Support America’s Armed Forces HOLIDAY SALUTE Colfax native and Kendrick retiree shares his experiences Reaching Out Show Your Appreciation 1914 Christmas Truce Offering Help Military Traditions A special publication of the Lewiston Tribune Advertising Department 2014
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Colfax native and Kendrick retiree shares his experiences
Reaching Out
Show Your Appreciation
1914 Christmas Truce
Offering Help
Military Traditions
A special publication of the Lewiston Tribune Advertising Department
2014
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HOLIDAY SALUTE | BACKGROUND
Military Christmas Traditions
An undying commit-ment to their country. A resounding respect for the American flag and
all it stands for. A truly self-less way of life dedicated to
bettering the opportunities for those around them.
There are many reasons to be thankful for our servicemen and women this holiday season. And what is especially apparent this time of year is that many are far away from their friends and fam-
ily members as they fulfill their honorable responsibilities within the
military. So how exactly is a military family
supposed to start or carry on Christmas traditions when one of its main members is
away? Hopefully there are still plenty of extend-ed family members and friends in your area who will
be more than happy to share their traditions with you. Here are some other ideas for making this holiday as spe-cial as possible, even in the absence of your loved one. Speak, if Possible
Technology makes it possible for families who are spread out throughout the world to speak clearly with each other regularly. An online video conference or phone call can mean the world to a family member who is away for Christmas.
Let them know they are close to your heart and even send them a present or two to open while they’re on the line with you. Have Christmas Early or Late
For deployed or stationed military members who may make it home around Christmastime, families may be able to slightly adjust their schedule to accommodate the length of the stay. A Christmas celebration in November or January is still better than no Christmas at all.
Christmas CardsIf your loved one is away this holiday season, why not
start a tradition of Christmas cards? Speak with everyone who knows your military family member and have them draw their own card.
Your loved one will be blown away by the package full of customized cards and their messages of love, support and well wishes.
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HOLIDAY SALUTE | HISTORY
The 1914 Christmas truce
Some 100 years ago this Christmas, a highly signifi-
cant and slightly odd occurrence took place on the battlefields of World War I. The 1914 Christmas Truce began on Christmas Eve along the British and German lines around Ypres, Belgium, according to The History Channel.
It marked a temporary halt to the fighting that had only begun five months prior. The truce lasted until New Year’s Day in some areas.
It began at the first light of dawn on Christmas Day, when some German soldiers emerged from their trenches and approached the Allied lines calling out “Merry Christmas” in their native tongue, according to the glob-al organization Veterans for Peace.
About the Truce
In many reports on the truce, it was the singing of carols and trading of gifts and food that served as the main aspects of the agreement. Servicemen also organized soccer games and shared gen-
eral fraternizations during the brief break from hostilities.
As you can imagine during such a contentious war, The History Channel identified the high commands as both livid and concerned while the lower ranks celebrated in the trenches. The stance was not across the board; many gener-als took a relaxed approach to the truce, seeing it as an opportunity to rest their troops while also scouting out the enemy position.
The Truce Today
Veterans for Peace has coordinated with local chap-ters throughout the world to plan celebrations honoring the memorable moment in history. Reach out to your local veterans group to find
out if any events will be tak-ing place in your area for Christmas.
The English Premier League, Europe’s largest soccer organization, in 2013 announced its intentions to build an all-weather field to mark the 100-year anniver-sary of the truce. The league has also been coordinating the Christmas Truce Tournament since 2011, bringing togeth-er under-12 teams from England, Belgium, France and Germany.
The Premier League will also host a major international Christmas Truce Tournament in December to inaugurate the new field and mark the truce centenary.
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HOLIDAY SALUTE | REACHING OUT
hOLIDAY mAIL FOR hEROES
The mail is among the best ways to connect with a
military member who may be overseas this holiday season.
Phone calls and social media have made it easier than ever to keep in touch with military members, but there is nothing quite like receiving a person-alized, heartfelt piece of mail from a friend, family member or even a perfect stranger.
