downloads/June 2013 MOFW newsletter

NEWSLETTER
JUNE 2013
IN THIS ISSUE
Spiritual Thoughts...................Page 4
Three New Commanderies
Chartered.....................................Page 5
The Commander-General’s
Comments...................................Page 6
In The Orders Library..............Page 6
On the Capitol’s Steps...........Page 7
Commandery News.................Page 8
New Companions and
Future of the Order..................Page 9
Biennial 2013-2015 Issue 1
51 MOFW CONVENTION
st
NEWSLETTER
A RESOUNDING
SUCCESS!
The 51st Biennial Convention of the Military Order of Foreign Wars of the
United States (MOFW) was hosted by the Rhode Island Commandery at the
prestigious Biltmore Hotel in Providence, RI on 4-7 May 2013.
The venue chosen and the Convention in
total was one to remember. Convention
activities began on Thursday evening, 2
May with the Commander-General’s Reception during which Commander-General Wulf Lindenau formally installed
the Rhode Island Commandery’s newly
elected staff. The camaraderie, food
and music were excellent and a great evening was had by all.
We Sunk a Truck!..............Page 10-11
The Order Recognizes
Excellence.................................Page 12
The Vietnam Wall.....................Page12
Patriot Missles vs SCUDS...Page 13
Clash with Armor....................Page 14
For Your Interest.....................Page 14
The Quartermaster’s
Store............................................Page 15
The Military Wife.....................Page 15
Received on the Command
Frequency..................................Page 16
St CDR Roberta Humble (4th from rt)
The Reception was followed by a National Council Meeting to ratify actions
that had been approved by the National
Council during the past 30 months and
to approve other issues prior to the formal start of the Convention itself. Key
issues ratified or resolved were (1) the
Rules of the Convention; (2) Travel fees
to be reimbursed to attendees; (3) Announcement of the establishment of new
Commanderies – Georgia, Massachusetts, Hawaii, and Ohio; (4) Revitalization of the Texas and New Jersey Commanderies; and (5) Discussion of the
collection National Dues (“Head Tax”),
Life Members, and Annual Donations.
Also discussed was the proper names of
the new MOFW decorations approved at
the 50th MOFW Convention (see article on medals in this issue), and the
new Organization & Functions Manual (O&FM)
which would be issued
and discussed during the
Convention’s business sessions. Commander-General Elect David Russell
proposed a new National
Staff position be created,
that of past CommanderGeneral Emeritus, and
that Commander-General Lindenau be
appointed to that post. His duties would
be to establish new state Commanderies, assist in the re-vitalization of inactive
Commanderies and in the recruiting of
new Companions. The National Council
approved the proposal.
continued on page 2
THE M.O.F.W. 119 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE NATION
51ST MOFW CONVENTION A RESOUNDING SUCCESS! (continued from page 1)
of the flag design in order
to fill other Commandery
orders for flags at the same
reduced rate and the same
regulation size.
C-G Lindenau (seated center) with Council
On Friday morning 3 May the first business session of the 51st
MOFW Convention was called to order by C-G Lindenau assisted by Secretary-General Orfeo “Chuck” Trombetta. It was
determined that a Quorum of Commanderies were present
and an announcement was made that under the leadership
of C-G Lindenau, a total of 7 new Commanderies (GA, HI,
MA, NC, OH, and the European & African) had been approved for Chartering in the past 3 years. Additionally it was
announced that the Commanderies in California, Texas and
New Jersey have been re-vitalized with new leadership. This
was the first forward movement of this kind in many years. In
addition, C-G Lindenau had appointed 14 Organizing Secretaries (OS) to establish new Commanderies in the states of
AL, AZ, AR, IL, IA, IN, KY, MS, NV, NH, UT, WA, WI, and
Japan. Each OS had been personally contacted by C-G Lindenau and Sec-Gen Trombetta to define their appointment and
to establish their goals regarding the establishment of a working Commandery. This also represents another first in the
recent history of the Order. Since the Convention, an OS has
been appointed for the State of Colorado and the OS for Utah
as regretfully stepped down. Sec-Gen Trombetta introduced
the new Commander-General’s Colors which were displayed
for the first time at this Convention. Also introduced were
the newly acquired State Commandery Flags, produced by the
National Capitol Flag Company, in Alexandria, VA. This company supports DoD and the Military Services with their Heraldic Colors, guideons, etc., as recommended by the prestigious
National Institute of Heraldry. On display for the
first time were the newly
acquired flags from the
District of Columbia,
Georgia, Massachusetts
and Virginia. North Carolina State National delegate, COL Dave Ulmer,
announced that NC had
ordered a new flag for the
Commandery. Sec-Gen
Trombetta reported that
the National Capitol Flag
Company had agreed to C-G Lindenau (lt) and S-G Trombetta
maintain the electrons with CDR-Gen Colors
2
New St Commandery Flags
Thus concluded the first
business session of the Convention and the delegates
and guests were treated to a
sumptuous luncheon buffet.
During lunch, the mayor of
Providence, RI, the Honorable Angel Taveras, briefly
addressed the assembled
delegates and guests and
was, in turn, enrolled as an
Honorary Companion in
the Order and the RI Commandery.
On Friday afternoon, delegates and guest were treated
to a great guided walking
tour of Providence and Friday’s evening dinner was
“on your own” at one of
Providence’s
outstanding
Mayor Taveras (rt) with
restaurants.
And
the HosC-G Lindenau
pitality Suite was open for
socializing and fun. The 2nd business session on Saturday
morning began with Sec-Gen Trombetta issuing and discussing the Operations & Function Manual (O&FM), the writing
of which had been approved by the 50th Convention. The
90-page document is filled with important-to-know information about the Order, its rules, customs, and history, sample
documents, and information on the newly approved MOFW
personal decorations (how they are to be worn, order of precedence within the Order and other recognized military and
organizational awards and decorations). State Commanderies
and any Companions desiring a copy of the O&FM are advised it will be available on the Order’s web site (www.mofwus.
org) for downloading. Discussed in detail were the Order’s 3
new medals for presentation to members of the
Order. These medals were approved by the 50th
Convention and the Meritorious Service Medal
that can be awarded at the State Commandery
level is now available from the QuartermasterGeneral. C-G Lindenau introduced the newly
designed MOFW Breast Star for wear by Past
Commanders-General. The new Badge may be
worn in lieu of the current PC-G badge at the discretion of the individual. He also discussed the
creation of a National Staff Officer Badge (breast
star) that will be worn by all National Staff and
its design and development are underway. A major announcement was made by the C-G when
he put forth an initiative that all Companions
of the order seriously consider a personal dona-
51ST MOFW CONVENTION A RESOUNDING SUCCESS! (continued from page 2)
tion of an annual gift of $ 25.00 to the Treasurer-General until such time as the Order recovers from its current fragile
monetary situation. Almost immediately delegates began this
Order-wide initiative by handing their donation to C-G Lindenau and Sec-Gen Trombetta and $ 720.00 was donated by the
close of the Convention. More definitive information on this
gift donation is provided by a letter to all Companions from
Commander-General David Russell which is an insert to this
newsletter.
