Volume 9 Issue 12 - December 2020 Page 1 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y American Legion Post 637 December News Letter Dedicated to the men and woman that served in the United States Military. Their sacrifice maintained our nations safety and security. God bless all Veterans - Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow and may God continue to Bless the United States of America. Merry Christmas Volume 9 Issue 12 - December 2020 Page 2 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion NEWSLETTER AMERICAN LEGION POST 637 City Hall, 6360 Fountain Square Dr. in Citrus Heights www.Facebook.com/AmericanLegionPost637 F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y Sylvia Thweatt - Commander COMMANDERS CORNER It ’ s Christmas time and there should be joy and happiness all around. As I am experiencing rudeness, entitlement and lots of inconsiderate people I can ’ t help to remember the Christmas of my childhood. Christmas season started on December 5, St. Nicholas Day. Traditionally, in the evening, St. Nicholas accom- panied by an angel and the devil visited children to gift a basket with fruit, nuts and chocolate. There was always a piece of coal as a reminder, that we were not always good. I remember one year a very close family friend was dressed as the devil and played his part so well scaring the bejesus out of me. Store windows were getting dressed up in Christmas decorations, the Nativity Scenes were put up in churches, those that were opened, tree lots started filling up with fresh trees and wooden barrels were being set up on many corners (I ’ ll get to that little later). My mom started pre - making dough for Christmas cookies and then she would make a batch or two after she got home from work. We didn ’ t put up the tree until the December 24 and my dad was the one putting up the ornaments. My parents would always get a Christmas chocolate box at work. It was an assortment of chocolate figures wrapped in aluminum foil with a string, picturing Christmas characters. Those too were hung on a tree along with sparklers right next to candles wedged in little clips. Looking back, I am surprised there were not more trees on fire in those days. Later, my dad constructed a string of electric candles. So back to those barrels all over the city. Czechia is known for raising carps for domestic sales as well as for export. This started long time ago when they build a vast number of lakes in South- ern Czechia. And every year they would raise carp for Christmas. It is not the same kind you find here though, it ’ s bigger. It is a lazy fish so to make it move, there were few pikes put in as well. On about December 14 the barrels were filled with water and carps and the sales began. You could buy a live carp, take it home, keep it in the bathtub until Christmas Eve and then kill it yourself. Nope. We had the butcher kill it. After my mom cleaned the fish inside out, she cut it in manageable pieces for breading and frying later. The head and organs were cooked for broth that would become a carp soup. She would also pick few scales, clean them and kept them in her wallet till the next Christmas for good luck. Last part of the Christmas Eve dinner was homemade family recipe potato salad made a day before Christmas Eve. If you noticed, all the activities were centered around December 24. That is when we celebrated and still celebrate Christmas. So, on that morning my parents were busy with preparations and us kids were literally parked in front of the TV because there was nothing on but old and new fairy tales all day long. Not cartoons or animated movies, but real actors acting. To help you understand, we had total of 2 channels; Channel 1 from 8 am to noon and from 3 pm to 11:30 pm and Channel 2 from 5 pm to about 11 pm. Children programming was only a 5 minute “ bedtime story ” at 6 pm every day and Sunday morning fairytales so we hardly watched TV. The dinner was at 6 pm so we all dressed up and set down to the Christmas dinner consisting of carp soup, breaded and fried carp and potato salad. After the dinner me and my sister were anxious to go to see if there were any presents under the tree, but my mom always had to do the dishes and straighten up the kitchen. It was a torture but now I do understand. And then the doorbell rang which was a sign that baby Jesus was done leaving the presents thru the opened window. I could never figure out how my dad snuck out and rang the doorbell. After opening the presents, we hung out for a while and then migrated back to the TV where we all watched a special Christmas programming. I would always make a special dessert like canned pineapple with whip cream or banana with melted chocolate and whip cream. It may seam not so special, but we didn ’ t have pineap- ple, bananas or oranges available in stores. Only before Christmas, if you got lucky, you could find