A message from Commander Elect
Steve Jackson
At the May Monthly Meeting I was honored to
be elected to the position of Post Commander.
Thank you for supporting me and I look forward
to serving you over the next year.
Bob Davis was elected to Senior Vice
Commander and Keith Tremblay was elected to
Junior Vice Commander. Terry Howard will
continue as the Post Chaplain.
As a team we want to have the post move
forward and try to make changes that will
improve participation and appearance. I will
establish office hours after I relieve Rick in
June.
Steve Jackson
D-Day, June 6 1944
France's Normandy coast in a salute to those who
endured unimaginable horror and overcame daunting
odds June 6, 1944, in the battle that marked a decisive
turning point of World War II: D-Day.
The honored now are lions in winter, the youngest
among them in their late 80s, dealing with the frailties
of advanced age. And with so few of these veterans
healthy enough to return to Europe, there is the harsh
realization that this likely will be the final major
commemoration while men of their remarkable era still
are alive.
"I just want to go back and see it again," said
Hayward's Tony Malin, a medic on a landing ship that
ferried men and equipment onto Utah Beach, and who
has returned for the anniversary. "This will probably
be the last time. After all, I'm 91."
The generation that was forged by the Depression,
fought in the war, then came home to change America
forever is fading away in the same quiet, dignified way
that they have lived. An estimated 555 World War II
veterans die each day, and only 1 million men and
women are left who wore uniforms in the global
conflict.
While it's unclear how many D-Day vets remain, Bill
Kays, 93, of Palo Alto, said they are passing away fast.
"I might be the last living officer in my battalion
that served on D-Day," said Kays, a combat
engineer on Omaha Beach. "That's pretty
remarkable because I thought for sure that I was
going to die on that beach, I can tell you that."
The decades have changed these men physically, but
not their attitudes. They still refuse to cast themselves
as heroes. Some remain reluctant to even talk about a
day that would become one of the most storied in U.S.
military history.
"I have a lot of memories, but I keep them to
Young, strong and able, many of them were just boys
myself," Malin said. "There are a lot of history
when they stormed the beaches straight into withering books about D-Day that you can read. I just did
machine-gun fire or dropped from darkened skies into what I was supposed to do, and that's it."
the unknown.
Seventy two years later, the world again is focusing on
Continued next page
something that would always be remembered."
CHANGING THE COUNTRY
When the war ended, the veterans' story was just
beginning. They came home, went to college on
the GI Bill, became the parents of the baby
boomers, and launched the country onto an
unprecedented trajectory of prosperity.
Returning Veteran visits the Meuse-Argonne
American Cemetery
A RISKY GAMBIT
Operation Overlord was the largest amphibious
invasion in history, featuring 5,000 vessels,
11,000 aircraft and 156,000 Allied troops. The
armada crossed the choppy English Channel,
invaded five beaches along a 50-mile stretch of
French coastline and dropped airborne troops
inland.
"It's not just that they put their lives on the line in
the war," said Huxen, the historian. "But they also
changed the country. They set us on a pathway
toward civil rights and women's rights, and
created the modern economy. They rose to the
challenge."
And they did it without drawing attention to their
war service. Maybe it was because so many
Americans had been in uniform -- 16 million -and most figured nobody wanted to hear about
their own experiences. Or they simply were too
painful.
George Depold, 91, of Campbell, was a combat
engineer on Omaha Beach. He politely declined to
delve too deeply into what he saw.
They established a foothold in Adolf Hitler's
vaunted "Fortress Europe," opening the long"Only with me is he willing to talk much about his
awaited second front -- with the Soviet Union
squeezing from the East -- that put Germany in a memories," said his wife, Daphne, 89, a native of
vise grip and toppled the Nazis the following year. England who met her husband during the war.
"But to a certain extent, I'm sure there are things
he hasn't told even me. You have to remember,
"It was an all-or-nothing throw of the dice," said
they were so very young when they were going
Keith Huxen, senior director of research at the
National World War II Museum in New Orleans. through this."
"If the Germans had succeeded in pushing us into I highly
the ocean, there was no alternate plan. Had we
recommend a
failed, we would live in a vastly different world
book by Tom
today. It probably would have led to consideration
Brokaw, “The
of making a separate peace with Hitler because
Greatest
people would have thought it was too difficult to
Generation”
bring down that regime."
