name badge order form ex-pow bulletinon feb. 18, 2007 about 60 nam-pows, friends and family members...

EX-POW BULLETINAmerican Ex-Prisoners of War

We exist to help those who cannot help themselves

Volume 64 Number 3/4

the official voice of the

www.axpow.org

March/April 2007

Happy Birthday, AXPOW! April 14, 1942-2007

Inside...News, Outreach, Events, NSO success stories...and more

Name Badge Order Form(for members only)

AXPOW3201 E Pioneer Pkwy #40Arlington Texas 76010

Choice of attachment (check one or we choose)� Pin-on Actual size of badge is 2 1/8" x 3 3/8"� Clip-on (size of a credit card)

PLEASE PRINT:Name __________________________________________

Line 1 __________________________________________

Line 2 __________________________________________

Name Badge with name & chapter and city……$ 6.00(includes shipping and handling)Ship to:Street _________________________________________________

City/State/Zip __________________________________________

USMA at West Point, Established March 16, 1802

On Feb. 18, 2007 about 60 Nam-POWs, friends and familymembers gathered at the Nam Viet Restaurant in Arlington, VAfor our Annual Tet Reunion. A great time was had by all. Ourhost, John Nguyen and his Mom carried on his father’s tradition;his whole family participated. We remembered Nguyen Van Thoiwhose friendship with Orson Swindle started this a quarter of acentury ago. ~ Paul E. Galanti.

Ben Waldron Corregidor veteran and member of Sacramento CA 49ers Chapter AXPOW was presented a POW/MIA National Memorial medallion which the CA Gov. Arnold Schwartzenegger had created for the dedication ofthe memorial at Riverside National Cemetery. Medallions were made available for all CA ex-POWs. Ben’s wasstolen during a burglary of his home. Also taken was a diary in which Ben had made almost daily entries during hisentire period of service on Corregidor and during his captivity. It was the basis of his book “From Corregidor toParadise”. The governor also gave a check for $5000 to establish a reward fund for the return of the diary. Thereward fund is being administered by the 49ers Chapter. If the diary is not returned within a reasonable time thefunds will be split between the National POW/MIA Memorial and the National POW Museum. Photos reading fromleft to right are: Governor, Bob Smith - 49ers Commander, Ted Cadwallader, Past Chapter and CA Dept. Com-mander, Ben Waldron; Governor presenting check to Ben; Bob Smith, Governor, Ben, Ted; Governor and Ben.

BELOW Left: Henry “Hank” Stone, right and Paul Leahey, both of the Central MA Chapter, AXPOW are shown beingcongratulated by one of the cadets at Norwich University in Northfield, VT. They were in a group of twelveveterans honored with the French Legion of Honor medal, presented by the French Counsel General. Themedal, which was instituted by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, is the highest award given by France. Hank and Paulboth received a congratulatory letter from the Ambassador of France. Right: Members of the Vermont Chapter#1 of American Ex-Prisoners of war at the POW/MIA Recognition Day ceremonies in Essex Junction, Vermont onSeptember 16, 2006. The participants are standing near the wreath that was laid in honor of POWs and MIAs.Shown in the picture from left to right are: James Douglas, Governor of Vermont; Tullio Zampiere; RichardHamilton, Commander; Arthur Peper, past Commander; Donald Couture; Bill Bister; Francis Angier; Clifford Aus-tin, Legislative Officer; and Bill Busier, Senior Vice Commander.

senior vice commander

Charles Hill

Ex-POW BulletinMarch/April 2007

3

Fellow Members and Friends,

As Senior Vice Commander I amthe “money man” of the Organiza-tion. My job is to report to you onthe true financial status of the or-ganization and to prepare a yearlybudget that “fits” the income andexpenditures. I’m a bit late in thework involved as I was laid low bya serious case of pneumonia. I amfeeling much better, but I still tireeasily. All of you who have been illknow what I’ve been facing. We justdo not recover as quickly as weused to.

I have sent letters of inquiry to keymembers, and their answersshould give me a true report onincome and expenditures to aid informulating a long range plan forthe finances of AXPOW.

The declaration that all financialstatements are done on a modified-cash basis is included in the annualaudit report from the CPA. Doesthat mean that an amount owed isnot reflected in the statements, butshows up only after it is paid?That’s too late to plan on expendi-tures. Just what is included in em-ployee contracts? What other con-tracts are outstanding? These ques-tions and more must be includedin a true picture of where our or-ganization stands.

PNC Harvey and Board MemberMorris Barker have each presenteda plan of asking members formoney in addition to what is raisedthrough the direct mail program.

Perhaps I’m old-fashioned, but Ibelieve we should pay as we go.Whether or not that will be possible,I cannot say until after I have re-ceived the financial information Ineed.

The Foundation is a completelyseparate organization from AXPOWbut continues to support certainwork within AXPOW. The Founda-tion, now renamed as Former Mili-tary Prisoners of War Foundation,is able to support our National Ser-vice Officer Program and the Edu-cational Programs. That leaves the

Ex-POW Bulletin and salaries for thestaff as the heaviest expendituresfrom AXPOW money. I believe someof that expense can be offset bycharging for advertising in the Bul-letin, a source of income hat hasbeen neglected for several years.

Financial reports are lacking fromthe Quartermaster and from thesale of the booklets underMedsearch. So far, there is no wayfor me to determine whether or notitems under those programs arereasonably priced.

Although some may feel that it isunnecessary to examine all areasof expenditures and income, I be-lieve that it is the only way to prop-erly report to the membership ofAXPOW as to our real financialstandings. As Senior Vice Com-mander, I am responsible to reportto you concerning all income andexpenditures, and I cannot do thatunder the present method of op-eration.

Will this process result in changes?I do not know. I do know that AX-POW has been spending more thanit receives for the past severalyears, and hat such loss of moneyeach year is highly threatening tothe financial security of the orga-nization.

I will continue to work for the ben-efit of AXPOW, and will report myprogress to you on a regular basis.If you have questions, or if you feelyou can provide information thatwill help in this matter, please con-tact me.

Charlie Hill, ChairmanBudget & Finance Committee

NOTE: Commander Fletcher hasdonated his space this month toSVC Hill.

Reconnect with Long-LostFriends In Our UpcomingMembership Directory.Make sure you are in the book.

Watch your

mail for details!

A trained staffmember fromHarris Direct willbe contactingyou to verifyyour AXPOW in-

formation.

axpow officers & directors 2006-2007National Headquarters - Clydie J. Morgan, Adjutant

3201 E. Pioneer Pkwy, #40, Arlington, TX 76010(817) 649-2979 (817) 649-0109 fax [email protected]

North East RegionFranklin R. Koehler243 Torrey Pines Dr.Toms River, NJ 08757(732) 244-4629; (732) 505-8702 [email protected]

Laura McIntyrePO Box 475Hardwick, MA 01037(413) 477-8260 (413) 477-0172 [email protected]

East Central RegionPaul E. Galanti21 Maxwell RoadRichmond, VA 23226(804) [email protected]

William J. Richardson5125 Lake Valley DriveFayetteville, NC 28303(910) 864-7318; (910) 487-5100 fax(910) 867-0359 [email protected]

Southeast RegionEdward L. DeMent8735 Doral Oaks Dr., #1617Temple Terrace, FL 33617(813) 985-3783; (813) 989-8871 [email protected]

Ray Van Duzer14157 89th Ave. NSeminole, FL 33776(727) 593-1813(727) 319-5914 [email protected]

North Central RegionCarroll Bogard726 N. Carolina PlaceMason City, IA 50401(641) 424-4870

Larry Dwyer814 Woodlawn Ave.Muscatine, IA 52761(563) 263-5249

Senior Director, Gerald Harvey1504 West 5th St.Sedalia, MO 65301(660) [email protected]

National CommanderRobert W. Fletcher1331 S. ZeebAnn Arbor, Michigan 48103734-663-8649; 734-663-4960 fax

[email protected]

National Senior Vice CommanderCharlie Hill729 Olive StreetColumbia, SC 29205-1853(803) [email protected]

National TreasurerSonnie Bill Mottern706 1/2 North Lynn AvenueElizabethton, TN 37643(423) 543-3135; (423) 543-6221 [email protected]

National Judge AdvocateGeorge Coker1145 Wivenhoe WayVirginia Beach, VA 23454-3047(757) [email protected]

National ChaplainJohn Romine1609 S. 23rd StreetRogers, AR 72756(479) 636-2287

Jr. Vice CommandersWarren G. King, Sr. - Eastern Zone1015 Mitchell Rd.Nashville, TN 37206-1113(615) 226-7811

Kenny H. Hanson - Central Zone9401 Lyndale Ave. S #228Bloomington, MN 55420(952) [email protected]

Frank Burger - Western Zone9500 Harritt Road #197Lakeside, CA 92040(619) [email protected]

Mid-Central RegionGrover L. Swearingen408 Fair Park AvenueWest Union, OH 45693(937) 544-2459 phone & fax

[email protected]

South Central RegionMorris Barker4010 E. EvergladeOdessa, TX 79762(432) [email protected]

Howard Ray7507 Legend RockSan Antonio, TX 78244(210) 661-5911; (210) 661-8837 [email protected]

Northwest RegionHerbert C. Kirchhoff2910 Fernan Ct.Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814(208) [email protected]

Gwen Warren3235 99th Ave NEBellevue WA [email protected]

Southwest RegionRalph Kling15895 Puesta Del Sol LaneRamona, CA 92065-5600(760) 789-3339 phone & [email protected]

Lawrence Strickland35109 Hwy 79 South #63Warner Springs, CA 92086(760) [email protected]

DirectorsOfficers

Committee addresses appearwith their columns

EX-POW Bulletin (ISSN 0161-7451) is published nine times annually (Jan. Feb. Mar./Apr. May June July/Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov/Dec.) by the American Ex-Prisonersof War, 3201 E. Pioneer Pkway, Arlington, TX 76010. Periodical postage paid at Arlington, TX and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: send address changes toEX-POW Bulletin, AXPOW Headquarters, 3201 E. Pioneer Pkwy. Suite 40, Arlington, TX 76010-5396. Founded April 14, 1942, in Albuquerque, NM, then knownas Bataan Relief Organization, Washington State nonprofit corporation, “American Ex-Prisoners of War”, October 11, 1949, recorded as Document No. 133762,Roll 1, Page 386-392. NONPROFIT CORPORATION. Nationally Chartered August 10, 1982. Appearance in this publication does not constitute endorsement bythe American Ex-Prisoners of War of the product or service advertised. The publisher reserves the right to decline or discontinue any such advertisement.

© 2007 American Ex-Prisoners of War

EditorCheryl Cerbone

23 Cove View DriveSouth Yarmouth, MA 02664

(508) 394-5250(508) 760-2008 [email protected]

Deadline for the May, 2007 issueis March 25, 2007.

Please send all materials to theeditor at the above address.

SVC 3Directors/Officers 4On Capitol Hill 6NSO 7Outreach/Success 8MedSearch 9Andersonville 13NamPOW 14POW-MIA 15Civilian 16Events, Info/News 17News Briefs 18Members Forum 20Contributions/Chaplain 23TAPS 24New Members 30Raffle/Ads 31Application 33Quartermaster 34

March/April 2007table of contents

Ex-POW Bulletin

March/April 2007

5

On the cover...225th birthdayThe United States Military Academy at West Point.“A Peace Establishment for the United States of America may in my opinion .. . [include] Academies, one or more for the Instruction of the Art Military;particularly those Branches of it which respect Engineering and Artillery, whichare highly essential, and the knowledge of which is most difficult to obtain.” —George Washington, “Sentiments on a Peace Establishment,” May 1783

George Washington first proposed a military academy in 1783, but criticsopposed this relatively new idea of a special school to train army officers astoo European. They deemed it incompatible with democratic institutions,fearing the creation of a military aristocracy. Finally, two decades afterWashington’s first proposal, on 16 March 1802, the United States MilitaryAcademy officially opened. It stood on a commanding bluff overlooking theHudson River at West Point, New York, 50 miles north of Manhattan.

Official NoticeFrom the National AdjutantThe MidYear Board of Directors Meeting is scheduled at theSheraton National Hotel, Arlington, Virginia on March 30-31, 2007.

The schedule is as follows:Tuesday, March 27 Arrive in DCWednesday, March 28 Work the HillThursday, March 29 TestimonyFriday, March 30 Board of Directors meetingSaturday, March 31, Board of Directors meeting continued, if necessarySunday, April 1 Depart for home

MeaCulpaOn page five of the January issue, I wrote that “some” Pueblo crew membershad been tortured...starved. Earl Kisler set me straight: they ALL were starved;they ALL were tortured. I am sorry for the mistake...and amazed that myconscience on the Pueblo, Dale Rigby, somehow missed this.

Notice“Warren King is pleased to announce that the moneybox missing from thehotel during the National Convention held in Nashville last October was re-cently returned to Warren & Mary’s house. It mysteriously appeared on theirfront porch inside a box wrapped in a POW t-shirt. The checks and cash werestill inside, so all the checks that had been written to Warren for Grand OleOpry tickets have now been processed. All of the funds in the cashbox be-longed to the Alvin C. York Chapter or Warren & Mary, and they are extremelythankful for its surprising, yet safe return.”

on capitol hillLes Jackson, Executive Director

National Capitol Office

1722 Eye Street, NW

Washington, D.C. 20421

PO Box 30324, Bethesda, MD 20824

(202) 530-9220; (202) 223-8818 fax

(301) 951-0048 home; e-mail: [email protected]

Charles Stenger, Ph.D, Legislative Co-Chairman

5709 Brewer House Circle, Rockville, MD 20852

(301) 231-7555

Mary Rolen, Legislative Co-Chairman

7450 Spring Village Dr. CC510

Springfield, VA 22150

(703) 923-9444

Ex-POW Bulletin

March/April 2007

6

“The WAR” starts in September. Ken Burns, the pro-lific producer of documentaries, will introduce hislatest television series on PBS this fall titled simply“The War”. The seven part series (14 hours) directedand produced by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick tellsthe story of the Second World War through the per-sonal accounts of nearly 50 men and women fromfour typically American towns representing differentgeographic parts of the US. The series explores themost intimate human emotions. WWII was a catastro-phe that engulfed the world and touched the lives ofevery family on every street in every town in America.Never in all our history has American been so “to-gether”. This documentary demonstrates that in ex-traordinary times there are no ordinary lives.

Throughout the series, the pure unadulterated expe-rience of combat is brought vividly to life as veteransdescribe what it was like to face the enemy and seemen die at places like Monte Casino, Anzio, OmahaBeach, the Hurtgen Forest, the Vosges Mountains, theArdennes and on the other side of the world atGuadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan, Peleliu, the PhilippineSea and Okinawa. In all the battle scenes, dramatichistorical footage and photographs are combined withextraordinarily realistic sound effects to give the filma terrifying sensation that you are under fire! In ev-ery episode, veterans’ accounts of battle are interwo-ven with the poignant recollections of their loved onesback home, who for months and years carried on withtheir lives in an economy of shortages and rationstamps while living in constant fear of receiving “thattelegram”.

