September 5, 2017 - VFW Post 8904 and Auxiliary held a Victory Over Japan (VJ) Day Observance at the Shelby County Veterans Memorial on September 1, 2017 for the 77th anniversary of the formal surrender of the Japanese.
The program began with a prayer by Cynthia Islas, Post Chaplain, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
A presentation followed to Iraq War veteran Randy Arndt who was not able to be present for the previous VFW Iraq War remembrance. The certificates read as follows: "This certificate of recognition is proudly presented to Randy Arndt, United States Marine Corps. You took freedom to a distant land and gave hope to a world oppressed, we will never forget your service and sacrifice."
Following the presentation Larry Hume, Post Quartermaster, led the program by reciting President Harry S. Truman's address which was over a radio broadcast as part of the surrender ceremony. (Read President Truman address by clicking on this link, hear President Truman address by clicking on this link)
"Today we honor Shelby County World War II veterans who served in the Pacific and were killed in action, missing in action and some of them are buried overseas," said Hume.
He then invited all present to participate in the reading of the 36 names of those particular veterans.
The names are as follows:
Alford, John C.B. - Missing in Action May 7, 1942
Allen, Ernest W. - Killed in Action September 4, 1943, Philippines
Beckham, James L. - Killed in Action April 26, 1945, Okinawa
Ceal, Rayford - Killed in Action February 7, 1945, Philippines
Childs, Philip - Missing in Action July 28, 1942
Cleveland, James A. - Missing in Action September 7, 1944
Collum, Royce C. - Killed in Action April 11, 1945, Okinawa
Crausby, Marvin K. - Killed in Action August 8, 1943
Compton, Bobbie B. - Killed in Action July 14, 1944, Philippines
Crump, Bobby A. - Killed in Action May 30, 1945, Okinawa
Duncan, Roy V. - Missing in Action April 16, 1945
Essery, Robert H - Killed in Action April 23, 1945, Pacific
Harvey, Pershing H. - Missing in Action October 24, 1944
Herndon, Ralph - Killed in Action April 8, 1945, Philippines
Holt, Dudley D. - Killed in Action May 16, 1945, Philippines
Johnson, Leroy - Killed in Action January 26, 1945, Luzon
Jolley, Curtis - Missing in Action October 24, 1944
Lathon, Willie E. - Missing in Action December 12, 1943
McCallum, Bryan Jr. - Killed in Action March 1, 1945, Iwo Jima
Meek, William L. - Missing in Action February 21, 1945
Miller, John R. - Killed in Action April 9, 1945, Philippines
Mitchell, Thomas T. - April 2, 1945, Philippines
Nicholson, Kenneth N. - Missing in Action October 27, 1942
Rhodes, Ben R. - Killed in Action July 28, 1942, Pacific
Risinger, Darwin - Missing in Action May 5, 1945, Plane Crash
Scott, John C. - Missing in Action June 19, 1944
Snider, Rennie C. - Killed in Action August 3, 1944, Marianas
Stack, Johnie - Missing in Action November 30, 1942
Tindol, James P. - Killed in Action June 25, 1944, Saipan
Webb, Arvin - Killed in Action December 19, 1945, New Guinea
Wharton, Robert H. - Missing in Action November 20, 1943
Whiteside, Marion B. Jr. - Missing in Action October 19, 1942
Williams, Eligie P. - Missing in Action December 6, 1943
Windham, Melvin T. - Killed in Action April 4, 1945, Luzon
Winfrey, Sil Jr. - Died Aircraft Crash May 9, 1945, Australia
Wilkerson, Claude M. - Missing in Action May 8, 1942
Following the reading of names, World War II Veteran and VFW member A.J. Procell placed the memorial wreath assisted by Newton Johnson, VFW Post Senior Vice.
Hume retold of a trip he took in 2016 to transport Procell to Austin for an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. for a special VJ Day ceremony with other World War II Veterans at the World War II Memorial.
Procell was invited to share some of what his trip to Washington was like as well as his experiences in Japan. He also gave praise to Hume for his involvement with veterans and what he does to help veterans.
The program was closed with the playing of Taps as presented by John Piersol, Post Service Officer.
At the end of the program Beverly Langford, Auxiliary member, was invited to speak about the devastation of Hurricane Harvey as she traveled to the Houston area to help. She said she originally was intended to go to St. Luke's Hospital; however, it became flooded and she went to Kingwood instead.
With her brother and his son-in-law they helped ferry people on a boat to a school that was being used as a relief station. She remarked on how amazing the people were in the help they were providing and on her amazement at the amount of water that was there.
