The Directors of the American Veterans Center express their gratitude to the following organizations and individuals for sponsoring the 11th Annual Veterans Conference & Awards Banquet. Your generous support enabled the American Veter- ans Center to acknowledge the tremendous sacrifices of our military in defense of liberty throughout the three day Confer- ence to Americans young and old, culminating in the Awards Banquet.

In addition, the generosity of our sponsors provided tables and seats for distinguished veterans of World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and and members of their family, as well as ROTC Cadets, Midshipmen, active duty personnel and servicemen and women wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan. Your generous support is greatly appreciated. The Tawani Foundation 11th Annual Veterans Conference Sponsor TriWest Healthcare Alliance Official Co-Sponsor of the Wounded Warrior Reception

VIP Gold Table (20 Seats) Awards Banquet

Exclusive Sponsor of the Paul Ray Smith Award Commerce bank Official Co-Sponsor of the Wounded Warrior Reception

VIP Gold Table (20 Seats) Awards Banquet

Additional sponsorship provided by:

Fund Raising Strategies, Inc.—Defender Sponsor National Rural Electric Cooperative—Defender Sponsor The Times—Defender Sponsor US Freedom Team Salute—Proud Sponsor of the Filthy Thirteen Panel & Discussion The Purple Hearts—Sponsorship in honor of Lt. Michael P. Murphy & Proud Sponsor of the Today’s Heroes Panel & Discussion Home Box Office Edison Electric McGuireWoods Consulting The Phillips Foundation The Young Marines Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Offices RST Marketing McDonald & Eudy Printers George Coleman Foundation FMC Corporation Amtrak Intelliware Systems Mr. Donald Mates & Mr. Allan H. Ryskind The mission of the American Veterans Center is to preserve and promote the legacy of America’s servicemen and women from every generation. The Center is comprised of two divisions - The World War II Veterans Committee and the National Vietnam Veterans Committee. The American Veterans Center is also the sponsor of the National Memorial Day Parade in Washington. “Bringing the legacy of the Greatest Generation to the latest generation” is the motto of the World War II Veterans Committee. Through documentary work, oral history programs, its quarterly publication World War II Chronicles and now American Valor Quarterly, the World War II Veterans Committee seeks to bring the history of WWII to today’s students and young people. The newest division of the American Veterans Center is the National Vietnam Veterans Committee. Based on the outline of the World War II Veterans Committee, the National Vietnam Veterans Committee not only seeks to tell the combat stories of Vietnam veterans, it also seeks to tell their stories after they returned home. While the popular media and film depictions of Vietnam veterans were those of disillusioned men unable to adapt to life following the war, the truth is that most returned home to live productive and successful lives, and were proud to have served. The National Vietnam Veterans Committee, through its programs which include the publications Valor: The Veterans of Vietnam and American Valor Quarterly, is working to tell the true story of Vietnam veterans which has so often been ignored. Programs of the American Veterans Center include: • The National Memorial Day Parade. The parade is held each year along the National Mall in Washington, DC. Following the outbreak of World War II, the tradition of a Memorial Day parade in the nation’s capital was ended. In 2004, the World War II Veterans Committee sponsored “A Parade Salute to World War II Veterans,” to coincide with the dedication of the National World War II Memorial. The parade proved such a success that it was decided that the old tradition of a Memorial Day parade be returned. Thus, the National Memorial Day Parade was born. In a magnifi- cent tribute to America’s veterans and honored war dead of all eras, the National Memorial Day Parade features thousands of participants, including military and school bands, military units, floats, and youth groups, as well as hun- dreds of veterans from World War II through Iraq and Afghanistan. The 2008 parade was televised worldwide on the Pentagon Channel and drew a crowd of 250,000 spectators, making it the largest Memorial Day event in the nation. Visit the parade’s website at www.nationalmemorialdayparade.com.

• American Valor Quarterly. The official magazine of the American Veterans Center, AVQ is devoted to providing first-hand accounts from veterans and active duty service members who have been a part of the defining moments in American military history. Mailed to an audience of nearly 25,000 readers with copies donated to VA hospitals around the nation, AVQ is dedicated to providing a forum for our military men and women to share their experiences with the public and future generations. American Valor Quarterly builds on the success of our previous publications, World War II Chronicles and Valor: The Veterans of Vietnam. Issues of all three publications can be read at the Center’s website at www.americanveteranscenter.org. • Documentaries: Following in the tradition of World War II Chronicles, the American Veterans Center has produced a number of radio documentary programs on World War II and military history, including D-Day: They Were There, Pearl Harbor: 60 Years of Echoes, and No Greater Love: The Four Chaplains and the Sinking of the Dorchester.

• Veterans Chronicles and Proudly We Hail: Working with the Radio America network, the American Veterans Center currently sponsors two weekly radio series, Veterans Chronicles and Proudly We Hail. Hosted by Gene Pell, Veterans Chronicles features interviews with the eyewitnesses to the great and tragic moments in military history. Proudly We Hail is a weekly radio magazine recorded on location at America’s military bases, historical sites, and museums, featuring tales of heroism, bulletins on veterans’ health issues, and news. Podcasts of both programs can be downloaded from iTunes and our website at www.americanveteranscenter.org

• Youth Activities: The Center supports an annual essay contest with cash awards, a high school scholarship program, a college scholarship program, and a summer internship program. Additionally, youth groups such as the Young Marines, National Guard Youth ChalleNGe, and Boy and Girl Scouts participate in the annual National Memo- rial Day Parade.

• World War II Curriculum: The World War II Veterans Committee is about to unveil a comprehensive curriculum on World War II to be distributed to high school teachers across the country. The curriculum is designed to introduce students to the issues leading to World War II, the great battles of the war, and the civilian and military leaders involved.

• Annual Conference: Each year the American Veterans Center’s national conference is held in Washington, DC, featuring some of America’s most distinguished veterans as speakers. Several hundred high school and college students participate in the conference. Additionally, the event includes wreath-laying ceremonies at the national war memorials, veteran-themed events around the city, and an annual awards banquet, honoring the service of the military’s greatest heroes.

• Library and Archives: Each day, books on American military history are received, cataloged, and added to the Center’s library, which now numbers several hundred volumes. The Center also welcomes memoirs, personal ac- counts, newspaper clippings, and other records pertaining to American military history for inclusion.

The American Veterans Center www.americanveteranscenter.org

Tim Holbert James C. Roberts James Michels Program Director Founder and President Director of Development

Ann Forkin Mary Jane Garner Jordan Cross Conference Director Student and Military Services Liaison Media Relations

Nicole McKan Chris Graham Laura Ymker Office Manager Researcher Program Assistant A Special Thank You To Our Volunteers Lori Allen Stefanie Chipperfield David Friel Linda Goodrich Craig Horn Lorraine Horn Lauren Smith Michael Tucker Ron Xifo Registration Now Open! The American Veterans Center’s 12th Annual Conference November 12-14 -Washington, DC

The American Veterans Center invites you to join us for the nation’s premier Veterans Day event! From November 12-14, 2009, America’s most distinguished veterans and active duty service members will gather in Washington, DC to share their experiences and memories of the defining moments in American military history. The 12th Annual Conference will be a weekend none who attend will ever forget. Registration is now open, and space is limited, so sign up today! To request a registration form, call 703-302-1012 ext. 227 or e-mail [email protected] Schedule of Events: All participants are confirmed unless otherwise noted. Additional participants TBA SPECIAL EVENT! Tuesday, November 17

Congressional Reception Honoring Today’s Heroes from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom 6:00 PM - Rayburn House Office Building Foyer Rayburn House Office Building Free to all full-conference Registrants!

Thursday, November 12 6:00 - Exclusive Reception & Sneak-Preview Screening of WWII in HD, the upcoming Mini-Series produced for HISTORY by Lou Reda Productions - U.S. Navy Memorial’s Arleigh Burke Theater (Reception at 6:00, Screening at 7:00) Featuring - Col. Jimmie Kanaya - Veteran of the 442nd Regimental Combat team Shelby Westbrook - Decorated pilot of the legendary Jack Yusen - U.S. Navy vet and survivor of the sinking of the USS Samuel Roberts in the

Friday, November 13 Speaker Sessions at the U.S. Navy Memorial - Sessions begin at 8:30 AM Buses from Renaissance Washington Hotel depart at 7:45 AM 8:30 AM - "Seabees & Civil Engineer Corps: Can-Do!" Featuring a panel of Seabees and Civil Engineer Corps officers who have recently served in Iraq and Afghanistan in various assign- ments, coinciding with the Navy Memorial’s special exhibit, "The Year of the Seabees & Civil Engineer Corps."

9:30 AM - A Conversation with General David H. Petraeus Commander, U.S. Central Command and former Commanding General of Multi-national Force - Iraq. Featuring Q&A with the audience, moderated by Michael O’Hanlon, of the Brookings Institution.

10:45 AM - WWII: Heroes of the Air Featuring: Col. Clarence “Bud” Anderson- Triple-Ace pilot in the European Theater of World War II, and one of the top American aces of the war still living. Maj. Theodore “Dutch” Van Kirk - The navigator of the Enola Gay, the B-29 Superfortress that dropped the first atomic bomb. General David Petraeus 11:35 - The Battle of Featuring: Col. Frank C. Caldwell - Commanding Officer of F Co., 2nd Battalion, 26th Marines, which suffered the highest KIA rate of any unit in Marine Corps history. Awarded the Navy Cross. Donald Mates & James White - Veterans of the , sent on a patrol to locate Japanese spigot mortar positions before coming under heavy attack. Ralph K. Griffiths - Veteran of E Company, 28th Marines - the company that took Mt. Suribachi and raised the flags.