Meeting Ken Burns and Lynn Novick at VA CentralOffice when I attended a reception in his honor was areal treat. I said to him, “With your youthful appear-ance, you could hardly have twenty years of film pro-duction in the can”. He replied proudly, “I’m going tobe a grandfather in a couple of months.” He is anextremely interesting person and obviously a very tal-ented storyteller. Other documentaries he has pro-duced are “Baseball”, “The Brooklyn Bridge” and hismost famous “The Civil War” that premiered 17 years

ago. Get ready to watch “The War” starting Sunday,Sept. 23, 2007. I predict it will bring back memories.It is a tribute to us all.

Les

The 110th Congress has begun with a bang! I am sureyou have all been following the activities as we havehere in the National Capitol Office. All the new mem-bers of Congress are still trying to get settled in theirnew locations of work, but as of now, there are somestill in temporary quarters with temporary room num-bers and phone service.

Needless to say, we here have been busy with manyphone calls for information and meetings continueto be attended at VA Central Office. I have returnedafter my Nov. 30th second hip replacement and amnow only using a cane for security. Thank all of youfor your cards and prayers during this trying time forme.

Les and I have been in contact with several Membersof the Veterans Affairs Committees regarding our lasttwo Presumptives – Osteoporosis and Diabetes. Wemust continue our efforts for this legislation! By thetime you read this Bulletin, we are very hopeful thatthe Bills will be introduced and everyone can beginhelping convince the Congress to move immediatelyon this important benefit for former prisoners of war!On this, a package will go out to the Board of Direc-tors just as soon as we get the Bill numbers, and theyin turn will contact their respective State Dept. Com-manders and then the Chapters asking for immedi-ate help.

The Senate and House Veterans Affairs Committeehas informally invited the organization to testify be-fore the committee on March 29, 2007. We have in-formed the committee that National CommanderRobert Fletcher is pleased to accept their invitation.

When the Board of Directors met in Indianapolis inNovember, they voted to meet again in Washingtonfor the MidYear meeting. I was asked to proceed andtry to find a more inexpensive hotel for this meeting.I have worked frantically trying to accommodate this

nso

Doris Jenks

National Service Director1120 Daleside Lane

New Port Richey, Fl. 34655

(727) 372-7238 - Home

(727) 319-5914 - Office

[email protected]

on capitol hill

cont...

Q&AColumn

Every month, I receive more andmore questions. If I don’t get achance to personally respond toeach one, I’ll try to answer themhere.

This month, questions are onChampVA and Dependency & In-demnity Compensation.

CHAMPVA:

Q. Do I have to cancel my presentMedicare supplement insurancewhen I apply for CHAMPVA?

A. No. CHAMPVA will be the 3rdpayee if you elect to keep yourpresent supplemental insurance.Medicare will remain as the 1stpayee and your present supple-ment will be the 2nd one.

Q. When I receive the CHAMPVAcard, so I have to use a VA medicalfacility for medical treatment?

A. No. A widow or a spouse of aveteran over the age of 65 cannotuse the VA facilities for treatment.You can go to any doctor, includ-ing the ones you presently receivetreatment from.

D.I.C.:

Q. My husband was disabled formore than 8 years before he died.Why don’t I receive the higher DICamount of $1,295?

A. He must have been totally andpermanently disabled with eitherUnemployability or a full 100%from the VA for at least 8 yearsBEFORE his death and marriedthose same 8 years.

The widows in receipt of DIC whosehusbands were never 100% are onlyentitled to the $1,067 a month.

Q. I applied for DIC in 2004 whenthe regulations changed, why didn’tthe VA backdate my benefit oneyear?

A. The award for DIC under thenew regulations cannot go backprior to October, 2004 when thelaw was changed.

If you applied for DIC the end of2004, your award could only goback to Oct. 2004.

Q. My husband died of cancer, buta secondary cause on the death cer-tificate read “hypertension”. CouldI be eligible for DIC?

A. Yes, there’s a good possibilityyou may be eligible.

Doris Jenks

NSO CommitteeBeth Brooks – Assistant

Fred CampbellWalter Peterson

Larry DwyerEugene Inman

Leon Horowitz, MD –Medical Advisor

Ex-POW Bulletin

March/April 2007

7

request; however, after 20 or morelocations, plus trips to investigate,we had to settle for: Sheraton Na-tional Hotel, Columbia Pike & OrneSts., Arlington, VA. Yes, we havebeen there several times and theyhave given us $189.00 plus tax,their rock bottom price. With ourgroup we can not guarantee theHotel but approximately 35 roomsand that includes the Board andother ex-POWs desiring to come.The Commander approved thisdecision. ALL RESERVATIONSHAVE TO BE MADE THROUGH THENATIONAL CAPITOL OFFICE in or-der to get this price. A package withthe Form and other informationwill be mailed to the Board of Di-rectors, Committee Chairmenabout Feb. 8th with all necessary in-formation. If you need more infor-mation, please call us.

Again, let me ask for everyone’shelp in this push with the new Con-gress. Let us have a remarkablysuccessful year for AXPOW!

Mary

To Contact the Committees

House Committee onVeterans’ Affairs335 CannonHouse Office BuildingWashington, D.C. 20515(202) 225-9756

Senate Committee onVeterans’ Affairs412 RussellSenate Office BuildingWashington D.C. 20510

Democratic Staff(202) 224-9126 Republican Staff(202) 224-2074

VA Outreach

S*O*O*N

Before it’s too late

NSO Fred Campbell, Chairman 3312 Chatterton Dr.San Angelo, TX 76904325-944-4002; [email protected] members:NSO Frank Kravetz (412) 824-2674;ND Bill Richardson (910) 864-7318


8

Outreach Perspective ~

A Purposeful Slogan

“We exist to help those who

cannot help themselves”

OUTREACH…the operative word asI think of former POWs, their wid-ows and other dependents. Wheredoes it begin.

We in AXPOW have a wonderful slo-gan. It sets the challenge before us.At once we are drawn to the taskof reaching out to find those whonot have the VA benefits due them.We try every way we can to accom-plish this.

The most effective way is when weall realize WE are the OUTREACH“committee”. When WE are alert to

“those who cannot help them-selves”, who do not know that spe-cial research has shown that ourPOW experience caused everlastingeffects on our later health condi-tions.

But that’s not really where OUT-REACH begins.

Thank goodness, about thirty yearsago, research made some Con-gressmen in our US Capitol awareof lingering health problems offormer POWs. Public Law 97-37,

The Former Prisoners of War Ben-efits Act of 1981, established “pre-sumptives” and ordered the cre-ation of the POW Advisory Commit-tee. With the work of the commit-tee, further presumptives weremandated.

Now there are more than twentypresumptives that enable us to re-ceive our compensatory benefits –for POWs and their widows. All ofthis was part of our basic OUT-REACH.

Then the establishment ofAXPOW’s Washington, DC office byCharles “Chuck” Williams assuredour presence in Washington for animportant continuing point of OUT-REACH. Joined in this by Chuck’swife, Ruth and Bill and Mary Rolen,it continues to this day under theleadership of Les Jackson, MaryRolen and Charles Stenger. Theystrive continually to work with allcongressional offices, and “up-stairs” VA Headquarters offices.The OUTREACH message: We areHERE to help you be aware of theplight of this segment of America’smilitary veterans.

More Washington OUTREACH: Ev-ery spring our AXPOW Board ofDirectors meets in our nation’scapital. OUTREACH, to our Sena-tors and Congressmen, as our Na-tional Officers walk the halls to letthem know their constituents’needs. They listen most attentivelyto VOTING CONSTITUENTS.

In March 2007, our National Offic-ers will be informing Congress ofour need for two urgent presump-tives: Diabetes and Osteoporosis.Research shows these are serioushealth problems for former POWs.

Our NSO program does its finework because we have real benefitsto offer former POWs and widows:OVER TWENTY PRESUMPTIVES.Our AXPOW National Officers dothis OUTREACH.

Success

Letter from Mrs. JC in Smalltown,Oklahoma:

“Dear Mr. C, I just have to writeyou again as I think about the bigblessing my former POW hus-band left me. He really didn’tknow he was doing it, but just be-cause he had gone through somuch in WWII, it happened.Thanks to the VA, and AmericanEx-Prisoners of War. If it hadn’tbeen for your call, I would neverhave known the VA benefits avail-able to me as a widow of my J.

who died of a service-connected

cause – heart trouble.

These past few years, I have had

to have help from my children to

get along, to make ends meet.

Then last year came a miracle.

You called and now I am indepen-

dent of any support help from my

children. I can pay my own bills.

The VA widow’s Compensation

has made all the difference. I just

had to let you know again how

much I appreciate what American

Ex-Prisoners of War does for us

widows.

Sincerely, JC.”

National Service Officers are volun-teers who get paid. But not in theusual way.

Most often, they spend their owntime and money to help formerPrisoners of War and their depen-dents receive their VA benefits be-cause of the POW deprivations theyendured. Their PAY comes when aclaimant calls to say they got theiraward. What is better than awidow’s thanks:

“I had to call to let you know I gotmy widow’s benefit for more than$1,000 a month. Thank you for allyou did to help me get that.”

pow medsearchND Lawrence Strickland, Chairman

e-mail: [email protected]

35109 Hwy 79 South #63

Warner Springs, CA 92086

(760) 782-0538

Packet #5 (What Every POW’s Wife Should Know Before She is Your Widow) has been updated again, with much time and efforton the part of Marlene Agnes, to include the most recent laws and benefits published. The packet may be purchased from NationalHeadquarters. Cost of the updated packet is $15.00~includes S/H.


9

Long Term Care

submitted by Marsha Coke

Although long-term care is oftenneeded by people who have thegreatest medical care needs, medi-cal care and long-term care arequite different. Medical care con-sists mainly of services and prod-ucts for preventing, diagnosing,and treating health conditions andis typically delivered or directed bya physician or other highly trainedmedical professional.

Long-term care, in contrast, con-sists predominantly of assistancewith essential, routine tasks oflife—such as bathing, gettingaround the house, and preparingmeals—provided to people whoneed this assistance because ofphysical or mental conditions ordisability. This help may be deliv-ered in a hands-on fashion or maybe stand-by or supervisory in na-ture, such as providing remindersor prompts. Long-term care alsoincludes therapies that help im-prove a person’s functioning andspecial equipment (such as walk-ers, wheelchairs, and grab bars)that enhance a person’s ability tofunction.

People receive long-term care in avariety of settings including: pri-vate homes; other community set-tings such as adult day care cen-ters, assisted living facilities, andboard and care homes; and nurs-ing homes. Family members andfriends provide a substantialamount of long-term care. The bulkof formal (paid) care is provided byhome health aides, certified nurs-ing assistants, and personal careassistants, often under the direc-tion of nurses.1

People Who Need Long-Term CareThe need for long-term care arisesfrom various causes, including dis-eases, disabling chronic conditions,injury, severe mental illness, anddevelopmental disabilities. In esti-mating the number of people withlong-term care needs, researchersusually define a person as needinglong term care if he or she requiresanother person’s help with one ormore activities of daily living(ADLs) or instrumental activities ofdaily living (IADLs). ADLs are fun-damental tasks, defined here to

include bathing, eating, dressing,using the toilet, getting in and outof a bed or chair, and gettingaround inside the home. IADLs areadditional activities necessary forindependence, such as meal prepa-ration, managing money, managingmedications, using the telephone,doing light housework, and shop-ping for groceries and other neces-sities.

Nearly 10 million people need long-term care—that is, need help withADLs or IADLs (see Figure 1). Mostare age 65 or older, but 37 percentare under age 65. The risk of need-ing long-term care does, however,rise steeply with age. Amongpeople age 65 or over, 14 percent

need long-term care, in contrast to1.4 percent of people under age 65.Among people age 85 and older,half need some long-term care.2

Not surprisingly, the need for long-term care is often accompanied byother health-related needs. Abouttwo-thirds of adults living at homewith long-term care needs are infair or poor health (see Figure 2).

Furthermore, among community-dwelling adults with long-term careneeds, one-third of those under age65, and 40 percent of those age 65or over, have spent a night in thehospital during the previous year(compared with 7 percent and 15percent, respectively, of commu-nity adults without long-term careneeds).

The majority of people with long-term care needs are women.Among community residents withlong-term care needs, 60 percentof those age 18 to 64, and 69 per-cent of those age 65 and older, are


10

medsearch continued...women.3 Among nursing homeresidents of all ages, 72 percent arewomen. 4

More than four-fifths (83 percent)of people with long-term careneeds live in the community (seeFigure 1). The proportion is higheramong younger people with long-term care needs—96 percent forthose under 65, compared with 75percent for those age 65 or olderand 61 percent for those age 85 orolder.

Community Residents. There isconsiderable variation in the extentof long-term care need among com-munity residents. Some peopleneed assistance for a few hourseach week, while others needfulltime support. Many people havesubstantial need—21 percent ofcommunity adults with long-termcare needs, or 1.8 million people,require assistance in three or moreADLs. 5

More than three-quarters of com-munity-dwelling adults with long-term care needs rely exclusively onunpaid assistance from familymembers, friends, or volunteers(see Figure 3). The other 22 percentreceive varying amounts of paidassistance—usually in combinationwith unpaid assistance—includingservices provided by home healthor home care agencies, self-em-ployed individuals, and adult daycare providers. Only 8 percent of

adults receiving long-term care athome depend solely on paid care.

Even among community residentswith substantial long-term careneeds—those who need assistancewith three or more ADLs—two-thirds rely exclusively on unpaidhelp.6

Nursing Home Residents. Peopleliving in nursing homes generallyhave high levels of disability. Threein four require assistance in threeor more ADLs.7 One in two havesome form of dementia.8 In addi-tion to substantial disability, a lackof family support can be an impor-tant factor in nursing home entry.9

Policy ConcernsThe quality of life for people withlong-term care needs depends ontheir ability to obtain care in anenvironment and manner they pre-fer. Several trends, including theincreased availability of alternativeresidential settings (such as as-sisted living facilities), growingawareness of the importance of giv-ing people control over their care,and technological advances thatenable people to better manage athome, are helping improve thequality of life for people with long-term care needs.

However, people with long-termcare needs continue to face consid-erable barriers to obtaining neededcare. Some cannot afford care orare unaware of how to arrange forcare (or unable to do so withouthelp). Others cannot obtain care ofthe desired quality and type whereand when they need it.

Findings from a national surveyindicate that one fifth of commu-nity-dwelling adults with long-termcare needs do not receive enoughassistance with basic activities.10

Despite reforms in nursing homeregulations, problems with qualityof care still exist and many nurs-ing home residents live in facilitiesthat have serious deficiencies.11

Health Policy InstituteGeorgetown University2233 Wisconsin Avenue, NW Suite525Washington, DC 20007(202) 687-0880hpi.georgetown.edu

NotesAbout the ProjectThe Georgetown University Long-Term Care Financing Project pur-sues analysis designed to stimulatepublic policy discussion about cur-rent long-term care financing andways to improve it. The project issupported by a grant from the Rob-ert Wood Johnson Foundation. Su-san Rogers and Harriet Komisarwrote this Fact Sheet.