The American Red Cross “Holiday Mail for Heroes” program provides Americans with the opportunity to extend holiday greetings and thanks to service members, veter-
ans and their families around the world. The program first was started in 2007 when the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington took its idea of distributing holiday cards to the Red Cross.
The deadline is typically in
early December, so be sure to complete your card ahead of time for a timely delivery.
To ensure cards reach their destination, the following guidelines apply:
• Ensure that all cards are signed.
• Use generic saluta-tions such as “Dear Service Member.”
• Only cards are accepted.• Do not include email or
home addresses on the cards.• Photos and any other
inserts will be removed during the reviewing process.
• Please avoid glitter; it can aggravate health issues of ill and injured warriors.
• If you are mailing a large quantity of cards, please bun-dle them and place them in large mailing envelopes; flat-rate postal shipping boxes are also acceptable
All holiday greetings should be addressed and sent to:
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HOLIDAY SALUTE | REACHING OUT
hOW TO GIVE BACK TO VETERANS
Members of the mili-tary serve their
country proudly, often sacrificing the luxuries of home and time spent with their families to do so. When veter-ans return home from training or deployment, many people want to show how much they appreciate the sacri-fices made by the men and women of the mili-tary, but don’t know the best way to share that appreciation.
Donations to a veteran’s charity is one measure of support the pub-lic can offer. Many charities work to serve the needs of veterans. The Wounded Warrior Project provides rehabilitation, counseling and activities for veterans who were wounded during service, while Homes for Our Troops remodels homes or builds them for troops who were injured and need their homes remodeled as a result of their injuries. The USO provides a variety of services for veterans and can always use donations or volunteers.
Another way to help veterans is to assist with their pets. Some dogs and cats get left behind when troops are deployed or forced to move. Volunteering to foster a pet until a soldier returns is another way to give back. Some mili-tary service dogs can be injured or traumatized during battle. Working dogs can be rehabilitated or adopted upon returning home.
According to the organization
Veterans, Inc., veterans are more at risk of becoming homeless than those who do not serve in the mili-tary. Some causes of homeless-ness include lack of education and transferable skills after returning from military life. Physical and mental health issues can make finding work challenging. Some veterans may cope with trauma resulting from their deployment by leaning on drugs and alcohol, and that can interfere with their ability to get and/or keep jobs. Individuals can help veterans by opening their homes to friends and family mem-bers who may need a temporary place to stay. Encourage veterans to embrace job training programs or seek therapy if necessary.
Providing support to military personnel both past and present can mean a world of difference. Correspond with veterans through mail, email or text messages. Operation American Soldier estab-lishes connections between civil-ians and troops so that all soldiers
receive daily mail, whether its a care package or letter of thanks.
Other simple ways people can give back to troops is to personally thank them for serving their coun-try. Share time with veterans and ask to spend time listening to their stories and experiences.
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HOLIDAY SALUTE | OFFERING HELP
PROGRAMS FOR MILITARY FAMILIES
While you’re putting together your list
of gifts for the special people around you, don’t forget the military families.
Spouses and children of those serving in the military are some of the most deserving during the holiday season, especially ones who will not be fortunate enough to spend time with their loved one at Christmas.
Military budgets can be stretched to the maximum with-out a lot left over for Christmas presents. That’s where you can come in. To help thank military families for the sacrifices made year-round, many organiza-tions have developed special Christmas programs.
These initiatives can be crucial in making the holidays a positive time for military, spouses and children alike.
Here are some programs and options available to military families in need and how people can assist:
Adopt-a-FamilyNumerous organizations offer
adopt-a-family programs, which facilitate the easy sharing of military families’ Christmas wish lists. You simply “adopt” a family and purchase items
they request. These program are extremely popular, so military families must submit an applica-tion months before Christmas to become eligible.
