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- 1. Important Dates: Dec 7—Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Dec 11—Nat’l Cmdr Visit & Luncheon 10 a.m. Dec 13–Monthly Meet- ing & Lunch 11 a.m.; Rape of Nan- king flag ceremony Dec 16-24—Hanukkah Dec 25—Christmas Day Dec 26—Boxing Day Dec 31—New Years Eve Jan 1—New Years Day Inside this issue: Remembering 2014 2-15 Commander Jay Pon 3, 6 1st Vice Commander Nelson Lum 4, 7 3rd Vice Commander Laura Renner 5 Thank You 15 SFFD Toy Drive 16 Post 456 Dinner 17 CAH—2014 Recap 18-20 Fort Miley Visit 20 CHSA Tribute 21-23 US Air Force 26 Calendar 27 Volume 5, Issue 12 DECEMBER 2014 Veterans - Sounding Off Since 1931 Welcome to San Francisco Commander Helm By Clara Pon Welcome to the City by the Bay! Cathay Post No. 384 would like to be the first to welcome you to our city and our post. All our members are looking forward to meeting you on Thursday, De- cember 11 and giving you a historical tour of one the oldest and most active posts in San Francisco. Visi- tors might say they walked into a Chinese museum, but we rather think of it as a pictorial display of our Post’s rich history. After the meet and greet, we have a dim sum lunch planned for you and your wife at Far East Café, one of the oldest Chinese restaurants still open for busi- ness in Chinatown where you will meet many Legionnaires from the other local posts. You will be in great hands on your arrival to San Francisco with a police escort to your hotel arranged by Police-Fire Post 456 Adjutant and retired SFPD Captain Greg Corrales. The following day after the luncheon, he will take you on a tour of the City and most certainly entertain you with great stories of his time on the force. Be sure to ask him about his “Dirty Harry” revolver and the line up at Central Station! We can only imagine how often you will be passing through airports, stay- ing in random hotels, missing home cooked meals, and not getting enough family time as you would like. There’s not much we can do to alleviate any of that, but what we can try to do is to make sure you have the best possible time while you are visiting us. We hope your visit to California will be spectacular and filled with memorable moments to share back home. Thursday, December 11, 2014 10:00 a.m.—Cathay Post 384 meet and greet at 1524 Powell St. 11:30 a.m.—Commander’s Luncheon at Far East Café at 631 Grant Ave For more information on Commander Helm’s California schedule, please visit: http://www.calegion.org/html/commanders-visit.html
- 2. Page 2 Cathay Dispatch Itdoesn’t seem like another year has already gone by. It truly feels like it’s only half over. There have been so many im- portant and historical events, big and small, near and far, and every- thing in between that happened in just the past 11 months. Some things were unbelievably sad while others were absolutely noteworthy and incredibly amazing. It would be thoughtless to not go back to the events from December 2013 before we start with the events of 2014. Right after the De- cember 2013 general meeting con- cluded, and before setting eyes on the lavish Christmas feast, over a dozen members lined up to carry toys over to Fire Department Sta- tion 2, a couple of blocks away to support the annual SF Firefighters Toy Program which hands out toys to local children. With such a suc- cessful toy drive in our first at- tempt, we are making it an annual tradition. During the lunch, Post board member, co-founder and Ex- ecutive Director of Veterans Suc- cess Center (VSC) Roger Dong pre- sented a certificate of honor to Ca- thay Post for the constant support from the members in donating money, time, and assistance. The Post couldn’t have ended 2013 on a much better note than that! As with the beginning of any new year, you reflect back on what hap- pened and make resolutions for the upcoming year. But before we do that, I want to offer a final farewell to a few of our members who passed away this year. Hoover Gin / Kurt Chew-Een Lee / Steven Jin Lee There are some we meet in passing And forget as soon as they go There are some we remember with pleasure And feel honoured and privileged to know You were that kind of person Who leaves beautiful memories be- hind And there will be many days Which will bring fond memories to mind ~Unknown Author So, how did 2014 begin? Well, for starters, we changed the name of our monthly newsletter from Ca- thay Chronicle to Cathay Dispatch, completely gave it a facelift, and added a tagline… Veterans Sound- ing Off Since 1931. We also held our annual trip to visit the patients at Ft. Miley Hospital in January. The group, led by Roger Dong all rendezvoused at 1st Vice Commander Jay Pon’s house to (Continued on page 8) Post members and family at Ft. Miley Hospital.
- 3. Page 3 Volume 5, Issue 12 COMMANDER JAY PON The holiday season is here. Instead of the traditional start of C h r i s t m a s a f t er Thanksgiving, retailers have already started advertising their holi- day sales events and airing Christmas tele- vision programs. With Christmas just around the corner, please bring some unwrapped gifts and drop them off at the Post before or during December’s general monthly meet- ing. The donated games and toys will be delivered to the local fire house in support of their annual Toy Program after the De- cember meeting. Balls, dolls, and board games will put a smile on “May God bless the United States of America, the veterans, and those in the military who are serving abroad and domestically.” Jay Pon jpon@jps.net 1 (415) 409-8858 Cathay Post Member since: 2001 Branch: Navy, Army Final Rank: Major many local children's faces. A special thanks to Comrade Tony Zhang for inviting Mayor Ed Lee to drop by the Post on Election Day, No- vember 4th to visit vol- unteers working on several City proposi- tions. Tony also has offered Mayor Lee the use of the lower level of our building for Mayor Lee’s 2015 re- election campaign. Although Cathay Post does not take any posi- tion on political candi- dates or non-veteran issues, it is great to see a member of Cathay Post being politically active. Comrade Tony Zhang is a shining ex- Commander's Mission Statement: Cathay Post No. 384 is here to support fellow veterans, youth programs, and the local community. We are part of a national veteran’s non-profit group established by Congress after World War I. Chartered in 1931, we serve San Francisco and the are- as around it. My focus will be: (1) preserving the rights of veterans and patriotic organizations in the War Memorial Veterans Building; (2) in- crease Post external events for members; (3) preserving our Post history, culture, and traditions; (4) support youth and educational programs; and (5) increase the use of our clubhouse to the community. Commander's Intent: To build esprit de corps within Post 384 by hav- ing events that support our mission statement where members can have pride and enjoyment in participating. Some events will be rigorous and other events will challenge the mind. If you want to take charge, let me know and the Post can find a task or passion for you. If you want to be mentored or help out, please let us know which of the 5 missions you would like to support. ample of Americanism. I want to say thanks to the approximate 20 members of Cathay Post that marched in the Veterans Day Pa- rade as they supported their other veteran or- ganizations. Our own Cathay Post detail was smaller than usual, but they still represented the Post with pride. S e r g e a n t - a t - A r m s (Continued on page 6) Post Color Guard marching.
