For God and Country, Still Serving America

THE AMERICAN LEGION POST #3 PRICE est. July 19th, 1919

435.630.8474 27 North 100 West, P.O. Box 447, Price, Utah 84501

www.americanlegionpost3.org October 2019

From the Commander’s Desk, Well, we swung past summer solstice some time ago and winter is making its way here. Recalling the last winter, I’m sure many of you are hoping it takes it sweet time getting here as the Farmers’ Almanac has something to say about what’s coming around the corner. Upcoming: Veterans Day. Veterans Day Dinner. On Saturday, November 9th, the Post will host its Veterans Day dinner; door opens at 5pm, Dinner will be served at 6pm. The menu includes baked and fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, salad & dressing, rolls & butter, and dessert along with coffee, soda, and water. Dinner is $10.00 per person. Let me know if you desire baked or fried chicken when you call the Post’s number, (435) 630-8474, or write to me at: veterandavidjelin@outlook.com, to RESERVE your dinner NO LATER THAN 6pm Tuesday, November 6th. Please call me if you’re thinking of bringing a guest. Veterans Day Parade and Ceremony. On Monday, November 11th, in recognition of Armistice / Remembrance / Veterans Day, the Post will host its annual parade and ceremony. Please consider wearing your service uniforms (if you can), American Legion uniforms, or other proper service-related clothing – show your service colors. Together, at 10am, we will move along Main Street, from 3rd East to 1st East, stopping at the Peace Gardens. At 11:00 am, we have a short presentation and ceremony, closing with the Honor Guard’s rifle volleys. The Post’s Honor Guard will also perform ceremonies at Heirloom Inn, and Pinnacle and Parkview rehabilitation homes. Wellington Pioneer Day: Saturday, July 20th. The Post led with our nation’s flag and several members noted how many more of Wellington’s observers stood (if they could) and removed their hats in recognition of our national ensign as it made the way down Main Street; it felt quite good. International Days. The Post, along with the Civil Air Patrol Castle Valley Composite Squadron, presented our nation’s flag during the opening ceremony on Thursday, July 25th; the national anthem was sung by Angela Murray. The Post, along with CAP, our 1941 Dodge 4x4 and Jerry Long’s USMC Willy, began this year’s parade on Saturday, July 27th. Post 3 also crewed a booth at the Memorial Park collecting donations for poppies and selling raffle tickets. The raffle ticket drawing was held on stage and beautiful little Lexi Fox drew three tickets: 1st ticket: a veteran chose the NRA edition Henry Repeating Golden Boy Rifle .22s/l/lr (he wishes to remain anonymous and this will be honored); 2nd ticket was a re-draw as the winner did not answer or return a call within a week, 3rd ticket drawn was Gary Lyon who picked the Remington .22lr semi-automatic rifle; and 4th ticket, Arnold Rowley received the NexGrill four-burner grill (which was his first choice).

