father used to cars, and shipped to Siberia. They were eliminating let us ride the horses to the watering spot. Once, my the elite class of people, which included my ele- Page 4 Legionnaire - Legionnaire3rd Quarter 2020 - 3rd Quarter 2020

mentary school teachers. They were also sent to swamp, and they were hollering for me to stop. I Siberia, and never heard from. The communists, rode slowly up the hill pretending not to hear the also, confiscated property. The larger farmers Germans, and when I was over the hill and out of lost parts of their land to their hired hands who sight, I raced to the farm, where my father hid the had worked for them. Business properties were horse in a dark pig sty. The Germans never came nationalized. We were safe because our farm after me, but they took the remaining horse to Ger- was small. However, afterwards we were told many. That was my lucky day, I could have been that my family was listed for deportation, be- shot. cause my father refused to vote for the commu- nist selected government. Regardless, how FLEEING FROM THE RUSSIANS many were not voting, the communists always At the end of the 1944 summer, the Russian front reported 100 percent voter participation. came to within ten miles east of our village. There it In June of 1940, despite the Russia/ stopped to prepare for the final attack on Germany. Germany peace agreement Hitler attacked Rus- During this time many people were moving into sia, and Lithuania was in his way. Although, the Germany to avoid the fighting. My father was Russians were prepared for this war by digging against leaving our home and was preparing to trenches and building bunkers, when the sur- stay. With the help of some visiting relatives, he prise attack came early in the morning there built a bunker, which was a long trench covered was no resistance to the Germans at the bor- with wooden beams and soil, enough to withstand der. First, came the air attack, then tanks and a direct artillery hit. At this time, my mother gave the soldiers, followed by a caravan of horse birth to little girl, Jolanta, but due to the stress of drawn wagons carrying supplies. One of the war and lack of medical care, Jolanta survived only roads they were taking went through our farm few days. So, there were six of us and my mother's property, and the clamor spooked our horses parents, who came in a horse drawn buggy, plan- grazing nearby. As the horses fled, one horse ning stay on our farm. stayed behind, and was taken by the soldiers to In October 1944, the offensive started with air relieve the tired ones down the road. Later my bombing and artillery shelling. We were safe in the bun- father looked for this horse but never found it. ker, but just in case we had to leave, my father loaded a By nightfall the wagon train had passed. The wagon with food and other provisions before the attack only casualty in our vicinity was one Russian started. Even the horses were hitched to the wagon. The soldier killed from an aircraft. grandparents' buggy was also ready to go. As the day The Germans left us alone, as long as we progressed, the Germans were setting up their artillery delivered the specified amount of farm products behind us, which put us in the firing line. Soon they to the government. However, I remember one inci- came to the bunker and told us to clear out. We got in dent. At the far end of the swamp, we had dug the wagon, with a cow tethered in the back, and peat, and laid it out to dry, for the next winters started toward Germany. The grandparents followed heating. One day I was sent there to turn and us. To be sure that we all had left, the soldiers stack the peat for further drying. As I was working, threw a couple of grenades into the bunker. It was I noticed German soldiers riding and leading some getting dark, and the Germans set fire to all our horses. The thought struck me that they were farm buildings. We continued towards Germany, stealing horses to take back to Germany. Our and crossed the boarder about midnight on October three horses were grazing tethered at the other 17, 1944. Soon we were in a wagon train joined by end of the swamp. I dropped my work, and ran to many people escaping the front, while German hide our horses. I managed to hide one horse in tanks were going in opposite direction toward the the nearby trees. The second horse, I tried as I front. Our wagon was heavily loaded and Juozas may, I could not pull up the stake at the end of was sick with a fever. So, I volunteered to walk all the tether. I got the third horse loose, and started night behind the wagon next to the cow. The next riding toward the farm