Sep/Oct 2005 - Korean War Veterans Association

From the President
Congratulations to Mr. Eugene
Chin Yu
On December 4, 2004, a beautiful
Korean War Monument was dedicated in
Augusta, Georgia. One of America’s outstanding
young Korean citizens, Mr.
Eugene Chin Yu, and his family were
forces behind that monument. For the
most part, the KWVA veterans “who made
it happen” in North Augusta are members
of South Carolina Chapter 255.
At the just concluded National
Convention, Mr. Chin Yu was honored
with a life honorary membership in the
Association. Mr. Chin Yu and the Chapter
were represented at the Convention by
four great members, who also brought a
contribution of $1,600 to the KWVA
Disaster Relief Fund. Great and generous
members, proud veterans, are grown in
that Savannah River Valley. Thank you,
Chapter 255 and the Chin Yu Family.
Convention 2005
Speaking of the KWVA Convention
2005, we held it in spite of two major natural
disasters, a disrupted local economy
weighed down with tens of thousands of
evacuees, military deployments, FEMA
and federal and state emergency field
headquarters imported into the area, and
many other factors. The Convention was
almost universally hailed as the best ever.
It will certainly be one very hard to
match—and impossible to surpass overall.
I welcome this opportunity to acknowledge
a small group of people who arrived
early, and without whose labors to assist
me there would have been a much less satisfactory
convention: Chris Yanacos,
Steve Szekely, Charley Price, Cheryl
Diamond, and my dear wife, Marietta.
Tine Martin arrived somewhat later and
completed the dynamic trio of “doers” -
Yanacos, Szekely, Martin. Later on, Jodie
Buckman helped fill some gaps. Thanks to
all of you, and to all of our other members
who helped to make this a memorable
convention for the KWVA.
The opening event—a newly established
annual memorial service—led by a
dynamic speaker, Rear Admiral Harold L.
Robinson, USN Chaplain Corps, assisted
The Convention was
almost universally hailed as
the best ever. It will certainly
be one very hard to
match—and impossible to
surpass overall.
by newly appointed KWVA Chaplain
Leonard Stegman (KWVA), set the tone
for the convention. (By the way, the
KWVA now has two National Chaplains.)
All in all, it was an exceptional convention.
The attendance, examples and constant
mixing by two Korean War MOH honorees,
Colonel James Stone and SFC Ron
Rosser, throughout the convention was
motivational, to say the least.
The meeting of the Executive Council
was another step in maturity of our organization’s
leadership. It was the first meeting
of the Council in several years attended
by all members, and the first one in
several years with a full agenda which
was completely considered.
And the Annual Meeting was a vigorous
and spirited affair. Among other matters,
it adopted new bylaws for the
KWVA!
Over 400 people attended the banquet,
many of whom were from the local communities.
They were all left standing by
the guest speaker, Secretary of Veterans
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Louis T. Dechert
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Affairs James
Nicholson, who
spoke of the current
VA disaster relief
operations. He also
brought a salute to the men who began the
ultimate downfall of the Iron Curtain by
fighting back in Korea over 55 years ago.
The entire Executive Council and KWVA
officers, Colonel Stone, MOH, appointed
KWVA officials, and all VA hospital and
regional personnel were introduced to the
banquet through a Cordon of Honor - they
deserved it!
Federal Charter
Anyone who wants to follow the
progress of our Federal Charter process
can do so by viewing the homepage status-keeper
of the Senators and
Representatives who show their
REGARD for the veterans of Korea. We
welcome one Senator and three
Representatives who signed on this week:
Senator Tom Coburn, (R-OK), and
Representatives Robert E Andrews, (D-
NJ), Roscoe G Bartlett (R-MD), and Dan
Boren (D-OK), and Wayne Gilchrist (R-
MD). Thank you, Gentlemen.
Convention 2006, San Antonio,
TX; Viva and Ole!
Remember, our 2006 Convention will
be held in San Antonio, Texas. Between
now and then I’ll be seeing you in The
Graybeards, at www.kwva.org, on the road
and in the elections.
God bless America and her fighting
forces, Valley Forge through 2005!
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The Graybeards September - October 2005