AMVETS Jonathan M Wainwright Post #1111 Walla Walla, Washington

Veterans Serving Veterans and our Community

Inside this issue:

Christmas Dinner at Elmer’s 1

Commander’s Message 2

Downtown Flag Sponsors 3

Mukden Survivors to China 4

Amvets Aims & Purposes 5

New members & pictures Calendar

6 7

Post information 8

January 2007

Artist-AMVET: Roger McGee

Dedication 1996

POST 1111 CHRISTMAS DINNER The annual Post Christmas Dinner held at Elmer’s Restaurant Wednesday, December 20, 2006 was at-tended by thirty-nine members and guests. The honored guests for the evening included Mr. and Mrs. Harry Flanigan and Mr. and Mrs. Doug Taggart. Mr. Flanigan was recognized as a major financial contributor to the Post. Mr. and Mrs. Taggart are steadfast supporters of our Downtown Flag Project and represented Boy Scout Troop 305.

It was an enjoyable evening of conversation and fine food. Door prizes were awarded by special drawing for all in attendance. Mrs. Taggart won the “Special Door Prize,” an overnight stay at the Holiday Inn Ex-press. The restaurant managers and staff ensured that our requests were not only met, but exceeded. A truly satisfying atmosphere and event. The major comment heard was “we should have more times like this.”

A special thanks to our members and wives who attended: Doug and Karen Bayne, Steve Bird, Tim and Eileen Bow, Gordon and June Cresci, Mike and Beverly Dettmer, Norm and Minobu Gray-beal, Mel and Barbara Harnett, Jim and Loraine Harting, Lincoln and Anne Heath, Arnil Hof-farth, Jim and Shirley Irwin, Gerald and Barbara Locati, Vince Locati, Howard Morgan, Don Nash, Ken and Elizabeth Paplinski, Bob Radke, Harold and Jeanine Rahn, Tom Roe, Don and Jan Schack, and Marshall and Audrey Sturdevant. All thirty-nine members and guests had a very en-joyable evening. “Thanks for the memories.”

AMVETS POST #1111 NEWSLETTER

Published Monthly

For members and those who support

American Veterans

Officers of the Post

Commander

Timothy “Tim” Bow (509)526-0826

1st Vice Commander

Stephen “Steve” Bird (541)938-4780

2nd Vice Commander

Michael “Mike” Dettmer (541)938-6806

Finance Officer

Kenneth “Ken” Paplinski (509)526-5792

Adjutant

Robert “Bob” Chicken (509)522-5289

Provost Marshall

Douglas “Doug” Bayne (509)529-6255

Judge Advocate & Chaplain

Donald “Don” Schack (509)525-5723

Past Commander

Norman “Norm” Graybeal (509)522-0939

Newsletter Editor

James “Jim” Irwin (509)529-2411

Send articles to: jimirwin@charter.net

Page 2 AMVETS Jonathan M Wainwright POST #1111

ANNUAL SCOUT RECOGNITION DINNER The Annual Scout Dinner is another way of recognizing those who provide so much added support for the Post. The “Super Spaghetti Feed” will be held at our regular Post Meeting in February. Now is the time to mark February 21st on your cal-endars and we hope to see you then. Oh, yes, the Spaghetti Feed will be prepared by the Executive Committee. Don’t miss it

Commander’s Corner Happy New Years! Looking back on 2006, it was a good year. Many changes for some and too few for others. I want to per-sonally recognize Norm Graybeal for his effort in arranging and coordinating the Post Christmas Party. Job well Done ! As a post we have grown. Our commitment to our active force and their concerns have increased .

During the Christmas Party it was brought to my at-tention that some of our members have difficulty getting to our monthly meetings. Not because they don’t want to attend , but because they cannot physically drive at night anymore. Someone asked if we might be able to have meetings earlier in the day. I’m not against this option, however, it would prevent other members including myself from being able to attend. Another option might be to offer a program where we can pair up members who don’t have problems driving night with those who do. Our meetings accomplish two objectives first, it allows us to conduct the business of the post. Second, it provides an opportunity for our members to socialize. The second reason may actually be more important than the first. We are an or-ganization made up of members that share a common thread. We are all veterans. Our members’ service span from World War II to present day. Our experiences though varied and di-verse gives us a common bond a bond that connects us with the past and bridges us to the future. When we have members who are absent, we are not complete. This is especially true when the member wants to be here. I am proposing that members who need transportation to meetings contact the executive board. Members who can provide transportation also contact the executive board. This way we might be able to coordinate transportation to and from meetings.

