Post Commander, Charles O’Leary at the 2014 Christmas Parade

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

The Christmas Parade occurred this last weekend. I was AWOL due to a bum leg acting up. The report I had was that nine brave souls from Post 142 participated and was quite a show.

Today (December 7th) marks that day in history many will never forget. At 7:55 a.m. Hawaii time, a Japanese dive bomber bearing the red symbol of the Rising Sun of Japan on its wings appears out of the clouds above the island of Oahu. A swarm of 360 Japanese warplanes followed, descending on the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor in a ferocious assault. The surprise attack struck a critical blow against the U.S. Pacific fleet and drew the United States irrevocably into World War II. With diplomatic negotiations with Japan breaking down, President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his advisers knew that an imminent Japanese attack was probable, but nothing had been done to increase security at the important naval base at Pearl Harbor. It was Sunday morning, and many military personnel had been given passes to attend religious services off base.

These giant aircraft carriers would have their revenge against Japan six months later at the Battle of Midway, reversing the tide against the previously invincible Japanese navy in a spectacular victory. The three American aircraft carriers serving in the Pacific are not in port and escape unharmed as does much of the infrastructure of the port, including the oil storage tanks. However, the attack leaves the Allies with only the three US carriers and two British battleships as active capital ships in the theater.

The day after Pearl Harbor was bombed, President Roosevelt appeared before a joint session of Congress and declared, “Yesterday, December 7, 1941–a date which will live in infamy–the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.” After a brief and forceful speech, he asked Congress to approve a resolution recognizing the state of war between the United States and Japan. The Senate voted for war against Japan by 82 to 0, and the House of Representatives approved the resolution by a vote of 388 to 1. Three days later, Germany and Italy declared war against the United States, and the U.S. government responded in kind.

When you read this, we will be ramping up The Christmas Legion-Auxiliary Dinner scheduled for Friday December 12th at 6:00PM at the Hut. The Legion will provide the meat and Auxiliary/and members spouses/selves will provide the sides. Members are asked to bring a personal care item donation for the Bryce House in Tulsa that takes care of homeless veterans. They sure can use some personal care items such as soap, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, Polident for dentures, jersey gloves (the brown ones) and socks. We will have a box set up for the donations and the Auxiliary will take them over. We may do, may even sing Christmas carols! If this changes any other meeting schedules I will be sure to update later.

Our regular meetings are the first and third Thursdays at 7:00 PM (18th December right now). Monday morning Koffee Klatch meetings in December are still up (if weather permits) and running starting around 0700 till about 0900. Thanks to the crew, there is usually biscuits and gravy and maybe a waffle or two and always a cup of Joe (coffee to the civilians). If you are a veteran come on by. If you have a good story, it may end up in print! Also keep up with us at website “americanlegion142.org.

Babo Carter at the 2014 Christmas Parade.

Steve Swinford, and Charles O’Leary at Christmas Parade 2014

Gary Anderson at 2014 Christmas Parade