- 4. Page 4 Cathay Dispatch “Cathay Post established a paradigm in 2014 that will be very difficult to duplicate or exceed.” Nelson Lum nelson1431@aol.com 1( 415) 797-7384 Cathay Post Member since: 2005 Branch: Army Final Rank: SPC 1st VICE COMMANDER NELSON LUM December is here and some of you will be busy shopping for your loved ones. I would like to take this oppor- tunity to wish all of you and your families a Merry Christmas and a happy 2015. I would like to reflect on some of our Post’s accomplishments and activities for 2014. During Cathay Post’s annual gala dinner, we recognized the Post’s JROTC and ROTC scholarship recipients. In addition, we hon- ored police officers, firefighters, and a community hero. We supported worthwhile endeavors of our local non-profits and con- tinued to attend many local non-profit din- ners and celebrations. We began our year with a visit to Fort Mi- ley VA Medical Center. It is always a gratifying experience to visit the veterans who are hos- pitalized. We brought them gifts and enjoyed the opportunity to chat with the veterans and hear some of their sto- ries. This year we partici- pated in the San Fran- cisco Chinese New Year Parade with the late Major Kurt Lee (USMC Ret.), an hon- orary member of our Post who was appoint- ed as the Honorary Pa- rade Marshal. We hosted a luncheon in his honor the next day where our members and other veterans and friends were fortunate to meet him and had an opportunity to hear from this legendary Korean War hero be- fore he passed away three weeks later. A large contingent of our members attended the memorial service for the late Major Lee in Elk Grove. It was a dignified memorial service for a legendary hero who was the first person of color to be commissioned as an officer in the active Marine Corps. We hosted our first successful Texas Hold’ Em poker tournament that raised funds for the many charitable programs our Post supports. We had a packed house at our Post, and those who participated all en- joyed themselves tre- mendously. Because of its success, we will host this event again in 2015. Once again, represent- atives from our Post attended the American Legion state and na- tional conventions. Cathay Post estab- lished a paradigm in 2014 that will be very difficult to duplicate or exceed. The 2nd annual wheel- chair basketball game was held at City Col- lege of San Francisco. The game featured members of the San Francisco Police De- partment against the Golden State Road Warriors. A member of our Post joined in the contest to lend some needed assis- tance to the cops. Once again, the event’s proceeds benefitted the Post’s scholarship (Continued on page 7)
- 5. I missed the November members meeting and Veterans’ Day festivi- ties because I had trav- eled to Burma/ Myanmar for a few weeks. I chose Myan- mar because it’s been opening up the last few years and I wanted to see if before it became filled with western companies. Myanmar is located in Southeast Asia and shares a border with Thailand, Laos, China, Bangladesh and India. Its most famous cities include Yangon/ Rangoon and Manda- lay. Myanmar was col- onized by the British and won its independ- ence in 1948. A mili- tary junta took over the country in 1962 and has begun releas- ing its control over the last few years. One thing I noticed about the Burmese is that they all seemed very happy, regardless of how little or much they had. It made me realize that I take a lot for granted here in the United States. Since I’ve returned I’ve tried to reduce the clutter or ‘noise’ in my life. That has included cleaning out junk (and drama) in my home, my busi- ness and more im- portantly, my brain. It’s all about living simpler. Another lesson I learned is about taking care of myself in this life. I know the phase, “you only live once,” is considered cliché, but to me, that phrase al- ways meant you have to have the most fun or adventures. You have to take advantage of the opportunities pre- sented in your life by removing fear that precludes you from trying new things. There was no point to living a life hindered by fear. After traveling to Burma, it has taken on a new meaning. That meaning is that to make the most of this one life we get, we need to take care of ourselves. As a result, I have committed to liv- ing a healthier life- style. As we celebrate this holiday season, I hope you take a few mo- ments to appreciate what is most im- portant to you in this life and commit to keeping those priori- ties at the forefront of your life. Happy holidays! 3rd VICE COMMANDER LAURA RENNER Page 5 Volume 5, Issue 12 Laura Renner laura@hiring-coach.com 1 (415) 340-2108 Cathay Post Member since: 2013 Branch: Air Force Final Rank: Captain “...I hope you take a few moments to appreciate what is most important to you in this life and commit to keeping those priorities at the forefront of your life.” Yangon from the Irawaddy River.
