It has never been a secret that I am an aviation fan.
I enjoy the old aircraft and their stories with my favorite part of any fly-in or air show being the hangar talk.
Ohio winter weather allows me time to catch up on things happening in the aviation world. And I have noticed in the past few months a number of World War II aircraft have been located either buried as surplus, frozen in ice, submerged underwater or in sand on a beach.
The aircraft buried as surplus were English Spitfires located in Burma and their ownership has been the subject of a legal fight. No small fight, the aircraft are still in crates and in today’s market may be worth as much as $1.8 million each.
A second Spitfire site is in Birmingham, England, not far from where the aircraft were built. Once the war was over the unused, crated aircraft were buried in a huge pit.
Meanwhile, a Lockheed P-38 Lightening was uncovered on a beach in Wales.
The P-38 had made an emergency landing 65 years ago and was left for salvage. The waves and sand covered it over until the perfect conditions recently made it appear again.
In December, an FM-2 Wildcat was found submerged in 200 feet of water at the bottom of Lake Michigan.
I was amazed to learn that there are an estimated 200 World War II aircraft believed to be on the bottom of the lake. Carrier flight training was completed over this lake and many of the wrecks were the direct result of that training.
The United States Air Force considers aircraft lost before Nov. 19, 1961, as abandoned. The directive is the result of a fire that destroyed USAF records.
The only aircraft of interest prior to that time are those containing human remains and the directive makes clear recovery personnel should contact the nearest United States Embassy or military installation and refrain from further recovery efforts pending removal of the remains.
I look forward to the end of each of the stories. Will a family finally be able to bury a lost loved one? Will the aircraft fly again or be on display in a museum? Or will they be parted out to rebuild other historic aircraft? Time will tell

Legion Post hosts Lucky Shoots
American Legion Post 112, 6671 Middle Ridge Road in Madison, will host Lucky Shoots every Saturday through March 16 at the post home. Breakfast for shooters will be $2.50; those not shooting can eat for $5. Stop in and join the fun. For details, call the post at 440-428-7893.

Breakfast at Burton Post
Atwood-Mauck Post 459, 14052 Goodwin St. in Burton, will host a pancake and sausage breakfast from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sunday at the post home. For details, call 440-343-1478.
 
Steak on menu in Painesville
Ladies Auxiliary of VFW Post 2595, 570 Liberty St. in Painesville, will host a steak dinner beginning at 5 p.m. Saturday at the post home. For details, call 440-354-9090.

Legion Riders host chili cook-off
American Legion Post 336 Riders will host a chili cook-off 1 to 4 p.m. Feb. 3 at the post home, 60 Chester St. in Painesville. Cost of the tasting will be $4 a person.
The event will also include a Chinese auction and a 50/50 Raffle. There is no charge to enter and the judging is by popular vote of the tasters.
For those entering, please provide at least two quarts of chili per entry so everyone will get to taste the chili. For details, call the post home at 440-357-7711.

Four Chaplins remembered
Atwood-Mauck Post 459 of the American Legion, 14052 Goodwin St. in Burton, will host a Four Chaplins program beginning at 3 p.m. Feb. 3 at the post home. For details, call 440-834-1911.

AMVETS Ladies
host annual event
AMVETS Post 109 Ladies Auxiliary, 7847 Lake Shore Blvd. in Mentor-on-the-Lake, will host its annual fundraiser steak dinner and Chinese auction on Feb. 9.
Dinner is served 5 to 7 p.m. and the auction with entertainment by a DJ will follow. Tickets are $15 each or two for $25. Only 100 tickets are sold. Call Sue Makse at 440-257-4342 or the post at 440-257-9217 for tickets.

Junior Girls serve spaghetti
Junior Girls Unit of VFW Post 2595, 570 Liberty St. in Painesville, will host a spaghetti dinner 5 to 8 p.m. Feb. 10 at the post home.
The girls are between the ages of 5 and 16 years and are the daughters, sisters, and granddaughters of men and women eligible to join the VFW.
Funds raised will be used for support of the VFW National Military Services Fund which includes Operation Uplink (free call days), Unmet Needs (for families and active duty military) and the Military Assistance Program. For details, call Jill Householder at 440-352-9522.

Boulevard benefit
A fundraiser for the Boulevard of 500 Flags will begin at 6 p.m. Feb. 23 at the American Legion Hall of Post 678, 570 E. 328th St. in Willowick.
All money raised will be used to replace flag poles and worn American Flags at the Boulevard. Tickets are $20 per person or $35 per couple.
The evening will include dinner, open bar, reverse raffle, Chinese auction and side boards. Doors open at 6 p.m. and dinner is served at 7 p.m.
Tickets are available at American Legion Post 678 and at VFW 3863, 33641 Vine St. in Eastlake.