house which was over a hill day, in a little town, we were met by the local mayor. and out of sight from the swamp. The Germans He was picking able men to dig trenches for the re- had come directly on the opposite side of the treating Germans. He got to our wagon and was go- Page 5 Legionnaire - 3rd Quarter 2020 ing to recruit me, but our grandfather, who spoke a found ourselves going in the opposite direction. In little German, got a side of smoked bacon from our the night, our boxcar must have been singled out, wagon, and saved me from the mayor, who took and connected to one going toward Munich Ger- the bacon and let me go. During the war, food was many. At the next stop we got off the train, people rationed, and scarce. As we were moving away first, and men throwing our belongings after us. The from the front, we did not know our destination. Af- train did not wait for us to disembark. Later in the ter few weeks on the road, near the town of Dir- day, Aunt Jule got us on another train, this time regu- shau, we saw our uncle Antanas, who had left lar coach. Our good luck did not last long. Soon, the Lithuania some days before us, standing by the train stopped because it was being attacked by air- road. He told us that the Germans were confiscat- craft. Everyone bailed out of the train, and ran for ing the wagons and horses up ahead. So, he pulled cover in a wooded area. After some strafing fire, the us out of the caravan and led us to a nearby farm, planes left, and nobody was hit. Maybe the pilots re- where he and his family were temporarily staying. alized they were firing at civilians. We got back on His family had contacted my mother's sister-in-law, the train, and continued toward Switzerland. Before Jule Kezenis, who had left Lithuania a few months long, we came to a small city called Rattenberg on earlier, and was working in a textile factory in Aus- the banks of River Inn. The railroad across the river tria. She had arranged for Antanas family to move had been bombed out, and this was the end of our there, and later, she came to take us there as well. trip. Aunt Jule would not give up. She got us across We lost our sister, our home and all our the river and found a farmer that put us up in his possessions, except, what we could carry on our barn. In a few days, she got a train that took us to backs. But we were grateful to God that we had the outskirts of Insbruck, where we found another survived this far. bombed out railroad. Asking the the conductor how Aunt Jule brought us by train to a small town far was it to the station, we were told it was a fifteen called Poechlarn, which is located near Vienna. minute walk. So, we picked up our bags, and set out The train was packed with refugees like us escap- for the railroad station. It was early evening. As we ing the front. The factory with a large complex of walked, we would ask the locals we met how far the army barracks was within a few miles of the town. station was. The answer every time was the same: At the barracks we were assigned one room with fifteen minutes. When we got to the station it was eight double-stacked bunks. The meals were close to midnight, and we could not get a train out of cooked in a community kitchen. The bathrooms the city. Insbruck was a military target and was and toilets were also common. All able persons bombed every night, but we were too tired to go on, worked in the factory, which was running two so, we stayed in the station. President Roosevelt had shifts. I was assigned to a second shift, and died that day, and, out of respect for the Presidents worked with the grown ups. The factory was pro- death, there was no bombing that night. The next day we ducing paper and textile products, not a prime tar- packed our things and got a train back to the farmhouse in get for allied bombing. After a while, we got used Rattenberg. The reluctant farmer took us in their barn to the bombing alarms. We even dared to sleep in again. We stayed there short time until the war ended. We the factory during these alarms to avoid the saw from a distance what the daytime blanket bombing crowding in the barracks. looked like. It was large formations of planes releasing a About five months passed, and the front blanket of bombs all at once on the Rattenberg bridge. This came near Vienna. The Russians were coming. caused Aunt Jule great concern, because her daughter Ona Aunt Jule had about forty relatives in the barracks. and her niece Dana had gone to town just before the bomb- She was not going to let the Russians catch us. ing. Everything turned out alright. They were safe in an air She managed to get us and most