October - Korean War Veterans
Transcription
October - Korean War Veterans
TEXAS LONE STAR CHAPTER / KOREAN WAR VETERANS R O I R R THE WA Volume 19 - Issue 10 OCTOBER 2009 Formed - February 1991 By Lee & Charlotte Henderson, Publishers / Editors Our Mission as Editors of the Warrior, is to Enlighten the Minds and Hearts of its Members! CHILI COOK-OFF & SILANT AUCTION OCTOBER MEETING Our October meeting, October 15th, will be one of our favorites. The Chili cook-off returns, with a number of entries already. This is an annual event, but this year it will return to competition. If you have not signed up, and want to compete with you favorite chili recipe, contact Martha Ballard. This is a time for the chili cookers to come forward with their best entry. (There will be prizes for the winners.) There will also be rice, crackers, chips, tea, etc. and of course lots of delicious desserts. As this is Halloween month, please dress in costume, not required, but fun. There will be judging for the best costume, with a prize for the winner. There will also be a SILENT AUCTION, that is a your area to obtain items to be auctioned, or home, to be auctioned. (This will help make Also, since this is a fund raising event, please friends. fund raiser. Please contact businesses in something you might have of value at your home neater and help us raise funds.) feel free to bring along family and Please arrive about 4 pm, to help with the set up, and to browse the items for the silent auction. We will eat about 5 pm, with the meeting starting at 6 pm. Past Winner! Lee Henderson ‘Your Editor’ Past Contenders Marlene & Vito Susca Don’t forget, bring your wallet or check book for the auction, and your appetite for the dinner. Everyone is invited. The more the merrier. DON’T FORGET THAT HALLOWEEN IS ON A SATURDAY THIS YEAR. YOUNG CHILDREN WILL BE OUT, GOING DOOR TO DOOR IN SEARCH OF TREATS. PLEASE HELP TO KEEP THEM SAFE. U MTD DHRISTMAS QARTY The Annual Texas Lone Star Chapter Christmas Party will be held this year on December 19th, which is on a Saturday. We will again have our gathering at the Monument Inn, which is located in LaPorte, Tx. off Hwy 225, on the Independence Highway. (This was formally named Battleground Road.) As you know, this is adjacent to the San Jacinto Monument and the Battleship Texas. WHAT: WHEN: WHERE: TLSC CHRISTMAS PARTY DECEMBER 19, 2009, SATURDAY MONUMENT INN 4406 INDEPENDENCE HWY. (formally Battleground Rd.) La PORTE, TEXAS MENU: (CHOOSE ONE) FISHERMAN’S PLATTER CHICKEN TERIYAKI BROILED TILAPIA PONTCHATRAIN 12oz GRILLED PIBEYE STEAK All entrees served with a green salad, baked potato, homemade rolls and muffins, Iced tea and coffee. The ladies are asked to please bring a dessert. COST: $22.36 PER PERSON. Your check is your reservation. Make check payable to Texas Lone Star Chapter KWV. Mail to: Nelda Napp 1207 Whitestone Houston, Texas 77073 RESERVATION DEADLINE IS: Dec. 12, 2009 There will be a gift exchange, so please bring a gift, value around $5.00. The gifts should be, men bringing for a man and the ladies for another lady. Reserve this date, and make planes to attend the annual party with your friends, family and fellow vets & wives. Hope to see you there! ATTENTION LADIES!! How well do you safeguard your purse? When you are grocery shopping, do you put your purse in the child seat, where it’s easy for you to keep up with? That’s not always the best thing to do, especially if the opening is left wide open. Recently one of our wives, Chris Carnero, was shopping at her neighborhood Kroger’s. Her purse was in the basket, open, as she was using coupons. On a crowded aisle, as she was distracted, someone reached in, grabbed her wallet, and vanished. It was a minute before Chris noticed it missing. She immediately went to the front to view the checkout lanes. The couple that had been next to her were gone. She notified the manager, who also checked the store. Chris was mad and upset. She had the manager send someone outside to check all the garbage cans in the parking lot, but her wallet was not there. Manny cancelled all cards immediately but