NEWS FROM THE HUT by John Hamilton

For the past several months, this article has been absent from the Hominy Newspaper. Gary Lanham, the longtime writer of this article, has not been available. Gary is one of the major contributors to the organization of our American Legion Post 142. Gary is the 2nd Vice Commander and Historian for Post 142. He is also a member of the Sons of the American Legion (SAL) and very welcomed contributor and fieldtrip organizer with unlimited knowledge of the Air National Guard. Gary joined the USAF 1973, taking Basic Training at Lackland AFB San Antonio TX. Technical training followed at Lowry AFB, Denver Colorado as a weapons systems loader. After a three-month Chemical EOD course at Redstone Army Arsenal in Huntsville Alabama he was assigned to March AFB California in the SAC command (Strategic Air Command) loading B-52 bombers. Gary was transferred to the USAF Reserves at Tinker AFB in the 507th TAC (Tactical Air Command) loading F-105 Thunder Chiefs. Gary also served in the Oklahoma Air/Army National Guard in the 45th Aviation Battalion, 205th Engineering Installation Squadron, 137th Airlift Wing, 138th Fighter Wing, and the 219th Engineering Installation Squadron. Gary Lanham’s awards and decorations number eighteen with many clusters from USAF Meritorious Service to Oklahoma Meritorious Service. Gary’s last few years were served as a traditional guardsman allowing him to begin and retire from AT&T as a senior project manager with a professional certification (PMP) over military/government site projects. After a brief stint as Hominy City Manager, Gary returned to retirement helping with county and community volunteer efforts. We all miss his intellectual insight of the daily operation of our Post and historical knowledge of USAF and the 45th. Everyone at the Post eagerly await Gary’s return. Until Gary’s return to duty, this writer will insufficiently attempt to follow in the Chief’s footsteps.

There are a couple of things happening this week connected with the American Legion Post 142 in Hominy, OK. First, there is going to be a District 1A-1B Conference to be held at Post 308 in Tulsa on Saturday, December 5, 2020 at 9:00 AM. Registration will be between 8:00 AM and 9:00 AM. Coffee and donuts will be served prior to the start of the meeting. Masks are required except when eating or speaking. Social distancing is strongly recommended. There will be sandwiches served after the meeting.

Secondly, there will be a Parade down Main Street that the American Legion Post 142 will be participating in on Saturday, December 5, 2020 at 6:00 PM. The Sons of the American Legion will be carrying a banner at the front of the Legion group. A couple of vehicles will also be part of the Legion group.

This coming December 7th is the National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, also referred to as Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day or Pearl Harbor Day, is observed annually in the United States on December 7, to remember and honor the 2,403 citizens of the United States who were killed in the Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii on December 7, 1941. On August 23, 1994, the United States Congress designated December 7 of each year as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance

The Legion will be putting out flags on Main Street this Friday December 4th for the Hominy Parade, and Kenneth M. Taylor Day on December 5th, and for Pearl Harbor Day on December 7th.

Our Hometown Hominy Hero, 1LT Kenneth M. Taylor (later Brigadier General) was a hero during the December 7, 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and was one of two fighter pilots who got into the air first and shot down the first Japanese plane in WWII at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The Hominy City Council passed the proclamation, signed by Mayor Fairweather officially recognizing Kenneth Taylor for his contribution to our country and then Governor Mary Fallon signed it in 2016, that states the Saturday preceding Pearl Harbor Day each December will be known as “Kenneth M. Taylor Day” in Hominy, OK to honor him and his family and in remembrance of all those Americans who lost their lives that day.

Get them quickly, raffle tickets! The new raffle tickets have been out around our usual outlets, or just ask one of the several Hominy Veterans about the 10-Gun Raffle tickets. We did very well last time and want to do it again. The Post gets half of the proceeds. We can only sell these tickets until the first or second week of January 2021. If anyone is interested in purchasing a chance of winning one of these guns you can contact any Legion member or you can contact the writer at (408) 881-4302. The guns that are available to win with the purchase of a 10-GUN Raffle ticket are: three Ruger AR 15 8500’s, a Howa 1500 22, a Browning SA-22, a Legacy Howa 1500, a Legacy Sports Howa 1500, Sig Sauer 1911 POW/MIA 45 Auto, a Ruger American Farmer 22LR, a Ruger PC Carbine, a Ruger K77/44.

The Monday morning Coffee Klatch meetings have been postponed until after the first of the year. This is very disheartening for our Veteran’s at Post 142 like Bob Hough, USMC who just celebrated his 100th Birthday. Hang in there Bob and all your Monday morning Coffee Klatch buddies.

Regular Legion meetings are usually the first and third Thursday of the month. Since February, due to the COVID-19, the meeting schedules have been varying at best. Starting in March the meetings were reduced to once a month, then in April the meetings were cancelled all together for the following two months. In June we went back to one meeting a month except for July there was two meetings in an attempt to return to normalcy. The meeting schedule has been changed to the third Thursday of each month. December’s meeting will be on the 17th. at 7:00 PM. The Sons of the American Legion meetings have been suspended until after the first of the year, depending on the COVID-19 situation. All dinners have been cancelled until further notice. The Monday morning Coffee Klatch meetings have been postponed until after the first of the year. If you are a veteran come on by for our monthly meeting, and if you have a good story it may end up in print. Also keep up with us at the Post 142 website “americanlegion142.org” and Hominy Legion on Facebook.