The Times-Tribune from Scranton, Pennsylvania • 19

VETERANS MILITARY NOVEMBER 14, 2004 Bll THE SUNDAY TIMES. SCRANTON. PA Disabled American Vets Hoping for Memorial the Treasury to mint special coins in commemoration of disabled veterans. Proceeds from surcharges on the coins would help fund construction of the Americans Disabled for Life Memorial. A companion bill of the same title, H.R.

2823, was introduced by Rep. Sue Kelly, R-New York. Unfortunately, Mr. Violante said, House members have given little attention to Rep. Kellys bill; it of war and build better lives for themselves and their families.

A major goal of the organization is fostering and maintaining public awareness of the contributions and sacrifices of disabled veterans. An integral part of the DAVs mission to build better lives for Americas disabled veterans and their families. Now, the DAV wants recognition and help to erect a me BY BILL WAQNER THE SUNDAY TIMES The Disabled American Veterans is hoping to have its own memorial erected on land in the nations capital. A site has not been chosen, but the DAV has floated an unusual proposal to help pay for construction. Otherwise, the DAV is continuing its mission to help veterans overcome the scars Marino Corps League Installs Officers The Northeastern Detachment of the Marine Corps League Installs officers.

Seated, from left, Adjutant Anee Kish, Sergeant at Arms Bryan Quick and Junior Vice Commandant Barbara Ryan; standing, Senior Vice Commandant Dominic DeNunzIo, Chaplain Joseph Pannlck, past commandant George Kopestonsky handing the gavel of office to Commandant Albert Gibbs, and Paymaster Nicholas Dunkallo. Leyte Gulf Battle Survivor Recalls Historic Naval Clash morial to veterans disabled for life, according to Joseph S. Violante, DAV national legislative director. The memorial would be erected in Washington, D.C. In collaboration with the Disabled Veterans LIFE Memorial Foundation, Mr.

Violante said, the DAV supported legislation authorizing construction of the memorial. i I am very pleased that the Senate recently passed important bipartisan legislation to The sinking of the Johnston marked a crucial part of the four-day Battle of Leyte Gulf, which sent three Japanese battleships, four carriers and 22 other warships to the bottom. On the U.S. side, the Johnston and another destroyer, three small carriers and a destroyer escort lost. Historian William Manchester, in his 1974 book The Glory and the Dream, called Leyte Gulf the greatest naval battle of all time.

The U.S. carriers sent up everything that could fly, and (Adm. Takeo) Kurita, with the mightiest Japanese fleet since Midway, turned tail, he wrote. While the Japanese fleet was withdrawing, the crewmen of the Johnston, having tied together rafts and floating nets, bobbed on the warm, shark-infested waters for 50 hours. As ranking officer, Mr.

Hagen had to pronounce men dead. Id say, OK, hes dead, and then wed roll em over the side, and that was a burial, said Jvlr. Hagen, who later wrote 450 letters to the next of kin. The survivors were rescued Oct. 27, 1944, exactly a year after the ship was commissioned.

At sea, one man mangled by a shark cried to be put out of his pain. Using a knife, a ship electrician reluctantly did the grim deed. He later asked Mr. Hagen if hed done the right thing. I told him, You made the decision, and it was a brave decision, Mr.

Hagen recalled. Joseph Wideman, right, readjustment counselor and service officer at the Vet Center, 1002 Pittston explains programs available at the center during a meeting of Post 1, Italian-American Veterans of Luzerne County. With him Is post Commander John Hyder. raise public recognition of the extraordinary sacrifices made by disabled veterans. S.

1379, the American Veterans Disabled for Life Commemorative Coin Act, Mr. Violante said. The measure was introduced by Sen. Tim Johnson, D-South Dakota, and it passed by unanimous consent Oct. 11.

The bill has been sent to the House committee of jurisdiction. The legislation would direct VFW District 10 Meeting Today District 10, Veterans of Foreign Wars, will meet today at 1 p.m. at John J. Michaels Memorial Post 5207, Routes 502 and 307, Daleville. District Commander Robert Dragwa will be in charge.

Jermyn Legion Installs Tuesday The William J. Griffiths American Legion Post 465, Jermyn, will install officers Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Jermyn Community Center. Adjutant Ralph J. Bensing III said District 11 Commander Steve Lavelle will officiate.

He asked all members to attend. Walks Proceeds To Finance Party The Mayor Rocco Valvano Memorial Tank to Tank Walk committee will present a check today at 11 a.m. to the Lackawanna County Council of Veterans at the Gino J. Merli Veterans Center, where proceeds from the walk will be used to finance a holiday party and Christmas presents for the residents. Mr; Valvano, who was director of Veterans Affairs for Lackawanna County, always took a major role in helping arrange the annual holiday party at the center.

