Special KWVA "W in Your Dream Vacation Fund-Raiser" Information ...
Special KWVA "W in Your Dream Vacation Fund-Raiser" Information ...
Special KWVA "W in Your Dream Vacation Fund-Raiser" Information ...
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A couple years ago I jo<strong>in</strong>ed the ranks of<br />
one of the most outstand<strong>in</strong>g and prestigious<br />
“Korean War” Veteran organization,<br />
“The Graybeards,” as it proudly proclaimed<br />
<strong>in</strong> its publication’s name. My wife and I<br />
attended our first reunion/convention at<br />
Norfolk, Virg<strong>in</strong>ia. We were impressed<br />
greatly by the hospitality and comradeship<br />
shown to us by many members and their<br />
wives. There was always somebody to give<br />
us support or who called, “Are you okay?”<br />
when we were struggl<strong>in</strong>g along.<br />
Our paths may or may not have crossed<br />
someplace, sometime, at the front-l<strong>in</strong>es “or<br />
not too front,” but we were always jo<strong>in</strong>ed<br />
by friendly unseen hands support<strong>in</strong>g us<br />
and encourag<strong>in</strong>g us to serve our country<br />
well.<br />
Yes, I’m glad I’ve selected this path at the<br />
mid-po<strong>in</strong>t of my journey where I was<br />
exposed to the beautiful starry night, the<br />
lov<strong>in</strong>g eyes of the moon, the calm sea of<br />
tranquility, the magnificent red colored rays<br />
and white streak that emitted from the<br />
morn<strong>in</strong>g sun—the “blue” warms of comradeship<br />
that lightened my path.<br />
I often hear the words “forgotten war,”<br />
mean<strong>in</strong>g Korean War. But, how can it be so<br />
when thousands and thousands of young<br />
men have been called upon to defend the<br />
dest<strong>in</strong>y of our country and paid for it with<br />
their precious lives?<br />
I will not forget them. At the end of my<br />
journey, I will say, “Thank you Comrades,<br />
you have done well. Look at the wonderful<br />
country you have helped build. Here’s my<br />
salute to you for the job well done. I hope<br />
I can jo<strong>in</strong> your ranks forever when I “Cross<br />
the Bar!”<br />
I’ve seen the sandy beach dur<strong>in</strong>g the<br />
quiet even<strong>in</strong>g walk—the rippl<strong>in</strong>g waves<br />
Membership Number<br />
First two characters reflect<br />
membership type<br />
The Graybeards<br />
Check <strong>Your</strong> Mail<strong>in</strong>g Label<br />
*************************************************5 Digit<br />
R012345 01/01/10<br />
JOHN J. JOHN<br />
12345 MAIN ST<br />
SMILEY NY 01234-5678<br />
DELIVERY POINT BARCODE<br />
wash<strong>in</strong>g away the footpr<strong>in</strong>ts made by<br />
many people dur<strong>in</strong>g the balmy September<br />
day, the sand castle that probably some<br />
parents or grandparents made to enterta<strong>in</strong><br />
their little loved ones, and the scribbl<strong>in</strong>g on<br />
the sand. The tide of the sea erases everyth<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>in</strong> its way, like wash<strong>in</strong>g away our<br />
memories.<br />
As I grow older, my memories are gradually<br />
beg<strong>in</strong>n<strong>in</strong>g to wane. It’s the gift of the<br />
Maker, some say, to make me forget<br />
th<strong>in</strong>gs! I can’t be carry<strong>in</strong>g my baggage<br />
around forever; it’s best to leave it beh<strong>in</strong>d<br />
so, without it, I can truly enjoy - “lightheartedly”<br />
- the happy (peaceful) life.<br />
I am at the crossroad of my long journey,<br />
the paths made through the many rugged,<br />
w<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g terra<strong>in</strong>s and the pleasant beauty<br />
and the wonder of nature. Dur<strong>in</strong>g the hustl<strong>in</strong>g<br />
