This week’s paper reflects the details of a great occasion recognized by our Mayor and City Council. Ken Taylor was a local boy who gained fame (which he famously downplayed) by being the first combat pilot to shoot down a Japanese Zero at the Attack on Pearl Harbor. We will play the movie Tora! Tora! Tora! this Saturday evening at 5:30 PM at the Hominy Community Center which he helped direct. A Governor’s Proclamation awaits as this is typed.

It doesn’t seem so long ago that this day in 1969 the U.S. government held its first draft lottery since World War II in 1942. The Selective Service System of the United States conducted two lotteries to determine the order of call to military service in the Vietnam War for men born from 1944 to 1950. These lotteries occurred during the draft, controlled by the President, from just before World War II to 1973. The lottery numbers assigned in December 1969 were used during calendar year 1970 both to call for induction and to call for physical examination, a preliminary call covering more men. After the draft ended many soldiers who did their time decided that they liked the “life-style” and stayed in, however most did their duty and returned to civilian life. 

My father told me a story of when he was drafted during WWII. He meant to report but wanted to marry my mom before shipping off. He was AWOL (Absent Without Leave). The rule was if you were arrested you were in trouble but if you reported voluntarily all was forgiven. He was hitchhiking down a dusty Kansas road on his way to report to Ft Leavenworth when a sedan picked him up. They plain-clothed police looking for AWOLs. They drove him to Leavenworth all the while asking about various local young men’s where abouts. Some he knew, some not. When they asked about “John Lanham” he replied “Nope never heard of him”. He rushed into the sign in table pretty quick!  

Can you believe it is December 2016? Wow time flies! Tonight, is our first monthly meeting. Then we have the Legion-Auxiliary Christmas Dinner December 15^th that will begin at 6 PM that Thursday evening.  Chicken Noodle fundraiser luncheon with be Friday December 16^th. 11 AM till 1 PM. The big Christmas Parade will be on Saturday evening December 17^th at 6 PM. And Friday night 2 December the outstanding Bucks football team continues in the play-offs in Owasso. Go BUCKS!

Our regular meetings are the 1^st and 3rd Thursday of the month. (1st of December). The Monday morning Koffee Klatch meetings for December Monday’s (updates may be pending) are still scheduled for biscuits and gravy and always a cup of Joe (coffee to the civilians).  Keep your eye on the weather in case things have to be postponed. 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”.