November RSL Monthly Newsletter

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Angeles City Sub Branch Philippines www.rslangelescity.com „Lest We Forget‟ President Vice Presidents Secretary Treasurer

James Curtis-Smith Noel Roach Vic Meller Dallas Drake Bob Young

Editor

Larry Smith

Email address‟:

Clubhouse: Ponderosa Hotel president@rslangelescity.com

secretary@rslangelescity.com treasurer@rslangelescity.com

editor@rslangelescity.com

NEWSLETTER # 32 ** NOVEMBER 2009

2 PRESIDENTS REPORT November 2009 A month away from Christmas and we see here in Angeles City decorations all over the place, Christmas lights, and Christmas carols heard from speakers throughout the malls and in the streets. The celebration of Christmas in this predominantly Catholic country is indeed a big event, with the emphasis on the birthday of Christ rather than the arrival of Santa Claus.

In keeping with the community in which we live, the Angeles City Sub Branch joins in the spirit of giving as one of the traditions followed at this festive season. The Sub Branch however enjoys the pleasures of giving throughout the year. In our major charitable funding this year, of our medical missions, 6087 children at 8 separate missions in poorer Barangays have each been examined by a registered nurse or a doctor where needed, and prescriptions of medicines and vitamins given following the examinations, have then been filled free by the Sub Branch. The last mission for this year will be held at Barangay Mauaque on Saturday December 5 and it is anticipated that in excess of 1000 children will present themselves.

In addition, as a gesture of appreciation to local business houses that have willingly donated prizes for our Saturday night chook raffles (without chooks) and giving Sub Branch members discounts, the Sub Branch is about half way through a program of donating non prescription medicines and multi vitamins to children of employees of those businesses. So far 763 children have received free medicines and vitamins, and we anticipate a further 2000 to 3000 children will be recipients before the end of the year.

A big thanks to Greenbank RSL: Sub Branch who donated AUD$1500.00 to us specifically for the purchase of new wheelchairs for the permanently and severely disabled young persons. This enables us to purchase 10 wheelchairs and so far 6 have been donated by us. Pictures (see below for two of them)

(with more to come) appear on our web site. The applications are carefully screened to ensure that the applicants are properly deserving cases.

Filipino children are very susceptible to asthma and the Sub Branch has purchased so far 15 nebulizers and the necessary capsules required for their operation. Six have been donated to poorer Barangay medical stations, for loan to residents requiring the same in emergency situations, and this process is also ongoing. Of note, is our capacity to acquire the medicines and vitamins at an average of one-tenth of the price that we would otherwise have to pay if purchased through the well known drug store chains in the Philippines.

3 Remembrance Day has passed again this year and a very meaningful Remembrance Service and unveiling of a remembrance plaque to those who lost their lives on the hellships, was held at the Hellships Memorial at Subic Bay on November 11. Unfortunately the Minister for Veterans Affairs who had accepted our invitation to attend, notified the Sub Branch only on Friday 6 th November of his inability to come. We were honoured however to have in attendance His Excellency the Ambassador of Australia to the Philippines, Mr. Rod Smith, who gave the key note address, and our thanks especially to the Australian Defence Attache Captain Vic Jones (RAN), Deputy Defence Attache Lt. Colonel Gary Barnes (Army), and also Assistant Defence Attache Warrant Officer Don Kelly (RAAF) all of whom are Sub Branch members and who attended and participated, and who set the program and organized the Remembrance Service.

Over 150 guests including 110 members of the Subic and Angeles City Sub Branches attended.

Our mailing of brochures to all Australian Sub Branches has been completed and we are very hopeful of a positive response to our appeal for funding to our general account to acquire permanent home and premises here in Angeles City for the Sub Branch. With our membership at its present level we are very cramped in our present premises and of course without secure tenure. We have already received a positive response from three sub branches but as yet nowhere near enough to even cover the printing and mailing costs. If you are one of our members to whom Angeles City Sub Branch is a second Sub Branch or a supporter of our activities in both charitable works and welfare of our members, please drop a word to the committee of your local Sub Branch to dig deep. We understand that a donation can be made from your Patriotic Funds or Charity account.

A fair bit this month but worth reporting. Don’t forget Presidents drinks following the December meeting on the 15th December.

JAMES E. CURTIS-SMITH President

We say ―WELCOME ABOARD” to the following new members:

Paul Baker (MNL) * Peter Strods (SA) * William Hazelwood (A/C) * Reydante Devera (A/C ) * Tom Cerin (CA USA) * Arne Gustafsson (A/C) * Mr Kay Vennerstrand (A/C) * Maxwell Wadley (TAS) * Robert Woodfield (WA) * Paul Duggan (PNG) * Lina Sabanio (MIN) * Joseph Farrugia (A/C) * Welcome back to: Wayne Rush (A/C) * Philip Byrne (TBA) * Noli Gojol (Subic) * Marilyn Aranas (Subic) * Guy Conley (SYD).* *** Location codes A/C=Angeles City * CA = California * PNG = Papua New Guinea * MIN = Mindanao Philippines * MNL = Manila *

MESSAGE FROM SECRETARY DALLAS As in previous years, anyone who wishes to attend the New Year Eve function at Dream Land Resort, Barrio Barretto, which is four days and three nights covering 30th & 31st of December and

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the 1 of January, and wish to avail of the limited economy and standard rooms, should contact Dallas ASAP so that a reservation can be made for you. This is a free service provided by your Sub Branch.