those, but a person could only buy two or three pieces. Next day we enjoyed all our new gifts and went somewhere in the city. I always looked forward to December 26 because on that day all the aunts, uncles, cousins and other family members and some friends congregated at my grandmothers to enjoy her wonderful cooking. She normally baked either a goose or a duck with dump- lings and sour crowd, preceded by a homemade soup and followed by a delicious dessert. All that on top of her Christmas cookies and open face sandwiches. It was an all - day affair filled with food, alcohol for the grownups, stories and good time. We all went home happy, carrying more food. We have kept the tradition as much as we can here. We still bake the Czech Christmas cookies and the traditional Christmas bread like German stollen. We make the potato salad exactly like my mom did but the carp part has been a struggle. We used to get them in Half Moon Bay but that went away. We tried it few times at the Chinese market, but that was a hit or miss. A friend suggested to get a snapper or a rock fish so that is what we ’ ll do this year. I ’ ll let you know how that went. We still open presents on Christmas Eve, those are from family and friends. When my kids were little, they opened presents from Santa on Christmas Day and we had the ham and whole list of “ fixings ” that early afternoon. Now we do it with my grandkids. Have yourself a Very Merry Christmas and let ’ s hope the year 2021 will bring us peace and happiness. Volume 9 Issue 12 - December 2020 Page 3 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion Stephan Gall 1st Vice Commander 916 - 215 - 0685 F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y Everything was left in the past after the start of the announcement: "NOW HEAR THIS, FLIGHT QUARTERS, FLIGHT QUARTERS, FLIGHT QUARTERS. MAN ALL FLIGHT QUARTERS.... The flight deck came alive with the smell of burnt jet fuel, and a roar of jet engines that I carry with me to this day. We scrambled to get the pilots in their aircraft in preparation for launch. This was something we had gone through many times in the past but this time the planes were fully armed, and flying into combat. I was summoned to one of the aircraft that was next to taxi to the cat with an unsafe nose gear indication. As I started to troubleshoot the complaint I noticed that the metal stop for the nose gear switch was bent and the micro switch was open. I tried to bend it back with my screwdriver with no luck, I felt a tap on my shoulder, it was the one of our mechanics because the pilot was getting nervous, because it was his turn to be launched. So I yelled to the mechanic for a hammer, he handed me a 16 ounce hammer from his belt, so I pried the lever up just enough to hit it with the borrowed hammer, the pilot was going completely bonkers when the indicator in the cockpit showed it was safe, he goosed the throttle and rolled to the catapult with a big smile on his face. Later in the cruise I received a letter of commendation, all for hitting a switch with a hammer. -- Steve Gall 1st Vice Post 637 The one thing I can give, and still keep is my word. Merry Christmas Volume 9 Issue 12 - December 2020 Page 4 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y “ The American dream lives — not only in the hearts and minds of our own countrymen but in the hearts and minds of millions of the world's peo- ple in both free and oppressed societies who look to us for leadership. As long as that dream lives, as long as we continue to defend it, Amer- i c a h a s a f u t u r e , a n d a l l m a n k i n d h a s r e a s o n t o h o p e ” Remarks at the Annual Washington Conference of the American Legion, 1983 Volume 9 Issue 12 - December 2020 Page 5 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y If you have lost your Honorable Discharge Certificate, we can help to get a replacement. This must be done online, but our Post can assist. You will need to fill out a DD 180 Request Pertaining to Military Records, SF 180 (11 - 15) (archives.gov) And then request a replacement DD 256A for Army DD 256AF for Air Force DD 256CG for Coast Guard DD256MC for Marine Corps DD256N for Navy If you have a DD 214 it will help in speeding the process. Contact the Post Adjutant at 916 - 723 - 7324 or at rlmyers5@comcast.net Ron Myers Adjutant 916 - 723 - 7324 Volume 9 Issue 12 - December 2020 Page 6 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion Haunting Mystery Solved by Covid19 Stay - At - Home Request I love to walk my dog, work in the garden, but by months on end I was driven to distraction. So, I tackled the cleaning of the spare bedroom where you know, we dump things that we think we will get to eventually or so we say ... This began looking up a “ MIA Name ” on a bracelet that Jan had worn during and after the Vietnam War. The Name was Lt. Richard “ Tito ” Hannom. After some