AMESSAGEFROMOURPresident,Terry(T.J.)Johnson–December2019

Astheyeariswindingdownforus,ourfamiliesandVVAChapter731,ithasbeenabusyandmemorableyear.Wehavemuchtobeproudof,especiallybringing"TheWallThatHeals"tothecommunitytwentyyearsafterwebrought"TheMovingWall"toManitowoc.BringingTWTHwasquitetheundertaking,butitwasaverysatisfyingoneaswell.Peoplearestilltalkingaboutitwhentheyseeourmembersoutandaboutinthecommunity.ThankyouagaintoCathyKarlforallofherhardworkandforhervisionforthemanyactivitiesduringthevisitofTWTH.Thankyoutoeveryonewhosteppeduptoserveonthevariouscommitteesthatwereneededtomakethisundertakingasuccess.Thankyoutoeveryonewhosoldraffletickets.KenandMargieWentkerrunthisfundraiserlikeawell-oiledmachine.Abigthankyougoesouttothemandtoalltheirhelpers.Therafflewasasuccessagainforthechapter.Thenewticketpricesseemtohaveworkedout.TheChristmaspartyisjustacoupleofdaysaway,December7th.ItwillbeatKnox'sSilverValley.Cocktailsareat5:30anddinnerisat6:30.YouneededtosignupbyNovember18thfortheparty.MariettakeepsremindingmethatIneedtomentionatameetingthatanewpicnicchairperson(s)needstovolunteersoonortherewillnotbeapicnicin2020.Wearesteppingdownafterchairing,co-chairingandfryingforitformanyyears.Itisnotadifficultactivitytoorganize.Itjusttakesalittlelegworkandwewillhelpwhoevertakesitoverforthefirstyear.

NextRegularMeeting:6:30pm,Thursday,December5th,AMVETSPost994310ConroeSt.,ManitowocRapids

Ifyouseea$nexttoyournameonyourmailinglabel,contactJohnSalzmanabout

changesintheduesstructure!

VeteranHelpAgencies

ManitowocCountyVeteransServiceOffice:920-683-40551701MichiganAve.,ManitowocClevelandCommunityBasedVAClinic:920-693-5600or1-877-693-56991205NorthAve,ClevelandVAHealthCareClinic(GreenBay):920-431-2500or1-877-204-79702851UniversityAve,GreenBayAgingandDisabilitiesResourceCenter(ADRC):920-683-41801701MichiganAve.,Manitowoc

UpcomingEvents

Dec.7th-ChristmasPartyKnox'sSilverValleyCocktails5:30-6:30

FamilyStyleDinnerat6:30

Dec.14th-BellRingingPickNSaveinTwoRiversFestivalFoodsinManitowocSignupwithGeorgeGottierattheDecembermeetingorcallhimat:

(920)629-5920

Dec.18th-SOUPForVETS!DateisMovedupforDecember

andwillbeaHamDinnerNOONatElksLodge#687

1807N.RapidsRd.ManitowocFREEtoVets,Guests$2.00

Soup,rolls,beverage&dessertsReservations:920-682-0403

VVAChapter731Officers

President(TJ) TerryJohnson 920-645-3566VicePresidentMarvinDecker920-973-6945Secretary BillWojta 920-901-0010Treasurer HaroldOlson,Jr. 920-682-5026PastPresident KenDecker 920-682-2508Sergeant-at-ArmsPeterSchramm 920-684-0146Chaplain RanJansen 920-553-5355 BoardofDirectors2017-2020KenWentker 920-755-2386SteveNoworatzky 920-684-40252018-2021MikeLaughrin 920-686-0724BillPike 920-901-02982019-2022RonWiesner 920-682-0770DaveWanek 920-682-1127CommitteeChairpersonsColor/HonorGuardTomHoffman 920-682-5073Education TomHoffmanFinance&Audit HaroldOlson,Jr.FundRaising DaleSchroeder 920-323-4814Membership JohnSalzman 920-629-1124PR/NewsletterCathyKarl 920-901-6999

MariettaJohnson920-901-7769Scholarship DickLuchsinger920-682-9232Legislative TimThiers 920-905-5951GetWell/ThankYouDonnaFranz 920-973-3017