- 6. Jay Pon, Continued Page 6 Cathay Dispatch David Adams led the Post carrying the US Flag along with Com- rade Vincent Yu and Chaplin Richard Ow. Support member Jed Miner kept everyone in step with the snare drum and Comrade Chee Yee drove his shiny convertible ac- companied by a couple of flag waving support members. Looking ahead, 3rd Vice Commander Laura Renner and Past Commander David Wong are currently taking names of those who are interested to (Continued from page 3) participate in our New York (and maybe Bos- ton) trip in June 2015. Several members have already signed up to go. Please let them know if you are inter- ested in order to facili- tate the process of planning. I hear the NY Yankees are play- ing the LA Angels that week. We could go catch a game in the Bronx and eat a Shake Shack burger!!! Looking outside of our Post, Veterans of For- eign Wars (VFW) is having their annual dinner on December 6th at New Asia Res- taurant. Also our Col- Membership Renewal Time! By Connie Tseng It is membership re- newal time again and not just for veterans! Support members also need to renewal their support membership. Please be ready to re- new your 2015 annual membership when you attend December’s membership meeting. If you can’t come, you can mail your $40 membership dues to the Post at 1524 Powell Street, S.F., 94133. Cathay Post depends on its members to make it strong. Legionnaires, we also take online member- s h i p r e n e w a l s at www.legion.org/ renew. Our goal is to reach 100% member- ship renewal by the end of December. Please remember that renewing will continue to reserve your hon- ored place amongst other respected mem- or Guard detail will present the flag at the Rape of Nanking trib- ute on Saturday, De- cember 13th. Please let Sergeant-at-Arms Da- vid Adams or myself know if you are availa- ble and would like to participate. Lastly, as the year of 2014 is coming to an end, may your holiday season be filled with joy. May God bless the United States of Amer- ica, the veterans, and those in the military who are serving abroad and domesti- cally. May joy and har- mony prevail at Cathay Post No. 384. Amen. bers of this Post. At last month’s meet- ing, members ap- proved a $10 increase to the 2016 annual membership dues from $40 to $50. The fees paid will enable the continuation of ac- tivities by Cathay Post to serve you and the community in a multi- tude of ways, including the monthly lunch- eons. VeteranAffairs& Rehabilitation
- 7. program. The game also helped generate recognition of Cathay Post No. 384 outside of the Chinatown com- munity and educate the public about the American Legion and how we enhance the educational goals of our youth. Comrade Jay Pon was elected as our Com- mander along with many first time office holders. Let's do our best to support the elected officers as they direct the activities of our Post. Efforts to retain our current members and bring in new members are on- going tasks that all of us must try to do. It is paramount that we are successful with these tasks in order to main- tain the vitality of our Post. With our 2nd Vice Commander Galin Luk as the Editor-in-Chief, along with the special assistance provided by our support member Ms. Clara Pon, our (Continued from page 4) Page 7 Volume 5, Issue 12 Nelson Lum, Continued Dispatch won second and first place in its category at both the state and national American Legion press association competi- tions, respectively. The newsletter en- hances the Post’s repu- tation throughout the state and is now recog- nized at the national level. During Fleet Week, our Post stepped up again and hosted a luncheon for about 200 sailors and Ma- rines of the USS Amer- ica, the first of a new class of amphibious assault carriers. The ship sailed into San Francisco for her com- missioning. Representatives of Ca- thay Post attended the reception, witnessed the commissioning, and interacted with the crew and officers. Cathay Post No. 384 has continued to sup- port the Veterans Suc- cess Center. The Cen- ter, which is being managed skillfully by the new Executive Di- rector Helen Wong and co-founded by our Judge Advocate and Historian Roger Dong, has helped many vet- erans locate gainful employment. After having served as the Chairperson of the American Legion War Memorial Commission for the last three years, I recently stepped down. Comrade Paul Cox from Post 315 was elected as the new Chairperson to suc- ceed me. We are scheduled to move back into the War Memorial Veter- ans Building in August 2015 and many of the issues dealing with space allocation post renovation have not been resolved. I was asked by Paul to be his Vice Chair and I ac- cepted. We will contin- ue our quest to retain our rights under the Trust Agreement. Hope to see you all at our next monthly meeting. NationalSecurity& ForeignRelations
- 8. Page 8 Cathay Dispatch Cathay Post—Remembering 2014, Continued prepare a hundred goodie bags be- fore heading over to Ft. Miley that morning. After the visit, they were all invited back to his house for a BBQ lunch and beer. Speaking of barbeques, students from VETS@SFSU (Veterans Edu- cation Transition Support) kicked off February in style at Orange Me- morial Park in South San Francisco with a “Welcome Back BBQ” that welcomed new and returning stu- dents to San Francisco State Uni- versity. Although Chinese New Year fell on January 31 this year, the Post held its special Chinese New Year lunch during the February general meet- ing. The following Saturday was the Lunar New Year parade. Participat- ing in the parade was particularly special for Cathay Post and its members. Not only was it the first time Cathay Post members marched in it, they had the honor of escorting former Congressman (Continued from page 2) Pete McCloskey and Major Kurt Lee (USMC Ret.), the Honorary Grand Marshal of the 2014 San Francisco Lunar New Year Parade. The next day, we hosted a special luncheon for Major Lee at Hong Kong Flower Lounge to honor and recognize his heroism during the Korean War. Sadly, a couple of weeks later on March 3, Major Kurt Lee passed away. A local memorial service was held for him in Elk Grove in April and a full military honors funeral service at Arlington National Cem- etery was held in September. We were also honored to have POW survivor Eddie Fung speak to us about his experiences during WWII at our March meeting. And after 82 years, the Veterans Memorial Mon- ument finally broke ground and a ceremony was held to commemo- rate the momentous event. April was an exciting month. The Post held its first Texas Hold ‘Em poker tournament fundraiser. Two (Continued on page 9) L-R: Honorary Parade Marshal Major Lee, Nelson Lum, Pete McCloskey in WWII era Jeep. Photo by Eddie Dare. Marines from Marines Barrack Washington for Major Lee at Arlington National Cemetery. Photo by Gunnery Sgt. Amanda Simmons. Children&Youth