Full Circle HomeFull Circle Home gives
deployed servicemen a chance to send a gift box to their wives back home. Gift boxes can con-tain pampering items, such as lotions, bubble baths and spa socks. They also include a per-sonalized, handwritten note from the serviceman.
Heroes at HomeThis donation-based program
is coordinated by Sears and allows military families to apply for a gift card to help with their holiday shopping.
Registration for the gift cards generally opens at the end of August and has had up to 20,000 applications, of which a select amount is chosen to receive the cards depending on the amount of donations received.
Military Installation Support
If you’re looking to donate your time or funds locally, the family centers within military installations often offer assis-tance to military families in many forms. These may include buying children Christmas gifts or running errands.
Contact your local installation to find out how you can help or receive assistance.
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HOLIDAY SALUTE | CHILDREN
TOYS FOR TOTS
Every child deserves a toy at Christmastime. The United
States Marine Corps works hard to make sure that is the case for as many children as possible.
Its Toys for Tots program col-lects new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year.
The toys are then distributed as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in the community in which the campaign is conducted. The program, which the Secretary of Defense approved as an official activity of the Marines in 1995, is for all children, including military kids.
The Toys for Tots objectives are as simple as they are honorable:
• Help less fortunate children throughout the United States expe-rience the joy of Christmas.
• Play an active role in the development of children.
• Unite all members of local communities in a common cause.
• Contribute to better communi-ties in the future.
ActivitiesThe principal Toys for Tots
activity is the annual collection and distribution of toys, which is generally coordinated by the local reserve unit. In communities with-out a reserve unit, the campaign can be conducted by a detachment or an authorized group of veteran Marines.
And Toys for Tots is not strict-ly focused on Christmastime. Campaign coordinators also con-duct annual events including golf tournaments, foot races, bicycle races and other voluntary events designed to garner support and donations for the program.
Achievements and How to Help
To date, the organization has distributed nearly 500 million toys to more than 200 million less for-tunate children. It has also been named the Outstanding Nonprofit Organization of the Year by various high-profile federations and media
organizations. You can help this program by
donating a toy at one of your local toy-drop locations or by hosting an event at your home. Visit www.toysfortots.com/donate/toys to access the organization’s drop-down menu for locations and volun-teer opportunities.
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With our deepest gratitude, Miracle-Ear honors those Americans in service that guard our security, protect our freedoms and represent us to the world.
Bless those actively at duty and the souls of the fallen.
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HOLIDAY SALUTE | APPRECIATION
THANK A VETERAN
Veterans are proud people who rely on work ethic
and commitment to push them through their missions, both within the military and in their post- military lives. But a simple, sincere thank you can go a long way, too.
It helps members of the military to know that their efforts are not going unrecognized, especially since being away from their friends and family mem-bers for long periods of time can be an emotionally stressful experience.
You may be at a loss in thinking of a way to thank them for their service. Luckily, numerous organi-zations make the military thank-you an easy gift to give this holiday season.
Here are a few: • Thank-A-Vet: Get
involved with Thank-A-Vet, a non-profit organization
that raises funds, socks and goods for veterans and their families. The group hosts and attends events that honor veterans and their loved ones, providing vol-unteer services and “Cups of Camaraderie” through its Veteran Coffee Clubs pro-gramming.
• Surprise a vet: One organization offering unique veteran gifts is Brown Paper Ticket and its “Salutes” program, which allows you to donate event tickets that will get into the hands of a veteran in the city of your choice. Events of all types range in price from $5 to $100 and
include sporting events, comedy shows, dinners and comic-book conventions. Your contribution can help treat a veteran to a much deserved night on the town
• Charitable Events: Even during the winter-time, many organizations coordinate 5K walks or runs to help military per-sonnel. Your entry fee can go toward helping veterans who may be down on their luck or even homeless.
Find such events online through your local veterans organizations and sprint toward the opportunity to help them with their cause.
