The Graybeards - KWVA - Korean War Veterans Association

D.C. Affairs
By Jack Cloman
To: Fellow Korean War Veterans and
all Veterans
Memorial Day holds a special place in
America, or Memorial Day should hold a
special day in the lives of all Americans,
old and young alike. It is Memorial Day
that honors all of our Veterans, in all wars
and conflicts, who gave their all for you
and for all Americans. This year
Memorial Day has a special meaning for
our World War II Veterans as their
Memorial will be dedicated this
Memorial Day weekend. We should be
involved in remembrance and reflection
at this time in our lives and history as we
continue to have our armed forces making
the supreme sacrifice for freedom.
When you read this in the Graybeards,
Memorial Day will have passed.
Hopefully you and every Korean War
Veteran were present for a Memorial
Service to honor our heroes of yesterday
and today.
The month of May is an important
month in the life of Veterans across
America. This month will be special to
our WW II Veterans as their long awaited
Memorial that opened for viewing to the
public on Thursday, 29 April, just one
month to the day, the Memorial will be
officially dedicated with the fanfare that
this wonderful Memorial deserves and for
the WW II Veterans and their families,
along with those who supported our
armed forces on the home front, they will
have their time in the limelight they
deserve so well.
We join with them and all Americans
in their special day as we remember the
meaning of this Memorial and the sacrifices
that our armed forces and the
American people made during the five
years of WW II.
The Memorial is large and it is
designed to compliment the Memorial
Mall and the open space of the Memorial
provides a clear view from the
Washington Monument to the Lincoln
Memorial as was possible prior to building
the Memorial.
The Memorial is divided by 2 sections,
the European Theater and the Pacific
Theater. The columns that represent the
states and territories of the United States
are impressive as is the water falls and
reflecting pools. The Freedom Wall with
the 4,000 gold toned stars represent the
more than 400,000 Americans who gave
their lives. President Harry S. Truman
said it best with these words inscribed on
the Memorial, “Our debt to the heroic
men and valiant women in the service of
our country can never be repaid. They
have earned our undying gratitude.
America will never forget their sacrifices.”
There is a WW II registry database
of Americans who served in uniform and
at the home front. Access the registry
through the Memorial website,
www.WWIIMemorial.com. The website
will tell you more about the Memorial
project.
A word about Veterans Day, 11
November 2004 in our National
Cemetery at Arlington. The Veterans Day
National Committee (VDNC) met on
Friday, 7 May 2004 at the Veterans
Administration, Washington, D.C., to discuss
this year’s Veteran’s Day and
Ceremony. The poster for this year was
chosen to be printed and distributed to all
VSO’s.
Security perimeter will be increased to
the main gate of Arlington Cemetery at
Memorial Drive. Security will be tight -
very tight. Veterans Day Host 2004 will
be the VSO, Non-Commissioned Officers
Assn. The Ceremony is open to the public.
Ceremony is at 11 AM. If you plan on
being in the D.C. area and attending the
National Ceremony at Arlington, make
your plans early for accommodations in
the D.C. and Arlington, VA area will be
filled rapidly.
A word about our Charter, from Bob
Banker, Chairman, KWVA Federal
Charter - The Maryland Chapter #33
KWVA has implemented their planned
effort to acquire the Federal Charter this
year. A committee has been formed entitled,
“The Blair Cross Federal Charter
Committee” with nine members from the
Chapter. The committee members were
first allocated the task of contacting all
Chapter Presidents with certain states to
request their participation and cooperation.
The Chapter Presidents were then
asked to telephone their Representatives
and follow up with either personal visits
or letters. They were also asked to report
on their success. We, in turn, will personally
contact their Representatives by visiting
their offices in Washington, D.C. to
promote the co-sponsorship of HR 1043.
First, I am pleased to say that we have
received overwhelming support across
the country from the Chapter Presidents
in this endeavor. Second, I am also
pleased to report the wholehearted support
of the National Officers and
Directors, who not only gave us their
approval for this project, but have been
making direct efforts to contact their own
Representatives. We are grateful for the
activity from all concerned. When we
commenced this effort there were 112 cosponsors.
HR 1043 now has 127 co-sponsors
with another 8 who have given us
their commitment.
We made our initial visit to The Hill on
May 10th and we plan to make bi-weekly
trips for the duration of this session. Your
individual help, of course, is of the utmost
importance. We all have a stake in this
mission and no one should consider themselves
exempt. Please contact your
Chapter President if you have any helpful
information and that person should contact
his committee member who, in turn,
will pass this along to us for action.
To borrow a phrase from another, with
your help, we will take HILL 1043!!
GRAYBEARDS DEADLINES
Articles to be published in the Graybeards must be sent to the editor no later then the second
week of the first month of that issue.
Jul-Aug 2004 ............................Jul 16 Nov-Dec 2004..........Nov 12
Sept-Oct 2004............................Sept 10 Jan-Feb 2005 ..........Jan 14
May/June, 2004 Page 9