- 9. Page 9 Volume 5, Issue 12 Cathay Post—Remembering 2014, Continued of the prizes were awarded to cur- rent and former police officers, and the third was awarded to our own Ed Wong! It was so much fun, we’re making it an annual event. May is recognized as Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. The Post sponsored and supported vari- ous events such as Asian Heritage Street Celebration, Coast Guard Is- land Festival, and Alameda Asian and Pacific Islander Cultural Festi- val where Comrade Helen Wong and VETS@SFSU friend, Kang Young Kye were honored. May was so busy, Post members either attended the annual Memo- rial Day service at St. Mary’s Square or attended the graduation ceremony for Comrades Ben Yang, Travis Groft, and Kadie Williams (Continued from page 8) who are also part of VETS@SFSU. A week later, the Post participated in the Memorial Day Services at the San Francisco National Cemetery located in the Presidio. The Post also held its 83rd anniver- sary and 11th annual community he- ro, firefighter, and police officer ap- preciation banquet. The evening included the swearing-in of its newly elected officers and appoint- ed board members, awards pre- sented to Police Officers James Cunningham and Scott Korte, Fire- fighter Chad Law and Lieutenant Tyson Lee, and community hero to Rose Chung. We also recognized the Post’s 3 ROTC and JROTC scholarship winners, John Sonza (ROTC), Carmen Luk, and Arthur Wong (JROTC). (Continued on page 10) The final table at our poker fundraiser. Photo by Michelle Huynh. Lt. Col. Helen Wong (Ret.) receiving her award. Post members and friends at the Presidio. Center L-R: Arthur Wong and Carmen Luk. Americanism
- 10. Page 10 Cathay Dispatch June is a special month for the American Legion and American Le- gion Auxiliary programs. Cathay Post again sponsored a few local high school boys to participate in the American Legion Boys State program, and for the first time, a girl to Girls State by way of a near- by Auxiliary Post. This year’s American Legion De- partment of California Convention was held in Santa Clara and was historic. First, Cathay Post’s color guard team entered its first color guard competition and awarded first place in its category. Second, Cathay Post’s newsletter, Cathay Dispatch won awards at the Cali- fornia American Legion Press Asso- ciation competition. It was the first time the newsletter and the Post’s Facebook page were entered into a competition and placed in all the categories they were submitted in- to. And finally, many watched the oath ceremony of the Department of California’s first female com- mander, Janet Wilson. (Continued from page 9) Cathay Post—Remembering 2014, Continued A couple of Korean War veterans from Cathay Post attended a spe- cial dinner on June 25, 2014 spon- sored by Man J. Kim, Vice Presi- dent of Korean War Memorial Foundation where they were pre- sented with an Ambassador for Peace Medal for their service in the “Forgotten War.” The Post’s 2nd annual wheelchair basketball tournament between the Golden State Road Warriors and San Francisco Police Officers was held in late July at City College of San Francisco. Comrade Travis Groft was part of the police officers team and was thrilled with the challenge. During the second half of the game, a few of the SF Police Activities League cadets were re- cruited onto the team to give Greg Suhr and a few of the officers a (Continued on page 11)Color Guard Team at state convention. Commander Janet Wilson oath ceremony. Photo by Henry Sanchez Jr. Elk Grove Post 233 VeteranAffairs& Rehabilitation
- 11. Page 11 Volume 5, Issue 12 Cathay Post—Remembering 2014, Continued breather. The players and the audi- ence all had a great time. Even the kids got on the court to try to shoot a few baskets from the wheelchairs. The Post also held its first SF Gi- ants outing in the middle of Au- gust. The Giants beat the Phillies 5- 2 on that warm and sunny after- noon. First Vice Commander Nelson Lum, Historian Roger Dong, and I attended the annual American Le- gion National Convention in Char- lotte, North Carolina. I represent- ed the Cathay Dispatch at the Na- tional American Legion Press Asso- ciation awards luncheon where we won first place in our newsletter category. Our Facebook page won third place. There was no rest for the weary. American Legion 8th District Coun- cil’s Veteran Success Center moved a few times this year, and in Sep- tember, it finally found a great space where they can continue to help veterans with employment op- (Continued from page 10) portunities. They are now sharing space with Employment Develop- ment Department (EDD) on Turk Street. Post members Roger Dong, Helen Wong, and Nelson Lum helped move equipment over to its new home at 801 Turk Street. October was also packed full of events. Cathay Post has hosted for the last several years a luncheon for crew members of a naval vessel coming into port during Fleet Week. Due to sequestration cuts last year, there was no Fleet Week, so no hosted lunch. This year, however, was special. The city of San Francisco hosted the commis- sioning of USS America LHA-6 on Saturday, October 11, 2014. Cathay Post held a luncheon for the crew of USS America a few days earlier on Tuesday, October 7 to welcome them to our fine City as well as thank them for their service. On Friday, October 10, the Blue Angels performed a fly-over during the dedication ceremony for the com- pletion of the Veterans Memorial Monument at the War memorial Complex across from City Hall (Continued on page 14) Cathay Dispatch 1st place plaque. National convention hall with friends from China- town Post 628 and Lt. Kimlau Post 1291. Photo by Gabe Mui Lt. Kimlau Post 1291. Lunch for crew members aboard USS America. NationalSecurity& ForeignRelations
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- 14. Page 14 Cathay Dispatch where 1st Vice Commander Nelson Lum and Service Officer Rogelio Manaois had the privilege of plac- ing the chest of soil which contains soils from all the battle fields our military has fought into the monu- ment. On Sunday, October 12, the Post’s color guard unit marched in the an- nual Italian Heritage Day parade. They followed that parade with the annual Veteran’s Day parade on Sunday, November 9, 2014. Alt- hough the Post’s group was smaller than last year, many members marched along with their other vet- eran organizations. November and December is busy with planning the special Cathay Post holiday lunches, attending (Continued from page 11) Veterans of Foreign Wars 91st Divi- sion/Chinatown Post #4618’s an- nual holiday dinner, organizing Na- tional Commander Michael Helm’s luncheon and visit to our Post, sup- porting the San Francisco Firefight- er’s Toy Program, and performing the flag ceremony for the Rape of Nanking tribute on Saturday, De- cember 13. In addition to Cathay Post attend- ing other non-profit events and dinners, the Post also made mone- tary donations to the following or- ganizations: $250 to American Elderly Hu- manitarian Society; $1,215 to American Legion Boys State (3 Boys); $400 to American Legion Auxil- iary Girls State (1 Girl); $1,000 to Asian Heritage Street Fair; $500 to Chinese Hospital Build- ing Fund; $350 to Chinese Newcomer Ser- vices Center; $1,000 scholarship check awarded to each of the 2 JROTC cadets; $1,000 scholarship check awarded to a ROTC cadet; $500 check awarded to each of the 2 San Francisco firefighters; $500 check awarded to each of (Continued on page 15) Veterans Memorial Monument—Passage of Re- membrance. Courtesy of SFWMPAC.org. Children&Youth USS America Commissioning ceremony. Photo by Nelson Lum.