investigation I found that this young man was born on Janu- ary 24, 1941, in Tennessee and had grown up there and attended the University of Tennessee and married his wife Charlotte Shaw in 1964, they had a baby girl. He joined the Navy and for the next 2 ½ yrs. trained to become a pilot. He was assigned as a flight officer to At- tack Squadron 35, Carrier Air Wing 9, USS Enterprise (CVA - 65)), Task Force 77, 7 th Fleet. His aircraft was a Grumman Attack Intruder (A - 6A) he had been assigned as Bombardier/Nav. and his pilot had been Lt Cdr. Sheu- rich. 3 Attack Intruders launched from the deck of the Enterprise on March 1, 1968 his plane was among them. Their bombing target was Haiphong about 45 miles northeast of Hanoi, their plane was the only one shot down. For over 50 years no one knew the fate of either pilot or bombardier as they were listed as POW/MIA. Then in 2017 his remains were found on a remote Vietnamese Island of TRA BAN and those were confirmed to be the young flight Lt. and thus he was accounted for on Sept. 25, 2018, and his remains were returned to the United States of America. A funeral was arranged at Discovery Park of America in TN. March 2, 2019 and burial was performed at East View Cemetery with full military honors given. (His name is located on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Panel 42E Line 019) I hope that you found this as interesting as I did researching it. Stay Well and Stay Safe. Sgt At Arms, Stephany Sward American Legion Post 637 Merry Christmas F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y Volume 9 Issue 12 - December 2020 Page 7 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y Pearl Harbor, December 7,1941 On this December 7, 2020 I’d like to pay tribute to my uncle, Adolfo Solar who gave his all on December 7, 1941 in the unprovoked attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japa- nese. The next day president Franklin Deleno Roosavelt said this is “a date which will live in infamy”! My uncle, Adolfo Solar, was a first - class boatswain’s mate and happened to be top- side, on the deck of the USS Nevada when the bombing began. Most of the crew were still below decks eating breakfast and relaxing as it was a beautiful sunny day. Uncle Adolfo sprang into action by mounting the first anti aircraft gun emplacement he came to and started firing at the Japanese zeros that were bombing pearl harbor my uncle continued firing until a bomb landed near him and he was killed with shell fragments. He was credited with the “the early opening of fire by antiaircraft battery of the USS Nevada prior to the arrival of the battery officers at their stations, and thereafter controlling his gun in an outstanding manner until killed with shell frag- ments”. He was posthumously commended by the Secretary of the Navy, William Franklin Knox and as a result of his actions, the destroyer escort (DE 221) USS Solar was named in his honor. Adolfo Solar was born on 8 May 1900 in San Antonio, TX. He was the oldest of ten children and my mother Rosa Solar candela, was the 2 nd youngest in the solar fami- ly. On 1 June 1922 he enlisted in the navy as a seaman second class at Houston, TX. He served four consecutive enlistments on the battle ship New Mexico before signing up for a 5 th time and serving aboard Battleship Nevada. Alex candela 3 rd vice Alex Candela 3rd Vice Commander 916 - 990 - 4895 1st Class Boatswain Mate Adolfo Solar USS Solar - DE 221 Volume 9 Issue 12 - December 2020 Page 8 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y Fees at national parks waived for veterans, Gold Star families starting next month Starting this month, veterans and Gold Star families will be able to visit National Parks and other public lands for free, under a new initiative from the Department of the Interi- or announced on Wednesday, November 11. Active - duty service members and their families are al- ready granted free access to those sites under existing department rules. The new announcement broadens that benefit to more than 20 million more individuals in recognition of their service and sacrifice on behalf of the country. In a statement, Interior Secretary David Bernhardt said the move gives all veterans “ free access to the iconic and treasured lands they fought to protect. ” The policy goes into effect starting on Veterans Day, Nov. 11. Bernhardt and other federal officials made the an- nouncement during a ceremony at the Iowa Gold Star Museum, which focuses on the history of the state ’ s vet- erans and their families. “ Our veterans and Gold Star Families have made in- credible sacrifices to defend our freedoms and our homeland, ” Sen. Chuck Grassley, R - Iowa, said in a statement. “ Ensuring that they are able to enjoy all of the natural wonders of the country that they ’ ve served is one small way of saying thank you. ” The policy includes admittance to well - known