Welcome readers from Hong Kong!

A big welcome and thank you to our new readers from Hong Kong!  It's always exciting to see this humble blog being read around the world.  This brings us to 30 unique countries and regions!

The flag of Hong Kong, officially the regional flag of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China [HKSAR], depicts a white stylized five-petal Hong Kong orchid tree flower in the center of a Chinese red field.  Its design was adopted on 4 April 1990 at the Third Session of the Seventh National People's Congress.

Membership Medals and VFW Pride

Many members of the VFW wear pins in their caps and on their jackets.  Some commemorate their service, others are specific to a certain commander, and so on.  But did you know that a long time ago in VFW history members simply wore a VFW membership badge?  I'm hoping to bring back the tradition of the membership badge to show pride in who we are.  To that end, I've commissioned [with VFW approval of course] a company to make membership badges based on the ones worn over a hundred years ago!  They recently arrived and here's a sample:

Illinois Senior Vice Commander Bobby Welch has done yeoman work researching the history of badges in the VFW and has accumulated a large collection of memorabilia. The lineage of the VFW as we know it can be summed up in the photo below, with these two cases of medals.

The small case on the left is a membership medal and lapel pin for the American Veterans of Foreign Service (AVFS), founded in 1899. This is the founding organization of the VFW, all the other organizations merged into the AVFS to eventually become the VFW. There were two separate branches of the AVFS...Columbus, OH and Altoona, PA. This medal is the Columbus branch. The two merged in 1905. The case on the right has a Membership medal for the National Society Army of the Philippines (NSAP) founded in 1899, a card from Bailey, Banks & Biddle (the sole maker of the medal), and a 5th reunion button for the society from 1905.

 In 1913 the two groups merged, then officially adopted the name Veterans of Foreign Wars in 1914. The membership medal for the VFW was adopted from the NSAP and this is why we have the Cross of Malta we have today.

Below is a sample of Comrade Welch's collection of the many VFW membership badges and styles over the 120 plus years of our organization.

Post Hopping - 16th District - Illinois

Although still under the VFW travel ban, I made my way up north to the 16th VFW District in Illinois to visit with my friend and Department Counterpart, State Senior Vice Commander Bobby Welch this weekend.  There was a nice, socially distant, turnout at the Bremen Post 2791 for the elections and I was asked to install the incoming officers for the District.

From there, we visited the Midlothian Post and on to the Markham Post 9801.  Markham took advantage of the COVID-19 pause and completely refurbished their canteen and hall.  It's a night and day difference from the dark old days to the bright and shiny new area and I could feel the pride in that Post.  They are an asset to their community and  certainly are the gathering place when they host their famous Pork Chop dinners.  From all I've heard, I'll make my way back to enjoy that!

Our last visit was Bobby's Post, Alsip 450.  Commander Jaroch was most gracious as he pointed out the memorabilia on the walls.  While talking with Post Senior Vice Morris, I learned he used to live down south and he knew my late friend, Reverend Jackie Davison!  Jackie was our State Chaplain for many years and hailed from my own district here in the southern part of Illinois.  We reminisced about Jackie's devotion to God and ever present good nature.  Anyone who knew Jackie will attest that he was the finest, kindest man.  The world was a better place with him in it.

I drove back to my home after our visits and on that long drive I reflected on the day.  I've missed traveling.  I've missed seeing the great men and women of the VFW who put their hearts and souls into it.  They don't do it for personal glory and they don't do it for monetary gain.  They help their fellow veterans because it's the right thing to do!

Bremen Post 2791 and their beautiful bronze memorial, surrounded by memorial bricks.

Department Senior Vice Commander Bobby Welch and I before the District Meeting began.  Note the medals as I'll be writing about them in more detail!

Tinley Park, IL has a beautiful downtown. All of the benches are decked out in different motifs.  We happened to park by this one, although it was a toss up between the Viking Ship across the street!

Markham Post 9801 and their remodeled space.

Mama enjoyed the cool, smooth and polished floors!  Post Commander Terry McDonald [far left] runs a tight ship and was so proud of his Post!

How's this for curb appeal at Alsip Post 450?

