Six friends met for a small get-together at the Wickliffe home of Joe Buerger on Saturday. “The Chosin Few” are all survivors of the Korean War and the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir.
Meeting often, the friends, comrades and in my estimation, heroes, have stayed in contact with one another since the battle brought them together in 1950.
The battle kept Marines of the 1st Division in place until an airfield could be constructed during one of the coldest winters in Korean history up to that time. This battle is one of the most famous of the Korean War.
I asked Buerger if all the stories of Tootsie Rolls saving men’s lives were true. He related his own story of getting a Tootsie roll that was frozen stiff.
“I had to break it up on the butt of my rifle,” Buerger said. The Tootsie roll broke into shards and Buerger ate all but a small piece, which he saved for later in the evening.
“It tasted so good, I hadn’t eaten for three days,” Buerger said.
The get-together gives the six men and their wives and friends a time to remember, catch up and keep up with each other.
The six men attending were Joe Prizzi, Joe Sulyok, Stan Kot, Ray Jorz, Art Dickard and Joe Buerger. Joe Sulyok, a Korean Veteran in attendance is the only one of the six who was not in the Chosin Battle.

The "Chosin Few" L to R are Joe Prizzi, Stan Kot, Ray Jorz, Art Dickard and seated Joe Buerger. 

Operation Sub Zero golf outing
Operation Sub Zero will host a golf outing at Madison Golf and Country Club beginning at 10:30 a.m. Sept.19.
Tickets are $100 per golfer and include 18 holes, cart, goodie bag, lunch, steak dinner, keg beer, Chinese auction and a 50/50 raffle. Registration begins at 10:30 a.m. and a shotgun start will be at noon.
Hole sponsors and donation of items for the auction would be gratefully accepted. Hole sponsors are $100. For details, contact Del Bethel at del@subzeromission.org.

Sixth annual post clambake
The sixth annual Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3863 Ladies Auxiliary clambake will be 4:30 to 6 p.m. Sept. 26 at the post home, 33641 Vine St. in Eastlake (behind the Save a  Lot store).
Chicken dinner is $21; steak dinner is $23 and an extra dozen clams will be $8.
All tickets must be purchased by Sept. 18, at the post home. For information or further questions, call the post at 440-942-3980.

Patriot Day program in Burton
Atwood-Mauck Post 459 of Burton-Middlefield will host a Patriot Day program in Burton Village Park at 11 a.m. Sept. 11.
The ceremony is open to the public. For details, call 440-834-8765.

Veterans Appreciation Day Event
Veterans Appreciation Day will be 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 18 at American Legion Post 336, 60 Chester St. in Painesville. This is a celebration for veterans, with food, prizes, benefit information and more.
For more information, contact the Painesville Veterans Affairs Clinic at 440-357-6740.

Fast Draw Championship
at Gunny’s Hall
The 2015 Northcoast National Gunslinger Championships will be Aug. 29 and 30 at the Marine Corps League, 8720 Twinbrook Drive in Mentor. Contests begin at 9:30 a.m. both days.
This is a sanctioned event of the Ohio Fast Draw Association-International and is hosted by Gunny’s Hall Marine Corps League and the Buckeye Rangers Fast Draw Club. No live ammunition is used. For details, call Gunny’s Hall at 440-974-9380.

Buckeye Boys Golf Outing
American Legion Post 214, 4304 Center St. in Willoughby, will host the Third Annual Boys State Golf Outing beginning at noon Aug. 28 at Lost Nation Golf Course in Willoughby. Tickets are $50 per person and include golf, cart and a steak raffle.
Please sign up at the post home by Aug. 26 or sponsor a hole for $20 each. For more information or to sign up, call the post after 3 p.m. at 440-942-7762.

Learn to ride at dealership
Western Reserve Harley Davidson, 8567 Tyler Blvd. in Mentor, is offering Operation Personal Freedom Ride Free through Sept. 13.
All current and former U.S. military personnel can learn to ride for free through the Harley-Davidson Riding Academy.
Learn more about this program by stopping at the store or by logging onto H-D.com/militarylearntoride.

Toys for Tots golf outing
The Col. Justice M. Chambers Marine Corps League Detachment 555, 8720 Twinbrook Drive in Mentor, has rescheduled its annual Toys for Tots golf outing.
The event will be Sept. 12 at Madison Country Club, 6130 Chapel Road in Madison.
Tickets are $80 for players and $20 for the dinner only. Hole sponsorships and tickets for the golf outing are available. Call Gunny’s Hall at 440-974-9380 or Joe Brooks at 440-477-1810.

Newbury Legion farmers market
Newbury American Legion Post 663, 11008 Kinsman Road in Newbury Township, hosts the Community Farmers Market from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays through Sept. 12. Vendors are supplied with a table under the pavilion and easy access for $5 per day.
For information, email bob810@windstream.net, or call 440-564-7441 or 440-567-9061 to reserve a space.

Auxiliary Swiss steak dinner pre-sale only
The Ladies Auxiliary of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4358, 29421 White Road in Willoughby Hills, will host a Swiss steak dinner from 3 to 5 p.m. Sept. 13 at the post home.
Dinners are $10 each, with tickets sold in advance only. Tickets may be purchased through Sept. 4. Call Rosina Drenski at 440-944-4903 for tickets and information.

Homecoming scheduled for Legion district commander
American Legion 9th District will host a homecoming for Commander Kevin Carroll at 6 p.m. Oct. 10 at American Legion Post 678, 570 E. 328th St. in Willowick.
The evening will be “Margaritaville Style” with barbecue, drinks and music. Tickets are $20 per person and will be sold in advance. Call Commander Carroll at 440-567-1847 or Kim Carroll at 440-567-9751 for tickets.

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