UW Libraries held an open house at Allen Library on Veterans Day, Friday, Nov. 11, in conjunction with the current World War I-themed exhibit, “Washington on the Western Front: At Home and Over There.” The event opened with a color guard from Ballard Eagleson VFW Post 3063.
From left, Harold Rodenberger, Joe Fitzgerald, and Bill Hoeller in color guard formation for the UW event.
The exhibit features photographs, diaries, newspapers, letters and ephemera from the World War I era. Notes with the exhibit discuss how the UW responded to the war with the formation of a hospital, ambulance unit and training camp. About 4,000 students, staff, faculty and alumni served, 58 of whom lost their lives in what was at the time called “The War to End All Wars.”
Gail Engler, Robert White, and Chuck Tuft distribute Buddy Poppies at QFC on Holman Road Nov. 11, 2016. Robert joined Post 3063 Nov. 10 and volunteered right away to help! According to VFW.org, “Before Memorial Day in 1922, we conducted our first poppy distribution, becoming the first veterans’ organization to organize a nationwide distribution. The poppy soon was adopted as the official memorial flower of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, as it remains today.”
Post 3063 members, friends, and family gathered with some of the post’s World War II veterans to honor their service at the post’s monthly social on Nov. 17, 2016.
Five of the post’s 14 living World War II veterans, along with two World War II veteran guests, were present at the ceremony. Members included Oscar Borchelt, Genaro Garcia, Herbert Leake, Al Linden, and Orville Mall, and the two guests were Richard Smith and Kristian Nielsen.
During the course of the night, members and guests mingled, recounted war stories, dined, and then participated in the recognition program. Commander Nestor Tamayao started the program with welcoming remarks and the Pledge of Allegiance.
“Freedom isn’t free and what you did kept our freedom,” said Commander Tamayao. “Our thanks extends from the World War II veterans to all veterans. Thank you to those attending.”
Orville Mall, a Post 3063 World War II veteran, examines his certificate after receiving it during the recognition ceremony.
Commander Tamayao also noted that his father was a survivor of the Bataan Death March so he especially understood how important it was to recognize their sacrifices.
Certificates that featured an illustration of the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., and membership longevity pins were presented to every World War II veteran in attendance.
Post 3063 Chaplain Bill Griffith then narrated a slideshow that included photos provided by the veterans and a historical overview of World War II.
“’Old soldiers never die, they just fade away,’” Chaplain Griffith said, recounting General Douglas MacArthur’s famous quote. “The VFW doesn’t want our veterans to fade away. But we noticed that World War II veterans weren’t attending meetings anymore.”
He went on to explain that they hoped to devise a program to track veterans closer. Part of this effort was the nexus for creating the night’s recognition program.
After the slideshow, the night ended with group photos, words of gratitude, and farewells. These veterans will not be forgotten.
From left, Richard Smith, Oscar Borchelt, Orville Mall, Herbert Leake, Genaro Garcia, and Al Linden.
November marks the beginning of an important holiday period in our American culture. This month brings Veterans Day and Thanksgiving.
On Veterans Day we will be visiting the VA Hospital, distributing poppies, and attending cemetery ceremonies and other Veterans Day activities. If you are interested in participating in any of these events, please drop our commander or me an email so we can fill you in on the details.
An anonymous donor contacted me and made a National Home challenge for the December meeting. He will match all December National Home donations in excess of $100 so save up and let’s make a record contribution to our VFW National Home during the December meeting.
Our own Chuck Murrell will be inducted into the VA Hospital Wall of Heroes on November 9, 2016. Congratulations, Chuck! If you’d like to attend, the ceremony will be at 11:00 a.m. in the Healing Garden. Ask at the Information Desk if you need directions.
Don’t forget the special program honoring our World War II veteran members during the social meeting on Nov. 17.
Finally, November is a good time to remember to be thankful for the many good things in our lives. Even though we all have our troubles and rough spots in life, compared to people in most parts of the world we are living lives blessed with many freedoms and protections. As for me, I’m thankful for the many good and helpful members of our post and the officers who do so much to keep this post moving forward. Thank You!
We recently received an email from local writer and Ballard High School graduate, Jerry E. Smith, who is researching and writing a book on the eighteen (now nineteen) students from Ballard High School who were killed in Vietnam. A ceremony to add Doug Zeller to the Vietnam Memorial Plaque is scheduled Nov. 10, 4 p.m. at Ballard High School. The following is an excerpt from that email.
Then Ballard High School student, Doug Zeller.
I contacted Ballard High School Principal Keven Wynkoop and asked him whether there were a list or roster of the Ballard High School students killed in Vietnam. Keven photographed the Vietnam Memorial Plaque which is on display in the school and emailed me the photographs showing the names of the eighteen men whom had been killed. Three of them were boys I had personally known. Thus the “The Ballard Eighteen” began. I spent hours of research at the Ballard High School Library, the Suzzallo Library at the University of Washington, online with the Texas Tech University Vietnam Archives, and many other online sites, telephone calls, and emails searching for and contacting family members of the “Eighteen.”
By the beginning of 2016 I thought that I was close to being finished and decided to do a final edit with each of the families of the “Eighteen,” giving them an opportunity to review and fact-check my work. While I was at the home of Tom and Dianne Riordan they said that they thought that student Doug Zeller was killed in Vietnam. I explained that Doug was not listed on the Vietnam Memorial Plaque, so he must have survived. I promised them that I would do some additional research on Doug Zeller and find out what had happened to him.
Unfortunately, I learned that Doug Zeller was indeed killed in Vietnam but not listed on the Ballard High School Vietnam Memorial Plaque. So “The Ballard Eighteen” became “The Ballard Nineteen.”
ceremony. Members included Oscar Borchelt, Genaro Garcia, Herbert Leake, Al Linden, and Orville Mall, and the two guests were Richard Smith and Kristian Nielsen.