of the forty peo- raid shelter. The war ended on May 5, 1945. ple on an open train boxcar. How she accom- We moved from the barn to a school building plished all these things, has always been a mystery in town. There we had all the amenities and a large to me. The goal was Switzerland, which was an in- hall to sleep. There were no beds, but we found dependent country during the war. So, one eve- some mats and slept on the floor. An army unit was ning, loaded with our meager belongings, we were stationed nearby, and Aunt Jule got a job there work- fleeing the front again. But in the morning ,we ing in the kitchen. She spoke fluent English. She was Page 6 Legionnaire - 3rd Quarter 2020 born in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Her parents and never was a good camper. I remember the National family returned to Lithuania before the war. She Jamboree at Mittenwald. I was good for a few days, married Jonas Kezenis and had two children, Ona then, I hurt my hand. I had to leave the camp and had and Vitas. Being an American and speaking Eng- minor surgery to my swollen palm. lish, she was able to help us so many times. The School was set up in a converted apartment food, at this time, was very scarce, such that, building. Some school supplies were provided by women were going to village farmers to beg for food. the relief organizations, but there were no books Aunt Jule was bringing the leftovers from the army to be had. The teachers taught mainly from kitchen, and that was a big help. After some time, memory, and notes were taken by the students. one day, the local police showed up at the school It was an opportunity to restart my education af- with trucks. They were going to load us in the ter five year lapse. I qualified for the first year of trucks, take us to the railroad station, and ship us high school (fifth year here), and skipping the back to Lithuania. When Aunt Jule heard about this, second grade, completed five years of high she got an American sergeant to come to the school (ninth grade here). school, and send the police away. We were safe for After four years, the relief organizations the time being. However, occupied Germany and were discontinuing the support of the camps. The Austria were being divided into three zones: Ameri- camp residents had to find places to live and sup- can, French and Russian. The place where we were port themselves. Many countries were offering staying was going to the French, and we would lose jobs, but the most preferred destination was the our protection. In 1945, the war refugee relief or- USA. Aunt Jule, with her family, as American citizen, ganizations were forming. So called, Displaced Per- was already in Baltimore, MD. There were condi- sons' Camps, where housing and food was pro- tions for immigrating to America. The family had to vided for the refugees, were opening. Aunt Jule be healthy, and have the ability to support them- trucked us to Hochfeld Camp, which was in Augs- selves. In addition, they had to have a wealthy US burg, Germany, in the American zone. citizen sponsor, such that the immigrants would not become welfare burdens. Our parents had to DISPLACED PERSONS' CAMP, sign a document stating that young immigrants AUGSBURG GERMANY would serve in the military if needed. Aunt Jule The camp consisted of half dozen blocks of two found us a sponsor, Miss Volsky, which allowed us story row houses that housed refugees from Lithua- to come to America, except for our grandparents, nia, Latvia, Estonia, Poland and elsewhere. We who were in their late sixties. My mother would not were assigned an apartment that had three rooms leave them in Germany. A compromise was worked and a kitchen. Our group had grown to ten with Un- out. My family would leave as planned, and the cle Leonas and Stase joining us in the apartment. It grandparents would come later with their youngest was close quarters living, but the best we had on son Vincent. Leonas and Stase had a sponsor in our journey so far. Palubinskas and family were al- Cleveland. Aunt Jule found sponsors for Palubinsl- ready in Augsburg, Haunstetin Camp, and came to cas and Jancaras families in Baltimore. Uncle An- help us settle in. The food, supplied by the relief or- tanas family got a sponsor in Detroit, Michigan. ganizations, was still rationed. To supplement the rations, some residents started raising pigs in the BALTIMORE, MARYLAND bombed section of the camp. One day, some army We boarded a troop transport ship, named trucks with soldiers showed up in the camp. They Marine Marlin, in Bremenhaven, Germany, and in found the pigs, loaded them on the trucks and took about