FW: VVA: Four MIAs ID.

Subject: VVA: Four MIAs ID.
Date: Sat, 19 Sep 2015 07:30:39 -0500

7. Four MIAs Identified: The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency has identified the remains belonging to two World War II Marines and two Korean War soldiers. Being returned home for burial with full military honors at a time and date yet to be determined are:
- Marine Corps Pfc. James P. Reilly and Cpl. James D. Otto, who were both killed in action on Nov. 20, 1943, while fighting on the Pacific island of Tarawa. They were assigned to Company L, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines, 2nd Marine Division.
- Army Cpl. Robert E. Meyers, of Franklin County, Pa., was assigned to Company A, 2nd Engineer Combat Battalion, 2nd Infantry Division, when he died fighting in North Korea on Dec. 1, 1950.
- Army Cpl. George H. Mason, who was assigned to the 2nd Reconnaissance Company, 2nd Infantry Division, died while fighting in North Korea on Feb. 14, 1951.

Ken Riskedahl
Tupelo, MS.

American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor, Memorial Society Inc.

 President JanIThompson@gmail.com 

National POW/MIA Recognition Day 

September 18, 2015 

Today, National POW/MIA Recognition Day, is a time of reflection for the American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor Memorial Society. Today, we honor our family members and friends who were prisoners of war of Japan, especially the many who did not return. We also wish to credit the hard work of descendants, researchers, scholars, and government officials who have labored to ensure that the history of the American POWs of Japan is remembered and respected.

On this 70th anniversary year of the end of World War II, we were heartened by and appreciative of the recognition of our POWs by the governments of both Japan and the United States. In his September 2nd VJ day statement, U.S. President Barak Obama remembered “those who endured unimaginable suffering as prisoners of war.” Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in his war anniversary statement on August 14th recognized “the former POWs who experienced unbearable sufferings caused by the Japanese military.”

 This October will see the sixth iteration of the Japan/POW Friendship Program. Nine American former POWs of Japan will be guests of the Japanese government as emissaries of peace, understanding, and reconciliation. There will be a seventh trip in December to ensure that this year all former POWs of Japan who are able and want to visit Japan can do so.

 The ordeal of the American POWs of Japan is not just another facet of war history. Nor is it simply another saga of WWII suffering. It is a history of resilience, survival, and the human spirit, good and bad. And it has become an example of a path toward mutual understanding between Japan and its former victims.

We appreciate the efforts of the Abe Administration to recognize our shared past by continuing this important visitation program and we hope it will continue past 2015 and include descendants and widows as originally designed. It has done much to heal injured psyches, humanize past adversaries, and enlighten new generations. The program is the embodiment of Prime Minister Abe’s call to his citizens that “…we Japanese, across generations, must squarely face the history of the past. We have the responsibility to inherit the past, in all humbleness, and pass it on to the future.

Nevada Department Of Veterans Services

Veterans Invited to "Birdies for the Brave"

Veterans, Active Duty, Reserve, National Guard and military retirees are being offered free  tickets to the Shriners Hospitals Open/FedExCup golf tournament Oct. 21-Oct. 25 at the TPC Summerlin course in Las Vegas.  Attendees can avail themselves to free food and beverages, and must fit into one of the following categories and have verifiable U.S. military or First Responder identification in order to claim tickets:

Active Duty, Reserve, National Guard, Retirees and dependents, veterans and First Responders.

At the event, US bank will host "Patriots' Outpost" on the 9th green. The outpost will offer complimentary food and beverages from Oct. 22-Oct. 25. Tickets can be claimed at ShrinersHospitalOpen.com, or at the Admissions Trailer on the days of the event. The hospitality event is part of the "Birdies for the Brave" program. The TPC course can be reached by taking the Summerlin Parkway ramp and following directional signage.

World War II Veterans, Families, Attended 70th Anniversary Events

The 70th anniversary of the end of World War II was celebrated simultaneously in Southern Nevada and Northern Nevada during the annual "Keep the Spirit of '45 Alive" campaign. Veterans of WWII who served in combat, or behind the lines, or Stateside during the war were invited to take part and be honored in ceremonies at the Veterans Memorial Cemeteries in Fernley and in Boulder City. Their families were also warmly encouraged to attend. Additionally, U.S. veterans of all periods of service and their families participated and honored those patriots who came before them. At the Fernley ceremonies, many of the WWII veterans posed for a group portrait. (Photo by Davis Sousa)

Report to Veterans Community on Nevada's 78th Legislative Session.