PASSING PARADE Details are scarce at this stage, but the death of American member William Feldt has been advised.

We will provide more details next month due to time limits with the publication of this issue. Ed

DONATION GRATEFULLY ACCEPTED Sub Branch member, Bob Barnes attended a recent meeting of the Greenbank RSL in Logan City, QLD. He informed the meeting about what activities Angeles City Sub Branch was involved in.

Greenbank resolved to donate $1500.00 toward our wheelchair programme. Further, they invited us to forward to them photo‘s and story when wheelchairs are distributed. (See two in Pres Report) They also advised us to write to them in 12 months time with an update of the medical missions and submit a request for further donations that we require at that time.

Angeles City Sub Branch wishes to thank Greenbank for their kind donation and will certainly supply them with photos and requests for further donation in the future.

We advise any of our members who are visiting Brisbane to make the trip and visit Greensbank RSL. If it is not the biggest RSL Club in Qld it is the second biggest. A good time will be had by all. They are located at 54 Anzac Ave, Hillcrest, Logan City. Go to www.greenbankrsl.com.au

THE HELLSHIPS REPORT

To put it in the Australian vernacular, “it went off bloody well”. Originally, our Minister for Veteran’s Affairs, the Hon Alan Griffin MP was to be the keynote speaker and the VIP to unveil our new granite plaque, however he was re-routed elsewhere at the last minute and the task was ably taken over by the Australian Ambassador to the Philippines, his Excellency Rod Smith.

Ordinarily, being an RSL function, we would have done the organizing etc, however, with Mr Griffin attending, the task then fell to LTCOL Gary Barnes, Assistant Defence Attache. When the minister advised that his attendance had been cancelled, Gary continued with the conduct of the event. To Gary’s excellent organizing skills, everything went off like clockwork, although he admits that he was .04 seconds overtime when the minute silence was called at 11am. That was not too bad after 30 minutes of ceremony with guest speakers.

5 ← Ambassador Smith delivers his keynote address Another speaker was Gerald R (Randy) Anderson, the Hellships Memorial Project Leader, who informed the gathering of the background to the memorial. (His bio-data and the memorial beginnings are shown a bit further down in this report) There were two services being conducted, Remembrance Day and the Hellships Memorial plaque unveiling. There was a very good attendance by members of Angeles City and Subic RSL Sub Branches, VFW, FRA and other kindred associations. ← Ambassador Rod Smith and RSL President Jim Curtis-Smith do the honours (left) of unveiling the new RSL inscribed granite plaque dedicated to those who perished in the Hellship Montevideo Maru. Wreaths around the plaque were from the Australia Department of Veterans Affairs, Australian Embassy Manila, RSL’s Angeles City and Subic, Ipswich Incapacitated Servicemen and Women Assn Inc, and Fleet Reserve Assn (Post 367).

After the services at the memorial site, and a visit to the museum, we were all invited to partake in a meal and refreshments at the Wild Orchid beach rooms on Baloy Beach. This was well taken, especially as it was funded by the Australian Government, to which we thank them. It was during this luncheon that our Ambassador was presented with the Australian flag that flew at the Hellships memorial, at the exact minute on July 1, sixty seven years after the sinking of the Montevideo Maru. Randy Anderson and Bob Chester had the flag encased and presented it to the ambassador, with the hope that it will wend its way back to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra for display. A very thoughtful presentation on their behalf.

(Bob Chester presents Ambassador Smith with the flag ↑ )

6 ← Top table attendees from left, Randy Anderson, Defence Attaché CAPT Vic Jones RAN, Angeles City Sub Branch President, James Curtis-Smith and Ambassador HE Rod Smith. I failed to get the name of the waitress about to strong-arm our ambassador.

HOW DID THE MEMORIAL START Everything has a start point when someone comes up with an idea. That someone either went ahead, (on their own), or enlisted the assistance of others. Read below on how the Hellships Memorial at Subic Bay got started.

(The following words and American spelling are from the originator of the article, Randy Anderson) Ed Background on the Hellships Memorial: By 1941, the Rising Sun had become symbolic of the Japanese resolve that would stop at nothing to expand the empire. Whoever stood in the path of the Imperial Japanese Army had only three choices: subjugation, death, or imprisonment. Throughout Asia, men from America, Australia, Great Britain, and a dozen other nations moved along their own path – a path that would soon cross with Japan‘s and end in one of the major and largely unknown tragedies of World War II – the Hellships.