12:40 - Lunch

1:25 - : The Battle of Mogadishu Featuring: Tom Matthews (tentative) - Leader of Task Force Ranger, the joint unit that fought the Battle of Mogadishu. Sergeant Matthew Eversmann - U.S. Army Ranger and leader of Chalk 4, portrayed in the film Black Hawk Down. Keni Thomas - Former U.S. Army Ranger and decorated veteran of Mogadishu; served as a consultant for the film Black Hawk Down and is currently a motivational speaker and Billboard-charting country singer. Additional panelists TBA 2:20 - Today’s Leaders Featuring young veterans and active duty service members who have risen to positions of leadership in their short careers Including: Nathaniel Fick - Veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan and author of the best-selling book One Bullet Away: The Making of a Marine Officer, currently CEO of the Center for a New American Security. Lt. Colonel Nicole Malachowski - The first female pilot to fly with the Air Force Thunderbirds; veteran combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan and a former White House Fellow. Captain Walter Bryan Jackson - 2005 West Point graduate and recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross for heroism in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

3: 15 - The Contribution of Women to the U.S. Military Featuring: Evangeline Coeyman - U.S. Army nurse during World War II, following Gen. Patton’s Army across Europe. Lt. Colonel Sharon Stanley-Alden - Active duty U.S. Army nurse who served during the . Captain Linda Wert - U.S. Army nurse, having served during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

4:15 - Wreath-Laying Ceremony at the U.S. Navy Memorial

Evening Event: 7:00 Reception at the Army & Navy Club in Honor of our Wounded Warriors from Walter Reed Army Medical Center With Special Guests, Recipients of the - Note: Coat and tie reequired at the Club

Saturday, November 14 Speaker Sessions at the U.S. Navy Memorial - Sessions begin at 9:00 AM Buses from Renaissance Washington Hotel depart at 8:15 AM

9:00 - The Band of Brothers Featuring Men of E Company, 506th Parachute Infantry, during World War II Including: Ed Shames - Amos “Buck” Taylor - Richard Falvey Herbert Suerth - Paul Rogers 10:00 -The USS Mason Lorenzo DuFau - Signalman on the USS Mason, the Navy’s first ship to have a predominantly African-American crew. Moderated by Mary Pat Kelly, author of Proudly We Served: The Men of the USS Mason.

10:35 - World War II - The Pacific Featuring: The Honorable Edgar Whitcomb - Former Indiana Governor and Army Air Corps pilot in WWII who was taken prisoner by the Japanese; author of the book Escape from Corregidor. Bob Feller - Major League Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher and veteran of the USS Alabama in WWII. Buzz Aldrin on the surface of the moon during his famed landing with Neil Armstrong. 11:25 - Q&A with Colonel Buzz Aldrin U.S. Air Force fighter pilot in the , Test Pilot, and legendary NASA Astronaut. With signing of Col. Aldrin’s new book, Magnificent Desolation: The Long Journey Home from the Moon

11:55 - Lunch

1:00 - The Medal of Honor Featuring recipients of the U.S. military’s highest award for valor in combat. Including: Walter Ehlers - Recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions taken during the Battle of Normandy on June 9, 1944. Captain Thomas J. Hudner, Jr. - U.S. Navy pilot who received the Medal of Honor for his attempt to save the life of a fellow pilot shot down near the Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War. Colonel Roger H.C. Donlon - The first man to be awarded the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War, and the first member of the Special Forces to receive the award.

2:00 - The Featuring distinguished recipients of the oldest continuosly given award in the U.S. military, given to service members killed or wounded in combat. Panelists TBA

2:50 - Today’s Heroes Featuring several of the U.S. military’s most highly decorated veterans and service members from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Including: Staff Sergeant David Bellavia - U.S. Army & recipient of the for heroism in the Second Battle of Fallujah in 2004. Staff Sergeant Jeremiah Workman - United States Marine Corps & recipient of the Navy Cross for actions during Second Fallujah. Sergeant Marco Martinez - United States Marine Corps and recipient of the Navy Cross for heroism in the Battle of Tarmiya. Additional panelists TBA Evening Event The 12th Annual American Veterans Center Awards Banquet 12th Annual Conference Keynote Speaker: General David H. Petraeus General David H. Petraeus assumed command of the United States Central Command in October 2008, after serving for over 19 months as the Commanding General, Multi-National Force-Iraq. Prior to his tour as MNF- I Commander, he commanded the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center and Fort Leavenworth. Before that assignment, he was the first commander of the Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq, which he led from June 2004 to September 2005, and the NATO Training Mission-Iraq, which he commanded from October 2004 to September 2005. That deployment to Iraq followed his command of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), during which he led the “Screaming Eagles” in combat throughout the first year of Operation Iraqi Freedom. His command of the 101st followed a year deployed on Operation Joint Forge in Bosnia, where he was the Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations of the NATO Stabilization Force and the Deputy Commander of the US Joint Interagency Counter-Terrorism Task Force-Bosnia. Prior to his tour in Bosnia, he spent two years at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, serving first as the Assistant Division Commander for Operations of the and then as the Chief of Staff of XVIII Airborne Corps.

General Petraeus was commissioned in the Infantry upon graduation from the United States Military Academy in 1974. He has held leadership positions in airborne, mechanized, and air assault infantry units in Europe and the United States, including command of a battalion in the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and a brigade in the 82nd Airborne Division. In addition, he has held a number of staff assignments: Aide to the Chief of Staff of the Army; battalion, brigade, and division operations officer; Military Assistant to the Supreme Allied Commander - Europe; Chief of Operations of the United Nations Force in Haiti; and Executive Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

General Petraeus was the General George C. Marshall Award winner as the top graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College Class of 1983. He subsequently earned MPA and Ph.D. degrees in international relations from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, and he later served as an Assistant Professor of International Relations at the US Military Academy. He also completed a fellowship at Georgetown University.

Awards and decorations earned by General Petraeus include two awards of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, two awards of the Distinguished Service Medal, two awards of the Defense Superior Service Medal, four awards of the , the for valor, the State Department Distinguished Service Award, the NATO Meritorious Service Medal, the Gold Award of the Iraqi Order of the Date Palm, the French Légion d’Honneur, and the National Defense Cross of the Czech Republic. He is a Master Parachutist and Air Assault and Ranger qualified. He has also earned the Combat Action Badge and French, British, and German Jump Wings. In 2005 he was recognized by the U.S. News and World Report as one of America’s 25 Best Leaders, and in 2007 he was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential leaders of the year and one of four runners-up for Time Person of the Year. Most recently, he was selected by Foreign Policy magazine as one of the world’s top 100 public intellectuals and by Esquire magazine as one of the 75 Most Influential People of the 21st Century. Special Guest Honoring the 40th Anniversary of Apollo 11 Colonel Buzz Aldrin

Buzz Aldrin was educated at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, graduating third in his class with a BS in mechanical engineering. He joined the Air Force where he flew F86 Sabre Jets in 66 combat missions in Korea, shot down two MIG-15’s, and was decorated with the Distinguished Flying Cross. Selected by NASA in 1963 into the third group of astronauts, Aldrin was the first with a doctorate. In 1966 on the Gemini 12 orbital mission, he performed the world’s first successful space walk. On July 20, 1969, Aldrin and Neil Armstrong made their historic Apollo 11 moonwalk. Upon returning from the moon, Buzz was decorated with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest American peacetime award. Aldrin has penned his dramatic memoirs in his recently released autobiography Magnificent Desola- tion. He continues to inspire today’s youth with his illustrated children’s books: Reaching for the Moon and Look to the Stars. 12th Annual Conference Speakers

Commander John J. Adametz, CEC, USN. Adametz’s most recent assignment was that as Commanding Officer, U.S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion SEVEN. During his tour with NMCB SEVEN, the battalion completed deployments to the Pacific Area of Operations in support of Theater Security Cooperation projects in 17 countries and 5 exercises including the first visit by Seabees to Vietnam while embarked on the USS Pelelieu since the 1970’s as part of the Pacific Partnership exercise. In April 2009, NMCB SEVEN completed a historic deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan which included the largest air embarkation of Seabees in recent history.

Mike Ali enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1966. During training at Camp Lejeune, Ali qualified for the 1968 Olympic trials as a sprinter. Before he could compete, he was deployed to Vietnam. While on patrol in the DMZ in October 1967, he sustained life threatening injuries as a result of a near direct hit from a mortar round. Ali survived in spite of the odds. While spending the next three years undergoing surgeries followed by five years of rehabilitation, he was able to complete college. Ali worked with a number of law enforcement agencies, including the DEA and the NYC Police Department. In 1999, he was introduced to the Military Order of the Purple Heart and held numerous positions within the organization, including NY State Commander.

Clarence “Bud” Anderson is a WWII Triple Ace who flew the P-51 Mustang Old Crow, while assigned to the “Yoxford Boys,” 8th Air Force, Leiston Field, United Kingdom. The 357th Fighter Group was credited with shooting down 609 1/2 enemy aircraft in only 15 months, a pace no other fighter group equaled. The 357th, also produced 42 aces, more than any other group. Anderson was the leading ace of the 363rd Fighter Squadron with 16 1/4 victories. At 87, he is an active pilot, maintaining his Certified Flight Instructor Rating. In July 2008, Bud was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame. He has been featured on many special TV and Video Productions. Most recently the History Channel and the Military Channel. Video clips from these can be viewed on YouTube.

Boyd Barclay served as MOPH Oklahoma State Department Commander in 1995-96 and as National Commander from 1998-99. He has served the MOPH as National Finance Officer for eight years. He served his first tour in Vietnam as the Fire Support Coordinator for Bravo Battery, 1st Battalion, 12th Marines attached to 2nd Battalion 3rd Marines. He then attended flight school and returned to Vietnam, flying Huey gun ships for VMO-3. Barclay served in the United States Marine Corps from 1963-68 and was medically retired in January 1968 as a Captain. His decorations include the Silver Star, Purple Heart and Air Medal.