1 R. Stone, Long-Term Care for theElderly with Disabilities: CurrentPolicy, Emerging Trends, and Im-plications for the Twenty-first Cen-tury (New York: Milbank MemorialFund, 2000).2 Health Policy Institute (HPI),Georgetown University, analysis ofdata from the 2000 National HealthInterview Survey.3 Ibid.4. A. Jones, “The National NursingHome Survey: 1999 summary,” Vi-tal Health Statistics 13 (152) (2002).5. HPI analysis of data from the2000 National Health InterviewSurvey.6. HPI analysis of data from the1994 and 1995 National HealthInterview Surveys on Disability.7. Jones.8. N.R. Sahyoun et al., “The Chang-ing Profile of Nursing Home Resi-dents: 1985 - 1997,” Aging Trends4 (Hyattsville, MD: National Centerfor Health Statistics, 2001).9. W. Scanlon, “Possible Reformsfor Financing Long-Term Care,”Journal of Economic Perspectives 6(3): 43-58 (1992).10. HPI analysis of data from the1994 and 1995 National HealthInterview Surveys on Disability.11. U.S. General Accounting Office,Nursing Homes: Additional StepsNeeded to Strengthen Enforcementof Federal Regulations.


11

medsearch continued...

What Are The Signs That

Your Loved One May

Need Long Term Care?

Individuals with elderly or disabledrelatives know that it can be verydifficult to determine when theirloved ones begin to need help witheveryday activities. This is particu-larly true for those whose familymembers have dementia from earlyAlzheimer’s disease. The effects ofdementia can be subtle, making theneed for assistance not as appar-ent as an actual physical disabil-ity.

Long Term Care Partners, LLC, ad-ministrator of the Federal LongTerm Care Insurance Program, sug-gests that as families begin the carecoordination process they use the“Independent Living Test,” an in-formal guideline developed byMetLife. The Independent LivingTest can help to determine whethera family member is at or near thepoint when he or she would beunable to live independently andrequire long-term care services.

The following questions can beused to determine whether a lovedone is having difficulty performingeveryday activities. If a familymember has been having difficultywith any of these everyday activi-ties, contact a FLTCIP Care Coordi-nator to gather reliable informationabout the different long-term careoptions that may be needed.

Independent Living Test

Questions relating to:

1. Medications

a. Are prescriptions not being re-filled, resulting in failure to takemedication when scheduled?

b. Has taking medication becomedifficult due to poor memory orconfusion? Evidence may include

pills taken together that shouldn’tbe, different pills mixed togetherin a pill box or an oversupply orundersupply of pills.

c. Have conditions previously un-der control become acute becausemedication is not being taken cor-rectly?

2. Food and Groceries

a. Based on past food habits, arethe cupboards frequently empty orbeing filled with unusual foods?

b. Is the food in the refrigeratoroften spoiled or kept long beyondthe “use by” date?

3. Daily Business

a. Is the mail being picked up andopened regularly or is it remaininguncollected and/or unopened?

b. Are credit cards or checkbookbeing misused or not balanced aswell as in the past?

4. Social Contact

a. Has the amount of social con-tact changed dramatically, so thatthere are few public outings or lim-ited social visits with close friends?

b. Has the ability to drive deterio-rated? Is there a fear of driving ora recent history of multiple minoraccidents that is leading to isola-tion?

5. Living Habits

a. Has there been a change in liv-ing habits such as a change in dressor appearance, or a decline in per-sonal hygiene not related to physi-cal disability? Is dress appropriatefor the weather?

b. Have housekeeping habitschanged so that a normally neatand orderly home is nowcluttered and not cleaned regu-larly?

c. Are pets that were normally wellcared for suddenly not being fedor cared for as they had been inthe past?

6. Solicitations

a. Is there a sudden increase in or-dering unnecessary items throughmail or televised advertisements?

7. Calls to Family Members orHealth Care Providers

a. Has there been a marked increasein panic calls to family or medicalproviders without apparent need?

b. Have unnecessary calls beenmade to 911?

The Federal Long Term Care Insur-ance Program is the largest grouplong-term care insurance programin the country. Created in 2000 byFederal law (Public Law 106-265,the Long-Term Care Security Act),it is sponsored by the Federal gov-ernment. It provides active and re-tired members of the uniformedservices, Federal employees andannuitants, and their qualified rela-tives the opportunity to apply forcoverage at group rates.

The Federal Long Term Care Insur-ance Program is sponsored andregulated by OPM; further informa-tion is available at www.opm.gov/insure/ltc.

The Federal Long Term Care Insur-ance Program is administered byLong Term Care Partners, LLC, andoffered by John Hancock Life In-surance Company and Metropoli-tan Life Insurance Company. Con-tact Long Term Care Partners toll-free at 1-800-LTC-FEDS (1-800-582-3337), TTY: 1-800-843-3557to speak to a certified long-termcare insurance consultant. Online,visit: www.LTCFEDS.com.

Ex-POW Bulletin

March/April 2007

12

Mail to:MEDSEARCH, AXPOW National Headquarters, 3201 East Pioneer Parkway, Suite 40Arlington, TX 76010. PH: 817-649-2979; fax 817-649-0109; e-mail:[email protected]

Name___________________________________________________________________

Address ________________________________________________________________

City/State/Zip ___________________________________________________________

Credit Card: MasterCard ________ VISA _______Card # ____________________________________ Expiration: ___________

Total Amount Enclosed or Charged($5.00 per picture/$50.00 for set of 12) __________

Fill in the number of copiesof each picture desired in theblank beside the picture’sidentification number:

1._____5._____9._____

2._____6._____10.____

3._____7._____11.____

4._____8._____12.____Set of 12 photos_______

Andersonville

Andersonville NHS496 Cemetery RoadAndersonville, GA 31711(229) 924-0343Fred Boyles, [email protected]


13

The Far East University Experi-ence: Forrest Knox’s Story

Lauren Miller who served as an in-tern at Andersonville National His-toric Site during the summer of2006 wrote the article below. Sheis currently attending SoutheastMissouri State University pursuinga Master of Arts degree in historywith an emphasis in historic pres-ervation. Following her internship,she chose as her thesis topic, “POWsand Religion During World War II.”She is presently conducting re-search on this topic.

When I began my internship at

Andersonville, I had little knowl-edge of the prisoner of war experi-ence. While working with the mu-seum collection, I quickly discov-ered amazing stories of survivaland one in particular; I came toknow quite well. A photograph ofForrest Knox, World War II prisonerof the Japanese, is an image repre-senting one story of survival un-der brutal conditions. Forrest per-severed with a little help from atowel that accompanied him on hisjourney.

Forrest Knox joined the tank divi-sion of the National Guard for “akind of silly reason”; he simplyliked the vehicles. In 1941, a young

Staff Sergeant Knox traveled withCompany A, from Janesville, Wis-consin, to the Philippines. Whilehe enjoyed tanks, Forrest quicklylearned that in combat the M-3ejected hot shell cases that burnedthe crew. The cases would go downtheir shirts and pants. Forrest’ssolution to this problem was to cutthe pockets off his coveralls andwrap a towel around his neck.

As the Japanese continued to ad-vance all the Americans retreatedto the Bataan Peninsula. Staff Ser-geant Knox said, “Our short fourmonths caused the Japs over70,000 troops. In military terms,that is a pretty fair trade. I didn’tlike the deal.” On April 9, 1942 theAmericans surrendered to theJapanese. Forrest and his menwere now POWs.

Captivity began for Knox and oth-ers with the Bataan Death March.Forrest was in serious danger ofheat stroke when he received life-saving assistance from a fellowmember of Company A. HerbDunner took water out of a ditchand poured some on Forrest’stowel, cooling him off enough tokeep moving.

Surviving the brutal march wasonly the first phase of Forrest’sexperience. He survived severaldifferent prison camps and numer-ous work details. Most of the la-bor was unpleasant at best, but atManila, his situation dramaticallyimproved. He worked on a truckdetail where the labor was light and

the guards treated him much bet-ter.

Knox’s towel saved his life oncemore while he was on a hell shipbound for Japan. The men weretransported in a tightly packedhold and sanity was in short sup-ply. One man began howling end-lessly. Forrest knew the Japanesewould not allow the noise to con-tinue and they would shut the hold,suffocating all the prisoners. Tokeep the men alive, he used histowel to silence the howling man.

Knox endured his experiencethrough sheer determination. “Ialways said they couldn’t kill me ifI could stand on my feet. When Iwas too sick, I’d have someone helpme stand up. I operated on bull-headed stubbornness.” He saw histime as a POW as learning experi-ence. “We like to say that we wentto Far East University and we gotan education in human psychology.If we flunked, we died.”

Although Forrest suffered fromhealth problems resulting from hisPOW experience until his death, hewas only selectively bitter. Knoxhad a successful career working asa mechanic for 26 years. One canonly think he was still fascinatedby vehicles.

As the time of this article submis-sion, the National Prisoner of WarMuseum is on schedule to be re-opened to the public on February17, 2007. The work of the contrac-tor to paint and carpet has beencompleted. The quality of theirefforts has been excellent. The lasttask is to move all the exhibits, fur-niture and artifacts back into thebuilding. The staff will be veryhappy when we can open our doorsonce again and invite our visitorsinto the greatest museum in theNational Park Service.- Fred Boyles


14

NamPOW news

Paul E. Galanti804.675.5213 (o)804.675.5218 (fax)804.389.1668 (cell)[email protected]

After lavishing praise upon Vice Ad-miral William P. Bill Lawrence, hisfriend from Naval Academy days,Ross Perot in his foreword to Tennes-

see Patriot, states that “I am honoredto have been associated with BillLawrence, the embodiment of anAMERICAN HERO OF HEROES.”

Me, too.

Bill Lawrence was a personal rolemodel and inspiration to me right upto the day he died. It’s my opinion thathe is as close as the Naval Academyhas ever come to graduating aMacArthur. Gen. Douglas MacArthur,Class of 1902 at West Point, excelledat nearly every endeavor at our sisteracademy – including being First Cap-tain and valedictorian.

Admiral Lawrence stood very high inthe Class of 1951 academically, wasthe Brigade Commander militarily,was elected by his classmates as ClassPresident and by his football team-mates as their Captain. He also spear-headed the effort that revamped theHonor Code into its present form. But,unlike MacArthur, Bill Lawrence en-dured personal suffering and tragedyhis West Point counterpart couldnever imagine.

That “Billy” Lawrence would be sosuccessful was almost pre-ordained.He had been programmed to succeedsince his earliest days in Nashville andthrived on competition. Throughouthis life, he met men who influencedhim and made such an impressionthat, later when he was in positions

of responsibility, his personal influ-ence on those around him was trulyremarkable.

He graduated 8th in his class at An-napolis, did well in flight training, wasrelegated to shore duty for a shortwhile then became a Navy test pilot.While stationed at NAS Patuxent River,he flew the F8U-3 and became the firstNavy pilot to exceed Mach 2.0 in thatairplane.

Several of his associates at Pax ap-plied for and became the first groupof astronauts. Bill was kept from com-peting for the astronaut opening by aminiscule heart murmur that was onlydiscovered by the meticulous exami-nation required of all contenders forthese highly coveted “slots.” Charac-teristically, he accepted the findingsand pressed on to command a NavyF-4 squadron in combat in Vietnam.

Shot down and captured in June,1967,Bill’s time as a prisoner of warwas a continuation of his “never wastetime” philosophy. When the Commu-nists tried to play with his mind, Billwould replay football games; re-livehis many interesting flights as a testpilot and in combat; design and buildthings in his mind. Despite the bru-tal torture, continual harassment andsolitary confinement, he never wa-vered. Try as they might, the viciousNorth Vietnamese interrogators werenever able to break Bill Lawrence.

Finally, President Nixon got fed upwith North Vietnamese perfidy andusing the “peace talks” as an instru-ment of their propaganda. Within 60days of the start of the “ChristmasBombing,” the first group of POWswas on its way home with C-141 fuel-ing stops in the Philippines, Hawaiiand Travis AFB in Sacramento.

While at Clark AFB, Capt. Bill Lawrenceis told that his wife had divorced him(under grounds of desertion). It was avery rough time for him but he endedup with custody of his younger daugh-ter, Wendy.

Then Bill met Diane Rauch –a beauti-ful, successful physical therapist –through the graces of one of her pa-tients, John McCain. They met andmarried very shortly afterward. Dianewas made an honorary member ofseveral classes of midshipmen whoconsidered her a second “Mom.”

After several good assignments, Capt.Lawrence became an admiral and agood one. Then the “MacArthur ofAnnapolis” became Superintendent ofthe Naval Academy during a very dif-ficult time. Women at the Academieswere not well-accepted and there wasmuch alumni pressure to abolish thepresidential directive. In the middleof the very acrimonious debate, Ad-miral Lawrence’s daughter, Wendy,was a midshipman at Navy in the classof 1981, the second USNA class toadmit women. As it turned out, Wendybecame a midshipman student leader,successful Navy helicopter pilot andan astronaut who made three flightsbefore retiring as a Navy Captain.

Bill had a very serious stroke when hewas the Chief of Naval Personnel. Al-though his mind was as sharp as ever,his body refused to comply with thecommands issued by his brain. Theadmiral who routinely beat Navy var-sity midshipmen tennis players wasunable to even move around on hisown. However, almost up to the lastday of his life, Bill Lawrence wouldpick up the phone and call friendsinviting them to his class luncheon atAnnapolis. Or to join him at the Navyfootball game. Or to tell them jokes,many of which can’t be repeated here.

He died while napping on December2, 2005 the day before he was to jour-ney to Philadelphia to watch his be-loved Navy football team in its annualclash with arch-rival, Army. His fu-neral at the Naval Academy Chapelwas attended by thousands. Seated inspecial seating up front near hiswidow, Diane, were many formerPOWs and several rows of his USNAclassmates. Bill was eulogized by fel-low POW Senator John McCain’58 andhis friend and protégé from Midship-men days, H. Ross Perot ’53. Theburial, on a cold, drizzly day followeda long walking procession by his manyfriends and military comrades. As thelast shot from the volley of threesounded, a flight of four FA-18s brokeinto the missing man formation overthe gravesite.

As the sun came out as the single F-18 was streaking toward it, I couldn’thelp thinking that Billy Lawrence wasriding that bird skyward. It was indeeda fitting ending and tribute to one ofthe finest men this great country has

ever produced.

pow-mia

PNC John Edwards,

Chairman889 Randall Road

Niskayuna, NY 12309-4815

(518) 393-3907 phone & fax


15

POW/MIA car-window decals areavailable at a cost of $20 per 100by sending a check to the Leagueoffice at 1005 North Glebe Road,Suite 170, Arlington, VA 22201.POW/MIA lapel pins are alsoavailable at $3 each or 2/$5. Foradded information please contactthe League’s web site atwww.pow-miafamilies.org or callthe national office at 703-465-7432. If no one is available totake your call, please leave amessage.

Navy Aviator Missing In ActionFrom the Vietnam War Identified:

The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO)announced today that the remainsof a U.S. serviceman, missing inaction from the Vietnam War, have

been identified and will be returnedto his family for burial with fullmilitary honors.

He is Navy Cmdr. Peter MongilardiJr., of Haledon, N.J. He will be bur-ied on April 11 at Arlington Na-tional Cemetery near WashingtonD.C.

On June 25, 1965, Mongilardi de-parted the USS Coral Sea in his A-4C Skyhawk on an armed recon-naissance mission over North Viet-nam. His flight encountered badweather and enemy fire over ThanhHoa Province, causing the wingmanto lose visual and radio contactwith Mongilardi. Contact was never

re-established and the aircraftfailed to return to the carrier.

