Category: History

From the Commander (April 2018)

By Pete Krawitz

 

As discussed during our March business meeting, I recently had the privilege of meeting with Arni Thomson and Brian Dodd, from Ballard Elks Lodge 827. Brian and Arni are working on a very ambitious project in hopes to pay tribute to some of the 4.7 million U.S. service members that served in WWI. Arni and Brian are embarking on a journey to catalog the names and burial sites of any known WWI veterans. Don’t we have a government agency for that? Well, I was surprised to learn that there isn’t an official list of U.S. service members who lost their lives in WWI. Additionally, finding said service information from the U.S. National Personnel Records agency is extremely difficult, if not impossible. A large amount of WWI veteran records were lost in the 1973 fire at the U.S. National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis.

 

November 11, 2018, will mark the 100th Anniversary of the end of World War I (WWI). As many of you know, Ballard-Eagleson Post 3063 was named to honor local UW alum, Lt. James Eagleson, of the US Army’s 69th Coast Artillery Corps. Nearly 5 million Americans served in WWI with approximately, 116,516 never making it home. Lt Eagleson was one of those 116,516. He died of Pneumonia on his journey back from France. Sadly, just as many service members succumbed to disease during and shortly after the war (~63,114) compared to actual combat (~53,402). It’s sad to think that some of these names have been forgotten in many hometowns across America. This is where Brian and Arni have stepped in.

 

So far, Arni and Brian have walked through Ft. Lawton Cemetery and photographed 135 headstones identifying WWI veterans, and they have created an alphabetized database with date of birth, date of death, branch of service and designation of WWI service. They have also embarked on similar activities at private and public cemeteries in Alaska.

 

There are a few other cemeteries in the Seattle Area that Arni and Brian would like to survey. This is a big undertaking. As such, they have reached out to Post 3063 to see if we would be interested in assisting with this project. Ultimately, Brian and Arni would like to add to the database and eventually provide it to the WWI Centennial Commission. They hope that the idea will catch on and other VFW posts will join in and help spread the word.

 

I’m very inspired by what Arni and Brian are trying to do and would very much like to assist them in any way we can. Perhaps we can even consider a joint project with Boy Scout Troop 80? We will be talking about this project some more during our April business meeting. If you have any interest in this project and would like to lead or assist in some way, please come on out to the meeting on Thursday, April 5 at 7 p.m. Alternatively, please send me an e-mail to [email protected].

 

Yours in Comradeship

Herb Leake: Engineer, Aid to MacArthur & Devoted Husband

By Gail Engler

 

It is with great sadness that we mourn the passing of Post 3063 Life Member Herb Leake who passed away on Nov. 21, 2017 at the age of 97.

 

Herb was born on April 8, 1920 in St. Charles, Illinois. Herb was a Veteran of WWII and served in the U.S. Army, a member of the 101st Airborne. Herb attended ROTC at University of Washington, and studied Aeronautical Engineering. He was working at Boeing when he received a letter from the Army saying he had been selected for the service. He wanted to join the Navy but was told he could join the Army and transfer later. That never happened, of course.

 

Boeing tried to keep Herb working there instead of going off to war, saying he was a critical employee to the aeronautical industry. Herb was initially a riveter on the B-17 program at Boeing, then a few months later he transferred to Material as an estimator. He remained there until he entered the U.S. Army on June 14, 1944.  He had received a deferment for a few years but eventually joined the Army and was sent to Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, GA.  He was wearing PFC stripes on his uniform and was asked where his stripes were. He was given corporal stripes and told to sew them on right away. He was eventually commissioned a second lieutenant after completing OCS.

 

Herb was sent to the Pacific Theater, which he felt guilty about as he spoke German and thought his language skills could be used in Europe. Many of his OCS buddies went to Europe and they were all killed in the Battle of the Bulge. As his wife said, “Herb’s life seemed to be charmed.”  He wasn’t sent to Europe and survived the Philippines. In the Philippines he served as an aide to General McArthur. He was told that his unit would be a part of the invasion of Japan and that there would be no survivors.   Luckily, Herb survived his WWII service.

Herb Leake
Herb and Anne Leake at a post holiday social.

 

Sometime during the war Herb met his first wife but soon after he returned home from the war his wife asked for a divorce. A few years later he and Anne met in Seattle. Herb was dating Anne’s sister when they first met; she was attending Cornish College. After she graduated and went on with her career in commercial art, Herb started calling Anne. Anne was teaching dancing in Westlake Center at night.  She also was working a job in Port Angeles. She said she had to quit that job to marry Herb due to the long distance between the two cities. Eventually they married on Feb. 14, 1953. They would have celebrated their 65th Anniversary in 2018.