that doesn’t eliminate the fact that the damage had been done. Her identity had been stolen, and her address was now known by people who steal for a living. If you put your purse in the basket, strap it in with the child restraints, and keep the opening, closed. PAGE 2 U. S. Army —————— U. S. Marines VOLUME 19 ISSUE 10 MY KOREAN WAR EXPERIENCE By Rod Ramsey Korea Experience October 1952 I joined my assigned unit, 3rd Battalion, 32nd Infantry, Seventh Division in late September, 1952. The company CO assigned me as platoon leader of the second platoon of Item Company. At that time the battalion was holding an outpost line of resistance a few miles northwest of Kumwha in North Korea. Kumwha was the lower right corner of what was termed the Iron Triangle. The following events describe what happened to two young soldiers in my platoon. They were both 18 years old, both southern boys who had volunteered for the Regular Army. Their names were Finney Mitchell and Richard Crook. The first two weeks of October were relatively quiet along our front with some patrol actions and sporadic incoming artillery fire. My platoon had pulled a couple of unproductive ambush patrols when we got word that the Division would be assaulting Hill 598 (Triangle Hill) located several miles east of us, just northeast of Kumwha. It was about at this time that Privates Mitchell and Crook came to my CP bunker and told me that they both had enlisted after falsifying their ages. They asked if I would advise the CO, so that they could request reassignment. I reported this to Lt. Rahman and left it in his hands. Before anything could be done events overtook us and we were moved east to the combat area near Triangle Hill. Our battalion moved up onto Jane Russell Hill the afternoon of October 20th, relieving the 2nd Battalion of the th 17 Infantry. We climbed the steep hill loaded with gear, weapons and ammunition. The crest of the hill as stripped of all vegetation and littered with debris including dead Chinese. We dug into the rocky soil and prepared to defend this god-forsaken hill. Next morning a party of Korean Service Corps bearers brought us food and water and more ammunition. They also carried off the American dead that were still there. We continued to improve our positions and organize our defense. For the next few days we received artillery and mortar fire and suffered some light casualties Over the next two days we experienced heavy artillery fire and on the night of Oct. 23rd and attack by a reinforced company of Chinese. They made a small penetration of our position on the right flank which we were able to repel them by a rapid counterattack. Again we suffered more casualties. . One of these was Pvt. Richard Crook who was occupying a foxhole on our forward left flank. Late in the morning of the 24th I approached his foxhole keeping low as we were exposed to enemy fire here. When I entered his hole I could see that he had been shot with a rifle round and that he was dead. I reported our loss and had his squad mates evacuate him. On 25 Oct. we were relieved by the 2nd ROK Division and pulled off the hill. My entire platoon was reduced by about 20% casualties, so that we all fit on one 2 and ½ ton truck as we left the combat area. Less than a week later while the ROKs were still fighting to hang onto Jane Russell and Triangle our battalion was giving the role of pulling off a night probing action on Hill 454 located immediately northeast of Triangle. After dark and the night of Oct. 31 Item Company marched north from the MLR through the ruined village of Kumgongni, then turned east to climb the ridge finger leading to Hill 454. It wasn’t long before the Chinese were alerted and fired mortar rounds on the trailing part of our column causing several casualties. Shortly thereafter as we climbed the finger in column of platoons with my platoon second in the column we received a burst of machine gun fire from the hilltop to our right. Bullets swept our position as we all went prone. I heard the rifleman to my left say, “I’m hit.” It was Pvt. Finney Mitchell. He died almost