JANUARY 2014
MARCH 2014
NATIONAL ADJUTANT’S CALL . . .
National Convention. There are a number of actions that you should
now be contemplating about our upcoming Convention in Denver. Foremost, I urge you to make a decision to attend since it is the only opportunity in the year to impact on the decisions that govern our Order. In
that light, please submit issues you want considered at the Convention to
your Commanders for appropriate staffing. Finally, this is the time to order any uniform items desired to be worn at Convention.
Denver Is A High Altitude City. Denver is exactly one mile high and that
altitude can adversely impact on your activity by making you feel tired
and sluggish. Drink plenty of water before your trip and while in Denver
as it will help you adjust to the higher altitude. Due to the low humidity
in Colorado, you need about twice as much water as you drink at home.
Reduce alcohol intake - in the city’s rarified air, golf balls do 10 % further
- and so do alcoholic drinks, packing more of a wallop than at sea level.
Finally, just take thing slow and easy and get some extra sleep the first
one or two nights of your stay.
Patriot Jose Rodela To Receive Medal of Honor. On March 18th, President Obama will award the Medal of Honor to Patriot Rodela, one of the
three living recipients out of the twenty-four to be honored. He has been a
Life Member of Chapter 1836 since 1993 and is being recognized for his
heroic actions in Vietnam in 1969.
Member Return Address Labels. The PH Service Foundation mails out
return address labels to our members as part of its periodic fundraising
efforts that also benefits MOPH. Some members received labels with incorrect information. We apologize but urge you to report the discrepancies so
that your address will be correct on the next round of labels. Also, you
can buy return address labels, in various designs and at a reasonable
price, from Personalized Just For You, a MOPH authorized vendor, 1-888987-4838, (www.purpleheartstore.com).
Death of Associate Life Member In Combat. See page 6 for details on
the death of Associate Member Michael Ollis who was recruited for the Order by his father, Life Member Robert Ollis. Michael was killed on August
28, 2013 and we apologize for this late recognition of his heroic sacrifice.
Request Comment on Our Emails. Using email addresses, MOPH HQ is
sending out the monthly publications Purple Hat Press and Purple Heartbeat Newsletter and daily news summaries from the VA. Please comment
on these efforts - their content, timeliness, frequency, format, and any
suggestions for improvement. Your input is absolutely vital for any
meaningful evaluation of these products.
Yours in Patriotism,
David Jackson
THIS NEWSLETTER IS PUBLISHED
EVERY
MONTH
EXCEPT AUGUST, BUT ONLY IN DIGITAL FORMAT.
ALL MEMBERS WITH VALID
EMAIL ADDRESSES WILL
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OF THE NEWSLETTER WITH
A LINK TO THE COMPLETE
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CAN BE DOWNLOADED
FROM THE MOPH WEBSITE
Inside this issue:
Maj Kurt Chew Lee, Korean War
Hero
2
Patriot Donald La
Fond - WWII In The
3
Operational Finally
Home
4
The Most Purple
Heart Awards
4
Patriot John Katsaros—Author
4
Patriot John Partilla
Author
5
SSGT Michael Ollis,
Associate Member,
KIA
6
Comfort For America’s Uniformed Services
6
MOPH Convention
7
MOPH Calendar
8
Patriot Mills H.
Hobbs
8
WWII Fighter Pilot
flew under Eiffel
Tower Arches in
pursuit of German
8
March
March 2014
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OBITUARY: MAJ. KURT CHEW-LEE, 88, KOREAN WAR HERO
Maj. Kurt Chew-Een Lee, who grew up in Sacramento to become the first Asian
American officer in the U.S. Marine Corps and a decorated Korean War hero, died at 88
on March 3, 2014 in Washington DC.
Maj. Lee was a gung-ho Marine who gave no ground to enemy troops in battle or to
bigotry at home. The firstborn son of Chinese immigrants, he climbed the ranks during a
time of strong racial prejudice. He was a young, skinny lieutenant at the start of the Korean War who earned the respect and loyalty of his men as a fearless leader in extreme combat conditions.
He received the Navy Cross, the Marines’ second-highest honor,
for bravery during a fierce assault by Communist Chinese forces
aiding the North Koreans on the night of Nov. 2-3, 1950. To
spur his men to fight, he took off in the darkness on a one-man
raid and exposed himself to fire to pinpoint enemy positions for
attack. Shouting in Mandarin to sow confusion, he hurled grenades and shot at Chinese troops, who fled. Wounded in the
knee, he was shot the next day by a sniper and treated at an Army field hospital.
