Capt. Jerry Yellin landed on Iwo

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1 The Official Newsletter of the Greater Austin Council Navy League of the United States March April May 2015 Citizens in Support of the Sea Services Capt. Jerry Yellin landed on Iwo Jima on March 7, 1945, strafed Japanese positions for the Marines and flew 19 VLR (Very Long Range) missions over Japan. Today a 91-year old Yellin is sharing his story. Yellin is a member of The Military Writers Society of America and the author of three awardwinning books: Of War and Weddings, The Blackened Canteen and The Letter; and most recently, The Resilient Warrior. He is an honorary board member of the Iwo Jima Association of America. Yellin was inducted into the U.S. Air Force Hall of Fame with the late Louie Zamperini in August Over the past several years, Yellin has volunteered countless hours to help raise public awareness and participation in the Spirit of 45 Day, making numerous public appearances around the country, and encouraging elected officials to issue annual proclamations in support of Spirit of 45 Day. In the past Yellin has been a featured speaker at the 2014 Air Force Association s Air and Space Convention and Technology Exhibition, and has represented Spirit of 45 Day in the National Memorial Day Parade in Washington, DC and New York City s Veterans Day Parade, and attends the annual Spirit of 45 Day National Leaders Conference in San Diego, where he celebrated his 90th birthday in 2014 by flying over San Diego Harbor! Distinguished Speaker Dinner Series THURSDAY MAY 14, 2015 Featured Speaker CAPT. JERRY YELLIN WWII P-51 Pilot who flew the last mission of WWII Capt. Yellin will tell of his experiences during WWII and after Yellin is the honorary chair and senior advisor for the WWII Airpower Legacy Project, a collaborative initiative of the Air Force Association, the Commemorative Air Force, the EAA Warbirds, and other groups that are organizing flyovers by WWII vintage aircraft in hundreds of communities across America to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII on the weekend of August 15-16, Yellin states in his online blog, Like so many young men in America, past and present, I served my country in time of war. I learned to use a weapon to kill my enemy. I prepared, practiced and performed my duty during my time in service, On March 7, 1945 I landed my P-51 on Iwo Jima, eight square miles of land 700 miles from Japan. Sixty-seven thousand Marines were fighting against twenty-three thousand Japanese defenders. The Marines killed 21,000 Japanese while nearly 7,000 Americans died fighting. Body parts were everywhere, the sights the sounds the smell of death permeated the air. On April 7, 1945 I flew the first escort mission of B-29 bombers over Japan and on August 14, I flew the last mission of the war. I flew with 16 young men who died for our country, and then I came home. I Continued on P3

2 2014 COUNCIL OFFICERS Kathy Pillmore President Tim Hunsberger President-Elect Glenn Looney (Acting) Vice President for Membership Mary Virginia Pittman-Waller Vice President for Development & Marketing Glenn Looney Vice President for Communications Max Miller Vice President for Education LuAnn Reyes Treasurer & Chief Financial Officer Jim Brotherton Vice President for Military Affairs Jeanie Coffey Vice President for Legislative Affairs Lisa Svabek Sullivan Vice President for Youth Programs Tim Hunsberger (Acting) Secretary Jim Lovering Chaplain Michael Murray Judge Advocate General NATIONAL DIRECTORS Max Miller Jeanie Coffey Tim Hunsberger Glenn Looney Jack Ritter Mary Virginia Pittman-Waller NATIONAL V.P. Max Miller Jack Ritter BOARD OF DIRECTORS Glenn Looney, Chairman Jim Brotherton Jeanie Coffey Mike Jackson Don Jones Max Miller Randy Patterson Mary Virginia Pittman-Waller Jack Ritter Steve Smith Kathy Pillmore LIAISONS Brian Colfack Military Services Coalition Steve Smith Marine Corps CAPT John G. Eden, USN CO UT NROTC CDR Brett Fereday, USN CO Navy Operations Support Center The Anchor is the official publication of the Greater Austin Council, Navy League of the United States. It is published six times annually prior to an upcoming Distinguished Speaker Series Dinner. Archived copies of past Anchors may be found at President s Message Kathy Pillmore President, 2015 Greater Austin Council, NLUS We are a little off kilter this year since we got a late start in our dinner series, but at lot is happening as we enjoy some spring weather and anticipate the heat of summer. If you missed our February speaker Gregg Stevens, you missed hearing about the new life-saving technology currently being used in Afghanistan and elsewhere where our young men and women are fighting to defend freedom. He brought with him a young Army Iraq and Afghanistan