sites like Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, Mount Rush- more in South Dakota, Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona and Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. Interior officials did not provide cost estimates for the move, but said that the policy change will affect about 2,000 public locations across the country. Fees for the sites can range from a few dollars per person to nearly $100 for some weekly and annual passes. For free access to the sites, veterans will have to pre- sent a Department of Defense Identification Card, a Veteran Health Identification Card, a government - issued Veteran ID Card or a state - issued U.S. driver ’ s license or identification card confirming an individual ’ s status as a veteran. Gold Star family members can use similar Defense De- partment identification cards to verify their status. National parks officials already run promotions through- out the year to offer free admission to all visitors on cer- tain holidays, including Veterans Day. While most national parks sites have remained open or re - opened in recent months amid the ongoing corona- virus pandemic, some programs and facilities still have limited access. Parks officials encourage all visitors to check with local parks administrators before traveling to the sites to ensure safe visits. Bernhardt also announced Wednesday plans to waives entrance fees to national parks, wildlife refuges and oth- er public lands for all 5th grade students and their fami- lies from now until Aug. 31, 2021. The move was made because many families may not have been able to take advantage of the department ’ s Every Kid Outdoors An- nual 4th Grade Pass program because of pandemic pre- cautions earlier this year. Volume 9 Issue 12 - December 2020 Page 9 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y The Servicemen ’ s Readjustment Act of 1944 (commonly known as the GI Bill) almost did- n ’ t happen. The battle came down to a deadlocked conference committee in June 1944 that was broken by one of history ’ s most dramatic efforts to get a bill signed into law. Former Illinois Gov. John Stelle, was appointed to lead the committee to distill all of The American Legion ’ s preferred benefits — including free college tuition, vocational training and $20 a week in unemployment pay for a maximum of 52 weeks — into a comprehensive bill containing 10 provisions. Past National Commander Harry W. Colmery of Kansas, in December of 1943, drafted the legislation by hand in a room of the Mayflower Hotel. Several modifications would be made before it reached Congress, but the Servicemen ’ s Readjustment Act of 1944 did not deviate from its 10 key provisions: college education, vocational training, readjustment pay, home and business loans, discharge review, adequate hospitalization, prompt settlement of disability claims, mustering - out pay, employment services and concentration of all these provisions under the Veterans Administration. On March 17, 1944, the measure unanimously passed in the Senate, but the House re- mained stalled until May 18. A conference committee was assembled to marry the Senate and House versions. The House conferees were deadlocked 3 - 3 with the tie - breaking vote, that of Rep. John Gibson, who was in rural Georgia recovering from an illness. The Legion got through to an operator in Atlanta who called Gibson ’ s home every five minutes until he answered at 11 p.m. The Legion, assisted by military and police escorts, then took Gibson on a 90 - mile high - speed trip through a rainstorm to the Jacksonville, Fla., airport where he was flown to Washington, arriving shortly after 6 a.m. He cast the vote to send the bill to the president ’ s desk and promised to make public the name of anyone who would vote against it, along with their reasons. The conference committee tie suddenly became unanimous in favor. On June 22, 1944, flanked by lawmakers and members of The American Legion special committee, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Servicemen ’ s Readjustment Act of 1944 into law. The GI Bill Volume 9 Issue 12 - December 2020 Page 10 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y From American Legion — Post 637, Citrus Heights Volume 9 Issue 12 - December 2020 Page 11 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y Volume 9 Issue 12 - December 2020 Page 12 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion The old man sat in his gas station on a cold Christ- mas Eve. He hadn't been anywhere in years since his wife had passed away. It was just another day to him. He didn't hate Christmas, just couldn't find a reason to celebrate. He was sitting there looking at the snow that had been falling for the last hour and wondering what it was all about when the door opened and a homeless man stepped through. Instead of throwing the man out, Old George as he was