Unwilling to be sent to Japan for treatment, Maj. Lee took a
Jeep without approval and drove with another wounded Marine
to rejoin their platoon in Baker Company of the 1st Battalion,
7th Marine Regiment. He was assigned to help relieve a Marine
division that was encircled by overwhelming enemy numbers while trying to defend their
only escape road in the bloody Battle of Chosin Reservoir in December 1950.
Guided only by a compass in pitch-black darkness, he led 500 men through a
nighttime blizzard over mountainous terrain at 20 degrees below zero. Pinned under intense enemy fire, he ordered his men to fire while advancing up a steep hill and shot two
enemy soldiers along the way with his right arm still in a cast from his sniper wound. The
ferocity of the Marine attack broke the resistance of enemy troops, who fled down the reverse slope.
Maj. Lee suffered another bullet wound in his right arm during the successful operation, which enabled 8,000 Marines to escape annihilation by 60,000 Chinese troops.
Several days later, he was hit by machine-gun fire that ended his combat service in Korea. Although he received the Silver Star – the third-highest
medal for bravery in combat – fellow Marines and other veterans who have studied his actions during the attack have argued that he deserved the highest award, the Medal of Honor.
“Kurt Lee was a hero among heroes,” said Jim Kunkle, a
heavily decorated WWII fighter pilot. “His combat actions were
unbelievable and many us believe he should have gotten the
Medal of Honor for Chosin. He save untold numbers of our
troops by holding that valley pass open.”
After the Korean War, Lee served at The Basic School, a Marine officer training program, from 1962 to 1965. He was promoted to the rank of major in 1963 and was a combat intelligence officer in Vietnam. Besides the Navy Cross and Silver Star, he received a
Purple Heart with one award star and other military honors.
Maj. Lee retired from the Marines in 1968 and settled in the Washington, D.C., area. He worked for New York Life Insurance Co. for several years and retired after almost
two decades as a compliance officer for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. [Excerpted from Obituary written by Robert D. Davila ([email protected])]
March
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PATRIOT LA FOND REMEMBERS WWII IN THE PACIFIC
Donald La Fond, Life Member of Chapter 0002 California, recently talked about his WWII experiences as a
Marine. After boot camp and combat training, he was sent to Hawaii in 1943 to join the 2nd Marine Division (MARDIV) and then on to Saipan for amphibious operations, arriving on June 15, 1944 - a day he
would never forget.
Landing craft filled with Marines from both the 2nd and 4th Marine Divisions hit the
beach on the west coast of Saipan. “ As the crafts neared the shore, the ramps went
down and they rushed toward the beach. There was no protection in front of them and
bullets were raining down on them. They could not see the enemy because they were
hiding behind bushes and other protection. Men were being shot and killed before
Don’s very eyes.” He somberly recalls, “The water was turning red with blood from our
men.”
Despite heavy casualties (approximately 2000 dead and wounded), La Fond's Division
seized a firm beachhead by nightfall, drove off Japanese counter attacks and gained
more ground before dark. They continued to attack the next day, the 16th, but progress was slow as the enemy counter attacked, made suicide banzai attacks, but the
Marines formed a new front line and “led a bayonet charge which drove the enemy fighters
back, preventing them from breaking through their lines again. Days later, as they advanced, the 4th Marine Division
reached the east coast of the bay, thus cutting the Japanese garrison in two, while the 27th Army Infantry Division captured Aslito Airfield. The 2nd Marine Division re-organized their lines to then drive north in conjunction with the 4th Marine Division.”
On June 25, 1944, the 2nd MARDIV captured Mount Topotchau, the key point for observers controlling
Japanese artillery fire. “Days later, Don was in combat in the town of Garapan. This was one July 4th he
will never forget! They later laughed that it was the most fireworks they would ever see on the 4th of July.”
“July 9 was another date that Donald will always remember. It was the day they secured the island of
Saipan. His division reached the northern end of Saipan and all organized Japanese resistance was
finished. The Marine casualties on Saipan totaled 3,152 dead and 8,575 wounded. Losses for the Navy
serving with the Marines were 77 killed and 337 wounded.”
“With this campaign nearing its end, Donald will never forget what he saw as they came to the edge of a
c-shaped cliff. They were on one side of the cliff and could see to the opposite side of the cliff where Japanese women
and mothers were throwing their small children over the cliff onto the rocks and water below. Mothers were jumping
over the cliff to their deaths with their babies in their arms. The reason for this was that they were told that if they were
captured by the Americans, they would be tortured.”
