Internet-Newsletter May 2013
OFFICERS: You may contact our officers below by phone or email.
Go to our web site by double clicking on the web site address.
Kenneth Blue, President, 530 477 1908 email [email protected]
Robert “Bob” Ulrich, Vice President & Treasure, 530 758 6570 email
[email protected]
Ramona Schmiedel, Secretary, 530 887 1926 email [email protected]
Webmaster Robert “Bob”Ulrich Web Site Address http://www.ammvsacvalley.com
The Web Site is owned and paid for by Bob Ulrich for the benefit of the Sacramento
Valley Chapter of the American Merchant Marine Veterans.
Electronic and picture editing by Bob. Most writing by Bob, Ken, and Ramona.
For larger print, at the top of the page, click + For smaller click - ,
This issue..
Prez Sez by Ken Blue page 1
Minutes of last meeting…Ramona Wright-Schmiedel page 2
Next meeting May 22nd National Maritime Day. We meet at Tower Bridge and
Most will be having lunch at Embassy Suites. Photo page of Tower Bridge
Memorial….edited by Bob Ulrich page 3
Congressman Matsui asks for speedup in handling Veterans Claims ppage 4
Formal Application made by AMMV for Veterans Status for Korean and Vietnam
Merchant Marine Veterans. Page 5
The Prez Sez by Ken Blue
The guys that served in the Merchant Marine during the
Korean and Viet Nam Wars were never recognized as
veterans. Now there is a ray of hope. Our National
Office has filed an official application to make them
veterans. The text of this application will be found near
the back of this newsletter.
Also, recently a Bill was introduced into congress on behalf of tug and barge
seamen who were also never recognized for their risk and service during
World War II. These folks towed barges in coastal waters where enemy
submarines were present. Some of these were actually attacked and
suffered casualties.
There were other Merchant Marine connected people left out of our group
when we were recognized back in 1988. No allowances or recognition was
made for time spent in training at the U.S. Maritime Service Schools. There
were cases ( hardship cases) where guys had completed the schooling but
didn't have enough sea time to qualify as a veteran. If granted their school or
training time, they too would be counted among we veterans.
Oh yes! Don't count out our bill (HR23). It has not, as yet, been re-introduced
into the new (this year's) congress. Our friend Ian Allison still hopes to get it
introduced, later this year. Ian has another plan, announced just the other
day. A new movie, about the Merchant Marine, is being produced for release
in October of this year. It tells the story of Captain Phillips who was
highjacked and kidnapped by Somalian pirates in the Indian Ocean a couple
of years ago. The movie taken from Captain Phillips book, A CAPTAINS
DUTY, stars Tom Hanks. Ian's Idea is to use the premier of the movie
to inform the public of us other Merchant Marine guys. Captain Phillips did
mention us in his book. Golly we haven't had a movie about the Merchant
Marine since ACTION IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC, staring Humphrey
Bogart.
Ken
P.S. I seldom use the post script in this column but this seemed
important. Back in March, I stated that Captain Arthur R. Moore's book A
CARELESS WORD ….... A NEEDLESS SINKING was not easy to find. I
now stand corrected. Hank Kaminski of the Dennis Roland chapter can
supply Capt Moores's book. Telephone 908 638 8384 or
Email [email protected]
Page 2
MINUTES OF THE AMMV GENERAL MEETING
April 17, 2013 Present were 18 members and guests. President Ken
Blue called the meeting to order at 11:10
a.m. with the Pledge and a moment of silence for David Goff, our
National Vice President.
Blue introduced our guest, Neil Miner, who is coordinating more
Rivercats tickets for the chapter.
He reminded of the Sat., May 18, Noon – 4 p.m.
Memorial Cruise of the Jeremiah O’Brien. He said he had been honored to go in the past
but would like for someone else to go this year. The chapter pays for the memorial
wreath, but our representative must pay his own fare on the cruise. Bill Fairfield said our
representative should cruise at no charge, as his throwing our wreath is part of the
program. Blue will check into that. It was moved, seconded and passed that, if our
representative must pay for his cruise, the chapter will do so.
Blue reminded us of Maritime Day on May 22. The chapter will join with the Pacific
Council of the Navy League’s ceremonies at the anchor in Old Town Sacramento in lieu
of having a regular meeting in May and then go to lunch at the hotel there. Chapter
members should wear their “uniforms,” grey pants, navy or Merchant Marine jacket and
white shirt.