County Council To Host Guests The Lackawanna-Susque-hanna County Council of the American Legion Auxiliary will meet Thursday at the Tauras Club, 106 W. Market St. The meeting will begin at a.m. and luncheon will be served at noon. Guests for the meeting will be Barbara Miller, Central vice president, and Nancy Bachurek, District 11 unit president.

Dickson City Unit 665 will host the meeting. Obligations to the council and department are due. Carole Beppler is president of the council. DAV To Discuss Budget Monday Forget-Me-Not Chapter, Disabled American Veterans, will meet Monday at 7 p.m. in American Legion Post 901, 625 Deacon St.

Stephen Pendrak, adjutant, said the budget will be discussed. Amvets To Meet At Dupont Club Detweiler Post 189, Amvets, will meet Thursday at the Polish Club, Dupont. Commander Joe Sylvester will preside. Information: 961-2696. 8th AAF Vets Have Lunch Date The 8th AAF Veterans social group will meet for lunch Wednesday at 1 p.m.

at Calabria Restaurant, Drinker Street, Dunmore. Spousal Benefits Deadline Nears Some surviving spouses of deceased veterans have until Dec. 15 to apply for reinstatement of dependency and indemnity compensation (DIC) benefits. Last year President Bush signed the Veterans Benefits Act of 2003, which restores entitlement to DIC and related home loan and education ben- stalled at the subcommittee level and has languished there for more than a year. Only 74 co-sponsors have supported H.R.

2823. Mr. Violante is urging DAV members and other veterans to contact their senators and representative to press for support of the bills. Hopefully, he said, those veterans disabled for life will see a memorial to them before they pass away. President Kim Hirjak, 383-7726.

Unit To Greet Auxiliary Head The Ladies Auxiliary to Clarks Summit Memorial Post 7069, Veterans of Foreign Wars, will welcome Brenda Amato, president of the District 10 VFW Auxiliary, when she makes her official inspection visit Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at the post. Mary Egan will preside. Eynon VFW Meeting Today Adjutant Carl Zaverl reports Eynon Veterans of Foreign Wars Post will meet today at 10:30 a.m. GR Auxiliary Sponsors Bingo The Ladies Auxiliary to Green Ridge Post 908, American Legion, sponsored a bingo for residents of the Gino J.

Merli Veterans Center Saturday. Yule Party Set At Taylor Legion Reservations will close Dec. 6 for the childrens Christmas party sponsored by the Ladies Auxiliary to Taylor Post 306, American Legion. The party will be Dec. 12 from 1 to 3 p.m.

at the post for infants to age 12. Information: Bea, 562-9704. Post To Host VFW National Leader Przybytek-Kundlas Post 4909, Dupont, will host a visit of the national commander in chief and state commanders when they tour Pennsylvania this week. Commander in Chief John Furgess, state Commander John A. Brenner and department line officers will be guests at a luncheon at the post at noon Wednesday, said post Commander Ron Godfrey.

Post members and the Ladies Auxiliary were requested to turn out and meet the national commander. Veterans Aides List Help Sites Several sites will be visit-edthis week by representatives of the Governors Veterans Outreach and Assistance Center in Pittston. Thomas Morris will be at the Trehab Center, 115 state Route 92 South, Tunkhan-nock, Monday frm 9:30 a.m. to noon. Ruth Gonzalez will be at the Vet Center, 1002 Pittston Thursday from 9:30 a.m.

to 3 p.m. Visits will be by appointment only. Mrs. Gonzalez on Friday will visit the Carbondale Fire House, Sixth Avenue, from 9:30 a.m. to noon, and the Olyphant Borough Building, 113 Willow from 1 to 3 p.m.

Both representatives will answer questions about disability pay, pension, medical care, education, death and burial, medals, records, nursing care and Iraq service. Vets should bring their military discharge or Form DD-214. All veterans are welcome. Information: 654-9589 or 1-800-432-9735. BILL WAGNER compiles this report.

Mail vets' news to him at 144 Broad Pittston, 18640; phone and fax, 570-654-7321; mail, billywagl44yahoo.com. SCUTTLEBUTT efits for surviving spousdes who remarry on or after their 57th birthday. They have one year from the date the new law was enacted Dec. 16, 2003 to apply for restoration of benefits. If VA receives the application later than Dec.