Tinian was next and the 2nd and 4th MARDIVs made amphibious landings July 25, 1944 on two Tinian beaches. They
were able to secure an area on the beach and caused severe enemy loss, but again at the cost of many American
lives.” From July 25 to July 31, 1944, Don’s team fought on, continuing to gain ground, capturing Ushi Point Airfield.
“Day after day, night after night, they fought on, despite nightly attacks, bombing of artillery and mortar attacks. Don
remembers the heavy rain at that time, which made the mission even more difficult. He said that ‘fighting in the rain and
slopping’ through the mud became second nature to us. We were trained for conditions such as that.”
“On August 1, the day they were hoping for had arrived. The 2nd and 4th Marine Divisions reached the southern coast of
Tinian where all organized Japanese resistance was finished. The fighting was over, or so they thought, but at the cost
of another 368 Americans dead and 1,921 wounded. And the Japanese casualties? Almost all of them. “
“On August 6, the 2nd and 4th Marine Divisions began leaving Tinian. The 4th Marine Division was headed to Hawaii and
the 2nd Marine Division was to return to Saipan to begin training for their next campaign, which was to be in Okinawa.
On Saipan, they soon discovered that there were more Japanese military still up in the hills, so back into combat they
went. On November 17, 1944 while advancing up the mountain, James Garner, a fellow Marine fighting along with Don
was shot. Seeing his fellow Marine shot down, Don ran to James and picked him up to carry him to safety. At the same
time, a bomb went off next to them and Don was hit with shrapnel. He still pushed on, running wounded while carrying
James on his back and managed to get James out.”
After recovering from his wounds, La Fond and his 2nd MARDIV made yet another amphibious landing—this time on
Okinawa, but were withdrawn when no enemy showed, leaving the action to the Army and the 1st MARDIV. Patriot La
Fond returned home after two years and four months as a Marine and was honorably discharged in January 1946.
After the war, La Fond worked in the sheet metal trade, as a draftsman for Packard Bell, relater for Century 21 and his
own company, La Fond Real Estate ,and finally designed aircraft parts for Hughes Aircraft, retiring after 21 years.
Now 91, he resides in Los Angeles and is still active in MOPH. In 2011, he was Patriot of the Year for the Department
of California as well as Region VI. [Excerpted from a family interview with Patriot La Fond]
March
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ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORTING VETERANS
OPERATION FINALLY HOME
Dan Wallrath of Houston, Texas, is helping veterans start a new life after they return from
a war. Since 2005 he's been building and donating homes for injured
American veterans. He's created a program
called Operation Finally Home to help injured
veterans who have served in the Iraq or Afghanistan war to have a home free of cost.
Wallrath was inspired to start this program
when he was asked to go to a home to help remodel it to accommodate an
injured war veteran. He decided to use all the talent and knowledge he
had from his lifetime career in construction to help veterans.
Wallrath said: "It really broke my heart to think (about) these young men and women. It
was like someone hit me upside the head with a 2x4. I just felt like this is what God
wants me to do."
Under his leadership, OFH has completed 34 homes, with 32 other homes underway and
has spread the program nationwide with the goal of seeing hundreds of homes built annually across the nation. “OFH provides custom-built, mortgage free homes to America’s
Heroes and the widows of the fallen who have
sacrificed so much to defend our freedoms and our
way of life. It brings together
corporate
sponsors,
builder associations, builders, developers, individual
contributors, and volunteers to help these Heroes
and their families transition to the home front by addressing one of their most pressing
needs – a home to call their own.”
Wallrath recently retired from the building industry to take over the
family ranch in Texas but still spends the majority of his free time
helping to run OFH.
For more information and photographs, go to www.operationfinallyhome.org. The site also has an excellent interactive map that shows where OFH homes are located.
(Source:
OFH website & press)
[Operation Finally Home,1659 State Highway 46 West, Ste 115-606, New Braunfels,
Texas 78132]
THE MOST PURPLE HEART MEDALS AWARDED
The most Purple Heart Medals awarded to an individual service member is nine.
Former Marine Sgt Albert L. Ireland holds that distinction, being awarded five
Purple Hearts in WWII and four more in the Korean War. He also had a Bronze
Star and two individual citations. Patriot Ireland died in 1970 and was a member of MOPH Chapter 0558 Kansas for 27 years. (Source: Wikipedia)
March
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WE RECOGNIZE MOPH AUTHORS
PATRIOT JOHN KATSAROS
John Katsaros, Life Member of Chapter 0240 Massachusetts, wrote Code Burgundy The Long Escape which is about his WWII B-17 Flying Fortress being shot down in enemy territory and how he evaded capture by the Germans.