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Brian WilsonU.S. Army1999-2003
Maj. Harty SchmaehlU.S. Army1964-1980
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HOLIDAY SALUTE | APPRECIATION
HOW TO HONOR SERVICEMEN AND WOMENMen and
women serving in the military
make considerable sacrifices in defense of the United States and its citizens. Such sacrifices can easily be taken for granted by those with no friends or family members serving in the military, but it’s important for all Americans to recog-nize the efforts of both active and veteran servicemen and women.
Honoring active military mem-bers and veterans does not have to be an elaborate undertaking. Service members and their fami-lies often cherish even the sim-plest of gestures, and the follow-ing are a handful of ways grate-ful men and women can show their appreciation to active and retired members of the military.
Help a neighbor who’s on active duty
Active duty service members can be away from their families for long periods of time, and their absence can make things difficult for their families. Spouses of deployed service members are typically left to manage a household on their own for months at a time. Neighbors can show their appreciation by
helping with some chores around the house. Offer to mow a neigh-bor’s lawn or drive a neighbor’s kids to school. Such gestures might seem small, but they can go a long way toward alleviating some of the stress that spouses of deployed service members deal with on a daily basis.
Support the Wounded Warrior Project
Many service members sustain physical injuries while deployed. The Wounded Warrior Project works to raise awareness and enlist the public’s help to address the needs of injured service members. Men and women who want to show their appreciation to injured service members can work with the Wounded Warrior Project by volunteering at proj-
ect-sponsored events or hosting fundraising events such as golf tournaments or community pic-nics. More information about working with the Wounded
Warrior Project is available at www.woundedwarriorproject.org.
Write a letter of appreciationOne of the simplest ways to
show your support for service members is to write them a letter expressing that appreciation. If a friends, relatives or neighbors are active service members or veterans, sit down and write a letter telling them how much you appreciate their sacrifice in ser-vice of their country, and encour-age youngsters to do the same. If you don’t know any members of the military, you can work with
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Th is Veterans Day, “Heroes Emeritus” would like to honor our senior Veterans and Veteran’s families for their service. Heroes
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Juniper Meadows salutes our Veterans and the Veterans of the Lewis-Clark Valley. Th ank you for your courage, dedication and loyalty as you served our country proudly. We love you!
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A Million Thanks (www.amillion-thanks.org), a year-round cam-paign that encourages Americans to write letters or emails or send cards or prayers to U.S. military personnel, past and present to thank them for their sacrifices, dedication and service.
Exercise your right to voteOne of the best ways to honor
servicemen and women is to avoid taking the rights they so bravely defend for granted. Members of the military rou-tinely put their lives on the line so Americans can enjoy freedoms that many people across the globe cannot. Voting is one such freedom, so Americans should make it a point to vote every Election Day and teach their kids about the responsibility each American has to vote and take an interest in their government. Speak with active and veteran members of the military about their thoughts on proposed legis-lation and their opinions on how to improve that legislation, taking those opinions into consideration before casting your vote.
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HOLIDAY SALUTE | LOCAL
Robert (Bob) Patterson remembers fighting on the Pacific islands of Japan during World War II like it was yesterday.
The 87-year-old Colfax native and Kendrick retiree shares
his experiences, some painful and some humor-ous, with the reality of a man who fought hard for three years overseas without a break.
By Kathy JonesFor Holiday Salute
In 1943, World War II was on everyone’s mind. Leaving high school in his junior year, Patterson had written permis-sion from his mother, and at 17
years old, enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. “We were the last of the ‘Old Corps,’ which meant we joined the Marines before the draft,” Patterson said. “We were very young, but eager to do our part.”
Patterson’s unit — 36th Replacement Division, “Old Corps” — was sent in on the first wave to Saipan.
“Saipan was a mean place,” Patterson said. “The smell of death was everywhere and the loss of American and Japanese lives was a constant reminder that my life depended on awareness and alertness every hour of every day.”