- 15. Page 15 Volume 5, Issue 12 The year is almost over and it has been full of unpredictabil- ity, surprises, and changes. Our Post, the members, and the newsletter staff con- tinue to grow and adapt, as well as ex- perience the challeng- es and changes of a post that continually strives to improve and become a better or- ganization. The trials and tribulations that we all endure can only add to our experienc- es and hopefully, make us be more un- Cathay Post—Remembering 2014, Continued the 2 San Francisco police offic- ers; $500 to VETS@SFSU students retreat; $1,000 to USS America LHA-6 Commissioning Ceremony; $300 to Wreaths Across Ameri- ca The Post also provided loans to: $5,000 to American Legion War Memorial Commission; $5,000 to 8th District Council, Veterans Success Center; (Continued from page 14) $2,000 to 8th District Council to fund the insurance. It has certainly been a busy year and it’s not even over yet. Planning and review of next year’s budget and activities has already begun. There is no doubt that there will be more fund raisers planned for 2015 to keep members active and in- volved, as well as ensure the Post has the financial means to make continual improvements to the building and support local commu- nity programs. We look forward to another eventful and productive year. Wishing all of you a healthy and prosperous 2015. derstanding and tol- erant of one another. The 2014 Dispatch staff want to thank all of you for your sup- port by cheering us on as we entered the state and national American Legion Press Association competitions, volun- teering your time as- sisting or attending Post events so there are stories for us to write about, or pur- chasing advertising space in our newslet- ter. So, thank you very much. We also want to thank the Golden State Road Warriors, SF Police Department, SF Police Officers Association, SF Asian Police Offic- ers’ Association, SF Police Credit Union, Coca Cola, Chinese American Heroes, Jed Miner & Associates Insurance Services, Inc., Provident Credit Union, and our many friends and donors. We look forward to 2015 and making it an even better year! Americanism
- 16. Page 16 Cathay Dispatch VeteranAffairs& Rehabilitation Cathay Post 2nd Annual Firefighter Toy Drive By Connie Tseng San Francisco, CA – What do burn- ing houses and small children un- der the age of 12 have in common? They are served by the San Francis- co Firefighters, one with hoses full of water, and The San Francisco Firefighters Toy Program, run by the S.F. Fire Fighters Union, Local 798, the city's largest and the na- tion's oldest program of its kind. The program brings that special time of year to children that have lost everything in a devastating fire. Firefighters are routinely the first on the scene and they have first- hand knowledge of what damage and pain a fire can wreak. To help cope with a life changing event, such as a fire, the S.F. Firefighters started helping just 15 neighbors in 1949, and has since spread like a wildfire to helping hundreds of children in the area. While firefighters may be the first to arrive at a scene, Cathay Post has created its own way to help those suffering misfortune with Cathay Post’s 2nd Annual Toy Drive! Rather than asking for donations to be sent directly to the fire station and impede on any emergency calls they may get, Cathay Post has part- nered with S.F. Firefighter’s Toy Drive to take toy donations. Not only will the kids get fun toys, Ca- thay Post continues to be a contrib- utor to the local community. The S.F. Firefighter’s Toy Program and Cathay Post are non-profit or- ganizations. The various sources, such as caring organizations like Cathay Post, have helped with funding and has allowed the pro- gram to distribute over 200,000 toys to 40,000 children. The S.F. Firefighters and Cathay Post need your help in making this Christmas just a bit brighter. Please bring in new unwrapped toys to next month’s meeting on Saturday, December 13. We will de- liver the toys at the conclusion of the meeting over to Firehouse 2. Toy Guidelines: Toys must be un- wrapped; we serve ages between infant through 12. Our biggest need are for girls, ages 8 through 12. Some ideas are sports equipment, balls, art and crafts, and games.
- 17. NationalSecurity& ForeignRelations Page 17 Volume 5, Issue 12 Police-Fire Post 456 Police Officer of the Year By Nelson Lum On November 13, 2014, two of San Fran- cisco’s finest were hon- ored by American Le- gion Police-Fire Post #456 at its Officers of the Year awards dinner at the United Irish Cul- tural Center. The of- ficers were recognized for their valor. Nine Cathay Post veterans and support members, led by Commander Jay Pon, were among the one-hundred and forty guests who attended the annual event. Lieutenant Gaetano Caltagirone of Taraval Station, and Officer James Cunningham of Airport Bureau were each awarded the Of- ficer of the Year for Valor. Lieutenant Caltagirone and Of- ficer Cunningham re- sponded to the tragic crash of Asiana Airline Flight 214, on July 6, 2013, at San Francisco International Airport. As the first emergency unit at the scene, they took immediate steps to render assistance to those passengers who were inside the smoke filled cabin. They each made several trips into the cabin to free those passengers who were trapped in their seats. The cabin of the plane had begun to burn, neither officer had on any fire resistant personal protective equipment (PPE). Without regard to their own personal safety, they continued their efforts to save lives. When some of the firefighters arrived at the sce- ne, they were amazed to see these two officers inside the burning cabin without PPE working feverishly to free the passengers. It should be noted that Officer James Cunning- ham was selected and honored as the Officer of the Year by Cathay Post No. 384, Officer of the Year by the American Legion Department of California at its state convention, and Officer of the Year by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP). The evening also marked the retirement of Captain Greg Corrales, Adjutant of Post 456, from the San Francisco Police Department after more than 46 years of service. Links to Officer Cunningham’s heroics: https://corporate.target.com/discover/article/meet- the-2014-IACP-Target-Police-Officer-of-the-Ye https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZ4eQyk2NLk L-R: Deputy Chief Denise Schmitt, Police Chief Greg Suhr, Lt. Gaeta- no Caltagirone, Officer Jim Cunningham, Post 456 1st Vice Com- mander Gary Gee, and Commander Mike Edmond. Photo courtesy of Mike Edmond.