immediately. During the firing something hit my helmet which I thought was a rock. It wasn’t. A bullet had penetrated the front of my helmet, grazed my scalp and exited out the right side. A field dressing was applied and we moved forward deploying to assault the Chinese position. Just then we got the order to pull back. We retired carrying our casualties. That little action cost us 5 KIA and 14 wounded. One of those killed was Finney Mitchell. I write this to remember those two 18 year old soldiers who lost their lives doing their duty for the country that they loved. All honor to them. Richard R. Crook, Dunklin, MO, Pvt. U.S. Army, Killed in action October 24, 1952 Finnie C. Mitchell, Fulton, GA. Pvt. U.S. Army, Killed in action November 1, 1952 Volume 19, Issue 10 US Navy—–—Air Force Page 3 “WARRIOR DONATIONS” Honor Roll for “July 2009 to July 2010” The editors would like to acknowledge and thank the following members and patrons of the Warrior who have contributed in helping to defray some of the cost of printing and mailing. As you know, we now have the Warrior on line for those with computers, but the Post Office has informed us that the cost of mailing has gone up, so we still need your help. We thank you for your generous support and contributions. We will be using the funds received to defray the costs of the newsletter. The following names will be published monthly through the July 2010 issue. Be sure and have your name included. Fill in the sponsor card, seen below, or included in your July, 2009 newsletter, (those that are mailed) and return with your contribution. Thanks: Your editors: Lee & Charlotte Henderson Ammerman, Mary Ator, Roy Ballard, Carlos Ballard, Walter G. Barbee, Neal Bergen, Bernie Brast, Hazel Brunelle, Harry Cambiaso, Jose Castillo, Alex Conte, Tom Correa, Joseph Cortez, Richardo Craigmill, Bill Crouther, Charles Dickerson, Byron Dillick, Michael Duncan, Jim Fuhrman, Les Gares, Cho Glass, Joe Harrison, Wayne Harper, Jessie Hinajosa, Jose Kennison, Bill Lyke, Thomas Lynch, Juanita Maloy, Ted McManners,Doroth Mixon, Tom Montello, Stephen Moore, Bill Munguia, Tony Nanninga, John Napp, Don Nathan, Shirley Nevill, Kenneth Riley, Travis Romano, Joe Pedraza, John Priger, Ray Sax, Edward Spencer, Mickey Won, Hong Sop Urquhart, Jennifer * - Indicates more than one donation The Silent Treatment... A man and his wife were having some problems at home and were giving each other the silent treatment. Suddenly, the man realized that the next day, he would need his wife to wake him at 5:00 AM for an early morning business flight. Not wanting to be the first to break the silence (and LOSE), he wrote on a piece of paper, ‘Please wake me at 5:00 AM.’ He left it where he knew she would find it. The next morning, the man woke up, only to discover it was 9:00 AM and he had missed his flight. Furious, he was about to go and see why his wife hadn’t wakened him, when he noticed a piece of paper by the bed. The paper said, ‘It is 5:00 AM. Wake up.’ …. Men are not equipped for these kinds of contests. Words… A husband read an article to his wife about how many words women use a day…...30,000 to a man’s 15,000. The wife replied, “The reason has to be because we have to repeat everything to a man”… The husband then turned to his wife and asked, “What?” Women’s Revenge ‘Cash, check or charge?’ I asked, after folding items the woman wished to purchase. As she fumbled for her wallet, I noticed a remote control for a television set in her purse. ‘So, do you always carry your TV remote?’ I asked. ‘No,’ she replied, ‘but my husband refused to come shopping with me, and I figured this was the most evil thing I could do to him legally.’ PAGE 4 U. S Coast Guard In Memory of — Ammerman, Dan Barbee, Betty Bergen, Sandy Brast, Weldon L678 Christiansen, John Craigmill, Ross WWII Fuhrman, Juanita Hogue, Thomas William Deer with Horns, died 7/51 POW Lebaron, Eddie Nathan, Howard O’Flynn, John J. Olivarez, Manuel R040066 Russell, Roy Sikkley, Leland Sloan, Story Wray, Ewing Urquhart, Sam Fall of O.P. Berlin 7/53 God Bless our Troops This Space is for you to Remember someone you Care for. Texas Lone Star Chapter – KWV P. O. Box 802541—Houston, TX 77280-2541 “Warrior” Sponsor I want to be a sponsor of the Warrior for July 2009-July 2010 Name _______________________________________ Address _____________________________________ City _______________ State _______ Zip _________ VOLUME 19 ISSUE 10 TIME TO RENEW Dues are $20.00 - Life Membership $200.00 – Send renewal to KWVA – P O Box 802541 – Houston TX 772802541. The following memberships are due October 1, 2009: Alvin Hollas M381 Henry Martinez M595 Oscar Migl M385 Jimmy Richardson M599 2009 OCTOBER 1st 12th 13th 15th 15th 31st - RENEWALS Bill Craigmill NEW Board Meeting - 5 pm COLUMBUS DAY Birthday of U.S. Navy Chili Cook-Off @ meeting General Meeting 6 pm HALLOWEEN NOVEMBER MEMBER: 1st - DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME ENDS (Fall Back) 3rd - Election Day - VOTE 5th - Board Meeting - 5 pm 10th - Birthday of U.S. Marines 11th - VETERANS DAY 19th - General Meeting 6 pm Albert Habinak M-835 WELCOME !!! TRACY GEE 2009 MEETING SCHEDULE Note: There are two changes in 2009 1. The Board has gone back to the former schedule of meeting on the 1st Thursday of the month, instead of meeting on the same day as the General Meeting. 2. Meeting times have changed. The Board Meetings will now begin at 5 PM. The General Meetings will now begin at 6 PM. MONTH BOARD GENERAL OCTOBER 13 15 NOVEMBER 5 19 DECEMBER 3 19 Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must undergo the fatigues of supporting it. Thomas Paine Don’t Forget…………. Chili Cook-off at the General Meeting 10/15, 5 pm. Wear costumes! Lots of food, drink and desserts. See You There!! QUARTERMASTER John Jackson Thank you for your support by purchasing K.W.V. merchandise We have numerous items that you can purchase by: PHONE: 713-733-6544 (John Jackson) WEBSITE: kwvahouston.org The City has created a new web site to spread information Or in person at our meetings. about their plans for disasters that may occur, and how you Get your K.W.V.A. caps, Polo Shirts, (white can prepare personally. The information is available online or blue) some veteran hat pins and Chapter at www.readyhoustontx.gov. Be prepared for any disaster patches. that might happen. HOUSTON DISASTER PREPAREDNESS.. VIDEO TAPING OF KOREA STORIES These talks are videotaped. The tapes will go to the Korean War Museum, to become part of their archives. Since time at our meetings is limited, we will have to follow some simple rules: Members will have 10 minutes max. to speak. The time limit will be controlled. To be able to tell your story in that time frame, you should plan your talk in advance. List the things you want to cover, and try it out at home first and watch the time it takes. If it is way over the time, trim out some things to make it fit. Remember you’re being taped and the Museum won’t know who you are.. . . . . . . Start with your name, rank, branch of service, time you were there and what your specialty was. Then tell your story Be sure and attend and hear the latest memory. Our next speaker will be at the November Meeting. There will be no speaker in October, as we have the Chili Cook-off and Silent Auction/ Volume 19 - Issue 10 Merchant Marines Page 5 OCTOBER BIRTHDAY'S James Belcher . . . . . . . . .2nd Joseph Correa . . . . . . . . 2nd Forrest Robinson . . . . . . 3rd Jim Duncan . . . . . . . . . . 4th Bill Craigmill . . . . . . . . . 4th Vincent Aguilera . . . . . . 5th Tom Lyke . . . . . . . . . . . . 5th Paul Johnson . . . . . . . . . . 6th Eloise Illanne . . . . . . . . . 6th Marie Palmer . . . . . . . . . 6th James Tarver . . . . . . . . . . 6th Homer Gregory . . . . . . . . 8th Marlene Susca . . . . . . . . . 8th Dorothy Ballard . . . . . . . . 9th Ralph DeCosta . . . . . . . . 9th Robert Arias . . . . . . . . . . 10th Lynn Roe . . . . . . . . . . . . .10th Floyd Frawner . . . . . . . . .11th Antonio Munguia . . . . . . 11th Alvin Hollas . . . . . . . . . . 13th Bernard Bergan . . . . . . . . 15th Charles Critchell . . . . . . . 16th Tom Conte . . . . . . . . . . . .16th Ralph Hockley . . . . . . . . .17th Vito Susca . . . . . . . . . . . . 