Sep/Oct 2005 - Korean War Veterans Association
Sep/Oct 2005 - Korean War Veterans Association
Sep/Oct 2005 - Korean War Veterans Association
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
From the President<br />
Congratulations to Mr. Eugene<br />
Chin Yu<br />
On December 4, 2004, a beautiful<br />
<strong>Korean</strong> <strong>War</strong> Monument was dedicated in<br />
Augusta, Georgia. One of America’s outstanding<br />
young <strong>Korean</strong> citizens, Mr.<br />
Eugene Chin Yu, and his family were<br />
forces behind that monument. For the<br />
most part, the KWVA veterans “who made<br />
it happen” in North Augusta are members<br />
of South Carolina Chapter 255.<br />
At the just concluded National<br />
Convention, Mr. Chin Yu was honored<br />
with a life honorary membership in the<br />
<strong>Association</strong>. Mr. Chin Yu and the Chapter<br />
were represented at the Convention by<br />
four great members, who also brought a<br />
contribution of $1,600 to the KWVA<br />
Disaster Relief Fund. Great and generous<br />
members, proud veterans, are grown in<br />
that Savannah River Valley. Thank you,<br />
Chapter 255 and the Chin Yu Family.<br />
Convention <strong>2005</strong><br />
Speaking of the KWVA Convention<br />
<strong>2005</strong>, we held it in spite of two major natural<br />
disasters, a disrupted local economy<br />
weighed down with tens of thousands of<br />
evacuees, military deployments, FEMA<br />
and federal and state emergency field<br />
headquarters imported into the area, and<br />
many other factors. The Convention was<br />
almost universally hailed as the best ever.<br />
It will certainly be one very hard to<br />
match—and impossible to surpass overall.<br />
I welcome this opportunity to acknowledge<br />
a small group of people who arrived<br />
early, and without whose labors to assist<br />
me there would have been a much less satisfactory<br />
convention: Chris Yanacos,<br />
Steve Szekely, Charley Price, Cheryl<br />
Diamond, and my dear wife, Marietta.<br />
Tine Martin arrived somewhat later and<br />
completed the dynamic trio of “doers” -<br />
Yanacos, Szekely, Martin. Later on, Jodie<br />
Buckman helped fill some gaps. Thanks to<br />
all of you, and to all of our other members<br />
who helped to make this a memorable<br />
convention for the KWVA.<br />
The opening event—a newly established<br />
annual memorial service—led by a<br />
dynamic speaker, Rear Admiral Harold L.<br />
Robinson, USN Chaplain Corps, assisted<br />
The Convention was<br />
almost universally hailed as<br />
the best ever. It will certainly<br />
be one very hard to<br />
match—and impossible to<br />
surpass overall.<br />
by newly appointed KWVA Chaplain<br />
Leonard Stegman (KWVA), set the tone<br />
for the convention. (By the way, the<br />
KWVA now has two National Chaplains.)<br />
All in all, it was an exceptional convention.<br />
The attendance, examples and constant<br />
mixing by two <strong>Korean</strong> <strong>War</strong> MOH honorees,<br />
Colonel James Stone and SFC Ron<br />
Rosser, throughout the convention was<br />
motivational, to say the least.<br />
The meeting of the Executive Council<br />
was another step in maturity of our organization’s<br />
leadership. It was the first meeting<br />
of the Council in several years attended<br />
by all members, and the first one in<br />
several years with a full agenda which<br />
was completely considered.<br />
And the Annual Meeting was a vigorous<br />
and spirited affair. Among other matters,<br />
it adopted new bylaws for the<br />
KWVA!<br />
Over 400 people attended the banquet,<br />
many of whom were from the local communities.<br />
They were all left standing by<br />
the guest speaker, Secretary of <strong>Veterans</strong><br />
Membership Number<br />
First two letters reflect<br />
membership type<br />
Louis T. Dechert<br />
Check Your Mailing Label<br />
Affairs James<br />
Nicholson, who<br />
spoke of the current<br />
VA disaster relief<br />
operations. He also<br />
brought a salute to the men who began the<br />
ultimate downfall of the Iron Curtain by<br />
fighting back in Korea over 55 years ago.<br />
The entire Executive Council and KWVA<br />
officers, Colonel Stone, MOH, appointed<br />
KWVA officials, and all VA hospital and<br />
regional personnel were introduced to the<br />
banquet through a Cordon of Honor - they<br />
deserved it!<br />
Federal Charter<br />
Anyone who wants to follow the<br />
progress of our Federal Charter process<br />
can do so by viewing the homepage status-keeper<br />
of the Senators and<br />
Representatives who show their<br />
REGARD for the veterans of Korea. We<br />
welcome one Senator and three<br />
Representatives who signed on this week:<br />
Senator Tom Coburn, (R-OK), and<br />
Representatives Robert E Andrews, (D-<br />
NJ), Roscoe G Bartlett (R-MD), and Dan<br />
Boren (D-OK), and Wayne Gilchrist (R-<br />
MD). Thank you, Gentlemen.<br />
Convention 2006, San Antonio,<br />
TX; Viva and Ole!<br />
Remember, our 2006 Convention will<br />
be held in San Antonio, Texas. Between<br />
now and then I’ll be seeing you in The<br />
Graybeards, at www.kwva.org, on the road<br />
and in the elections.<br />
God bless America and her fighting<br />
forces, Valley Forge through <strong>2005</strong>!<br />
Membership Dues Expiration Date. The example<br />
shows a dues date of January 1st, <strong>2005</strong><br />
*************************************************5 Digit<br />
RO12345 01/01/05<br />
JOHN J. JOHN<br />
12345 MAIN ST<br />
SMILEY NY 01234-5678<br />
DELIVERY POINT BARCODE<br />
Check your name and address ( Apt./Bldg/Lot No.). Notify the Membership<br />
Chairman if you find an error. If your zip code does not contain 9 digits<br />
(zip+4), your address is not correct according to the USPS. Contact your local<br />
Post Office for proper format.<br />
Important: If<br />
barcode does not<br />
extend across<br />
full label, your<br />
zip code does<br />
not have 9 digits<br />
and your address<br />
is not correct<br />
according to the<br />
USPS. Contact<br />
your local Post<br />
Office for proper<br />
format.<br />
3<br />
The Graybeards <strong>Sep</strong>tember - <strong>Oct</strong>ober <strong>2005</strong>