Chapter 14 KWVA
P.O. #382
Bay Pines FL 33744-0382Meetings 3rd Thurs. 7:00 VFW 4364
http://kwvaflchapter14.com
Jan. 2012 issue
Our founder--- Chuck Dawson
Ch. 14 Elected Officers for 2012
President Clarence Dadswell 522.6496 clarencedadswell@yahoo.com
First Vice Pres OPEN at this time.
Second Vice. Carl Mitchell 542.3217 C-GMitchell@tampabay.rr.com
Secretary Harold Macking 954.4199 ch14kwva@yahoo.com
Treasurer David Smith 541.2281
3 year Board Pete Torino 917.971.2806 patorino@gmail.com
2 year Board Joe Sheehan 393-8962 onephillyphil@aol.com
1 year Board George Carter 545.1118 gcarter3@tampabay.rr.com
Immed.. Past Pres. Everett DeWitt 573.8594 edewitt3@tampabay.rr.com
PG 2 Presidents Report
As it is yet two weeks away from my first meeting since being re-elected I have to write about the first Exec Meeting held on Thursday the 5th of this month.
All of the elected members were present as was Alan Ulmer past 2nd Vice Pres., Richard Arcand, Honor Guard Cmdr. And Peter Torino, Judge Advocate.
The meeting went over much better than expected for a group meeting for the first time.
There were many new ideas presented along with the traditional programs that comprise our history as Chapter 14 KWVA Organization.
In actuality, the responses were great. Several ideas to improve our Chapter and its membership. I later received many phone calls in regards to the comraderie and compatibility of all attending.
It is my sincere hope that I will see you all at our next meeting on Jan. 19th at the VFW. In the meantime, “The Lord bless you, and keep you; the Lord make His Face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance to you.”
Clarence Dadswell, Pres.
2nd Vice Pres. Report
I wish to thank our new President, Clarence Dadswell for my nomination to Second Vice. With his guidance our Chapter will once again be less formal, far more friendly, socially active, and enjoyable. I look forward to greater interaction within the membership in planning activities and events that will be exciting and beneficial to all. Come and join us at our next meeting in the spirit of camaraderie and friendship.
NOTE! This year, due to the limited amount of dancers at the last event, we would like to include A dinner with entertainment. In searching I found an excellent professional entertainer for our event that we are certain will be enjoyed by all attending. Tentatively the event will again be held at the Wine Cellar. It is imperative that we receive commitments as soon as possible so as to make the necessary arrangements. As soon as we have a number of those attending, we will send out a menu to select from. I would appreciate a call if you are going to attend. 322-6202. Thank you,
Carl Mitchell
Honor Guard Report by
Richard Arcand
Nov. 2011 7 funerals, 3 activities.
total hours 144
Dec. 2011 2 funerals
2011 totals
54 funerals & 18 activities
Expenses of $1577
Hours & manpower involved, 957 and 14 active members with 1 on sick leave, (Bill Ball)
Jan. 2012 as of Exec. Mtg. 1/5/12
3 funerals, 1 activity with 40 hours of donated time by the Honor Guard.
Thank you Richard, Ed.
Pg. 3
NOTICE
Unless I have to read & write in Chinese or Iranian or neither my computer or I fail to respond in a few days....you can expect this newsletter next month. Sometimes you just can’t win.
THEREFORE
As newsletter editor I extend to all members an invitation to be part of this publication.
Our Pres., Clarence Dadswell, wishes this chapter to become a more social and entertaining chapter and therefore the newsletter is becoming a way of fulfilling his wishes.
A memory/story/photo of an experience during the war would be suitable as would anything else you believe might be of interest to other members and readers. Coming home, in the hospital, getting your discharge, your first realization that war is not a game and on and on.
It is my belief that you, who served our country in its time of need, have stories galore within your memories. POW Bill Allen wrote a book about his memories however I am not quite ready for a story of that length. Great job Bill!
Please send articles by Email or USPS. My mail address is Harold Macking-2531 5th St. N-St. Petersburg 33704 .Email is Ch14kwva@yahoo.com
Thank you, Harold Macking, Ed.
Meetings every 3rd Thursday 7:00 at VFW 4364
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Sam Farina as he was in Korea. One of the first KWVA members and a Vet who volunteered many hours at thr Bay Pines VAMC.
George Carter and wife Ann at one of the dinners at the Korean Presbyterian Church in Pinellas Park.
It is things of this nature Pres. Dadswell wants to make more a part of our organization.
========================================
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Y’ALL
John Barclay 1/31.29
DeWitt Everett G. 1/19/32
Scott, Charles 1/23/33
Sharp, David 1/12/28
Lochner, Earl 1/22/21
Ponder, Elza 1/18/31
Pinkham, Edwin F. 1/24/27
BOOSTERS
Tina Crisp
Pete Torino
Patrick & Patricia McDonald
Patricia Mullens
James Dengel
Richard Pecha
Joe & Jean Sheehan
Everett DeWitt
George & Ann Carter
Bob St Clair
Fred Krounage
Not much in reports for this issue so some of the following came from Grant Raulerson then my memory was triggered and the rest was added of memories of a young boy in up-state rural New York in the thirties and forties with teenage uncles and aunts who knew everything. If you didn’t believe it, just ask them. By the fifties he was working with Uncle Sam in the USAF.
The Roy Rogers Museum has closed its doors for good. A time in history, never to be seen again, but what a ride it was.