Convention Delegate Donation Donors
C-G Lindenau delineated and summarized the accomplishments attained by the Order’s 2011-2013 leadership – Creation
of the MOFW Strategic Plan, MOFW O&FM, and new electronic membership, memorial, and commendation certificates; Establishment of the MOFW web site; Establishment of
6 new Commanderies and the appointment of 15 Organizing
Secretaries; Design and acquisition of the new C-G Colors and
the State Commandery flags; Creation and issue of the 50th
Convention Medal; Development of the new Past C-G Badge;
Amendments to update the MOFW Constitution; acquisition
of new MOFW Heraldic items as well as the new MOFW License
Plate Frame. This ended the 2nd business and the delegates
once again gathered for a great buffet luncheon and a visit
by the Rhode Island Adjutant General, MG Kevin McBride.
Following lunch, delegates and guests were taken on a guided
bus tour of the Benefit Street Arsenal (Museum), the home
of the historic Providence Marine Corps of Artillery (PMCA)
and the 103rd Field Artillery, RIARNG. Museum Curator BG
Richard Valente gave the visitors an interesting briefing on
the Arsenal and its history and, following his talk, provided a
guided tour of the building. BG Valente also heads the PMCA.
The remainder of the afternoon was spent on a
guided bus tour of greater Providence, visiting its
many historic sites. Returning to the Hotel, all
prepared for the MOFW
Convention Banquet and
ceremonies.
Banquet
festivities began with a
grand Cocktail/Recep-
tion where delegates and
guests were free to mingle
and socialize.
Banquet attendees were escorted into the grand ball
room by the fifes, drums
and color guard of the Pawtucket Rangers of the Rhode
Island Historical Militia.
Following a wonderful dinner, the closing
ceremonies began. C-G
Lindenau
addressed
the assemblage by challenging all Companions of the Order to
continue the forward
momentum to achieve
the primary goal of esAn Outstanding Head Table. Lt to Rt,
tablishing a CommandRI St Cdr Roberta Humble, C-G Elect
ery in every state of the
Dave Russell, C-G Wulf Lindenau and
union. He then wished
S-G Chuck Trombetta
incoming C-G Russell
and his new staff the best of luck and pledged his continued
support as Past C-G Emeritus, and speaking for incoming
JVC-G Trombetta, pledged his support also. C-G Lindenau
ended his command
tour by presenting the
MOFW Distinguished
Service Medal w/Gold
Star to Past C-G Ronald
Sommer and S-G Orfeo
Trombetta (regretfully
Sec-Gen
Trombetta’s
presentation medal was
not available) and the
MOFW Exceptional SerLt to Rt Medal Recipients Sommer,
vice Medal w/ Silver Star
Cheeseman, McCall, Bunting
to BG Bob Cheeseman
and McDowell
(TX), Treasurer-General Dan McCall, GA State Commander (LTC) Mike Bunting,
DC Companion Nick McDowell, and MA State Commander
Rick Hauck (again the presentation medal was not available).
For the first time in the Order’s
history, the change of command
ceremony included the passing of
the Colors (C-G Flag) from the
outgoing C-G to the new C-G.
Past C-G and now P-G Emeritus
Lindenau then placed the Commander-General’s Badge around
C-G Russell’s neck and C-G Russell then presented the Past C-G
Badge to P-G Emeritus Lindenau.
Passing the Colors
3
51ST MOFW CONVENTION (continued from page 3)
The first official act in office by C-G Russell was to
present the MOFW Meritorious Service Award to Brig
Gen James D’Agostino, LTC
Dennis Morgan, and LTC
James Kenny III in recognition of their hard work and
dedication in planning, organizing, and running the
51st MOFW Convention.
The evening’s festivities
concluded with an interesting and informative slideshow presentation and talk
by the Rhode Island State
Commander, Companion
Roberta Humble.
C-G
Russell then declared the
51st MOFW Biennial Convention closed and said he
was looking forward to seeing everyone at the 52nd
MOFW Biennial Convention in San Antonio, TX
in 2015. Thus ended one
of the most productive and
C-G Russell presenting awards
to (Lt to Rt) BG D-Agostino,
exciting Conventions in
LTC Morgan , and LTC Kenny
recent memory. Your new
National Staff (2013-2015)
is Commander-General David H. Russell (RI), Senior Vice
Commander-General Richard A, Coutermarch (TX), Junior
Vice Commander-General Orfeo ‘Chuck’ Trombetta (VA),
Commander-General Emeritus Wulf R. Lindenau (GA-VA),
Secretary-General Dennis E. Morgan (RI), Dep SecretaryGeneral Cortlandt Clarke Jr. (RI), Dep Secretary-General for
Legislative Affairs Kent S. Webber (DC), Treasurer-General
Charles D. McCall (PA), Dep Treasurer-General John J. White
III (PA), Registrar-General Andrew M. Johnson (DC), Dep
Registrar-General James P. Schuback (DC), Judge AdvocateGeneral Frederick L. Hauck Jr. (MA), Dep Judge AdvocateGeneral Michael Fitzpatrick (RI), Surgeon-General Michael
E. Carey (LA), Chaplain-General Charles H. Nalls (DC),
Quartermaster-General and Editor of the MOFW Newsletter
Ronald R. Sommer (MD), Historian-General Mark G. Hartell
(VA) , Webmaster-General George Miller (RI) and Dep Webmaster-General Mark G. Hartell (VA).
Past C-G Lendenau passing
Badge of Office to C-G Russell
See you in San Antonio in 2015!
A REGRETTABLE ERROR
A most sincere apology is rendered to our Senior
Vice Commander-General, Richard A. Coutermarsh, for misspelling his name in the January
2013 issue of the MOFW Newsletter. Your Editor
deeply regrets the mistake and hopes Companion Coutermarsh accepts the apology.
4
Spiritual
Reflections
Charles H. Nalls, Chaplain-General
For final reflection, let’s look at the
question “What is fortitude”?
The Oxford English Dictionary defines fortitude
as “moral strength or courage” and as “unyielding
courage in endurance of pain or adversity”. The
early Christians sometimes exchanged the word
“fortitude” with “courage” when listing the four
Cardinal Virtues. Fortitude is the virtue that regulates our fears and ensures stability and constancy in doing what is good in the face of difficulty.
Fortitude enables us to resist fear – even the fear
of death – and to suffer everything in the defense
in the practice of our faith or in the cause of freedom. The combination of moral strength, courage, and endurance is what makes fortitude so
important as it goes beyond having the strength
and courage to take up one’s “cross” daily.
Winston “Never-Give-Up” Churchill is perhaps
the 20th Century’s “poster child” for fortitude for
in this virtue he excelled (at least in the secular
sense). He once said ‘Success is never final.
Failure is never fatal. It is courage that counts.”
For us and particularly those undergoing the rigors of deployment or medical issues, the courage that counts is the courage to overcome all
things. Our tests and trials are largely short term
or, as St. Teresa of Avila once pointed out, “Pain
is never permanent”.