veteran, a combat medic who demonstrated some of the items that are being credited with saving more lives on the battlefield than ever before. Our next dinner is May 14 and in honor of our guest speaker the Woman s Club will be transformed in to a 1940s-era USO Canteen. Our speaker is Capt. Jerry Yellin, a WWII P-51 pilot who, attired in his WWII uniform, will share with us his story from the days of his flights during the war to the present. He will also tell us more about Keep The Spirit of 45 Alive, a tribute to the 70th anniversary of the war s end. We have some surprises in store as well so make your reservations early. The Lone Star Region of the Navy League recently held it s annual conference in Grapevine. It was an opportunity for Council leadership from all over the state to gather and share their experiences operating a NLUS council. We always pick up a lot of good tips at these meetings and we were privileged this time to have the current NLUS President Jim Offutt and the president-elect Skip Witunski along with program specialist Bill Waylett, Jr. A little bragging here...the Greater Austin Council always has the largest contingency at these meetings. A personal thank you to everyone who took the time, effort and their own wallet to attend this meeting on behalf of the council. Those individuals were: Jeanie Coffey, Glenn and Nancy Looney, Jack and Mary Ritter, Max Miller, Tim Hunsberger, Jim Brotherton, and yours truly. Also at this meeting we nominated the following individuals from the Lone Star Region (LSR) to be National Directors: Max Miller Jack Ritter Felix Keeley Jeanie Coffey Anne Harper Nick Harper Tim Hunsberger Mary Ritter Bob Scholes Don "Bull" Walker Alternates (in this order): Mary Virginia Pittman-Waller Travis LaGrone Marcia "Dusty" Walker Until next time, fair winds and following seas. Kathy RESERVE YOUR SEAT AT OUR NEXT DINNER Austin Woman s Club, Chateau Bellevue 8th and San Antonio (Parking entrance on Nueces between 7th & 8th Streets) Social 1815 Dinner 1915 Program 2015 Members & Their Guests- $30 Military in Uniform & Their Guests - $20 Cadets & Midshipmen and Their Guests - $15 CALL OR luann@luannreyes.com ONLINE via PayPal at PLEASE NOTE: WE CANNOT GUARANTEE YOUR MEAL WITHOUT A RESERVATION 2 The Anchor, March April May

3 Guest Speaker, continued from p1 was only 21 years old and my life was a shambles. Like many who saw combat I could not forget what I saw, what I did. I became depressed, thought about suicide, led an addicted life for 30 years. Only after I learned Transcendental Meditation (TM) in 1975 did any semblance of normality return to me. Yellin explaines that today, after 23 cumulative years of war, our young combat veterans are suffering from their service to our Nation. Twenty-two of them commit suicide every day, thousands upon thousands are ill and homeless. Many of the three million who served suffer from what they did, from what they saw. Only we can help them. He asks his audience to contact organizations who care about veterans or donate to them so they can have the funding necessary to teach TM to the young people who are suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress. He states, It will make a difference in their lives and in yours. Jerry Yellin in 1945 Jerry Yellin 2015 (front seat) pilots a Stearman out of the Cavanaugh Museum, Addison, TX Yellin says he also had to let go of the hatred he felt toward the Japanese and he now has a strong interest and attachment to Japan. In 1988, my youngest son married the daughter of a Japanese Kamikaze pilot, which took me from hatred to love.... I have three Japanese grandchildren. I d like their contemporaries to know that my grandchildren s grandparents served their countries with honor. No matter what we learned about the Japanese, or what they learned about us.... We are not what we believe we are all human beings. Seventy years have passed since that brutal battle of World War II. On March 21, 2015 dozens of elderly US and Japanese veterans traveled back to Iwo Jima, including US Army Air Corps Capt. Jerry Yellin. Yellin started a new life as a writer and activist, helping other veterans cope with the trauma of war. But as Yellin says War is an atrocity, but evil has to be wiped out. Yellin believes evil has again appeared in the world, and despite the cost he believes we have to fight that evil to make sure that there s freedom for free-loving people in our world. Despite the loss of friends and the decades of mental trauma he suffered himself, Yellin has concluded that the fight was worth it. There was a purity of purpose, which was to eliminate evil. We did that. All of us. So, the highlight of my life was serving my country, in time of war. Yellin and his wife of 61 years, Helene, have four sons and six