known by his customers, told the man to come and sit by the heater and warm up. "Thank you, but I don't mean to intrude," said the stranger. "I see you're busy, I'll just go." "Not without something hot in your belly." George said. He turned and opened a wide mouth Thermos and handed it to the stranger. "It ain't much, but it's hot and tasty. Stew ... Made it myself. When you're done, there's coffee and it's fresh." Just at that moment he heard the "ding" of the drive- way bell. "Excuse me, be right back," George said. There in the driveway was an old '53 Chevy. Steam was rolling out of the front. The driver was panicked. "Mister can you help me!" said the driver, with a deep Spanish accent. "My wife is with child and my car is broken." George opened the hood. It was bad. The block looked cracked from the cold; the car was dead. "You ain't going in this thing," George said as he turned away. "But Mister, please help ..." The door of the office closed behind George as he went inside. He went to the office wall and got the keys to his old truck, and went back outside. He walked around the building, opened the garage, started the truck and drove it around to where the couple was waiting. "Here, take my truck," he said. "She ain't the best thing you ever looked at, but she runs real good." George helped put the woman in the truck and watched as it sped off into the night. He turned and walked back inside the office. "Glad I gave 'em the truck, their tires were shot too. That 'ol truck has brand new ." George thought he was talking to the stranger, but the man had gone. The Thermos was on the desk, empty, with a used coffee cup beside it. "Well, at least he got something in his belly," George thought. George went back outside to see if the old Chevy would start. It cranked slowly, but it started. He pulled it into the garage where the truck had been. He thought he would tinker with it for something to do. Christmas Eve meant no customers. He discovered the block hadn't cracked, it was just the bottom hose on the radiator. "Well, shoot, I can fix this," he said to himself. So he put a new one on. "Those tires ain't gonna get 'em through the winter either." He took the snow treads off of his wife's old Lincoln. They were like new and he wasn't going to drive the car anyway. As he was working, he heard shots being fired. He ran outside and beside a police car an officer lay on the cold ground. Bleeding from the left shoulder, the officer moaned, "Please help me." George helped the officer inside as he remembered the training he had received in the Army as a medic. He knew the wound needed attention. "Pressure to stop the bleeding," he thought. The uniform company had been there that morning and had left clean shop towels. He used those and duct tape to bind the wound. "Hey, they say duct tape can fix anythin'," he said, trying to make the policeman feel at ease. "Something for pain," George thought. All he had was the pills he used for his back. "These ought to work." He put some water in a cup and gave the police- man the pills. "You hang in there, I'm going to get you an ambulance." The phone was dead. "Maybe I can get one of your buddies on that there talk box out in your car." He went out only to find that a bullet had gone into the dash- board destroying the two - way radio. He went back in to find the policeman sitting up. "Thanks," said the officer. "You could have left me there. The guy that shot me is still in the area." George sat down beside him, "I would never leave an injured man in the Army and I ain't gonna leave you." George pulled back the bandage to check for bleeding. "Looks worse than what it is. Bullet passed right through 'ya. Good thing it missed the important stuff though. I think with time your gonna be right as rain." George got up and poured a cup of coffee. "How do you take it?" he asked. "None for me," said the officer. "Oh, yer gonna drink this. Best in the city. Too bad I ain't got no donuts." The officer laughed and winced at the same time. The front door of the office flew open. In burst a young man with a gun. "Give me all your cash! Do it now!" the young man yelled. His hand was shaking and George could tell that he had never done anything like this before. "That's the guy that shot me!" exclaimed the officer. "Son, why are you doing this?" asked George, "You need to put the cannon away. Somebody else might get hurt." The young man was confused. "Shut up old man, or I'll shoot you, too. Now give me the cash!" The cop was reaching for his gun. "Put that thing away," George said to the cop, "we got one too many in here now." He turned his attention to the young man. "Son, it's Christmas Eve. If you need money, well then, here. It ain't much but it's all I got. Now put that pea shooter away." George pulled $150 out of his pocket and handed it to the young man, reaching for the barrel of the gun at the