Samuel Young Legion Post 620

Hello all!

Let’s get the sad news out of the way first. A memorial service will be held for Robert Messenger, AKA “The Indian.” This will take place at 1 p.m. on Thursday, May 21, at Rose’s Hill Memorial Park, Putnam Valley, NY. Bob was a 47 year member of the Sam Young Post. He served in the Marines during WW II, spending most of his time in the CBI ( China, Burma India) Theater. Our sympathies go out to his family.

I wrote about the Unionport Post’s Memorial Day Parade and block party on May 23 starting at 11 a.m. Well, they have a special guest this year: our newly elected Borough President, Ruben Diaz, Jr. So come on out and say hello and see if we can’t get his support of veteran causes as we had with his predecessor, Adolfo Carrion, Jr.

While the facts surrounding the kidnapping and rescue of the Maersk Alabama Captain Richard Phillips have been widely reported, less well known is the ship that saved him was commanded by a black woman, Rear Admiral Michelle Howard.

She received the U.S. Navy’s counter-piracy task force just three days before the Alabama was attacked by Somalia pirates. Howard is the first of her 1982 Naval Academy class to reach the rank of Admiral. In 1999, she was the first Afro-American to command a US Naval ship, the USS Rushmore. You rock, girl!

Vets living in New York are eligible to get burial space in advance of need at no charge in beautiful Washington Memorial Park. For more info call  (631) 642-8100. This park is in Mt. Sinai on Long Island.

Refer to last week’s column for all the happenings. For instance the Kiwanis Flea Market here on Saturday, May 16, at 11:30 a.m.

The next day is the Drunken Volleyball Competition. Starts at  Noon and goes to 5 p.m. All proceeds go to Calvary Hospital.

Sunday, May 24, is our BBQ on the lanai from 1 to 5 p.m. $15 per person. Come on out.

Trivia time!!

The Empire State Building opened on May 1, 1931.

J. Edgar Hoover died on May 2, 1972.

General Mac Arthur died May 4, 1964.

The Kent State shooting took place May 4, 1970 at 12:22 p.m.

The Hindenburg Blimp exploded May 6, 1937.

Keep the troops in your prayers, hug a vet and God bless.