On Saturday (March 29), American Legion Post 41 will host Vietnam Veteran Commemoration Day.
This is a get-together for all US veterans who served during the Vietnam war years, in-country or anywhere else. We’ll have snacks, drinks and a hot dog lunch for all; open 1000-1300 at the American Legion meeting hall just north of Pizza Hut in the west end of the Chilton Propane building.
Don’t forget about Armed Forces Appreciation Day on May 17, located at Intercounty Electric Auditorium on Maple Street in Licking. We plan on having Veterans Service officers and representatives from local, state and national Veterans organizations, including our “new and improved” VA, local banks and health checks from Texas County Health Department. A deluxe hamburger or hot dog lunch will be served throughout the event.
Also, there will be a quilt-raffle and drawings for silver dollars on the half-hour.
April 6, 1956: The Iowa-class Battleship USS Wisconsin (BB-64) collided with USS Eaton (DD-510) during a training exercise in heavy fog off the coast of Virginia. The Eaton was badly damaged and had to be towed to the nearest shipyard, the Wisconsin had damage to her bow and was taken to Norfolk for repair. About 68 feet of the bow was taken from the unfinished USS Kentucky (BB-66) and used to replace the crumpled bow of the Wisconsin. The modification made the Wisconsin several feet longer that the other ships of the class and earned her the nickname “USS Wis-Ky” among the crew.
Texas County area veterans organizations:
- Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 473 meets on the last Thursday of each month at 1800 at their Post Meeting Hall on Highway 63 north of Cabool.
- American Legion Post 559 meets at 1800 on the second Tuesday of each month at the VFW Post 6337 meeting hall in Licking.
- Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6337 meets each third Monday of the month at 1730 in Licking at their Meeting Hall on Main Street just south of Highway 32.
- Fleet Reserve Association Branch 364 meets at 1430 every fourth Sunday of each month at the American Legion Post 41 meeting hall in Houston. The FRA exists to serve all veterans and active-duty members of the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Coast Guard.
- American Legion Post 41 meets at 1800 on the second Thursday of each month at their meeting hall on the west end of Chilton Oil Company in Houston (just north of Pizza Hut). Changes to membership eligibility now allow U.S. veterans of all branches and periods of service to join the American Legion.
- Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7222 meets at 1800 on the first Thursday of each month at their meeting hall just east of Summersville.
Houston resident Robert E. Simpson is a retired U.S. Navy chief electronics technician who served from 1969 to 1990. His columns are posted online at www.houstonherald.com. Email gfjjkaa@gmail.com