AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 2018 NEWSLETTER

VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA, INC.
P.O. BOX 6608
TEXARKANA, TX 75505-6608
www.vva278.org

OFFICERS
PRESIDENT: Gregory Beck
VICE-PRESIDENT: Harry Campbell
SECRETARY: Johnnie Gentry
TREASURER: Jimmy Smith
AVVA REP: Merle Morris

BOARD of DIRECTORS
Robert Brown
Freddie Weathers
Kenneth Cosby

EDITOR: Gregory Beck

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VVA #278 AUGUST MEETING

VVA # 278's next meeting will be Sunday, August 19, 2018 at 1:30 pm at the Texas Elks Lodge at 3702 New Boston Road. The meal (pot luck) will begin at 1:30 pm. We ask members to bring a covered dish &/or dessert to share. Topics to be discussed will include: Veterans' issues updates; Committee reports; Our 2018 fundraising project; Upcoming set-ups and events; the 2nd annual "Wagons for Veterans"; our 31st annual "POW/MIA Vigil"; Veterans Day Parade; Hosting a VVA Texas State Council meeting; etc. We will be gathering items for the "Heart of Red, White & Blue" which will be sent to troops that are deployed. See elsewhere in this newsletter for details on this project and items to be gathered.

REMEMBER: Sunday, August 19 at the Elks Lodge at 3702 New Boston Road.

VVA #278's SEPTEMBER 2018 MEETING (Cancelled)

At our July 15 meeting we elected to forego our September 16 meeting due to scheduling conflicts – Gun show, POW/MIA Vigil, etc. If anything comes up that needs our immediate attention we will work something out.

VVA # 278's October meeting will be held Sunday, October 21 at 1:30 pm at the Elks Lodge.

VVA #278 MEMEBERSHIP

As of July 31 VVA # 278 has 139 members: 113 Life, 24 Annual and/or 3 year; 2 IVI. Remember: You don’t have to have served in-country Vietnam to join VVA, you just need to have served during that time. We would like to extend a warm welcome to our new members: Tom Morrissey, Donnie Clayton, Virgle McKeehan, Jack Sanders, Windel Crawley, and Donald Wall. WELCOME ABOARD & WELCOME HOME!!! On a sad note we had one member who passed away -Larry Joe Edington.

We want YOU in the VVA #278 family!!! Membership is open to U.S. armed forces veterans who served on active duty (for other than training purposes) in the Republic of Vietnam between February 28, 1961, and May 7, 1975, or in any duty location between August 5, 1964, and May 7, 1975. Be as active as your time, talents and interests allow. Or simply be a proud member of VVA, knowing that your membership helps VVA work for you and your fellow Vietnam veterans. With over 82,000 members, VVA provides a community of fellowship with people who share your experiences, needs and hopes for the future. Join one of our over 500 chapters for fellowship, volunteer opportunities and community service. ATTENTION: New members and new life members: You must submit a copy of your DD- 214 form along with the application and dues payment!

Associates of Vietnam Veterans of America # 278 has 34 members: 21 Life; 14 Annual and/or 3 year.

Together then, Together now.

VVA #278 ACTIVITIES

Since our last newsletter VVA # 278 has set up a booth at "Sparks in the Park" where we distributed information, worked on our fundraising project and had our flak jackets, helmets and fake M-16s for the kids to put on and have their pictures taken. We had several members present a flag program to a summer camp group showing the proper disposal method & flag etiquette. We voted to sponsor a hole for the Elks Lodge # 2771’s golf tournament.

PRISONERS OF WAR/MISSING IN ACTION - POW/MIA - WE WILL NEVER FORGET!

AMERICANS ACCOUNTED FOR: The number of US personnel missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War is still 1,597 as of May 4, 2018. The total accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975 is 986. Another 63 US personnel, recovered by the US and identified before the end of the war, bring the total of US personnel accounted for from the Vietnam War to 1,049. There follows a breakdown by country of the 985 Americans accounted for since the April 30, 1975 end of the Vietnam War: Vietnam, 661; Laos, 268, Cambodia, 41 and the PRC, 3. Of the 1,598 still missing (POW/MIA) and unaccounted-for (KIA/BNR), 90% were lost in Vietnam or in areas of Cambodia and Laos under Vietnam’s wartime control: Vietnam-1,252 (VN-457, VS-795); Laos-291; Cambodia-48; PRC territorial waters-7. These country-specific numbers can and do fluctuate when investigations result in changes to loss locations. Of these 1598, 15 are from AR; 24 are from LA; 30 are from OK; and 101 are from TX. US Army -512; US Navy -357; US Marine Corps – 202; US Air Force – 496; Civilians – 31.

There are still 126 Americans unaccounted for from the Cold War 2 from AR; 1 from LA; 3 from OK; & 4 from TX.

As of May 5 , 2018 there are still 7,7094 Americans unaccounted for from the Korean War: 100 from AR; 144 from LA; 144 from OK; 431 from TX; 5872 from the Army; 908 from the Air Force; 276 from the Navy; & 647 from the USMC.

As of May 5, 2018, there are still 72,934 Americans unaccounted for from World War II, 850 from AR; 981 from LA; 1222 from OK; & 3642 from TX; 16,759 from the Army; 20,154 from the Army Air Corps; 31,222 from the Navy; 2879 from the USMC.

There are 6 Americans unaccounted for from Iraq Theater and other conflicts in the Middle East.

WE WILL NEVER FORGET!!

