Public Law calls for the American Flag to be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset. Pearl Harbor is a naval base near Honolulu, Hawaii, that was the scene of a devastating surprise attack by Japanese forces on Dec. 7 1941. At 7:48 a.m. that Sunday morning, there were 353 aircraft launched from four heavy Japanese carriers. These included 40 torpedo planes, 103 level dive bombers, and 79 fighters. They managed to destroy or damage nearly 20 American naval vessels and over 300 airplanes. More than 2,400 Americans died in the attack, including civilians, and another 1,000 people were wounded. The day after the assault, President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Congress to declare war on Japan.
District Meetings Set
At 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 10, the Pennsylvania VFW 28th District, consisting of Post and Auxiliary members, will have there district meetings. The meetings will be held at VFW Post 169 Venango, located at 20682 Gospel Hill Rd., Venango, Pa. Members in good standing are encouraged to attend.
VFW Tells Subcommittee to Streamline Appeals process
VFW National Veterans Service Director Michael Figlioli testified at a House Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs oversight hearing to examine the VA appeals process. Figlioli stated the VFW’s views on how to improve decision-making processes at the VA Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA) and the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. “It is the VFW’s position that communication and coordination between the BVA, Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), and accredited representatives are critical during the remand process,” he said. “Clear and concise directives that the decision-maker must comply with from the BVA to the VBA help streamline the further development of cases.” He continued, “Effective collaboration between these entities is essential to ensure that the remand process serves its intended purpose without unnecessary complications and needless delays.
FBI Briefing on Combating Malign Influence
VFW National Legislative Service Associate Director Joe Grassi was in attendance for a virtual briefing by the Federal Bureau of Investigation on malign foreign and domestic influence targeting veterans and military family communities. The event was hosted by the nonpartisan, nonprofit organization We the Veterans. The presentation covered foreign and domestic groups aiming to sow public discord and undermine national institutions by pursuing veterans and military families through social media to achieve their detrimental objectives. The briefing also provided an in-depth look at the specific tactics involved and what the veterans’ community can do to mitigate bad actors.
POW/MIA Update
Army Air Force 2nd Lt. Kenyon Brindley, 23, of Little Rock, Arkansas, was assigned to the 703rd Bombardment Squadron. He was killed in action on Feb. 24, 1944. He will be buried on Dec. 18, 2023, in Conway, Arkansas.
Navy Mess Attendant 1st Class Ralph M. Boudreaux, 20, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor. He will be buried on Jan. 29, 2024, in Slidell, Louisiana.
Army Cpl. Daniel De Anda, 22, of Pico, California, was a member of G Company, 2nd Battalion. He died while a prisoner of war in March 1951. He will be buried on March 15, 2024, in Whittier, California.
Army 2nd Lt. Gene F. Walker, 27, of Richmond, Indiana, was assigned to Company H, 3rd Armored Division. The War Department issued a presumptive finding of death in April 1945. He will be buried in San Diego, California, in early 2024.
Army Sergeant George F. Bishop, 22, of Centralia, Washington, was a member of Battery K, 59th Coast Artillery Regiment. He died while a prisoner of war on July 28, 1942. He will be buried in his hometown on a date to be determined.
Army Air Force Staff Sgt. Franklin P. Hall, 21, of Leesburg, Florida, was assigned to the 44th Bombardment Group. He was killed in action on Jan. 21, 1944. He will be buried in his hometown on a date to be determined.
Army Air Forces Staff Sgt. Robert J. Ferris, Jr., 20, of Long Island, New York, was assigned to the 401st Bombardment Squadron, Eighth Air Force. He is believed to have been killed in action on Dec. 20, 1942. He will be buried in New Bern, North Carolina, on a date to be determined.
Till next week, praying for all service members.
– Charles Castelluccio