2015 was a banner year for Nevada veterans, military and their families!  According to Governor Sandoval, the legislation proposed and passed during Nevada's 78th Legislative Session represents, "The most comprehensive effort in the Nation to support military veterans and their families through enhanced educational, employment, and healthcare services.  This is a tremendous victory for Nevada."Report to the Veterans Community on the 78th Legislative Session.pdf

Northern Nevada Veterans Home Signed by Governor Sandoval

Governor Brian Sandoval signed the public works bill which provides funding for a Northern Nevada Veterans Home along with four other legislative bills benefiting veterans Friday June 12, 2014, completing a legislative session which furthered his goal to make Nevada the most veteran friendly state in the Nation.

With veterans and legislators from across the state in attendance, the signing ceremony was held at American Legion's Darrell Dunkle Post 1 in Reno, the first American Legion Post in Nevada.      Read More

VA Town Hall Meetings in Nevada

A new link has been provided by the VA to update and promote Town Hall meetings which are held in Nevada. While the page states "Reno Regional Benefits Office" the page lists Southern and Northern meetings being held by the VA.  Click here to see upcoming meetings.

Back To Top

From The Desk of the Vice President

stores

As many of you know, I have been an advocate of members coming out and volunteering for the gun shows and other various fundrais-ers we conduct. Let me tell you what you're missing. You're missing "The Stories". The sto-ries that are told, by everyone that is pre-sent. We have discov-ered that Lance is a great story teller and can make a trip to the dentist sound funny. While we all have stories of adventure it is the stories of misadventure that grip our attention. Many of these stories of misadven-ture come from the people that stop by and talk with us.  

As I have talked about volunteering at numerous meetings, this is where you get to know other members. You find out that we're all different and we're all the same. We share a common bond of having been in an un-popular war and being treated like plague victims when we returned. Being part of the volunteer group at one of these functions is both fun and rewarding. Lance and I got the opportunity to demonstrate and sell eye glass cleaner for the person in the booth next to us and sell edged weapons for another vendor. If you don't have fun at one of these events well then you probably don't have fun at all.

Next events

Gun Show South Point Saturday & Sunday September 5th & 6th

Hawaiian Island Festival Downtown Henderson Saturday & Sunday September 12th & 13th

And a fundraiser the following weekend (location to be announced)

So let's get out there and have some fun.

Again thank you for allowing me to serve as your vice-president.

Bob Lough

Recipient of a Chapter donation. They prepare and send CARE packages to our deployed troops. T he Nevada Guard has been alerted of an upcoming deployment. We may need to pitch in and add several hundred more. The November 8th 5K Run in celebration of Veterans Day in Henderson also raises money for this great operation. More information In Part III, September Newsletter. This is an event the Chapter may volunteer to help out with. Make plans to participate or volunteer—or both.

Pahrump will soon be home to a new Valley Veterans Clinic Aug 26

The cavalry has finally come for veterans in Pahrump, Nevada.

LAS VEGAS, Nevada (YN) - After three years of keeping several bidders in suspense, the Department of Veterans Affairs has finally awarded more than $12M dollars to build a new healthcare clinic in Pahrump, Nevada. The estimated completion date is February 2017. Pahrump is home to over 5,000 veterans. The current plans call for the clinic to be larger than 9,000 square-feet and is situ-ated on Basin Avenue and Lola Lane near the Desert View Hospital. For the last few years veterans in Pahrump seemed to be overlooked by the Department of Veterans Affairs as it opened several medical facilities in Las Vegas and Laughlin. Despite the wait, most veter-ans who live and work in Pahrump praise the progress and eagerly await the construction of the Pahrump Val-ley Veterans Clinic. On August 25th countless veterans, advocates and residents of Pahrump gathered together to celebrate the future home site of the new Valley Vet-erans Clinic. Veterans from WWII, the Korean War and Vietnam shared smiles, sighs of relief and laughs.

From the Desk of the Presiden

From the Desk of the President—

a bio from John L. Scaduto

I was born in 1944 and raised on the Italian West Side of Buffalo, New York. I joined the USMC in September of 1962 on the four month Delayed Enlistment Pro-gram. The Cuban Crisis was in October of 1962. The Marine Corp Re-cruiter informed me that my "Delayed Pro-gram" might be cut short... But as it turned out the Cuban Crisis ended, and I left for Par-ris Island on January 9th, 1963.
I graduated from Parris Island, SC in April of 1963. Out of 70 Marine Recruits I was in the top 10% of my class be-ing the longest lasting Squad Leader through Boot Camp and I received my Private 1st Class stripe.