And finally, Fortitude is an important part of our
response to temptation, particularly the temptation to give in in the face of adversity. As
John Cassian wrote in the 5th Century, “For
the fortitude of any good man would not, as
we said, be worthy of praise, if his victory was
gained without his being tempted, as most certainly there is no room for victory where there
is no struggle and conflict.” To the extent that
there are conflicts and struggle in our lives,
we need to pray for Fortitude. With this reflection on the virtue of Fortitude, we acknowledge
Thomas Buchanan and his “The Cardinal Virtue
of Fortitude”, Touchstone December 2001.
THREE NEW COMMANDERIES CHARTERED
The Massachusetts Commandery
Originally chartered on 21 October 1896, and declared
inactive by National in 1987, is now active once again.
Under the able and energetic leadership of Organizing
Secretary Frederick L. Hauck Jr., the minimum required
number of Companions was reached and on 27 February
2013 a Charter from the National Commandery was issued. The Charter was confirmed and officially presented to delegates from the Massachusetts Commandery on
4 May 2013 by the 51st Convention in Session.
Charter Companions are The Honorable (COL) Scott
P. Brown, Companion Michael Estabrook, LTC Eugene
P. Flynn, COL Harry I. Gillogly III, COL Edward S.
Graham, CPT and now State Commander Frederick L.
Hauck Jr., LTC Christine Hoffman, CAPT (USN) Thomas J. Hudner Jr., BG Leonid E. Kondratiuk, BG Emery A.
Maddocks Jr., LTC Arthur O’Malley, LTC Gary A. Porter,
LTC Walton B. Stamper, COL Wyman E. Shuler III, and
COL Lawrence A. Willwerth.
The Order welcomes the Massachusetts Commandery
and its outstanding Companions and is confident that
the Commandery will continue to grow and to prosper.
Ohio Commandery applied for a Charter. The request
was granted by the National Council and a Charter was
issued on 4 April 2013. The National Council’s approval
of the Charter was ratified by the 51st Convention in Session. Charter Companions are CPT John F. Barrett, LT
(USN) Richard B. Bauschard, Companion Errett J. Butler, CPT Donald C. Bratton, Companion Donald C. Bratton II, Companion Ashley M. Haley, LTC James E. Halterman, Companion Jay C. Joste, MG Daniel A. Hahn, CPT
Joseph A. Jackson, LTC Thomas W. Kanis, CPT Patrick J.
Pacalo, Companion David Raudebush, Companion Jon
B. Silvis, and COL David W. Taylor. The first State Commander is Companion Don Bratton and the Commandery’s National Delegate is Companion Jon Silvis.
The Order welcomes the Ohio Commandery and its outstanding Companions and is looking forward to their
participation and efforts towards achieving the Order’s
goals and objectives
The Hawaii Commandery
Received Charter approval on 4 May 2013. The Order
welcomes the Commandery and recognizes it as being
the first ever formed in the State of Hawaii. Organizing
Secretary (COL) Arthur N. Tulak did a magnificent job
in recruiting as well as establishing a firm organizational
base. Companion Tulak is now serving as its first State
Commander.
Charter Companions are LT Cornelius Brown (USN),
LTC James A. Burkholder (USAF), MAJ Rory Cain
(Australian Army), CW4 Thomas J. Dye Jr. (USN), COL
William R. Hollingsworth (USA), LTC Joern Lindenau
(USA), MAJ Ahmad A. Perry (USA), LTC Robyn L. Pietron (USA), LTC Daphany L. Prewitt (USA), Chaplain
(LtCol) David M. Terrinoni (USAF), COL Arthur N.
Tulak (USA), Cadet Danielle Tulak (NJROTC), LTC Michael Van Driel (USA), and LTG Francis J. Wiercinski
(USA).
C-G Lindenau (lt) and S-G Trombetta (rt) present the State Charter
to St Cdr Hauck
The Ohio Commandery
Instituted on 12 October 1898 in Cleveland, OH was
originally composed of veterans from the Spanish-American War. World War I veterans swelled its membership
to 119 by 1922 but by 1941 the Commandery ceased to
exist and its Charter was withdrawn. Under the able leadership of Organizing Secretary Jon B. Silvis and ably assisted by Companion Donald C. Bratton, the number of
Companions needed for Chartering was reached and the
The Order wished the Hawaii Commandery and all of its
exceptional Companions every success and accomplishment.
With the Chartering of the Massachusetts, Ohio, and Hawaii
Commanderies, the number of active Commanderies in the
Order now numbers 19 with Organizing Secretaries in 14 additional states recruiting and working towards their Charter.
The Order’s long-term goal is to have an active Commandery in
every state, the District of Columbia, and in each territory and
possession. We are well on our way to achieving this goal.
5
THE COMMANDER-GENERAL’S comments
Companions All! It
is an honor and a
privilege to assume
command of this
historic Order. To
begin, I would like
to emphasize and
remind all of the
significance of our
Order with the first
reminder being the
Seven Purposes of
the Military order
of Foreign Wars of
the United States
COMMANDER-GENERAL
– to Honor and
perpetuate the names of brave and loyal men and
women, to Keep in mind the memory of their martial deeds and the victories which they helped to
gain, to Strengthen the ties of fellowship among
the Companions of the Order, to Foster the cultivation of military and naval science, to Bear true
allegiance to the United States of America, based
upon a paramount respect for, and fidelity to, the
National Constitution and laws, and to Foster and
encourage the study of American history and particularly of American military history, to the end
that the memory of brave men and women may
freely be enshrined and that we and our children
David H. Russell
may learn from the past to formulate sound policies for the present and future.
My second reminder to you is that we are one of
the oldest veteran and hereditary associations in
the Nation, being founded in 1894, with a membership that includes officers and their hereditary
descendants from all the Armed Services, including the Coast Guard, who have served during or in
one of the wars in which this country has engaged
and/or is engaged. And finally my expectations
for the future of our Order. We must continue to
pursue the formation of new Commanderies in
states where no Commandery exists and to assist
in revitalizing State Commanderies that are no
longer active. We must collectively work together
locally and nationally to enroll new Companions.
We must continue to educate especially our young
citizens through our Military Academy, ROTC and
JROTC Awards Program. We must continue to
come together as a National Order to protect and
enhance the benefits that are currently enjoyed by
our military retirees, and Active Duty and Reserve
Component personnel. You may ask why this last
point is of great importance. Our current United
States Congress is at an all-time low in the number of members with military experience and as
a result of this, our benefits could very well be in
jeopardy. “Deus et Libertas”
IN THE ORDER’S LIBRARY
Florida Companion (BG)
Albin E. Irzyk’s book, “A
Warriors Quilt of Personal
Military History”, is not
your typical history book.
BG Iryzk writes as a
participant in history in action,
clearly delivering personal accounts
of some of the most significant but
often overlooked events in military
history. He writes from personal
experience, having fought 5 WWII
campaigns in Europe as a 27/28
year old Tank Battalion Commander
in the 4th Armored Division in Patton’s 3rd Army. He was wounded
twice and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver
6
Star, the Bronze Star and the Legion
of Merit (2 OLC). During the Cold
War, he commanded the famed
14th Armored Calvary Regiment
(NATO’s “Trip Wire”) responsible for
300 miles of the “Iron Curtain” and
the FULDA GAP.