Across the street from the Post home at Alsip 450 they recently erected a monument to Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans.

National PTSD Awareness Day

National PTSD Awareness Day is observed annually on June 27.  This is a day to recognize the effects post-traumatic stress has on the lives of those affected by it.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder has a profound effect on the lives of those who suffer from it.  The statistics alone are staggering, but can only tell a portion of the story. The trauma and anxiety associated with PTSD is a constant burden, inseparable from the sufferer. Although mostly attributed to returning combat veterans, anyone who has experienced violent crime or lived through catastrophic events can be diagnosed with PTSD.  If you are diagnosed with it, you need to seek proper medical care.  There are many new ground-breaking therapies and medical breakthroughs that can help.

The United States Senate established PTSD Awareness Day in 2010 following then-Sen. Kent Conrad’s efforts to designate a day of awareness as a tribute to Army Staff Sgt. Joe Biel of the North Dakota National Guard. Biel suffered from PTSD and took his life in April 2007 after returning to North Dakota following his second tour of duty in the Iraq War.  Biel’s birthday, June 27, was chosen to mark PTSD Awareness Day and honor his memory.

The VA has a mobile PSTD coaching app that has a range of tools and strategies for people with PTSD.  You can check it out at:

https://mobile.va.gov/app/ptsd-coach

 

Juneteenth!

Each year Juneteenth (June 19th) commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. The celebration takes place each year on June 19th, recognizing an event that took place in Texas in 1865.

The story of Juneteenth begins in Texas when Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston on June 19, 1865, with an announcement. As the community listened to the reading of General Orders, Number 3, the people of Galveston learned for the first time that the Civil War was over.   Of course, the Emancipation Proclamation had been made in 1863, but they didn't have the internet back then.

News traveled slowly, even stubbornly during and after the War between the States. Over two years earlier, President Abraham Lincoln and Secretary of State William H. Seward signed the Emancipation Proclamation. Only two months before Major General Granger arrived in Galveston, General Lee surrendered at Appomattox. And the country was already mourning the assassination of President Lincoln. Just weeks before Granger arrived, the official final surrender took place. And yet, this community in the west remained the last to know of their freedom. They required word, official word, to feel the effects of what was already happening in the rest of the country.

Emancipation Timeline:

January 1, 1863 – Emancipation Proclamation signed
April 9, 1865 – General Robert E. Lee surrenders to General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House, Virginia
April 14, 1865 – John Wilkes Booth assassinates President Abraham Lincoln
May 12, 1865 – Final battle of Civil War at Palmito Ranch, Texas  (Confederate victory)
May 26, 1865 – Civil War officially ends when General Simon Bolivar Buckner of the Army of Trans-Mississippi enters terms of surrender
June 19, 1865 – Major General Gordon Granger arrives in Galveston, Texas
December 6, 1865 – 13th Amendment abolishing slavery ratified

Naval Hospital Corps Birthday!

The 122nd anniversary of the Navy Hospital Corps was on 17 June.  Sorry, I'm a day late!

The Hospital Corps was established on June 17, 1898, to provide health care for Sailors, Marines, and those under their care on the battlefield, at sea, under the sea, and in military treatment facilities world wide.  As the National Commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart noted, "No Marine has gone into battle without you."

On a personal note, I extend a Happy Corps Birthday to my friend Bob Crider, a Navy Corpsman who served in Vietnam.  Thank you Bob for all the lives you saved and the impact you've had on so many because of your service!

Mr Leo of Nebraska

Back in October 2019, I wrote about Mr Leo who resided in one of Nebraska's Veterans Homes. 

See http://aroundtheworldwithfritz.blogspot.com/2019/10/eastern-nebraska-veterans-home-visit.html or scroll down to that article.

I was fortunate to spend time talking to him and listening to his exploits during World War II.  At 102 he still had a sharp memory and a great sense of humor.  He was thrilled to receive my Commander's Coin.   Sadly, Mr Leo passed away a few days ago.  We have lost another warrior from The Greatest Generation.