As early as the spring of 1942, only a few months after the fall of Allied territories in the Far East, the Japanese began moving prisoners of war (POW) by sea out of the conquered areas and sending them to Thailand, Taiwan, Burma, China, Korea, and Japan itself, to be used as slave labor.

A thousand or more men were crammed into a cargo hold, often with only enough room to stand for a journey that could last weeks. The heat was stifling, the stench unbearable. Even the most basic sanitary and medical provisions were refused.

Hundreds of men, already weak and suffering from disease after years in POW camps, succumbed. Hundreds more went out of their minds.

Added to these inhumane conditions was the extreme brutality of the Japanese guards. Those who survived the unimaginable nightmare of the Hellships describe their time aboard as the most horrific chapter of their wartime captivity.

There are many stories of the war to be told, but very few are as tragic as the story of the Hellships. According to Japanese figures, of the 50,000 POWs they shipped, 10,800 died at sea. Going by Allied figures, more Americans died in the sinking of one of the Hellships, the Arisan Maru, than died in the weeks of the death march out of Bataan, or in the months at Camp O‘Donnell, which were the two worst sustained atrocities committed by the Japanese against POWs. More Dutchmen died in the sinking of the Junyo Maru than in a year on the Burma-Siam railroad. Of all POWs who died in the Pacific war, one in every three was killed on the water by friendly fire.

Duane Heisinger, author of Father Found, a book detailing the ordeal his father suffered as a POW says, ―the story of these ships is an incredible tale of a descent into Hell that left a trail of dead and dying men from the all over Asia to Japan,‖ he said.

One of the most notorious Hellships of them all, the Oryoku Maru, was sunk in Subic Bay in December 1944. Transporting Japanese soldiers, civilians, and

7 1,619 prisoners of war out of Manila, the unmarked ship suffered repeated attacks from American fighters who had no idea she was carrying POWs. The ship, heavily damaged and burning, limped into Subic Bay where the POWs were forced to swim ashore and held on an open tennis court for five days with almost no food or water. The survivors were then loaded on trucks and taken to San Fernando to continue their journey on the Enoura Maru and the Brazil Maru. The Enoura Maru was sunk but the Brazil Maru made port in Moji, Japan on January 29, 1945 with only 500 of the original 1,619 POWs who began the ordeal a month and a half earlier. Less than 300 of these men survived until the end of the war.

My own involvement with the Hellships story began while I was stationed at the U.S. Navy base at Subic Bay in the 1980‘s. I met a lady who was in Subic Bay to visit the site where she had lost her father in World War Two. Her father had been one the POWs transported on the Oryoku Maru and died while being held at Subic Bay .

I arranged for a boat to take her out over the site of the Oryoku Maru to lay a wreath on the water, retraced the steps of the surviving POWs, and pointed out the area where her father had died and the survivors confined for several days before starting anew on their terrible journey.

Although I cannot remember the lady‘s name, I have never forgotten her anguish over the fact that there was no marker or any indication at all of the tremendous suffering her father and the other POWs endured.

After retirement from the U.S. Navy in 1994 and working in the U.S. for a number of years, I returned to the Philippines for a visit. It had been ten years since I had left Subic Bay. Although much had changed since the Navy days – the Americans were gone and the base was now a bustling tourism and industrial center – there was still no marker commemorating the POWs. In August of 2003, the idea was conceived of a Memorial dedicated to the Hellships POWs and the Hellships Memorial Project was created to formulate plans. I met with Leslie Ann Murray of the Filipine-American Memorial Endowment (FAME), a subcommittee of the American Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines , and formed a relationship with them. FAME is best known for placing and maintaining the harbour and the markers along the Bataan Death March, and their good work on Corregidor and other good sites.

A Groundbreaking ceremony was held in January 2004. Then SBMA Chairman Felicito Payumo was an early-on supporter of the Memorial and the Chairman, along with Hellships survivors John Olson and Carlos Montoya, shared the ritual honor of turning shovels of earth to mark the symbolic beginning of the Project.

At that Groundbreaking, I had the good fortune to meet Duane Heisinger. Duane had recently published a book, Father Found, detailing the ordeal his father suffered as a POW. Duane readily agreed to become associated with the Project and spearheaded the fund-raising effort in the U.S. Early in 2005, Bob Chester joined the Project. His most visible contribution was the striking design of the Memorial.

He has also assisted immeasurably in the logistics and hundreds of small details that arise when undertaking a project like this.

The Hellships Memorial is dedicated to all the POWs on all the Hellships. As the inscription on the Memorial says, these heroes came from different homelands, different backgrounds, and different circumstances – but all were courageous and patriotic men whose lives were drastically altered and, in many cases, ended during their terrible journeys on the Hellships. More than half a century later, many of these men lie beneath no headstone or other marker, their bodies impossible to recover from their watery graves. This is the only Memorial many of these men will ever have.