Blue went on to say he had the application for the North Highlands Memorial Day
Parade, should anyone want to take it and enter a car for the chapter, now that our
lifeboat is spoken for by the Dixon Boat Club.
Al and Sally Raanes will carry our voting proxy and represent the chapter president at
the board meeting at the National convention. Everything that is up for a vote was
discussed at length and the attending chapter members were given ballots to fill out.
Miner said our Rivercats tickets would be for the afternoon game of Wed., May 29,
starting time 12:05. He’ll bring the tickets to the May 22 Maritime Day event to
distribute.
We broke for lunch at Noon: spaghetti and meat sauce.
At 1:00 p.m. the door prize tickets were drawn and the ballots were collected. While they
were being tallied, a few sea stories and other bits of information and opinion were
expressed. A copy of the tally is in the Minute Book.
The meeting adjourned at 1:30 p.m.Respectfully submitted, Mona Schmiedel, Secretary
We meet at the Tower Bridge Memorial to celebrate National Maritime Day.
Notice the Mariners in the following photo from an event at an earlier time. Next
Page. Be there to get your free tickets and free parking at the RiverCats game
Page 3
Tower Bridge American Merchant Marine Memorial
Created in 1998 by the Sacramento Valley Chapter of the American Merchant Marine Veterans. The
monument focuses on a large anchor from a unknown ship dredged from the bottom of
San Francisco Bay.
Located in a beautiful spot on the river at the
foot of the historic Tower Bridge in front of
the Embasy Suites at old Sacramento.
It is now accompanied by the Ships Bell from the old
navy gunboat “Sacramento.” The site is the location of
many maritime ceremonial gatherings. Visitors are
always welcome. Below Merchant Mariners and wives at a Maritime Day gathering.
Page 4
Matsui Demands Faster Servicing of Veterans Claims
April 24, 2013
Mrs. Ward D. Marshall
3167 16th Street
Sacramento, California 95818
Dear Mrs Marshall
Our nation's veterans have fought for the freedoms we enjoy and deserve
fair and expeditious treatment when submitting claims through
the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
The tremendous backlog at the VA's Oakland Regional Office has been
widely reported, as veterans often wait two years or more for their claims
to be processed. I am regularly contacted by Sacramento-area veterans
who have experienced long wait times, had trouble receiving updates, and
report misinformation in their pending claims. I have found that when
veterans are given the chance to communicate regularly and effectively
with VA employees, their claims are processed more quickly and with
fewer mistakes.
To improve the claims process, I have written to Mr. Douglas Bragg, the
Director of the VA's Oakland Regional Office and sought increased office
hours at the VA's Sacramento Satellite Office (see attachment). The VA's
satellite office is currently only open two days a week. With increased
office hours, veterans could get more of the attention that they need to
help move their claim forward in a productive manner. Extending the
hours the office is open will allow more veterans can receive help, ranging
from getting connected to appropriate resources to working directly with a
VA employee to develop their claim.
Thank you your support of our nation's veterans. I look forward to keeping
you informed on this important issue
DORIS O. MATSUI
Member of Congress
Page 5
FORMAL APPLICATION FOR VET STATUS FOR KOREAN AND
VIETNAM MM SEAMEN
American Merchant Marine Veterans, Inc.
The American Merchant Marine Veterans, Inc. has submitted an application
for “active duty determination for members of the American Merchant
Marine who served in the Korean and Vietnam conflicts”. The document was
delivered to the Department of the Air Force; DoD C/MSRB; SAF Personnel
Council; 1500 West Perimeter Road, Suite 3700; Joint Base Andrews NAF
MD 20762.
SECAF has acknowledged receipt of the comprehensive 43 page application
including an “assurance of prompt review with due diligence”.
This application could not have been completed without the determination
and hard work of Dr. Larry Kerkow April 22, 20
, who chaired an AMMV Veterans Affairs Task Force. They were chartered
to develop this application per Air Force document 1000.20 by AMMV
President Morris Harvey.
Morris Harvey, National President
American Merchant Marine Veterans, Inc.
End E Newesletter May Sacramento Valley Chapter AMMV