Capping his career, he served two
tours in Vietnam, the first tour during the TET Offensive and the second tour as the Assistant Division
Commander of the 4th Infantry Division, logging 600 combat hours
in HUEYS. For his VN service he
was awarded the Distinguished
Service Medal and 11 Air Medals.
“A Warriors Quilt of Personal Military History” is a worthy read and
BG Irzyk - A Quiet Warrior
would be a great addition to your
military library.
(Ed. Note: BG Irzyk has graciously
donated a signed copy of his book to
the MOFW historical library.)
ON THE CAPITOL’S STEPS
The MOFW has defined the 3 foremost objectives
of our Order in the National Defense and veterans
benefits arenas to be: (1) Supporting a National
Defense adequate to the needs of the nation by
funding a significant increase in the size of the
active Army, adequately funding other services
to retain their capabilities for general war, and
realistically manning, structuring, equipping
and training the Reserve and National Guard in
their new role as an operational force;
(2) Providing equal treatment for Reserve and
National Guard servicemen and women in
medical service and retirement benefits;
and
(3) Maintaining the benefits of retired
service personnel by reforming laws relating to concurrent receipt of retired
military pay and disability compensation and by returning retirement pay
to the retiree. Any automatic distribution of a portion of retirement
pay to former spouses is a betrayal
of the military service contract. I
can report that we have made considerable progress in recent years
towards obtaining these objectives. The Active Army was augmented and became, perhaps,
the best ever fielded.
Now dark times are ahead for
National Defense. We are entering a period of defense
reductions and a return to
an Army that will be too
small to meet US commitments. It appears
Andrew M. Johnson
Deputy Secretary-General for Legislative Affairs
to be a return to times of force levels based on budget concerns rather than on the defense needs of
the nation. Other services also face reduced manning and funding levels. The condition of the Reserve and National Guard has never been better.
Our future task is to help assure that the reserve
forces will not be allowed to “retreat” to an unready mobilization type reserve force rather than a
strategic reserve. All the Reserve Chiefs continue
to support that resolve and the active services acknowledge that it should be that way. The Congress and the president currently do not have the
resolve needed to maintain an adequate National
Defense. The benefit picture for the reserve components has improved but has not reached appropriate parity with active service benefits. The reform of concurrent receipt for disabled retirees has
been substantial but is still not complete. Some
progress is being made at the state level to fairly
distribute retired pay between the serviceperson
and the former spouse which, in our opinion, is
a matter for a court to decide based on each individual divorce situation.
The MOFW participates monthly with the National Military Veterans Alliance (NMVA) of which we
are a member in good standing. The many veterans groups represented there send letters and
make visits to the Administration and to members
of Congress to urge support for the Order’s goals
as well as many other issues. When appropriate,
the MOFW signs on as a co-sponsor of these letters
and, due to the strength of the Alliance, allows the
MOFW’s voice to be heard. We must continue to
make our collective voice heard in Washington in
support of National Defense and of the men and
women who defend our republic. As the challenges become greater, our resolve and efforts must
and will also be greater.
“If the american people and the us congress believe that we, the
veterans, are too expensive they should stop making us”
MOFW MEDALS NAMES CLARIFIED
In the June 2012 issue of your MOFW Newsletter 3 new MOFW medals were announced and defined. Since
that issue, the awards have undergone a “name change”. The MOFW Commendation Medal as identified in the past newsletter is now known as the MOFW Meritorious Service Medal (awarded at the State
Commandery level) and the then MOFW Meritorious Service Medal is now the MOFW Exceptional Service
Medal (awarded by the Commander-General). The MOFW Distinguished Service Medal (awarded by the
Commander-General in the name of the National Council) remains the same.
7
Commandery News
Alabama Organizing Secretary (Companion) Robert Hearon reports that 3 new Companions were enrolled in
April 2013 bringing the total number of Alabama Companions to 7. The Commandery continues to recruit and
anticipates enrollment of the needed 8 in the upcoming months in order to request a Charter.
Colorado Companion (CPT) James M. Barker has been appointed as Organizing Secretary.
Georgia The Commandery continues to expand its sphere of influence. This spring we have added 2 more
ROTC units to our sponsorship program for a total of 8, 4 ROTC and 4 JROTC. And our membership trend is
positive. The best way to keep the past alive is to play it forward. At the University of North Georgia, COL Rusty Hightower presented the MOFW ROTC Award for Excellence in
Academics, a silver medal, to Cadet 2LT David Bonham.
Hawaii The Hawaii Commandery received its Charter on 4
May 2013 with Companion Arthur N. Tulak as its first Commander. Commander Tulak attended the Annual Governor’s Parade and Pass-in-Review of the Hawaii JROTC Cadet
Corps on 13 April 2013 at Fort Shafter, HI. At this event the
Commandery presented MOFW JROTC Medals and Certificates to deserving cadets in 26 units in Hawaii. Medals for
the U of Guam ROTC Program and for the JROTC units in
Cdr Tulak (2nd from rt) with CAP MOFW Medal Recipients
Japan (McKinney High School in Yokusaka and Mathew C.
Perry High School in Iwakuni) were also sent for presentation. For the presentation year 2012-2013, the Commandery presented a total of 70 MOFW ROTC/JROTC Medals, all funded by donations to the Commandery. Also included in the presentation list are the 8 Civil Air Patrol
(CAP) Squadrons in the State.
Iowa (Organizing). Companion (LTC) Matthew E. Harvey has been appointed as Organizing Secretary.
Lousiania Companion Frank B. Stewart succeeds Companion Herschel L. Abbott Jr. as State Commander.
Maryland The Commandery conducted the first of its Quarterly Luncheon Meetings on 10 January 2013 and its
new daytime meeting format was a success. The guest speaker was Mr. Robert Mullauer, a noted local historian,
who spoke on the relationship between the War of 1812 and
the Napoleonic Wars. All attendees were given a MOFW Baseball Cap which they were encouraged to wear to “advertise” the
Commandery and the Order. Future “first-time” attendees will
also “earn” their baseball cap. The Annual Meeting and Quarterly Luncheon was hosted by the Commandery on 25 April
2013 and the luncheon format proved once again to be most
successful. The guest speaker was COL William “Randy” Everett who spoke on the War on Terrorism. The next Quarterly Luncheon is scheduled for 18 July 2013. In May 2013 the
Commandery presented MOFW ROTC Awards to deserving
Cadets at 6 Maryland and Delaware Universities and Colleges,
a JROTC Award to a local high school, and to a graduate of
Left to right, Nat Del Walt Stamper, CAPT Hudner,
the Maryland National Guard ChalleNGe Program. The ComState Cdr Hauck, and Vice St Cdr Len Kondratiuk
mandery continues to recruit.