On January 22, 2006, after two years of hard work, the big moment finally arrived– the Dedication of the Memorial! We were fortunate to have Father James Reuter deliver the invocation. Father Reuter arrived the Philippines as a young Jesuit missionary in the 1930‘s, and was interned at the Los Baños POW camp until Filipino guerrillas and American soldiers rescued him and the other internees during a dawn raid on Feb. 23, 1945. After the war, he returned to the United States to be ordained a priest. When he came back to the Philippines he taught at the Ateneo de Manila University and over the past 5 decades has become an institution in the Philippines .

8 SBMA Chairman Feliciano Salonga gave the opening remarks, described his own feeling toward the tragedy of the Hellships POWs, and pledged his on-going support of the Project. Duane Heisinger delivered a very stirring keynote speech and gave details of the loss of several of the Hellships. Deputy Administrator (Bonggoy) Hermenegildo J. Atienza 111 delivered the closing remarks.

With the dedication of this Memorial, we have completed Phase 1 of the Project. Much work still lies ahead. During Phase 2, we will construct the POW Tribute – a statue incorporated into the Memorial evoking the emotions surrounding this tragedy and make other upgrades.

The Memorial Project is conceived as multi-phased for one compelling reason – with each passing day, our links with the greatest conflict the world has ever known quietly fall away. As the drumbeat slows for the World War II generation, it is vitally important that we honor them and thank them personally for their sacrifices while we still can.

Four of these men attended the Dedication – men who had survived the horrors of the Bataan Death March, the Fall of Corregidor, the prison camps, and the terrible journey on the Hellships – and then returned to their homeland to try to put their lives back together.

Equally important is that the young generations learn about the momentous events in human history that touched the lives of so many people. They must discover the extraordinary sacrifice of the heroes that this Memorial honors, not only that they may draw inspiration from their example but also to reaffirm the enduring hope of a world set free from hate. The Hellships Memorial will forever speak of this hope, serving for generations to come as an anchor holding fast against the slow currents of complacency and forgotten loss.

Future generations will pause at this sacred place, to reflect on a great tragedy that transcends all words and on the grief of the families and loved ones left behind – wives who lost the companionship and unfulfilled dreams of their husbands, children who were robbed of their father‘s kindness, their voice, and their smile. But they must not be filled with bitterness. Duane Heisinger, who lost his father on the Hellships says, that when asked, ―Aren‘t you angry? My answer is always the same, No, I am not angry. I am greatly saddened by the loss of these men—and my father—but I cannot harbour anger or hate; I cannot live my life in anger or hate. My Mother did not, nor can I.‖ I hope that somehow, someday the lady I met nearly 20 years ago learns of this Memorial and know that it will stand forever to show that we care about her father and the other POWs – and will always care.

Randy Anderson Project Leader, Hellships Memorial

WHO ARE THE PEOPLE INVOLVED Gerald R. Anderson, Hellships Memorial Project leader, is a retired US Navy officer who became interested in the Hellships while stationed at the US Naval Station, Subic Bay Philippines, working in an office located less than 500 meters from the resting place of one the most notorious Hellships, the Oryku Maru. After retirement, Mr. Anderson returned to the Philippines and began a fund raising program to build a fitting memorial to the POWs who suffered so much as prisoners of the Japanese. The response was enthusiastic and after only two years, construction began on a beautiful site on the waterfront of the now Philippine government-owned facility. The Hellships Memorial was dedicated on January 22, 2006 and has been the site of many POW related ceremonies and events since. The Memorial website is at: www.hellshipsmemorial.com Robert Chester, Retired U.S. Navy Chief Boatswains Mate, and lives in the Subic Bay area. Robert began working on the Memorial project in 2005, re-designed the original Hellships Memorial to its final construction form. Robert helped coordinate the construction of the Memorial with architect and construction firm. Robert then took on the

9 layout and construction of the Hellships Memorial Display inside the Subic Bay Historical Center, just 2 blocks from the Monument. The Hellships Museum Display was completed and dedicated 22 January 2006 in conjunction with the Hellships Memorial Dedication. Robert has been planning and executing construction of the upgrades of the museum. He has completed recent changes preparing for the 11 November 2009 Veterans Day and Remembrance Day.

The Museum Display: After interest in the Montevideo Maru by Australian Service Groups was shown, and a Plaque was manufactured and installed on our Hellships Memorial, along the shoreline of Subic Bay Special Economic Zone (formerly U.S. Naval Station Subic Bay) a decision was made and funding requests were made by Angeles City Sub Branch RSL to put up a display. In 2006 when we dedicated the Hellships Monument, we simultaneously opened the Hellships Display within the Subic Bay Historical Center, 2 blocks away from the Monument.

Our initial Museum opening was done fast with little budget, designed by Robert Chester, retired U.S. Navy Chief Boatswains Mate, and working with Hellships Project Leader, Gerald R. Anderson, retired U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander were able to open with mostly temporary photo displays and memorabilia.