Findinformationatourwebsite:www.VetsOfAmerica.org

VeteransCrisisLine:1-800-273-8255,Press1

OrTextto838255

VVAChapter#731GeneralMembershipMeetingMinutesNovember 7, 2019 53 in attendance Call To Order: Peter Schramm, Sgt of Arms Pledge Of Allegiance: TJ Moment of Silence for MIA, POW and fallen comrades: TJ Intro of New Members: Jane Babcock, Auxiliary member Approval of Minutes: The minutes were approved as printed. Treasurer's Report: Harold Olson, Jr went through the report. It was filed as printed. Secretary's Report: Thank you notes were read. Song written and produced by our member Carl Baumann, was played to the approval of all members. Great job, Carl. VP Report: Marv Decker- Christmas party is 12/07 at Silver Valley. It will be family style chicken and ribs plus sides. Cost is $10 each person. Cocktails are from 5:30-6:30, dinner is at 6:30. Details are in the Commo Bunker. Pay Marv tonight or send him a check. State Council: Mike Demske - Concerned Vets of America are working with Vietnam Vets with Agent Orange and related issues. President's Report: TJ - read a thank you from Fr. Foley on the placement of his Legacy stone at High Ground, his compliments on TWTH and his willingness to continue to help as long as he is able. Color Guard: Tom Hoffman - Past events- 09/28, Suicide prevention walk/Run. 10/26, Funeral Honors for John Shoop. 11/07, Two Rivers High School and LB Clark Middle School Program. Upcoming events: 11/09 MCUVC Banquet. 11/11 firing at Monuments. 11/11 St Johns Lutheran School Newtonburg. 11/11, Felician Village Veterans Day program. 11/12, Rotary Veterans Breakfast. 11/13, Realtor Veterans Banquet. 11/27, Christmas Parade 6:00 pm. Scholarship: Dick Luchsinger - information has been sent to all schools. A third scholarship has been approved and is named for Earl Herman, VVA Chapter 731 first member to pass away. Membership: John Salzman- 194 VVA, 36 Associate = 230 members Old Business: Tom Hoffman- received $500 from St. Nazianz Fire Dept for preservation of the Eternal Flame. Pet Skull had a fundraiser for the Flame and donated $1500. New Business: George Gottier - Ringing of Bells on 12/14 for Salvation Army at Pick and Save in Two Rivers and Festival Foods in Manitowoc. We usually bring in about $2,000 from our group. Wonderful!!! Annual Raffle: Preliminary report from the Wentkers - total income is $10,500. GREAT job by the Wentkers AGAIN! Winners of the Raffle were drawn. Top Prize of Topaz necklace was won by Chad Radtke. 50-50 Raffle was won by Harold Olson, Jr. Wm Wojta, Secretary

David,thesonofMaryZywickeofManitowocWIandRaymondJ.Zywickewhopredeceasedhisson,enlistedintheUSMarineCorpsonDecember61966inMilwaukeeWI.HegraduatedinMarchof1967fromMarinerecruittrainingattheMarineCorpsDepotatSanDiego,CA.HecompletedindividualcombattrainingattheCorpsbaseinCampPendleton,CA.HewaspromotedtohispresentrankinOctoberwhileservinginVietnam.HearrivedinVietnamonJune21967whereheiswasassignedfordutywithCompanyH,2ndBattalion,1stMarineRegiment,1stMarineDivision,ThirdMarineAmphibiousForce.HisspecialtywasMortorman.DuringthemonthofDecemberthe2ndBattalionwasoperatinginnorthernQuangTriProvince,andonDecember7,CompanyHcameunderanNVAattacksouthofQuangTriCityintheMaiLinhDistrict.Thefirstplatoonwashitwithautomaticweaponsfirewoundingfourmen,thesecondplatoonwhichwasashortdistanceawaywasengagedbytheenemyfiringautomaticweapons,throwingM-26grenadesandsatchelchargesattheMarines.Twomenwerekilledandanotherthreewerewoundedduringthefirefightwiththeenemy.LanceCorporalZywickewasoneofthecasualties;hewaskilledasaresultoffragmentationwoundsfromoneoftheexplodingenemysatchelcharges.(Aside:thereisalengthydetailedexplanationofwhathappenedbyoneofthesoldierswhowastherewithhimatthetimehewaskilledontheVVMFwebsite.)

ManitowocCountyhastiesto35NamesonTheWall.We’lllearnabouttheseyoungmenwhogavetheirlivestoservetheircountryduringtheVietnamWar.OnesoldierwaslostinDecember…

Please keep our members & their families who are grieving and those who are recovering from injuries, surgeries and treatments in your thoughts and prayers.

DECEMBER

LCPLDavidLeeZywickeManitowoc,WIDecember4,1947-December7,1967(WallPanel31E,Line62)

IN MEMORY OF THE OF THE

58,276 BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO NEVER RETURNED VIETNAM WAR 1959-1975