Massachusets On 22 February 2013, CAPT (USN) Thomas J. Hudner Jr. was enrolled as an Honorary Companion in the Order and the Massachusetts Commandery by State Commander and Deputy JAG Rick Hauck.
8
CAPT Hudner, a naval aviator, is the recipient of the Medal of Honor for his actions on 4 December 1950 at the
Chosin Reservoir area of Korea. Hit by enemy AA fire, a squadron mate was forced down behind enemy lines
and Hudner, circling above to protect the downed pilot, saw the pilot was trapped in the aircraft which had burst
into flames. CAPT Hudner made a wheels-up belly landing near the crashed aircraft and attempted to free the
pilot from the burning plane. After packing snow around the flames to contain them, Hudner returned to his
plane and radioed for a helicopter. Although surrounded by enemy troops, he stayed with the trapped pilot until
help arrived and with the aid of the rescue pilot, managed to free the trapped aviator. CAPT Hudner flew 27
combat missions in Korea and also served aboard the USS Kitty Hawk during the Vietnam War. He retired from
the Navy in 1973. In 2012 a new ARLEIGH BURKE Class guided missile destroyer (DDG 116) was named in his
honor, the USS Thomas Hudner.
On 15 May the Commandery held its Spring Quarterly Meeting aboard the USS Constitution and a special tour
was given the Companions and guests by the Ship’s captain, CDR Matthew J. Bonner, USN. Following our visit to
the USS Constitution, we moved to the historic Warren Tavern in Charlestown for a collation and a narrative of
“US Naval Strategy During the War of 1812” given by Veteran Companion (COL) Wes Shuler. On 27May, Companion (BG) Len Kondratiuk was the guest speaker at the Garden of Honor Veterans Corner in West Roxbury
and he spoke on the 150th anniversary of the Civil War.
Michigan Companion James R. Spackman succeeds Companion Orlando I. Benedict as State Commander.
Ohio Chartered 4 April 2013 with Companion Donald C. Bratton II as State Commander.
Pennsylvania Companion Frederick A. Tucker Jr. succeeds Companion Harry Carl Schaub as state Commander.
Rhode Island Companion Roberta M. Humble succeeds Companion William P. Babcock as State Commander.
Texas Companion Luis G. Fernandez succeeds Companion Robert J. Cheeseman as State Commander.
Virginia Commander Orfeo “Chuck” Trombetta succeeds Companion Kent A. D. Clark as State Commander.
NEW COMPANIONS AND FUTURE OF THE ORDER
BG Creighton Abrams (DC)
MAJ Michael E. Belcher (TX)
1LT Daniel A. Bell (TX)
CWO-2 Ronnie D. Bierner (CA)
Comp Donald C. Bratton II (OH)
Comp Errett J. Butler (OH)
LT Nicholas W. Carper (PA)
Comp Christopher E. Chapman (GA)
LtCol James H. Chilcott (TX)
COL William A. Christmas (MO)
LTC Stephen M. Clowery (PA)
MAJ William R. Coleman (HA)
MG Andrew B. Davis (DC)
CPT Randall E. Davis (TX)
CPT Clinton E. Day (FL)
CPT Gary L. Dycus (NY)
CWO-4 Thomas J. Dye Jr. (HI)
Comp Jeffrey M. Dumble (TX)
LTC James B. Dykes (FL)
LTC Gary O. Engen (GA)
COL William R. Everett (MD)
Comp Gerald F. Fischer (NY)
LTC Eugene P. Flynn (MA)
LT(jg) Robert C. Gerhard (PA)
COL Harry I. Gillogly III (MA)
COL Edward S. Graham (MA)
COL John A. Guernsey (PA)
MG Daniel A. Hahn (OH)
Comp Ashley M. Haley (OH)
RADM James M. Hart (EA)
LTC Matthew E. Harvey (IA)
LTC Christine Hoffman (MA)
COL William R. Hollingsworth (HI)
CAPT Thomas J. Hudner Jr. (MA)
MAJ David M. Humphrey (PA)
Comp Jonathan M. Jacobs (PA)
COL Karl S. F. Kirchner (NC)
Comp Marie-Louise C. Kirchner (DC)
MAJ Frederick J. Kline (OH)
LTC Kevin R. Kugel (RI)
LtCol Ingvar-Erick Lantzky (NY)
LTC Joern N. Lindenau (HI)
ILT Stuart H. Lollis (MA)
COL Charles C. Lucas Jr. (NY)
Comp Joe G. Machol (TX)
COL Sterling D. MacLeod (MA)
BG Emery A. Maddocks Jr (MA)
LTC Arthur O’Malley (MA)
Comp George V. Merrill (NY)
MAJ Cindy D. Morton (EA)
CWO3 Donald J. Oglesby (OH)
LTC Arthur O’Malley (MA)
CW4 Seamus P. O’Shea (GA)
MAJ Gerald J. Pellegrini Jr. (GA)
LCDR Patrick R. Perkins (CT)
MAJ Ahmad Perry (HI)
LTC Robyn Pietron (HI)
Comp (Rev) Thomas E. Pike (NY)
Comp Francis Provost (PA)
CWO Jack F. Ray (AL)
Comp Jason K. Ray (AL)
Comp Robert “Casey” Ray (AL)
MAJ Charles H. Russell, Jr. (AL)
LTC Stephen J. Ryan (NY)
LTC Joseph H. Saul (MD)
COL Wyman E. Shuler III (MA)
1LT David F. Simson (NY)
Comp Karen C. Spalding (KY)
COL Martin B. Spann (CA)
LTC Walton B. Stamper (MA)
COL Steven W. Swann (DC)
COL David W. Taylor (OH)
CWO4 Paul J. Tompkins Jr. (NC)
Comp Danielle Tulak (HI)
LTC Michael VanDriel (HI)
COL Carolyn J. Washington (EA)
ENS Ryan B. Weddle (NY)
LTG Francis J. Wiercinski (HI)
COL Lawrence A. Willwerth (MA)
LCDR Richard M. Wright Jr. (DC)
9
WE SUNK A TRUCK!
Those famous words were spoken by actor Cary Grant
in the WWII movie “Operation Petticoat”. But an
American submarine did blow up a railroad train
when its team of saboteurs conducted the only combat
ground operation
on the mainland
of Japan in WWII.
The sub was the
USS Barb and its
captain was Medal of Honor recipient Commander
Eugene “Lucky”
Fluckey, and the
Barb did, indeed,
sink a train!
USS Barb
It was 18 July 1945 in Patience Bay, off the coast of
Karafuto, Japan that the plan took shape. Three
months earlier Fluckey had been in Washington, DC
to receive his MOH for his extraordinary combat actions in Mamkwan Harbor (China) in January 1945.
Now it was 0400 and he was studying the map spread
out before him. His crew had been buzzing excitedly
about bagging a train and finding a location on the
rail line that ran along the coast would not be a problem. The problem was “how to detonate the explosives
at the moment the train passed without endangering
the shore party?”
