District I - BEAR Country

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1 I V Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States Department of Pacific Areas Commander Darin Combs II III IV VI VII The Around the Pacific newsletter showcases local activities throughout the VFW Department of Pacific Areas through articles, photos, etc. The Department Editor may provide articles on the various programs that both support. District I Okinawa District I - BEAR Country Department Jr. Vice Commander William BEAR Hudson paid us a visit April 10-13, Bear installed the District and Post 9723 new officers during meetings for the upcoming year A dinner was held at Jack s Place on Kadena Air Base the evening of the 12th of April BEAR ARRIVING!

2 Commander Provencher Receiving Bear Hug! Papa Bear with his Pack Department of Pacific Areas Page 2

3 Bear Talk with Translator Willie T! Bear with Post Comrades Department of Pacific Areas Page 3

4 District I and Post 9723 Installation of Officers followed by words of wisdom from our DPA Jr. Vice Commander Bear Hudson

5 Commander Provencher presenting a VFW Award to one of the outstanding Cadets at an awards ceremony held at Kadena High School AFROTC program on the 29th of April 2013 Department of Pacific Areas Page 5

6 Commander Provencher pinning 3 new members at the Post 9723 meeting on 9 May Department of Pacific Areas Page 6

7 As we all know Willie T is a friendly comrade. Department of Pacific Areas Page 7

8 District II Japan VFW Post 9612, Camp Zama Patriot's Pen Awards (L-R) SVC R. Himes, Sasha M. Rafael, Bruce G. Stephens, CDR D. Wykes, QM J. Staudacher Post 9612 CDR D. Wykes and JVC J. McBroom presented the Patriot's Pen Awards on 07 Feb 2013 at the Camp Zama Middle School. With a total of 32 entries submitted it was hard to narrow the field down. Post 9612 winners, 1st Place Bruce G. Stephens, 2 nd Place Sasha M. Rafael. We sent both of them down to District 2 judging and the outcome was good with Ms. Sasha M. Rafael taking 1 st Place District 2, Mainland Japan. She went on to Department were she did not place. We wish her good luck in the coming years as she is planning on doing Voice of Democracy when she starts 9 th grade next year. Department of Pacific Areas Page 8

9 Voice of Democracy (L-R) SVC R. Himes, 3rd Place, Malike Z. Holmes, CDR D. Wykes, QM J. Staudacher (L-R) SVC R. Himes, 1st Place, Madison L. Miller, CDR D. Wykes, Our 2nd Place winner was Ms. Kayla N. Nieder, She was unable to attend when we took photos. Senior Vice Commander Himes, on 07 March 2013 presented the Voice of Democracy winners for Post 9612 their certificates and awards at the Camp Zama High School during their Awards Assembly Voice of Democracy PDC Richard Keeley s Farewell from Pacific Areas Post 9612 at Camp Zama has had to really pull up hard on our boot straps as we said goodbye to Comrade Richard Keeley with his retirement from MWR Zama and return to the States on 01 April Everyone was hoping it was just a big April Fool s joke. But he got on the bus and departed for Narita International Airport. Department of Pacific Areas Page 9

10 Comrade Joe Mortimer s Farewell from Pacific Areas Also on 04 April 2013 we had to say goodbye again to another Comrade Joseph Mortimer, he was picked up for a position at MCB Camp Pendleton to work with NAVFAC. Joe left Japan on 06 April 2013 he just had to stick around and make one last Post meeting. In attendance was the District 2 Commander and the Post Commander from 9555 also came down. I believe there are not enough good words that can be said about Comrade Keeley and Comrade Mortimer. Both Comrades did so much for not only our Post 9612 but District 2 Mainland Japan and the Department of Pacific. With the two of them gone there is a GREAT gap at the Post but like I said above we are pulling up our boot straps and I am sure we will work everything out. I can only hope that I can take everything I learned by watching these two OUTSTANDING VFW members and put it to good use. I am standing up and taking on the responsibly of the Post Adjutant and I hope that if I stray off course someone will point me back in the right direction. Randell E. Himes - Department of Pacific Areas Page 10