To submit items for this column or the online listings, send them to: The News-Herald, Attn: Larece Galer, 7085 Mentor Ave., Willoughby, OH 44094, fax to 440-975-2293; or via email to LGaler@News-Herald.com.

Technology can be wonderful.
Using current technology, we continue to recover those missing in action or prisoners of war. Identification is accomplished through DNA samples. The hardest part of the process is locating the next of kin or even relatives to obtain Mitochondrial DNA to identify the remains. The research and verification needed for the DNA and to make the connection to the dead takes the greatest amount of time and effort.
Technology also is helping to locate aircraft crash sites in places like Koge Bay, Greenland. A Coast Guard amphibious rescue plane, a Grumman Duck (J2F-4) that crashed Nov. 29, 1942, is believed to be frozen in 38 feet of ice. After 70 years, the three men aboard the plane might actually come home because of the technology used to locate and excavate the site.
The search for the sites with items such as ground-penetrating radar and metal-detection equipment pinpoint the sites and make excavation easier.
The Joint POW/MIA Personnel Accounting office is in charge of locating the next of kin and obtaining the DNA samples to help in identification.
Knowing a loved one may return years after they have gone missing and are presumed dead is a comfort for the families. To know that someone is remembered for their sacrifice seems very old fashioned and in direct contrast to the hi-tech equipment used to locate them many years after their disappearance.

Girl Scout cookies show
Sweet Appreciation
Girl Scouts of Northeast Ohio are again sponsoring “Operation Sweet Appreciation” when ordering the cookies purchase an extra box and ask the scout to send them to our troops. Cookies are $3.50 per box and can be ordered from any Girl Scout.

Lucky Shoots through MarchAmerican Legion Post 112, 6671 Middle Ridge Road in Madison, will host Lucky Shoots, beginning at 9 a.m. every Saturday through March 16 at the post home. Breakfast for shooters will be $2.50; those not shooting can eat for $5. Stop in and join the fun.
For details, call the post at 440-428-7893.

Legion County Council
hosts dinner
The American Legion Geauga County Council will host a chicken and dumplings dinner, 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday, at the Burton Middlefield American Legion Post, 14052 Goodwin Street in Burton.
Tickets are $12 pre-sale and $15 at the door. For tickets or further details, call 440-834-1191.

Ladies Auxiliary will
host Sunday breakfast
VFW Post 2595, Ladies Auxiliary, 570 Liberty St., will serve breakfast beginning at 9 a.m. Sunday. For details, call the post home at 440-354-9090.

Dinner open to Kirtland
Vietnam veterans
The Kirtland Kiwanis will honor Kirtland area Vietnam veterans with a dinner at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at the Kirtlander Party Center, 9270 Chillicothe Road in Kirtland. Those Vietnam veterans who ever lived in the Kirtland area are invited to attend.
Please RSVP to Bill Wright at 440-463-4800 or write to Jim Naughton, 9626 Chillicothe Road, Kirtland, OH 44094.

Men’s Auxiliary hosts breakfast
VFW 8548, 7604 Lake Road East in Madison, will host the monthly Men’s Auxiliary sausage gravy and biscuit breakfast, 8 a.m. to noon Sunday at the post home. Breakfast is $5 for adults and $3 for children ages 10 and younger.
Proceeds will benefit the Men’s Auxiliary charities. For details, call the post home at 440-428-3050.

Burton Legion hosts
pancake breakfast
Atwood-Mauck Post 459, 14052 Goodwin St. in Burton, will host a pancake and sausage breakfast 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Jan. 27, at the post home. For details, call 440-343-1478.

Burgers and Beer for
Breast Awareness
AMVETS Post 40 and the Ladies Auxiliary will host “Burgers and Beer for Breast Awareness, 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, at the post home, 9141 Jordan Drive in Mentor.
The event is a benefit for Mentor resident Beth Mills who is fighting Stage 4 breast cancer.
Homemade burgers and fries will be $7 and all beef hot dogs and fresh cut fries will be $5. A Chinese auction and a 50/50 will also be part of the fun.
The benefit is open to the public. For details, call the post at 440-257-5825.