Patterson recalled one night in Saipan when their communication line broke and as first gunner, he
ran to find the break. Just as the machine gunner came by with the repair kit, a mortar shell hit next to them and Patterson was knocked unconscious. When he awoke, dirt was thick on his face and in his eyes; he could not see. He felt shrapnel wounds in his body, especially in his hand.
“I was lying on my back and felt the machine gunner’s body across my legs,” Patterson said. “He didn’t move.”
Unbeknownst to Patterson, an enemy soldier was walking in his direction, using a bayonet to make sure the wounded were dead. He was within inches of Patterson when a soldier in the foxhole next to him shot the enemy. Patterson was taken to the first-aid station where he was cleaned up and his Photo courtesy of Kathy Jones
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Th e History of Veterans Day
Kermit Malcom says goodbye to one of his daughters, 1945.
Veterans Day, formerly known as Armistice Day, was originally set as a U.S. legal holiday to honor the end of World War I, which offi cially took place on November 11, 1918. In legislation that was passed in 1938,
November 11 was “dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereaft er celebrated and known as ‘Armistice Day.’” As such, this new legal holiday honored World War I veterans.
In 1954, aft er having been through both World War II and the Korean War, the 83rd U.S. Congress -- at the urging of the veterans service organizations -- amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word “Armistice” and inserting the word “Veterans.” With the approval of this legislation on June 1, 1954, Nov. 11 became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.
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hand bandaged, except for the trigger finger.
“Medics always left the trigger finger open,” Patterson said with a smile.
A few hours later, there was a call that the enemy was getting close to the aid sta-tion and a cry was heard for anyone able to come fight. Patterson left his cot and hur-ried to fight with his unit.
“It’s amazing how close to the ground you can get when you hear gunfire,” Patterson said.
After defending the aid station, Patterson rejoined his unit and kept on fighting. When the medics couldn’t find him, they thought he had been killed in battle. He was listed as missing in action, and a letter was sent to his mother informing her of his status.
“I didn’t know I was listed as MIA, and several weeks later I had time to send a
letter,” he said. “When my mother got that letter, she was shocked.”
Patterson’s command post was located in cane fields where a soldier’s living quar-ters were primitive: no bar-racks, no mess hall, and every-thing they owned was soaked by the jungle rain. Heavy fighting ensued for days on end.
“One day, we were told to go on top of a mountain and capture the Japanese com-munication station,” Patterson said. “We crawled on our bellies for three days. The Japanese must have known we would overpower them because when we got there, the commander and his staff had killed themselves. We grabbed papers on the table and headed down the moun-tain just as a typhoon hit. We had been fighting the enemy and weather for days and our morale was getting low. We
hadn’t eaten for days, our clothes were barely hanging on, our bodies were battered and the only thing in front of us was more fighting. When we got to the bottom of the mountain, we were in the eye of the storm. A recon battalion saw us and called for a ship to come pick us up. We were taken out to the ship and placed in the recre-ation room.”
The captain called his sailors and told them, “Don’t talk to these soldiers. Don’t even look at them. Let them come on board, lock them up and that’s where they will stay.”
Patterson said it wasn’t like it sounded.
“We were so weary and in such a mean frame of mind, that the captain was protect-ing us and his sailors,” he said. “They took our clothes and gave us new ones. They fed us good meals and tried to
HOLIDAY SALUTE | LOCAL
Photo courtesy of Kathy Jones
For every moment of peace For every day of grace and greatness For every liberty we enjoy We owe a person in the service of our country
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HOLIDAY SALUTE | LOCALbring us back physically and emo-tionally in three days.”
Patterson remembers the sec-ond time his mother was notified that he was MIA. His unit was being shipped to Okinawa by land-ing craft. Patterson had just gone topside when he saw a Japanese plane flying toward them.
“I knew it was a suicide plane,” He said. “I jumped about 20 feet over the side of the craft and was in the air when the plane hit and exploded. Everything was lost. There were about 30 of us in the water and we were swimming around wondering what in the hell we were going to do.”