In 1993, a joint U.S.-Socialist Re-public of Vietnam (S.R.V.) archivalteam, led by the Joint POW/MIAAccounting Command (JPAC), ob-tained information concerning thecrash while researching docu-ments, artifacts and photographsat the Central Army Museum inHanoi. Later that year, another jointUS-SRVU team conducted an inves-tigation in Thanh Hoa Province. Theteam interviewed two local Viet-namese citizens who recalled thecrash and said the pilot died in theimpact. The men then led the teamto the crash site.

In 1994, another joint team exca-vated the crash site and recoveredhuman remains and pilot-relateditems, including a belt tip, bootheel, pieces of flight boot and otheritems worn by the pilot.

Among other forensic identifica-tion tools and circumstantial evi-dence, scientists from JPAC and theArmed Forces DNA IdentificationLaboratory also used nuclear DNAin the identification of the remains.

Three Americans Previously Miss-ing/Unaccounted for Identified:

Lt Colonel Paul E. Getchell, USAF,ME, MIA 1/13/69, Laos, RR 12-16-05, ID 11/20/06;Major Benjamin F. Danielson, USAF,USA, MN, MIA 12/5/69, Laos, RR11/12/03, ID 8/6/046;Sergeant First Class Lewis C.Walton, RI, MIA 5/10/71, SVN, RR10/19/04, ID 10/23/06

The accounting for these Ameri-cans brings to 796 the number ofUS personnel accounted for sincethe end of the Vietnam War in1975. Over 90% of the 1,788 stilllisted as missing were lost in Viet-nam or in areas of Laos and Cam-bodia under Vietnamese wartimecontrol.

DASD Ambassador Charles Rayin Southeast Asia:

Ambassador Ray has now com-pleted his first visits to Cambodia,Laos and Vietnam since being ap-pointed DASD late last year. Am-bassador Ray held a briefing on histrip in mid-February for family andveterans group representatives.Earlier last year, he visited Moscowto reinforce to the Russian Govern-ment the importance of naming aRussian Chairman as counterpartto US Chairman General Robert H.Foglesong, USAF (Ret).

Update on JPAC Operations:

Joint field operations resumed forthe 37th time in Cambodia on Janu-ary 11th, for the 97th time in Laoson January 9th, and will resume forthe 87th time in Vietnam in March.The USG has finally taken actionon the two-year assignment forJPAC Detachment III Commandersin Laos. This step was long agoapproved by the Lao Government,but slowed by the Pentagon bu-reaucracy. Technical talks will alsobe held soon in Laos and Vietnam.

Field operations related to WWIIbegan in Thailand in February andare now ongoing in Papua NewGuinea and Palau, preceded by op-erational discussions held in ad-vance and concluded by JPAC Com-mander BG Michael Flowers.

Also, a DPMO-led team is in Beijingfor talks aimed at renewing recov-ery operations there. A JPAC teamrecently returned from South Ko-rea and discussions on renewedjoint operations to begin later thisyear. South Korea has now estab-lished its own recovery unit to lo-cate and identify remains of its citi-zens killed during the Korean War.JPAC has provided helpful guid-ance and advice in that process.

civilians

Ex-POW Bulletin

March/April 2007

16

Ted Cadwallader - Chairman9501 Nut Tree Ct. Elk Grove, CA 95624(916) [email protected]

Peter Parsons is one of four sonsof Chick and Katsy Parsons. Chickspent a part of his youth in thePhilippines, and had been theresince 1921 when WWII broke out.His Naval Reserve status changedto active on Dec. 8, 1941. He wastrapped in Manila when theJapanese entered, and he success-fully parlayed his title of Panama-nian Consul into expatriation.Once in the States, he returned tothe Philippines as Gen.MacArthur’s liaison with theguerrillas there.

Chick Parsons and the

Santo Tomas Internment

Camp (STIC)By Peter ParsonsBaguio, Philippines

Chick Parsons (my dad) entered theSanto Tomas Internment Camp abit later than most of the other in-ternees. When the Japanese firstcarted him off on about January 2,1942, they took him to the RizalBaseball Stadium. He felt very

much at home there as he hadspent a good part of his spare timeinvolved in baseball in the Philip-pines and was instrumental inbringing out Babe Ruth’s AmericanLeague All Stars in 1934.*

Apparently his demand for diplo-matic privilege and expatriation (asPanamanian Consul)—which hadbeen forwarded to Panama throughthe Red Cross, courtesy of HelgeJanson, the Swedish Consul in Ma-nila—had at least confused theJapanese to the extent that they did

not intern him. He also refused tospeak anything but Spanish withthem.

He lived at home until about April20. People tell me—and Chickstates in his oral history with theUS Naval Institute—that he wasfirst taken to Fort Santiago androughly questioned. After a fewdays he was taken to the SantoTomas Internment Camp.

Sally Saleeby has told me that whenshe was rounded up by the Japa-nese on Dewey Blvd. Chick was inthe truck and helped her get in. TheSaleeby girls (Sally and Ann) wereto be Chick’s “roommates” on themezzanine floor of the main build-ing for several weeks. This has beencorroborated! My father was quickto assure Katsy (our mom) that thiswas not as great as it sounded, andthe poor girls were greatly botheredby lack of privacy.

From when he entered STIC, onApril 22, (his birthday), he wrotenine letters to Katsy who hadstayed at our home at Robert St.with our grandmother, BlancheJurika, and me and two brothers,Mike and Pat. We had four sentriesstationed at our house.

The letters make fascinating read-ing. First of all, my father wrote onwhatever paper was available,sometimes just scraps. Neither he

nor my mom, who also wrote him,were caught, as they hid the notesinside food and laundry. Second,Chick enjoyed himself thoroughlyinside camp. He was among manyold friends from business and polowhom he joined in their shantiesand shared food with. The packagesystem was still in effect and therewas a lot of extra food coming intoSTIC. Katsy sent him steak,chicken, vegetables, peanut butter,bokayo (a sticky coconut andbrown sugar candy), fudge, andfruit. Plus clean clothes and bed-ding.

He wrote that there were lots ofchildren the ages of Mike (9) andme (5), and that they were havingthemselves a grand time. He espe-cially commented on his lonelinesswhen he attended concerts andhow much he missed having Katsywith him under a full moon. . Ref-erences to “our friends” meant “theJapanese.”

Life inside STIC had not yet turnedaltogether sour. Chick complainedto Katsy that she had better cutback on the food packages or elsehe would start gaining weight. Heenjoyed the daily routine of break-fast at 8 a.m. and the daily visitswith his friends. And his siestas inthe mezzanine (“Plaza Goiti”). Hedid not know how long he wouldbe there. As it turns out, he was aguest at STIC for about sevenweeks.

PHOTO: Nipa huts at Santo Tomas

* The Rizal Memorial Sports Com-plex, the national sports complex ofthe Philippines, is considered as theoldest sports complex in Asia. For-merly the Manila Carnival Grounds,the RMSC was built in 1934 for theFar Eastern Championship Games, aprecursor to the Asian Games. It isnamed after the country’s nationalhero, Dr. José Rizal. It was recon-structed in 1953 after it was de-stroyed during WWII and was used

in the Asian Games.

events and information

events

Ex-POW Bulletin

March/April 2007

17

April 11-12, 2007. The Departmentof Missouri will hold its annualState Convention at the Inn at GrandGlaize, Osage Beach, MO. ContactCmdr. Don Redding, 816-350-3686 orDelta J. Endecott, Adj/Treasurer,816-657-4422.

April 18-19, 2007. The Departmentof North Dakota will hold its an-nual State Convention at theGladstone Inn, Jamestown, ND. Ex-ecutive meeting Wed. at 7PM; Regu-lar business meeting will start at9AM with registration at 8AM Apr.19. Reservations: 866-748-4466.

April 26-29, 2007. Stalag Luft III Ex-POW Reunion will be held in Kan-sas City, MO. For more information,call Tom Thomas 630-668-0215 orBob Weinberg 830-257-4643.

May 1-3, 2007. Stalag 17B AnnualReunion will be held at the HotelArizona in Tucson, AZ. For reserva-tions: 800-845-4596. For more infor-mation, call reunion chairman VincePale, 214 E. Hudson Ave., Villas, NJ08251; 609-886-0923;[email protected]. Or LydiaDostie, 941-475-5378;[email protected].

May 8-10, 2007. The Department ofMinnesota Annual Convention willbe held at The Kelly Inn, St. Cloud,MN. For registration/reservation in-formation, contact Donald Zupan,Reg. Chairman, 1968 Vierling Dr. E.,Shakopee, MN 55379; 952-496-0177.

May 12, 2007. Annual POW Lun-cheon will be held at Barksdale AirForce Base, LA. For reservations ormore information call Colonel StevedePyssler, 866-544-2412 [email protected] or 318-456-5976 or FAX 318-456-3520.

May 25-26, 2007. The Departmentof Georgia annual State Conventionwill be held at the Jameson Inn,Americus, GA. For further informa-tion contact Commander RayReierson at 912 925-7073 or LloydPate at 706 556-9413.

June 7-9, 2007. The Department ofArizona Annual Convention will beheld at the Windmill Inn and Suites,12545 W. Bell Road, Surprise, Ari-zona, 85374 phone 623-583-0133,Ext 507. For more information con-tact: Ruth Kilmer, 15834 HuronDrive, Sun City West, AZ 85375,phone 623 214 0600.

June 21-25, 2007. WWII PT Boats,Bases, Tenders 43rd Annual Re-union will be held at the DrawbridgeInn, Ft. Mitchell, KY. For more infor-mation, contact PT Tenders, Boatsand Bases, PO Box 38070,Germantown, TN 38183; 901-755-8440; www.ptboats.org.

July 27, 2007. Ceremonies markingthe 54th Anniversary of the armisticeending the Korean War will be heldat 10AM on the mall in Washington,DC. Presentations by governmentand military personnel will highlightthe program, organized by the Ko-rean War Armistice Day Committee.For detailed information, contact J.Norbert Reiner, 6632 Kirkley Ave.,McLean, VA 22101; 703-893-6313.Information about accommodationsand tours is available from JackCloman, 2702 Franklinville Road,Joppa,MD 21085; 410-676-1388.

July 29-Aug. 5, 2007. The KoreanWar Ex-POW Association will holdtheir 32nd Annual Reunion (for allServices) at the Charleston MarriottTown Center Hotel in Charleston,WV. CONTACT: F. Jack Chapman at(505) 523-2298 or by email :[email protected].

August 15-18, 21007. 80th InfantryDivision Association 88th AnnualReunion will be held in Fairborn, OHat the Holiday Inn. For reservations,call 937-426-7800. Reunion Chair-man, Elmer G. Dorsten, 208 N. Elm

St., Coldwater, OH 45828; 419-678-2618.

Aug. 24-27, 2007. The Departmentof Ohio 2007 Convention will be heldat the Holiday Inn, Zanesville. 740-588-6617. Contact person is “Doc”Unger, (216) 521-1889.

Aug 26-28, 2007. The 44th AnnualGathering of Former Prisoners ofWar of the Far East will be held atSmoky Shadows, Pigeon Forge, TN.For reservations, 800-282-2121. Forinformation, contact: WayneCarringer, 828-479-6263 or Lan’lSnyder, 281-422-2852.

Sept. 4-8, 2007. The106th Div.Assoc. 61st Annual Reunion will beheld at the Crown Center, KansasCity MO. For more info, contact JohnKline - 952-890-3155. Sept. 27-Oct. 1, 2007. The 45th In-fantry Division (Thunderbirds) willbe holding their annual reunion. Forfurther information, please contact:Raul Trevino, 2145 NE Street, Okla-homa City, OK 73111; 210-681-9134.

October 2007. The SecondSchweinfurt Memorial Association,Inc. (SSMA) will be celebrating the64th Anniversary Reunion of “BlackThursday” (8th Air Force - Mission115 over Schweinfurt, Germany onOctober 14, 1943) in Schweinfurt,Germany. (Tentative location for2008 — Savannah, Georgia). Formore information, pleasecontact Julee and BobMacDonald at 720-254-7418 [email protected].

April 29-30, 2008. The First Re-searching FEPOW (Far Eastern POW)History Conference will be held atthe National Memorial Arboretum,Alrewas, Staffordshire, UK. For more

information, contact: Meg Parkes,Tel: (+44) (0) 151 632 2017;mm.parkes@bt internet .com;Website: http://www.kranji.co.uk.


18

Briefs

News

Helen Smith

to be honoredOn March 16, 2007, Helen Smithwill be honored by the Daughtersof the American Revolution withtheir prestigious award for Serviceto Veterans in Texas. She now be-comes a candidate for the NationalAward, which will be given in Wash-ington, DC on June 29, 2007. Helenhas been an active member of theNational Society, Daughters of theAmerican Revolution, since 2005.She is presently serving as trea-surer for the John Hogg, Sr. Chap-ter in Holly Lake Ranch, Texas. Shehas been chairman for their Serviceto Veterans Committee for the lasttwo years.

It is no secret what Helen has donefor our veterans since she marriedSgt. Gordon Smith in 1946. She andGordon have served our veteransby helping them with their medi-cal needs at the VA Clinic and ap-plying for benefits for which theyare eligible. Since 1999, Helen hasvolunteered at the Longview VAOutpatient Clinic, which is part ofthe Overton-Brooks Medical Centerin Shreveport, LA.

Helen has been an active memberof the AXPOWS and has held theoffice of National Historian for thelast 25 years. She has also servedas National Director, LegislativeCommittee and Education Commit-tee.

She has also worked with the TexasTech Southwest Library as theycollect the Oral Histories of ourveterans. The past three yearsHelen has sent seven names of

former prisoners of war to be in-terviewed by the Vietnam Archivesat Texas Tech University.

In 1983, Helen traveled to Ander-sonville, Georgia to help coordinatethe building of the POW Museumat the Andersonville historic site.

She continues to speak at confer-ences and to local groups about ourfighting men. Her historical knowl-edge of our wars and the men whoserved in them is well known. Sheenjoys helping students with theirhistory projects and has collectedmuch documentation on all of theAmerican wars.

Helen has walked the halls of Con-gress in an effort to pass legisla-tion pertaining to our veterans’benefits. Last year, she made twotrips to Washington, DC for thatreason.

She and Gordon were married for54 years. They have two children.Allen Gordon, Jr. and DaneilaWoods. They have five grandchil-dren and three great-grandchil-dren. Gordon was a former POWwho survived the Bataan DeathMarch. He passed away in 2000.

Respectfully submitted, Wilma L.StackhouseWife of Cmd. Charles D.Stackhouse, USN Retired andformer POW.

Veterans’ Disability

Benefits CommissionThe Veterans’ Disability BenefitsCommission met on Jan. 18th and19th in Washington, DC and contin-ued their review of veterans’ ben-efits. The two-day hearing in-cluded testimony from a panel ofmilitary and veteran organizationrepresentatives, including TMC,MOAA, FRA, AL, and VFW. Theyopened with oral statements thatdrove home recommendations forthree severe inequities that exist inconcurrent receipt law:

- Changing current legisla-tion to include “Chapter 61” dis-ability retirees with less than 20years of service,- Extending eligibility to dis-abled retirees with 10-40% disabil-ity ratings, and- Accelerating/eliminatingthe 10-year phase-in schedule.

Their written statement can befound on www.moaa.org. SeveralCommissioners, but not all, werereceptive to including Chapter 61swith less than 20 years as an op-tion in their concurrent receipt de-liberations.