Seaman Billy Hatfield had a plan that would allow the
train to blow itself up. As a kid he had cracked nuts
on railroad tracks by placing the nuts between two
ties so the sagging of the rail under the weight of the
train would break the nuts open. Instead of nuts Hatfield proposed using a micro switch to detonate the 55
pound explosives charge. Since the entire crew wanted to go, Fluckey set up some rules: (1) No married
men with the exception of Hatfield); (2) The shore
party would include a representative from each ship’s
departments; (3) The slots would be split evenly between Regular Navy and Navy Reserve sailors; and (4)
At least ½ of the men must have been Boy Scouts, experienced in handling
medical emergencies,
and tuned into woods
lore. Fluckey wanted
to lead the shore party himself but gave in
to threats from his
crew who said “they
would radio Pearl
Harbor about what
was planned if the
Captain did not stay
on board the Barb”. Reluctantly Fluckey agreed. All
that was now needed was the right night and the proper tools. The micro switch and the digging tools were
painstakingly made from materials found on the Barb
– the right nighttime weather was another matter.
The night of 22-23 July 1945 was perfect with a cloud
cover hiding the ¾ moon. By midnight the Barb had
crept within 950 yards of shore and Fluckey was confident that if spotted, the Barb would be mistaken for a
schooner or a Japanese patrol boat. No one would expect an American submarine to be that close to shore
and in that shallow of water. The small rubber boats
were lowered into the water and the 8 saboteurs began paddling to the beach. Twenty-five minutes later
they pulled onto the beach and walked on the surface
of the Japanese homeland. Leaving the beach and
crossing through waist-high grass, a drainage ditch
and then a highway, the saboteurs made their way to
the railroad tracks. After posting lookouts, one man
was tasked to examine a nearby water tower. The seaman climbed the tower’s ladder then stopped in shock
as he realized the “water tower” was actually an en-
The First “Windtalkers”
Although the USMC’s use of Native Americans in the Pacific in WWII as radio/telephone specialists is well
known and well publicized, the first “Wind Talkers” utilized by the US military were Choctaw Indians serving
with the 1st Oklahoma and 7th Texas Infantry Regiments in WWI. The use of their Choctaw native language in
place of regular military code confused the Germans and the “Talkers” are credited with helping the allies win
the Battle of the Meuse-Argonne in 1918, the last major German offensive of the war.
10
emy lookout tower …and it was occupied! Luckily the Japanese sentry
was peacefully sleeping and the
seaman was able to quietly withdraw to join the raiding party.
Although “ordered” to withdraw
to a safe distance when Hatfield
set the micro switch, everyone
watched over his shoulder to make
sure he did it right.
It was now 0132 and on the Barb Fluckey saw the flashlight signal from shore that signified the departure of
the party from the beach. To assist the paddlers return, Fluckey nudged the Barb to within 600 yards of
the shore and
into less than
6 feet of water
under her keel.
The shore party was halfway
back when a
lookout yelled
“Captain!
There’s a train
Flag of the USS Barb with Locomotive
coming up the
symbol (Bottom Center)
tracks!” Fluckey
grabbed
a bullhorn and yelled to the saboteurs “paddle like
the devil”, knowing full well they could not reach the
Barb before the train hit the micro switch. At 0147
the darkness was shattered by a tremendous light and
the roar of an explosion. The boilers of the locomotive blew with shattered pieces of engine blowing 200
feet into the air. The freight cars accordioned into
each other and, bursting into flame, adding to the
outstanding “fireworks” display. Five minutes later
the saboteurs were back on board and the Barb was
easing away from the coast and into the safety of the
deep. At 2 knots, it would be a while before the Barb
was into deep water so Fluckey announced over the
ship’s intercom “All hands below deck not absolutely
needed to maneuver the ship have permission to come
topside.” He didn’t have to repeat the invitation.
(Ed Note: Rear Admiral Eugene “Lucky” Fluckey was an
Honorary Companion in the Maryland Commandery and I
have the pleasure of owning a personally signed copy of his
book “Thunder Below”. He Answered the Last Roll Call on
28 June 2007. He was a great seaman, patriot, and American.)
Rear Admiral Fluckey
WHEN INSULTS HAD CLASS
My old commander used to say that “insulting with class meant the
person being insulted walked away smiling and thanking you!” Here are some class insults from the past –
•
•
•
•
•
•
“I didn’t attend the funeral but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it.” Mark Twain
“He has no enemies but is intensely disliked by his friends.” – Oscar Wilde
“I feel so miserable without you it’s almost like having you here.” – Stephen Bishop
“His mother should have thrown him away and kept the stork.” – Mae West
“I’ve had a perfectly wonderful evening – but this wasn’t it.” – Groucho Marx
“He is not only dull himself but he is the cause of dullness in others.” – Samuel Johnson
11
The Order Recognizes Excellence
US Air Force Academy
Companion (LCDR) Myron C. Smith
(of the new Colorado Commandery)
on 27 May 2013 presented the MOFW
Award, a bronze eagle statuette, to Cadet Ian P. Ferguson. The award is given
to the cadet who excels in Physics.
US Coast Guard Academy
Secretary-General and Rhode Island
Companion (LTC) Dennis E. Morgan
traveled to the USCGA on 21 May 13
to present the MOFW Award, a pair of
engraved binoculars, to ENS Ellen C.
Kintz. The MOFW Award is presented
to the midshipman who is the most
proficient in the handling of a sailing
vessel.
US Military Academy
I believe for the first time since the
WWII years (1941-45) the Academy has
not requested a presenter from our Order or any organization. Award presentations were made in 2013 by members
of the Academy Staff. So on 14 June
2013 the MOFW Award, a Crossed Saber Plaque, was presented to Cadet Jeffrey H. Kim, given in recognition to the
cadet who excels in General Management studies.
US Merchant Marine Academy
New York State Commander (CAPT)
William J. McShane traveled to Kings
Point, NY on 14 June 2013 and presented the MOFW Award, a Wrist Watch, to
Midshipman Justin R. Feltkamp. The
award was presented to the midshipman who wrote the Best Leadership Essay in the Department of Naval Science
or Air Force ROTC Leadership Course
and who is entering Active Service.
US Naval Academy
On 23 May 2013 in Alumni Hall, Maryland Companion (CDR) George L.
Breeden II presented the MOFW Award
to Midshipman 1/C Jonathan S. Poole.
The award, a watch and a plaque, is
awarded to the midshipman majoring
in Mathematics with the highest grade
after 4 years of study. In August, ENS
Poole will attend University College,
Cork Ireland, for a study program and
master’s degree in International Public
Policy and Diplomacy. He will then report for follow-on Navy Surface Warfare
training and be assigned to the USS
Mommsen (DDG 92), an Arleigh Burke
class guided missile destroyer homeported in Everett, WA. In addition to
the MOFW Award, now ENS Poole received 5 other distinguished acknowledgements and awards.
Norwich University
Companion (COL) Eric W. Braman (RI
Commandery) presented the MOFW
Award, a Personalized Framed Aerial
Campus Photograph, to Cadet Brian S.
Dunne. The award is given to the Senior Cadet who is responsible for ensuring the honor and values of Norwich U.
are upheld within Corps of Cadets.