31st ANNUAL POW/MIA VIGIL

ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 (National POW/MIA Recognition Day) & 22, 2018, THE TEXARKANA AREA CHAPTER # 278 OF THE VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA, INC. WILL STAGE THEIR 30th ANNUAL POW/MIA VIGIL AT THE KOREA/VIETNAM MEMORIAL AT 7tH STREET & STATE LINE AVENUE IN DOWNTOWN TEXARKANA. THIS VIGIL IS TO HONOR AND REMEMBER THOSE WHO ARE/WERE CLASSIFIED AS PRISONERS OF WAR/MISSING IN ACTION (POW/MIA), BOTH THOSE WHO RETURNED AND THOSE STILL UNACCOUNTED FOR, FROM ALL WARS, TO RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THIS ISSUE AND TO LET THE FAMILIES OF THESE MEN AND WOMEN KNOW THEY ARE NOT ALONE IN THEIR QUEST OFR ANSWERS AND FOR CLOSURE. WE WILL SPEND ONE MINUTE FOR EACH AMERICAN WHO IS UNNACOUNTED FOR FROM THE VIETNAM WAR (1598), AND ONE MINUTE FOR EACH AMERICAN UNACCOUNTED FOR FROM THE KOREAN WAR WHOSE NAME IS ENGRAVED UPON THIS MEMORIAL (37) PLUS ONE MINUTE FOR EACH AMERICAN UNACCCOUNTED FOR FROM THE GULF WARS (3) AS OF NOW THIS IS 1638 MINUTES (27 HOURS AND 18 MINUTES).

LEST WE FORGET

Please note that we are going to collect items for the "Heart of the Red, White & Blue Military Drive" at this Vigil.

HEART OF RED, WHITE & BLUE MILITARY DRIVE

Farmers Bank & Trust salutes those men and women who have chosen to serve. Please help us in sending a little piece of home to our military serving overseas and donate. Suggested items to donate: Non-perishable food items, Gatorade packets, baby wipes, laundry detergent pods, sunscreen, towels, chap stick, board games, frisbees/balls, playing cards, books, sleep masks, shower shoes, toothpaste, body lotion, and deodorant.

VA Releases Report on Veteran Suicides

VA released its annual report on veteran suicides on Monday. This data, which includes the number of suicides from 2005-2015, also includes the number of suicides from DOD. In 2016, VA released data that found the average number of veterans who die by suicide each day to be 20. The average daily toll remains at 20 per day, but also includes the numbers of those who died by suicide while on active duty, as well as in the Guard or Reserve. The average number of those currently serving is reported to be 3.8 suicide deaths per day. The data shows that the number of veterans who are actively enrolled in VA is six veterans per day. The remaining 10 per day either have not used VA within a year, are not enrolled in VA or were still serving in uniform. Women veterans and older male veterans who never deployed are still at the highest risk for death by suicide. I firmly believe this number is much larger at this time-2018!

VETERANS SALUTE

Come join us as we honor our Veterans September 8, 2018 from 11 am – 6 pm in downtown Linden, TX. Mobile Vet Center, car show, blacksmithing demo, live bands, face painting, bounce house, vendors, and more. Veterans and their families will be honored with a free dinner. Veterans must pre-register at the Veterans registration booth between 11 am-6pm, proof of service is required with either a military ID, card, drivers license, or a series of questions. For more info please contact Michelle at 903-756-5391 or michelle.valentine@ag.tamu.edu

VETERANS DAY PARADE

THE TEXARKANA AREA VETERANS COUNCIL (TAVC) IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THAT IT WILL HOST THE ANNUAL "VETERANS DAY PARADE" THIS YEAR ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2018. IT WILL START AT 11:00 AM AT EAST BROAD & HAZEL STREETS. ALL AREA ORGANIZATIONS, SCHOOLS, CLUBS, CHURCHES & BUSINESSES ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE. CALL EITHER 870/773-8279 OR 877/824-4862 OR E-MAIL USMCGREG@AOL.COM TO BE INCLUDED IN THE LINE-UP.

THE THEME THIS YEAR IS "WORLD WAR I – 100 YEARS" SO COME DOWN AND SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE VETERAN -PAST-PRESENT-FUTURE!

COME DOWN & WAVE YOUR AMERICAN FLAG!!!

2nd ANNUAL "WAGONS FOR VETERANS"

When? March 30, 2019. What? A fundraiser to raise funds to assist local disabled and needy veterans of all eras. You can come out and see 15 or more chuckwagons (and other displays) hear local bands, gates open at 9:00 am, (looking is free) and for just $10 for adults, $5.00 for children 12 and under, eat from a varied menu of food cooked the old fashioned way – in cast iron pots over an open fire. Will start feeding at 12:00 noon. Live auction.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

August 2: TAVC meeting
August 16, 17 & 18: New Boston Pioneer Days
August 18: .Elks Veterans Breakfast
August 19: VVA # 278 meeting
September 6: TAVC meeting
September 8: Veterans Salute
September 15 & 16: Gun Show
September 21 & 22: 31st annual POW/MIA Vigil
October 4: TAVC meeting
October 6: Dekalb’s Oktoberfest
October 21: VVA # 278 meeting
October 26-27: VVA TSC meeting
November 1: TAVC meeting
November 3: Bloomburg’s Cullen Baker Days
November 10: Veterans Day Parade
November 18: VVA # 278 meeting
December 6: TAVC meeting
December 16: VVA # 278 meeting
March 30, 2019: 2nd Annual "Wagons for Veterans"

United States Army National Guard: December 13, 1636
United States Army: June 14, 1775
United States Navy: October 13, 1775
United States Marine Corps: November 10, 1775
United States Coast Guard: August 4, 1790
United States Air Force: September 18, 1947

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