In closing, let us together make this year one to remember.

Sincerely,

Tim Bow, Post Commander

Tim Bow, Post Commander

We Salute These Walla Walla American Flag Sponsors for their

Support and Patriotism — Please Support our Sponsors

4 STAR GENERAL WAINWRIGHT SPONSORS

By Arrangement - Cascade Natural Gas Corporation - Coffey Communications, Inc.

Coldwell Banker-First Realtor - Doyle Electric Inc. - Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie & Aux.#26

Green & Jackson Medical - Les Schwab Tire Center - Lloyd's Inc.- Loyd & Virginia Mahan

Jim & Marilyn Nagle - Northwest Collision Inc- Platt Electric Supply - Ted & Jerry Small

St. Mary Medical Center - Stoneway Electric Supply - Valley Vision Clinic - Walla Walla Clinic

Walla Walla Association of Realtors

PATRIOT SPONSORS

1 2 3 Printing AMVETS Service Fdn Dept of Washington American Legion Walter C. Lee Post 32 AmericanWest Bank Associated Appraisers Bank of Whitman Joe Baur Francis-Claude Bowen Charter Communications City of Walla Walla Clancy's Transfer & Storage, Inc Collection Bureau of Walla Walla Colonial-DeWitt Funeral Home Cummins Athletic Supply, Inc Darrah’s Decorator Center, Inc. Dean & Shari Derby Dale & Esther Dixon Downtown Walla Walla Foundation Downtown Walla Walla Foundation Fenton/Stahl Gallery George M. "Jock" Edwards Dorothy Eubanks Eagle Springs Specialized Care Express Personnel Services Falkenberg’s Jewelers Forgeron Cellars Garrison Creek Lodge Gary's Paint & Decorating Gotta Go Embroidery Robert & Mary Graves H&H Sports & Loan Hard Rock Machine Works Home Senator Mike & Cory Hewitt Arnil & Virginia Hoffarth Jim & Shirley Irwin Italian Heritage Association Barry & Judy Jaquins William J. Kelsay Vernon & Barbara Kenney, Kenney Farms LeMaster & DaLniels PLLC Linn Buley and Associates, Inc Linscott Wylie & Blize

5 STAR GENERAL SPONSORS Baker Boyer Bank - Clifford Braden Trust - Disposal Services Inc. - Mel & Barbara Harnett

McDonald Zaring Insurance - Narum Concrete Const. - Martin's Jewelers— Nelson Irrigation Corporation - PacifiCorp - Regence Blue Shield - Tallman’s Inc. -

Thompson & Kreitsberg - Debora L Zalaznik, CPA, PLLC

COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF SPONSORS Adkins & Sons Masonry - Land Title of Walla Walla County - Walla Walla Union Bulletin

Banner Bank - Opp & Seibold General Construction, Inc. - Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

FLAG WAVER SPONSORS

Aichele Plumbing, Inc. Earl & Rosemary Anderson James Barrett Atty Baustian Insurance Agency Best Pest Control Blue Mountain Vision Clinic Laura Bunt By Arrangement Carroll Adams Tractor Company Robert & Betty Chapman Gordon & June Cresci Cummins Atheletic Supply Inc. Don Johnson Sales, Inc Eastgate Lions Club Golden & Knowlton , P.S. Mike & Susan Gillespie Harold Electric Co Dan & Claudia Huntley Bob & Mary Jamison Jerry Jantz Jim Johnson & Co. K-Farms, Inc. Key Technology, Inc. Koncrete Industries Nate & Dixie Liening Dan & Cathy McCauley Patrick & Louise Lynch Dick & Marilyn Neher Cindy & Michael Ocampo Jean M. Petersen Jim & Carol Peterson Quality Petroleum Products, Inc. Bob Richmond Schaefer Refrigeration Wm. Patrick Sharkey D.M.D The Clock Shop & Antique Co. Donald & Eleanor Tomlinson Touchet Grange VFW Grant Farmer Post #992 Wild Rose Studio Walla Walla Alliance for the Mentally Ill Walla Walla Wagon Wheelers