The Citadel
On 3 May 2013 Companion (BG) Josiah
“Butch” Fuller of the Maryland Commandery presented the MOFW Award
to Cadet Steven B. Foster. The award,
a framed pen & ink collage of The Citadel, is awarded for excellence in the
ROTC Program and for leadership,
discipline, and in the study of Military
History.
Virginia Military Institute
On 26 April 2013 Past C-G Ronald E.
Fischer presented a presentation K-Bar
Knife to Midshipman 1st Class William
M. Helfrich in recognition of his being the top Marine Corps Cadet in the
school’s NROTC Program. Past C-G
Fischer also presented a Leatherman
Tool to Midshipman 1st Class Vincent
Campion as the top Naval Graduate in
the NROTC Program. Each Cadet received a copy of the Military Order of
Foreign Wars of the United States First
100 year History as well as a VMI version
of an award certificate.
The Order is proud to announce that
beginning in 2014 MOFW Awards will
be given at Texas A & M University
and at North Georgia Military College.
The Order thanks the Texas and Georgia Commanderies for coordinating
the presentations.
THE VIETNAM WALL
There are 58,267 names on “The Wall”
and therefore 58,267 stories.
Here are two.
“The Marines of Morenci”
They led some of the scrappiest high school football
and basketball teams that the little Arizona copper town
of Morenci (pop. 5,058) had ever known and cheered.
They enjoyed roaring beer busts, riding horses along
the Coronado Trail, and stalking deer in the Apache
National Forest. And in patriotic camaraderie typical
of Morenci’s mining families, the nine graduates of
Morenci High enlisted as a group in the Marine Corps.
Their service began on Independence Day 1966 – only
3 returned home.
“The Buddies of Midvale”
LeRoy Tafoya, Jimmy Martinez, and Tom Gonzales were
all boyhood friends and lived on 3 consecutive streets
12
(5th, 6th, and 7th Avenues) in Midvale, Utah, They
played ball at the adjacent sandlot ball field and they all
went to Vietnam. In a span of 16 dark days, in late 1967,
all 3 would be killed. LeRoy was killed on Wednesday,
22 November, the 4th anniversary of President John F.
Kennedy’s assassination. Jimmy died less than 24 hours
later on Thanksgiving Day. Tom was killed in an assault against the enemy on 7 December, Pearl Harbor
Remembrance Day. For most Americans who visit “The
Wall”, they see only the many, many names and see the
numbers. Very few know the stories behind the names
– now you know two.
Band of Brothers
You may have served in combat or while preserving the peace. You may have retired out or may
have served a short time. You may have been a
draftee or a volunteer. You may have served in
the Corps, Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard or
the Merchant Marine, BUT YOU SERVED. YOU
DID YOUR JOB HONORABLY and for that I am
PROUD to call you “Brother”.
You may have served during WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Nicaragua, Persian Gulf, Iraq or Afghanistan
but you served - you did not run. You have earned
your DD Form 214 with those words “HONORABLY DISCHARGED”, two of the noblest words
in the world. Again I am proud to know each and
every one of you.
Gulf War Cease Fire
On 3 March 1991, American General H. Norman
Schwarzkopf (seated left) and Saudi Lt. General
Prince Khalid (seated to his right) dictate ceasefire terms with Iraqi commanders Lt. Gen Mohammed Abdez Rahman al-Dagitstani and Lt. Gen Sabin Abdel-Aziz al Douri.
The Iraqi’s astonishment at the disparity involved
in the POW exchange demonstrated how ignorant
the Iraqis still were of the magnitude of their own
defeat.
On “Band of Brothers Day” send this to all your
brothers, fathers, sons and fellow veterans you
know and wish them a “Happy Brother’s Day”.
To the cool men that have touched my life - Here’s
to You!! I was never a hero but I am thankful and
proud to have served among them. A real Brother
walks with you when the rest of the world walks on
you. Anonymous
(Ed Note: Taken from the OCS Class 4-64
website (www.ocs4-64.org))
“Peace is that brief glorious moment
in time when everybody stands
around reloading.”
PATRIOT MISSLES VS SCUDS
The Iraqis launched their first SCUD attack on Israel on 17 January 1991 with the intended purpose
of generating an Israeli retaliatory counter-strike.
The poorly aimed 1950’s vintage SCUDS caused
some deaths and damage and even fear of chemical agent use, which proved to be a false rumor. The
Allied Coalition against
Saddam Hussein was
a fragile alliance kept
together by adroit diplomacy and the fact
that Israel would not
take part in the war. If
the Israelis retaliated
by launching an air attack against Iraq, the
A merican-EuropeanArab Coalition would
definitely fall apart.
Patriot Missile Launch
Newly developed by the
Raytheon Corporation,
the Patriot Missile was
- Thomas Jefferson
quickly deployed to Israel and launched against incoming SCUDS. For the first time in history, a ballistic missile (SCUD) was shot down by another missile (the Patriot). The use of the PATRIOT Missile in
Israel’s defense kept that country out of the war and
allowed the Coalition to remain intact, ultimately
leading to the defeat of the Iraqi Army.
Last SCUD Attack and Patriot Missle Launch, Riyadh,
Saudi Arabis, 2129 Hours, 24 Feb 91
13
CLASH WITH ARMOR
Tucked away in the NW corner of Quang Tri Province, Vietnam, in the densely wooded and rugged
terrain of the I Corps Tactical Zone, the Special
Forces camp at Lang Vei, situated along a hard-surface stretch of Highway 9, seemed to be the ideal location for an outpost. It was 35 KMs south of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between North and South
Vietnam and 1 ½ KMs east of the Xe Pone River, the
Laotian border. To the northeast, 8 KMs away, lay
the large Marine Corps base at Khe Sanh. The old
abandoned Special Forces camp of Lang Vei about
1,000 KM away had recently been re-occupied by a
small Special Forces group along with a force of Laotians. Under the command of Green Beret Captain
Frank C. Willoughby (Detachment A-101), the camp
defenders included a strike force of one Montagnard
and 4 Vietnamese rifle companies along with 3 combat reconnaissance platoons.
Indications of a North Vietnamese attack began to
show as early as 21 January 1968 when the village
of Khe Sanh fell to the North Vietnamese and on
24 January 1968 when survivors of the routed 33rd
Royal Laotian Battalion and their dependents
streamed into Lang Vei from over the Laotian border to the west. In the face of an impending attack,
Willoughby’s base was housing over 8,000 non-combatants. More sobering was the news the Laotian
troops brought with them – the North Vietnamese
force included armor. Although the base defenses
included 2 106 RR (recoilless rifles) and a goodly
supply of Light Anti-armor Weapons (LAWS), it was
ill-equipped to fend off a large armor attack. Intelli-
gence reports later stated that the North Vietnamese
moved the Russian built PT76 light tanks along the
Ho Chi Minh Trail by man-power portage as well as
by raft down rivers – a truly remarkable feat. After
a heroic 18-hour stand by Lang Vei’s defenders and
after the recoilless rifles were knocked out, the base
was overrun. The battle for Lan Vei was over.