The funding provided this year by RSL Angeles City, gave us an opportunity to go in and make presentable display work. The section dedicated to Australian Losses was a 16ft wall along the entrance to the Hellships Museum Display, we constructed over top of old cement framing and old glass windows, we had photos, wood carvings, history of the Montevideo Maru and the forces taken form Rabul, New Britain, New Guinea. Photos some of the Forces there, plaque recognizing the units, purchased a TV and DVD to play Historical Clips about the monuments and Hellships. We had to do complete rewiring to the area and for the lighting. RSL Angeles City Sub Branch designed, purchased and delivered a large (6ft Wood and Glass) multi-tiered display case to hopefully get a lot of Memorabilia to show.

I had been in contact with members of Montevideo Maru Memorial Committee, who put out the call to get some items sent for the display center and festivities on 11 Nov 2009. I have some personal photos but really would like to get more items such as insignias, emblems, maybe headgear and kit. I had sent an earlier request but apparently was not received, so this time when I was able to get in touch with Ms. Andrea Williams and she did a spectacular job I putting out the word.

The exhibit, almost still needing additional funding to fully tell the story of the Australian sacrifices, is ready for opening on November 11, 2009.

We wish to thank Randy for his insight and his words putting this extremely interesting article together. Ed

THE WORDING ON THE AUSTRALIAN MEMORIAL WHEN WORLD WAR II BROKE OUT NEARLY ONE MILLION AUSTRALIANS FROM A POPULATION OF ONLY SEVEN MILLION, PROUDLY STEPPED FORWARD TO SERVE. IN BITTER FIGHTING IN SOUTHEAST ASIA AND THE PACIFIC AUSTRALIA SUFFERED SOME 17,500 FATALITIES INCLUDING OVER 700 CIVILIAN CASUALTIES. MORE THAN 22,000 AUSTRALIANS WERE TAKEN PRISONERS-OF-WAR AND OF THOSE SOME 8,000 PERISHED UNDER THE BRUTAL CONDITIONS IMPOSED BY THE JAPANESE. THE SINKING OF THE HELLSHIP “MONTEVIDEO MARU” ALONE ACCOUNTED FOR OVER 1,000 MILITARY AND CIVILIAN DEATHS. THIS MONUMENT RECOGNISES AUSTRALIA’S CONTRIBUTION AND SACRIFICE IN DEFENCE OF THE IDEALS OF FREEDOM. MAY FUTURE GENERATIONS NEVER FORGET THESE BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE SERVICE OF AUSTRALIA.

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WE ARE GETTING SMARTER Exactly 31 Newsletters ago we came out with our first issue. It resulted from a request by Pres Jim and Sec Dallas to me, to see if I could put out a monthly newsletter.

So I came up with a fairly basic Masthead and used a newspaper style of two columns. All was in black and white and any photos were done in Greyscale so that they would appear as black & white but would reproduce a better copy. We kept the number of pages to eight, to keep the cost of photocopying to a manageable level. All newsletters were distributed at monthly meetings. We also said that as we progress along we will strive to bring our members improvements in our newsletter and in fact the webpage.

We continued along like that for quite a few issues then we started getting smarter. The upper echelons of our Sub Branch came upon a local bloke named Gerald Slide (now that name was familiar) who was computer smart and could make us a webpage and set us off into cyberspace.

Gerald successfully got us up and running. By the way, if the name SLIDE is familiar, it should be as Gerald‘s dad, Ken Slide (deceased) is the founding father of our Sub Branch. (go to our webpage and look under the left column ‗About the RSL’ and see where Ken fitted in).

When Gerald built our webpage, it allowed us to distribute our newsletter by internet. We got smarter by publishing it in PDF format and for those members who did not have the format on their computer, Gerald provided a version on our webpage for them to download.

Because we got smarter, I changed the masthead to the current version and went to the broadsheet format. I managed this with Gerald‘s able assistance.

We do have a lot of local supporters and sponsors and as a service back to them, where space is available, we slip in their logo and give them a free plug. As editor, this works out well for me, as when we have a large article with all words and no pictures, I use the sponsor logo‘s to break up the written word, and make it more presentable. (see left) Now we have become even smarter still. If you look at a sponsor logo and wish to get more information about them, like through a web address, all you have to do now is place your mouse pointer on the logo and, if the sponsor has a web address a sign will appear advising you to hold down the ctrl button (located in bottom left of your keyboard) and left click on the logo with your mouse pointer, and, after a second or two, the sponsor webpage will appear.

SMART EH !!!. Try it with the BIG HITS sponsor ad above. (read note below) Unfortunately, since we included these innovations into this newsletter, we found out that our PDF format will not support hyperlinks, but our webmaster has found an alternate system. This will be in place in the December newsletter. Sorry about that. (We outsmarted ourselves) More to come.

Ed

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DON’T FORGET TO PUT IN YOUR DIARIES THE AUSTRALIA DAY FIESTA JANUARY 2010. (more reminders to come)

VETERANS’ NEEDS SHAPE REVIEW OF ADVOCACY SERVICES Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Alan Griffin today provided an update on the review of Government-funded veteran advocacy and welfare services.

