Tag Archives: Iowa Veterans

Commanders Call – December 2015

wavp logo 3WAVP update as of 11/20/15:  Lower level floor concrete floor has been completed.  Steel supports, concrete core deck installed and 3” concrete floor poured on that, which is the floor for second level.  Steel for stairwells is scheduled for delivery, other steel and exterior walls also scheduled for delivery.  For those that are in warmer climates, we have been under a week of rain, strong wind and now winter snow warnings, so some work has come to a temporary halt.

Ted Lanske 319-240-0734 tedsph98@aol.com

Ted Lanske
319-240-0734
tedsph98@aol.com

*This past month, we have lost two wonderful gentlemen, Veterans, family men, and community members.  It was my pleasure to share time with them being involved in Veteran’s activities, but even better when we could just sit and visit, sharing our experiences and family stories.  I wish to express to the families of Harold Lindeman and Harry Janssen; my prayers and God’s Blessings to all of you and know they left our world just a little better.

*I express my “Thanks” to all that attended our membership dinners, both the Men and the Ladies.  Your support is extremely important at this time as we prepare in the next 12 months to move into our new facility.  I realize and understand that some individuals are disappointed that more information is not provided, but we are trying our best at providing information in pictures on the web sites, slide show presentation on the one TV and occasionally with the Table talk/Latest News pieces I write.  I spend on an average, between 20-30 hours per week volunteering as custodian/maintenance at the Post or meetings/writing/etc. and like some of you, exasperated that things are not progressing faster.  Let me assure you, that there are other members on the board that put more hours than that into this project and will continue to do so.  BUT:  the WAVP is now under construction, progress is being made and we are at a point that the involvement of ALL our organizations and supporters are needed.  Do you have a vision of what the WAVP could be doing; for Veterans, for our community, for our schools, or something outside the box, please contact me, James Brandau or Carl Benning.  Ideas without leadership are like a ship without a Captain, going nowhere.  WE NEED YOU.

*My thanks to everyone that came to the Veterans Day activities at the Centre’,  the volunteers, Bremer County VA, WAVP Honor Guard, Speaker Carl Benning and the biggest THANKS to Jim Vowels and the WSR Band.  AMVETS will not be the coordinator for Veterans Day 2016, but I would hope that it will be in the new facility and we pack the place.  With vision, volunteers and a “Captain”, Veterans Day 2016 should be one for the history books.

*REMINDER:  2016 memberships are due for all, so please renew now and if you were a past social member, stop at the Canteen and renew as a 2016 WAVP Patriot Supporter.  Many of our past social were and are more supportive of the WAVP than some of our Veterans and I accept and appreciate that.

*Christmas season and holidays are upon us, and if you are looking for a special long lasting gift for a young Veteran, think of a Tribute brick recognizing his service.  Are you thinking of a year-end donation, then add to your pledge or make another donation to the WAVP.  YUCK, but tax time is just around the corner.

*From my Family; we wish all of you a “Merry Christmas”, “Happy Holidays” and safe journeys.  Try making someone’s holiday just a little better by:  adding something to the Auxiliary’s box at the Canteen, a toy in “A toy for tots box”, if your church has a giving or gift tree, donation to Bremer County VA for Veterans or homeless shelter, or loose change in a red kettle.  We still live in the greatest country in the world and the generosity of Americans when a disaster strikes elsewhere is proof of that.  Sometimes the greatest gift you can give is your time; visit a sick or home bound friend, help or assist someone to church, volunteer someplace or complete the phone call you have been thinking about for the last year.  Truthfully, I need to take some of my own suggestions.  May God Bless all of you.

 

Help AMVETS Help Veterans

Commanders Call – December 2014

Cmdr_TedTed Lanske, Post Commander
319-240-0734
tedsph98@aol.com

*Although they were not active Post 79 AMVETS, they were well known in our family.  My condolences go out to the families of William (Bill) Taylor whom passed away on 31 October 2014 and Leland “Red” Metz whom passed on 3 November 2014.  Bill served our country and Veterans during the Vietnam conflict, rehabilitating Vietnam Veterans at Fitzsimmon’s Army Hospital in Denver, Colorado before coming to Waverly.  Red was a regular at AMVETS fish fry’s and Saturday steaks, and a life-long member of AMVETS Post 30 of Clarksville.  Again, it saddens me that the smiles these men shared with all of us will no longer be here; their memories will be and am thankful that they shared a few moments of their lives with me.

*Many thanks to all those that attended the membership dinner.  A special thanks to the Ladies that helped serve, made bars, tended bar and just made us all have an enjoyable evening.  The question was asked; “Would you (AMVETS) be willing to move our dinner into October or September?”  The response so far has been positive that we move it up, possibly share with the Ladies, to start an hour earlier and still open to further suggestions.  I will be meeting with the Auxiliary Officers and sharing of thoughts and ideas will continue.