David Bellavia is a former army staff sergeant who served in the First Infantry Division (Task Force 2-2). He has been nominated for the Medal of Honor for actions he took in a fierce urban firefight in the Battle of Fallujah. He has received the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and the Conspicuous Service Cross. He has also been nominated for the Distinguished Service Cross. He chronicled this fight in the critically acclaimed book “House to House: An Epic Memoir of War” (2007, Free Press). David co-founded Vets for Freedom and recently founded the Warrior Legacy Foundation, a charity designed to restore the dignity of service. He has co-written a screenplay on the war that is in pre-production, and he has returned to Iraq numerous times as a reporter.

John Bircher is now twice retired, as a soldier and as a Government Relations Consultant in Washington, DC where he was President of Neill and Company, Inc., a lobbying and public affairs company that specialized in Middle East business and politics. In addition to Military Order of the Purple Heart, he is a member of the American Legion. He was on the Board of Directors of the American Defense Preparedness Association (ADPA), the Board of the National Defense Industry Association, the Board of the Tangier American Legation Museum, and the Board of Directors of Angel Flight America, a national 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides free transportation to medical patients in need of assistance. Patriot Bircher and his wife, Carol, now reside in Lady Lake, Florida.

Colonel Frank Caldwell joined the Marine Corps at Quantico, VA in 1942. He was assigned to the 1st Marine Parachute Battalion. He saw action against the Japanese on Guadalcanal, Vella La Vella and Bougainville, in the British . After parachute battalions were deactivated, he was assigned to join the 5th Marine Division, having been promoted to Captain and commanding officer of F Company, 2nd Battalion, 26th Marines. His unit landed on Iwo Jima on D-Day, February 19, 1945 and left March 26, 1945, the end of combat. Fox Company captured more ground than any other company in the . For a single battle, his unit suffered the highest killed-in-action rate of any Marine Company in U.S. history. Near the end of the campaign, he continued to fight with no officers and very few NCOs remaining. For his efforts on Iwo Jima, he was awarded the Navy Cross and Purple Heart. Caldwell later served in Korea. He retired from the military in 1973. 12th Annual Conference Speakers

Evangeline Coeyman graduated from Emmaus High School in 1939, and matriculated into St. Luke’s School of Nursing, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, from which she graduated three years later. Coeyman joined the Army Nurse Corps as a and arrived in England on June 8, 1944. She was assigned to the 59th Field Hospital of the 90th Infantry Division. The field hospital consisted of 18 nurses, an 8-person surgical team, 4-6 doctors and 50- 70 corpsmen. It came ashore on Utah Beach on July 31. The hospital followed Patton’s army across Europe. Coeyman participated in providing medical assistance to GI’s following the and saw the General several times. The most unforgettable horrors were the cocentration camps, Gosen and Mauthausen, which Coeyman aided in liberating.

Colonel Roger H.C. Donlon is the first American to receive the Medal of Honor for valor in Vietnam, and the first member of the Special Forces to receive the award. In May of 1964, Donlon and his team were deployed to an outpost at Nam Dong, near the border with Laos. On July 6, the outpost came under heavy attack from two-battalion sized force of Vietcong. The ensuing battle lasted five hours, with Donlon directing the defense despite the incessant barrage of mortar shells, grenades, and small arms fire. Despite sustaining several serious wounds, he continued to fight off the advancing enemy soldiers while administering first aid to his own wounded men. His leadership was responsible for the ultimate victory against a large and well-prepared enemy. He was presented the Medal of Honor by President Johnson on December 5, 1964.

Captain Kathryn Donovan, CEC, USN serves as the Executive Officer, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Washington. Previous assignments include Assistant Operations Officer, Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Washington; Commanding Officer, Navy Provisional Detainee Battalion TWO, Iraq; Action Officer, Director Navy Staff, Pentagon; Executive Assistant, Commander, Navy Installations Command, DC; White House Fellow, Depart- ment of Health and Human Services, DC; Operations Officer, Naval Mobile Construction Battalion SEVEN, MS; Public Works Officer and Officer in Charge of Construction; Naval Air Station, MS; Staff Civil Engineer; Naval Magazine, ; Officer in Charge; Construction Battalion Unit FOUR ZERO TWO, Pensacola, FL; and Assistant Resident Officer in Charge of Construction, Naval Air Station, Pensacola, FL. She earned the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal and Joint Service Commendation Medal, in addition to other awards.

Lorenzo Dufau earned his place in American history as one of 150 black men aboard the USS Mason when it sailed in the Atlantic during World War II. The USS Mason earned its place in American history as the first naval ship to be manned by a predominately African-American crew. He was twenty-one years old when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Dufau felt the way many Americans did. It was time to defend his country. Dufau volunteered as soon as he heard that the United States Navy had opened its doors to African-Americans.

Sergeant Matthew Eversmann enlisted in the Army as an infantryman in December 1987. He spent over eight years with the Third Battalion, Seventy Fifth Ranger Regiment. While serving as a sergeant in the Ranger Regiment, he traveled the world. In August 1993, Eversmann and his company deployed to Mogadishu, in support of Operation Gothic Serpent. His decorations include the Bronze Star with Valor device and the Combat Infantryman’s Badge. Eversmann recently returned to the U.S. after serving 15 months in Iraq. He retired from the Army as an Infantry Company First Sergeant after 20 years of service. He is co-author of The Battle of Mogadishu (2004).

LTJG Christopher Fairfield, CEC, USN is from Dalton, MA and a graduate of Norwich University, the oldest private military college in the nation. Upon completion of Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, Florida he received a commission as an Ensign in the United States Navy in September of 2006. LTJG Fairfield’s first assignment was to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) THREE, homeported in Port Hueneme, CA. He deployed twice with the battalion, the first to Okinawa, Japan where NMCB THREE performed peacetime construction for the Commander, Fleet Activities Okinawa and III Marine Expeditionary Force and the second to Al Anbar Province, Iraq, supporting contingency construction for I Marine Expeditionary Force as Multi- National Force West. Following his assignment to the Seabee’s he reported to Officer-In-Charge of Construction Bethesda and is currently assigned as a project manager overseeing BRAC construction to facilitate the new Walter Reed National Military Medical Center at the Naval Hospital in Bethesda. Twelfth Annual Conference Speakers

Richard Falvey joined the army in August 1942. He volunteered for the paratroops, took his basic training at Toccoa, GA and completed Ft. Benning parachute school on Dec. 25, 1942. He was assigned to HQ Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry, 101st Airborne Division. He jumped into Normandy about 1:15 AM, June 6, 1944 and landed near Foucarville. He joined a newly formed bazooka platoon for the September 17, 1944 parachute drop into Holland. He was wounded in Bastogne, Belgium. After treatment at an aid station, he was sent back to the line. He returned to the U.S. with Hitler’s and Goering’s autos that were “captured” at Berchesgaden, Austria. He was assigned to the Treasury Department and accompanied these cars on a Victory Bond Drive from Washington, D.C. to Denver, CO. “Red” was discharged on Dec. 20, 1945. Richard married in 1948 and had three children. He was employed as a brakeman and conductor by the Central Railroad and retired in 1982. Currently he participates as a consultant in the 2nd Battalion HQ Company - 506 PIR, 506 Re-Enactors Inc.

Bob Feller was a star pitcher for the Cleveland Indians during the late 1930s and early 1940s. Following the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Feller immediately enlisted in the United States Navy, where he was assigned to command a 24-man gunnery squad on the battleship Alabama. After a year of service in the North Atlantic, Feller and the Alabama were sent to the Pacific, where he participated in eight invasions including Iwo Jima. Feller was discharged in August 1945, after almost four years of service. He returned to baseball and resumed a career that led to his induction into the MLB Hall of Fame.

Nathaniel C. Fick is the Chief Executive Officer of the Center for a New American Security, a non-partisan national security and defense policy research organization in Washington. Prior to joining CNAS, Fick served as a Marine Corps infantry officer, including combat tours in Afghanistan in 2001-2002 and Iraq in 2003. He is the author of bestseller One Bullet Away, recognized as one of the “Best Books of the Year” by in 2005. Fick serves on the boards of the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation and the Rockefeller Center for Public Policy at . He holds an A.B. degree in Classics from Dartmouth, an MPA in International Security Policy from the Kennedy School of Government, and an MBA from the .

Ralph Griffiths joined the Marines when he was 17 years old. He was a part of Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 28th Regiment, 5th Division since its beginning in 1944. He participated in the Battle of Iwo Jima, serving and training with every flag raiser for one year. He received a Purple Heart and Presidential Citation after being wounded by the same shell that killed flag raisers Sergeant and Corporal Harlon Block. After months in the hospital he rejoined his old outfit and trained for the invasion of Japan. When the war ended, he was sent to Japan as part of the occupation force in 1945.

Captain Thomas J. Hudner, Jr. graduated from the Naval Academy in 1946. After attending flight school, he was designated a Naval Aviator in August of 1949. On December 4, 1950, while serving with VF-32 during the Korean War, he crash-landed his own plane near the Chosin Reservoir in an effort to rescue Ensign Jesse L. Brown, another pilot whose plane had been shot down. For his heroism on that occasion, then-Lt. (Junior Grade) Hudner was awarded the Medal of Honor, the first Navy Medal of Honor to be awarded during the Korean War.

