The Graybeards - KWVA - Korean War Veterans Association

President’s Message
Harley Coon
President, KWVA
The time has
come to say
farewell to our
membership from
your outgoing
president. I can
only say that it is
a great honor serving
the Korean
War Veterans.
The KWVA
has had many
accomplishments
during the last six (1998-2004) years. Our
membership is at an all time high and our
finances are in the black and The
Graybeards has increased to 96 pages.
This was achieved through the hard work
of the following Board members and
Officers during this period.
Officers
1st Vice presidents Jack Edwards and
Ed MacGill, 2nd Vice presidents Ed
Grygier, Dot Schilling Wenzel, Ken Cook
Treasurer, Thomas Gregory, Jim Martin,
(deceased) Dan Nicholas (deceased.)
Secretary, Howard Camp, Ed Markart
(deceased)
Directors
Jack Edwards, Ed Grygier, Bill Van
Ort, C.J. Rittenhouse, Tom Clawson,
Richard Danielson, John Settle (deceased)
Dorothy Shilling/Wenzel, James Kerr,
Bob Morga, Oreste Tramonte, Ray Wells,
James Jones, Theodore Trousdale,
Bob Morga, Dick Adams, Ken Cook,
Joseph Pirrello, C. J. Rittenhouse, Jack De
Lap, Larry McKinniss, Don Byers, Jerry
Lake, William Mac Swain, Warren
Weidhahn, Michael Mahoney, James
Ferris, Judge Advocate Sherm Pratt,
Chaplain Irvin Sharp, Reunion Co-
Chairman Jack Cloman, Blair Cross
(deceased) Washington D.C. Affairs,
Finance Committee Treasurer, Thomas
Gregory, Assistant Treasurer, Secretary
Howard Camp, Chairperson Dorothy
Wenzel. James Jones, and Joseph Pirrello,
Revisit Korea Warren Weidhahn.
The members named and unnamed that
served on the various committees are to be
commended for their fine work. There has
always been discussion some agree others
disagree but they always came to a gentlemen’s
agreement.
Editor
The one person that was instrumental
in the success of the KWVA is our editor
Vince Krepps. Vince has always tried to
get the Korean War Veterans chapters
recognition through the Graybeards.
Vince would only print the stories that
were in the best interest of the KWVA.
Vince wanted fact not fiction.
Membership
The membership has increased, 6,000
new members during the last six 6 years.
Jerry Lake, Sam Naomi and Jack Edwards
along with other members working on the
membership committee deserve all the
credit. We have an increase of 400 Korean
Ex-Prisoners of War join KWVA. We are
all in our 70’s and a lot of us won’t be
around too many more years. As we fade
away so will remembering the Korean
War.
Activities
I have met in the last six (6) years
President Clinton, President Bush and
The Honorable Jessie Brown, The
Honorable Togo West, and The Honorable
Anthony Principi, Secretaries of
Department of Veterans affairs. All five
(5) held the KWVA with the greatest
respect. The KWVA worked very close to
the Department of Defense DPMO
POW/MIA Office.
The highlight of the KWVA was the
Maryland Chapter posting the colors for a
future president.
There are the actors from Hollywood,
Bo Derick, Piper Laurie, Penny Singleton,
(Blondie of Dagwood fame 92 years old in
Seoul, S. Korea 2000) and Terry Moore.
All of these actress entertained the troops
during the Korean War.
We have had world wide exposure in
Australia, South Korea, and the
Philippines. There were several members
interviewed on national television for the
50th commemoration. There is not enough
room or time for me to tell about all the
places I have been and the speeches I gave
representation the Korean War Veterans.
If there is any advice I would give the
next president that it would be visible and
let people know of the Korean War
Veterans Association. I can foresee growth
in the KWVA but it is going to take a lot
of work.
The president represents 50 states and
over 250 chapters—a lot of travel is
required.
There are several good candidates running
for office, but there are a few that
have never attended an executive council
meeting or membership meeting.
If you have received your Graybeards
Continued on page 6
Jay Hidano( left), Dick Kaneko (center) and Harley J. Coon at Hale Koa Hotel Honolulu, Hawaii.
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The Graybeards