- 18. Page 18 Cathay Dispatch Profiles of nine Chinese American Heroes were featured in the Cathay Dispatch in 2014. Here are brief summaries of those notable Ameri- cans. Their full biographies can be found by visiting www.chineseamericanheroes.org. Chancellor Phyllis M. Wise, Ph.D. (1945-). Dr. Phyl- lis Wise is a former research scientist, professor, and assis- tant administrator at several universities. In 2011, she was appointed to her current position as chancellor of the Uni- versity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, one of the coun- try’s largest public universities. She is one of only a few Asian-American women university chancellors in the na- tion. Dr. Wise is the author of several articles on leadership and diversi- ty. Major Kurt Chew-Een Lee, U.S. Marine Corps (1926-2014). Kurt Lee enlisted with the Marines in 1944, and two years later, became the first non-white commis- sioned as an officer in the USMC’s then-171-year history. In the Korean War, Major Lee demonstrated exemplary leadership and personal bravery during several treacherous combat missions; and earned two Purple Hearts, a Silver Star, and the Navy Cross. He served with the Marines until the end of the Vietnam War. Major Arthur Chin, Canton Provincial Air Force, U.S. Army Air Corps (1913-1997). Arthur Chin was a decorated combat pilot for the Chinese military, who, despite being seriously injured twice in air battles, was credited with destroying nine Japanese fighter planes. Major Chin also served in the Army Air Corps as a transport pilot; and earned the Distinguished Flying Cross. After military service, he became a career Postal Service employee. Captain Francis B. Wai, U.S. Army (1917-1944). Francis Wai In 1941 was one of the few Army officers of Asian descent selected for com- bat leadership. During the fierce battles when U.S. troops invaded Leyte in the Philippines, Captain Wai was killed while leading his unit to de- stroy a Japanese stronghold. He was posthumously awarded the Distin- guished Service Cross, which, 56 years later, was upgraded to the Medal of Honor. (Continued on page 19) CHINESE AMERICAN HEROES 2014—Year in Review Wise—Photo courtesy of oc.illinois.edu. Lee—Photo by Roger Dong.
- 19. Page 19 Volume 5, Issue 12 Shyu—Photo courtesy of the US Army. Lim—Photo courtesy of David Lim. Ho’opi’I—Photo by Richard Avedon. Chinese American Heroes, Continued Postmaster Lim Poon Lee (1911-2002). Lim Poon Lee was an Army counterintelligence specialist during World War II. After being dis- charged and returned to San Francisco, he became commander of Cathay Post No. 384 and was a staunch supporter of local politics. In 1966, he was appointed postmaster of San Francisco. At the time, he was the high- est-ranking federal employee of Chinese descent. Hazel Ying Lee, U.S. Army Air Corps (1912-1944). Hazel Ying Lee was the first Chinese-American woman in the Women Airforce Service Pilots, a branch of the Army Air Corps, during World War II. Although she passed combat training, women were not allowed as combat pilots. Hazel Ying Lee flew numerous transport missions and died when her plane crashed into another aircraft that was misdirected to land on the same runway. Women service pilots were not granted veteran status un- til 1977. Assistant Secretary of the Army Heidi Shyu (1953-). Heidi Shyu is a former research engineer, executive with several corporations that deal with defense projects, and was vice-chair of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board. In 2012, she was appointed to her current position as Assis- tant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology; in that capacity, she is the Army’s senior offi- cial for research and development. Lieutenant (retired) David W. Lim, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department (1956-). David Lim was hired as a Port Authority police officer in 1980. On September 11, 2001, then-Officer Lim and his K-9 Sirius were on duty at the World Trade Center when the jetliners crashed into the Twin Towers. He was in a fourth-floor stairwell of the North Tower leading occu- pants to safety when the building collapsed. Lieutenant Lim survived with minor injuries, but Sirius perished. The gun belt and boots Lieuten- ant Lim wore that day, along with Sirius’ police badge, collar, and leash, are on display at the 9/11 Memorial Museum. Lieutenant Lim retired this year after more than 34 years as a police officer. (Continued from page 18) (Continued on page 20)
- 20. Page 20 Cathay Dispatch Cathay Post is tentatively sched- uled to visit veterans who are resid- ing at Fort Miley VA Medical Cen- ter on Saturday, January 17, 2015. The actual time of the visit has yet to be determined. Please note this on your calendar if you plan to join Commander Pon and many of our comrades on this special day. We will be bringing gift packs with an assortment of useful treats from our Post for our veterans. The hos- pital limits the number of visitors Annual Fort Miley Visit—Mark Your Calendars By Roger Dong we can have, so please let us know as soon as possible if you plan on coming. A BBQ lunch and promises of un- limited beer consumption will be hosted by Commander Jay Pon at his residence after the visit. We look forward to seeing you there. Roger S. Dong, future Fort Miley residence in practice. Chinese American Heroes, Continued Sergeant Isaac W. P. Ho’opi’i, Pentagon Force Pro- tection Agency (1963-). Isaac Ho’opi’i was hired as a Pentagon police officer in 1997. On 9/11, when a jetliner crashed into the Pentagon, then-Officer Ho’opi’i was among the initial first-responders to enter into the burning, smoke- and debris-filled building to lead occupants to a safe area. Although there were numerous fatalities, Ser- geant Ho’opi’i directed countless persons to safety; and personally saved eight victims by carrying or assisting them from the burning structure. When not on duty as a police K-9 handler, Sergeant Ho’opi’i coaches at a local high school and is an accomplished singer and musician. Gary Gee, president of Chinese American Heroes, authored this article and the following message: On behalf of Chinese American Heroes, I hope that Cathay Dispatch readers and their families have a festive holiday season. To the men and women of our military forces overseas, thank you for your cour- age and dedication as you protect our great nation; and God’s speed in returning you safely to your loved ones. (Continued from page 19) Photo by Richard Avedon.