Of the original defending force of approximately
500 indigenous troops, 200 were killed or missing
and 75 wounded. Out of 24 Americans, 10 were
killed or missing and 11 wounded. The battle for
Lang Vei marked the first successful use of armor by
the North Vietnamese in the war and came as quite
a surprise to the American Commanders.
The first armor-to-armor clash took place in 1969
at the Ben Het Special Forces Camp when a large
force of PT76 tanks, supported by BT50 Armored
Personnel Carriers (APC), attacked the base. Helping defend the base was the US Army’s 1st Battalion,
69th Armor equipped with the M48 “Patton” Tank
and the venerable older tank proved quite capable
of destroying the PT76. Vietnam was not a “tankers war” although tanks were employed by the US
Army and its allies throughout the war with varying
degrees of success.
The Battle for Lang Vei was important as it re-emphasized the old military adage of
“Never plan for what you expect the enemy to do
but plan for what the enemy Can Do”.
FOR YOUR INTEREST
** H. Ross Perot Honored J. Thomas Burch Jr., the Order’s
Judge Advocate-General, presented a special award to H. Ross
Perot during small tribute dinner in Washington, DC on Saturday,
23 March 2013. The dinner was hosted by the National Vietnam
Veterans Foundation which Burch founded in 1993 and serves
as its President.
Tom Burch (LT) and H. Ross Perot
** Did You Know Only two Presidents of the United States are graduates of the US Military Academy at West Point? Ulysses S. Grant was the first and Dwight D. Eisenhower was the second.
14
THE QUARTERMASTER’S STORE
New item in stock!
The Order now has a beautiful and colorful License Plate Frame in stock
that was first “unveiled” at the 51st Convention and was an instant “hit” with
Convention attendees. The license plate frame
can be yours for only $ 17.00 (shipping included)
from your Quartermaster-General. Please go to
the Order’s web site (www.mofwus.org) and to
the Quartermaster link and use the handy order
form. Order yours today!
“A friend is someone who, when they find out you
are in jail, rush right down to bail you out.
A true friend is someone who is setting next
to you in jail saying “Wow, what a ride!”
The Military Wife
The military wife – they call her a ”Military Dependent” but she knows better.
She is fiercely independent and can balance a check book, handle the yard work,
fix a noisy toilet, and bury the family pet.
She is intimately familiar with drywall anchors and
toggle bolts and she can file the taxes, sell a house,
buy a car or set up a move…..all with ONE Power
of Attorney. She welcomes neighbors that don’t welcome her, reinvents her “career” with every PCS, locates a house in the desert, the Artic or in the Deep
South, and learns to call them all “home” and she
MAKES them all “home”.
Military wives are somewhat hasty as they leap into
decorating, leadership, volunteering, career alternatives, churches, and friendships. They don’t have 15
years to get to know people and their roots are short
but flexible. They plant annuals for themselves and
perennials for those who come after them. Military
wives quickly learn to value each other. They connect over coffee, rely on the spouse network, and
accept offers of friendship and favors, and record
addresses in pencil. Military wives have a common
bond – they have a husband unlike other husbands
as his commitment is unique. He doesn’t have a job,
he has a “MISSION” that he just cannot decide to
quit. He’s on call for his country 24/7 but for her,
he’s the most unreliable guy in town! His language
is foreign ….TDY, PCS, OPR, SOS, ACC, BDU, ACU,
BAR, CIB, TAD…. and so a military wife is a translator for her family and his. She is the long-distance
link to keep them informed and the glue that holds
them together.
A military wife has her moments. She wants to wring
his neck, dye his uniform pink, refuse to move to Siberia, but she pulls herself together. Give her a few
days, a travel brochure, a long hot bath, a pledge to
the flag, a wedding picture, and she goes, she packs,
she moves, and she follows. Why? What for? How
Come? You may think it is because she has lost her
mind but actually it is because she has lost her heart.
It was stolen from her by a man who puts duty first,
who longs to deploy, who salutes the flag, and whose
boots in the doorway remind her that as long as he
is her Military Husband, she will remain his Military
Wife. And she would have it no other way. Author
Unknown
15
Received on the Command Frequency
** From a Vietnam vet, MAJ (Ret) Sam Slaughter “Got the newsletter today. Enjoyed the helicopter
stuff, “The Last Huey” (MOFW Newsletter. Issue 3, June 2012). It was a great aircraft. Most of my
time turned out to be in that old aircraft. It had many different models. In an amazing event, the Vet
Center out in Merritt Island (FL) got an old moth-balled HUEY and a COBRA and put them both in front
of the Center. They found out the old model HUEY had flown in Vietnam when they went through the
historical flight records. They started contacting all the unit members that were in that Air Cav outfit
in Nam. I was one of them. I flew the very same aircraft as mission commander many times. The one
on display still had bullet holes in it! Many of us went to the dedication and I was given the honor to
speak about that old HUEY.
** A thank you note from JROTC Cadet Sergeant Megan Jackson, Viking Battalion, Valley High School, New Kennsington, PA: “Dear MOFW: Thank you for presenting me with the MOFW award! It is a great honor to wear it on my uniform.”
Cadet Jackson received the award in recognition of her excellence in Academics.
** Received from ENS Jonathan S. Poole, US Naval Academy, “Dear MOFW: Thank you very much for your generous gift
of the watch and plaque for the MOFW Prize. I am honored to be recognized with this award. Majoring in Mathematics
was challenging and rewarding. I owe a lot to my many family and friends for keeping me motivated. Thank you again.”
TAPS. The Order regrets to report that 1LT Jerry A. Baker (CA), COL M. Oakley Bidwell (NY),
LT Mitchell B. Booth (NY), COL David L. Dalva (NY), CAPT Thomas M. Daly (PA), COL Edward R. Finch (NY), Companion Eloise M. Groves (PA), COL G. F. Robert Hanke (NY), Companion John C. Henry Jr. (NY), Companion Russell F. Hodges (PA),COL Lynwood F. Hoxsie
(RI), MAJ John K. Lattimer (NY), CPT Avon Lees Jr. (NY), 1LT George L. Maxwell (NY), 1LT Benjamin B. McAlpin
III (NY), COL Robert L. McLean (NY), LT Kenneth A. Menken (NY), COL Alvin V. Miller (DC), 1LT William E.
Mitchell (NC), LTC William R. Robbins (NY), 1LT Thomas W. Sale Jr. (Comp-At-Large), 1LT Frank Schwab Jr. (NY),
1LT Cornelius A. Shephard Jr. (PA), 1LT James Sperber (NY), MG M. Dana Tawes (MD), CAPT J. Werner ValeurJensen (NY), and CPT Thomas P. White (NY) have Answered the Last Roll Call. Rest in Peace Faithful Companions.
MILITARY ORDER OF FOREIGN WARS OF THE UNITED STATES
Companion Ronald R. Sommer • Editor, MOFW Newsletter
2516 Bauernschmidt Drive • Baltimore, Md 21221-1738
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
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WE S Pages 10 & 11
NEWSLETTER
JUNE 2013
Biennial 2013-2015
Issue 1