Legion Riders host chili cook-off
American Legion Post 336 Riders will host a chili cook-off 1 to 4 p.m. Feb. 3 at the post home, 60 Chester St. in Painesville. Cost of the tasting will be $4 per person. The event will also include a Chinese auction and a 50/50 raffle. There is no charge to enter and the judging is by popular vote of the tasters.
Those entering should provide at least two quarts of chili per entry so everyone will get to taste. For details, call the post home at 440-357-7711.

Benefit for Boulevard of Flags
A fundraiser for the Boulevard of 500 Flags will begin at 6 p.m. Feb. 23 at the American Legion Hall of Post 678, 570 E. 328th St. in Willowick. All money raised will be used to replace flag poles and worn American flags at the Boulevard.
Tickets are $20 per person or $35 per couple. The evening will include dinner, open bar, reverse raffle, Chinese auction and side boards. Doors open at 6 p.m. and dinner is served at 7 p.m.
Tickets are available at American Legion Post 678 and at VFW 3863, 33641 Vine St. in Eastlake.

 To submit items for this column or the online listings, send them to: The News-Herald, Attn: Larece Galer, 7085 Mentor Ave., Willoughby, OH 44094, fax to 440-975-2293; or via email to LGaler@News-Herald.com.

Middlefield VFW Post 9678 Awards Scholarships To Local Students

Middlefield VFW Post 9678 has announced the winners of the 2012 Voice of Democracy Essay Contest.  Special recognition goes to Eleni Timas from Cardinal High School who scored the highest points locally and was awarded second place in VFW District 7.  Eleni’s district win will be acknowledged at the VFW’s District 7 Award’s Dinner where she will receive a $500 scholarship.  She won $750 from the Middlefield VFW as the first place winner from Cardinal.

Four students representing two local school districts, Berkshire and Cardinal, were awarded scholarships for their winning presentations.  In addition to Eleni Timas, Rebecca Wolfe also from Cardinal high school, received $250 for her second place win.  Rosebelle Easthom from the Berkshire School District and a student at Agape Christian School was the first place winner receiving a $750 scholarship.  Laura Lasich, also from Agape Christian Academy was the second place Berkshire School District winner receiving $250.

Since 1947, the Voice of Democracy has been the Veterans of Foreign Wars’ (VFW’s) premier scholarship program. Each year, more than 50,000 high school students compete for more than $2.3 million in scholarships and incentives. Students compete by writing and recording a broadcast script on an annual patriotic theme. This year’s theme (2012) was, Is Our Constitution Still Relevant?

Prizes and scholarships are awarded at the local, district, state and national level. Department (State) winners receive an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C., March 2-6, 2013, to tour the city, meet our nation’s leaders, be honored by the VFW and its Ladies Auxiliary and receive their portion of $152,000 in national awards, the top scholarship being $30,000.

The Middlefield VFW would like to thank the panel of judges: Sherriff Dan McClelland, Mayor Ben Garlich, and Chelsea Gardner and acknowledge all of the students for their participation. Representing the Berkshire School District and students at Agape Christian School: Billy Maschek, Jessica Sole, Tina Elliott, Breanna Rhodes, Laura Lasich, Abbie Maschek, Liam Ferraby, Rosebelle Easthom and from the Cardinal Local School District, Cardinal High School: Elaine Warren, Marie Mahoney, Rebecca Wolff, and Eleni Timas.

 LST-325 Memorial underway in New Orleans heading for Port Arthur, Texas and dry dock work

LST-325 sailed into Mobile Bay on January 10, 2001 to the cheers of crowds that had gathered to welcome them home.

This wasn’t the usual arrival; the ship had been purchased in Greece and was brought back to the states by a crew of men who had originally served on LST’s, many in their 70’s and 80’s at the time of the trip home from Greece.

The ship sat in dry dock at Hooks Landing in Chickasaqbogue Creek off the Mobile River before setting off for its home port of Evansville, Ind.

I was lucky enough to have climbed aboard while it was in dry dock and saw what sort of work would be necessary for this floating Memorial to be refurbished and brought back to its fighting glory.

When I was aboard, the paint was thick and peeling and the decks needed work. In some places the deck would need replacement.

LST-325 is again on the move, as of Saturday the ship had made New Orleans and passed by the m/v Christy. My brother Captain Charles Galer of the Christy sent photographs of the World War II vessel as it passed by his tow boat.

 The LST is on its way to Port Arthur, Texas for some maintenance work and will be dry docked. The ship will return to home port Evansville, Indiana near the end of February to begin the visiting season.

This floating memorial is funded and staffed by volunteers. Donations and more information about the ship can be found at www.lstmemorial.org.

 

LST-325 Memorial on the way to Port Arthur, Texas for maintenance work as seen from the pilot house of m/v Christy