I urge all of you who know anyone who has served in our military, regardless of when they served or what branch, to talk to them. Listen to their stories.  Hear first hand their accounts, good and bad, of their time in service.  With each passing day we lose a valuable part of our history.

Rest in peace Mr Leo!

Indiana Council and Convention

Although there is a National VFW ban on official travel, I was pleased to drive to Indianapolis this weekend as "just a member" to spend time with friends and enjoy the camaraderie of a VFW gathering.  Safeguards such as distancing and no touching were in place so it was a bit different than gatherings in the past.  I think a lot of things will change once we get back into the swing of things as a country.

Since no one has been able to gather in large groups for many months, this opportunity reminded me of the importance of being able to gather together.  Ideas were shared and friendships were renewed and created.  Being able to physically interact with someone can never be replaced by a Zoom meeting.  Case in point, on several different occasions I was casually talking with people.  As the conversations meandered, as they do when you're engaged, I found I was able to connect these separate people with friends of mine across the country.  These connections are going to help the people I was talking to.  Humans need that personal interaction.  Thank you Indiana for inviting me to share this time with you.

Listening to the reports from various District and State officers, I was happily surprised that, at least in Indiana, these members were in high spirits.  Not once did I hear the phrases lockdown or quarantine.  Not once did a member bemoan the fact they may have to shutter their doors.  Instead, these folks used the word "pause", indicating this was just something they had to endure until things could start again.  In fact, it was uplifting to hear they were using the pause to thoroughly clean, renovate, do maintenance and such on their Post homes.  Many of them applied for and received Federal or State grants to continue operations.  They were proud they could upgrade their Posts and they were happily waiting for the notice they could open once again.  This is the spirit of the Veterans of Foreign Wars!  They could have grumbled that it wasn't fair but they didn't.  They took this as an opportunity to make their world better.  It certainly is a lesson all of us can take to heart.

I was asked to install the incoming officers and it was an honor to do so.  Although the logistics made things interesting we got through it.  Once again, the members of the VFW showed that no matter what, an orderly transition of power is a hallmark of a civilized community.  When you take that oath of office, even if it isn't exactly the way we've always done it, you pledge to do your best to promote the ideals and goals of our organization.  

Senior Vice Commander Dick Lineberry, my counterpart at the State level.  He's going to be a great State Commander!

Mama Cass comfortably kept an eye on the members and ensured the social distancing was adhered to properly.

Happy Birthday United States Army!

245 years and still going strong.

The U.S. Army was founded on 14 June 1775, when the Continental Congress authorized enlistment of expert riflemen to serve the United Colonies for one year.

United States Flag Day - Since 1916

No Apologies.

America As I See It

I am an American by choice.  The social experiment of this Republic began over 200 years ago.  Over the course of time many things have happened both good and bad but the Republic has endured and been made stronger.  We are a beacon of hope for the world and over one million people each year come to our shores to become Americans and share in the dream of "America".  You never hear about "The Russian Dream" or "The Chinese Dream".  You do hear from all around the globe about "The American Dream".

Do we have problems?  Do we have clashes over how to best provide for our citizens?  Do we have flawed people? The answers are yes, of course.  However, we always find a way to identify the problems, root out the flaws, and ultimately make our Republic stronger.  I have faith that in these troubled times we will persevere and grow.  The overwhelming majority of Americans want the same things and it's up to all of us to find a way to make that happen.  We need to come together.

This is what I believe as a human. I believe in equality for all people.  I believe in freedom, justice, and democracy.  I believe in America.

World Oceans Day

Yes, I'm a scuba diver.  If you read this blog you know that.  Today is dedicated to protecting our oceans.  Pollution and over-fishing, to name two, are taking a toll on our oceans.  We, as the citizens of Earth, need to act now to preserve our oceans.

The United Nations has acted already.  Through the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization [UNESCO], the UN has been establishing above water World Heritage sites since 1972.  Recently, they began declaring underwater locations as World Heritage sites.  I have been fortunate to dive several of these.  With the intervention of the UN and their declarations, these now protected sites are teeming with life and relatively pollution free. I'll be diving more of these sites around the world, to promote and preserve them, so they can continue to be a healthy home for all marine life.