Mr Griffin said an ageing population of veterans and war widows, and an increasing number of younger exservice members and their families meant that support delivery may need adjusting.

“Advocacy and welfare services need to be responsive to the different service experiences and needs of the ex-service community, both young and old,” Mr Griffin said.

“Ex-service organisations (ESO) provide many of these services, however, we see less younger veterans joining these organisations and they may not have access to their entitled support.

“Also of concern is that ESOs are supporting an ageing veteran community with complex welfare needs, relying on a similarly ageing volunteer force to do so.”

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs is undertaking the Review which will examine the Building Excellence in Support and Training (BEST) program, Training and Information Program (TIP) and Veteran and Community Grants Program — looking broadly at the interdependencies and interactions between the three programs.

“Over the past few weeks, my Department has conducted focus groups with key stakeholders, and invited ESO leaders and BEST grant applicants from across Australia to make submissions to the Review process,” Mr Griffin said.

“Individual members of the veteran community can contribute their views through online submissions or by writing directly to the Review Team.”

Mr Griffin said the Review will also consider recommendations in Professor Dunt’s suicide report regarding advocacy arrangements for the veteran community.

“The Review will help inform further improvements to advocacy and welfare support to the ex-service community,” he said.

And another message from Minister for Veteran’s Affairs VETERANS URGED TO RETHINK THE NEXT DRINK Veterans have new tools to manage alcohol consumption with the updated The Right Mix — Your Health and Alcohol package, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Alan Griffin announced today.

12 “As the spring racing calendar and festive season is upon us, it is timely to reinforce the message that a healthier life involves the right mix of sensible alcohol use, good nutrition and exercise,” Mr Griffin said.

“There is an estimated 12,300 Australian veterans with drug or alcohol dependence or abuse, and alcohol has been a major contributor to both mental and physical health problems in the veteran community. ―The Right Mix program can help veterans, and the wider community, better understand and moderate their drinking.”

The Right Mix — Your Health and Alcohol includes a website www.therightmix.gov.au and resources such as fact sheets, questionnaires and practical tips to moderate drinking.

“Understanding the effects of alcohol on the body and how it can interact with certain medications will help veterans make sensible choices about their drinking,” Mr Griffin said.

“By moderating their consumption, veterans can avoid the problems associated with heavy drinking that can lead to illness, injury and even premature death.”

The Right Mix was originally launched in 2001 as part of a project to reduce alcoholrelated harm in the veteran community and address these issues in an integrated way with other physical and mental health conditions. It has been updated to reflect the recently published Australian Guidelines to Reduce Health Risks from Drinking Alcohol.

“My Department’s update of The Right Mix involved consultation with veterans and members of the ex-service and Australian Defence Force communities, with the aim of making it more relevant and appealing to these groups,” Mr Griffin said.

“An education program is also underway to ensure key health professionals are aware of the revised guidelines and updated resources are available.”

Australians are encouraged to access The Right Mix website and use the interactive tools to assess their drinking behaviour.

THE MELBOURNE SHRINE OF REMEMBRANCE SHRINE DECLARED NATIONAL MEMORIAL The Shrine of Remembrance was today declared a national memorial by the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Alan Griffin.

“The Shrine is an iconic memorial and it is fitting that, at the time of its 75th anniversary commemorations, it is formally recognised as one of Australia’s most significant memorials,” Mr Griffin said.

The Minister made the announcement at the launch of A Place to Remember – A History of the Shrine of Remembrance, a book charting the Shrine’s history from its inception to the present day. The launch is one of a number of events marking the 75th anniversary of the dedication of the Shrine on 11 November 1934.

13 “Built to remember the 114,000 thousand Victorians who served in the Great War, including the 19,000 who did not come home, the Shrine is a uniquely Victorian creation that has become a symbol to many Australians,” Mr Griffin said.

“Designed and built by Victorians using mainly Victorian materials the Shrine was intended to stand permanently as a monument of remembrance.

“Under the Military Memorials of National Significance Act, an eligible memorial must be of an appropriate, scale, design and standard, and be dignified and symbolic.

“It must be a memorial for the sole purpose of commemorating a significant aspect of Australia’s wartime history and must have a major role in community commemorative activities.

“Also, the memorial must be owned or managed by an authority at the state, territory or local government level and be maintained by that authority.

“Clearly the Shrine of Remembrance meets all these criteria, and I am proud to today sign the instrument making this formal declaration.”

THE KOKODA TRACK (continues) Into the Mouth of Hell" - the 39th Battalion crosses the Mountains In June 1942, with his mind focussed unwaveringly on recovery of the Philippines from the Japanese, General Douglas MacArthur was planning to establish a forward airbase at Dobodura near the village of Buna on the northern coast of the Australian Territory of Papua. This airbase would enable Allied aircraft to strike at Japanese bases on the northern coast of the New Guinea mainland and at the major Japanese base at Rabaul on the island of New Britain. Rabaul in American hands would provide MacArthur with an important stepping-stone towards the Philippines.