For God and Country, Still Serving America

Proceeds from raffle tickets (sold individually, at Smith’s and at the park) and poppy donations came to $3,600.00. These funds will be used for Military Funeral Honors, parade and flag presentation supplies (new rifle slings, gloves, flag holsters, and 1941 Dodge 4x4 Ammo Truck’s insurance and maintenance), Memorial Day flags and purchase prizes for the next raffle. Price Post 3 celebrated its 100th anniversary during our summer picnic held August 3rd at the Blue Service Star Memorial Park. The City of Price issued a proclamation proclaiming (of course) July 19th, 2019 “American Legion Centennial Day”; mayor Kourianos presented the certificate. Also, American Legion Auxiliary Unit 3 President Lenda Leek presented 100th anniversary commemoration plaque. Veteran Resources. Raising community awareness of veterans and veterans’ needs is the challenge; reaching out to veterans about available resources (especially non-VA) is a greater challenge. What do you need? What about re-filing a disability claim? REMEMBER: There are NON-VA resources, too! VA Women’s Health. Women Veterans can now text 855-829-6636 to receive answers and guidance about VA services. The Center is staffed by trained, compassionate female VA employees, who can link callers to available resources, such as health care, benefits and cemetery information via phone, chat and now text. The new texting feature aligns this service with other VA call centers that provide information and assistance to Veterans who are in crisis, at risk for suicide and becoming homeless. Veterans Coffee. Price Post member Alida has initiated a veterans’ coffee hour Thursdays, from 11am-12noon, courtesy of Cross Cut at the old Log Cabin. The “deal” includes a free coffee (or tea, possibly a soda) with the purchase of a (Cowboy) doughnut. Please join us. Membership. Legion Eligibility Expanded. Well, as they say, it takes an act of congress, the LEGION Act was approved by Congress and signed by the President; this act expands membership eligibility to all – yes, ALL – veterans who’ve honorably served our nation at any time since December 7th, 1941, eliminating those so called “non-hostile” periods (you know, like the “Cold War”) until such time current hostilities end. The 2020 Legion membership year is ongoing, please remember to submit your dues; yeah, it’s still 2019, but the membership year is July 2019-June 2020, and no, I don’t know why - yet. East Carbon Post 137 and Green River Post 103. Post 137 Commander Jim Robertson chose to step down and merge Post 137 with Post 3, encouraging the remaining six members to do the same, four have. Post 103’s commander moved away without further contact, a member moved out of state and the remaining three members have been encouraged to transfer; one transferred to Post 3. Previously, Helper Post 21 (in 2015), Wellington Post 44 (in 2017), and now East Carbon Post 137 have merged with Price Post 3. Two more posts in our Southeast Utah district have fewer than 10 members. Without your continued support in and of the Post, being of service to our community and recruiting new members, young and old, Post 3 may face the same future and close, in short, as a result of lack of interest by Post Legionnaires and veterans in the community. When you meet veterans, besides asking them to join or transfer (least I hope you do), ask them, “What do you need?” “How can we help?” and bluntly, “Who do you believe will conduct your military funeral honors?” Yes, it’s almost like a pyramid game; hopefully, someone will be around to do yours, too. Please, invest a few minutes.

For God and Country, Still Serving America

Transfers and New Members. Everyone, please welcome to Post 3: new members Kirt Jensen, Rick Davis, Roy Purcell, Charles Hamilton (once a Post 21 member), Richard Justesen, and Tony Riffle; from East Carbon Post 137: Jim Robertson, Charles Bikakis, Donald Christensen, John Polito, and Arsenio Romero; from Green River Post 103: John Bastian. Price Thrall and James Hannay transferred from Utah’s Post 8. Ed Evatz transferred from Reno, NV HQ 100. Jonathan Irvine transferred from American Fork Post 49. Membership Milestones. Art Nickas, 70 Years Glen Greenwood, 60 Years Laurence Stella, 60 Years Albert DiCaro, 55 Years Donald King, 50 Years

Louis Mele, 50 Years James Robertson, 50 Years Ed Wilson, 50 Years Walter Borla, 45 Years Arsenio Romero, 40 Years

Veda Jones, 35 Years Clark Warren, 35 Years Douglas Hintze, 15 Years Thomas McCourt, 15 Years Rudy Metelko, 15 Years

Membership year-recognition pins were handed out to those present during the Post’s summer picnic recognizing Price Post 3’s 100th anniversary; the remaining were either hand delivered or mailed out. VA Mission Act. (VHA). Booklets are at the Post and may be viewed online at: https://www.missionact.va.gov/library/files/MISSION_ACT_Community_Care_Booklet.pdf Welcome Home. Brothers Go Home. (Associated Press/AP) Twin brothers Leo and Rudolph Blitz were 17 in 1938 when they enlisted in the US Navy. They were both transferred to the USS OKLAHOMA ported in Honolulu, HI; both were killed during the Japanese attack a year and a day later on December 7th, 1941. In July 2019, both were taken home to Lincoln, Nebraska, and each received military funereal honors; two flags were presented to their surviving sister and as many as 80 nephews and nieces attended. Father Brought Home by Son. (Fox News / Military.com) USAF Colonel Roy Knight, Jr., said goodbye to his family 52 years ago, including his five-year-old son, at Dallas Love Airfield, before departing for Vietnam. A few months later, Knight’s aircraft was shot down over Laos, no parachute was seen; Knight was considered Missing in Action. In August 2019, Knight’s son piloted the Southwest Airlines aircraft that brought the colonel home to Texas. After a Southwest gate agent announced the arrival of the aircraft, Colonel Knight’s story, and that of his son piloting the flight, the terminal fell silent to watch the aircraft taxi in, greeted by airport fire trucks and ground crews coming to a full stop, lining the way for the aircraft, the offloading and the USAF’s escort of the American flag-draped casket.