Former

Military

Prisoners of

War Foundation

Elects PNC Paul Dallas

President

At a specialmeeting ofthe Founda-tion Board ofDirectors, onJanuary 26,2007, inFayetteville,NC, PNC PaulDallas (Na-

tional Commander of the AXPOW2003-2004) was sworn in as thefourth President. He replaces NormBussel, who served as President formore than three years. Also, Will-iam Richardson (NC), was voted inas Director. Harry Corre (CA) andCharles Lee (TN) became Directorsat a previous meeting.

The most important agreement ofthe day was that each Officer andall members of the Board agreedthat we exist as a Foundation foronly one reason, as always, to as-sist our Ex-Prisoners of War breth-ren in any way we can. We arebound together by friendship.


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news briefs cont...Grants for AXPOW Organization Once again, the Foundation is fund-ing the cost of the AXPOWOrganization’s National ServiceOfficer Program. Thirty-thousanddollars ($30,000) has been set asidefor training and expenses of NSOswho help Ex-POWs and their wid-ows file for benefits. The Boardalso discussed establishing a sub-stantial “Special Needs” Fund forhelping Ex-POWs and dependents.

The Foundation approved a $5,000Scholarship Program for familymembers of a military prisoner ofwar. Scholarship Applications willbe available by April 1, 2007. WriteFoundation Scholarship, Attention,Sherrie Bieber, at below address.

The purchase of two new comput-ers was approved: One was ap-proved for AXPOW Historian, HelenSmith, and for the AXPOW Wash-ington, DC office. Funding for theOrganization’s Education Programis being discussed with AXPOWDirector, and Chairman of the Com-mittee, Ed DeMent. For Grant Request: Contact us orany Foundation Director and theywill be glad to help you. New Ad-dress: Former Military Prisoners ofWar Foundation, 914 BinghamDrive, Fayetteville, NC, 28304; Tel:910-867-2775 – Fax: 910-867-0339.

VA Obesity Initiative

By the start of Healthy Weight Weeklast January, more than 41,000 vet-erans were participating in a weightmanagement program designed bythe Department of Veterans Affairs(VA) to reduce the high rates of ill-ness among VA’s patients causedby obesity. According to Secretaryof Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholsonthere is a growing epidemic of obe-sity and diabetes in the nation, es-pecially among veterans. Of theveterans VA cares for 70% are over-weight and one in five has diabe-

tes, both of which increase the riskof many diseases. VA’s ManagingOverweight Veterans Everywhere(MOVE!) program not only encour-ages veterans enrolled in VA careto get in shape but also offers in-formation to family members andanyone trying to lose weightthrough an Internet link. VA startedMOVE! to encourage veterans toincrease their physical activity andimprove their nutrition.

Through individual and groupcounseling, physicians, nurses, di-eticians and recreational therapistshelp enrollees change their eatingbehavior and increase their exer-cise. Primary care teams at all VAmedical centers stay in touch withparticipants to track their progress.Increasing numbers of VA commu-nity-based clinics also are enroll-ing veterans.

Anyone can log ontowww.move.va.gov where a ques-tionnaire helps identify personalbarriers to weight control. Thequestions link to about 100 infor-mational materials on the site.People not enrolled in VA healthcare can take the information aboutthemselves to their personal healthcare providers.

Fisher House

Expansion PlannedThe Fisher House Foundation plansto expand its efforts by buildingfive new homes per year until 2010.This year, VA medical centers inLos Angeles, Dallas, and Seattle arescheduled to break ground on newhomes, and the San Diego NavalMedical Center is scheduled to getits second Fisher House as well. On29 JAN Fisher Houses III and IV atthe Brooke Army Medical Center,at Ft. Sam Houston, Texas will bededicated.

The foundation builds homes onand near active military and Veter-ans Affairs medical facilities. Thehouses provide free lodging forservicemembers who must stay

near a hospital for continuing treat-ment, as well as families visitingwounded loved ones. Today, thereare 36 Fisher House facilities in 16states and one in Germany. Afterthe houses are built, they are giftedto U.S. government, which thenmaintains them. The foundationworks closely with the military todetermine where a new houseshould be built. For more informa-tion, visit their website: www.fisherhouse.org.

California Legislation

Gives Veterans PrivilegesA bill currently in the Californiastate legislature would grant life-time parking privileges to Califor-nia veterans who were wounded,held as prisoners, awarded medalsfor heroism or survived the attackon Pearl Harbor. Bill AB 138 wouldgive qualifying veterans free park-ing privileges beside meters, inpublic parking facilities and atcurbside spaces that allow parkingfor more than one hour.

VA Increasing Support

for Medical EducationThe Department of Veterans Af-fairs (VA), which already helps trainnearly half of the physicians in theUnited States, will increase its sup-port for medical education in the2007-2008 academic year, adding2,000 positions for advanced resi-dency training over the next fiveyears.

Through its affiliations with medi-cal schools and universities, VA isthe largest provider of health caretraining in the United States. Cur-rently, 130 VA medical facilities areaffiliated with 107 of the nation’s126 medical schools.


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Members’

forum

To All Officers, Directors andMembers:

After reading CommanderFletcher’s column in our Bulletin onthe budget deficit figures, I thoughtthe following information might beof interest.

At the National Convention inTacoma, 1997, the National orga-nization was operating at an antici-pated budget deficit of over$15,000. In the June 1997 issue ofthe Bulletin, Commander SonnyMottern stated that our 96-97 bud-get deficit was $166,000. Thus, intwo years, we had operated, andcontinued to operate, with a poten-tial deficit of approximately$316,000.

The officers, directors anddelegates at the NationalConvention voted and approvedthree budgets AFTER beinginformed of the deficits.

In 1998, we had a change in Na-tional Treasurer – from DonaldWakehouse to Sonnie Bill Mottern.An audit was required and com-pleted by Pickens, Snodgrass, Koch& Co. With the help of Sid Heckerof Magnolia Chapter, an accountingfirm in Johnson City, TN, Rodefer,Moss & Co, was hired and met withthe Budget Committee and the Trea-surer to make the transition of theTreasurer’s office.

In the year 2000 we had a balancedbudget. The bleeding had stopped,but it was very evident that withour declining membership, our re-duced income and anticipated in-flationary costs, postage, printing,etc. future changes would be nec-essary. The question: where to cut?

In 1982, we had PL 97037 passedin Congress, establishing our firstlist of presumptives for disabilityratings, but much would have tobe accomplished with the ratingboards to achieve our goals. It tookmany years of time, effort and ex-pense for our National Com-mander, Officers and Directors,plus our Washington Office, toreach our present status.

In 1995, the Board appointed SteveYarema as the Director of the Na-tional Service Office. The member-ship reaffirmed that helping oth-ers is what we are about. To fundthis, the members were informedit would have to come out of prin-cipal; our income could not supportthe program.

In the year 2000, the Service Offic-ers budget was $51,750. Over thefollowing five years, the estimatedcosts were approximately$200,000. This money was overprojected income; the money waswithdrawn from National’s savings.

This money was not wasted. It wasused to benefit our members.

In 1998-99 we had a contract withan outside vendor to work with theappointed editor. On April 16, 1999and on May 23, 1999, I sent lettersto our Judge Advocate outliningmy concerns about the contract.

As the Budget Chairman, my fore-most concern was money. The Bul-letin budget was $147,000 for theyear and it was already $1509.52over budget with months still leftto go.

The vendor and editor received let-ters that their current contracts

would not be renewed. They wereinvited to bid on new contracts,with a spending cap. The vendorthen canceled the contract with theOctober issue still not in produc-tion. This contract cost National ap-proximately $30,000 over budgetthat had to come from principal.

Three contract proposals were pre-sented to the Board for evaluation.The best contract presented was byour present editor, Cheryl Cerbone.Cheryl had been a national officersince 1986 and a National Direc-tor since 1993. She had an MBA infinance and had spent 35 years inthe advertising/publishing busi-ness as a writer/editor.

In the first year of Cheryl’s con-tract, the Bulletin budget was ap-proximately $146,000. This year, inthe 2007 budget it is approximately$127,000, despite increased post-age and publishing expenses. Herbackground and experience havesaved us an estimated $266,000 inthe seven years. Thanks, Cheryl.

Some money was spent on ourMedSearch program that is the ba-sis for compensation claims. OurMedSearch research informationwas forwarded to the VA, medicalschools and service programs.

This money was not wasted. It wasused to benefit our members.

On a final personal note: I haveserved on a national level for 25years and was the Chairman ofEducation, Legislative, Budget andStrategic Planning committees, aswell as Protocol Officer and Elec-tion Judge. I shall always remem-ber asking PNC Sonny Mottern howmuch he spent of his own moneyover the years. He responded“when I got over $35,000 I stoppedcounting”. This is true of most ofus.

Thank you, Sonny.

Zack RobertsPast National Commander

Ex-POW Bulletin

March/April 2007

21

The Members of the Brooklyn “Key” Chapter, AXPOWbelieve in our slogan:

“We Exist to Help Those Who Cannot Help Themselves”

In the last 12 years we have raised – and spent $500,000.00 to help ALL VETERANS

Several years ago, we purchased two new DELL computers for the National Service OfficeWe have donated $4,000 to help the EX-POW Bulletin

We furnished two rooms for families of veteran-patients staying overnightWe purchased rehabilitation equipment, televisions and more

We now ask every chapter with money to buy space in our Bulletin. We need this wonderful publication – MedSearch,TAPS, Stories of the past and other news and articles. The Brooklyn “Key” Chapter is the busiest, most productive chapterin the country. We know most can’t do what we have done, but we ask your help in keeping our EX-POW Bulletin alive.

If you want to help, call Lee at 718-642-7647.THANK YOU!

American Ex-Prisoners of War Website Biographywww.axpow.org

If you are not a current member of AXPOW,you must submit documentation of your POW status.

NameNicknameAddressCity/State/Zip TelephoneEmailConflict and Theater of OperationBranch of Service UnitWhere were you captured? Date captured

POW camps you were held inHow long were you a POW? Date liberatedMedals receivedJob in the militaryAfter the warBiography (please type or print one or two paragraphs.)Submit 1 or 2 photographs (color or black and white).

SEND TO: American Ex-Prisoners of War3201 East Pioneer Parkway #40Arlington, Texas 76010-5396

Please include your check for $65.

If you have any questions, please contact Clydie Morgan, National Adjutant,at 817-649-2979; [email protected]


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Ex-POW Bulletin

March/April 2007

23

National Chaplain

John Romine1609 S. 23rd Street

Rogers, AR 72758

(479) 636-2287

chaplain’s corner

contributions

Please send donations to:National Headquarters, 3201 EastPioneer Parkway, Suite 40,Arlington, TX 76010. You can alsomake a donation with a creditcard (MasterCard or Visa). Just call817-6492979. Thank you!

Contributions are not tax deductible

As I write this devotion, I look outupon God’s beautiful world that Hecreated. I see trees withoutleaves…grass that has been brownsince last fall. I cannot but wish forbetter weather. By March and April

we should start to see God’s beau-tiful world turning green with flow-ers blooming. If you are anythinglike me, life is a whole lot like that.We pray for better things and Godanswers. We sometimes see the badthings, but if we pause to thinkabout the true and living Godreaching down to us, we can knowthe difference between the goodand bad in life. I have heard fromseveral ol’ POWs and find that theyalso know what it is like to be in-undated by the bad things inlife…but know that God will turnwinter into spring. And bad intogood. So let us turn to God andpraise His Holy name for the goodand protecting us from the bad. InHis Holy name we pray.

Let us pray: Dear Heavenly Father,we do pause and look to Thee for

the blessings that You have storedup for us. Dear Lord, may we lookto You for guidance as we in ourown way worship and serve You asthe true and living God. May Yourloving hands be upon all who callupon You. We once again ask thatYou be with the sick…those stand-ing in harm’s way…and those whoare still listed as POW/MIAs…andthat there be peace on earth andgood will toward all peoples andnations. In Your Holy and Blessedname we pray. AMEN.

Thought for March and April:When life hands you problems, putthem in God’s hands.

GENERAL FUNDRhoda R. Zimand and Scott ZimandDale and Mary Ellen HarrisonGeorge and Shirley ReeseLinda and Ron Treat In memory of Leonard RoseAlfred Hicks, Hot Springs VADavid Winn, Colorado Springs COElliott Gadd, Indio CAJack Keehn, New York NYKeith Ginther, Fairfield MTMelvin Kerr, Bridgeville PAPaul Wasylon, Troy MITrophy Bass Club, Fort Worth TXIn honor of Frank Kravetz, by FrankBrunnerIn honor of Jeanne Throckmorton,by Clayton & Jean Nattier

In honor of M/M Jerry Ellerbroek, byJesse & Leah BensonIn honor of Rev Fred & PeggyCampbell, by Harold & BessieGournayIn honor of Rev Fred & PeggyCampbell, by Harold & Bernice FisherIn memory of all deceased membersof the Steel Valley Chapter #1In memory of Auston Bridges, byViolet BridgesIn memory of Bob Forney, by John &Ann BreenIn memory of Claude Piantadosi, byLuuis Kucera, Eleanor Wiles, WaynellB. Morris, Giovanni Parmigiani,North Carolina Div. of Air QualityIn memory of Edwin Hayes, by Lou& Molly LoevskyIn memory of Jesse Price, by Rose-mary SchwierIn memory of John Novak, by wife,MarthaIn memory of Laurel & Vivian Gibson,by Bob & Helen SeitzingerIn memory of PNC D.C. Wimberly, byPauline Brown, PNC Herman Molen,Sally MorganIn memory of PNC RichardThrockmorton, by Sally Morgan,Adeline Robinson, PNC HermanMolen, John & Phyllis Hutchins,Peggy Carroll, Fred & Fay Hicks,Clayton & Jean Nattier, Jackye Ray,Northeast Colorado Chapter, Dept.of Iowa, Robert & Margaret Ball

In memory of PNC Walt Pawlesh, bySally Morgan, PNC Herman MolenIn memory of R J Dennett, by FayeArckIn memory of Robert Forney, byAdeline RobinsonIn memory of Robert Hailer, by PhilipCahillIn memory of Robert Sudduth, byJackye RayIn memory of Stewart Cooper, byAnthony & Helen WinnickiIn memory of Thomas Holland, byAdelbert Day, Kathleen Wilson,Danny & Elizabeth AldridgeLEGISLATIVE FUNDIn memory of Allen Beauchamp,Anna Mae Greig, Dominic Montagnaby the Department of MarylandLIFE MEMBER DONORSArthur Tilley, Bangor MEB J Arney, Dallas TXJoseph Engers, Baltimore MDLeon Gray, Malvern ARLeota Strother, Stringer MSMorris Barker, Odessa TXPaul Wagner, Indianapolis INWilliam Peepe, Gasquet CAMEDSEARCH FUNDIn memory of Arnold Hepler, JohnLusby by the Dept. of MarylandN.S.O. FUNDO Watts Gills, Roanoke VARobert McAdam, Crowley TX

taps Please submit taps notices to: Cheryl Cerbone, 23 Cove View Drive, South Yarmouth, MA 02664


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PNC Walter PawleshKennedy, PA

W a l t e rPawlesh, 83,of Kennedy,PA died Jan.20, 2007, ata local VAHospital.