two weeks, we were in the port of New York. them away. That was the end of that enterprise. The voyage across the Atlantic was uneventful. The There was not much to do at the camp. Vari- sea was calm, and very few passengers got sea- ous sports activities were started, including basketball, sick. All we had to do was sleep and show up in the baseball, soccer, ping pong and other sports. National mess hall for the meals. The food was very good. teams were formed, and international Olympiads were We reached New York harbor on May 18, 1949. All held. I did not have the coordination to do well in passengers were on the deck amazed to see the sports. Boy scout and girl scout troops were formed. I Statue of Liberty and the sky scrapers of Manhat- joined the boy scouts and enjoyed the activities, but tan. We were disembarked, processed to check our Page 7 Legionnaire - 3rd Quarter 2020 papers, and given money to buy train tickets to Bal- My brother Juozas was already in tech school timore all in one morning. Since we had our screen- at Keesler AFB, Biloxi, Mississippi, and I was sent ing in Germany, there was no stop at Ellis Island for there, at my request. Besides my brother, there were these passengers. At the train station, I was elected several Lithuanian students from Chicago. One of to buy the train tickets to Baltimore. After four years them was my brothers classmate from Augsburg. The of English in Germany, I knew what I was saying, tech training lasted about 18 months, first Basic when I asked for the tickets, but I could not under- Electronics then Radar Systems. After training, I was stand the rapid New York dialect, and had to resort assigned to a radar site at Pope AFB, North Carolina. to an interpreter. In Baltimore, Aunt Jule had ar- Juozas went to Kalamazoo, Michigan, where he spent ranged to pick us up at the station and took us to a the rest of his enlistment as a air traffic controller. row house on West Lombard Street, which she had After a few months at Pope AFB, I got orders to go to the Far rented for us. She even had food in the refrigerator East. The Korean war was still going, and radar technicians on our arrival. What could we have done without were needed there. So, I was sent back to Keesler AFB for her? Here we were without jobs, without money, but training on one of the latest radars, and after brief vacation thanks to Aunt Jule, in a free country. at home, I landed at FEAMCOM AFB, Tachilcawa, Japan, One of our first jobs for the four of us was which was a distribution point for the Far East Command. At picking strawberries at Max Blob Park on weekends. home, my father instituted a daily prayer for my safe return. Someone would take us to the park, where we slept Every evening, after dinner, he got down on his knees with in the barn and picked berries during the day. In my mother and two remaining brothers, and said the rosary Baltimore, Juozas and I went to the city employment for me. The Korean War ended just before I got to Japan, office and both got jobs in a men's hat factory and I was never sent to Korea. So, I am a strong believer in downtown. My first permanent job paid 75 cents an the power of prayer. hour. Later my father got a job at St Agnes Hospital, At FEAMCOM, there was a large depot, where and my mother worked in women's hat factory. damaged radar sets were repaired and overhauled. There Jonas and Vitas enrolled in St Alphonsus parochial were more Japanese technicians than airmen working on school. The grandparents and uncle Vincent came the equipment side by side with no hard feelings from the as scheduled in 1949 and stayed with us. war. The depot had the responsibility to inspect and sup- port all radars in the area. I was promoted to staff ser- UNITED STATES AIR FORCE geant, and made four men tours to the radar sites. We In 1950, the Selective Service military draft was In visited radar sites on all three islands of Japan: Honshu, effect, and men 18 to 27 years were being drafted. Kyushu and Hokkaido. I saw the devastation of the atomic My brother Juozas enlisted in the Air Force for four bomb at Nagasaki, and visited the famous Ginza, years to avoid the Army draft. In December, beating Tokyo, which was short train ride from Tachikawa. the Army draft by only few weeks, I enlisted too. My It was in Tokyo that I received my citizenship pa- basic training was at Sampson Air Force base (now pers. Usually, it is required to pass a lengthy test closed) near Geneva, New York. Besides the usual for the citizenship. The officer, administrating my boot camp training in marching, weapons handling, test, asked me only one question. Who was the