ANMAC POST 6253 Post Meetings: 2nd Tues of the month 7PM
34 Chestnut Avenue 856-767-9728
Berlin, New Jersey 08009 SERVING ALL VETERANS
Contact us:
Veteran Membership: berlinvfw@yahoo.com Click here for MIA UPDATES
Hall Rental: vfwhall6253@gmail.com
Auxiliary: berlinauxilary@yahoo.com
34 Chestnut Avenue 856-767-9728
Berlin, New Jersey 08009 SERVING ALL VETERANS
Contact us:
Veteran Membership: berlinvfw@yahoo.com Click here for MIA UPDATES
Hall Rental: vfwhall6253@gmail.com
Auxiliary: berlinauxilary@yahoo.com
Black History Month
Medal of Honor Recipients
Twenty-five African Americans earned the Medal of Honor during the American Civil War, including seven sailors of the Union Navy, fifteen soldiers of the United States Colored Troops, and three soldiers of other Army units. Fourteen African-American men earned the Medal for actions in the Battle of Chaffin's Farm, where a division of U.S. Colored Troops saw heavy action. Another four men, all sailors, earned their Medals at the Battle of Mobile Bay. William Harvey Carney was the first African American to perform an action for which a Medal of Honor was awarded, but Robert Blake was the first to actually receive the Medal (Blake's was issued in 1864, Carney did not receive his until 1900). It was common for Civil War Medals of Honor to be awarded decades after the conflict ended; in one case, Andrew Jackson Smith's Medal was not awarded until 2001, 137 years after the action in which he earned it. Smith's wait, caused by a missing battle report, is the second longest delay of the award for any recipient, African American or otherwise. President Obama awarded the Medal of Honor to Union Army First Lieutenant Alonzo Cushing for his actions at the Battle of Gettysburg in November 2014, taking the longest delay of the award to 151 years.
Eighteen African Americans earned the Medal of Honor during the Indian Wars of the western United States. Fourteen were "Buffalo Soldiers", members of the Army's first peacetime black regiments. The four Buffalo Soldier regiments, the 9th Cavalry,10th Cavalry, 24th Infantry, and 25th Infantry, fought in campaigns throughout the west. The remaining four Medal of Honor recipients were U.S. Army Indian Scouts recruited from among the Black Seminoles, a group of Seminole Indians of African descent.
Six African Americans earned the Medal of Honor during the Spanish–American War: five Buffalo Soldiers of the 10th Cavalry Regiment and one United States Navy sailor. Four of the five Buffalo Soldiers received the Medal for rescuing a trapped landing party during the Battle of Tayacoba.
WW I
Corporal Freddie Stowers
21 years old from South Carolina
Corporal Freddie Stowers of Company C, 371st Infantry Regiment, 93d Division was the squad leader of the first attack on Hill 188 in Champagne Marne Sector, France. Shortly after the attack began the Germans ceased fire and came out of the trenches indicating surrender. Corporal Stowers and his men ceased fire and began approaching the trenches to take them as prisoners when the enemy dropped back into the trenches opening fire with machine guns and mortars on the now exposed men killing over 50 percent of Stowers men. With no regard to his own personal safety Corporal Stowers crawled forward encouraging his men to follow and destroyed the first machine gun position killing the enemy soldiers. Continuing the attack on the other enemy positions Corporal Stowers was mortally wounded yet continued to crawl forward encouraging his men until he died from his wounds.
Below is what the Company Commander Captain W. R. Richey said about Corporal Stowers and his men
“This was the first time any of them had been under armed shell and machine-gun fire and they stood it like moss-covered old-timers. They never flinched or showed the least sign of fear”
Click on the link to read the official commendation:
www.cmohs.org/recipient-detail/2595/stowers-freddie.php
Private William Henry Johnson
Age unknown from North Carolina
On May 14, 1918, Private Johnson came under attack while manning an observation post in the Argonne Forest by a German raid of more than 20 that attempted to take over the American post. Private Johnson displayed uncommon heroism in hand to hand combat and saved the lives of his fellow soldiers especially Needham Roberts who the Germans had captured by using grenades, the butt of his rifle and his bare fists to stopped the Germans while wounded 21 times.
The French government awarded Private Johnson the Croix de Guerre with a special citation and a golden palm. This was France's highest award for bravery and he was the first American to receive it.
Click on the link to read the official commendation:
www.cmohs.org/recipient-detail/3517/johnson-henry-aka-william-henry-johnson.php
World War II
No African American was awarded a Medal of Honor either during World War II or immediately afterwards with respect to their actions during that conflict. This changed in 1992 when a study conducted by Shaw University and commissioned by the U.S. Dept. of Defense and the United States Army asserted that systematic racial discrimination had been present in the criteria for awarding medals during the war. After an exhaustive review of files the study recommended that several of the Distinguished Service Crosses awarded to African Americans be upgraded to the Medal of Honor. On January 13, 1997, more than fifty years after the end of the war, President Bill Clinton awarded the Medal to seven African-American World War II veterans.
Vernon Baker was the only living recipient—the other six men had been killed in action or died in the intervening years.
Korean War
Two African Americans received the Medal of Honor for action in the Korean War, both were soldiers of the 24th Infantry Regiment. Despite a 1948 Executive Order commanding the integration of the military, segregated units persisted until 1954; the 24th Infantry was one of the last remaining all-black regiments, and these two men were the last African Americans to receive the Medal of Honor for actions while serving in a segregated unit.
Vietnam War
Twenty African Americans were awarded the Medal of Honor for actions in the Vietnam War, including James Anderson, Jr., the first African-American Marine to receive the Medal.
Peacetime
Before World War II, the Medal of Honor could be awarded for actions not involving direct combat with the enemy; eight African Americans earned the Medal in this way, all of them sailors. Robert Augustus Sweeney received two peacetime Medals of Honor, one of only 19 men, and the only African American, to be awarded the medal twice. Most of the non-combat medals, including both of Sweeney's, were awarded for rescuing or attempting to rescue someone from drowning.
Ref: wikipedia
Women's History Month
March 1 - 31
Coming March 1st: a special on contributions by women over the years in the US Military.
FRIDAY - FISH FRY
Click for more details FISH FRY
11th Annual St. Patricks Day Party
Sunday March 17, 2019
Click for more details St Patrick's Day Party 2019
New Veteran ID Cards
VA Announces Rollout and Application Process for New Veterans ID Card
Click the link below for all the information
www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=3979
Click the link below for all the information
www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=3979
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Dedication
April 14, 2018
Photo's courtesy of Tommy O'Shea VVA Chapter 1068
HALL RENTAL
Check the calendar for available dates
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than send all Hall Rental questions/concerns to:
vfwhall6253@gmail.com
VETERANS CRISIS HOTLINE
1-800-273-8255 Veteran Press 1
Other options
Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing can connect with VA responders
through online chat, text message (838255), and TTY service1-800-799-4889.
The online chat, text, and TTY service are free, confidential, and available 24/7/365 to any Veteran and their loved ones, even if they are not registered with VA or
enrolled in VA health care.
Other options
Individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing can connect with VA responders
through online chat, text message (838255), and TTY service1-800-799-4889.
The online chat, text, and TTY service are free, confidential, and available 24/7/365 to any Veteran and their loved ones, even if they are not registered with VA or
enrolled in VA health care.
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