A large group of VVA Chapter #1069 members and spouses attended a Memorial Day Program on Monday, May 28th, 2018. The event was held in Ganado, Texas, and was sponsored by the Ganado American Legion, Post #346. Although we do not have a confirmed attendance number for our chapter members and spouses, but by examining the photos we took, we feel there were 20-25 (or more) chapter members and spouses that attended the program - JUST OUTSTANDING!
VVA Chapter 1069 would like to thank the officers and members of the Ganado American Legion Post #346 for inviting the VVA Chapter 1069 membership to participate in and attend their 2018 Memorial Day Program, and to the Ganado KCs for providing the morning breakfast. Everyone enjoyed the program and the live patriotic entertainment.
Our chapter President, Leonard Sternadel was invited to speak at the program (see above photo). The Legion leadership also offered a special open invitation to our entire membership to also attend the event. The Legion put on a wonderful and patriotic program. After the program, a full menu breakfast was served by the local KCs to everyone that attended.
Above photo - The American Legion Post Commander opened the Memorial Day program with the American Legion's "Empty Table Ceremony", which is a
POW/MIA Remembrance Service/ceremony to be used at American Legion meetings, banquets, luncheons or memorial gatherings in conjunction with the
POW/MIA flag draped over an empty chair. It is a brief but solem ceremony to honor those U.S. service members that are either prisoners of war
or still missing in action. Use the link below to visit the American Legion webpage for more information regarding the ceremony and to read
the words that were spoken during the ceremony.
Above photo - VVA Chapter 1069 also provided and setup a Vietnam KIA/MIA service member recognition display. The white cross representing the
Vietnam War KIA soldiers and the black cross representing the Vietnam War MIA soldiers. Note that these were the same type crosses that were
used during the Rose ceremony held in El Campo in 2015 - more about that in the next paragraph.
The subject matter for Leonard's presentation included a brief opening talk regarding our Chapter's participation when the Vietnam Memorial
Traveling Wall visited El Campo, Texas, in July of 2015 - a 5-day event. In his talk, he described the program that the chapter organized
and presented to the public on the third day the Wall was on display in El Campo.
The "Salute to Vietnam Veterans" A.K.A. "Rose Ceremony" Memorial Service was presented Saturday morning, July 18th at 10:00 AM. The guest
speaker was Robert Floyd of Austin. During the program, a special "Rose Ceremony" service was presented by 28 members of the El Campo
VVA (Vietnam Veterans of America) Chapter #1069. The Memorial Service honored soldiers from Wharton County who were "Killed in Action"
(KIA) during the Vietnam War and also included those soldiers who are still listed as "Missing in Action" (MIA). Twenty-eight small white
crosses, each with a hanging dog tag, was placed in front of the Wall for viewing. The service itself included the calling out of the names
of those soldiers who did not survive the Vietnam War. As each name was called out, a chapter member came forward and laid a red rose at the
base of each cross. Following his presentation, we showed a 22 minute video of that special service/ceremony - see above photo.
Above photo - By the time the Legion program started, our chapter members and spouses had pretty much filled the entire
north side of the Ganado Legion hall.
Above photo - With some of our members spilling over to the other side of the hall.
Above photo - When the program was over, everyone gathered outside to watch a single-plane fly over to commemorate Memorial Day.
Above photo - The fly over by a local area pilot was AWESOME!
YEE-HA - IT WAS AN ARMY FLY OVER!
Our deepest apologies goes out to "Randy" and the rest of the Marines in our chapter.
Above photo - And finally, the local KCs provided breakfast for everyone that attended - And what a wonderful breakfast it was!
VVA Chapter 1069 would like to thank the Ganado KCs for providing the Memorial Day breakfast.
In closing, Leonard wants to thank all of our chapter members and spouses for attending the Memorial Day program. It was such a great turnout that really showed your support for VVA Chapter 1069 - and a very proud event for our chapter. It was much appreciated.
And for our new members, use the link below to read the report regarding the Legion's 2016 Memorial Day program in Ganado, at which Leonard was also the guest speaker. At that presentation, his topic was about a local Ganado WW-II veteran (Dan Malcik) who was in the Batan death march.
Click here for a report on the Legion's 2016 Memorial Day program