etc, there were the aptitude tests to determine what President of the United States. I got it right: Eisen- the new recruits were best fit for. My scores on hower. I often wondered why, as a non-citizen, I these tests averaged 5 out of 10, not indicating any had a secret clearance, and was allowed to work specific field. My poor English had something to do on confidential equipment It must be my honest with my scores. So, at the end of basic training, I face. The other islands I visited included Philip- was sent to Hamilton AFB, near San Francisco, Cali- pines, Okinawa and Guam. fornia, for more training. There, the best offers I got were cooks and military police. I insisted on technical UNIVERSITY OF MARYLANDMARYLAND. school. So, they gave me additional tests, and I qualified. In 1955, my last year of enlistment in Japan, I discovered While waiting for orders, I was temporarily assigned that I could get early, up to three months, discharge if I to the base drafting department, where my total re- was accepted to a college. I had passed General Edu- sponsibility was to make new desktop name plates. cation Development tests, and had a high school di- When someone was promoted, I made a new plate, ploma. Also, I had few college credits in math from and got a cigar to boot. the University of North Carolina, but still lacked a Page 8 Legionnaire - 3rd Quarter 2020 couple years of formal high school education. I ap- WESTINGHOUSE (1960(1960———— 1994) plied for acceptance at Johns Hopkins Engineering After World War II, there was a "cold war" between College and the University of Maryland. Johns Hop- Russia and US, which resulted in arms build up on kins flatly refused to accept me, but Maryland ac- both sides. In turn, there were many extensive de- cepted me with the condition that I take some non- fense contracts. In 1960, Westinghouse, a defense credit courses. That was enough for my early dis- contractor, had the huge contract to design, build charge. The voyage back to the US was very slow, and install a shipboard radar system, SPG-59, on as the ship participated in maneuvers with other USS Norton Sound. After graduation from Maryland, ships, and there was another delay at the separa- I was interviewed and hired by Westinghouse as a tion base in California. I got home to Baltimore two design engineer. My first assignment was to design weeks late for the start of the fall semester. At an amplifier for the prototype receiver. That was my home I found a new Chevrolet Be! Air in the garage. first and last design still using electronic tubes. The My parents with their savings had bought it for us. Juo- production designs were all solid state transistors zas was already in college at Maryland. The very next and integrated circuits. The design phase lasted al- day, I got in the car, and went to Maryland to register. I most four years. I did many circuits, one of them re- was doing fine until I got to the English department. sulting in a patent. Following the design and pro- There I was told, that I was too late, and had to take an duction, the radar system installation/test aboard English course for foreigners. I said no thank you and the ship took another year. It included the "shake went home. Next, I drove to Glen L Martin, (now Martin down" cruises to Bermuda and Miami. Then, the Marietta) in Middle River, MD, and got a job there Navy relocated the ship to San Diego, California. as a electronics tester. It was my first well paying Westinghouse still provided radar support, for which job, but I just could not pass up the GI bill opportu- about twenty engineers with families were tempo- nity, which was paying for college for military veter- rarily relocated to Oxnard, California. After six ans. So, I went back to Maryland the following months, the contract was cancelled. So, my first spring and registered without a hitch. Juozas and I project lasted about five years. had two adjoining rooms in the Calvert Hall base- When we returned from California, in 1965, ment, ideal for serious studying. We were too old Westinghouse had a contract (among others) to de- for the freshman social life. We did not join fraterni- sign a lightweight tactical radar, TPS -43, for the Air ties or participate in panty raids, which the fresh- Force. The entire system was to be transportable by men did after a few beers. They were going around two military trucks or by C130 cargo plane. The girls dorms, hollering "panty raid", and the girls setup to full operational state was extremely short. I were throwing their panties out of the dorm win- got the receiver design again. Despite the stringent dows. We were there