Veteran Stories

Two Stories: Veterans At SDSU and Iwo Jima Promise Kept

The San Diego Union-Tribune for Sunday, August 2, 2009 has two interesting veteran related news stories:

• SDSU student veterans at SDSU are moving into Fraternity Row housing
• An Iwo Jima WW-II veteran's son keeps a promise and delivers old photos to Japanese family

HonorFlight.org Brings Veterans To Washington DC

DefenseLink recent published a story of some World War II veterans visiting Washington DC via the Honor Flight project. 

Visitors are taken on a whirlwind tour of DC area Veteran related monuments including the National World War II Memorial, USMC War Memorial (Iwo Jima), and Arlington National Cemetery.

Documentary Examines Korean War Vets - 'Chosin Few'

The San Diego Union-Tribune recently published an article entitled "Honoring 'Chosin Few': Korean War battle vets share their stories for upcoming documentary" written by Rick Rogers.

The story is about filmmakers Brian Iglesias and Anton Sattler who were in San Diego interviewing veterans for their upcoming documentary called 'The Chosin Few.'

Author Of U.S. Military Code Of Conduct Passes Away

It was reported on Oct. 8, 2006 in the San Diego Union-Tribune that US Marine Col. F. Brooke Nihart passed away on Aug. 30, 2006 at the age of 87 in Fairfax, VA.  He was the author of the U.S. Military Code of Conduct that was originally written in 1955, and slightly revised in 1977.

He was a veteran of WWII (Battle of Wake Island & Battle of Okinawa) and the Korean War (Battle of the Punchbowl).  During his career he was awarded the Navy Cross, two Bronze Stars, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal the Meritorious Service Medal, and Air Medal.

It should also be noted that from 1972 to 1991 he was a historian and deputy director of Marine Corps museums.

USMC Donn Lewin Tells His Iwo Jima Stories At Screening Of Flags Of Our Fathers

Iwo Jima veteran Donn Lewin tells his stories to the Honolulu Advertister during a screening in Hawaii of the new movie directed/produced by Clint Eastwood called "Flags of Our Fathers".

Veteran Updates - New Memorial, WWII Medals, Cold War, Support The Troops, Tragic Death

The Royal Oak Memorial Society is planning a re-dedication ceremony of Veteran's War Memorial that will include 26 new names based on some additional research by John Wendland. [detroit free press]

AP Wire is reporting that WWII US Navy veteran Roy Camero is finally getting his medals that he earned.  These include: "World War II Victory Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Honorable Service lapel pin, and an Honorable Discharge button."

Afghanistan veteran Craig Fitzgerald shares his stories of rehabilitation with WCAX. He is currently on a fund-raising tour for the Coalition to Salute America's Heroes to help raise funds those who return to the United States after service in Iraq or Afghanistan with serious injuries. [newsday]

The Bedford Bulletin has a very interesting and historical interview piece with retired Air Force Brigadier General Roger Smith.  During his service he was: launch officer for a Titan II missile; stationed with leadership positions at Whiteman Air Force Base; assigned to the North American Aerospace Defense Command center at the Cheyenne Mountain Complex in Colorado, and part of the anti-ballistic missile (ABM) treaty negotiations with the Soviets during the 1980s.

Lastly, some notices on Veterans passing crossed the newswire:

• KCEN is reporting a sad story of a Vietnam Vet that was robbed and killed.  Amazingly Barney Goodman was able to crawl "8 to 9 hours" to a position that could be seen from the highway and he was able to describe his attackers before he died. [KLTV, Veterans For America]
• WWII and Korean War US Navy veteran Peter Bolcis died on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2006.  He was extremely active in his community and in veteran organizations most of his life.  He served as motor machinist's mate on the submarine USS Bang in WWII, and the USS Yancey during the Korean War. [the morning journal]
• James Joseph Hill died on Aug. 28, 2006. He was a WWII USMC veteran that was attached to the 1st Amphibian Tractor Battalion, and after WWII he became a U.S. Merchant Marine. [times community newspaper]

US Marine Shares His Experience From Fallujah, Iraq

San Diego's KPBS These Days has posted an audio podcast entitled "San Diego Marine shares his experience from Fallujah, Iraq - A Camp Pendleton-based Marine, stationed at Camp Fallujah in Iraq, speaks with host Tom Fudge about life in a war zone."