For God and Country, Still Serving America

History. Women’s Airforce Service Pilots. (AP) WASPs were not recognized as veterans until 1977.

Dorothy Eleanor Olsen (seen on P-38 Lightning, above), was a member of a group of civilian volunteers who flew planes across the country during World War II, has died at 103 years of age. Dorothy was qualified on and flew 29 different aircraft, flying nearly 60 missions as part of the 6th Ferry Group (WASP). “Mom said the P-38 was an old woman’s plane. She said anybody could fly that,” said her daughter, Julie Stranburg. “She said that the (P-)51, you had to stay on top of that.” Jennings said Olsen would get a kick out of scaring farmers on their tractors and fly right behind them. Olsen was stationed at Long Beach Army Air Base in California from 1942-1944 and was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 2009. Stranburg said her mother didn’t fly after she and her brother were born and didn’t even think of flying commercial or private planes. “She said, ‘Why would I want to fly a Cessna when I’ve flown a P-51?’” Stranburg said. Military Funeral Honors Rendered. (* Legionnaire) August 10th Francis Greenland, USN, 1960-’64 (Price, Longview (WA)) Participants: 9; Rifle: 4 16th * Roy R Barnett, USA, Vietnam, Bronze Medal (Price) Participants: 9; Rifle: 5; Bagpiper: 1; USANG: 2 17th Gary Stevenson, USMC, 1966-’70 (Price, Rock Springs (WY)) Participants: 9; Rifle: 5; Bagpiper: 1. 30th John F. Smith III, USA, 1965-’67 (Price) Participants: 12; Rifle: 6 September 12th Bill Hansen, USA, 1965-’67, Vietnam (Price) Participants: 13; Rifle: 7 Post’s Recent Activities. July 20th Wellington Pioneer Days Parade 22nd Babe Ruth Baseball Southwest Regional Playoffs 25th International Days – Opening Ceremony 26th & 27th Raffle & Fund-Raising Booth @ International Days 27th International Days – Parade August 3rd Post’s Summer Picnic September 13th Honor Guard – Colors presented in Peace Garden

Suicide Awareness and Prevention

For God and Country, Still Serving America

KEEP THIS PAGE Calendar. The American Legion Post 3 meetings begin at 7pm on the 1st and 3rd Thursday monthly (excepting July and August); door opens at 6pm. Dates to Remember: October 12th Department Fall Meeting & Training 13th US Navy’s Birthday 17th Post Meeting November 3rd Daylight Savings Time ends.

6th Call in your Veterans Day dinner reservation, 435.630.8474 9th Post’s Veterans Day dinner at the Post. 10th: Marine Corps’ Birthday – 1775 10th: American Legion Auxiliary’s Birthday 11th: Armistice / Remembrance / Veterans’ Day

– Appreciating all who’ve signed the dotted line. 10am Veterans Parade / Walk 11am Veterans Day Ceremony 11am Veteran Fundraiser by Dominion Energy Employees at Peace Gardens Elks Lodge hosting DAV’s chili dogs for veterans

28th Thanksgiving December 7th Pearl Harbor Price Post 3 Contact Information: Post 3 www.americanlegionpost3.org (435) 630-8474 Post Commander: David Jelin (435) 609-8765

veterandavidjelin@outlook.com Chaplain & Finance: Sandi Diamanti (435) 650-1827 Trustees: Chair: Clark Warren Mario DiCaro Paul Guzman

Neldon Huff Gary LaTour

Remember the Difference: Memorial Day Honors all Veterans who died in service to our nation. POW / MIA Day Honors all service members who serve and remain unaccounted for. Armed Forces Day Honors all service members currently serving our nation. Veterans Day Honors all Veterans who have served our nation.

For God and Country, Still Serving America

The American Legion Price Post 3 PO Box 447 Price, Utah 84501