JANUARY 2013 VOL 43 Chapter 16 Newsleer Organizaon and Responsibilies: President’s Message Editor: Glen Craig Somemes less is more: Secons: Message from the President: Dave Shell Treasurers Report: Kevin Paon Sec. Rpt (Staff Meeng Minutes): John Paerson Sick Call/Obituary: Chaplain Butch Hall Blast from the Past: Glen Craig Special Recognion: John Paerson Upcoming Events: John Paerson Calendar: John Paerson Human Interest Story: Chapter at large SFA Naonal HQ Update: Dave Shell Aer Acon Report: Jim Lessler Membership Info: Roy Sayer Adversements: Glen Craig Suspense: Newsleer published (Web): 1st of each odd numbered month Input due to editor: 20th of each even numbered month Dra due to President: 27th of each even numbered month Final Dra due 29th of each even numbered month Please join with me in remembering those Chapter Members and friends who were lost to us this past year: “Red” Davis, - M 7059 Fred Fiedler Hoa Chinh Dieu,- A 2368 Hoan Cong Pham,- A 2376 Tom Regan, - D 3236 Tom Weeks, - M 2927 Page 1 Christmas Message From the Special Forces Associaon Merry Christmas, a greeng much heard this me of year, evenome though s groups want to outlaw this so innocent a greeng, to them it implies exclusivity and insults….. insults who? Yes, it is the celebraon of a Chrisan holiday, but Christmas has trans-­‐ cended that parameter,. Christmas has become the season of hope, there is no insult to other creeds or faiths it is a welcome, to all, to celebrate with us the our hope for the future. The future, with “wars, and rumor of wars”, dire prediconsman of destroying the earth, the earth destroying man, the world’s economy going off the cliff, and of course, predicons of the end of the Earth, by a civilizaon long gone. Things have become so dire, so divisive, we are so helpless to stop the world events, one might think it is 1931, the start of the Great Depression, or 1933 with the rise of Fascism, Buchido, and Communism that would see millions of people slaughtered. One might think it think it was 1917 when most of the world was slaughtering each other in the “War to End All Wars”. For Americans one might think it was 1776 when most of our Army died of cold and starvaon at Valley Forge, or 1777, when it was all repeated at Morristown, it might 1862 when sixty thousand Americansied d at Anetam, or maybe 1941 when America watched as the Japanese ran rampant through the Pacific, thousands of our men killed and captured. But each of those Christmases, no maer how bleak, we had hope for the future, “Merry Christmas” those years was almost a prayer rather than a greeng. And the hopes were realized, four years aer Morristown the Brish surrendered, four years aer Pearl Harbor, the war had ended. Each me the world looked bleakest, hope was on the horizon, just out of sight, that is why “Merry Christmas” will survive, it gives us that hope, no maer your faith or tenet, Protestant, Catholic, Jew, even atheist, those two words provide hope for us all. I have read that my Irish Ancestor’s wish at Christmas was that the Vikings would come no more, one year they got their wish. So to all of you, even the Vikings, I wish you a “Merry Christmas.” For the Regiment Anything, Anyme, Anywhere VR Jack Tobin President Special Forces Associaon J. K. Wright Memorial Breakfast,- 11 3-12 The following members were present: Ted Wicorek, Dave Shell, Jim Lessler (IMO Red Davis), Jay Lathrop, Carey Pennington, Tom Morgan, Ron & Marion Hale (IMO Bart Heimsness), and Nick MarvaisMO (I Eulis Presley). Dinosaur Luncheon 11/30/2012 Members Present: Ed & Erma Booth, Steve Kubiszewski, Glen ll Craig, Bi Frye, Butch Hall, Cpt. Ron, Harlow Stevens, Roland Nuqui, John Gebbie, Dave Shell, Mike and Joy Cassidy, Kevin Paen, Garyueva. Villan J. K. Wright Memorial Breakfast 12/1/2012 Members Present: James- Yu B, Glen Craig, Ted Wicorek, John Gebbie, Nick Marvais, From Chapter 43 Jerry Hampton (IMO Gary Wright), Gary Hampton. Dinosaurs Luncheon 12-28-12 December's Dinosaurs luncheon was held at the Super Buffet in Dupont. The following members were present: Jim & Elaine Less-­‐ ler, Mike & Joy Cassidy, Bud Lawson, Wayne & Yoko Karvonen, JohnButch Gebbie, & Regina Hall, Glen Craig, Kevin Paon, Harlow Stevens, Eugene & Kiyono Williams, Bill Frye, Reiko Butler, n, Capt. Ro Ed & Erma Booth, Walt Hetzler, Nick Marvais, Bill & Steph Gates, and Dave Shell. Represenng Chapter 43: Jerry, Mi Hui, and Stacie Hampton, Skip Enger, and Ok Presley (Eulis Presley's