- 21. NationalSecurity& ForeignRelations Page 21 Volume 5, Issue 12 eral Hap Arnold, Com- mander of Army Air Corps at the Pentagon, and his letter amazing- ly found its way onto the General’s desk. General Arnold was so moved by Fong’s de- termination to serve his country that he di- rected the Army to ac- cept Fong. The Gen- eral also authorized Fong’s request to at- tend flight school to become a pilot. Fong graduated from com- bat pilot school and was assigned to Eu- rope where he was de- ployed and quickly shot down by two Ger- man fighter aircrafts. In one of those en- counters, his P-47 Thunderbolt fighter sustained damage, and he suffered serious bodily injuries when he crash landed his aircraft. The injuries ended his combat flying career. However, he continu- ally insisted on flying and was assigned as the Commander of the non-combat 5th Euro- pean Air Rescue (Continued on page 22) On Saturday, Novem- ber 8, 2014 Chinese Historical Society of America (CHSA) cele- brated Veterans Day and recognized all Chi- nese American veter- ans at their boutique museum on 965 Clay Street in San Francisco for the first time. Honoring Chinese American veterans is a very noteworthy event as historians, includ- ing Chinese American historians, have not truly recognized the contributions of Chi- nese American veter- ans who have incredi- bly served in every American conflict since the Civil War (1861-1865). In World War II, ap- proximately 20,000 Chinese Americans served in our military which was an astound- ing 25% of approxi- mately 80,000 of the total Chinese Ameri- can population in our country. No other eth- nic group served in this conflict with such a high proportion of their total population. Considering most of America has portrayed Chinese Americans as perpetual foreigners at that time, their loyalty to America had always been deemed ques- tionable. Despite these obstacles, Chi- nese Americans who served in such high numbers proportional- ly in our military dur- ing that time frame should be noteworthy. Serving in the military in time of war is an un- deniable badge of loy- alty to your country which is more power- ful than loudly reciting the Pledge of Alle- giance. Even though Chinese Americans were en- thusiastic about taking up arms to serve our country, during WWII, rampant discrimina- tion kept some very loyal Chinese Ameri- cans from being able to enlist in the military. The selective service process rejected many applications from Chi- nese Americans. For example, Mr. Frank Fong, was rejected sev- eral times when he tried to enlist in the Army. Fong actually wrote a letter to Gen- Chinese Historical Society of America Paying Tribute to Veterans By Roger Dong
- 22. Page 22 Cathay Dispatch Children&Youth Squadron. His unit rescued more than a thousand American and Allied air crew members during the War. Fong was award- ed two Distinguished Flying Crosses (the highest flying combat award), eight Air Med- als, and a Purple Heart among his many mili- tary awards. He con- tinued serving in non- combat flying assign- ments during the Ko- rean and Vietnam Wars. During WWII, Cap- tain Francis B. Wai, US Army, earned the Medal of Honor for "Gallantry and intre- pidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty" as he gave up his life bravely res- cuing and defending his Army comrades. Also in WWII, Rear Admiral Gordon P. Chung-Hoon, a US Na- vy destroyer Com- mander, was awarded the Navy Cross and Silver Star for conspic- uous gallantry and ex- traordinary heroism as the commanding of- (Continued from page 21) CHSA Paying Tribute to Veterans, Continued ficer of USS Sigsbee (DD - 502) from May 1944 to October 1945. In 2003, the US Navy recognized the coura- geous Chung-Hoon with the naming of an Aegis Class guided missile destroyer, USS Chung–Hoon (DDG – 93) in his honor. The approximately 20,000 Chinese Amer- icans who served bravely in defense of America during WWII were major factors in the repeal of the hei- nous Chinese Exclu- sionary Act (CEA) which originated in 1882 for ten years, and subsequently renewed every 10 years thereaf- ter. If the CEA had not been repealed in 1943, the population of Chinese Americans in America would not have grown from the 1945 population of 80,000 to the 4.5 mil- lion today. Without a measurable voting population in a democ- racy, you are not rec- ognized by politicians and rendered perpetu- ally victims from ne- glect. Today, there are approximately 83,000 Asian Americans in our military serving in combat, medical, and logistical positions with more than 50,000 of them being of Chinese descent. They are critical and an integral part of our military worldwide. One of the exhibits at the CHSA celebration was the showing of the film “Uncommon Courage – Breakout at Chosin.” It is the 2010 Smithsonian Institute video production that depicted the story of Korean War hero Ma- jor Kurt Chew-Een Lee, an honorary Ca- thay Post member and an American military hero. CHSA delayed the viewing of the film until 2:30 pm to allow me and other Cathay Post members who at- tended the monthly Post meeting to partic- ipate in the viewing. Also in attendance was Major Lee's nephew, San Francisco City Su- pervisor Eric L. Mar. Mar and I introduced the film before the au- dience at CHSA. The audience consisted of several dozens visitors to the CHSA Museum (Continued on page 23)
- 23. Page 23 Volume 5, Issue 12 Americanism and they were treated to un- published information of Major Lee that was not a part of the Smith- sonian film. Supervisor Mar, who represented the Lee family told the story of Ma- jor Kurt Lee, the eldest son of how his uncle was always a leader and how he followed his grandfather's footsteps of cherishing honor. I recounted Major Kurt Lee's mili- tary exploits and the heroics behind his Navy Cross. I informed the au- dience Lee was not just a brave and strong military leader. He was an extraordinary military strategist. (Continued from page 22) CHSA Paying Tribute to Veterans, Continued 2014 Cathay Dispatch Ad Rates The annual advertisement rates are for 12 monthly issues. Space size and rates: ¼ page (B&W/Color) - $50 ½ page (B&W/Color) - $100 Full page (B&W/Color) - $200 Contact a Post commander or Cathay Dispatch staff member to place your ad in the award winning Cathay Dispatch. He trained and demanded his men to be physically and mentally ready for combat. When engaged in bat- tle, he used excellent military tac- tics and exhibited extraordinary bravery by drawing fire to himself in order to expose the enemy's ma- chine gun positions. His B Compa- ny platoon never lost a battle in the Korean War. The effort to upgrade Major Kurt Lee's Silver Star to the Medal of Honor continues. The office of Congresswoman Jackie Speier is coordinating and gathering cogent and relevant information to justify the Medal of Honor to be submit- ted to Congress for referral to the Marine Corps and hopefully, the White House. Supervisor Eric Mar, nephew of Major Kurt Lee. Roger Dong, Founder -Chinese American Heroes