 

Herb was in the National Guard at the time they met.  He retired as a lieutenant colonel after serving 40 years in the National Guard. One of his duty stations was at the old Armory at Seattle Center. He and Anne had three children together and they each had one child from previous marriages. Herb also worked for Boeing at the same time and retired after 40 years. After retirement Herb served as a volunteer at the Museum of Flight and helped restore the Boeing Model plane 247D, which was United Airlines flagship plane for many years. Herb had a private pilot’s license and was allowed to help fly the 247D partway from Tucson to Seattle.  Herb also belonged to the Highline Flying Club and was active in the Boeing Seahorses scuba diving club where Herb was President.

 

Anne Leake has been an active member of our post auxiliary and has played Santa Claus for our Christmas parties.  Her father used to play Santa Claus for many years.

 

In November 2016, Bill Griffith, Post 3063 Chaplain, organized a remembrance to honor all the WWII Veterans in our Post. Herb attended the celebration.

 

We will all miss Herb and greatly appreciate his service in World War II. We extend our sincerest sympathies to Anne and her family. A Celebration of Life will be held April 8, 2018, 1-3 p.m. at the Museum of Flight, 9404 E. Marginal Way. Internment of ashes will be April 9, 2018 at Acacia Memorial Park and Funeral Home, Lake Forest Park.       

 

Members visit Tacoma’s Horse Cavalry Buffalo Soldiers Museum in Tacoma

By Nestor Tamayao

 

Recently Comrade Aaron Stoltz and I visited a museum that we never knew existed. Nestled within a residential neighborhood in Tacoma is the 9th and 10th Cavalry Buffalo Soldiers Museum. Founded in 2005, the museum showcases an overlooked part of American history: the Buffalo Soldiers.  The museum began operating in 2012.

 

Buffalo Soldiers originally were members of the U.S. 10th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army, which was formed on September 21, 1866 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Buffalo Soldiers later comprised other regiments, including the 9th, 24th, 27th and 28th cavalry divisions. These African American Soldiers got their nickname by the Native American tribes they fought. The term became a generic term for all-black soldier units and is used by U.S. Army units that trace their direct lineage back to the 9th and 10th Cavalry.

 

Notable facts about the Buffalo Soldiers include:

  • First to experiment with bicycles.
  • In 1898, saved the 71st New York in the now famous charge up San Juan Hill.
  • Instrumental in the victory of the Spanish American War.
  • Represented over 20 percent of all U.S. Calvary Units until early 1890.
  • 19 Congressional Medals of Honor.
  • Five West Point Graduates.

 

The museum is filled with many artifacts, memorabilia and fascinating information and facts. It is one of only two of its kind in the country dedicated to the Buffalo Soldiers. The other is the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum in Houston, Texas. The museum has hosted a tribute to the famed Buffalo Soldiers with an evening with famed actor Danny Glover, who starred in the 1977 film Buffalo Soldiers.

 

The museum is open Wednesdays and Saturdays. For more information go to http://www.buffalosoldierstacoma.org/ or 253-272-4257.

 

From the Commander (May 2017)

By Nestor Tamayao

 

I bet many of you are thinking what I am – “It’s May already!”  The post will be busy this month with installation of newly elected officers, the Social and Memorial Day activities.  For me, May also marks the fact that my tenure as your commander is coming to a close next month.

 

While many equate May to the Memorial Day holiday, for the Veterans of Foreign Wars, there is a day that has significance as it was the VFW that had it recognized.  That day is May 1st, Loyalty Day.  The day provides an opportunity for all American citizens to reaffirm their loyalty.  Patriotic rallies, parades, public meetings, school programs and other activities are some examples that show citizens’ patriotism and loyalty to our government.

 

Loyalty Day’s roots are not recent.  The idea to hold patriotic rallies started in 1930 to offset the Communist rallies that were held on May Day.  The VFW’s involvement began with the adoption of a resolution at the VFW National Convention in 1949 to make May 1 as Loyalty Day.  In 1954, the resolution was introduced in Congress and approved in 1955.  It was officially recognized with the adoption of Public Law 529 in 1958.

 

Memorial Day gives the opportunity to honor the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.  It was known first as Decoration Day as the day graves of fallen Civil War soldiers were decorated.  The name Memorial Day came into use in 1882.  The name was declared by federal law in 1967.  Some confuse Memorial Day with Veterans Day.  While Memorial Day remembers those who died while serving, Veterans Day honors everyone who has served in the armed services.

 

The month of May provides citizens the opportunities to participate in activities that reflect continuing loyalty to America and honoring those who gave their lives to maintain our cherished freedoms.   If you are not able to attend an organized activity on Memorial Day, you can pause for a moment of silence at 3:00 p.m. on that day to honor those who have died in service to the nation, as The National Moment of Remembrance Act of 2000 encourages.