The contents of the museum were sold at a public auction. Here is a partial listing of some of the items that were sold.
Roy's 1964 Bonneville sold for $254,500
One set of boot spurs sold for $10,625. (He never used a set of spurs on Trigger).
A signed photograph by Don Larsen taken during his perfect game in the world series against the Dodgers on Oct. 8, 1953, along with a signed baseball to Roy from Don, sold for $2,500.
Two limited edition BB guns in their original boxes with numerous photos of Roy, Dale, Gabby and Pat sold for $3,750.
One of several of his guitars sold for $27,500.
A painting of Roy , Dale, Pat, Buttermilk, Trigger and Bullet sold for $10,625.
Trigger sold for $266,500.
Do you remember the 1938 movie The Adventures of Robinhood with Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland? Well Olivia rode Trigger in that movie Trigger even outdid Bob Hope by winning an Oscar in the movie "Son of Paleface" in 1953.
We were born at the right time. We grew up with these great people even if we never met them. In their own way they taught us patriotism and honor, we learned that lying and cheating were bad. We learned how to suffer by being disappointed and in failure and yet worked through it.
So it's good-bye to Roy and Dale, Gene and Hoppy, Tom Mix, Joe Palooka, Little Nancy, The Katzenjammer Kids, Felix the cat, Dick Tracy with Mumbles and Prune Face, Smokey Stover,Alley Oop, Sheena Queen of the Jungle, The Phantom, Tarzan, Smiling Jack and Fat Stuff's buttons and Downwind Jackson with his ladies, The prophetic world of Flash Gordon with rocket ships, Blondie by Chic Young, The Little King, Orphan Annie with Sandy and The Asp, The Lone Ranger and Tonto, Gangbusters, Mr. Keene Tracer of Lost Persons, The Green Hornet, and Mr. District Attorney. Adios Superman, Steve Canyon you too Sgt. Friday and Lamont Cranston from The Shadow.
It’s my turn to lick the frosting bowl, you did it last time. Mom said for you to fill the coal scuttle. I already fed the chickens ma. That darned rooster got on my shoulder again. His spurs hurt! High tops aren’t waterproof. How many school book reports were made relying on Classic Comics? I did a few.
Going sleigh riding up on George Field’s hill was the best. Sometimes 12 or more kids would be there. Those high Flexible Flyers were the fastest, especially after a new snow. Getting back home when the sun was setting had its own good things. Granny would make us take off our snow filled four buckle artics and two pair of socks and whatever else was soaked then we sat on a bench by the big old cookstove. She opened the oven door. After we got warm and settled granny would take down those cathead biscuits from the warming oven, break them in half and put scads of butter on them. Along with hot cocoa-------life just can’t get better than this for us kids.
Spearing suckers through the ice could tire anyone but it was fun. Sliding down Whathley’s haystacks was fun too but don’t ever let Tony catch you. Potatoes went for 7 cents a pound and a nickel candy bar was four times bigger then what you get today.
Jim Burch’s corner store sold penny candy, jawbreakers 2 for a penny. A nickel would buy a handful of nails, size made no difference cuz they were for our tree house and fort. We checked if it was true that a snake’s tail, even though he was dead and cut in half, would move until sundown. Following gramp’s horse and plow was the best way to get fish worms. What’s a Snow Day? Never heard of that one! Sitting by the furnace in that one room school was the place to be in Winter, not in Spring or Fall though and all girls aren’t smart. They just act like they are.
Yes, and maybe getting our first real rifle. Mine was a single shot Stevens 22. 22 shorts were 15 cents a box and long rifle shells 25. The Hollow Points were just too much money and cousin Lorne could put an X on bullets with his knife and they’d be just as good and Lorne didn’t lie. He enlisted right after Pearl Harbor.
Thinking about Spring and WHEWEE! When cleaning the chicken coop those first few shovels will kill a man, let alone a kid like me. Is that where ammonia comes from? How come rabbit stuff don’t smell like cow’s? If drinking lots of milk makes me strong, healthy and good looking why does uncle Norm look like our scarecrow? Why can the cow drink from the brook but not us kids? How come when Uncle Irv comes from up the road he can’t talk too good or walk straight? Was uncle Charles really in the Buffalo Bill Show and see Annie Oakley shoot? Do hoot owls hooting really mean a death in the family?
Questions, we had a zillion of them
Then along came WW 11. Something entirely new to us kids so we collected newspapers, cardboard, tin cans and kept making a ball of tinfoil from chewing gum wrappers, buying Defense Stamps, listening to Gabriel Heater and hearing air raid practice sirens. My dad was one of those Air Raid Wardens who sat in a 4X4 shack with a telephone to call in every airplane that went over. I wanted to help as dad couldn’t tell the difference between a Piper Cub and a P 40. I had made those 10 cent Guillow models of almost every plane and dad could have used my knowing all that stuff but no, I was too young to know anything. We saw some of our uncles, relatives and friendly faces for the last time but how could us kids know the brutal finality of death and war? How were we to know our own war was not that far away?
My hopes are that this filler will succeed in reliving some of your childhood memories and entice you in writing some of your own stories/photos and/or experiences for use in future editions. We have lots of space, so become active, send them in. Ed.
================================================
This space will be available for photos submitted by members in the future. For now it reverts back to the War “To End All Wars”, WW1. The photo is from a collector’s scrap book in North Carolina.
====================================================
.