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- 26. Page 26 Cathay Dispatch VeteranAffairs& Rehabilitation United States Air Force By Jay Pon Disclaimer. Opinions or articles expressed herein are those of the editor or columnist, and are not necessarily those of the National, Department, District, or of the American Legion. Publication of advertisements does not imply en- dorsement by the American Legion of the products, service, or offers ad- vertised or profiled. (Author’s note: This is part 4 of my historical look back at the crea- tion of our Armed Forces.) In part 4 of this 5 part series of how our mili- tary is structured, we fly off with the Air Force. The youngest of the 5 branches of ser- vice was established in September 8, 1947. There are approxi- mately 510,000 air- meni making the Air Force the second larg- est US military branch after the Army. Of the roughly 510,000 air- menii, 65% are on ac- tive duty, 14% are in the Air Force Reserve, and 21% are in the Air National Guard. A ma- jority are enlisted folks –80%, and of those 19% are female, statis- tically the highest of all five branches. The Air National Guard is sim- ilar to the Army Na- tional Guard, where the state governors have control of these assets until federalized by the President of the United States. Some states have more airpower than many nations aboard. In fact, the Missouri Air Guard flies the B-2 Bomber, making Missouri a nu- clear power! Georgia and Kansas recently had to turn in their B-1 Bombers causing them to lose their nuclear status. The entire Air Force has about 1,500 fighter aircraft, 800 cargo aircraft, 3,300 other types of aircraft, 115 nuclear bombers, 450 ICBM, and 63 sat- ellitesiii, and more im- portantly at least 65 golf coursesiv. In 2011, the Air Force reached a milestone with train- ing more drone pilots than traditional pilotsv. The Air Force, besides in being in charge of Air Superiority, is also concerned about Space and Cyber Superiority, where the sky is no longer the limit. The Air Force's future bat- tlefield is both physical and virtual in a third and fourth dimension- al environment. i “United States Air Force - Wikipedia, the Free Ency- clopedia.” N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2014. ii “2014 United States of America Military Strength.” N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2014. iii United States Air Force - Wikipedia, the Free Ency- clopedia.” N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2014. iv (per militarygoldcourse- guide.com) unconfirmed. v Martin, Rachel. “Drone Pilots: The Future of Aerial Warfare.” NPR.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2014.
- 27. Volume 5, Issue 12 CATHAY DISPATCH Page 27 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 New Years 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Post Meeting 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Ft. Miley Visit 18 19 Martin Luther King 20 21 80% Nat’l Membership Tar- get Date 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Veterans Lions Event JANUARY 2015 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Pearl Har- bor Day 8 9 10 75% Nat’l Membership Tar- get Date 11 Helm Visit & Luncheon 12 13 Post Meeting, Rape of Nanking Flag ceremony 14 15 16 Hanuk- kah Begins 17 18 19 20 21 Winter Solstice 22 23 24 Hanuk- kah Ends 25 X-mas Day 26 27 28 29 30 31 New Years Eve DECEMBER 2014
- 28. C A T H A Y P O S T N O . 3 8 4 Vietnam War 2/28/1961 – 5/7/1975 Korean War 6/25/1950 – 1/31/1955 World War II 12/7/1941 – 12/31/1946 World War I 4/6/1917 – 11/11/1918 www.legion.org Join Cathay Post No. 384 in San Francisco, one of the oldest and most active posts in Cali- fornia. We welcome all qualified retired, ac- tive, and non-military men and women. Our veterans are courageous wartime military men and women who proudly served or are currently serving. Cathay Post No. 384 American Legion Executive Committee 2014-2015 Commander: Jay “Jigg” Pon 1st Vice Commander: Nelson Lum 2nd Vice Commander: Galin Luk 3rd Vice Commander: Laura Renner Adjutant: Ben Yang Secretary: John Li Treasurer: Edward Wong Do you want to receive the Cathay Dispatch or need to update your email address, please contact us at: cathaypost@gmail.com. We’ll get right on it. If you would like to place an advertisement, please go to page 23 for our advertisement rate information. Thank you for your support! CATHAY DISPATCH STAFF Clara Pon — Publisher & Editor-in-Chief cathaypost384events@gmail.com Linnette Cesena—Editor Nelson Lum—Editor Daniel Marquez — Editor Roger Dong — Chief Reporter rogerdong@hotmail.com We welcome article or letter submissions but reserves the right to publish, republish or not publish any submission and to edit articles or letters as appropriate. Submissions must include your name, address, and phone number. The Editor-in-Chief will call to verify authenticity. All submissions should be emailed to cathaypost384events@gmail.com. Cathay Dispatch is a proud member of the National American Legion Press Association (NALPA) & California American Le- gion Press Association (CALPA). Gulf War/War On Terrorism Desert Shield/Desert Storm/OEF/ OIF 8/2/1990 to today Panama—Operation Just Cause 12/20/1989 – 1/31/1990 Lebanon/Grenada Lebanon War/Operation Urgent Fury 8/24/1982 – 7/31/1984 Cathay Post #384 1524 Powell Street San Francisco, CA 94133 Phone: 1 (415) 797-7384 (New) Fax: 1 (415) 797-7384 (New) E-mail: cathaypost@gmail.com www.cathaypost384.org