On 29 June 1942, General Blamey directed that militia troops of the Port Moresby garrison were to cross the mountains of the Owen Stanley Range and resist any attempt by the Japanese to seize a vital airstrip at the village of Kokoda. The Owen Stanley Range is the massive, rugged, central mountain feature of the island of New Guinea which separates the northern coast of Papua from the southern coast. The Kokoda airstrip was located on the northern foothills of the Owen Stanley Range, and situated just over half way between Port Moresby on the southern coast of Papua and the adjacent villages of Gona and Buna on the northern coast. Having secured the Kokoda airstrip, Blamey envisaged that these militia troops could be used later to protect the Allied airbase planned for Dobodura.

This was a dangerous mission based upon a faulty appreciation of Japan's strategic goals by MacArthur and Blamey.

They knew that the Japanese had already established military bases on the northern side of the Owen Stanley Range at

14 the coastal towns of Lae and Salamaua. They had received intelligence warnings that the Japanese would try to capture Port Moresby by crossing the Owen Stanley Range. Despite these warnings, both MacArthur and Blamey chose to believe that the Owen Stanley Range would prove impassable for a Japanese army.

There is no evidence that MacArthur and Blamey reached this conclusion on the basis of a survey of the terrain by the senior army commander at Port Moresby, Major General Morris. Despite having had ample time to do so in the preceding six months, and despite the fact that the Kokoda Track would have to be used by the Japanese if they wanted to capture Port Moresby by an overland attack, Major General Morris had made no attempt to acquaint himself with the difficulties that troops would face in negotiating the Kokoda Track. Morris was not alone in his inexcusable ignorance of the nature of the terrain between his force and the enemy. The senior commanders in Australia, Generals MacArthur and Blamey, were also inexcusably ignorant, and worse still, they chose to maintain their ignorance throughout the Kokoda campaign.

Although far removed in Australia from the realities of the harsh terrain and climate of the central New Guinea mountains, Blamey must have known that he was sending inadequately trained recruits across one of the most daunting natural barriers in the world and that, with the barest equipment, minimum rations, and inadequate means of supply and communication, these raw troops might have to fight the most formidable jungle troops in the world. With a wide and rugged mountain range between them and Port Moresby, the Australian militia troops could expect no ready help if they met a strong force of Japanese troops between Kokoda and Gona. Moreover, if forced to retreat, the militia troops would have a massive natural barrier between them and Port Moresby. Once in possession of Kokoda, their only realistic hope of quick supply and reinforcement was by means of the small village airstrip.

The sending of militia troops across the Owen Stanley Range in these circumstances must raise serious doubts about the military judgment of both MacArthur and Blamey and their fitness to hold office as senior commanders. If they honestly believed that the Owen Stanleys would prove impassable for tough Japanese troops, how could they reasonably expect inadequately trained and equipped militia troops to cross the Owen Stanleys and be capable of meeting the Japanese on equal terms?

Veteran troops of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) 7th Division had been back in Australia since March 1942 when they were recalled from the Middle East. Provided that it was adequately supplied, one brigade of the 7th Division could have been sent by Blamey on this dangerous mission across the Owen Stanley Range to defend Kokoda. The threat of a Japanese invasion of the Australian mainland had greatly diminished after the Battle of Midway, and Blamey must have been aware of this. Despite this less threatening strategic situation in the South-West Pacific, it is difficult to avoid a conclusion that Blamey was preserving the 7th Division troops for possible defence of the Australian mainland, and that he regarded the young Australian militia troops in New Guinea as expendable. With a very clear indication of Japanese intentions towards Port Moresby at the Battle of the Coral Sea, it is also difficult to avoid a conclusion that Blamey was inexcusably blind to Japan's fierce determination to capture Port Moresby.

Major General Morris assigned the Kokoda mission to militia troops of the 39th Australian Infantry Battalion.

The final article to this series concludes in the December newsletter and involves the 39th Australian Infantry Battalion. Ed

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VC CORNER The VICTORIA CROSS WHEATLEY, Warrant Officer Class II Kevin Arthur Australian Army Training Team Vietnam 13 November 1965, at Tra Bong Valley, Quang Ngai Province, South Vietnam (Posthumous Award) WO2 Kevin Arthur "Dasher" Wheatley VC

Warrant Officer Wheatley enlisted in the Australian Regular Army in 1956. He served in Malaya with 3rd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment from 1957 to 1959 and then with 2nd and 1st Battalions of the Regiment until 1965 when he was posted to the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam.

His posting in this area has been distinguished by meritorious and gallant service.