BLUE WATER NAVY “Veterans who served on open sea ships off the shore of Vietnam during the Vietnam War are referred to as "Blue Water Navy Veterans." ...a vessel operating not more than 12 nautical miles seaward from the demarcation line of the waters of Vietnam and Cambodia,...” https://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/locations/blue-water-veterans.asp As you may already know the VA has finally reversed its decision to not grant Agent Orange exposure Presumptive conditions to Blue Water Navy as defined above. You may have recently received a letter telling you that you MAY be eligible for benefits and to contact a Service Officer to file a claim. The time is now to schedule your appointment with your County Veterans Service Office to either start the claim if you have never filed a presumptive condition claim before or to re-open a previously denied claim. If you have supporting documentation such as copies of your ships logs or dates of when you were on the ship and what locations you believe the ship to have been, that would help your claim extensively. You will also need verification like a diagnosis of the Presumptive Agent Orange condition, but you WILL NOT need to verify Agent Orange exposure. If you do not have this information you should still file a claim, the Compensation and Pension review process will be delayed as the VA determines your Blue Water Navy status and possible eligibility for compensation of the Presumptive Agent Orange conditions that you are claiming. The VA is stating they will not start to process the claims until January 1st, 2020. Let’s get those claims filed starting now. If you know of a widow/er of a Blue Water Navy veteran who passed away from Agent Orange presumptive conditions please pass the word in order for the widow/er to file a claim for Dependents Indemnity Compensation. (sharing from Todd Brehmer, Manitowoc County CVSO) WhatconditionsarerelatedtoAgentOrangeexposure?AgentOrangepresumptiveconditionsare:

•ALamyloidosis•Chloracne,orotheracneformdiseaseconsistentwithchloracne•ChronicB-cellleukemias•Diabetesmellitus,Type2•Ischemicheartdisease•Hodgkinlymphoma,formerlyknownasHodgkin’sdisease•Non-Hodgkinlymphoma•Multiplemyeloma•Parkinson’sdisease•Peripheralneuropathy,early-onset•Porphyriacutaneatarda•Prostatecancer•Respiratorycancers(lung,bronchus,larynxortrachea)•Soft-tissuesarcoma(otherthanosteosar-coma,chondrosarcoma,Kaposi’ssarcoma,ormesothelioma).

—Secondaryhealth issues thatare related tooneormoreof thesePresumptive conditionsmayalsobeconsideredaServiceConnectedDisability.Makesureyoudiscussallyourrelatedhealthissueswhenfilingaclaim. Contact your County Veterans Service Office with questions and to schedule an appointment to go over any State or Federal VA benefits that you may have coming. Manitowoc County CVSO number is: 920-683-4055.

1stPrizeWinner:Adrienne&ChadRadtkeshownwithKenWentker,Tom&KathyMuenchandHaroldOlson,Jr.The1stprizewasaPassionTopazanddiamondnecklacedonatedbyBoelter'sJewelers.Tomwasoneofourtopticketsellersthisyear,selling80raffleticketsforVVAChapter731.(Thankyou,Tom!)

2ndPrizeWinner:WinneroftheSpringfieldArmoryPistoldonatedbyLakeshoreDentalisAshleyBeeman.PhotofromproudDad,Kent,inJanuaryCommoBunker.

3rdPrizeWinner:JudySchulzwonthetwoPackerTicketsdonatedbyCusterStreetAuto&Towing.ShownaboveisJudy'shusband,Tom,ontherightwithKennyandChrisWallace,OwnerofCusterStreetAuto&Towing.

4thPrizeWinner:NoelHansen,proudmemberofVVAChapter731wonthe32"VisioHDTVdonatedbyVVAChapter731member,RoyTegen.NoelandKennyareshownaboveafterthe11.7.19drawing.

5thPrizeWinner:JacobSchuster&hisfamilyreceivinga$250checkfromKenWentker,oneofthetwoprizesdonatedbyVVAChapter731.

6thPrizeWinner:JohnFellboughthiswinningticketfromGeneErdman.ShownwithJohnareHaroldOlson,Jr.andGene.Johnwontheother$250prizedonatedbyVVAChapter731.JohndonatedhiswinningsbacktotheChapter.Thankyou,John!

7thPrizeWinner:RichJuedeswonthegolfpackagedonatedbyAutumnRidgeGolfClub.RichandKenWentkerarepictured.

8thPrizeWinner:GesperAutoofSheboyganwontheBranchRiverCountryClubGolfPackage.DalePostisgettingthephotoanditshouldbeintheJanuaryCommoBunker.

9thPrizeWinner:DonnaFranz,AVVALifeMemberandprolificthankyounotewriter,wontheFirePitRingdonatedbyThorIndustrialServices.OnceDonnahasselectedthestyleshewants,wewillgetaphotofortheCommoBunker.

10thPrizeWinner:CherylDuchow&herhusband,DeltonarepicturedwithMikeHartman(left),ownerofStardustLimowhodonatedtheLimoRide,andDonTienor,whosoldCherylthewinningticket.

11thPrizeWinner:TomGilmoreispicturedwithRoyTegenandLindaStreu,ownerofDalebrouxJewelers,holdingtheprize,aWoodSeikoQuartzClockdonatedbyDalebroux.