to study, and the GI bill was requirements, the TPS-43 turned out to be very suc- not paying for failing grades. Juozas quit college in cessful radar, selling over 100 systems to the US Air his junior year to get married, and he took the car Force and abroad. It was such an effective system, to get to work at Bendix in Towson. I continued with that during the Israel/Egypt six-day war, one of the my nose to the grind at Maryland. In my senior radars was destroyed, and Westinghouse replaced year, I was invited to a honorary society (eta kappa it with a new one in a few days before the six-day nu) new member election smoker, but somebody war ended. To this day, there is a TPS-43 antenna blackballed me, and I did not make it. The second displayed in front National Electronics Museum time they invited me, I did not show up. The presi- near the BWI Marshall airport at 1671 West Nursery dent of the society said, I would have made it. I told Road, Linthicum, MD. him I was not interested in a popularity contest. In 1970, I was promoted to Senior Engineer, The membership would have looked good on my and, I had project engineering responsibilities, but resume, but it did nothing for my engineering ca- that did not exclude many field trips to support reer. Since I started college in the spring, in my sen- Westinghouse field engineers. One such trip was to ior year, I was out of step, as some required Iran (still ruled by the Shah) in 1973. An urgent courses were not offered every semester. So, I had message was received by Westinghouse manage- to take six extra credit courses to qualify for the GI ment that there was a state inspection coming, and bill. I graduated in the summer of 1960. the radar was not working. I and three other engi- Page 9 Legionnaire - 3rd Quarter 2020 neers were sent to Teheran to fix the radar at years competing with the likes of General Electric Busheer, which was on a cliff by the Persian Gulf, and Raytheon! some 750 miles from Teheran. At Teheran, which looks like a western city, we found that communica- FAMILY LIFE tions were very difficult, but we managed a flight to After graduation from Maryland, I married Zita Vi- a city halfway to Busheer. After that, it was an SUV eraitis on September 3, 1960. Our son, Victor was without air conditioning, through a desert country born on August 22, 1961. Our daughter, Ruta, was with temperatures hitting 100 degrees. Busheer has born on October 22, 1962. Our first house was an only one hotel, and it was full. Luckily, some Raytheon (our apartment in Arbutus, then, in 1962 we bought our competitors) let us double up in their rooms. Next first home on Rockleigh Drive in Arbutus. In 1970, day, we met with the field engineers . They told us we moved to Howard County, where we bought a that they did not need us, just a new power supply. house on Melba Road in Ellicott City. The only way to the radar site was by helicopter. At Victor received a BA and Masters degrees the site, we decided to replace the failed power sup- from the University of Maryland in Urban Planning. ply with one from a non-essential part of the radar. I He works for an engineering firm, as assistant vice think that made it through inspection. We did not president, less than one mile from where I worked stay. I was away for about a week, but without calls at Westinghouse — imagine that . He is married to his to USA. When I got back home, I found out that my wife Betsy (in 1990) and has two daughters — Molly uncle Frank had died. Some communications! Not (1995) and Hannah (1998). Ruta received a BA in all the field trips were this bad. Usually, at least, we Biology at the Notre Dame College in Baltimore and would get good steak meals at good restaurants. Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of In the mid-seventies, as defense contracts Maryland. She is married to her husband Dave and dwindled, Westinghouse designed and produced has a dental practice in Bel Air, MD. She has two commercial Traffic Control radars. They were Air children: Brandon (1994) and Haley (1997). Route Surveillance Radars, ARSR-3, for US and Our favorite vacation, while the children were Canada, ASR-9 for Airport Surveillance, and oth- growing up, was Rehoboth Beach, DL where we would ers. ASR-9's were installed in most US airports, in- rent an apartment every year. When our children grew up cluding BWI. One bright red ASR-9 antenna can be and had families of their own, they would rent a house at seen rotating at end of the BVVI runway from the I- the Outer Banks of North Carolina, Naggs Head or Ocra- 195 approach to the airport. It gives me a good coke Island. We would spend a