He was aWorld War IIveteran who

served as a tail gunner on the B-17Flying Fortress “Heaven Can Wait”with the 8th Air Force, 388th Bom-bardment Group, 563rd Squadron,based at Knettishall Airfield, Suf-folk, England. Walt was shot downon the group’s fifth mission overGermany in March, 1944. Heeluded capture for five days, thenspent 14 months in the infamousprison camp Stalag XVII. He re-ceived two Purple Hearts for hisinjuries and also received a PurpleHeart with Oak Leaf Cluster; Pris-oner of War, World War II Victory,American Campaign, Army GoodConduct, Air and American De-fense medals; a European-African-Middle East Campaign Medal withthree stars, and a Presidential UnitCitation with 2 Oak Leaf clusters.

Walt retired from the AmericanBridge Division of U.S. Steel,Ambridge, in 1980 after 38 yearsof service. He was a member oftheir management retirementgroup.

In 1973, Walt was elected NationalCommander of the American Ex-Prisoners of War after serving at thechapter, department and nationallevels. The National Conventionthat year took place in Orlando,

Florida. One of the highlights of theconvention was attendance at aspace launch from Cape Kennedy.The entire group was seated in theVIP seating to view the 4AM blast-off. Walt also belonged to the 388thBombardment Group (H) Associa-tion; the Purple Heart Organization;the VFW, and the Sewickley SeniorMen’s Club.

He was prede-ceased by hiswife, MargaretDeckon, andson Walter. Heis survived bydaughter Bar-bara Kruze(Jack), of Moon;son ThomasPawlesh (Ma-rina), of Jefferson Hills; grandchil-dren Kirk, Kris (Erica), Jaclyn andJJ Kruze and Maggy Pawlesh; great-grandchildren Kameron and KarlyKruze, and brother Paul Pawlesh,of South Carolina.

PNC Richard Mayo ThrockmortonOmaha, NE

R i c h a r dThrockmorton,age 85, diedJanuary 24,2007.

Richard wasborn on Au-gust 17,1921 inCentral City,NE to par-

ents in the restaurant and bakerybusiness who also farmed for a fewyears. While growing up, he livedin a number of different towns inNebraska and Iowa, graduatingfrom high school in Tabor, IA, andfinished his college training at IowaState University, Ames, IA, follow-ing the war.

He mobilized with the Iowa Na-tional Guard in Red Oak, IA on Feb-ruary 10, 1941 and served in thefamous 34th Infantry Division,starting with Company M, 168thInfantry and finished in the Intelli-gence Section of HeadquartersCompany. In January 1942 he wasshipped to Europe for additionaltraining including CommandoTraining in preparation for the in-vasion of North Africa. He wasamong the troops that went ashoreat Algiers, North Africa. His unitwas involved in three major battlesin Tunisia, N.A., and he was cap-tured at Faid Pass, Tunisia on Feb-ruary 17, 1943 by Rommel’s 10th

and 21st Panzer Divisions.

He was flown to Palermo, Sicily andon to Capua, Italy, and was shippedby boxcars to Stalag VII-A,Mooseburg, Germany and then onto Stalag III-B, Frankfurt on theOder. He was then sent to ArbeitsKommando US. #1, Spremberg,Germany for the better part of twoyears. On February 10, 1945 he wasforced on what is called “The BlackBread March”, marching nearly 500miles across Germany. During themarch he nearly died from malnu-trition. He ended up in Stalag XI-A,Altengrabow, Germany from whichthe American Fifth Armored Divi-sion liberated him on Friday, April13, 1945.

After returningto the States hewas sent toJefferson Bar-racks, MO wherehe received hisdischarge onAugust 3, 1945.When the Na-tional Guard re-organized in1946, Richard re-enlisted for an-other four years and was immedi-ately promoted to Master Sergeant.


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taps continuedDuring his military service heearned and received the BronzeStar, Prisoner of War Medal, GoodConduct Medal, American DefenseMedal, American Campaign Medal,European-African-Middle EastCampaign Medal, with three BronzeStars and one Arrowhead, WorldWar II Victory Medal, and the Com-bat Infantry Badge.

On November 30, 1940 he marriedAletha Jeanne Huitt, and they havefour children, twelve grandchil-dren, and thirteen great-grandchil-dren. Their oldest son, Terry,graduated in 1965 from West Pointand is retired from the Army. Theirsecond son, Dick, Jr., was also inthe Army. One grandson is a gradu-ate from V.M.I. and is an officer inthe Virginia National Guard, andanother is in the Marine Reserves.

After joining AXPOW, he was anofficer at both the local and na-tional levels and served on virtu-ally all major committees withinthe organization. He was electedNational Commander at the 1998Convention in Baton Rouge, Loui-siana. Most recently, Richard wasthe National Judge Advocate forthe organization.

PNC DC WimberlySpringhill, LA

DC, a native of Ringgold, Louisianaand resident of Springhill since1954, died January 27, 2007 inSpringhill. He was a member ofCentral Baptist Church and was aformer principal of Sibley,Shongaloo, Springhill Jr. HighSchool and Browning ElementarySchool with 37 years of service. Hewas a graduate of Ringgold HighSchool, Northwestern State Univer-sity; received his Master’s Degreeat LSU Baton Rouge and his Plus30 from Auburn University in Ala-bama. DC served in the Army dur-ing WWII, with Company E, 101st

Inf., 26th Div. In November 1944,he was captured by the Germansin Luxembourg and was impris-oned in Stalags XII-A Limberg, 111-A Furstanberg, 111-B Luckenwalde.He was first released, then re-im-prisoned by the Russians as the warwas winding down. After escaping,he walked to Wittenberg, then wasdelivered to the 30th Division’sHeadquarters.

DC joined the American Ex-Prison-ers of War in the early 1960s – at atime when legislative activity onbehalf of ex-POWs was lively. Doz-ens of bills to improve the lot offormer POWs were passed andsigned into law. In 1974, DC waselected National Commander of theAmerican Ex-Prisoners of War atthe National Convention in Las Ve-

gas in July. As Commander, hewrote a three-part article for theBulletin: “Helpful Hints for GettingNew Members”. In fact, member-ship had more than quadrupledover the past five years, going from700 to more than 2,800. Addition-ally, DC was our National JudgeAdvocate from 1978 to 1989. Hewas also a 32nd Degree Mason andmember of the Shongaloo MasonicLodge and Springhill Shriner’s Cluband El Karuba Temple.

He is survived by his wife of 63years, Mrs. Inez Gamble Wimberlyof Springhill; daughters, Sandra W.Wren and husband Richard ofHaughton; Virginia “Bess” O’Malleyand husband Mickey of Ball

Ground, Ga.; a son, D. C. WimberlyJr. and wife Belinda of Bossier City;grandchildren, Kim Everett andhusband Tommy, Robbie Bland andwife Mandy, April Jones and hus-band Chad, Angela Wimberly, Eliza-beth Mullis and husband Ken,Michael O’Malley and PatrickO’Malley; great-grandchildren,Luke, Bailey, Kelli, Chloe, Balend,Gracie, Abigail, Preston and Vivian;step-grandchildren, Keeth, Kyle,Melissa, Jennifer, Alicia, Deannaand Jenny; a sister, Abbie W.Fontenot of Natchitoches; sister-in-law, Martha Wimberly; and a hostof nieces and nephews.

BARNDT, Elmer J., of Dillsburg, PApassed away Jan 1, 2007. He was 81.Elmer was shot down while servingin the AAC during WWII. He was aprisoner of war until he escaped andmade his way back to allied forces.He was a member of the Capital CityChapter, AXPOW. Survivors includehis wife, Irene, 2 sons, 1 daughter, 1sister and 7 grandchildren.

BASCU, John, 88, of Colts Neck, NJpassed away Jan. 19, 2007. He wascaptured while serving with the AAFduring WWII; he was interned in Luft1, Barth. John is survived by his be-loved wife of 58 years, Winifred, anda large extended family.

BIRCH, James T., 89, of Nashua, NHdied December 25, 2006. Jim en-tered the Army from Sebring, Ohio,serving with the 2nd Bn. Hq. Co, 314th

Infantry – 79th Division. He was cap-tured on Jan. 19, 1945; held inDrusenheim, Germany, Stuttgart,Baden Baden, Ludwigsburg, MarktPongau, Austria. He leaves his wifeof 54 years, Gertrude, one daughterand two grandsons. He was a lifemember of AXPOW (New HampshireChapter).

BRAUN, Betty M., 83, of Omaha, NEpassed away Oct. 16, 2006. She wasa member of AXPOW and the OmahaChapter #1. Survivors include her


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taps continued...husband of 63 years, Richard, 3daughters, 2 sons, 9 grandchildrenand 8 great-grandchildren.

BRUNNER, Albert L., 81, of Beaufort,SC passed away Nov. 11, 2005. Heserved in the Army with the 87th Inf.Div. He was captured at St. Vith andimprisoned in Stalag 9B. He was thebeloved husband of the late Char-lotte; he is survived by 2 daughters,1 son, 6 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.

BUTLER, Paul died Feb. 2, 2005.BUTLER, Jane died June 2, 2006.Both were residents of Southbury,CT. Both were active members ofNational (where Paul served as Na-tional Director) and the Nassau-Suf-folk and CT Chapters, AXPOW. Paulwas captured while serving with the451st BG during WWII. He was heldin Luft 1, Barth. Paul and Jane weremarried for 52 years and raised sixchildren. They also leave six grand-children, 1 brother, 1 sister andmany, many friends.

CARTER, Ninevah A., of NewportNews, VA passed away December 13,2006. He served in the U.S. Army AirCorps during WWII, providingground support for Tuskegee Airmenmissions in North Africa and Italy.Later during the Korean Conflict hewas a POW. He was a member of theJames L Hale Memorial Chapter,AXPOW. His wife Betty, two daugh-ters, a son, seven grandchildren andsix great-grandchildren survive him.Family, friends and POW buddies willmiss him.

CHOMOS, Stephen F., 83, of FordCity, PA passed away Dec. 26, 2006.During WWII, he served with Com-pany A, 1st Bn, 179th Inf. Reg., 45th

Div. He was captured in Italy andheld in Stalag IIB, then taken to aforestry camp until liberation. Hewas a life member of AXPOW and theMahoning Valley Chapter. Survivorsinclude three daughters, seven

grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

CLEMONS, Marvin P, of Orlando,Florida, died June 22, 2005. Heserved with the 1 Armored Inf., 3 Bn.Medics in Germany. He is survivedby his wife of 59 years, Flossie, and3 daughters.

COLEMAN, Ervin, 85, of Ashcamp,KY passed away April 22, 2006. Hewas captured in North Africa duringWWII and held in Germany for morethan two years. Survivors include hiswife, Alka, one daughter and onegranddaughter. “He reminded usevery day that laughter is the bestmedicine.”

CONRAD, John A., of Lakewood, COpassed away Dec. 28, 2006. He was85. John was captured wile servingin Europe with the 91st BG. He washeld in Stalags 7A and17B. He was amember of the Mile High Chapter,AXPOW. He leaves his wife,Georgina, 1 daughter, 1 son, 4 sis-ters, several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

DARLINGTON, Julian T. died Sept.10, 2006. Hewas 88 years old.DARLINGTON, Jeanne M. died Jan.8, 2007. They lived in Memhis,TN.Julian was shot down after partici-pating in the Ploesti raid and heldin Bulgaria. Julian and Jeanne weremembers of the Mid-South Chapter,AXPOW. Survivors include 2 daugh-ters and 1 granddaughter.

DAVIS, Eulice Niles, 81, of WestMelbourne, FL died Jan. 26, 2007. Hewas captured in the Battle of theBulge and was a POW until liberation.He leaves his wife of 58 years, Bar-bara, 2 sons, 2 daughters, 4 grand-daughters, 1 brother, 3 sisters andone soon-to-be great-grandchild.

DAW, Alan Claxton, of Elizabethton,TN passed away May 11, 2006. Hewas captured during the North Afri-can campaign in WWII; interned inseveral POW camps in Germany un-til liberation. He was a member ofthe East Tennessee Chapter, AXPOW.His wife, Maria, predeceased him; heleaves a daughter, Regina.

DEITSCH, Delois F., of South Bend,IN passed away Oct. 27, 2006. Hewas the beloved husband of Renatta.Delois served with the AAC duringWWII and was a POW for one year.In addition to his wife, Delois is sur-vived by one son.

DeLUCAS, Donald, 82, of ForkedRiver, NJ died March 1, 2006. He wasa member of the Ocean County Chap-ter, AXPOW. During WWII, he was aPOW in Germany. He leaves his wife,Vera, 1 son, 2 grandchildren and 1great-grandson.

DENHOLM, Charles J., 92, of Alex-andria, VA passed away Dec. 28,2006. He was commander of the 1st

Bn., 16th Inf. when he and his troopswere captured during fierce fightingin Tunisia. Their transport ship wasbombed and the ship was slowlysinking. The ordeal ended when sev-eral British soldiers swam ashore andthe approaching Allied forces werepersuaded to stop the bombardment.He is survived by his wife of 66 years,Elizabeth, 3 children, 6 grandchil-dren and 3 great-grandchildren.

DIGGS, Benjamin F. of Pensacola, FLdied Dec. 24, 2006. During WWII, hewas captured while serving in theArmy, 3rd Armored Div., and heldPOW in Germany. He was a life mem-ber, AXPOW. Ben is survived by hiswife of 59 years, Mary Grace, 1daughter, 1 sister and a large andloving extended family.

DIMMITT, Robert Orville, ofAgency, IA died Dec. 28, 2006. Heserved with the 34th Div., 168th Reg.,Co. L; he took part in the invasion ofNorth Africa and was captured atFaid Pass. Bob was a POW in StalagIIIB for more than 26 months. Heleaves his wife of 60 years, Marian,one son and two granddaughters.

DOUCETTE, Manford H., 85, ofSeabrook, NH died Jan. 29, 2007. Heenlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corpsin 1940 and was stationed as an air-plane and engine mechanic atNichols Field in the Philippines,where he was a technical sergeant.His base was over run by the Japa-nese in 1941 and he was held pris-oner of war for 3½ years by the Japa-


27

taps continued...nese after surviving the BataanDeath March. Survivors include hiswife of nearly 60 years, Gardina, 1brother and several nieces andnephews.

ERICKSON, Harold O. Jr., of Livo-nia, MI passed away Dec. 12, 2006at the age of 83. He served in the8th AF during WWII; he was shotdown over Germany and held inStalag 17B. Harold was a memberof the Wolverine Chapter, AXPOW.He leaves his wife Jane Ann, twochildren, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

ESTERLINE, Erma J., age 80, ofCasper, WY passed away July 13,2006. She was the beloved wife ofMilton “Bud” Esterline; they hadbeen married for 63 years. She isalso survived by 3 sons. Erma wasa life member of AXPOW.

FALONE, John J. Sr. , of EastLiverpool, OH passed away July 12,2006. He was 86. John served withthe Army’s 393rd Inf. Reg. duringWWII. He was captured at the Battleof the Bulge. He was a member ofthe American Ex-Prisoners of War.Survivors include his loving wifeIrma, 1 son, 1 daughter and 1grandson.

FENSTERMACHER, Norman E., ofVega, TX died Jan. 5, 2007. He wasa member of the Texas PanhandleChapter, AXPOW. During WWII, heserved in the Army, 7th Inf., 3rd Div.,Co. F. He was held in Dulag 2A.There are no known survivors.

FORD, Joseph, 83, of Madison, VApassed away Jan. 7, 2007. Heserved with the 3rd Infantry Div.during WWII. He was captured inGermany and held until liberation.He was a member of the Blue RidgeChapter, AXPOW. He leaves his wifeof 56 years, Josephine, 3 daughtersand 4 grandchildren.