We are all passengers on our planet, above and below ground.  Let's take care of it...it's the only home we have!

Operation Overlord: 76 Years Later

Better known as D-Day, this incredible military operation signaled the beginning of the end of World War II.  And it all began on this day, June 6th, 1944.

The Allied invasion force consisted of 6,939 ships, 10,440 aircraft, and 156,115 troops that actually landed on the beaches of Normandy.  Americans, Britons, and Canadians stormed those five beaches covering a 50 mile stretch.  Providing support from the English Channel were over 195,700 sailors from 8 different nations.  It truly was an Alliance of nations, coming together to defeat the Axis powers and keep the world free.  Even the American Indian Comanche nation was involved as 14 code-talkers also landed, providing secure coded messages in their native language.

Facing this massive invasion force were 50,000 German soldiers.  Fiercely defending the beachhead, the German forces inflicted over 14,000 casualties to the brave men who assaulted the beaches.  These young men, whose average age was only 20 years old, ran from their landing craft head on into a hellish maelstrom of death and destruction.  The cost in Allied life:  2,499 Americans and 1,914 from the other Allied countries.  The German forces also lost brave men, with estimates between 4,000 to 9,000 killed, wounded, or missing.  

This all happened on one day...ONE DAY.  Let's put aside our differences today and remember what happened three quarters of a century ago, when people came together to fight for the ideals of truth, justice and a free world.  They fought the enemy, not each other.

Last Civil War Pensioner Dies

Yes, the American Civil War, which ended in 1865!

Irene Triplett was 90 when she passed, having been born in 1930 when her father as 83.  Mose Triplett served with the Confederate Army, then defected and enlisted in the Union army where he fought through the end of the war.  Apparently, it was a "thing" in the early 1900s for veterans on both sides of the War to marry women who were much younger than they were.  Mose was 78 when he married his 28 year old wife!  This accounts for the stories of so many Civil War children living well into the end of the 20th century.  The last Union veteran died  in 1956 and the last Confederate soldier died in 1958.  The last surviving spouse of a Union veteran died in 2003 and on the Confederate side, the last spouse died in 2008.  As a daughter of a Civil War veteran, Irene began receiving a pension in the 1950s in the amount of $73.13 and she continued to receive that until her death...155 years after the end of the Civil War.

In recent years, many Civil War historians began spending a lot of time with Irene hoping to learn more about the Civil War.  Sadly, her father never talked much about the war with her.  A treasure trove of memories about those times lost.  As veterans, it really is up to us to pass on our histories to our families.  Of course, there are things we don't want to remember, but I'm talking about the things that kept us going.  The bonds of friendship we made; the shared burdens; the good and bad times.  It's personal anecdotes that keep us alive in the memories of others.

Let the historians tell the 'facts' of our wars.  Only we can tell what things were really like, from our perspectives.  Those stories won't be recorded in the history books.  In my opinion, those are the most important stories that need to be told.  When your kids are in their 90s, make sure they have good stories to tell about you and your time in the service!

World Reef Awareness Day

World Reef Awareness Day is a call to action for consumers, businesses, and organizations to reflect on the delicate ecosystem of our ocean’s coral reefs. As many of you know, Megan and I are avid scuba divers and we've seen first hand the deterioration of the world's reefs over time in our many travels.  Some places are just being hit, others are recovering, but all of them are sustaining damage.

Coral reefs are living communities of colonial organism made of individual polyps that excrete a bone-like skeleton. This skeleton forms large rock-like structures that are homes for thousands of organisms.  We enjoy photographing and filming these reefs and it would be tragic if future generations didn't get to see what we see.

The health of a reef tells us a lot about the health of an ocean. Many fish and ocean animals rely on the protection of the healthy, living reef for spawning season. The reef provides more than protection; it also supplies a rich, thriving food chain. From plankton and algae to the largest sea creatures, the reef ecosystem is a significant life support system.

I'm not asking you to go out and hug some coral!  Just letting you know that we are all in this together as we make our journey on Planet Earth!  Here are some pretty shots of corals on our recent trip to Yap and Palau.