same time. The young man released his grip on the gun, fell to his knees and began to cry. "I'm not very good at this am I? All I wanted was to buy something for my wife and son," he went on. "I've lost my job, my rent is due, my car got repossessed last week." George handed the gun to the cop. "Son, we all get in a bit of squeeze now and then. The road gets hard some- times, but we make it through the best we can." He got the young man to his feet, and sat him down on a chair across from the cop. "Sometimes we do stupid things." George handed the young man a cup of coffee. "Bein' stupid is one of the things that makes us human. Comin' in here with a gun ain't the answer. Now sit there and get warm and we'll sort this thing out." The young man had stopped crying. He looked over to the cop. "Sorry I shot you. It just went off. I'm sorry officer." "Shut up and drink your coffee " the cop said. George could hear the sounds of sirens outside. A po- lice car and an ambulance skidded to a halt. Two cops came through the door, guns drawn. "Chuck! You ok?" one of the cops asked the wounded officer. "Not bad for a guy who took a bullet. How did you find me?" "GPS locator in the car. Best thing since sliced bread. Who did this?" the other cop asked as he approached the young man. Chuck answered him, "I don't know. The guy ran off into the dark. Just dropped his gun and ran." George and the young man both looked puzzled at each other. "That guy work here?" the wounded cop continued. "Yep," George said, "just hired him this morning. Boy lost his job." The paramedics came in and loaded Chuck onto the stretcher. The young man leaned over the wounded cop and whispered, "Why?" Chuck just said, "Merry Christmas boy ... and you too, George, and thanks for everything." "Well, looks like you got one doozy of a break there. That ought to solve some of your problems." George went into the back room and came out with a box. He pulled out a ring box. "Here you go, something for the little woman. I don't think Martha would mind. She said it would come in handy some day." The young man looked inside to see the biggest dia- mond ring he ever saw. "I can't take this," said the young man. "It means something to you." "And now it means something to you," replied George. "I got my memories. That's all I need." George reached into the box again. An airplane, a car and a truck appeared next. They were toys that the oil company had left for him to sell. "Here's something for that little man of yours." The young man began to cry again as he handed back the $150 that the old man had handed him earlier. "And what are you supposed to buy Christmas dinner with? You keep that too," George said. "Now git home to your family." The young man turned with tears streaming down his face. "I'll be here in the morning for work, if that job offer is still good." "Nope. I'm closed Christmas day," George said. "See ya the day after." George turned around to find that the stranger had returned. "Where'd you come from? I thought you left?" "I have been here. I have always been here," said the stranger. "You say you don't celebrate Christmas. Why?" "Well, after my wife passed away, I just couldn't see what all the bother was. Puttin' up a tree and all seemed a waste of a good pine tree. Bakin' cookies like I used to with Martha just wasn't the same by myself and besides I was gettin' a little chubby." The stranger put his hand on George's shoulder. "But you do celebrate the holiday, George. You gave me food and drink and warmed me when I was cold and hungry. The woman with child will bear a son and he will become a great doctor. The policeman you helped will go on to save 19 people from being killed by terrorists. The young man who tried to rob you will make you a rich man and not take any for himself. "That is the spirit of the season and you keep it as good as any man." George was taken aback by all this stranger had said. "And how do you know all this?" asked the old man. "Trust me, George. I have the inside track on this sort of thing. And when your days are done you will be with Martha again." The stranger moved toward the door. "If you will excuse me, George, I have to go now. I have to go home where there is a big celebration planned." George watched as the old leather jacket and the torn pants that the stranger was wearing turned into a white robe. A golden light began to fill the room. "You see, George ... it's My birthday. Merry Christ- mas." George fell to his knees and replied, "Happy Birth- day, Lord Jesus" Merry Christmas!! This story is better than any greeting card. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND GOD BLESS! Volume 9 Issue 12 - December 2020 Page 13 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y Dear Legionnaire, The United States has the most comprehensive system of assistance for Veterans of any nation in the world. As the U.S. entered World War I in 1917, Congress established a new system of Vet- eran ’ s benefits, including programs for disability compensation, insurance for service personnel and veterans, and vocational rehabilitation for the disabled. By the 1920s, three different federal agencies administered the various benefits: The Veterans Bu- reau, the Bureau of Pensions of the Interior Department, and the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers. In 1921, the Legion ’ s efforts resulted in creation of the federal Veterans Bureau (which is now the Veterans Administration) as part of a legislative victory to consoli- date these three agencies. After persistent pressure from The American Legion, the Veterans Administration was created in 1930, solidifying the relationship between the Veteran ’ s organization, rep- resenting the stakeholders, and the federal agency whose responsibility is to ensure efficiency, quality, and timeliness of services for veterans. Over the decades, the VA ’ s role expanded beyond disability benefits and health care. It will take up many of the GI Bill ’ s provisions after June 1944, including education, home and business loans. In 1989, the Veterans Administration was elevated to Cabinet - level status as the De- partment of Veterans Affairs (VA) after supportive lobbying by The American Legion. The Legion fought hard for the change, arguing that veterans deserve representation at the highest levels of government. Today, the Legion continues to lobby for adequate funding to cover medical, disabil- ity, education and other benefits for veterans. These efforts are possible thanks to the commitment of our Legionnaires. As a member of The American Legion, you are helping to advocate for veterans and their families. Some of our legislative priorities include supporting the VA ’ s suicide prevention efforts, creating lifetime electronic health records, reclassifying cannabis for medical research, instituting gender - specific health care for women veterans, and funding programs to end veteran homelessness. American Legion – 100 years old and 2.5 million strong Volume 9 Issue 12 - December 2020 Page 14 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y Vet Death Preps Update 01 ► What DoD Will Provide Upon Death Burial in a VA national cemetery -- Every eligible veteran who is entitled to burial in a national cemetery as long as space is available and the following conditions are met: Veter- an was discharged under conditions other than dishonorable. Veteran was not subsequently convicted for offenses involving prohibited weapons of mass destruction, genocide and inter- national terrorism. With certain exceptions, service beginning after Sept. 7, 1980, as an en- listed person and service after Oct. 16, 1981, as an officer must have served for a mini - mum of 24 months or the full period for which the person was called to active duty. For a description of requirements refer to www.cem.va.gov Burial benefits in a VA national cemetery include the following: gravesite, headstone, marker or medallion, opening and closing of the grave, and perpetual care of the grave site. Many national cemeteries have columbaria or gravesites for cremated remains. Gravesites in national cemeteries cannot be reserved. Many national cemeteries are closed to new casket in- terments. Funeral directors or others making burial arrangements must apply at the time of death. Spouses and minor children of eligible veterans and of servicemembers may also be buried in a national cemetery. If a surviving spouse of an eligible veteran marries a nonveteran, and remarriage was terminated by death or divorce of the non - veteran, the spouse is subsequently eligible for burial in a national cemetery. Visit the National Cemetery Administration website at www.cem.va.gov for a listing of all national cemeteries and state veterans cemeteries. Send questions on benefits eligibility to VA at public.inquiry@mail.va.gov. Volume 9 Issue 12 - December 2020 Page 15 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y December 7, 1941 FROM: Admiral Edward Kimmel, Commander in Chief of the United States Pa- cific Fleet TO: All major navy commands and fleet units Attack at the Pearl Harbor base. AIR RAID ON PEARL HARBOR X THIS IS NOT DRILL One Moment of Silence for more than 2,400 Sailors, Marines and Soldiers that were killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Oklahoma's casualties of 400 were second only to the USS Arizona, which lost 1,177 men. Volume 9 Issue 12 - December 2020 Page 16 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y Charles Elwood Yeager - February 13, 1923 – December 7, 2020) - who was a United States Air Force Officer, flying ace, and record - setting test pilot who in 1947 became the first pilot in history confirmed to have exceeded the speed of sound in level flight, has passed away. Yeager's career began in World War