An Australian ship in the area saw the explosion and came closer. Nets were thrown out and the Marines climbed aboard. They were told the ship was headed for Australia.
“From the moment we stepped on the Australian ship, Marine command didn’t know what hap-pened to us, and presumed we
were dead so they sent another notice to my mother that I was MIA,” Patterson said. “The Australians were very good to us. They gave us rooms in a hotel, gave us clothes and wined and dined us for three weeks before a message got to the U.S. where we were.
“Uncle Sam didn’t waste any time in retrieving us,” Patterson added with a laugh.
Saipan was once again his des-tination.
“The mosquitoes and flies were so thick you couldn’t get away from them,” Patterson said. “The flies were everywhere during the day while the mosquitoes came out at night.”
Members of Patterson’s unit contracted dengue from the mos-quitoes and the medics were not familiar with the disease. A patrol was sent undercover to capture a Japanese doctor and bring him to their camp for information and medicines.
“The Japanese didn’t know it,” Patterson said, “but we were all so sick, they could have walked all over us.”
Patterson’s unit was sent to a secret location at Tinian to stand guard around an enclosed area on which an airplane hangar was located.
“We didn’t know what this was all about, but we had strict orders to shoot any man who tried to cross the security line,” Patterson said. “Anyone coming and going had to have a green-coded pass to get through the gate.”
One morning, Patterson noticed some high command officers arriving, and soon the security detail heard a plane warming up inside the hangar.
“I couldn’t figure out why it was warming up inside the build-ing,” Patterson said. “The pilots began to roll the plane out and overhead we saw a fighter squad-ron who had come to escort the B29 airplane with the words Enola Gay painted on its lower left nose.”
It was late afternoon when the Enola Gay returned and the next day Patterson heard about this “big bomb that went off in Hiroshima on mainland Japan.”
Three days later, another atom-ic bomb was dropped at Nagasaki. The war was over.
Patterson’s unit was part of the first wave of occupation forces that landed on mainland Japan. Although his unit was not allowed in the Nagasaki drop zone, they were sent on patrol about six miles outside the area. He said the destruction of buildings was noth-
ing compared to the civilians who were burned or injured.
“We had to secure the perim-eters of Nagasaki and saw the results of the bomb,” Patterson said. “It was real bad. It was ter-rible. It made believers out of us.”
While on patrol at Nagasaki, Patterson’s battalion made three long lines on the streets of the city.
“We were trying to evaluate the dangers before going in to deactivate armed weapons,” he said. “There wasn’t a person in sight. We were waiting on orders to move out when an old Japanese lady came forward pushing a cart. You could tell she was petrified but she pushed that cart down the middle of our line and then back up again. When she moved along, we politely greeted her. We guessed she volunteered to see if we would hurt her. When she returned to the village unharmed, the civilians came out and showed themselves.”
One of the saddest times Patterson remembers was patrolling the northern area of Saipan where Japanese were known to hide in caves. At the Suicide Cliffs, as it is now known, Japanese women, children, men and soldiers had been hiding in the caves. American soldiers were trying to coax them out of the caves and have them lay down any weapons. A Japanese interpreter tried to tell everyone they would not be harmed but as they came out, they slowly walked to the high cliffs overlooking the ocean and jumped to their deaths.
“This woman came out with two little boys and one in her arms,”
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he said. “She walked to the edge of the cliff and we tried to talk her out of jumping. She looked straight at us, threw her boys over and then jumped with the baby in her arms.
“The Japanese thought death was better than losing one’s honor in defeat.”
In December 1946, Patterson was discharged. Asked how he survived the emotional reality of losing friends in battle, living daily with intense danger, lack of sleep and food and being wound-ed, Patterson said:
“There were four of us who jumped on a freight train and rode through Washington, Idaho, North Dakota and Nebraska. We would arrive in a town, get a job for a while and then jump on another boxcar. We wore our Marine uni-form and people were real good to us. After several months, we decided we had had enough wan-dering. I think traveling and work-ing and meeting so many support-ive people was the way we worked
through the emotional distress.”