18th Arnulfo Cortez . . . . . . . . .18th Jack Levine . . . . . . . . . . . 19th Ralph Melcher . . . . . . . . 20th Harvey Barnhart . . . . . . . 21st Travis Riley . . . . . . . . . . .21st Jack Starlin . . . . . . . . . 21st Beverly Middlebrook . 22nd Kenneth Nevill . . . . . . 22nd Bernice Hollas . . . . . . 25th Bob Bighouse . . . . . . . 26th Bobby Owens . . . . . . . 26th Estella Frawner . . . . . . 29th Carolyn Hockley . . . . .29th Raul Trevino . . . . . . . .30th OCTOBER ANNIVERSARY'S MEMBER & SPOUSE DATE MEMBER & SPOUSE Tom & Charlotte Lyke . . 55 yrs . . . 10/1/54 Ralph & Eva DeCoste . . . 55 yrs . . 10/4/54 Floyd & Estella Frawner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/8 David & Willetta Garner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/9 J. B. & Shirley Hatfield . .50 yrs . . .10/13/59 Bob & Phyllis Ottis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/16 Ernest & Elrose Baumgart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/23 R. B. & Earnestine Sanford . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/23 L. B. & Peggy Wilmeth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10/30 DATE Gene & Camila Lugo . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/1 Donald & Susan Belken . . . . . . . . . 10/7 Joe & Muriel Mueller . 56 yrs . .10/9/53 Henry & Eva Martinez .56 yrs. 10/11/53 Clifford & Louise Petrey . 56 yrs . 10/15/53 Roland & Barbara English . . . . . . . . . 10/20 Albert & Debbie Hollan . . . . . . . . . . . . 10/23 Alvin & Bernice Hollas . 56 yrs . 10/25/53 Congratulations to our members celebrating their 50th + Anniversary's’!! DOOR PRIZES - August 18, 2009 STAND DOWN Bob Mitchell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Book, lighter Hank Dauman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lighter & book Ruth Johnson . . . . . . . . . Ceramic rooster @ candle Georgia Jackson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Book Billie Blair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lighter Marilyn Harrison . . . . . . . . .Ceramic hen & book Rod Ramsey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ? Georgia Jackson . . . . . . . . . Sandal shaped candles Ruby Ehrlund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Book & candle Billie Blair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Campaign hat Manny Carnero . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mug with candy Henry Martinez . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Candle Martha Ballard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Picture frame Manny Carnero . . . . . . . . . . Soup mug with saucer The 50/50 drawing was won by Bob Mitchell. The Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center Health Care for Homeless Veterans, will host the 9th Houston Area Stand Down for homeless Veterans. October 7—8, 2009, 8 am to 3:30 WHEN: The items for the drawings were donated by these generous people: Marlene Susca, Barbara English, Charlotte Henderson, Ruth Johnson, Martha Ballard, Maggie Bazan and several anonymous donors. Volunteers who would like to assist with a variety of activities during the Stand Down should contact Derrick Morrison. Please call early and have your name added to the list of volunteers. Thank you everyone. Page 6 WHERE: Emancipation Park Community Center 3018 Dowling St. Houston, Tx., 77004 Donations of clean, useable jackets, coats and sweaters for men and women and blankets are needed. Donations are needed no later than Friday, October 2, 2009. To make a donation, contact Derrick Morrison at 713-791-1414 ext. 6399. Volume 19 - Issue 10 LOYALTY * VALOR * HONOR * FIDELITY KEEPING IN TOUCH — SICK BAY Bob Bighouse recently had a knee replacement. He is getting around just fine, although a little slower. Franko Grochoske had a stint put in recently, and he reports he is feeling much better. Sam Naomi was recently hospitalized for two weeks. He’s home now and is doing much better. Sandra Ramsey is doing much better after suffering a heart attack.. She and Rod are walking daily and she is