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Newsletter - October 24, 2004
Editor Note:
Hal and I would like to extend a Thank You to all of the people
who responded to our September Pledge Drive outreach. We sent
out several hundred letters and duplicated with email to those
persons or groups that we had not heard from in some time.
This website depends upon voluntary assistance from our
visitors in order to continue online. If you have not
participated and can do so, please consider helping out.
We do not receive any help from outside sources such as
corporations, institutions or government agencies, see below
for Membership.
For those of you who have played a role in making the KWP a
reality,
THANK YOU!
Many of you are new to the Korean War Project in recent months
and years. You may find out more about us at this link:
https://www.koreanwar.org/html/about_the_project.html
Each month between 57,000 to 99,000+ persons visit the Korean
War Project. That rate of visitation has been pretty steady for
the last 5 years.
Thanks for visiting the Korean War Project
Ted and Hal Barker
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Late October 2004 Newsletter October 24, 2004
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Table of Contents
1. This Mailing List
2. Email address updates | Duplicate messages update
3. Kitchen Table Gang Flag Disposal
4. NPRC Records hoax
5. Film on the 51st Fighter Wing
6. JPAC Korean War Remains Recovery operations
7. Bookstore
8. VA Extends more health benefits to former POW's
9. Helicopter Squadron One, HU-1 website
10. Membership
11. USS Pueblo inquiry
12. "I AM NOT FORGOTTEN" a poem by Dick Kirk
13. Congratulations to the KWVA-Korean War Veterans Assoc.
Editor Production Note:
All of you have noticed a severe drop off in communications
delivered to you by our newsletters. We have also not been
very timely in getting articles and photos introduced to the
site that were submitted by our visitors.
Since 1998 the KWP has endeavored to deliver information and
updates of value on a bi-weekly basis. This year has seen
both Hal and I working outside the KWP than in the past three
years.
We have also been spending a large amount of time dealing with
programming updates, software and hardware failures. The spam
and other security issues that each of you have faced have also
plagued our website and email communications. During one period
the KWP received over 90,000 spam or virus infected email in a
two
day period.
Our firewall and anti-virus programs successfully diverted that
great imposition and continue to do so.
We continue to work with internet service providers to combat
the flood of spam and virus. It is a slow and thankless task.
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1. This Mailing List (going to 32,000 + persons)
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We began this newsletter mailing in December of 1998.
This list is a private list for our visitors and members.
A person may join or leave the list at will. It is compiled
from our Guest book and is for public service messages of
general interest to veterans and families.
To join or leave the list: email to: Ted Barker tbarker@kwp.org
with Subscribe or Unsubscribe in the subject line.
Consider forwarding the Newsletter to your friends.
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2. Email address updates | Duplicate messages update
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Do keep the KWP informed of your email address plus other
contact information such as phone and mailing address.
Many folks have incomplete or duplicate messages in the unit
message area "Looking For" and the "Guestbook". Please review
for messages to amend, update or delete.
We do not have contact information for many postings but leave
them intact in hopes of fostering networking among those who
visit the site.
Often times, the KWP will post follow up information to those
messages where no direct contact is possible. The information
posted is from people who have important information to share
with the person who originally posted the query.
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3. Kitchen Table Gang Flag Disposal
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From time to time the KWP features news articles about our
friends at the Kitchen Table Gang headed by Charles Taliaferro.
The "gang" provides visitation to veterans who cannot get out
or have severe disabilities, a wonderful program.
Today, Charlie wants folks to learn that the "gang" is now
handling disposal of torn or heavily worn flags.
You can dispose of your tattered, worn out and frayed American
flags without any charge to you whatsoever.
Please send your flags to us and we will dispose of your flags
in a proper and dignified manner with full honors pursuant to
the United States Code.
Kitchen Table Gang Trust
42922 Avenue 12
Madera, CA 93638-8866
https://www.kitchentablegang.org
Charles Taliaferro
c_taliaferro@kitchentablegang.org
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4. NPRC Records hoax
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Several of our site visitors have forwarded email to the KWP
that describes an email hoax that has circulated for months.
The hoax indicated that the NPRC St. Louis was to digitize vet
records and then destroy the originals.
We can assure all readers that is not the case as the mandate
for older records is to archive by US Government standards.