Instead, average Americans helped carry the day.
Before the war, Earl W. Spargur had worked at a
San Jose service station. At Normandy, he piloted
a C-47 transport plane pulling a glider that
contained troops on the second day of the battle.
"We were just guys off the streets who were made
into pilots," said Spargur, 96. "And then suddenly
we were flying, wing tip to wing tip, 500 feet off
the ground. We just felt like were doing
honoring our
WWII veterans
and all they have
done for our
country. I have a
copy if anyone
wants to read it. It
should also be
available at the
local library.
PREP ROOM HAD A FACELIFT
I personally want to thank all the workers
who worked so hard.
Tom & Eileen P., Kitchen Chairman Mike V.,
Pat D., Bernice B., & Barbara K.,
Great job well done! Now lets all help to keep
it looking like this.
Again Thanks, Millie
VFW Cruise 2017
7 day cruise on Holland America
Veranda from $999
Oceanview from $819
Inside from $699
Deposit is $350 per person
Sat. Ft Lauderdale
4pm
Sun. Key West
8am 4pm
Mon. At Sea
Tue. Grand Turk & Caicos
8am 5pm
Wed. Amber Cove/
(Dominican Republic)
8am 5pm
Thu. At Sea
Fri. Half Moon Cay Bahamas
8am 3pm
Sat. Fort Lauderdale
7am
Rates are per person based on double occupancy and
subject to availability. Itinerary is subject to change.
Taxes and fees are additional of $143.18
Agency addministrative fee for cancellation is
$75 per person.
Call us at (386) 445-0007 Travel Leaders
Bus available from Palm Coast
A Note from the Editor,,
I have re ceived many nic e
comments, and emails, even a letter about the
Memorial Day article I included in last
months newsletter.
I am glad to hear that so many have
enjoyed it, and will strive to include more like
it in future issues.
Bob Davis
DUTY OFFICER FOR JUNE
The following is the list of scheduled Duty
Officers for the month of June. The closing of the
Post is an important responsibility for our
security and the safety of our bartenders. It's not
hard work, but it must be done. If you have any
questions or are not sure as to what to do, ask
Tom Piekarski and we'll walk you through it. If
your scheduled time conflicts with some other
activity, Please let Tom know ahead of time (5972756) or switch with someone else.
If your not on the list, but could spare one night a
month, again please call Tom. Thank you!
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Weds.
Weds. 6/15
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
BAR Steve Jackson
BAR Nemo Farmer
BAR Jerry Ambach
BAR Don Farron
VFW / AUX Meeting Rick Enriquez
After Bingo, Bingo Committee
After Dinner Dance, Doug Bentley
Bar Bill Forget
From the Auxiliary Chaplain
If any auxiliary members know of a member that is sick , or has a family member who has died please let me
know. Also if you know of a auxiliary member that has died advise of the date they
passed. Call me at 386-445-8253
Thanks,
Mary Beck, Chaplain
VFW 8696 Auxiliary
From Tom Piekarski
we are looking for volunteers
for two areas:
1. We need volunteers to close
the post (DUTY OFFICERS)
they would be on standby for
when the regulars are sick or
away. I will train them on
what to do and give them a
printed check list for the same.
We need volunteers for
the new position at the POST
call information secretary. This
is a position where they would
be at the front double door by a
table. Their job would be to
answer the Post phone and
direct or give information to
walk in visitors. A logbook
would be maintained so we
would have a record of all
business that transpires. The
book has been started and
Monda ys and Fridays is
covered, but Tuesdays,
Wednesdays, and Thursdays
are open. I will train those
individuals that need to be
trained by con acting my Email, [email protected] or home
phone 386-597-2756.
2.
VFW Post 8696
VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS
47 Old Kings Rd. N.
Palm Coast Fl 32137
(386)446-8696
P.O. Box 351003
Palm Coast FL 32135
Post Fax 446-4474
Post E-Mail
[email protected]
Post Commander
[email protected]
Post website: www.vfw8696.com
June 2016
An Association of Veterans
Who Have Fought
America's Foreign Wars
on Land, at Sea,
and in the Air