After Advanced Infantry Training at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, I was sent to Camp Pendleton, California where I joined 1st platoon, India Co, 3rd Battalion Landing Team, 1st Marine Regiment, and became the Automatic Rifleman for our Fire Team. After another 6 months of "humping hills" in California and further Infantry Train-ing, I was sent to Camp Schwab, Okinawa with Alpha Company 1st BLT, 3rd Marines.

Our training consisted of "humping" through the jungles of Okinawa, the Philip-pines, Survival Training, Formosa Assault Training, Counter Guerilla Training, and Cold Weather Training on MT-Fuji , Japan.

On November 23rd 1963 we were handed live ammo for our M-14 Rifles and instructed to start digging 2-man fox holes around the camp because President Kennedy had been assassinated and the U.S. thought it might be the start of a war with Russia. After more "Jungle Training" we were sent back to Okinawa, when on August 2nd, 1964 we were mounted out to ships in the Harbor, with no one having any information or knowledge on where we were headed.

Later we found out we were in the South China Sea, at a place called the Gulf of Tonkin. Looking off the Bow of the ship, into the horizon, we saw a land mass. The Sail-ors' told us it was called...French Indochina. We still did-n't know why we were there. Our Company Commander took out a small patrol and was wounded in "the Buttocks". He was one of the first Marines to receive a Purple Heart in 1964 After 44 days aboard that hot, stinky, cramped APA (Amphibious Attack Transport Ship)

In September 1964 we went back to the "Rock" (Okinawa) and got ready to return to Camp Pend-leton, California. In November 1964, we returned and our new Battalion was India Co. 3rd BLT 7th Marine and we "humped" more hills in California. In December 1964 I was promoted to Fire Team leader.

After my promotion, our Platoon helped to set up the first Counter Guerrilla Warfare School at Camp Pend-leton, California. After Guerrilla Warfare the Marine Corps decided to re-establish the "Marine Raiders"

Our Company was chosen to start training as a Raider Company. We started our training with rubber boats in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. We were later sent to train with submarines in the waters of Ha-waii when I became a Scout Swimmer. During our "Raid Training" we were informed that a "successful" Raid could result in 90% casualties. They stopped training us as "Raiders" because of a place called Vietnam and sent us back to Camp Pendleton, California.
In April 1965, we were told to get ready to go back to that place we called French Indochina. All Marines that were 0311 grunts with 3 BLT 7th Marines who had more than a year left on active duty were going to Vietnam. I had less than a year left on active duty so I thought I got lucky and wouldn't have to go. My luck didn't last long because the Marine Corp came out with an involuntary extension for 6 months. I was lucky again in a way because most of us had been together for about two years, and we were very well trained as a Unit. On the other hand we weren't so lucky not having enough up to date equipment. Most of the equipment being from the Korean War and World War ll.
Operation Starlite August 1965: I was a Squad Leader with 1st Platoon India Co. 3rd BLT 7th Marines and we relieved Hotel Co. 2nd BLT 4th Marines after they took on heavy casualties. (2/4 had the first 2 Medal of Honor re-cipients...one Posthumous in 1965).

The 3rd BLT 7th Marines made the first Vietnam helicop-ter assault off the LPH Iwo Jima. After Operation Starlite, we were sent to Chu Lai and became Gulf Co. 2nd BLT 4th Marines and made 4 more major Operations. We never had enough equipment or replacements.

Additional Combat History:
1 July 1965-- 20 July 65: Defense of US Military Complex Qui Nhon 1
8 Aug 1965--24 Aug.65: Search and Destroy Mission at
7 Sept 1965-- 11Sept. 65: Operation Piranha
14 Dec 1965---18 Dec. 65: Operation Harvest Moon
26 Jan 1965---2 Feb. 65: Operation Double Eagle Bong Son

Awards and Ribbons: Combat Action Ribbon, 2 Presiden-tial Unit Citations. First and Third Marine Divisions. Navy Unit Commendation with Ribbon Bar, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

Returning to civilian life, I retired after 43 years in the Restaurant, Hotel and Casino Industry.
A more detailed bio will be published later as Part II.