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

The Damascus Knife raffle (donated by Dan Rathbun) I mentioned a few weeks ago is officially up for dibs. This beautiful 13” long knife (8 inch blade) comes with a magnificent sheath. Tickets are $1 each and 6 tickets for $5. You can get your ticket around town where you see advertising or any American Legion member (the usual gang). I suggest you buy a lot as I am determined to bring that baby home with me. The drawing will be in November.

Our usual Legion meeting will be this Thursday at 7:00pm (1900hrs USAF guys). Jerry Sebert has agreed to perform his masterful cheflly (I made that word up) duties and will be cooking beans and cornbread at 6:00pm before the meeting, so come with an appetite!

The Legion-Auxiliary Installation Dinner will be Friday, August 14th, at 6:00pm at the Hut. Jerry Sebert again will perform his magic cooking ribs and chicken and the Auxiliary/spouses will provide sides and desserts. We will be hosting the Post Installation Ceremony at the same time. Lucky and Myrna Ladwig from Skiatook will attend the Post 142 Installation Dinner on Friday August 14th at 6:00pm to preside over both the Legion and Auxiliary Installations. They are our always our honored guests.

On this day in 1945 Hiroshima, Japan, was struck with the uranium bomb. ‘Little Boy’ was dropped from the B-29 Enola Gay, piloted by Col. Paul Tibbets of the US Air Force with a crew of eleven other men. The atom bomb killed an estimated 140,000 people in the first use of a nuclear weapon in warfare. Major Thomas Wilson Ferebee was the bombardier. Richard Nelson was the radio operator. Navy weaponeer, Captain W.S. Parsons, USN, armed the atomic bomb. The bomb was a uranium fission weapon and the yield was in the region of 20,000 tons on TNT. Sixty percent of the city was destroyed in the blast and the firestorm that followed. About 80,000 Japanese were killed. Many more were severely burned and others became ill later, from exposure to radiation. Many thought this change in warfare was an incredible leap and controversial. Considerations in this mix was the length of time and human life cost of bringing Japan to surrender.

Don’t forget our regular meetings continue the first and third Thursdays of the month at 7:00 PM (August 6th). Monday morning Koffee Klatch meetings in August are still planned (if weather permits) and running starting around 0700 till about 0900. As always, much thanks to the crew for providing 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”.