grandchildren, three who live in America and three who live in Japan. Capt. Jerry Yellin, from Fairfield, Iowa, flew the final combat mission in World War II. World War II veterans visited Iwo Jima for the 70th anniversary Mar. 21 in commemoration of the end of World War II. Help us keep cadets from Austin area JROTC, UTROTC, Sea Cadet and Young Marine units coming to our dinners. Your adoption of one or more cadets at each dinner helps us to offset the cost of hosting these great young men and women. (The Greater Austin Council is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Your adoption certificate is your tax receipt.) WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR RESERVATION, LET US KNOW THAT YOU WANT TO ADOPT-A-CADET ~$25 PER Cadet THANK YOU to our March 19 Adopters Max and Sylvia Miller Jack and Mary Ritter Randy and Kaye Patterson Joe Cruz Glenn and Nancy Looney The Anchor, March April May

4 Snapshots from the March 19, 2015 Distinguished Speaker Series Dinner (Top row l-r) Guest speaker Gregg Stevens donated his custom made Navy League pen to Irag/Afghanistan vet MSGT Duvillion who assisted with Gregg's presentation. Council Chaplain Jim Lovering assisted by UT ROTC MIDN Marks conducted the Bell Ceremony in memory of Navy League members, friends and military members lost; MSGT Duvillion demonstrated some of the new life-saving items being used on today's battlefield. (Second row) Chuck Cooley, Allen Bergeron, Judy Wallace and Audrey Wilson; Marine Corps League Jr. Vice Commandant Charles Katalenas, Sharon and Dean Nobles; Honor Flight Austin represented by Allen Bergeron received a Scroll of Honor (Third row) LDCR Ronny Armstrong, Sr. Instructor for the Elgin High School National Defense Corps Unit accepted the unit's offical adoption certificate from the GAC; John Burkhardt accepted a Certificate of Appreciation for his work with Honor Flight and MOPH; Jim Brotherton accepted a Certification of Appreciation for his service to the Council; Lisa Sullivan accepted a Certificate of Appreciation for her contributions to the Council; Jeff Cristiansen accepted on behalf of the Austin Womans Club a Certificate of Appreciation in recognition for their service to the Council; Max Miller and Randy Patterson received Certificates of Appreciation for their service to the Council. 4 The Anchor, March April May

5 the U. S. Navy Reserve Celebrates 100 Years of service to country UNIT IN THE SPOTLIGHT NR MOMAU-8, Navy Operational Support Center - Austin By Ensign David Tarasi NOSC Austin Public Affairs Whether maintaining highly technical ordinance proficiencies, including mine assembly and tactics, or supporting cross country joint exercises with fellow U.S. military branches, the members of Navy Reserve Mobile Mine Assembly Unit 8 (NR MOMAU 8) strive to set the standard for excellence in Navy Reserve readiness. As Reservists, we are the technical experts for the actual mine building, says CWO2 Rob Gunner Wysocki, NR MO- MAU 8 commanding officer. My reservists are responsible for being ready and qualified to work on ordinance and explosives, specifically, underwater mine warfare. Housed at the Navy Operational Support Center (NOSC) located on Camp Mabry, Reservists attached to NR MOMAU 8 consistently maintain the highest levels of medical, fitness, training and operational readiness, concentrating their efforts towards supporting their gaining command, Navy Munitions Command East Asia Division Misawa, Japan (NMC EAD Misawa). In addition to an extensive training schedule, Sailors endure a Mine Readiness Certification Inspection (MRCI) with their gaining Command in Misawa. This comprehensive biennial inspection closely examines a sweeping amount of unit proficiencies, ranging from administrative to actual mine assembly. Like many aspects within the present landscape of military operations, flexibility is a key factor in maintaining supremacy. NR MOMAU 8 demonstrates mastery of this trait through their vast training networks. Whether conducting unit training at NMC Seal Beach, California or NMC Charleston, South Carolina or supporting joint exercises with the Air Force at Minot AFB, South Dakota and Keesler AFB, Mississippi, NR MOMAU 8 Reservists NOSC Austin Reservists attached to NR MOMAU 8 pose by a World War II era Mark 6 mine during annual training in Misawa, Japan. have their presence felt throughout the mine warfare community and fleet. For many Reservists, balancing fleet requirements with full-time careers and possible family and community responsibilities can provide a significant need #1. GM2 Mario Eufracio of NR MOMAU 8 (Right), helps guide a mine on the chalks for inspection. for time management, self-discipline and dedication to the Navy Reserve. At the heart of their success is a concentrated focus on team