back to driving. She is to have a surgery in a few weeks. Good Luck Sandra, keep on walking. Stoney Stone was admitted to the hospital Thursday evening with chest pains. He had an irregular heart beat. The doctors were able to stabilize him with medication, but kept him there until Sunday, just to be sure. Marianne Younger has been very sick recently, and she was taken to the hospital where she stayed over a week while they tried to keep her blood pressure down and stabilize her. Hopefully she will be home soon. Bennie has also not been feeling good. With Marianne away, he has not been taking his medication regularly. Give him a call, let him know he’s not forgotten. DON’T FORGET THE CHILI COOK-OFF 5 PM AND MEETING 6 PM -10/15 CONDOLENCES CONDOLENCES We extend our sincere condolences to the family of Dr. Arnold Johnson, M-458. Dr. Johnson passed away on March 16, 2009. Our sincere condolences are extended to member Bernie Bergen, L-250, on the death of his wife Sandy Bergen. Sandy passed away on March 5, 2009. He served in the 45th Infantry Division of the U.S. Army during the Korean War, and received an honorable discharge in 1953. FORT BEND COUNTY FAIR QUEEN The Queen of this year’s Fort Bend County Fair is Ashlee Bartee. Ashlee is the daughter of Ron & Rosey Bartee and granddaughter of our member, Tom Campion. Ashlee recently participated in the Houston Live Stock Show with her Brahamn heifer and WREATH’S ACROSS AMERICA……… Our membership has come forward with donations to the Wreath’s Across America program in a big way. Our members have been tremendous, $450.00 has been donated . Correspondence: Ray Priger and his wife Dottie recently celebrated their 50th Wedding anniversary by taking a cruise to Alaska with their children & grandchildren. Congratulations Ray & Dottie. Ray Cipriano wrote: I’m so sorry I’m late with my dues. We have been in bad health, but Thank God, we are on our way to recovery. Thank you for not dropping me. We are very sorry to hear that you and Amy have been in bad health. Thank God you are recovering, and hopefully you will continue on the road to recovery. Volume 19 Issue 10 won 2nd place. This young lady has been very active, participating in the Big Creek 4-H, 13 years as a competitive cheerleader w/ Thunder & Storm, 3 Yr. Varsity Cheerleader and Head Cheerleader for the 20092010 school year. She would like to attend Sam Houston State University or Texas A&M, majoring in secondary education & literature. CONGRATULATIONS ASHLEE . . Page 7 TEXAS LONE STAR CHAPTER KOREAN WAR VETERANS P O. BOX 802541 HOUSTON, TX 77280-2541 USA FAX (713) 464-3437 www.kwvahouston.org Return Service Requested OCTOBER 2009 OFFICERS President 1st Vice Pres. 2nd Vice Pres. Secretary Treasurer Bob Bighouse Lee Henderson Frank (Franko) Grochoske Buddy Blair Rod Ramsey DIRECTORS 713-464-3676 713-946-9194 713-941-3845 281-242-3695 281-497-4054 *Carlos Ballard - Past-President 281-465-5172 FORMER PRESIDENTS 1991-92 - Nat Young 1992-93 - W. B. Kirchheim 1993-94 - Don Foisie 1994-95 - James Duncan 1995 -97 - Bill Hare 1997-98 - John Jackson 1998-99 – “Stoney” Stone 1999-00 – Sal Gambino 2000-01 – Howard Nathan 2001-02 – Bob Mitchell 2002-03 - Carlos Ballard 2003-04 - Don Napp 2004-05 - Charlie Ehrlund 2005-07 - Buddy Blair 2007-08 - Charlie Ehrlund 2008-09 - Carlos Ballard Term Expires 03/11 03/11 03/11 03/10 03/10 Jim Duncan Henry Martinez Don Napp Z.E. (Stoney) Stone Vito Susca 713-464-0633 713-688-1718 281-443-1809 281-375-7675 281-491-1242 * Chairman of the Board COMMITTEES CHAPLAIN Charles Laird / Max Johnson / Tom Campion CHAPTER FAX Jim Duncan COLOR GUARD Henry Martinez EDUCATION Travis Riley HISTORIAN Mickey Spencer MIA / POW Carlos Ballard, Alternate PARLIAMENTARIAN Manny Carnero PUBLIC RELATIONS QUARTERMASTER John Jackson SGT. AT ARMS Sal Gambino KOREAN COMMUNITY LIAISON-Johnney Lee VA CEMETERY “Stoney” Stone / John Jackson / Charles Laird VA HOSPITAL Buddy Blair VETERANS COALITION Jim Duncan, Stoney Stone WARRIOR EDITOR Lee Henderson ([email protected]) KWV MUSEUM LIAISON Bob Mitchell MEMBERSHIP DUES Bob Mitchell WEBSITE LIAISON Bob Mitchell