Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021, marked the 30th anniversary of Operation Desert Storm. The operation lasted 43 days from Jan. 17 – Feb. 28, 1991, and involved several hundred thousand service members. The VFW and its Auxiliary members will always be thankful for the service and sacrifice of all veterans who served during the Gulf War. Veterans who served in the Persian Gulf during Operation Desert Shield, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation New Dawn are eligible to complete the Gulf War Registry health exam to identify possible long-term health problems that may be linked to their military service. Contact your local VA Environmental Health Coordinator to schedule an exam.
VFW National Home for Children
The National Home was founded in 1925 as a place where the families left behind by war could remain together. Today’s families face different challenges, and the National Home has evolved over decades to meet those needs. The community is open to the families of active-duty military personnel, veterans, and relatives of VFW and VFW Auxiliary members. Families can be one or both parents with one or more children.
Erie VA Medical Center News
The Erie VA leads VISIV 4 in number of active volunteers with 173 volunteering during the first 3 months of Fiscal year 2020 (October-December 2020). The next closest VA to Erie is Philadelphia with 104 volunteers. The Erie VA also leads VISIV 4 in number of volunteer hours with 8,400 working the same time frame. The next closest VA is Pittsburgh with 4,724.
POW/MIA Update
Army Air Forces Tech. Sgt. Alfred F. Turgeon, 23, was a pilot assigned to the 344th Bombardment Squadron, 98th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 9th Air Force. On Aug. 1, 1943, the B-24 Liberator aircraft on which Turgeon was serving as a radio operator crashed as a result of enemy anti-aircraft fire during Operation TIDAL WAVE, the largest bombing mission against the oil fields and refineries at Ploiesti, north of Bucharest, Romania. Interment services are pending.
Till next week, praying for all.
– Charles Castelluccio