GEORGE, Virginia [Vicki] passedaway on Jan.8 2007 Vicki was a life

time member of the axpow South-ern chapter of New York. Vicki wasactive with AXPOW for many years. Her husband of 60 years was theNew State Commander from 92to94.She will be missed by her fam-ily of two sons, daughter ,grand-children and grandchildren.

GIBSON, Laurel, 85, of Clyde, OHdied Jan. 5, 2007. GIBSON, Viviandied Dec. 12, 2006. “Gibby” servedwith the 99th BG, 348th BS, 15th AF.He was shot down on a Vienna mis-sion and held for 10 months; hewas released from Stalag VIIA.Vivian and Laurel were active mem-bers of the Maumee Valley Chapter,AXPOW. They are survived by oneson and one daughter. Both will besadly missed by friends and family.

GODIN, Alfred died Nov. 13, 2006.GODIN, Elaine died Nov. 11, 2006.Both were residents of Johnson City,TN and members of the East Tennes-see Chapter, AXPOW. Alfred was apast chapter/past state commander.They will be missed by family andfriends.

GOLDEN, Jack J., of Gouldsboro, PApassed away Dec. 22, 2006. He wasshot down over Hungary on Aug. 20,1944. He was held at Luft IV, andthen marched until liberation. Survi-vors include his wife, Maureen.

HAMM, William, member of the Day-ton Area Chapter, AXPOW died re-cently. During WWII, he was cap-tured and held in Stalag II-B until lib-eration.

HAMPTON, Elbert T., of Longview,TX passed away Jan. 8, 2007. He was87. During WWII, he was part of the27th BG, 48th MS, deployed to thePhilippines. He survived the BataanDeath March and 3 ½ years of cap-tivity. Elbert is survived by his lov-ing wife, Mary, 1 daughter, 1 son, 5grandchildren, 12 great-grandchil-dren and 7 great-great-grandchil-dren.

HANDLEY, William John, of ShelbyTownship, MI died Nov. 6, 2006. Hewas 84. During WWII, he served inthe Army; he was captured at the

Battle of the Bulge. He was a mem-ber of the Wolverine Chapter, AX-POW. Survivors include his wife,Phillis, one son, one daughter, grand-sons and sisters.

HARMON, Clarence Brumley, ofGreeneville, TN died Oct. 28, 2006.He was a waist gunner, serving withthe 452nd BG, 730th BS. He was shotdown on his 23rd mission and was aPOW until liberation. Brumley leaveshis wife of 57 years, Elizabeth, 1 sonand 1 daughter.

HARRIS, J.D., of Benton, AR passedaway Nov. 17, 2006. During WWII,he was shot down over Hungary onAug. 20, 1944. He spent the durationof the war at Stalag Luft IV. Survi-vors include his wife, Verl.

HEINZEL, Jack H ., age 93, ofMelbourne, FL died Jan. 19, 2007.Jack was sent to Clark Field in 1941.He was captured in the Fall ofBataan. After surviving the BataanDeath March and the sinking/torpe-doing of TWO hell ships, he was fi-nally taking to Japan, and later, Man-churia. He was liberated at Mukden.Jack is survived by his wife, Winifred,and one niece.

HILDEN, Mary Ann, age 79, ofBoonville, MO died Nov. 28, 2006.She was a life member of AXPOW andthe beloved wife of John L. John wasa POW in Germany. Mary loved totravel, even after moving from postto post for 20 years. In addition toher husband of 56 years, she leaves4 children, 4 grandchildren and 4great-grandchildren.

HILLIARD, Roy Sr., of Sebring, OHdied Dec. 12, 2006. He served withthe 106th Inf. Div., D Company, 422nd

Reg. during WWII. He was capturedin the Battle of the Bulge. Roy waspreceded in death by his wife,Shirley; he leaves 2 sons, 1 daugh-ter, 4 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.


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HOLTZLAW, Ralph, of OklahomaCity, OK, long-time chaplain for theCentral Oklahoma Chapter andChaplain Emeritus, died Dec. 31,2006. Ralph became a POW in Ger-many after his plane was shot downover Italy. For many years, he servedas chairman of the chapter’s volun-teer force at the Oklahoma City VAHospital. In 1999, he was selectedOutstanding Member by AXPOW inrecognition of community serviceand service to veterans. He is sur-vived by his wife, Evelyn, 5 children,24 grandchildren and 23 great-grand-children.JOHNSON, Rita Mary, of ClarendonHills, IL passed away Sept. 5, 2006.She and her husband, Joseph, werelife members of AXPOW. Josephserved with Patton’s Third Army, G-4 Section. He was captured on a mis-sion ordered by Patton. She is alsosurvived by two sons (one served inKorea; one in Viet Nam). One grand-son was killed near Baghdad lastsummer.

KECK, Wilbur H., a member of theMiddle GA Chapter, AXPOW, passedaway Nov. 26, 2006. He was shotdown over Germany during WWIIand was captured. He was held 11months until liberation. Wilbur alsosaw combat in Korea. He leaves hiswife, Lolly, and two children.

KERT, Murray, member of the SanFernando Valley Chapter, AXPOWdied Jan. 7, 2007. He lived inTarzana, CA. He was captured in theBattle of the Bulge while serving withthe 101st Airborne; he was held inStalag IVB. Beverlee, his devoted wifeof 58 years, and two daughters sur-vive him.

KISER, James W. Sr., of Gaffney, SCpassed away Sept. 9, 2006. He wasnearly 85 and was the husband of36 years of Blanche. Jim flew withthe 95th BG(H), 336th BS, 8th AF. Hewas shot down over Berlin and cap-tured. He spent the duration of thewar in Luft 1, Barth. In addition to

his wife, Jim is survived by 3 chil-dren, 2 step-children, 13 grandchil-dren and 13 great-grandchildren.

KONOPKA, Joseph Sr., 81, of Phila-delphia, PA died March 20, 2006. Hewas captured while serving with theArmy in the Rhineland; he was heldat Stalag V-A, IV-B and IV-A. At theend of the war, he was liberated bythe Russians, then the 76th Div. tookthe prisoners to an evac hospital. Hewas a member of the Liberty BellChapter, AXPOW. Survivors includehis wife of 55 years, Rosemary.

LEONARD, Lola M. “Kelly” of Den-ver, CO passed away Jan. 1, 2007. Shewas 86. Kelly was a member of theMile High Chapter, AXPOW. Her latehusband Albert served with the 95th

BG and was held in Stalag Luft III.Kelly is survived by 1 son, 1 daugh-ter, several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

LINDSAY, John B. of Sarasota, FLpassed away Feb. 1, 2006. He was 82.John served with the 8th AF, 398th BG,601st BS. He was shot down and heldin Stalag Luft IV until being marchedacross Germany. He leaves his lov-ing wife of 63 years, Dorothy, 3daughters, 7 grandchildren and 7great-grandchildren.

LISICA, Samuel, of Coraopolis, PAdied in October, 2006. He was a bom-bardier with the 751st BS, 457th BG,8 th AF. He was shot down overMerseburg, Germany and spent sixmonths in Luft III. His wife, Mary,predeceased him; he leaves 3 sons.

LOPEZ, Melencio E. of Athens, GAdied Oct. 14, 2006. He fought underthe US Armed Forces of the Far East(USAFFE), “F” Company, 2nd Bn., 51st

Inf. Reg., 51st Div. during WWII. Hesurvived the Bataan Death March,was a POW at Camp O’Donnell,Capas and later joined the guerillaforces. Mel is survived by his wife of52 years, Juliet, 5 daughters, 2 sons,19 grandchildren and 3 great-grand-children.

McVAY, Hilda, a native of Hawley,MN and resident of Georgia passedaway Nov. 6, 2006. She was a mem-ber of the Mountaineer Chapter,

Cleveland Georgia. She is survived byher loving husband of 62 years,Birch.

MOORE, Matthew G., of YorktownHeights, NY passed away Nov. 23,2006 at the age of 86. He was shotdown while serving with the AAC,306th BG, 369th BS out of Thurleigh,England. He was a POW in Stalag 17Buntil liberation. His wife, Lori, 3 sons,1 daughter and 9 grandchildren sur-vive him.

O’BRIEN, William T., 88, of Valrico,FL, member of the Greater TampaBay Chapter, AXPOW died Sept. 26,2006. He was shot down in 1944while serving with the 9th AF; heldby the Germans until liberation. Heleaves his loving wife of 64 years,Lucille, 1 daughter, two grandchil-dren and one sister.

PARKER, Kenneth I., 86, of Mem-phis, TN passed away Dec. 10, 2006.He served with the 8th AF duringWWII and was a POW for 14 months.He was a member of the Mid-SouthChapter, AXPOW. He is survived byhis wife, Claudia, 2 daughters and 2grandchildren.

PENFIELD, Roy H., 85, of Wellsville,NY died Sept. 30, 2006. Roy cameashore at Omaha Beach with the 82nd

Airborne, 116th Inf. He was capturedat St. Lo after being shot in the shoul-der. Roy was liberated by Gen. Pattonafter 200 days. He leaves one step-daughter and one stepson.

PIERSON, John W., of Stevenson, ALpassed away Nov. 22, 2006 at the ageof 74. He served with Company I, 31st

Inf. Reg. in Korea. He was a POW for33 months. Survivors include hiswife, Lula, 2 sons, 4 grandchildrenand 1 great-grandchild.

PORTER, Shirley M., 78, of Sun CityGrand, AZ, died Jan 4, 2007. Sheretired to Phoenix with her husband,Past Chapter Commander, Bob Por-ter, of Agua Fria Chapter. She waspreceded in death by her husband of52 years. She is survived by 2 sons,1 daughter and 6 grandchildren.

RAIMONDI, Emil V. , of EastLongmeadow, MA passed away Jan.

taps continued...


29

3, 2007. He was 88. Emil was cap-tured while serving with the 30th Inf.Div. during WWII. He landed onOmaha Beach, then fought in theBattle of Mortain. He was past com-mander of Western MA Chapter,AXPOW. He leaves his beloved wifeof 63 years, Rita, 2 sons, 1 daughter,1 sister, 5 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.

RANDALL, Allen D., of Gulfport, MSdied Dec. 29, 2006. He was 88 and amember of AXPOW. During WWII, heserved as a member of the 27th BG inthe Philippines. He survived theBataan Death March and 3 ½ yearsof captivity. Survivors include hiswife of 60 years, Maxine, 1 son, 1daughter, 3 grandchildren, 1 sisterand 1 brother. Both Allen and Maxinewere life members of AXPOW and theMagnolia Chapter.

RICHARDSON, Earl E., ofElizabethton, TN passed away Dec.28, 2006. He was serving withDarby’s Rangers before his captureand 18 month internment in Stalag2-B, Hammerstein. Earl was anaccomplished fiddle player. He issurvived by his wife, Ina, and onedaughter.

RIDENOUR, William Arthur, 82, ofDayton, OH died Jan. 27, 2007. Dur-ing WWII, he was serving in the Armywhen he was captured and held un-til liberation. He was a member ofthe Dayton Area Chapter, AXPOW.He leaves his loving wife of 60 years,Sophie, 2 daughters, 3 sons, 1 sis-ter, 10 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.

ROTH, Dorothy, of Audubon, Iowa,died December 5, 2006. She was amember of the Southwest IowaChapter. She is survived by her hus-band of 56 years, William.

RUNDALL, Milo E., of Cedar Falls, IApassed away March 13, 2006. Heserved as a P-38 pilot with the 8th AFduring WWII. He was shot down overNorth Africa and held 28 months.Mike leaves his wife of 60 years,Norma, 1 daughter, 3 grandchildrenand 2 great-grandchildren.

RUSSELL, Carleton, of Columbia, SCpassed away in November, 2006.During WWII, he served with D Com-pany, 422nd Reg., 106th Infantry Div.He was a POW.

SCAGLIONE, Irene G., age 75, ofNorwood, NJ died Jan. 9, 2007. Sheis survived by her husband, Joseph,a member of the Garden State Chap-ter #1. Joseph served in WWII withthe 8th AF, 303rd BG.

SHOAF, James Riley II, age 88, ofPalm Coast, FL passed away Jan. 6,2007. He was a POW for 27 monthsin Oflag 64 during WWII. He was amember of AXPOW. Jimmy is sur-vived by his wife of 69 years, Doris,2 sons and 2 brothers.

SMITH, William L., of Kinston, NCpassed away Oct. 26, 2006. Bill wasa bombardier with the 573rd BS, 391st

BG, 9th AF. He was a POW. Bill was amember of the Coastal Plains Chap-ter, AXPOW. He leaves his wife,Jeanette and three children.

SONGER, Eloise, 77, of Danville, ILdied Oct. 28, 2006. She was the wifeof Harold, POW in Germany, Com-pany I, 423rd Inf. Reg., 106th Div.Eloise and Harold were members ofthe Illiana Chapter, AXPOW. In addi-tion to her husband, she is survivedby one daughter, six grandchildrenand one sister.

SPAINHOUR, Reggie, of Rural Hall,NC passed away Dec. 7, 2006. He wasserving in the Army when he wascaptured at the Battle of the Bulge.Reggie was a member of the Pied-mont Chapter, AXPOW. Survivorsinclude his loving wife, Ginna (Mae),one daughter, three sons, sevengrandchildren, eight great-grandchil-dren.

SPURGIN, Robert, 87, of Isle, MN andInverness, FL died Oct. 12, 2006. Bobserved with the 79th FG, 86th FS, 9th

AF in WWII. He was captured inNorth Africa and was a POW in Ger-many for 2 ½ years. Bob was a mem-ber of the MN Lakes Region Chap-ter, AXPOW where he served as Com-mander for several years. He wasalso JVC of the MN Dept. Bob is sur-vived by his wife, Lois, 2 sons, 2

daughters, 3 step-children, 13 grand-children, 6 great-grandchildren and1 brother.

STEVENS, Josephine “Jo”, of FortWorth, Texas, died January 6, 2007.Jo was the loving wife of Fort WorthChapter commander, Mel Stevens.She was known by many nation-widebecause she faithfully attended chap-ter, state and national meetings. Atnational conventions, she helped inthe merchandise sales room. Jo alsohand-made the corsages given out toevery women who attended the na-tional convention in Arlington,Texas. In addition to Mel, Jo is sur-vived by 1 son, 1 daughter, 3 grand-daughters, 1 great-granddaughter, 1sister, numerous nieces and nephewsand a host of friends. She will trulybe missed.

WHITEHEAD, John L., of Phoenix,AZ passed away April 6, 2006. Hewas a member of the 106th Inf. Divi-sion. He was captured in December1044 during the Battle of the Bulge.John leaves his wife, Ann, 1 daugh-ter, 1 son and 3 grandchildren.

WILLARD, Myrtle Alice, age 84, ofCarlsbad, CA passed away Dec.14,2006. She was a member ofBACEPOW Chapter, AXPOW. She issurvived by her beloved husband of61 years, Doug, and two daughters.Doug is a co-founder of theBACEPOW Chapter and was impris-oned in the Santo Tomas InternmentCamp.