Here is a reprint of a news release:
Press Release
September 22, 2004
False Rumor Regarding Destruction of Veterans Records Rumor
Hinders National Personnel Records Center's Ability to Answer
Veterans' Reference Requests
Washington, DC. . . There is a false rumor circulating on the
Internet, in e-mails, and among veteran service organizations
that Official Military Personnel Files (OMPFs) at the National
Personnel Records Center, operated by the National Archives and
Records Administration, will be digitized and then destroyed.
This rumor is NOT TRUE.
Neither the Department of Defense (DoD) nor the National
Personnel Records Center intend to destroy any OMPFs stored at
the Center. The purpose of any electronic scanning would be to
help preserve the originals and increase efficiency in handling
reference requests.
The National Archives and Records Administration preserves and
protects OMPFs that were transferred from the military service
departments because they are permanently valuable records that
document the essential evidence of military service for the
veterans of our nation. NPRC stores and services OMPFs for
retired, discharged, or deceased military personnel.
The National Personnel Records Center responds to approximately
4,000 requests pertaining to military records each day,
totaling more than one million requests each year. Many of
those requests are for Separation Documents (usually DD Form
214) and the Center answers the majority of those inquiries in
ten days or less.
Requests resulting from this false rumor will have a negative
impact on NPRC's ability to respond to requests from veterans
with real immediate needs, such as medical treatment,
employment, retirement, etc.
* * *
For press information, contact the National Archives Public
Affairs staff at 202-501-5526 or 301-837-1700.
04-92
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5. Film on the 51st Fighter Wing
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From Steve Rhode
I just finished producing a movie on the 51st FW in Korea
during 1952. I thought it would be of interest to your members.
For more information visit:
https://rareaviation.com/bescof51fiin.html
Steve Rhode
Chief Pilot & Archivist
RareAviation.com
USA
DIRECT: (301)-947-1911
FAX: (301)-591-3749
EMAIL: steve@rareaviation.com
Specializing in rescuing and restoring rare and historic
aviation movies,manuals, documents and photographs from the
days of bravery and valor.
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6. JPAC Korean War Remains Recovery operations
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Ed Moynaugh forwarded a recent press article from Stars and
Stripes Pacific Edition dated October 17th, 2004:
Excerpt: "Maj. Gen. W. Montague "Que" Winfield, head of the
Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, said in an interview
Thursday.."
Synopsis:
Best year of operations with over 40 sets of remains recovered.
A UN Command repatriation ceremony was held at Yongsan Garrison
prior to those remains being shipped to Hawaii for further
forensic work which hopefully leads to identification.
The general stated that the progress with the North Korean
Government was encouraging for the current year and for future
operations. Plans are in the works to request access to former
POW Camps in North Korea.
For more see: https://www.jpac.pacom.mil
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7. Bookstore
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We shall be doing inventory of messages and recent submissions
to ensure that all books in print, online or in the works will
be featured.
Thank you to all who have submitted your valuable books to the
Korean War Project.
A) Click the blue or magenta text to obtain details.
Visit:
https://www.koreanwar.org/html/bookstore.html
B) Click here for all book covers and details.
Visit: Visit: https://www.koreanwar.org/html/bookstore.html
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8. VA Extends more health benefits to former POW's
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The KWP will continue to feature information on health issues
for former Korean War Veterans and had an October 2nd, 2004
Press Release from Secretary Principi forwarded by William
Stegall from North Carolina.
WASHINGTON (Oct. 2, 2004) - Continuing its commitment to former
prisoners of war, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony J.
Principi today announced that the Bush Administration will
expand benefits to all former POWs with strokes and common
heart diseases.
"This is an issue that has been studied and debated too long,"
Principi said. "We have scientific studies supporting the
association of these illnesses to the military service of our
former POWs."
The secretary, who oversees the operations of the Department of
Veterans Affairs (VA), announced the new benefits in a speech
tonight at a national convention of the American Ex-Prisoners
of War.
The Administration's decision benefits former POWs with strokes
and most heart diseases. Those veterans will be automatically
eligible for disability compensation for those common ailments,
and their spouses and dependents will be eligible for
service-connected survivors' benefits if these diseases
contribute to the death of a former POW.