widow). Page 2 Pastor Butch’s Corner Rising Above Our Limitaons Lizzie Johnson made thousands of bookmarks. At thirteen Lizzie injured her back in an accident, and she was to spend the rest of her life, twenty-seven more years, flat on her back. Her only view of the worldm was fro a mirror mounted above her head. But she sll wanted to do a great thing with her life, so when she heard in those days that you could free an African slave for $40, she made a quilt and tried to sell it for $40. Nobody would buy it. So she turned to making bookmarks, and she raised $1,000 a year for each of the twenty-seven years remaining in her life. She gave every penny of that to projects in this world that go to building up rather than tearing down. What about the quilt? One day a bishop from India was traveling through Illinois and she gave it to him. He took that quilt with him on his speaking tour around the country, and he told the story of Lizzie Johnson. Then he asked people if they would place an offering for missions in the quilt. He raised $100,000 for missions. You talk about how God creates miracles through modest efforts! One day aer Lizzie Johnson had died, her sister,ohnson, Alice J heard that a man named Takuo Matsumoto was coming to Champaign, Illinois, to speak. He was one of the most prominent Japanese Chrisans aer the Second World War. He had been principal of the Methodist Girls’ School in Hiroshima during the bombing. In John Hersey’s book about tragedy, he is menoned prominently as one of the heroes of those days. Alice Johnson remembered that her sister had given money to supportducaon thee of a young boy in Japan named Takuo Matsumoto, and she wondered if this was the same person. She resolved to go Champaign to hear him speak, but she got sick that day and had to stay home. That night someone told Mr. Matsumoto about her, and he said, “You mean that she is Lizzie Johnson’s sister? All that I am I owe to Lizzie Johnson.” That night he went to see Alice Johnson, and he went from there to the cemetery to put flowers on the grave of a woman who could not leave her bed, who was weak and helpless, but who stched up her love in bookmarks and quilts and said, “Thank you, God,” by loving others. Limitaons do not have to limit; if we don’t let them. Maurice Trow (Red) Davis Jr Maurice Trow Davis Jr. passed away in Portland, Oregon on Thursdayctober O 11, 2012 at the age of 81. Because of his red hair, he was known to his friends as “Red”. Red was born in Redrnia Bluff, Califo on September 20, 1931 and was the oldest of four brothers and one sister. He grew up in Northern Californiaved and mo to Oregon in 1977. Red received an Associate’s Degree from Shasta College in Redding, California. Red entered into the California Army Naonal Guard in 1950 and spent ten years in the Guard and Army Reserve before entering the Acve Army in 1960. Red served ten years in the Acve Army including three tours in Vietnam. He rered from the Army aer 20 years of combinedice serv at the rank of Major with the U S Army Special Forces (Green Berets). Red worked as a tractor foreman and later a tour bus driver. Red learned several languages including Spanish, Thai, Laoan, Korean and Vietnamese. Red had a strong personalitycould and be very charming when he wanted to be. Red would want to be remembered as a hardworking man, who loved his familyved and ser his country honorably. Red is survived by his wife Nancy, aer 59 years of marriage and six sons’, Trow, Pete, Chris, Jack, Shawn and Jeff. Red also had thirteen grandchil-­‐ dren and two great grandchildren. Red touched many people in hisd life an he will be missed. Page 3 Thomas Ira Weeks Tom Weeks 23 July 1938- 19 Dec 2012. He was born in Portland, Maine. He joined the Army Oct 1961 and took Special Forces Weapons Training in 1966 serving 2 tours in RVN from Septept 67 to S 68 and Oct 69 to Sept 70. Tom rered from the Army as a CSM and also held a Reserve Commission as Major with Military Intelligence. On Saturday 22 Dec 2012, Tom Week's celebraon of life services was conducted in Olympia, WA and was aended by well over 100 people. 1st Gp Abn was there in force headed up by CSM Harveston and a dozen other senior NCO's handling all the details. Chaplin Jake Robinson said his chosen words that related Tomife. Week's l A special thanks to Chaplin Jake Robinson, CSM Har-­‐ veston and all the other members of 1st Gp who took the me to aend Tom Week's service on their Christmas vacaon.