Katy VFW Post 9182 Remembers Normandy
On Monday June 6, VFW Post 9182 held a short program remembering the Normandy invasion, which occurred 67 years ago. This was the day that the Allied forces of the United States, Britain and Canada had assembled the largest armada in the history of the world. Under the direction of Allied commander General Dwight Eisenhower, the Allies landed on the beaches of Normandy, France.
The Katy VFW gave special recognition to its very members who helped send notice to the world that very day that the Nazi army led by Adolph Hitler was no longer invincible.
The Post members who were recognized at the ceremony were as follows:
Bryce, Joe – Omaha Beach – 37th Field Artillery; 2nd Infantry Division
Coselli, Frank – overhead in B 17’s – 401st Bomb Group; 8th Air Force
Christensen, E.D. – overhead in P-38’s – 9th Air Force
Fuda, Carl – Normandy with the 37th Combat Engineers
Pierce, John – Normandy with 149th Combat Engineers
Whitman, Lee – Utah Beach – 90th Infantry
Waiting in England to cross the channel as soon as the beaches were secured:
Miertschin, Noris – 86th Chemical Mortar Battalion
Doyle, James – 86th Chemical Mortar Battalion
These members were saluted and applauded for their bravery exhibited that immortal day on the Normandy beaches.
Whiteman was seriously wounded a little over a month later in France. Christensen was credited with 3.5 enemy “kills” from his P-38 fighter. Miertschin went into France and help clear the Germans from the Cherbourg peninsula, then fought with General Patton until the end of the war receiving a Bronze Star and a purple heart.
Also, joining in the assemblage were other World War II veterans from the European Theater as well as the Pacific.
Throughout the year the local VFW Post conducts memorial remembrances of great events in our nations military history. The next event of remembrance will be September 2, 2011 at the Post Hall, which marks the 66th anniversary of the end of WWII. This event will be closely followed by the 10th anniversary remembrance of 9/11. This ceremony will be conducted on Sept. 11, 2011 at LaCenterra.
For more information contact Dave Brasell, Senior Vice Commander or Colonel (Ret) Mike Mastrangelo, Commander, VFW Post 9182 at 281-391-8387. Post meetings are held at the VFW Hall on George Bush Drive in Katy on the first Monday of each month at 7:30 p.m.
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