WOOD, Robert M., of Bloomington,IN died June 22, 2006. He was 83.Bob was captured near St. Vith whileserving with the 106th Inf. (423/I)during the Battle of the Bulge. He washeld in various Stalags until libera-tion. Bob is survived by his wife,Wilma, 1 son, 3 daughters, 1 sister,6 grandchildren and 3 great-grand-children. He was a life member of

AXPOW.

taps continued...

National Headquarters3201 East Pioneer Parkway, Suite 40Arlington, TX 76010; (817) [email protected]

new members


30

New Annual Members

“Welcome Home”

Rochelle BeauchampWhitenerGrand JunctionDaughter of VirgilBeauchamp, PAC

Billy E BishopMargaretAvon Park, FLArmy12A2/45-3/45

William E ShayPunta Gorda, FL8AFFrankfort, marched,Heyde Kreug, EPrussia

Donald RegierCatherine „Kay”Parkton, MD106 Inf Div 422 RegBad Orb, 9B,Ziegenhain, 9A12/19/44-3/30/45

Robert Paul HeineLillian MCheektowaga, NY8AF 384 BG 546 BSDulag Luft, Frankfurt,Luft 3, 7A3/16/44-4/29/45

Richard J HughesPatricia HBrooklyn, NY379 BS 392 BG FlightBombardierHospital, Sagan,Nurnberg, 7A12/13/43-4/1/45

New Life Members

“Welcome Home”

*denotes new memberto AXPOW

Erving L BoegerMary Ann 32694 39278Gridley, CACannon Co 110 Inf 28Div4B

Blanche D Kiser 39279Gaffney, SCWidow of James W KiserLuft 1

Rosamond I Nelson*39280Red Oak, IAWidow of John M Nelson7A, 3B2/43-5/45

Weldon F Holmes*39281St Petersburg, FLFlight CommanderFlying FortressDulag Luft, Luft 3, 7A6/25/43-5/25/45

Paula Farmer Bise*39282Summerville, SCDaughter of PaulFarmer, ETO

Willie ColumbusBussellValane *39283 39284Suffolk, VAUSS Pueblo BoatswainsMate1/23/68-12/23/68

Edward H HighfillBetty J *3928539286Miami, FL7 Armored Div 87Recon

4B 12/19/44-5/9/45

Arthur Ralph MeyersJoy 39286 39287Denver, COUSAFLuft 14/11/44-6/45

The 106th InfantryDivision Association

Organized atCamp Lucky Strike 1945 active

since 1946

If you are a former 106th Infantry Division vet, wereattached to the 106th,a relative of a 106th veteran, you

are eligible for membership in the Association.Annual Dues $10.00 < > LIFE Membership $75.00

The CUB Magazine has been published everyquarter since August 1946.

Annual Reunions held yearly since 1947.

http://www.mm.com/user/jpk/membership.htmOr contact John Kline, Membership Chairman

Past President ‘97-’98; Editor, The CUB since 1987M Co., 423rd Inf Regiment

11 Harold DriveBurnsville, MN 55337-2786

Phone: 952-890-3155Email: [email protected]

106th Home Page: http://www.mm.com/user/jpk

50/50 drawingLatest winners drawn in Nashville, TN

October, 2006

1st Place $1128.00 Florence Sexton, E. Bridgewater, MA2nd Place $846.00 Roy Floyd, Manchester, TN3rd Place $564.00 Don Glisson, Colonial Heights, VA4th Place $282.00 Dennis Adamschek, Sr., Carlton, MN

These drawings help raise money needed for our operatingexpenses. They allow our members to participate in a veryworthwhile project, while giving them a chance to win. 50%of the donations will be given to the General Fund and theother 50% are awarded as prizes.The amounts are determined after all donations are received.You do not have to be present to win. Please make copies ofthe tickets on the other side and offer them to your Chaptermembers, family and friends. We are asking $5.00 for 6 tickets.These donations are not tax deductible. Fill out the ticketsand send them and your donations to:National Headquarters ~ 50/50 Drawing3201 E. Pioneer Pkway, #40Arlington, TX 76010-5396.

Thank you for your support of this very worthwhile project

Ex-POW Bulletin

March/April 2007

31

PRISONER OF WARFOR 3 ½ YEARS

Twice Forgotten is the

true story of a young manwho grew up too fast.

John F. Kidd enlisted in theNavy in 1939, amid thepatriotic fervor of thetime. Longing for adven-ture and excitement, Mr.Kidd soon found himselfon a ship in the Pacific. He was later captured bythe Japanese and held as a prisoner of war.

In a remarkably lighthearted, often humorous style,John F. Kidd and Erwin C. Winkel II, MD tell thestory of one sailor’s brutal treatment at the handsof his captors.

$13.95 plus S/H($3.00 s/h for first copy; $1.25 s/h each additional)

Send check or money order to:John F. Kidd25411 Beaverwood DriveSpring, TX 77373-8821

HELL & BEYOND,A DIARY OF WAR ANDCAPTIVITY

by Josiah Wistar Worthington, Col. V.C., U.S.ACompiled & edited by Frances Worthington Lipe(Full map of all Japanese POW Camps included)

Send check to: WORTHINGTON BOOKS153 Lake Front DriveBoerne, TX 78006

$50.00 per book (plus $4.13 tax [if applicable] & $5.50 s&h), Total $59.14

“The mostengrossing andscholarly epic Ihave ever seen . . .This is the mostunique accountever written aboutthe wartime ordealof a BataanSurvivor.

You may haveread other journalsand diaries, butnever one likethis.”

RAdm. Charles D. Grojean USN (Ret.) Exec. Director,

Admiral Nimitz Foundation

American Ex-Prisoners of War50/50 Drawing

PLEASE PRINTName:_______________________Telephone: ( )_______

Address:_________________________________________

City/State/Zip:____________________________________

Here is my donation of $5.00 for 6 chances to win the drawing.Prize amounts are determined by the total amount donated.

Mail your donation American Ex-Prisoners of Warand entry to: 50/50 Drawing

3201 E. Pioneer Parkway, Suite 40Arlington, TX 76010-5396

You do not have to be present to win. Your donation is not tax deduct-ible. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Donation not required to enter.Thank you for your support.



Address:_________________________________________

City/State/Zip:____________________________________







Address:_________________________________________

City/State/Zip:____________________________________Here is my donation of $5.00 for 6 chances to win the drawing.

Prize amounts are determined by the total amount donated.Mail your donation American Ex-Prisoners of Warand entry to: 50/50 Drawing





Address:_________________________________________

City/State/Zip:____________________________________







Address:_________________________________________

City/State/Zip:____________________________________







Address:_________________________________________

City/State/Zip:____________________________________Here is my donation of $5.00 for 6 chances to win the drawing.

Prize amounts are determined by the total amount donated.Mail your donation American Ex-Prisoners of Warand entry to: 50/50 Drawing


You do not have to be present to win. Your donation is not tax deduct-ible. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Donation not required to enter.Thank you for your support.Ex-POW Bulletin

March/April 2007

32


33

Order Your Personalized Autographed Copies of

Chicken Soup for the Veteran’s Soul!

For every book you purchase 20% will be donated to the American Ex-Prisoners of War Organization

For more info call: 888-387-6373, fax: 888-387-6373, e-mail: [email protected]: Veterans Stories, Inc., 95 Uno Lago Dr., Juno Beach, FL 33408

Order Personalized Autographed Copies

Date: _____________

Name: ______________________________________________________

Mailing Address ______________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

Phone: __________________________ Email:_____________________

Name of Person(s) to Autograph book to: ___________________________

Is this Person a Veteran? Yes: _______ No: ________

# of books ________ X $12.50 + $2.50 shipping/handling per book = _________

Make checks payable to Veterans Stories, Inc.95 Uno Lago Dr., Juno Beach, FL 33408

request for membership application

American Ex-Prisoners of War

Name: _________________________________________ Address:________________________________________ City/State/Zip:___________________________________

Membership is open to US Military and Civilians captured because of their US citizenship.

Do NOT send dues with this request Life Membership Rates for an application Under 35 $360

36-50 $300 Mail to: 51-60 $180 American Ex-Prisoners of War 61 & over $120 3201 East Pioneer Parkway, #40 Spouse of life member $ 40 Arlington, TX 76010-5936 Annual Membership Rates

Single Membership $ 30 (817) 649-2979 voice Husband & wife $ 40 (817)649-0109 fax e-mail: [email protected]

AXPOW Vest Order FormName________________________________________________________

Address______________________________________________________

City, State, Zip ________________________________________________

Size (Men/coat, Women/chest measurement) __________________________

Long, Regular or Short__________________________________________

Name on front of vest __________________________________________

Chapter Name (back of vest) _______________________________

Price: $50.00, includes shipping/handlingPlease allow 8-10 weeks for delivery.

Mail orders to:AXPOW NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS3201 East Pioneer Parkway, Suite 40Arlington, Texas 76010-5396

Official AXPOW Cap (specify size) 25.00Maroon AXPOW Sport Cap 8.00Eagle Sport Cap 9.00Vinyl Cap Bag 3.00Barbed Wire pin 2.50Life Member pin 4.00Crossed Flags Lapel pin 4.00Brooch pin 4.00EX-POW pin (goldtone) 4.00Logo pin 4.00POW Stamp pin 2.50Past Chapter Commander pin 4.00Past Department Commander pin 4.00Eagle pin w/Barbed Wire 7.00 (specify gold, silver or antique gold)Necktie w/logo woven in fabric 20.00 (specify regular or pre-tied)AXPOW Logo Bolo Tie 15.00U.S. Flag Bolo Tie 18.50Mini POW Medal Bolo Tie 20.00Goldtone Bolo Bezel w/cord 9.00Logo Necklace & Pierced Earrings 10.002” Medallion (for plaque) 4.00

Vest Chainguard w/eagles 7.00Travel Alarm Clock with case 10.00

3” Blazer Patch 3.504” Blazer Patch 3.508” Blazer Patch 10.00

CLOTH STRIPES (specify which title) 2.00Life Member · Chapter CommanderPast Chapter Commander · Chapter Adj/Treas ChapterAdjutant · Chapter TreasurerState Department CommanderPast State Dept. Commander · Department AdjutantDepartment Treasurer · Sr. Vice CommanderJr. Vice Commander · Chaplain · HistorianService Officer · Legislative OfficerPast Chapter Officer · Past Department Officer

12x18 inch American Flag 5.0012x18 AXPOW Graveside Flag 10.003x5 ft. AXPOW Flag w/3-color logo with fringe, indoor use 60.00 with grommets, outdoor use 60.00

AXPOW Metal License Plate Frame 6.00Aluminum License Plate 4.003” Vinyl Decal 1.003” Inside Decal 1.008” Vinyl Decal 5.0012” Vinyl Decal 10.00Bumper Sticker “Freedom Is Happiness” 2.00Bumper Sticker “Freedom – Ask us” 2.00Magnetic Ribbons 5.00Memorial Seals3 sheets, $1.00; 10 sheets, $3.00; 20 sheets, 5.00AXPOW Daisies (dozen) 1.50 In lots of 12, (ie , 24, 36, 48, etc.-per dozen) 1.25Wall Clock (battery included) 20.00AXPOW Notecards (pkg of 25) 5.00Special Prayer Cards (pkg of 25) 5.00AXPOW Prayer Book 2.00Ladies Prayer Book 1.00POW Medal Poster Print 5.00AXPOW By-Laws 5.00POW Videotape – ETO or Pacific 11.00“Speak Out” Education Packet 6.00Canvas Totebag w/4” logo 15.00

QUANTITY ITEM SIZE / COLOR PRICE

For orders up to 7.99, add $3.00; For orders 8.00 to 24.99, add $7.00For orders 25.00 to 49.99, add $10.00; For orders 50.00 to 99.99, add $13.00For orders over 100.00, add $18.00 Checks/Money Order/Credit Card Accepted.

For credit card orders: Card # _________________________________ Expiration: _________

(Check one) Master Card ___________Visa____________

Name _______________________________________________________Address _____________________________________________________City, State, Zip ________________________________________________Phone _____________________________

Shipping/Handling/Insurance:

Total: $

MAIL TO:AMERICAN EX-PRISONERS OF WAR

3201 East Pioneer Parkway, Suite 40Arlington, Texas 76010-5396

[email protected]

We accept Master Card/Visa

Magnetic Ribbons$5.00

On Feb. 18, 2007 about 60 Nam-POWs, friends and familymembers gathered at the Nam Viet Restaurant in Arlington, VAfor our Annual Tet Reunion. A great time was had by all. Ourhost, John Nguyen and his Mom carried on his father’s tradition;his whole family participated. We remembered Nguyen Van Thoiwhose friendship with Orson Swindle started this a quarter of acentury ago. ~ Paul E. Galanti.

Ben Waldron Corregidor veteran and member of Sacramento CA 49ers Chapter AXPOW was presented a POW/MIA National Memorial medallion which the CA Gov. Arnold Schwartzenegger had created for the dedication ofthe memorial at Riverside National Cemetery. Medallions were made available for all CA ex-POWs. Ben’s wasstolen during a burglary of his home. Also taken was a diary in which Ben had made almost daily entries during hisentire period of service on Corregidor and during his captivity. It was the basis of his book “From Corregidor toParadise”. The governor also gave a check for $5000 to establish a reward fund for the return of the diary. Thereward fund is being administered by the 49ers Chapter. If the diary is not returned within a reasonable time thefunds will be split between the National POW/MIA Memorial and the National POW Museum. Photos reading fromleft to right are: Governor, Bob Smith - 49ers Commander, Ted Cadwallader, Past Chapter and CA Dept. Com-mander, Ben Waldron; Governor presenting check to Ben; Bob Smith, Governor, Ben, Ted; Governor and Ben.

change of address formInclude your mailing label for address change or

inquiry. If you are receiving duplicate copies, please

send both labels. If moving, please give us your new

address in the space provided.

Please print:

Name_____________________________________

Address___________________________________

City/State/Zip______________________________

Phone ( )_________________________________Please allow 4 weeks to make address corrections.

Mail to: National Headquarters, AXPOW, 3201 E. PioneerParkway, Suite 40, Arlington, TX 76010-5396Or fax: (817) 649-0109e-mail: [email protected]

All orders for products sold byAXPOW National Organization,including dues/subscriptionsshould be mailed to:

American Ex-Prisoners of WarNational Headquarters3201 E. Pioneer Parkway, Suite 40Arlington, TX 76010-5396(817) 649-2979/ (817) 649-0109 faxe-mail: [email protected] collect calls, please

Subscription Rates -- non members$20.00 per year

Foreign subscriptions$30.00 per year

Now accepting MasterCard/Visa

Thank you for supporting the American Ex-POWS with your purchases of National Merchandise.

the official voice of the

www.axpow.org

March/April 2007

Happy Birthday, AXPOW! April 14, 1942-2007

Inside...News, Outreach, Events, NSO success stories...and more

Name Badge Order Form(for members only)

AXPOW3201 E Pioneer Pkwy #40Arlington Texas 76010

Choice of attachment (check one or we choose)� Pin-on Actual size of badge is 2 1/8" x 3 3/8"� Clip-on (size of a credit card)

PLEASE PRINT:Name __________________________________________

Line 1 __________________________________________

Line 2 __________________________________________

Name Badge with name & chapter and city……$ 6.00(includes shipping and handling)Ship to:Street _________________________________________________

City/State/Zip __________________________________________

USMA at West Point, Established March 16, 1802

name badge order form ex-pow bulletinon feb. 18, 2007 about 60 nam-pows, friends and family members...

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