II as a private in the United States Army Air Force in 1941. After serving as an aircraft mechanic, in September 1942, he entered enlisted pilot training and upon gradu- ation was promoted to the rank of flight officer (the World War II USAAF equivalent to warrant officer), later achieving most of his aerial victories as a P - 51 Mustang fighter pilot on the Western Front , where he was credited with shooting down 11.5 enemy aircraft (the half credit is from a second pilot assisting him in a single shootdown). After the war, Yeager became a test pilot and flew many types of aircraft, including experimental rock- et - powered aircraft for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. As such, he became the first human to officially break the sound barrier on October 14, 1947 when he flew the experimental Bell X - 1 at Mach 1 at an altitude of 45,000 ft, for which he won both the Collier and Mackay trophies in 1948. He then went on to break several other speed and altitude records in the following years. Yeager later commanded fighter squadrons and wings in Germany, as well as in Southeast during the Vietnam War. In recognition of the outstanding performance ratings of those units, he was promot- ed to brigadier general in 1969, retiring on March 1, 1975. Yeager's three - war active - duty flying career spanned more than 30 years and took him to many parts of the world, including the Soviet Un- ion during the height of the Cold War. Throughout his life, he flew more than 360 different types of aircraft. R I P General Yeager Volume 9 Issue 12 - December 2020 Page 17 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y Sacramento County Veterans Services Established in 1946 by the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors, Veterans Services is respon- sible for providing benefit entitlement determinations, claim development, claim filing, advocacy, and case management services to the veterans population of Sacramento County. DHA Veterans Services can assist you with the following: Service - Connected Disability Compensation Benefits Non Service - Connected Disability Pension Benefits Dependency Indemnity Compensation (DIC) Benefits Death Pension Benefits Aid & Attendance Entitlement VA Medical Care Eligibility & Access Vocational Rehabilitation Benefits California College Fee Waiver Program VA Life Insurance State Veterans Homes Requests for Military Records Discharge Upgrade Information Burial Benefits Other Ancillary Benefits & Programs - The office is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. In Person: 2007 19th Street Sacramento CA 95818 Phone: 916 - 874 - 6811 or E - mail: DHA - VET@saccounty.net ( Information thanks to County Supervisor Sue Frost) Volume 9 Issue 12 - December 2020 Page 18 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y National home improvement retailer Lowe ’ s has expanded its everyday military dis- count program to include all honorably discharged veterans, as of May. The chain also has expanded the 10 percent discount to Lowe's online shopping, which will include free parcel shipping. It will provide for faster checkout and add the ability to use the discount at self - checkout in stores, said Lowe's spokeswoman Karen Cobb. But the procedure for getting the discount has changed: Active - duty service members, retirees and veterans must sign up online for the Lowe ’ s personal shopping card to qualify for the discount. This is not a credit card. Spouses and dependent children up to age 18 can also get the discount, although the online signup process doesn ’ t include an option for “ spouses ” or "children." "The discount is linked to a MyLowes account, which can be shared by a household, ” said Megan Lewis, a Lowe ’ s spokeswoman. “ Once the service member signs up for the dis- count program, it will be linked to a MyLowes card that can also be used by their spouse. ” Lowe ’ s has offered discounts to military members and veterans for more than a dec- ade. Previously, the 10 percent discount at Lowe ’ s was available every day to active - duty ser- vice members, retired military and other veterans receiving VA benefits who showed their identification. For other honorably discharged veterans, the discount was limited to three days – Memorial Day, July 4 and Veterans Day. “ The verification process is designed to be a simplified one - time signup, ” Lewis said. “ Military and veteran customers can simply present their MyLowes card at checkout rather than show military credentials each time. ” Lowe ’ s Expands Military Discount Volume 9 Issue 12 - December 2020 Page 19 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y Fritz & Company “Your Platinum Kohler Dealer” 5730 B Roseville Road Sacramento, CA 95842 Ph 916 - 344 - 0288 www.fritzgopower.com Email: fritzco1st@gmail.com At Fritz & Company we believe quality KOHLER products, properly installed and applied in