Captain W. Bryan Jackson graduated and received his commission from the U.S. Military Academy in May 2005. He was assigned to 2-3 FA “GUNNERS” in Giessen, Germany in December 2005. Jackson met his Infantry unit in Kuwait, en route to Iraq and served as the Fire Support Officer for A/1-36 IN “SPARTANS” in January 2006. Jackson was injured by machine gun fire on 27 September 2006, when his unit was ambushed by an armed insurgent force. During recovery, he underwent over a dozen surgeries at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Jackson was awarded his Purple Heart by President George W. Bush at a ceremony in WRAMC on 22 December 2006. Less than a year later, The Secretary of the Army presented Jackson with the Distinguished Service Cross for extreme gallantry in Iraq. He is the 7th Soldier since the Vietnam War to receive the DSC. Jackson served a year-long tour in Korea with a Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) Battalion before assuming duties as Command Speechwriter for the Commanding General, U.S. Army Fires Center of Excellence and Fort Sill. His decorations include the Distinguished Service Cross, the Purple Heart, and the Army Commendation Medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters. Twelfth Annual Conference Speakers

Jimmie Kanaya, the son of Japanese immigrants, Jimmie was devoted to both his family and his country. But his dual loyalties were challenged by the racist backlash of post-Pearl Harbor hysteria. In early 1942, Jimmie’s parents were relocated to an internment camp and although he was already in the army, the government initially treated him as a suspect and refused to allow him to actively fight. In 1943, Jimmie joined the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, a special unit made up of Japanese-American soldiers. Despite his best intentions to set an example of excellence in service, things tended to go wrong for Jimmie in combat, but he earned a Silver Star just months before he was captured by German soldiers. After multiple failed escape attempts, he was eventually liberated at the end of the war.

Sergeant First Class Ed Malone has 15 years of active duty service as a 19D Cavalry Scout. While assigned to the 1st Battalion 77th Armor Battalion Scout Platoon, he deployed as part a multi-national peacekeeping force to in June 1999. He has also served two combat tours of duty in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2003 - 2004, and again from 2005 - 2006 while assigned to Sabre Squadron, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment. For his actions under fire he has earned the Bronze Star w/ Valor and the Purple Heart. He is currently assigned to the US Army Asymmetric Warfare Group at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland.

Sergeant Marco Martinez, USMC, once a gang member, became the first Hispanic American in the War on Terror to receive the Navy Cross, the second-highest award a U.S. Marine can receive, second only to the Medal of Honor. His combat heroics have been described in the pages of the Union-Tribune, USA Today, National Review, and the Navy Times, among other publications. Only 26 years old, Martinez now attends college in South- ern while working full-time in nuclear security.

Donald Mates served in the 3rd Marine Division and fought in the Battle of Iwo Jima, landing on February 24, 1945. After midnight on February 27, Mates’ eight-man patrol came under heavy assault from Japanese forces. During fierce hand-to-hand combat, Mates watched as his friend and fellow Marine, Jimmy Trimble, was killed in front of his eyes. Mates was severely wounded and underwent repeated operations for shrapnel removal for over 30 years. In recent years, he has helped the World War II Veterans Committee begin the James Trimble III Scholarship in honor of his fallen friend. Mates was also be the recipient of the Pentagon•fs 2009 Military Hero Award.

Commander Paul J. Odenthal, CEC, USN reported to the FIRST Naval Construction Division in 2009 to serve as Assistant Chief of Staff for Logistics, FIRST Naval Construction Division. Other tours included Commanding Officer of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion ONE THIRTY-THREE; Combat Systems Technical Schools Com- mand, Calif., as the Staff Civil Engineer and Public Works Division Officer; Company Commander, Mobile Construc- tion Battalion FIVE, Calif., Public Works Officer, Naval Air Station, Fla. In 2002, he reported to the NATO Headquar- ters South Atlantic, Portugal as the Infrastructure Branch Head. In 2004, this command transformed into Joint Headquarters LISBON and he became the first Chief Engineer of NATO’s only sea-based capable, standing Joint Task Force Headquarters. In 2005, he transferred to Naval Facilities Engineering Command Atlantic in Norfolk, VA., for duty as the Director of Contingency Engineering.

Al Ortiz was commissioned a Master Sergeant and Platoon Leader of 1st Platoon, Company E. and served on the Regimental Combat Team Korea from December 1951 to July 1952. Most of his combat which he was involved in was in the Chorwan Valley in the center of Korea. Most of it was hand to hand combat, on Old Baldy and Pork Chop Hill. Wounded several times he was treated at a MASH hospital. He has served at the US Department of Commerce, Department of Health Education and Welfare. His other decorations include the Combat Infantry Badge, the Korea Service Medal, the UN Medal, Six Purple Heart Medals, the Japanese Occupation Medal, The Good Conduct Medal, the Defense Service Medal, The Government of Korea War Service Medal, The Government of Korea Peace Medal, A US Unit Citation, and a Korean Government citation. Twelfth Annual Conference Speakers

Paul Rogers. On December 7, 1941, Rogers was working at Boeing Aircraft, Wichita, Kansas. He was classified 3A and did not have to go into the service, but he knew he had to serve or he could not have lived with himself. He joined up in August 1942. On June 6, 1944, he parachuted into France. He landed outside Ste. Mere-Eglise in a large, tall tree. He joined up with the 82nd and fought with them for eight days until he found his Company E, 506th.. When he met them, many men had been lost, and he was made Master Sergeant. On July 12th, he left France and returned to England. The next jump was on September 17th into Holland. He fought into Eindhoven and then onto Nuenen. He was wounded and was flown back to England. After six weeks, he rejoined the company in Mourmelon. On December 17th, he was transported to Bastogne.

Colonel Edward Shames was born in Norfolk, , and was in naval school when the United States entered World War II. He volunteered for the paratroops in September 1942 and was assigned to I Company in the 3rd Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry, 101st Airborne. Shames then transferred to HQ company and, after receiving a battlefield commission at Carentan, joined Easy Company, now known as the Band of Brothers,as a 2nd Lieutenant after the Normandy invasion in July 1944.

Brigadier General Connie Slewitzke received her ANC commission in 1957. Her overseas assignments included service in , Europe, Vietnam, and Korea. Under her tenure as Chief, the number of active duty ANC spaces in hospitals expanded, and the Corps made significant progress in improving the education and training of the Reserve Components. Additionally, General Slewitzke established the Workload Management System to define staffing needs based on patient acuity. She received the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with , Joint Service Commendation Medal, and the Army Com- mendation Medal, among other awards and honors.

LTC Sharon Stanley-Alden is an Army brat and was raised on Army posts around the U.S. and Europe. Commis- sioned a Second Lieutenant in 1967, she received her BSN from Duke University in 1968. She served on active duty in the Army from 1966-1972 and from 1978-1993. Assignments included Valley Forge General Hospital, 71st Evacu- ation Hospital (Pleiku, Vietnam), Fort Sam Houston, Fort Carson and Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC). She specialized in Critical Care nursing and held faculty appointments in Licensed Practical and Asso- ciate Degree nursing programs. She retired from the military in 1993 and worked in the Peace Corps’ Office of Medical Services, as Clinical Nursing Director for the Vaccine Healthcare Network at WRAMC, as a Clinical Trials Monitor at Fort Detrick, and as Director of Student Health at Shepherd University in WV. LTC Stanley-Alden returned to active duty in 2008 and is a Senior Nurse Case Manager for the Warrior Transition Battalion-Europe in Germany. She expects to serve until 2012.

Herb Suerth enlisted in the Army on November 11, 1942 at age 18. He was called to active duty March 1943 and sent to Europe in July 1944. He managed to volunteer for parachute infantry and joined the 101st Airborne in August, 1944. He was assigned to E Company, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment in late November 1944. He first saw comabat in Fay, Belgium, during the Battle of the Bulge. He was seriously wounded January 10, 1945; and spent 18 months in the hospital, 9 months in bed, and 4 months in skeletal traction while recovering. After the war, Suerth married and had nine children. He currently resides in Wayzata, MN.

Amos “Buck” Taylor was an original member of Easy Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment. He joined the Company in the summer of 1942 while at Camp Toccoa, GA. Buck was one of the 4 members of 3rd Platoon who hailed from the “Keystone State” that were known as “The Four Pennsylvanians”. He rose to the rank of Sergeant and fought with the 3rd Platoon of E Company in Normandy, Holland & Bastogne. After the war Buck worked with the US Government until he retired. He and his wife Elaine are very active in E Company reunions and projects supporting our current day Soldiers serving overseas. Twelfth Annual Conference Speakers

Senior Chief Builder (SCW) Cloves Tennis, USN has been assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion FOUR since May 2009 following an Individual Augmentee (IA) assignment to Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA). His duty stations include Naval Mobile Construction Battalion THREE, Port Hueneme, CA, THIRTY-FIRST Naval Construction Regiment, Port Hueneme, CA; Naval Mobile Construction Battalion FOUR, Port Hueneme, CA with deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom I and II (OIF I and II). During OIF I, he served as Task Force Mike Bridge Platoon Commander constructing five logistical re-supply bridges. During OIF II, he served as the assistant convoy security team commander completing over 250 convoys throughout the Al Anbar Province. Tennis is a qualified Seabee Combat Warfare Specialist and Master Training Specialist.

Keni Thomas, a recipient of the Bronze Star for Valor, enlisted in the Army in 1991. Deployed to Somalia, Task Force Ranger’s primary mission was location and capture of the criminal warlord Mohammed Farrah Aideed. On October 3, 1993, he was involved in the Battle of Mogadishu, which was later recounted in the highly successful book and movie Black Hawk Down. After departing the Army, He served as a counselor for problematic youth. Currently, he is a national spokesperson for the Hero Fund and the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, which provides college educations to the children of our special operations personnel killed in combat or training. In addition to speaking engagements for organizations ranging from Fortune 500 companies to Boy Scouts, Thomas is an award- winning Nashville recording artist and country star. Keni tours with his band nationwide and abroad and has a new album, “Gunslinger.” Proceeds from the album benefit the Hero Fund. Thomas and band were featured in the movie Sweet Home Alabama. He worked as a military advisor on the movie We Were Soldiers. He has been featured on Good Morning America, and served as a military analyst on CNN, PBS, NBC Dateline, Fox and the History Channel.

LT Ryan W. Thrun, CEC, USN is from St. Petersburg, Florida and joined the U.S. Navy in 2003 while obtaining a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Florida. In 2005 he was commissioned as an officer in the Civil Engineer Corps. LT Thrun has recently returned from Afghanistan serving a 1-year Individual Augmentee billet. While in Afghanistan, he served as the engineer for Joint Provincial Reconstruction Team Paktika located at Forward Oper- ating Base Sharana. He was responsible for the planning. design, execution, contract management, and quality assurance of over 60 construction projects within the province of Paktika. In addition, he along with his team continuously mentored and supported the local Afghan leadership helping build a recognizable and effective form of legitimate government. LT Thrun is currently stationed at the U.S. Naval Academy.

