“News from the Hut”
for American Legion Post #142; Hominy, Oklahoma.
>>> by Gary Lanham

The battle lines go back and forth. We advance to weather in the seventies wearing shorts and short sleeve shirts, to 35 degrees and “just stay in the house” weather.  Welcome to Oklahoma, where winter and spring engage in their annual tug of war!

Here is another reminder of our raffle.  It is a $1 raffle ticket for $100 in beef from Wild Country (Thanks Chris!).  If you see donation jars around town please buy a ticket.  And when you eat at Wild Country tell them to thank Chris for being a patriot by supporting ours.

So as the Post Historian, I had the opportunity to look back at this week in our military history.  Our community has a host of veterans that span WWII, Korea, recent conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Vietnam.  It is with great respect to the later, I report an event forty nine years ago.  In 1965, U.S. and South Vietnamese forces launched the second bombing wave of Operation ROLLING THUNDER, targeting facilities on Tiger Island, off the North Vietnamese coast, and the ammunition depot at Phu Qui, 100 miles south of Hanoi from 2 March 1965 until 2 November 1968, during the Vietnam War.

The four objectives of the operation (which evolved over time) were to boost the sagging morale of the Saigon regime in the Republic of Vietnam, to persuade North Vietnam to cease its support for the communist insurgency in South Vietnam without actually taking any ground forces into communist North Vietnam, to destroy North Vietnam’s transportation system, industrial base, and air defenses, and to cease the flow of men and materiel into South Vietnam.  Attainment of these objectives was made difficult by both the restraints imposed upon the U.S and its allies by Cold War exigencies and by the military aid and assistance received by North Vietnam from its communist allies, the Soviets and the People’s Republic of China.

The operation became the most intense air/ground battle waged during the Cold War period; indeed, it was the most difficult such campaign fought by the U.S. Air Force since the aerial bombardment of Germany during WWII.  Supported by communist allies, North Vietnam fielded a potent mixture of sophisticated air-to-air and ground-to-air weapons that created one of the most effective air defenses ever faced by American military aviators. (thanks to Wikipedia)

Our regular meetings are the first and third Thursdays at 7:00 PM (April 3rd) if weather does not present a challenge.  Our next meeting for members and guests will include a Chili and Stew feed starting at 6:00 pm, with the meeting as noted above 7:00 pm.  Doc will have a slide presentation from his travels to the Iwo Jima Memorial Parade and Ira Hayes birthplace in Sacaton, Arizona.  Our Monday morning Koffee Klatch meetings for April is up and running again as normal starting around 0700 till about 0900, if weather is above freezing and hospitable. Eli and Jerry usually have things set up where we can catch up on each others mischief and story telling.  If you are a veteran come on by.  If you have a good story, it may end up in print!