On 20 March 1944, he was a 20-year old waist gunner in the B-17 Man
O’ War on a mission to destroy an FW-109 aircraft factory in Frankfurt
when he was shot down by enemy ME-109 cannon and 50-cal machine
gun fire. Three crewmen were killed, two engines were blown out and a
wing was in flames when the alarm was given to bail out. The navigator
was the first man to bail out, but his
chute “candled” and he didn’t survive.
John, seriously wounded with a splintered right arm, assisted his crewmates with their wounds before he
bailed out at 27,000 feet, getting his chute open just in time to smash his
left ankle and break six ribs after a 25,000 foot free fall. He was captured twice by the
Gestapo and escaped with the assistance of the brave Free French Resistance who hid
him for over three months, nursed him back to health-including three surgeries on his
gangrenous arm to save it and his life, and helped him travel from Northern France, over
the Pyrenees and into Spain, only to be locked up by the Spanish
Constabulary. The first part of the book is John’s story, followed by
the story as told by one of his fellow escapees. The last part covers
his return to France in later years to thank former members of the
French Resistance who hid him from the Germans, fed and housed
him, treated his wounds, and returned him to freedom.
After the war, Patriot Katsaros had a long career in banking and real estate, but is now fully retired. However, he is President of the US Air Forces Escape
and Evasion Society which still holds an annual meeting of members from all over the
country. You can purchase his book on Amazon or buy an autographed copy from him
at [email protected].
PATRIOT JOHN S. PARTILLA
John Partilla, Life Member of Chapter 0638 North Carolina, wrote The Art of Grieving Or . .
“Grief Sucks” - A Survivor’s Manual for Grief as an aid for those dealing with grief. A Marine
veteran who was wounded in Vietnam and suffers from PTSD, Partilla also lost his 20 year old
son due to a drunk driver in 1993, and thus is intimately familiar with
the grieving process. Divided into useful chapters,
illustrated with his own tasteful photography and
sized to fit backpacks, purses or briefcases, Partilla created a practical but spiritually laced guide
that will help in the grieving process. The manual
is available at Amazon in both print and Kindle
formats or from the author at [email protected].
“This beautiful book is long overdue. Grieving can finally be seen in full
color with encouragements to personalize it with your own stories, feelings and memories. A must
for all who are grieving!"
March
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STAFF SGT MICHAEL H OLLIS (1988-2013)
Staff Sgt. Michael H. Ollis, 24, of Staten Island, NY, died August 28, 2013 in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device, small arms, and indirect fire. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light).
An infantryman, he joined the Army in 2005, trained at Fort
Hamilton in NY and Fort Benning, GA, went to Germany, deployed to Iraq 2008 to 2009, to Afghanistan 2010 to
2011 and then returned to Fort Drum and the 10th
Mountain Division in 2011. Hs last deployment to Afghanistan began in January 2013. He is survived by
his mother and father. In addition to the Purple
Heart, SSGT Ollis had a Bronze Star, four Army Commendation Medals and two Army Achievement Medals.
SSGT Ollis was awarded posthumously the Golden Polish Army Medal for his actions on
August 28 when he stepped between a Polish soldier and an insurgent, so when the insurgent’s vest detonated it killed Ollis instead of the shielded Polish soldier. The Army is
considering a Silver Star for SSGT Ollis, one of America’s highest awards for valor. He’s
buried in the Cemetery of the Resurrection in Pleasant Plains, NY.
SSGT Ollis was an Associate Life Member of Chapter 0003 New York and his father, who
recruited his son for the Order, is Robert E. Ollis, a Life Member of 1101 New York. Our
deepest sympathies go out to Michael’s family and friends.
ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORTING VETERANS
COMFORT FOR AMERICA’S UNIFORMED SERVICES (CAUSE)
CAUSE got started in April 2003 when four West Point graduates, who had served in Vietnam,
and their wives began providing personal care items and clothing to wounded soldiers arriving at
Walter Reed from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Today, CAUSE organizes programs of recreation, relaxation and resiliency that reach thousands of injured service men and women facing months of medical care and rehabilitation far from home and
family. These programs are designed to bring a bit of relaxation and fun into what are, for many,
very challenging circumstances. But they also serve a much more serious purpose: that of helping wounded warriors begin the normalization process and the reentry to home and community as they take their long journey back
to health. CAUSE programs include:
• Providing massage, Reiki, yoga and other complementary and alternative modalities to ease combat stress and effects of PTSD;
• Establishing and supporting digital entertainment libraries at
military medical centers;
• Supporting local community groups in providing lunches, picnics and dinners for wounded
warriors and their families to provide a welcome break from cafeteria food and
microwave meals;
• Preparing gift packs filled with items designed to bring comfort and recreation to hospitalized wounded veterans;
• Game carts that bring fun and relaxation to the hospital bedside of wounded warriors or into the waiting rooms of VA hospitals.