Major Theodore “Dutch” Van Kirk joined the Army Air Corps in 1941. He was soon assigned to the 97th Bomb Group, the first operational B-17 Flying Fortress unit in England, where he served as navigator aboard the Red Gremlin along with pilot Paul Tibbets and Tom Ferebee, bombardier. While serving in Europe, the crew of the Red Gremlin was given a number of important missions, including transporting Generals Mark Clark and Dwight D. Eisenhower. On August 6, 1945, Van Kirk, Tibbets, and Ferebee, now aboard a B-29 Superfortress, the Enola Gay, took off from Tinian for mainland Japan. Six and a half hours later, they deployed the first atomic bomb in history over the city of Hiroshima. Van Kirk was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Silver Star and 15 Air Medals for his service.

Dennis Wallot started life a little rough. He quit high school and joined the Army in September 1965, so he could be somebody. He served as an enlisted man for the next three years before leaving the service as a sergeant. After spending a year training as a ranger in the States, he served in Vietnam in 1966/67 as a combat soldier with the 1st Cavalry Division. During his tour of duty he fell in a pungi pit and was out of the field for two weeks. When he rejoined his unit, he was shot through both legs on September 30, 1967. He spent his last year of duty in Valley Forge General Hospital in Pennsylvania. He was discharged on September 30, 1968, just as all his classmates were getting out of high school. Finding work was tough, so after a six year stint in college, he earned a degree. He continued schooling, received a Master’s, and now operates his own business as a financial planner with over 1,000 clients. Patriot Wallot currently holds the office of Chairman of the National Financial Committee for the Military Order of the Purple Heart.

Captain Linda Wert directly commissioned with the Army Nurse Corps in December 2004 and entered active duty in September 2005. After completing Officer Basic Course at Fort Sam Houston, TX, she was stationed at Walter Reed Army Medical Center working on the Post Surgical Ward as a staff charge nurse. In October 2007 she deployed with the 86th Combat Support Hospital, Fort Campbell, KY to The Green Zone, Baghdad, Iraq, Ibn Sina Hospital. During the 15-month deployment, CPT Wert worked as Charge Nurse of the Intermediate Care Ward caring for U.S. military personnel, Coalition Forces, Iraqi civilians, Iraqi detainees, and Iraqi military. CPT Wert is currently serving as a senior instructor at the 68WM6 LPN Nursing Program at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Twelfth Annual Conference Speakers

Shelby Westbrook was s a self-sufficient young man with an inner-strength born out of early tragedy. His parents died when Shelby was just 12 years old. He moved from his small town home to live with his brother in Toledo, OH, where he attended an integrated high school, free of the sting of racial prejudice. After Pearl Harbor, he was keen to sign up for the nation’s first all-black air corps. It was only when he entered the U.S. military that Shelby’s eyes are opened to racial injustice. Shelby decided to be the best pilot in the entire war —convinced that his actions will be the most eloquent testament to his right to equal treatment. He became one of the Tuskegee Airmen, a First Lieutenant in the 99th Squadron, 332nd Fighter Group, 15th Air Force.

Edgar Whitcomb is the former governor of Indiana. During World War II, he was an Army Air Corps Navigator in the Philippines. He was captured and later escaped from the Island of Corregidor before being recaptured and sent to Manila where he was interrogated and tortured. Living under an assumed civilian name he was eventually repatri- ated to the U.S.. One year later he returned to the Philippines to fly combat missions against the Japanese.

James A. White joined the Marine Corps in 1943 and fought in the battle of Iwo Jima as part of the Third Marine Division from February 24th to March 26th, 1945. He joined Donald Mates and Jimmy Trimble in their eight-man patrol on the fateful night of February 27. After Trimble was killed and Mates severely wounded, White ran to Mates’ aid and almost single-handedly beat back the Japanese attack. His experience of hand-to-hand combat on the island was featured in an article by Leatherneck Magazine and he is the subject of a book about the Battle of Iwo Jima. He married in 1950 and has eight children.

Staff Sergeant Jeremiah Workman was born on August 26, 1983 in Marion, OH. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2000, and in 2004, was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines where he served in Weapons Company as a team leader and later squad leader. In September 2004, he deployed to Iraq and participated in Operation Phantom Fury, the second Battle of Fallujah. His actions in leading the rescue of Marines trapped in a house by enemy fire led to his being awarded the Navy Cross, second only to the Medal of Honor. He would go on to become a Drill Instructor and is currently assigned at the Wounded Warrior Regiment at Quantico, VA.

Jack Yusen was a funny, likable kid, raised in Queens, and has an unmistakable New York accent to prove it. When he joined the Navy at the end of 1943 Jack was the ultimate rookie, wet behind both ears and far too young to be tangling with U-boats. In October 1944 Jack found himself fighting against impossible odds off the coast of the Philippines. His ship was sunk, and he and his shipmates were left floating in shark-infested waters for 72 hours. The same happy-go-lucky attitude that made him seem inexperienced became his greatest asset during this ultimate test. Jack served as a Navy-Seaman 1st Class on the USS Samuel B. Roberts, (Destroyer escort, Butler class).

Hello, My name is Laura. Ain’t I awesome? The American Veterans Center 12th Annual Awards Banquet Program

Master of Ceremonies Paul Berry Former WJLA News Anchor & Current Host of Home & Family Finances Welcome James Roberts President, The American Veterans Center Presentation of Colors Joint Service Color Guard, Military District of Washington National Anthem Pledge of Allegiance Led by Sgt. Marco Martinez United States Marine Corps - Recipient of the Navy Cross, Operation Iraqi Freedom The Blessing Delivered by The Reverend Arnold G. Taylor World War II Veteran, 99th Infantry Division A Moment of Remembrance is Observed in Honor of Those Who Have Fallen in Service to Our Country Retiring of the Colors

Dinner is Served Caesar Salad with Herbed Croutons & Parmesan Cheese Fresh Baked Basket of French Rolls with Butter Table Wine Service Seared Center cut of beef with mango chili sauce Potato Soufflé in Tart Shell Seasonal Vegetable Chocolate Pear Cake Coffee/Tea Service

Singing of the Military Service Songs Performed by Erin Gannt Introduction of Honored Guests Presentation of Student Essay Awards James Trimble III Scholarship Awards Bradley D. Arkens and Annie Bennett Lillian K. Keil Award U.S. Army Nurse Corps Accepted on their behalf by Evangeline Coeyman, veteran of WWII and Capt. Linda Wert, veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom Musical Performance By The Brethren

Audie Murphy Award - WWII Senator Robert Dole United States Army & Colonel Clarence “Bud” Anderson (Retired) Raymond G. Davis Award - Korea Colonel Buzz Aldrin United States Air Force (Retired) Joe Ronnie Hooper Award - Vietnam Colonel Roger H.C. Donlon United States Army (Retired) Medal of Honor Presentation by William Cahill, TriWest Healthcare Alliance “American Anthem” Performed by Erin Gannt Paul Ray Smith Award - Operation Enduring Freedom & Operation Iraqi Freedom Staff Sergeant David Bellavia United States Army Operation Iraqi Freedom Captain Stephen Boada United States Marine Corps Operation Enduring Freedom Edward J. Herlihy Citizenship Award The Maine Troop Greeters Accepted by Tom & Anne Kohl Presentation by Colonel David Griffith, U.S. Army Freedom Team Salute Benediction Given by Cantor Max Fuchs World War II Veteran, 1st Infantry Division A Thank You to Our Veterans Audie Murphy Award

For distinguished service in the United States military during World War II The most decorated soldier of World War II, Audie Leon Murphy was born to Texas sharecroppers in 1924. He joined the army as a private in 1942, shortly after his 18th birthday. Throughout his three years of active service, Murphy fought with the 3rd Infantry Division in nine major campaigns in the European theatre. He received every medal the Army had to offer including two Silver Stars and three Purple Hearts. He received the Medal of Honor for his valor repelling six German tanks and their supporting infantry near Holtzwihr, France. Murphy also received five medals from France and Bel- gium. While rising to the rank of Second Lieutenant, Murphy killed over 240 Germans and single- handedly eliminated a tank. He was deactivated on September 21, 1945. After the war, he became nationally known for both his wartime heroism and his leading role in films. Audie L. Murphy is and will remain one of America’s most heroic sons.

Previous Recipients: 2008 - Major League Baseball Veterans of World War II; 2007 - The 442nd Regimental Combat Team 2006 - The Doolittle Raiders - 2005 - Lt. General Harry W.O. Kinnard Senator Robert Dole Audie Murphy Award For distinguished service in the United States military during World War II Col. Clarence E. “Bud” Anderson, USAF (Ret)

On March 8, 1944, then-Captain Clarence “Bud” Anderson was leading a squadron of P-51 Mustangs that were returning from escorting B 17 bombers on a run over . Suddenly three German Messerschmitt 109s dove on a straggling B 17. One of Anderson’s comrades quickly closed on the first 109 and opened fire, blowing it to pieces. Another Mustang chased the second German 109, while Anderson took after the third.

The German pilot refused to run, so the 109 and Anderson’s Mustang, which he affectionately called “Old Crow,” spiraled through the air in interlocking circles, each maneuvering to gain an advantage on the other.

One of the original leaders of the new 357th Fighter Group, Anderson was on only his ninth mission, having fired his gun just once in combat. He was eager, anxious for his first kill, and perhaps a little trigger happy. He decided to take his chances. Though he did not have a good angle, when he caught the German in his sights, he let loose a stream of bullets, hoping they would strike the enemy fighter.