In August 2012, Patterson and his son, Milt Patterson of Lewiston, were on an Honor Flight in which World War II vet-erans were flown to Washington, D.C.
“We saw all the memorials. They treated us real good, like a bunch of admirals,” he said. “We had good food and a good hotel. Honor guards performed just for us. It was humbling.”
Patterson talks about his per-sonal experiences during World War II with sadness, compassion, humility, humor and respect, and he always talks about the men he served with in a tone of deep rev-erence and honor.
“I have the greatest respect for my Marine buddies and the com-manding officers,” Patterson said, tears in his eyes. “They were the best Marines ever.”
HOLIDAY SALUTE | LOCAL
Photo courtesy of Kathy Jones
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18 L E W I S TO N T R I B U N E M O N DAY, N OV E M B E R 1 0 , 2 0 1 4
Al LeguisSergeant - US Air Force
1969-1973States; South East Asia
David GrinsteadCorporal - US Marine Corps
1959-1963 Twenty-nine Palms, CA; Cuba
Wayne NeaceE-4 - Army
1963-1966Vietnam
Harry Stenzel Army
2 years Vietnam - Pleiku
Dennis R. PaulGY Sergeant - US Marines
21 years: Oct. 1962 - Oct. 1983CA; HA, Okinawa; Vietnam; Cambodia; Indian Ocean; Philippines:
3d Mar Div, 1st MAW, 1st Mar Div, 3rd MAW FMF PAC
Jeremiah CermakPrivate 1st Class - USMC
2013 - Present — 2nd Recon Battalion;Camp Lejeune, North Carolina
Kenneth L. AlexanderLieutenant (JG) - Navy
1967 - 1970Charieston, SC; Vietnam
Benjamin George JacobsTSgt - US Air ForceCSAR FE H60 Pavehawk
2003-Present, RAF/LAK England
Kaden JaredStaff Sergeant - Air Force
5 yearsFort Mead; Maryland
Bill BraunSergeant - Army
1946-1947Korea
Daniel A HarrisE5 Sargeant - USMCMay 1972 - November 1976
Homestead AFB; Florida
Jamie Pennington EggersSr A - Air Force, Security
1993-1999Texas; Oklahoma; Alaska; Saudi Arabia
Bonnie L. DeanPFC - WAC US Army
3 yearsFt. Sill, Oklahoma
Ryan KlamperLieutenant - Navy14 years - San Diego, CA
2014Salute a
VeteranVeteranSection 11-10-14
Samantha J. ElliottCorporal - Marines
4 years Jacksonville, N.C.
M o n day, n ov e M b e r 1 0 , 2 0 1 4 L e W I S To n T r I b U n e 19
Robert DeanSergeant - Marines & Army
7 yearsPearl Harbor (Marines); Korea Paratrooper 1950-1951
Morris “Buck” BaileyPetty Offcier 2nd Class — Navy
USS DipHDA1950 - 1954 — Korea
David L. LounsberryLCpl — Marines
1974-1979Okinawa; Hawaii; Fox 2/9 Lima 3/7
Danial CopelandE-4 Specialist — Army
2011 - PresentGermany
26 L e w i s to n t r i b u n e M o n day, n ov e M b e r 1 0 , 2 0 1 4
HOLIDAY SALUTE | A SHOW OF SUPPORT
HISTORICAL SCRAPBOOKS CAN HONOR OLDER RELATIVES
There are so many differ-ent and cre-ative ways for
families to showcase their heritage and honor a grandparent or other special senior. Scrapbooks are one such way to share the life of a special person and indirectly tell the tale of your family his-tory.