11 District III Korea Bonifas Barrett Memorial Post 8180 Canton resident, Korean War veteran returns after nearly 60 years SEOUL, Republic of Korea - Korean War veteran Wayne Mitchell returned to divided peninsula for three days in early March, visiting the area when he served in the final few months of combat. Mitchell, 82, visited with his wife, Sharon, from Canton, S.D., and were joined by their daughter, Catherine, who lives with her family in Singapore. This was his first trip to Korea since the war, where he served with the 555 th Field Artillery Battalion. Past Veterans of Foreign War Post 8180 Commander Stephen Tharp and the Republic of Korea-U.S. Alliance Friendship Society vice chairwoman Woo, Hyun-euy helped get Mitchell and his family to the Joint Security Area at Panmunjom and back to the area where his unit fought near the South Korean city of Cheorwon, which sits almost at the middle of the 155- mile long demilitarized zone diving the peninsula. The Republic of Korea Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, the equivalent to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, also arranged to present Mitchell with a medal and certificate thanking him for his service. Mitchell first arrived in Korea in February 1953 and left in April Between his arrival and the signing of the armistice on July 27, 1953, Mitchell s unit provided artillery fire for Korean and United Nations forces. We started in the Punchbowl when I got here, said Mitchell about a large crater-like area where heavy fighting had taken place in both 1951 and We were all over the line. We moved about six times in a few months. Near Cheorwon on the night of July 13-14, 1953, two weeks before the ceasefire, Mitchell survived when his unit was overrun by Chinese communist forces. About 300 men out of about 700 were killed, wounded or captured, and most of their artillery pieces were captured or destroyed. Before the ceasefire, you were busy supporting the troops with artillery, he said about the fighting. After the ceasefire, we built a permanent camp in the Cheorwon valley. Our mission was to help defend Seoul. After his military service, Mitchell returned to South Dakota and took over running the family farm. He married, raised seven children, and still today farms 160 acres of corn and soybean. He has also been an active member of VFW Post 3164 in Canton, having served as quartermaster, post commander, district commander. He is currently the VFW District 1 chaplain, and is serving his second tour as the national aide-de-camp, in which he was selected by the national VFW commander-in-chief. Returning to Korea more than 60 years later, Mitchell was able to return to today s front line, both at Panmunjom and at the Seungni observatory, near where he had fought. In both locations, he saw Republic of Korea soldiers defending the line, much as he had. They look very professional, he said of the troops. They re taking good care of their equipment and look ready to go. Visiting the VFW Post 8180 s Seoul home the night before he left Korea, Mitchell talked about how the city had changed since he last passed through. Seoul was all beat up; bombed out, shelled out. It was a mess, he said about how the city looked in Now, I can t believe how it s built up with big buildings. It s hard to comprehend that they ve come this far. The progress [South] Korea has made is phenomenal, he said. Then you go up there to the DMZ and it s the same situation as I left it 60 years ago. Half the country is doing well, said Mitchell. But we couldn t save it all. Department of Pacific Areas Page 11

12 Wayne Mitchell prepares to take a photo at the White Horse Memorial near Cheorwon, the Republic of Korea, March 10. The memorial was set up to commemorate the Korean 9 th Infantry Division, which Mitchell s unit, the 555 th Field Artillery Battalion, supported during the Korean War. Mitchell and his wife, Sharon, of Canton, S.D., visited Korea March This was his first visit to the country since he fought here in Photo by Jason Chudy From left, Sharon Mitchell, Wayne Mitchell, and Catherine Reeves stand with their U.S. Army security escort on conference row at Panmunjom, the truce village between North and South Korea March 9. With them is their U.S. Army security escort sergeant from the United Nations Command Security Battalion. Wayne Mitchell served in the Korean War with the 555 th Field Artillery Battalion between February 1953 and April His unit was overrun by Chinese troops on the night of July 13-14, Mitchell survived and returned to his family farm in Canton, S.D., after the war. The blue buildings house the United Nations conference rooms, and the border between the two nations separates the buildings. The large building in the background is the Panmungak, which houses the North Korean military guards. The two South Korean Soldiers facing north are also members of the security battalion. They are in a modified taekwondo stance known as ROK ready. The soldier at the corner of the blue building stands with only half his body exposed to the north, to present a smaller target if the North Koreans were to fire across the border. North Korean troops last fired across the border in 1984 in an attempt to stop the defection of a journalist from the former Soviet Union. Photo courtesy Catherine Reeves Department of Pacific Areas Page 12

13 Wayne Mitchell and his wife, Sharon, in front of the White Horse Memorial near Cheorwon, the Republic of Korea, March 10. The memorial was set up to commemorate the Korean 9 th Infantry Division, which Mitchell s unit, the 555 th Field Artillery Battalion, supported during the Korean War. The Mitchells, of Canton, S.D., and his daughter, Catherine, visited Korea March This was his first visit to the country since he fought here in Photo by Jason Chudy Wayne Mitchell stands in front of a tourist map near Yangjiri, Republic of Korea, March 10. Mitchell s unit, the 555 th Field Artillery Battalion, was overrun by Chinese troops here on the night of July 13-14, Mitchell survived and served with the unit on the front lines until April 1954, when he returned to Canton, S.D. Mitchell; his wife, Sharon; and daughter Catherine, visited Korea March This was his first visit to the country since he fought here in Photo by Jason Chudy Department of Pacific Areas Page 13

14 Miles for Heroes The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8180 recently donated 200 pedometers to the Seoul Elementary School for its Miles for Heroes program. Representing the VFW were, from left, Jason Chudy and Richard Krebill. School staff included Samia Mounts, center; and Alex Han and Melinda Lowder at right. Students participating in the Miles for Heroes program will research and make a presentation on military members killed in action. They will then walk in honor of those service members and measure their distances with the pedometers. The VFW s mission is to foster camaraderie among United States veterans of overseas conflicts; serve our veterans, the military, and our communities; and to advocate on behalf of all veterans. Its core values include promoting patriotism, honoring military service and ensuring the care of veterans and their families. Photo by Allison Fenimore Department of Pacific Areas Page 14

15 District VII Philippines CLARK VETERANS CEMETERY MAY 2013 UPDATE VFW POST 2485 John Gilbert, Chairman Focus on Services to Our Fallen Comrades Although most are aware of our efforts to maintain and improve the Clark Veterans Cemetery, less well known are our Memorial activities. The Cemetery remains active with our staff participating in 30 Burials during 2012, as well as providing support to organization and family sponsored Memorial services. When possible, our Burial detail also supports Veteran Burials at other locations. Additionally, we host a well-attended Veterans Day Observance and support other organizations special events and Ceremonies. A special Thanks to all of our members who serve on the Post Burial Detail, or support our Memorial activities in other ways. See you in the next edition, July 2013! Department of Pacific Areas Page 15