Lucky for Anderson, they did. A golden shot punctured the enemy plane’s radiator, and the pilot bailed while the plane crashed in a fiery explosion. It was his first kill. It would be one of many. By the end of the war, Anderson would have 16 ¼ kills, ranking him among America’s top World War II aces.

Bud Anderson loved to fly. It was his self-admitted addiction. When the pilots were not scheduled to fly the next day, most spent the evenings in English bars, drinking late into the night. , Anderson’s friend and comrade in the 357th, said two things transformed Anderson into a wild man – alcohol and flying. But in Anderson’s words, “Drinking was just a poor substitute.”

Anderson had many close calls over the course of his 116 missions in World War II. A German 20mm cannon shell once ripped through Old Crow’s canopy, knocking the helmet from his head, but only leaving Anderson with a slight burn. On another occasion, his sinuses swelled so badly after diving after a German fighter that his eyes closed up, and he had to be talked back to base.

Perhaps most harrowing was the flight when enemy flak punctured a hole in his oxygen line at 25,000 feet. Anderson passed out for nearly 90 minutes, flying unconscious over enemy-occupied France. He awoke in a spin, his engine dead, and with no idea where he was. He was able to switch fuel tanks, restart his engine and pull out of the spin just in time to save his life.

Anderson and his comrades spent the week leading up to D-Day bombing and strafing German positions in France. They drew little opposition, as many of the German fighters had been pulled back to Germany to defend their homeland.

On June 5th, 1944, Anderson was sent on a mission to strafe the beach at Calais, where Allied leaders wanted the Germans to think the invasion of Normandy was going to take place. As he flew back toward his base over the English coast, he looked down to see more boats that he had ever seen in his life lined up in the estuaries. “Oh, wow!” he exclaimed over the radio, whereupon the group commander immediately responded, “Radio silence!” Hours later, those boats would stream toward the coast of France, hundreds of thousands of Allied military personnel aboard, in what was the largest amphibious invasion in history.

Anderson would continue flying missions over Europe in Old Crow. By the end of the war, he had flown nearly 500 hours in combat, flying 116 missions without ever being hit by enemy fire. In every mission he flew, he led the flight, and sometimes even the squadron or even the group. Chuck Yeager said of him, “In an airplane, the guy was a mongoose…the best fighter pilot I ever saw.”

Bud Anderson would enjoy a 30-year career in the United States Air Force, serving as a test pilot following the war, then commanding a squadron in Korea and a wing based on Okinawa. In 1970, at the age of 48, he flew combat strikes as a wing commander against Communist supply lines. He retired a colonel with more than 7,000 hours logged in over 100 types of aircraft. In addition to his 16 ¼ kills, he would be awarded the Legion of Merit twice, the Distinguished Flying Cross with four Oak Leaf Clusters, the Bronze Star, and the Air Medal with 15 Oak Leaf Clusters

For his valor over the skies of Europe in World War II and his distinguished career since, the American Veterans Center is proud to present Colonel Clarence “Bud” Anderson the 2009 Audie Murphy Award. Raymond G. Davis Award

For distinguished service in the United States military during the Korean War Raymond G. Davis was appointed a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps in 1938, following his college graduation and ROTC training. Throughout his military career, Davis fought in three wars and fourteen different campaigns. He rose to the rank of general, while earning 18 Ameri- can and seven foreign awards. Among these included the Navy Cross, earned for actions at Peleliu during World War II and the Distinguished Service Medal during Vietnam. However, it was in December of 1950, near the Chosin Reservoir in Korea, that Davis would earn the acclaim that has made him legendary. While carrying his wounded along, he led his battalion over icy ridges to rescue a stranded rifle company. During this mission alone he was credited with saving over 1,000 Marines from certain death and 6,000 additional Marines from possible destruction. For this, he was awarded the Medal of Honor, and remains one of the great heroes in Marine Corps history. Previous Recipients: 2008 - Lieutenant General Julius W. Becton Jr.; 2007 - Captain Thomas J. Hudner, Jr.; 2006 - Hiroshi “Hershey” Miyamura Colonel Buzz Aldrin, USAF (Ret)

On December 26, 1951, then-Lieutenant Buzz Aldrin arrived in Seoul, Korea. A recent graduate of West Point, Aldrin st had become a fighter pilot in the Air Force. Aldrin was assigned to the 51 Fighter Wing, and flew 66 missions in the F-86 Sabre, shooting down two MIG-15s and earning the Distinguished Flying Cross. Flying with several comrades in the16th Squadron, five miles south of the Yalu River on May 14, 1952, Aldrin spotted two planes below. With his wingman at his side, Aldrin dove at the second plane and opened fire. As bullets slammed into the enemy MIG and its engine caught fire, the pilot ejected and began drifting down to earth. While Aldrin’s first kill lacked the thrill of a dogfight or intensive maneuvers, it marked a historical moment. The camera attached to his gun trigger snapped photos of the ejection sequence, creating the first photos of the war to show a pilot bailing out of his plane. The photos would appear the next week in LIFE magazine. If his first kill lacked drama, Aldrin’s second would make up for it, and then some. On June 7, he was flying in a formation directly behind another formation. When the first formation’s wingman had engine trouble and had to return to base, Aldrin radioed ahead and offered to join them. He soon found that the first formation was flying the F-86F, while he was flying the slower F-86E, which made it difficult for him to keep pace. The mission that day was to bomb power plants along the south edge of the dam at Suey Ho, a critical power installation. In order to provide protection to the fighter bombers, the fighters had been given permission to fly briefly across the Yalu into China, a rare occurrence, as pilots were usually strictly forbidden to cross the border so as to not provoke the Chinese to escalate their involvement in the war. While Aldrin sped to catch up, he realized something was off as the planes went right past the dam, and continued north. In reality, they were flying on an unauthorized mission to attack an enemy airfield some 50 miles into Manchuria. Caught some distance behind the rest of the formation as it moved in for the attack, Aldrin encountered a Russian MIG-15. The planes maneuvered in a scissors pattern, each jockeying to gain an advantage over the other. Eventually, Aldrin, whose F-86 had superior maneuverability over the MIG, worked his way behind the enemy plane, and fired. The MIG began to smoke and descended, its pilot ejecting to safety. Low on fuel and lucky to not have any other MIGs on his tail, Aldrin headed back to base. After Korea, Aldrin served in Germany, before earning his Doctorate of Science in Astronautics at MIT, writing his thesis on Manned Orbital Rendezvous. Selected by NASA in 1963 into the third group of astronauts, Aldrin pioneered a number of training techniques, including substituting underwater training for zero-gravity flights. In 1966, on the Gemini 12 orbital mission, he performed the world’s first successful spacewalk. Then, on July 16, 1969, Aldrin embarked on the most important, and legendary, mission of his career… At 9:32 AM, Eastern Daylight Time, a Saturn Five rocket blasted off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. On board were astronauts Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins, along with Buzz Aldrin. Their destination: the moon. Four days later, the lunar module, dubbed “Eagle”, separated from the command module high above the surface of the moon. The Eagle began its descent, landing in the Sea of Tranquility at 20:17 Coordinated Universal Time on July 20, 1969. A few hours after landing, Aldrin said over the broadcast, “This is the LM pilot. I’d like to take this opportunity to ask every person listening in, whoever and wherever they may be, to pause for a moment and contemplate the events of the past few hours and to give thanks in his or her own way.” More than 600 million people – the largest television audience in history – would tune in to witness the historic event, as Armstrong and Aldrin became the first men to walk on the moon. Since returning from the moon, Aldrin has remained active in space exploration, devising a plan for missions to Mars, a modular space station, Starbooster reusable rockets, and multi-crew modules for space flights. From fighter pilot in Korea to pilot of the Lunar Module that made the first moon landing forty years ago, to his work since, Buzz Aldrin has continued to serve his country with honor. The training and experience forged by his military career begun over the skies of Korea took literally took him farther than any man had gone before. It is for this outstanding service to country, and to mankind, that the American Veterans Center presents Colonel Buzz Aldrin the 2009 Raymond G. Davis Award. Joe Ronnie Hooper Award

For distinguished service in the United States military during the Vietnam War The most decorated soldier in international combat in American history, Joe Ronnie Hooper, a native South Carolinian, joined the military when he was 19 years old. He was deployed with the 501st Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, popularly known as the Delta Raiders in 1966. Dur- ing his two tours of duty in Vietnam, Hooper killed at least 115 Vietnamese. Surpassing both Sergeant Alvin York and Second Lieutenant Audie Murphy, Hooper earned 37 medals, including two Silver Stars, six Bronze Stars and eight Purple Hearts. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his courage on February 21, 1968 in the battle of Hue during the Tet Offensive. Among his many acts of valor that day, he is credited with single-handedly destroying three enemy bunkers, eliminating the enemy in four more with grenades and killing additional Vietnamese with his rifle and bayonet. He accomplished these feats while he was wounded, refusing medical help until his line was restored. Hooper retired as a captain in 1972 at the age of 34, one of America’s great heroes of Vietnam. Previous Recipients: 2008 - Colonel Walter J. Marm; 2007 - Lt. General Harold G. Moore, Jr.; 2006 - Colonel George “Bud” Day; Colonel Roger H.C. Donlon, USA (Ret)