CITATION: On 13th November 1965 at approximately 1300 hours, a Vietnamese Civil Irregular Defence Group company commenced a search and destroy operation in the Tra Bong valley, 15 kilometres east of Tra Bong Special Forces camp in Quang Ngai Province. Accompanying the force were Captain Felix Fazekas, senior Australian Advisor, with the centre platoon, and Warrant Officers K.A. Wheatley and R.J. Swanton with the right hand platoon. At about 1340hours, Warrant Officer Wheatley reported contact with Viet Cong elements. The Viet Cong resistance increased in strength until finally Warrant Officer Wheatley asked for assistance. Captain Fazekas immediately organised the centre platoon to help and personally led and fought towards the action area. While moving towards this area he received another radio message from Warrant Officer Wheatley to say that Warrant Officer Swanton had been hit in the chest, and requested an air strike and an aircraft, for the evacuation of casualties. At about this time the right platoon broke in the face of heavy Viet Cong fire and began to scatter. Although told by the Civil Irregular Defence Group medical assistant that Warrant Officer Swanton was dying, Warrant Officer Wheatley refused to abandon him. He discarded his radio to enable him to half drag, half carry Warrant Officer Swanton, under heavy machine-gun and automatic rifle fire, out of the

16 open rice paddies into the comparative safety of a wooded area, some 200 metres away. He was assisted by a Civil Irregular Defence Group member, Private Dinh Do who, when the Viet Cong were only some ten metres away, urged him to leave his dying comrade. Again he refused, and was seen to pull the pins from two grenades and calmly awaited the Viet Cong, holding one grenade in each hand. Shortly afterwards, two grenade explosions were heard, followed by several bursts of small arms fire.

The two bodies were found at first light next morning after the fighting had ceased, with Warrant Officer Wheatley lying beside Warrant Officer Swanton. Both had died of gunshot wounds.

Warrant Officer Wheatley displayed magnificent courage in the face of an overwhelming Viet Cong force which was later estimated at more than a company. He had the clear choice of abandoning a wounded comrade and saving himself by escaping through the dense timber or of staying with Warrant Officer Swanton and thereby facing certain death. He deliberately chose the latter course. His acts of heroism, determination and unflinching loyalty in the face of the enemy will always stand as examples of the true meaning of valour.

A LITTLE BIT OF TRIVIA FOR OUR AMERICAN MEMBERS What happened to Harry S Truman after the presidency--very interesting!

Harry Truman, from Missouri, was a different kind of President. He probably made as many important decisions regarding his nation's history as any of the other 42 Presidents. However, a measure of his greatness may rest on what he did after he left the White House.

Historians have written that the only asset he had when he died was the house he lived in, which was in Independence Missouri. On top of that, his wife inherited the house from her Mother.

When he retired from office in 1952, his income was a U.S. Army pension reported to have been $13,507.72 a year.

Congress, noting that he was paying for his stamps and personally licking them, granted him an 'allowance' and, later, a retroactive pension of $25,000 per year.

After President Eisenhower was inaugurated, Harry and Bess drove home to Missouri by themselves. There were no Secret Service agents following them.

When offered corporate positions at large salaries, he declined, stating, 'You don't want me. You want the office of the President, and that doesn't belong to me. It belongs to the American people and it's not for sale.'

Even later, on May 6, 1971, when Congress was preparing to award him the Medal of Honour on his 87th birthday, he refused to accept it, writing, 'I don't consider that I have done anything which should be the reason for any award, Congressional or otherwise.'

He never owned his own home and as president he paid for all of his own travel expenses and food. Modern politicians have found a new level of success in cashing in on the Presidency, resulting in untold wealth.

Today, many in Congress also have found a way to become quite wealthy while enjoying the fruits of their offices.

Political offices are now for sale.

Good old Harry Truman was correct when he observed, 'My choices early in life were either to be a piano player in a whorehouse or become a politician. There isn‘t much difference in either.

Addendum: When Truman was being sworn in as President, the Chief Justice intoned ―I, Harry Shipp Truman‖ and Truman repeated ―I, Harry S Truman‖. The ‗S‘ was not short for any name, but was included to satisfy family. One side of his family was SHIPP, hence the initial ‗S‘.

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I spent two days looking at these ships in Subic Bay. I was wondering if they were the product of the huge Korean Hanjin Shipbuilding yard in the background (pic 2). Then I found out that they are out of work ships, parked there at a rather cheap rental until work is found. An amazing thing, that would gladden the heart of greenies worldwide, is that many of them are woodchip carriers, out of work. There were probably 20 or more ships there and I was informed that up the coast a short distance towards IBA way, were a heap more just sitting at anchor. (bit hard to see aren’t they) Ed

Ambassador Smith joins Pres Jim at the Hellships museum

Filipino flag bearers after placing flags at the memorial

Well that is our newsletter for November. It is published a couple of days later than normal , due to the fact that this month has been a very busy month and I, the editor attended the Remembrance Day and Hellships Memorial in Luzon and then had to get back home to Mindanao and get the newsletter together. However I think it is a good newsletter and the short delay is worth the wait. Ed

“The price of liberty is eternal vigilance”