PATRIOT SPONSORS

Logos of Walla Walla Lohrmann Law Offices Loney's Super Foods, Inc Patrick & Louise Lynch Jack & Laurette McCaw Koncrete Industries Inc. Merchants Ltd Minnick - Hayner OMI, Inc Paul Richardson Agency, Inc. Pontarolo's Office Products Product Marketing Enterprises "PME" RDL Machine Reese, Baffney, Schrag & Frol, P.S. Jim & Jane Robison Rotary Club of Walla Walla Larry Siegel, Attorney at Law Snyder Crecelius Software Planning Steppin Country Sterling Savings Bank Sun Rental Center Marshall & Audrey Sturdevant Richard J. Sundberg D.D.S. P.S. Thurman & Katherine Taylor Tietan Dental Team Tompkins Appliance Service The Credit Bureau The Purple Parasol, Inc. Vargas & Associates, P.S VFW Grant Farmer Post #992 Virtual In-House Counsel, LLC Walla Walla Farmers Co-op Walla Walla Kennel Club Walla Walla Recycling, Inc. Walla Walla Valley Chamber of Commerce WA State Penitentiary Employee Assoc. Doug & Jo Winn Wylie Monument Co.

Page 4 AMVETS Jonathan M Wainwright POST #1111

Mukden Survivors that visited Walla Walla’s Wainwright Medical Center to visit China In September 2006, on POW Recognition Day, ten former prisoners of war from World War II, came to visit the Wainwright Medical Center. They call themselves the Mukden Survivors and were holding their 23rd annual reunion in Pasco Washington at the Red Lion Hotel. The group enjoyed their bus trip from Pasco, through downtown Walla Walla, and because of a threatening rain storm, the planned ceremony at the Wainwright Statue, was held in the theatre at the Wainwright Medical Center. They later enjoyed a ca-tered lunch and wine tasting at Three Rivers Winery on their way back to Pasco.

Some of these men also survived the “Bataan Death March” in the Philippines and were later transferred to Mukden, Manchuria ( now called Shenyang) to become slave laborers for Japanese Corporations. This is the same area that General Jonathan Wainwright was held captive for three and a half years. One of the visitors with this group, not a POW, was Hal Leith, a member of the OSS sent to Mukden to rescue General Wain-wright and deliver him to the USS Missouri in Tokyo Harbor, for the surrender ceremony in 1945.

The group visiting the Medical Center also included their spouses and family members as well as widows and children of other Mukden POWs that have died. Survivor members were Leroy Aasland of Thief River Falls MN, Jim Bogart of Pasco WA, Hersheal Boushey of Camano Island WA, Joe Brasel of Coal Hill AR, Robert Brown of Challenge CA, Erwin Johnson of Lacombe LA, Wayne Miller of Mertztown PA, John Mosely of Santa Fe NM, Al Onacki of Steilacoom WA, and Roy Weaver of Coeur d Alene, ID.

Some of these survivors and their family members will be traveling to China later this year to visit a museum of the Mukden Prison Camp that is being restored by the government of Shenyang to honor the men held there as well as to celebrate Chinese and American friendship.

A movie has been produced, based on a book by Iris Chang, “The Rape of Nanking”. The name of the movie to be released in the Summer of 2007 is “Nanking”. The book and the movie will give you an insight into the mindset that allowed the brutish treatment at Mukden.

This was the second visit to Walla Walla for many of the Mukden Survivors as the AMVETS Post 1111, Wainwright Memorial Committee, hosted their reunion in Walla Walla in the year 2000.

Page 5 AMVETS Jonathan M Wainwright POST #1111

The aims and purposes of AMVETS are as follows: (1) To serve our country in peace as in war; to build and maintain the welfare of the United States of America toward lasting prosperity and peace for all its inhabitants.

(2) To encourage, in keeping with policies of our government, the establishment of a concrete plan to secure permanent International peace and to assist in the maintenance of international peace.

(3) To inspire in our membership a sense of responsibility and to develop leadership for the preservation of our American democratic way of life.

(4) To help unify divergent groups in the overall interest of American democracy.

(5) To train our youth to become purposeful citizens in a democracy with full knowledge of the responsibilities as well as the privileges of citizenship.

(6) To cooperate with all duly recognized existing veterans organizations in the furtherance of the aims of the veterans who have served or are serving in the Armed Forces of the United States during and since World War II.

(7) To ensure the orderly return of the veteran to civilian life by protecting the rights of individuals while the service member is still in uniform.

(8) To expedite and assist in the rehabilitation of veterans by maintaining employment services; sponsoring educational opportunities; providing counsel on insurance, housing, recreation, personal problems, hospitali-zation and veterans benefits.