On the night of July 5, 1964, then-Captain Roger Donlon and his twelve-member special forces Team A-726 were stationed at Camp Nam Dong, located a few miles from the Laotian border. Also stationed at Camp Nam Dong were 311 South Vietnamese irregulars and 60 ethnic Chinese fiercely opposed to the Communists. Donlon had advised his men to “button-up tight” because he could feel that the Vietcong were coming. As he finished his patrol around 2:00 AM on the morning of the 6th, all was quiet, and he wondered if he had been wrong about the impending attack. But such was not the case, as a reinforced Vietcong battalion of nearly 900 men prepared to launch an attack on Camp Nam Dong. As Captain Donlon entered the camp’s mess hall, a mortar exploded on the roof, knocking him down. Regaining his senses, he marshaled his forces and ordered much needed ammunition be evacuated from a burning building. Donlon then dashed through a hail of bullets and hand grenades to block a breach of the camp’s main gate. En route, he encountered a three-man enemy demolition team with dynamite strapped to their backs, and quickly eliminated them. Learning that enemy fighters were near the ammunition bunker, Donlon ran there to assist its defense. As he neared the bunker, he was severely wounded in his arm and stomach by another mortar blast. Quickly tearing off a piece of his shirt, he stuffed it in his stomach wound to slow the bleeding. Throughout the remainder of the five-hour battle, Captain Donlon moved from position to position throughout the battle space, bringing his men supplies and ammunition, treating their wounds, and encouraging them to fight on. Despite sustaining several more wounds, Donlon refused to quit, leading the defense of the camp until he was nearly completely exhausted. At dawn, the defeated enemy forces retreated into the jungle. Though the enemy had been driven back, 55 men, including two Americans, from Captain Donlon’s vastly outnumbered force were killed, and another 65 were wounded. Donlon immediately reorganized his men and administered aid to the injured. For his valor during this battle, Captain Roger Donlon was awarded the Medal of Honor at the White House on December 5, 1964, with all nine remaining men of Team A-726 in attendance. As President Johnson hung the Medal around his neck, he pointed to them and said, “This Medal belongs to them, too.” 238 men would be awarded the Medal of Honor for their heroism during the Vietnam War. Captain, now Colonel, Roger Donlon was the first. He is also the first member of the Special Forces ever to receive the award. In the years since, he has continued to selflessly give of himself, speaking to countless numbers of schools and veterans groups, making them aware of the sacrifices made by so many American service members to protect our freedoms. For his extraordinary heroism and selflessness during combat, and the dedication to his country that he has displayed since, the American Veterans Center is proud to present Colonel Roger H. C. Donlon the 2009 Joe Ronnie Hooper Award. Paul Ray Smith Award For distinguished service in the United States military during Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom Paul Ray Smith was born in Texas in 1969. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1989 and was deployed with Bravo Company of the 3rd Infantry Division to Kosovo in 2001, rising to the rank of sergeant first class the spring of 2002. In January of 2003, he was deployed to Kuwait in preparation for what would become Operation Iraqi Freedom. On April 4, 2003, two weeks after the invasion, Smith’s unit found itself engaged in heavy combat against superior numbers of enemy forces near Baghdad International Airport. In the heat of the battle, Smith ran under heavy fire to a nearby mounted machine gun. While maintaining this exposed position, he killed nearly 50 enemy fighters before he was mortally wounded. His selfless actions saved the lives of more than 100 soldiers and repelled the enemy attack. For his valor, he posthumously was awarded the Medal of Honor—the first American service member to receive the military’s highest honor for Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Operation Enduring Freedom Previous Recipients: 2008 - Senior Airman Jason Cunningham (Posthumous) - 2007 - Major Jason Amerine 2006 - Staff Sergeant Anthony Viggiani Captain Stephen Boada Screams from fellow Marines being attacked by insurgents in a mountainous area of eastern Afghanistan were all that then-1st Lt. Stephen Boada needed to hear. The moans from the dying Marines of Company K, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, sparked a rescue attempt led by Boada, the fire direction officer for the 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, on May 8, 2005. While on a dismounted patrol through the Alisheng Valley, Boada’s unit of about 30 Marines began to pick up radio traffic between insurgents on their Icom scanners. Interpreters informed the Marines that the insurgents — concealed in the rough terrain — were plotting an ambush. “The Americans will not make it out alive,” one of the insurgents was heard to say on the radio. To keep one step ahead of their enemies, the Marines tried to call in helicopter support. However, the weather did not permit such action, so the Marines forged ahead in a movement-to-contact approach, said Boada, who was a forward air controller at the time. A few Marines on top of a hill scanned the area and spotted 10 armed individuals walking across the valley. A single rifle shot, believe to have been fired by one of the individuals, prompted the Marines to open up machine gun fire on the enemies, about 800 meters away. The other Marines, including Boada, pushed toward their adversaries, who were fleeing up the mountainside as the machine gun team on the hill provided supporting fire. While making their way up the ridge, Boada called for fixed-wing air support. Four A-10 Warthogs came roaring over the valley, unleashing 30mm cannon fire and 2.75-inch rockets onto the enemy locations, as Boada, with help from the machine gun team, called in target adjustments to the aircraft. After about eight passes by the A-10s, the Marines searched for enemies killed or injured by the barrage. Lance Cpl. Nicholas C. Kirven came across a body and called out to Cpl. Richard P. Schoener to provide security. Boada was about 25 meters from Kirven and Schoener when he heard the bursts of an AK-47 rifle and the screams of both Marines, he said. The rest of the Marines began to circle around Kirven and Schoener, who were lying near a cave whose mouth spat out persistent gunfire. Using a smoke grenade for concealment, Boada and Cpl. Troy Arndt made it up to the Marines. While Corporal Kirven was dead, the other Marine was still alive and talking. Arndt grabbed Schoener but couldn’t drag him away. Boada then tried to help Arndt, but Schoener’s flak vest ripped. Boada and Arndt had to take cover after more enemy gunfire came from the cave. Boada fired his M-9 pistol and threw four grenades into the cave to eliminate the threat. Meanwhile, other Marines tried to resuscitate Schoener and Kirven, but were unsuccessful as the men had lost too much blood. On top of their loss, the Marines could not get a medical evacuation and had to carry both bodies back to the vehicles that were about six miles away. Although Boada has been called a hero, receiving the Silver Star, he said he believes that the two Marines who didn’t walk away from that fight are the real heroes. Arndt, who earned a Bronze Star for his actions on that day, and the other Marines who were out there are heroes to him as well. “I wasn’t the only one out there. I was just put in a position to make a decision,” he has said. It is for this modesty, valor, and dedication to duty common among today’s military but displayed so extraordinarily by Captain Stephen Boada that the American Veterans Center is honored to name him the recipient of the 2009 Paul Ray Smith Award. Adapted from ‘Americans Will Not Make It Out Alive’ by Sean Kimmons, Stars and Stripes Operation Iraqi Freedom Previous Recipients: 2008 - Captain W. Bryan Jackson; 2007 - Sgt. Jeremiah Workman; 2006 - Sgt. Timothy Connors Staff Sergeant David Bellavia

On the evening of November 10, 2004, U.S. Army Staff Sergeant David Bellavia stood in the street outside a house in Fallujah, Iraq. Moments earlier Bellavia and eight other men from Third Platoon, A Company, Task Force 2-2 IN, had been trapped inside, pinned down by enemy fire. They had entered the house in an attempt to clear it of insurgents when two enemy fighters, hidden under the stairwell behind a three-foot barrier, opened fire with AK-47s and a machine gun. Ricocheting bullets peppered the entrance of the house and the soldiers’ only means of escape. Borrowing an M249 SAW from one of his men, Bellavia stepped into the hallway and opened fire, forcing the insurgents to duck behind the barrier and allowing the Americans in the house to escape. Bellavia continued firing until running out of ammunition and exiting the house. Upon rejoining his men, Bellavia began to feel guilty, that he had let them down. He had never run from a fight before. Realizing that he had to go back in, he ordered some of his men to cover the windows and corners of the house while another soldier accompanied him inside. The two insurgents sat waiting behind the stairs. Bellavia could hear them whispering to each other. Taking refuge in the living room, Bellavia tossed a grenade down the hall, missing long as it flew out the back door and exploding in the garden. Looking around the room for another means to attack, Bellavia noticed mirror fragments on the wall. Not only could he see the insurgents, they could see him. One of the insurgents was young, holding two AK-47s, while the one manning the machine gun was older. Suddenly, the younger one prepared to launch a rocket, which would have set off the propane tanks that lined the room - a trap meant to kill any Americans who attempted to take the house. Recognizing that he had to act, Bellavia rushed into the other room, catching the young man by surprise before he could fire and taking him out with his M16. As he other insurgent made a run for the door, Bellavia fired in his direction, unsure of whether his shot was on target. Moving to take cover near the stairway, and alone after his comrade had been hit and was forced to evacuate, Bellavia noticed another insurgent in the kitchen nearby. After firing a few shots and taking cover, the insurgent ventured toward Bellavia’s location, searching for his target. Before he could react, Bellavia was able to fire off several rounds, quickly killing him. Just after eliminating another insurgent in a nearby bedroom, bullets slammed into the wall near Bellavia’s head. Realizing he was not alone in the room, he made his way toward the closet, where he noticed two splintered holes. Right then, the insurgent broke out, making a run for the next room as Bellavia hit him with two shots in the leg. Hearing movement in the room next door, Bellavia suddenly notices a voice, speaking in a thick accent. “I will kill you and take your dog collar. Your mommy will never find you,” taunts the voice. Turning on his night goggles, Bellavia catches the man peering into his room, killing him with his M16 before he knew what happened. Rather than evacuate the house to bring in reinforcements, Bellavia reloaded his rifle and moved for the stairs. His luck continued as he slipped in a pool of blood just as an enemy round slammed into the wall where his head had been. Bellavia quickly recovered and tossed a grenade into the room the shot had come from. After hearing the explosion followed by a groan, he knew he had his man. As he leveled his M16 to finish off the insurgent, Bellavia noticed that the room was packed with propane tanks, a bomb waiting to be set off by an errant shot. Knowing that to fire his weapon could be suicide, Bellavia attacked the insurgent with the butt of his rifle. The terrorist fought back, and the two became locked in hand to hand combat. Suddenly, Bellavia remembered that he had a Gerber knife in his belt, which he used to finally subdue his enemy. Trying to clear his mind from the events that just took place, Bellavia heard a loud crash, as another man jumped from the roof, landing on a nearby patio just outside. Bellavia fired two more shots, before running out of ammunition. He grabbed he AK-47 of the nearby dead insurgent, firing rounds into the final terrorist until he fell from the patio to the garden below. Out of energy, Bellavia, sat down and lit a cigarette, waiting for the other Americans to join him. It was his 29th birthday, spent in a far different place and in much different circumstances than he could have ever imagined. David Bellavia would be awarded the Silver Star for his actions during the Battle of Fallujah. He has also been recommended for our nation’s highest military award - the Medal of Honor - for his valor that day. Since leaving active duty, he has become one of the strongest and most articulate advocates for those who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is for this courage, and for his tireless support of his fellow veterans of this new generation, the American Veterans Center is proud to present David Bellavia with the 2009 Paul Ray Smith Award. Edward J. Herlihy Citizenship Award For Distinguished Public Service on Behalf of Veterans or Active Duty Service Members The Maine Troop Greeters It all began on a winter morning in 1991, after a large and spirited group of citizens drove to Bangor International Airport to welcome home planeloads of returning Troops from Operation Desert Storm. On that first of many days to follow, Kevin Tillman, an Army Sergeant with the 82nd Airborne Division, borrowed a high school student's saxophone during a refueling stop and delivered a spine-tingling rendition of "The Star Spangled Ban- ner". By nightfall on March 8, 1991, Tillman's performance had been broadcast around the globe, thrusting Bangor, Maine and the volunteers later known as the Maine Troop Greeters into the limelight. Another war and more than half a million troops later, the airport greetings continue. No matter the hour, members of all branches of the U.S. military and our allies are assured of a handshake, use of a free cell phone and a cookie as they pass through the city's airport. Many are headed to and from Iraq, as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, as well as other hot spots around the globe. The Maine Troop Greeters were officially incorporated as a registered non-profit organization in 2008. The group agreed on this guiding principle: "The mission of the Maine Troop Greeters is to express the Nation's (and our) gratitude and appreciation to the Troops, for those going overseas for a safe return and for those returning for a joyful homecoming and to make their (hopefully brief) stay in Bangor as comfortable and pleasant as possible." Lillian K. Keil Award Awarded to Female Veterans or Active Duty Service Members Who Have Done Significant Work to Promote the Contribution of Women to the United States Armed Forces Army Nurse Corps