In September 2003, Principi launched a nationwide outreach
effort to identify and provide benefits to the estimated 11,000
former POWs who were not receiving VA disability compensation
or other services. There are about 35,000 living ex-POWs.
The secretary also has urged Congress to change federal law
that required that former POWs must be detained for at least 30
days to qualify for the full range of POW benefits.
The Administration's new decision will add to the list of 16
medical problems that VA presumes to be linked to the military
service of former POWs. The new rules are likely to take
effect on October 7, 2004.
---- end of article ----
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9. Helicopter Squadron One, HU-1 website
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Attention all hands ! The new and improved Helicopter
Squadron One, HU-1, website is up and running. Many
thanks to my grandson Kyle Froling. The new site is much
easier to roam through, faster, displays the pictures better,
and it is easier to expand the content. New, are two stories
with pictures. Some picture titles will be added later.
See the new site at: https://www.navyhu-1.org/
As I've always said, " Any pictures, stories, newspaper
or magazine articles about HU-1 and it's crews in the
Korean war are welcome for review ".
Doug Froling, Seattle javapattidoug@earthlink.net
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11. USS Pueblo inquiry
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A recent entry to our Looking For DMZ Vets section on the
yeilded this entry. See if you can assist:
Korean War Project DMZ WAR Entry - (dmz/dmz_pueblo)
Your Header: MP
UNIT: USS Pueblo
EMAIL: usspueblo@hotmail.com
FIRSTNAME: Earl
LASTNAME: Phares
STREET: 122 East J Street
CITY: Ontario
STATE: CA
ZIP: 91764
COUNTRY: USA
PHONE: 909-467-9569
FAX:
SERVICE: Navy Veteran - Korea
KEYWORDS:
COMMENTS: Looking for MP that escorted me from
helicopter to ASCOM 121st Hospital after I crossed the DMZ.
Picture shows number 720 on side of his helmet.
---------------- end ---------
See Looking For areas for messages of value to your unit or
friends at:
https://www.koreanwar.org/html/looking_for.html
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12. "I AM NOT FORGOTTEN" a poem by Dick Kirk
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Richard L. (Dick) Kirk
E-mail: rlkirk58@comcast.net
I have walked these Korean hills before, crossed these rivers
I have passed through these fields, heavy with the odor of
growth
My presence is here...and elsewhere
In the pages of a letter, yellow with age
At the edge of a photograph, on a torn dance program..
I am by love begotten..
I am not forgotten...
I am here in the hearts of those who were with me
On the Perimeter, at Inchon, at the Reservoir and the River
And in the hearts of those who waited...
In their thoughts I walk again
And I wait at the curb in my car on a soft summer evening
The sound of crickets, of passing automobiles
And the muted sounds of the city are near.
I am a tear in the eyes of mothers, sisters, fathers,
Brothers, wives, friends, lovers...
I am by love begotten..
I am not forgotten.
I am black, white, Jewish, Gentile, red, yellow
I speak English, Korean, Chinese, Turkish, Spanish and more
I am known in many countries and by many people...
I have heard the rush of summer seas and the fist of thunder...
I have known a distant star on a cold December night..
And I have known the love of a friend who would die for me
And I for him...
I am by love begotten..
I am never forgotten.
________________________________________________________________
PS from Dick:
I hope you enjoyed it. It has been used at memorial services,
both for the ending of the war and for individual services at
funerals. I have never copyrighted the poem nor trade marked
it. If it can be of help on any occasion I give all the right
to use it. It has also been done in a voiceover with a choir
singing Amazing Grace and has been widely accepted...at least
in the circles I am familiar with.
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13. Congratulations to the KWVA-Korean War Veterans Assoc.
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From April through late August, Hal and I worked with many of
our website members and visitors plus many hundreds of KWVA
members all over the country.
We extend you a "Job Well Done" for your efforts to revitalize
and improve this singular veterans asset, the KWVA-Korean War
Veterans Association.
Chapters continue to be created, programs of value to your
communities are continuing, members recruited. Well Done!
---end-----
Thanks to all of you for helping make the Korean War Project
successful.
Regards,
Hal and Ted Barker
hbarker@kwp.org tbarker@kwp.org
Korean War Project |
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