Very often personal history projects are a part of elementary school curricula, so you may already have the makings of a family tree or a family diary in your home. All it takes is a little more research and some plan-ning to design a scrapbook that can be gifted or kept for genera-tions to enjoy.
Begin by making an outline of what you would like to cover in the scrapbook. Perhaps there is a specific event in a grandparent’s life that is worth highlighting, like a military tour of duty or a brief stint in show business. Maybe you would like to present different snapshots in time dur-ing his or her life. Either way,
planning out the content of the scrapbook will make it easier to gather the necessary elements.
Once you’ve settled on a theme, begin your research by interviewing the eventual recipi-ent (he or she doesn’t have to know the reason behind the inquiry).
During the interview, take note of key dates and try to establish the mood of the era with support-ing materials. For example, you may be able to find samples of advertisements from a correlat-ing period in history or newspa-per clippings that can be used to fluff up the content of the book.
In the meantime, gather photos that can be used in the scrap-book, which may take some hunting. Prints can be scanned and copied via a desktop scan-ner at home, or loaded onto a CD or thumb drive and brought to a pharmacy photo kiosk. Some spe-cialty shops can even scan slides or convert stills from film into images. Make sure to make cop-ies of all original prints and be careful not to lose or damage the originals.
Scrapbooks can be made man-ually with materials purchased anywhere from craft and hobby stores to stationery shops. There are a variety of paper-cutting tools, adhesives, stickers, labels, and stencils that can be used to
enhance the look of the scrap-book. There also are computer software programs or online tools through photo-sharing sites that enable you to upload images and text and design photo books entirely online. Then the finished product can be printed out in a variety of finishes. This method may actually be preferable for those who plan to save the scrap-book or anticipate it being such a big hit that others will want their own copies.
Create a digital file of all of your information and copies of images. This way if you ever
want to add to the scrapbook or reproduce information in the future you will have all of the information at your fingertips. The scrapbook also will serve as a good source material down the line should future generations want to learn about their ances-tors.
Scrapbooking is more than just detailing baby’s first birthday or a vacation. This popular pastime can help document the life of a special senior.
Scrapbook memorabilia for grandparents may include mementos from military days.
A Holiday Saluteto America’s Armed Forces and their families 4
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HOLIDAY SALUTE | A SHOW OF SUPPORT
Wreaths across america
In one of the most impressive, col-laborative acts of military appre-
ciation you will see during the holiday sea-son, Wreaths Across America coordinates wreath-laying ceremo-nies throughout all 50 states and beyond every December.
The non-profit organization chooses a specified Saturday and relies upon the help of thousands of selfless volunteers to place wreaths at veteran gravesites at nearly 900 locations within the United States and abroad.
The group placed a record 142,000-plus wreaths last year at Arlington National Cemetery alone. Here are some other
impressive numbers from the 2013 campaign:
• More than 25,000 volunteers participated.
• More than 1,000 local fund-raising groups took part.
• All 50 states played a role in coordinating local wreath-laying ceremonies.
• 5,000 wreaths were donated in 1992, the first unofficial year of the program
The HistoryMorrill Worcester, owner of
Worcester Wreath Company of Harrington, Maine, founded Wreaths Across America in 1992. He had a surplus of wreaths and decided to use them to honor vet-erans, according to the organiza-tion’s website. The organization received official status in 2008.
With the help of U.S. Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) and a host of local volunteers, arrange-ments were made for the wreaths to be placed in one of the older sections of Arlington National Cemetery. The project has rap-
idly progressed, thanks to social media and a U.S. citizenry committed to sharing some holiday appreciation for those who have served and made the ultimate sacrifice.
Get Involved
It is easy to indi-vidually honor the veterans in your local community by placing a wreath. You can coordinate a wreath-laying cere-mony in your town or help raise funds for wreath sponsorships for Arlington.
Groups can also become involved by volunteering to assist with wreath-laying activities. Invite your friends and family dur-ing your holiday break to spend some time honoring our service men, women and families.
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