(9) To act as a liaison agent between the veteran and the government.

(10) To provide an organization to encourage fellowship among all American veterans who have served or are serving in the Armed Forces of the United States during and since World War

(11) To keep the public forever reminded that the American veterans who have served or are serving in the Armed Forces of the United States during and since World War II fought and served to preserve peace, lib-erty and democracy for their nation.

Excerpt from the AMVETS Constitution & Bylaws as amended, effective August 2005

An Organization Chartered by Congress and/or Recognized by VA for Claim Representation National Headquarters Address 4647 Forbes Boulevard Lanham, MD 20706-4380 Phone:(301) 459-9600 Web:http://www.amvets.org Officers Presiding Officer: Thomas . McGriff, National Commander Executive Officer: James B. King, National Executive Director Past Presiding Officer: Edward W. Kemp, Immediate Past Ofc. National Service Director: James W. Doran, Natl. Serv. Dir. Auxiliary President: Bonnie . Scott, Auxiliary President Membership Total: 260,000 Auxiliary: 39,000 Organization Date December 9, 1944 Chartered By Congress July 23, 1947

Page 6 AMVETS Jonathan M Wainwright POST #1111

Welcome New Members James Harting of Dayton, WA - Life Membership Donald Nash of Walla Walla - Life Membership

These two new members sponsored by Mel Harnett

Converted to Life Membership Larry Adams of Walla Walla

Robert Chicken of Walla Walla

Jan & Don Schack Dana & Doug

Taggart

Marshall & Audrey Sturdevant

Mike and Beverly Dettmer Mr. and Mrs. Harry Flanigan

Christmas 2006

Elmer’s Restaurant

Walla Walla WA

Happy New Year From

Post #1111

Lincoln

Heath

Page 7 AMVETS Jonathan M Wainwright POST #1111

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 New Years Day

2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

14 15 Flags MLK Day

16 17AMVETS Meeting

18 19 20

21 22 Exec. Comm.

23 24 25 26 27

28 29 30 31

January 2007

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2 Groundhog

3

4 5 6 7 8 Boy Scouts 1910

9 10

11 12 Lincolns’BD

13 14 Valentine’s

15 16 17

18 19 FLAGS Presidents’

20 21AMVETS Meeting

22 Washing-ton’s BD

23 24

25 26 Exec. Comm.

27 28

February 2007

DOWNTOWN WALLA WALLA FLAGS An AMVETS Post #1111 project

We are now starting our 6th year of providing the downtown with holiday flags. The response by the

community to our flag project has been great. Please support OUR Sponsors See our list of sponsors on page 3.

Flags will fly on the following upcoming holidays. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Jan. 15th

Presidents’ Day Feb. 19th

WAINWRIGHT MEMORIAL MONUMENT An AMVETS Post #1111 project

Located at the Jonathan M Wainwright Memorial Veteran Affairs Medical Center

Walla Walla, Washington 458

installed bronze plaques to date call Jim Irwin at 529-2411 for an order form

A Lasting Tribute to Members of the Armed Services

AMERICAN VETERANS A leader since 1944 in preserving the freedoms secured by America's Armed Forces, AMVETS provides, not only sup-port for veterans and the active military in procuring their earned entitlements, but also community services that en-hance the quality of life for this nation's citizens

NON-PROFIT

US Postage

PAID

Walla Walla

WA 99362

Permit #197

AMVETS Post #1111

Jonathan M Wainwright

PO Box 2535

Return Service Requested

January Meeting 1/17/2007

6:00 PM Potluck Dinner 7:00 PM Post Meeting

Golden West Estates Community room 1425 Jasper St Walla Walla Directions:

South off West Rose on Jade St. past the Driver License Dept.

then right on Jasper to the middle of the block

AMVETS OF WALLA WALLA Post # 1111

Current Membership 98

Annual Members 45 / Life 53 Annual Dues: $25.00 per year / Life Member: $150.00 To be eligible for membership, you must have served

in the U.S. Armed Forces, including the National Guard and Reserves, anytime after Sept. 15, 1940.

Additionally, unless still serving, your discharge must have been under honorable conditions. If you served

as an American citizen in the armed forces of an allied nation, under honorable conditions, between Sept. 15,

940 and May 8, 1975, you are also eligible, as are wartime members of the Merchant Marine. Proof of

eligibility can take the form of a DD-214, an honorable discharge certificate or other appropriate document.