week or two with them. feeling that, in some small way, I have contributed We, also, took vacations in Bermuda, Hawaii, Mexico City, to the lasting Radar Technology in the US. Acapulco, Cancun, and in 1997 Lithuania. Zita teamed up In 1985, I was offered a supervisor position, which I with her high school girl friend Lele Bardauskas to visit turned down, and received a promotion to Fellow Engineer Norway, Denmark, Sweden, France, England, Greece and instead. I was more fit to do hardware than order people Australia. Starting in 1965, Zita kept a journal re- around. cording all our travels and main family events in de- In late 80's, the Defense and Air Traffic Control tail. So, they are not repeated here. Also, there is a business became scarce. To make matters worse, family tree, showing about four generations of my Westinghouse made bad investments in the hous- and Zita's families. These documents should be ing market, which eventually crashed causing per- kept as our family history. sonnel downsizing at Westinghouse. As I look back on my life, I feel very fortunate In 1994, Westinghouse offered buy-outs to having a great family. My engineering career was any employee older than 62, which was too interesting and financially rewarding. I never had a good to refuse. So, at the age of 63, I retired. master plan for my life, but I took advantage of In 1995, Westinghouse bought CBS. In every opportunity that came up. We had a good 1996, Westinghouse/CBS sold all Westinghouse home, financial independence, and we were never Baltimore assets to Northrop Grumman. W/CBS in debt (except, I did accept a 3 percent mortgage was later sold to Viacom, Inc, and later renamed on the house in Arbutus). Even our children finished CBS. Eventually, almost all of Westinghouse assets their college education debt free. Not bad for a in the US and abroad were sold. What a sad way to farm boy from Lithuania! kill a great corporation, which operated over 100 Page 10 Legionnaire - 3rd Quarter 2020

Contact Information Calendar & Reminders July COMMANDER Thu 02 US Army Air Corps established (1926) Joe Jankevicius Sat 04 Independence Day 624 Oak Tree Rd Wed 22 Lithuanian Post 154 Executive Committee Meeting - Westminster, MD 21157 Spirits West Country Club - 1 PM (410) 259-5032 Mon 27 Armistice signed in Korea (1953) Tue 28 WW I Began (1914) [email protected]

ADADADJUTANTAD JUTANT August Tue 04 United States Coast Guard established (1790) Vincent T. Dulys Thu 06 First atomic bomb dropped, Hiroshima, Japan (1945) 616 Cedarwood Lane Wed 12 Lithuanian Post 154 General Meeting - Crownsville, MD 21032 Lithuanian Hall - 11AM (410) 960-7874 Election of Post 154 Officers [email protected] Election of Delegates to Department of MD Legion Convention Fri 14 Japan Surrendered, ending WW II (1945) SERVICE OFFICER Fri 28 Lithuanian Post 154 Executive Committee Meeting - Augustinas Uleckas Spirits West Country Club - 1 PM 7733 Lee Drive Pasadena, MD 21122 September Wed 02 V-J Day, Japan Signed Formal Surrender (1945) (410) 437-2546 Wed 02 Labor Day [email protected] Wed 09 Lithuanian Post 154 General Meeting - Lithuanian Hall - 11AM EDITOR Fri 11 Terrorists attacked World Trade Center and Pentagon (2001) Joe Jankevicius Sat 12 Lithuanian Festival - Lithuanian Hall 624 Oak Tree Rd Lithuanian Post 154 will present The Colors Westminster, MD 21157 Sun 13 Lithuanian Festival - Lithuanian Hall (410) 795-6906 Mon 14 “Star Spangled Banner” written by Francis Scott Key (1814) [email protected] Thu 17 US Constitution Approved (1787) Fri 18 US Air Force established (1947) Fri 18 Rosh Hashanah begins at sundown Sat 19 Department of Maryland Convention Meeting Information War Memorial Building, Baltimore Sun 20 POW/MIA Recognition Day Post General Meeting Tue 22 First day of Autumn is held at Lithuanian Hall, Wed 23 Lithuanian Post 154 Executive Committee Meeting - 851 Hollins Street, Spirits West Country Club - 1 PM Sun 27 Yom Kippur begins at sundown Baltimore, MD 21201 at 11 AM on the 2nd October Wednesday of March, May, Wed 07 Afghanistan War Began (2001) June, August, September Sat 10 Windmills International Dance Festival - and November. Lithuanian Hall - 11 AM Tue 13 US Navy Established (1773) Exec. Committee Meeting Mon 12 Columbus Day (observed) Mon 12 Thanksgiving Day (Canada) is held on 4th Wednesday Fri 23 Grenada Campaign began (1983) of every month except Wed 28 Lithuanian Post 154 Executive Committee Meeting - December at 1 PM at Spirits West Country Club - 1 PM Spirits West Country Club, Satu 31 Halloween 2601 Wilkens Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21223

Lithuanian Post 154 website: www.lietuvis.net