*I wish to give credit to Richard Miller, Legion Commander and AMVET member for a couple of things: a great call moving the Veteran activities from the Tribute to the Centre and an excellent program.  The comments I received were all totally positive and will be used to evaluate decisions for next year.

*There are way too many people to thank for the Veterans Day activities at the Centre; greeters, displays, businesses, speakers, refreshment providers, volunteers and whomever I missed, but am going to recognize a few anyway.  To Mary Hatala, Lornarae Power, Jean Sable and Neal Jarnagin for hours of work, a special thanks to Cedar Falls Mayor Crews for spending a few hours greeting, and the best was kept for last, Dr. Simon Estes took time to share some life stories along with his glorious voice to end a wonderful day.

*Please Note:  A Hors d’oeuvres party is scheduled for Wednesday, December 17th at the VFW Post.  This is open to ALL organizations, so bring a dish to share and let us end 2014 and look forward to 2015 with friends and family.  The party will start with a social period and dinner to follow.

*Goodbye 2014-Hello 2015:  From myself and my personal family to all of you, “May you have a wonderful and glorious Christmas, a safe and healthy New Year, fond memories from the past year and anticipation of a new year filled with great expectations”.

*History bits for December: 4th – P-51 fighters begin escorting US bombers over Europe (1943), 7th – Attack on Pearl Harbor (1941), 8th – Japan attacks the Philippines (1941), 8th – US declares war on Japan (1941), 9th – Guam falls to Japan (1941), 11th – US declares war on Germany and Italy (1941), 15th – D-day New Britain (1943) and Mindoro (1944), 16th – Battle of the Bulge begins (1944), 24th – General Eisenhower becomes Supreme Commander of Allied Forces (1943), 26th – The siege of Bastogne is lifted (1944).  Please note that this is not a complete listing, but just a fraction to remind us of the sacrifices of those before us.

 

Help AMVETS Help Veterans

SSgt. Maurice L. Fevold – MIA since 1944

From the Commander:   Although this Airman was not an AMVET, I felt it was appropriate since on several occasions I have mentioned the job the JPAC team and the dedication of the Joint Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Accounting Command does.  This is an example of why the U.S. is special; we never stop looking for our POW/MIA’s.

This was provided through the Iowa National Guard and the office of Col. Greg Hapgood, Public Affairs Officer.

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IOWA WWII AIRMAN RETURNS HOME 70 YEARS LATER image001FOLLOWING DISCOVERY OF REMAINS IN BELGIUM

Nearly 70 years after completing his final bombing mission, Staff Sgt. Maurice L. Fevold is returning home to Iowa.
Fevold, a 21-year old Badger/Eagle Grove, Iowa native was assigned to the 599th Bomber Squadron, 397th Bomber Group (Medium), U.S. Army Air Corps. On Dec. 23, 1944, the first day of aviation operations for the Battle of the Bulge, Fevold, along with five other crew members, took off from Saint Quentin, France onboard a B-26G Marauder bomber aircraft to attack an enemy-held railroad bridge in Eller, Germany. Their aircraft was shot down by enemy anti-aircraft fire near Seffern, Germany, which borders Belgium. A total of 10 U.S. aircraft were recorded as lost in the vicinity of Seffern during this specific mission.

Fevold, the aircraft’s armorer-gunner, and the entire crew were officially declared deceased on Dec. 23, 1944, but their remains were never recovered. In November 2006, the Joint Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Accounting Command – Central Identification Laboratory (JPAC) received information of a possible aircraft crash site near Allmuthen, Belgium. In March 2007, a JPAC Investigation Team surveyed the purported crash site, where human remains and physical evidence were recovered in 2012 by JPAC personnel.

In 2014, JPAC’s Research and Analysis Group concluded a historical association existed between the artifacts and human remains recovered at the Belgium excavation site and Missing Air Crew Report #11985 from World War II. Mitochondrial DNA testing positively identified the remains as belonging to Fevold and other crew members from the missing aircraft.

Maurice Fevold was born Feb. 21, 1923 near Badger, Iowa to John and Carrie (Thorson) Fevold. He grew up in the Badger/Eagle Grove, Iowa area and was a 1941 graduate of Eagle Grove High School.

He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Jeanette Prime. He is survived by great nephews and great nieces: William Bushman of Missouri; Robert Sweeney of Hawaii; Michael Sweeney of Washington; Vicki Riley of Iowa; and Shelly Everheart.

A memorial service will be held on Monday, Oct. 20 at 2 p.m. at Bruce Funeral Home, followed by interment at the Blossom Hill Cemetery, Badger, Iowa (located northeast of Badger on 110th St. and Racine Ave.), with full military honors provided by the Iowa National Guard. The public is welcome to attend the visitation, funeral, and graveside service.