and bustl<strong>in</strong>g pace, I have forgotten the<br />
many beauties that the Maker has provided<br />
me, among them the most important<br />
essence of life, “LOVE.”<br />
At my wan<strong>in</strong>g days, it may be too late to<br />
make other adventurous paths, but I would<br />
like to restrict myself <strong>in</strong> mak<strong>in</strong>g fewer less<br />
physical ones, and more of the peaceful<br />
and tranquil ones. Let me sit back and try<br />
to make my own paths the best I know<br />
how.<br />
Like the “roadside shrub,” I would like to<br />
sit back and take <strong>in</strong> the beauties of the<br />
paths which were offered to me. With the<br />
knowledge ga<strong>in</strong>ed, I would like to help my<br />
future generation make wiser choices of<br />
their paths.<br />
James I. Umeda<br />
585 Harrison Rd<br />
Monterey Park, CA 91755<br />
(626) 307-5170<br />
Membership Dues Expiration Date. The example<br />
shows a dues date of January 1st, 2010<br />
Check your name and address ( Apt./Bldg/Lot No.). Notify the Membership<br />
Chairman if you f<strong>in</strong>d an error. If yourJ zip code does not conta<strong>in</strong> 9 digits<br />
(zip+4), your address is not correct accord<strong>in</strong>g to the USPS. Contact your local<br />
Post Office for proper format.<br />
Important: If barcode<br />
does not<br />
extend across the<br />
full label, then<br />
your zip code<br />
does not have 9<br />
digits and your<br />
address is not<br />
complete accord<strong>in</strong>g<br />
to the USPS.<br />
Contact your local<br />
Post Office for<br />
proper format.<br />
What I missed<br />
the most<br />
We cont<strong>in</strong>ue our series on what I missed<br />
the most. If you want to tell us what you<br />
missed the most while you were <strong>in</strong><br />
Korea—or the service <strong>in</strong> general—please<br />
send them to our “Missed the Most” editor<br />
at 152 Sky View Drive, Rocky Hill, CT<br />
06067.<br />
What didn’t I miss?<br />
Missed the most? What didn’t I miss?<br />
• My bride to be (never happened; I<br />
sent her a Dear John). Mistake? Don’t<br />
know. In her case, I should have stayed <strong>in</strong><br />
Korea.<br />
• I missed my hot rod, buddies, driv<strong>in</strong>g<br />
“Dad’s” low bed, bulldozer, motor grader…<br />
• I missed fish<strong>in</strong>g with my grandparents<br />
<strong>in</strong> northern California.<br />
• I missed a shower every night, clean<br />
sheets, visit<strong>in</strong>g and mess<strong>in</strong>g with the car<br />
hops at drive-<strong>in</strong>s.<br />
• And, of course, family!!<br />
A great idea for these stories.<br />
Marv<strong>in</strong> Reed<br />
2900 Right Hand Cyn Rd.<br />
Palom<strong>in</strong>o Valley, NV 89510<br />
Milk!<br />
• What I missed the most while I was <strong>in</strong><br />
Korea was milk.<br />
I came home on the Anderson. As we<br />
came off the ship, we were separated by<br />
who had their stripes and who did not. I<br />
did not. Those of us without stripes were<br />
put on KP for the night.<br />
Some one found out that there was a lot<br />
of milk <strong>in</strong> the cooler. We took turns go<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>in</strong>to it. We would dr<strong>in</strong>k a carton, fold the<br />
top back, and put the empty carton <strong>in</strong>to<br />
another case. Come morn<strong>in</strong>g, the milk was<br />
about gone.<br />
When the sergeant found out, he came<br />
out of the cooler like he was shot out of a<br />
cannon. He went to the 1st Lt. They had to<br />
get <strong>in</strong>to their cars and drive to other mess<br />
halls for more milk to serve with breakfast.<br />
I was <strong>in</strong> the 58th Medical Group at K2.<br />
Jerry Tossey<br />
394 Farm Lane<br />
Cadillac, MI 49601<br />
(231) 779 4027<br />
May – June 2009<br />
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