VFW National Commander Matthew “Fritz” Mihelcic testified before a joint hearing of the House and Senate Committees on Veterans’ Affairs. The VFW delivered its top priority of toxic exposure reform, telling Congress to pass comprehensive legislation for veterans who were exposed to toxic chemicals during their time in service. “For generations, veterans have returned home from war with an array of unexplained health conditions and illnesses associated with the toxic exposures and environmental hazards they encountered in service. Today is no different, and toxic exposure has become synonymous with military service. For this reason, the time is now for Congress to change the way veterans receive health care and benefits to help save our lives.”
House Passes the Honoring Our PACT Act
The House passed VFW-supported, H.R. 3967, the Honoring Our PACT Act of 2021. The passage of this comprehensive toxic exposure bill came the day following VFW National Commander Matthew “Fritz” Mihelcic’s speech at a press conference at the U.S. Capitol in support of this legislation and his testimony in front of a joint session of the House and Senate Committees on Veterans’ Affairs. The VFW now calls on the Senate to pass comprehensive toxic exposure legislation.
VA Proposes New Presumptive Conditions for Burn Pits
VA is proposing a rule to add nine rare respiratory cancers to the list of presumptive conditions for particulate matter exposure from service in Southwest Asia. The VFW sees this as a step in the right direction to help veterans exposed to burn pits, but remains committed to passing legislation such as the Honoring Our PACT Act and the COST of War Act to codify VA’s presumptive process.
POW/MIA Update
Navy Chief Water Tender Claude White, 40, of Yorkville, Tennessee, was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor. He will be buried on April 19, 2022, in Dyer, Tennessee.
Army Air Forces 2nd Lt. Eugene P. Shauvin, 25, was assigned to the 95th Troop Carrier Squadron, 440th Troop Carrier Group. On Sep. 17, 1944, the C-47 Skytrain aircraft he was piloting was shot down over Belgium. Interment services are pending.
Army Sgt. Roy C. Delauter, 21, of Smithburg, Maryland, was assigned to Company D, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment. He was reported killed in action on Dec. 1, 1950, near the Chosin Reservoir, North Korea. He will be buried in his hometown on April 22, 2022.
Army 1st Lt. Myles W. Esmay, 21, of Utica, New York, was assigned to Company B, 236th Engineering Combat Battalion. He was reported killed in action on June 7, 1944, in Burma. He will be buried in Arlington National Cemetery at a date to be determined.
Army Air Force 1st Lt. John J. Heffernan, Jr., 24, of Brooklynn, New York, was assigned to 490th Bomb Squadron. On Feb. 22, 1944, the B-25G Mitchell Bomber he was serving on burst into flames near Burma. Heffernan will be buried in Middle Village, New York. The date has yet to be determined.
Navy Seamen 1st Class James R. Ward, 20, was assigned to the USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl harbor. Interment services are pending.
Army Cpl. William M. Zoellick, 18, was assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment. It was reported he died as a POW on Feb. 27, 1951. Interment services are pending.
Till next week, praying for all service members.
– Charles Castelluccio