“The Army nurse is the symbol to the soldier of help and relief in his hour of direst need. Through mud and mire, through the mark of campaign and battle, wherever the fight leads, she patiently – gallantly – seeks the wounded and distressed. Her comfort knows no parallel. In the heart of all fighting men, she is enshrined forever.” General Douglas MacArthur, December 1944

The American Veterans Center is proud to present the Army Nurse Corps with the 2009 Lillian K. Keil Award for its pivotal role in building a foundation for the many opportunities available to women in the military today. We recognize that it is because of the trails blazed by determined women of the early 20th century that American women now serve in vital roles throughout our military.

James Trimble III Gunnery Sergeant Sergeant Major Scholarship – Awarded to Bradley D. Arkens Annie Bennett one or more outstanding high Southern Oregon Young Marines Tehama Valley Young Marines school seniors, in association California with the Young Marines. The following titles by or about American Veterans Center Conference speakers are available for purchase at the U.S. Navy Memorial’s Book Store

A Better War: Fight Back: The Unexamined Victories Tackling Terrorism Liddy Style and Final Tragedy of By G. Gordon Liddy America’s Last Years in Viet- nam By Lewis Sorley

Beyond Nam Dong HardBall on the Hill By Roger H.C. Donlon By James C. Roberts

Black Hawk Down: House to House: A Story of Modern War An Epic Memoir of War By Mark Bowden By SSG David Bellavia

Escape from Look to the Corregidor Stars: By Edgar D. Whitcomb By Buzz Aldrin Magnificent The Strongest Desolation: Tribe: The Long Journey Back War, Politics, and the From the Moon Endgame in Iraq By Buzz Aldrin By Bing West

Tonight We Die Medal of Honor: as Men: Portraits of Valor Beyond The Untold Story of the 3rd the Call of Duty Battalion, 506 PIR from By Nick Del Calzo and Peter Toccoa to D-Day Collier By Ian Gardner and Roger Day Foreword by Col. Ed Shames

Now Pitching On Celestial By Bob Feller Wings By Edgar D. Whitcomb

Proudly Shadow of The Gamble: We Served: the Sword General David The Men of the By Jeremiah Petraeus and the USS Mason Workman American Military By Mary Pat Adventure in Iraq Kelly 2006-2008 By Thomas Ricks

The Battle of To Fly and We Who Are Mogadishu: Fight: Alive and First Hand Memoirs of a Remain: Accounts from the Triple Ace Untold Stories from Men of Task Force By Col. Clarence the Band of Brothers Ranger E “Bud” Anderson By Marcus Brotherton By Matthew Eversmann And a Very Special Thank You to Our Many Individual Supporters Who Helped Make Possible the 12th Annual Conference and Awards Banquet

Mrs. Elinor Agnew Thornton D & Elizabeth S Mr. Keith Irwin A Morris Ms. Ann W Seibert Mr. Joseph Allegretti Hooper Foundation Mr. J Michael Jenkins Mr. Stanley F Musial Mr. Thomas Selby Mr. William Anders, USAF Ms. Mary Engelson Capt. Arthur S Jensen, Ret Ms. Rebecca O'Neill Mr. Richard A Senfleben Mr. Thomas K Armstrong Mr. Frank J Ewasyshyn Mr. Eric P Johnson Mr. Ray P Oden Jr Mr. Sydney Shaftman Mr. H H Avery Mr. James F Fanning Mr. Robert E Johnson Mr. William R Orthwein Jr Ms. Gertrude F Shelley Mr. & Mrs. John H Bailie Mr. Robert B Ferguson Mr. J Malcolm Jones Ms. Doris H Pankow Mr. Dale A Shoemaker Ms. Ann Baker Guillermo Figueroa Lt Col. Edward T Kelly, USAF Ret Mr. Hoyt S Pardee Mrs. Ruth M Shores Mr. Michael Barish Mr. James D Fillers Ms. Nancy Kissinger Mr. Robert S Perkin Ms. Josephine Siorek Barnard Construction Coction Co Ms. Carol D Fisher Mr. Charles P Knvrek Mr. Joseph C Petrone Mr. Joseph Slowik Mr. George W Bermant Mr. John B Ford Mr. Lee H Lacey Mr. Charles E Pfeifer Cdr. George E Slye USN Mr. James Blue Mrs. Shirley R Frahm Mr. Sol Leibowitz Mr. Frank Phelan Mr. J Phil Smith Mr. Lawrence I Brandes Ms. Yvonne J Franklin Mr. William Loftus Ms. Lucile J Pickwick Ms. Lorraine Smucker Ms. Barbara Bro Mrs. Lavern Gaynor Mr. Caleb Loring Jr Mr. David Porchia Mr. James Sorenson Jr Mr. Philip Tate Brown, USMC Mr. Lawrence E Gill Mr. Bruce Lowrie Mr. Patrick Porter Mrs. J Spielberger Mr. Lawrence A Bryant Mr. & Mrs. Bill Gillespie Mr. Jose F Luna Ms. Barbara W Preston Morgan Stanley Mr. Robert J Burton Mr. Arthur J Glatfelter Dr. Gwendoline R Mac Donald Ms. Irene Price Mr. Richard G Steckley Ms. Georgia Cabe Mr. Lawrence D Glaubinger Mr. Frank P Macartney Mrs. Masel S Quinn Mrs. Evelyn Casey Steen Mr. & Mrs. R W Calvert Mr. Lawrence D Glaubinger Mr. Joseph M Mahoney Mrs. William M Reid Jr Mr. George O Summers Mr. Charles Carter Mrs. Virginia L Mr. Edwin Malloy Jr Ms. Claire S Reiss Mrs. Hermine Szala Mr. Carroll Cheek Mr. James Gregory Mr. Ned Marrow Mr. Lunsford Richardson Jr Mr. Paul Thayer Mrs. Gladys P Clemons Mr. George H Grove Mr. Agust Martin Jr Mr. Edward P Roski Sr Ms. Ruth D Todd Ms. Linda V Coe Mr. Steven B Guglielmi Mrs. Cordelia May Mr. Melvin Roth Mr. Gary Trousdale Mr. Max Cohen Mr. Donald F Gulick Mrs. Cordelia May Col. Robert W Rust Ms. Mary Tuffey Mr. Arthur Crames Mr. Richard C Hampe Mr. John A Mc Cook Mr. Patrick Rutherford Mr. Edward G Uhl Ms. Hannah J Cunningham Mrs. Marion Hartunian McCormick Foundationick Foundation Mr. D Thomas Ruttura Nikolaus Von Heidegger Mr. Jeffrey B Cunningham Mr. Jim Hasslocher Mr. James Mc Dade Mr. & Mrs. Carl Salonites Mrs. Willard J Walker Ms. M Gerrie Davey Ms. Joyce B Heinrich Mr. Richard Mc Whirter Mr. & Mrs. Paul Schilling Mr. Leroy Weber Jr Mrs. Edele de Kirby Ms. F Jean Hendricks Mr. George Middlemas Mr. Hilmer C Schmidt Mr. James White Mr. Robert de Rothschild Col. Juan Hernandez Mr. Zygmunt P Mientek Ms. Hedy Schneider Mr. Warren Wilson Mr. Charles Diaz K Toshiko Honeychurch Mr. Charles Miller Mr. Charles Schwartz Mr. Jahleel D Woodbridge Sgt. Leonard Dillman, USAF Ret Mr. Ralph Hooper Milliken Mrs. Walter A Schwartz Mr. Virgil E Zinninger Mr. Robert C Dorion Mr. & Mrs. John Hughes Mr. S A Moore Mr. Leo W Seal Jr Mr. Jon Zion Mr. Robert J Eichenberg Mr. Chauncey Hutter Mr. Harry Moran Mrs. Christine Sedler