15, 2004, restoration of DIC must be denied. The one-year application periods does not apply to other surviving spouses whose remarriage on or after attaining age 57 followed enactment of the law. For more information on restoration of DIC, contact the Lackawanna County Department of Veterans Affairs, 570-963-6778. Villagers Play Today at Dupont The Pennsylvania Villagers will play today from 2 to 6 for the weekly polka dance at Przybytek-Kundlas Post 4909, Veterans of Foreign Wars, 403 Main Dupont. Next week the Shoreliners will be on the bandstand.

Duty Seen an Aid To Entrepreneurs U.S. veterans have a strong entrepreneurial spirit, according to a study by the Office of Advocacy. Michael J. Murray, economic development specialist in the Philadelphia District with the U.S. Small Business Administration, says the study, Entrepreneurship and Business Ownership in the Veteran Population, shows 22 percent of veterans are either purchasing or starting a new business, or considering purchasing or starting one.

Among the findings: More than one-third of both new veteran-entrepreneurs and current veteran business owners had gained skills from their active-duty service directly relevant to business ownership. Prior business ownership and employment experience had a positive impact on an even higher percentage of both new veteran-entrepreneurs and current veteran business owners than did military experience. A focus on addressing the challenges of home-based business ownership and Internet use in veteran-owned businesses would be useful. VFW Auxiliary Meets Thursday The Ladies Auxiliary to Post 8712, Veterans of Foreign Wars, will meet Thursday at 7:30 p.m., reports Brenda Amato, secretary. Polka Naturals At DAV Friday George Tarasek and the Polka Naturals will play Friday from 7 to 11 p.m., for the weekly polka dance at the DAV Hall, 51226 Storrs Dickson City.

Nov. 26, Joe Stanky and the Cadets play for an after-Thanksgiving Turkey Trot. Pie Sale Set For Thanksgiving The Ladies Auxiliary to Throop Memorial Post 7251, Veterans of Foreign Wars, will hold a pie sale for Thanksgiving. Pies will be delivered Nov. 24, the day before the holiday.

Pies can be ordered at the post or by calling way. Nearly 365 days later, the night of Oct. 24, 1944, Cmdr. Evans planned to serve birthday cake to mark the end of an uneventful year. The next morning, the Johnston and its task group of six carriers, three destroyers and six escorts were confronted by four Japanese battleships, seven cruisers and nine destroyers.

Cmdr. Evans ordered an attack. He knew what to do right off the bat," by firing guns and torpedoes and by making smoke to obscure the enemys view, Mr. Hagen said. Believing the U.S.

carrier group to be larger than it was, the Japanese held back, though they could have Tun right through us, he said. But during the engagement, the Johnston and two other American ships were sunk. By 9:45 a.m., Cmdr. Evans was telling his men to abandon ship. Mr.

Hagen said he wept copiously after two men went below, then were followed by a shell that blasted the ship. It was a release of tension, he said. At that moment, I didnt know what to do. Of the ships 327 men, only 144 were saved. About 50 were killed by enemy bombs or gunfire; 45 died on rafts from battle injuries.

Another 92, including Cmdr. Evans, who had been seriously wounded, were never found. Mr. Hagen, the top-ranking survivor, was left to attest to the bravery of the crew. Cmdr.

Evans was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, based on Mr. Hagens four-page battle report. BY scon HUDDLESTON SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS SAN ANTONIO Bob Hagen remembers crying just three times during the war. Once was when he read in a letter that his sisters husband, a Navy pilot, had been killed. He later shed tears of inspiration while watching an amphibious assault in the Pacific.

The last time he wept during World War II was at the Battle of Leyte Gulf, which was fought Oct 23 to 28, 1944. This 60th anniversary of the key phase of the bloody but decisive sea-air conflict. Mr. Hagen, now 85 and living in a San Antonio retirement high-rise, recently recently retold the story. In 1945, he was the first to tell the Navy, and the public, the story of the USS Johnston, a destroyer sunk by the Japanese.

I think I can tell the story without undue immodesty because I was only a small part of it, he said in the Saturday Evening Posts May 26, 1945, edition. Mr. Hagen had been wounded at Guadalcanal, and he would later serve in the Korean War. But the Battle of Leyte Gulf in the Philippines made him a key witness to history. Publications and TV shows have quoted his account of the battle.

Hes given an interview and personal data for a 100-page biography to the National Museum of the Pacific War in Fredericksburg, Texas. When the Johnston went to sea in 1943, Cmdr. Ernest E. Evans, at 36 an elder among his crew, warned his men that they would go into harms Vct Centers Services Explained I.