and unit member development. My job is to train the Sailors and develop them as far as their individual careers go so that they are the most ready they can be, said MNCS Brian Blessing, NR MOMAU 8 senior enlisted advisor. We make sure that the work-life balance is good and that Sailors are hitting their objectives and goals. The unit s constant strive for excellence and close-knit camaraderie have not gone unnoticed. When I first came aboard, these Sailors welcomed me into their unit wanting to show exactly what they could do, said CDR Brett Fereday, commanding officer, NOSC Austin. They are a great bunch of Sailors that get the job done with an extremely good attitude while providing real value to the Navy. Combining their technical expertise and operational flexibility with a well-balanced and thoroughly supported training environment, Sailors from NR MOMAU 8 personify the mission of the Navy Reserve, providing strategic depth and operational capabilities to the Navy and Marine Corps team, standing Ready Now, Anytime, Anywhere. NR MOMAU 8 has been recognized as one of the premier units in the mine community when it comes to overall readiness and Sailor development, said Wysocki. I m very proud of our unit, we have a great, family-oriented team that shows in the quality of the work we put out. The Anchor, March April May

6 TOLLING THE BOATS Submariners Lost in the Line of Duty to be Honored Members of the Central Texas Base, U.S. Submarine Veterans Inc. (USSVI) will honor the memories of submarines and submariners lost in the line of duty in a formal public ceremony on Memorial Day (Monday, May 25 th, 2015) beginning at 11:00 AM at the submarine memorial in Round Rock Memorial Park on North Lee Street, Round Rock. The names and fate of each lost submarine will be read, along with a bell tolling for each, to honor these boats and crews, so that their service and sacrifice is never forgotten. Dr. Thomas Hatfield will be the featured speaker at the bell tolling ceremony. Dr Hatfield is a lecturer, writer, and historian. He is a senior research fellow at the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History at the University of Texas at Austin; and director of the Center s Military History Institute. He is a Life Member of the Navy League of the United States. The general public is invited to join with the USSVI in honoring these fallen heroes of the U.S. Submarine Force. Service in Submarines is an inherently dangerous business. Since the founding of the US Submarine Force in 1900, sixty-five submarines and over 4,000 men have given up their lives. The great majority of these were lost during combat in WW2, when fifty-two submarines were lost. The USSVI publicly honors these men in many similar ceremonies throughout the country. United States Submarine Veterans is a National Veterans Fraternal Organization chartered in 1964 and recognized by the IRS as a 501c19 entity. With over 13,000 members and 150 chapters nationwide, it is the largest organization of submarine qualified veterans in the world. Visit www. ussvi.org for more information or contact Harold Scott at or via at hscottii@austin.rr.com Councils Agree to Adopt all Texas Navy and Marine CORPS JROTC Units At the March NLUS Lone Star Regional meeting Glenn Looney proposed a resolution that would see that every Navy and Marine Corps Junior ROTC Units in Texas would be adopted. He offered minimum requirements in conjunction with the adoption of the units. According to Looney, There are 106 Navy and Marine Corps Jr. ROTC units in Texas; 68 Navy and 38 Marine Corps. These units enroll more than 12,000 cadets who in turn have more than 20,000 parents and guardians not to mention countless extended family members. Looney went on to explain that the cadets in these units are taught values not available to their peers including duty, honor and country. As a unit they have fewer disciplinary issues, lower absenteeism and higher grade-point averages than other students in their schools as a whole. They are extremely proud of their unit, the uniforms they wear, the service the represent and the opportunities that JROTC give them for a positive start to adulthood. Every unit deserves the support of at least one Texas Navy League council no matter how distant. The minimum requirements include: Contact of each unit s senior instructor offering to adopt and sponsor to the extent possible with a minimum commitment of presenting the annual Theodore Roosevelt Youth Medal. Completion of a NLUS Certificate of Adoption and presentation to the unit s senior instructor. Assigning a council VP or other officer to coordinate unit sponsorships and maintain the necessary information, obtain youth medals, solicit volunteers to make the awards and/or ensure that the youth medals and certificates get to the senior instructor with a letter signed by the council president. Most if not all councils currently adopt several JROTC units, usually within close proximity of the council. However, many other units because of their distance from a Navy League council do not have the benefits of knowing about Navy League through participation in the adoption program. The councils represented at the regional meeting unanimously approved the resolution. The Greater Austin Council will be adding five new JROTC units to its current number of 12 which also include Sea Cadets and Young Marines. 6 The Anchor, March April May