[CAUSE, 4114 Legato Road, Suite B, Fairfax, VA 22033 Phone: 703-591-4925. CAUSE is a 501(c)
(3) nonprofit organization]
March 2014
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March 2014
MOPH CALENDAR
MARCH 2014
06 ............................. NATIONAL COMMANDER’S TESTIMONY - W ASHINGTON DC
09 ............................. DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME BEGINS
16-21 ........................ NSO ANNUAL TRAINING - ORLANDO, FL
22 ............................. SCHOLARSHIP COMMITTEE MEETING, SPRINGFIELD VA
24 ............................. NFC MEETING, SPRINGFIELD VA
COMBAT-WOUNDED
VETERANS HELPING
VETERANS
5413-B BACKLICK ROAD
SPRINGFIELD, VA 22151
Phone: 703-642-5360
Fax: 703-642-2054
Email: [email protected]
24 ............................. PUBLICATIONS MEETING, SPRINGFIELD VA
25 ............................. LEADERSHIP MEETING, SPRINGFIELD VA
WE REMEMBER!
26-27 ........................ MARCH ON THE HILL, W ASHINGTON DC
APRIL 2014
01 ............................. MAGAZINE DEADLINE - MAY/JUN ISSUE
——————————————————————————————————————
2014 NATIONAL CONVENTION, DENVER CO……………………….. AUGUST 05-10, 2014
2015 NATIONAL CONVENTION, LAS VEGAS NV ……………………. AUGUST 04-09, 2015
2016 NATIONAL CONVENTION, NORFOLK VA.……………………… AUGUST 09-13, 2016
WWII FIGHTER PILOT WHO FLEW THROUGH THE
EIFFEL TOWER TO TAKE DOWN A GERMAN PLANE DIES
William Overstreet, Jr., then a USAAF captain, famously flew
his P-51C Mustang “Berlin Express” through the Eiffel Tower
arches in Nazi-occupied Paris in 1944 in pursuit of an enemy
plane, uplifting the spirits of French Resistance troops on the ground. He died January 3, 2014 in Roanoke, VA. He was 92.
Overstreet was with the
357th Squadron in the
Spring of 1944 and was
following a German
Messerschmitt 109
fighter over Paris, with
the two planes firing at each other. Overstreet
eventually hit the other pilot's engine. As the
German pilot desperately tried to out-maneuver Overstreet, he
flew beneath the Eiffel Tower arches and Oversteet followed close
behind, continuing to fire. The German plane crashed and Overstreet was able to return to base safely.
After the war, Overstreet went on to work as General Manager of
Charlestown Aviation in West
Virginia before moving to Roanoke in 1950 where he worked
as an accountant until he was
65. Before his death, he also
worked with numerous charities and veterans groups, appearing at air shows and gatherings with fellow veterans. For his
valiant service, the French Ambassador to the United States presented Overstreet with France’s Legion of Honor at the National
D-Day Memorial in Bedford, VA in 2009 to add to the numerous
medals received during the war.
Patriot Mills Hubert Hobbs, 91,
of Chapter 0510 Virginia who
died on February 18, 2014.
Hobbs served three years in the
Army and was in
Company A, 115th
Infantry, 29th Division, walking
waist deep in
ocean water carrying explosives
during the landings at Normandy.
He stayed with the 29th, the old
Blue and Grey, as it crossed the
Elle River and took Saint Lo after
intense fighting and air support
from P-47 Thunderbolts. The Division then went on towards Germany, reaching the strategic Rorer River by the end of 1944. In
February 1945, the Division went
on the offensive again and went
deeper into Germany to
Monchengladbach
where it was taken out
of combat and eventually assigned occupa29th Div
tion duties in the Bremen enclave. Patriot Hobbs was
awarded three Bronze Stars and
two Purple Hearts along with his
other medals and ribbons for his
time in Europe.
When he returned from the war to
Roanoke, VA, Hobbs worked as a
mail carrier for the Post Office for
more than 30 years, served as a
volunteer firefighter and worked
for Loomis Fargo-originally WellsFargo - until he was 86 years old.
He visited all 50 states and was
an accomplished square dancer.
“I used to think his middle name
was ‘go,’ ” said Mary, his wife of
31 years.