THE PUNCHBOWL December 15, 2006 - Korean War Veterans ...

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know what time it was.
It was a sad day in 1954 when all ROK soldiers had to
leave. Some of them shed tears. They liked being with us.
Ivery Haynes
349 Welcome Home Rd., N.
Wilkesboro, NC 28659-8483,
iahaynes@charter.net
A Sinking Feeling About The Korean War Memorial
I have been a Charter, Life member since November 1988 [#
LC00732] and a regular annual member for a few years before
that!
When we started on the difficult task of a Korean War
Memorial in Washington, D.C., we were told by the “Battlefield
Monuments Commission” (their exact title escapes me) that our
financial needs would be $5 ,000,000.00 for the Mem orial, plus
$1,000,000.00 for “Perpetual Maintenance!” However, before
we reached the initial goal, we encountered several set-backs in
disapproval of our design! The cost rapidly rose to the
$16,000,000.00 that was the “FINAL” cost.
Then, we ran into several problems that the National Park
Service should have known, and should have warned us about,
such as:
1. The land “donated” for the Memorial had been a land fill
[as had the entire “Reflecting Pool” area], and a great many
cubic yards of unstable soil had to be removed and good stable
soil brought in and compacted for the site.
2. Even after the memorial was “complete,” the trees at the
end died and had to be replaced. [Again, that was something the
National Park Service should have paid to replace, as the site
was under their care at the time.]
3. Later, the granite stones tried “to sink into the ground and
disappear.”
There has never been any accounting for the $1,000,000.00
that was supposed to be for “Perpetual Maintenance.” I guess
the parasites in “DC” had to be fed too!”
I am not sure of the exact dates that all of these things
occurred. But, I have been doing my part for our Memorial since
it was first proposed. I am still willing to make a needed donation!
Please try to add the “Rest of the Story!”
Charles L. Collins
3931 Shamrock Drive
Huntsville, AL 35810-4033
A “Panther” In The Sky (FB-6)
Your recent story, “F9F Panther in Korea,” carried me back
to 1953 when, as Operations Officer of “WP,” VMF-311 atk-3
Pohang, I flew some 70 missions—possibly, at times, in the aircraft
you pictured.
The photo above includes some of the pilots who flew me
with me on the last squadron mission of the Korean War. The
mission was a request from the Korean Marines for close air
support shortly before the armistice went into effect.
Once the forward air controller marked the target for us, we
The last mission for these Marine pilots of VMF-311
went in, placing all 16 500-lb. bombs on target in one pass and
headed for “the barn,” grateful that none of us had “bought the
farm” on the last mission.
J. De Sola Mendes
1185 Park Ave.
New York, NY 10128-1308
Giving Credit Where Credit (Or Cash And Checks) Is
Due
On page 26, in the May-June issue of The Graybeards there was
an appeal for funds to maintain the Korean War Memorial in
Washington, D.C . I know that my check #3890 in the amount of
$100 was received because it was cashed. However, there was no
other acknowledgment it had been received.
I have had considerable experience writing newsletters for our
local DAV and MOPH chapters. Most letters included paragraphs
pleading for funds to payoff a mortgage or bolster welfare funds for
a specific purpose. They also included a paragraph naming those
persons who made monetary or other donations for the cause.
It is my observation that most people and firms like to see their
names in print and, to be quite candid, acknowledgment of a good
deed seems to generate additional funds from the same source.
You already have a column thanking those who contribute to the
expense of publishing the magazine. Why not have a block to thank
those who provide maintenance funds for our memorial?
John R. Spehar
8901 Zircon Dr. SW
Lakewood, WA 98498-4050
January – February 2007
The Graybeards