7 Chaplain's Corner Jim Lovering, Chaplain Christian orthodoxy seems to be under attack by people in high places. These same people are those who want FREEDOM FROM RELIGION rather than FREEDOM OF RELIGION. Our founding fathers sought to ensure that government would not coerce religion. I wonder out loud what the early church and the army of Martyrs would view this attack on our deeply held beliefs. But I should close on the prayer from St Francis: Lord, make me an instrument of your peace, where there is hatred,let me sow love, where there is injury,pardon, where there is doubt, faith, where there is despair,hope, where there is darkness, light, where there is sadness,joy, O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console to be understood as to understand to be loved as to love for it is in giving that we receive it is in pardoning that we are pardoned and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life GAC Program Calendar May 14 May 22 May 25 ~2015~ Jerry Yellin, P-51 pilot who flew the last combat mission of WWII and national spokesperson for "Keep The Spirit of '45 Alive in 2015!" UT ROTC Commissioning Ceremoniy, 3 pm in Bates Recital Hall, UT Campus Memorial Day Invited Future Speakers CAPT Gil Miller USN, Commanding Officer Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base VADM Robin R. Braun, Chief Of Navy Reserve, Commander, Navy Reserve Force Dates are subject to change to accommodate the speaker's schedule. For calendar updates go to George T. Jones, U. S. Navy WWII Veteran and Navy League Member George T. Jones Scholarship Fund provides scholarships to graduating seniors in Navy and Marine JROTC and Sea Cadet programs Contribute Now! Send your tax deductible contributions to Greater Austin Council NLUS George T. Jones Scholarship Fund c/o Lu Ann Reyes Tantara Dr. Austin, TX Advertise Your Business in The Anchor For information go to www. navyleagueaustin.org/ newsletter/asp or kpillmore@austin. rr.com The Anchor, March April May

8 The ANCHOR Jupiter Hills Dr. Austin, TX The ANCHOR is the official newsletter of the Greater Austin Council of the Navy League of the United States. It is published six times annually and distributed free of charge to all its members and to other interested parties. The Greater Austin Council is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and as such is exempt from Limited Sales, Excise and Use Taxes per the IRS Code. FIRST CLASS MAIL RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Citizens in Support of the Sea Services The Navy League of the United States is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating our citizens about the importance of sea power to U. S. national security, and supporting the men and women of the sea services and their families. SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY AFFILIATES Ricon Products HELP US BUILD OUR MEMBERSHIP Use the form below and sign up a new member. Bring it and your new member to our next council meeting, or mail the form, together with the fee (check or money order payable to NLUS,) Greater Austin Council, 8650 Spicewood Springs, # Austin, TX The new member will immediately be added to our mailing list. YES! Name: (Mr., Mrs., Dr., Etc.) Name of Spouse: (Mr., Mrs., Dr., Etc.) Please enroll me as a Navy Leaguer Today I am a U.S. Citizen Address: Number, Street, Name (Apt., Suite, P.O. Box) Your Company s Name Here Ask us how I am not a U. S. Citizen First Name, Middle Initial, Last Name First Name, Middle Initial, Last Name Date of Birth City State Zip Code (+4) Type of Membership (please check one)* Active Duty Spouse...$30 Individual One-Year Membership...$65 Husband & Wife One-Year Membership...$117 Individual Two-Year Membership...$117 Individual Three-Year Membership...$175 Individual Life Membership (55 and below)...$1,000 Individual Life Membership (56-75)...$750 Method of Payment Check enclosed (Make payable to NLUS) or Please charge my Visa MC AMEX Home Phone Business Phone Card# Exp. Date Greater Austin Council Sponsor s Last Name Sponsor s Membership # New Member s Council Signature Billing Zip Code *Student memberships available online at navyleague.org ($25)