Blog Posts - AL WILCOX AMERICAN LEGION POST 234

Global Effects of WWI

8/16/2016

World War I forever changed the world: politically, socially, technologically, and even economically. Nearly every aspect of modern life around the world was affected by the conflict in some way: Many current political tensions in the Middle East stem from the Sykes-Picot Agreement; processed foods developed to feed scores of hungry troops became a part of everyday life and revolutionized agriculture and industry; weapons technology such as tanks, flamethrowers and airplanes forever changed how wars are fought; and America vaulted onto the global stage as a world power. It all began with the First World War.

Click here for more information about WWI.

Guinness Book of World Records Achievement by Post Member

8/3/2016

Sally Buckingham is an elected officer of American Legion Post 234 and a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. In her service to veterans, she helped set a Guinness World Record for collecting and sending letters to deployed veterans world wide. This is service that truly needs to be thanked!

To read the full story on the Guinness World Records website, click here.

Posted by: Audrey Simmons

2016 Fleet Week

8/1/2016

Seafair Fleet Week has been a tradition in Seattle since 1950 with multiple ships annually coming into the Port of Seattle to celebrate this region’s premier summertime festival. In partnership with Navy League Seattle Council and Port of Seattle, Seafair Fleet Week honors the men and women of the military who proudly and courageously serve our country!

Parade of Ships
Tuesday, August 2, 2016
1 p.m.
Elliot Bay

US Coast Guard Search & Rescue Demonstration
Wednesday, August 3, 2016
1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
Elliott Bay

Public Ship Tours
Wednesday, August 3 to Sunday, August 7, 2016

Come aboard a Canadian or United States Navy or United States Coast Guard vessel. Walk through passageways, climb ladders, tour the different decks and get a real taste of life at sea. Ship tours are free and open to the public.

Click here for more information and a schedule of ships.

New Veterans Housing Complex in Lynwood

7/31/2016

The newly constructed Veteran Home, named Sebastian Place, is a 20-unit complex that will house homeless veterans located on 196th. To learn more about the complex, click here.

Posted by: Audrey Simmons

Tour de Terrace 7/29-7/31

7/28/2016

Tomorrow marks the beginning of the Mountlake Terrace Tour de Terrace, the Seafair-Sanctioned summer festival for Mountlake Terrace & neighboring communities. Presented by a small group of dedicated volunteers, this festival was created in 1993 to generate community spirit and pride. We invite families, businesses and visitors to celebrate in this family oriented, fun-filled festival. The event runs until Sunday, July 31st at the Evergreen Playfield on 56th Ave W.

Come watch the Tour de Terrace Parade on Friday, July 29 at 7:00 PM! See celebrities, cool cars, amazing floats, drill teams, Mountlake Terrace High School Athletes, and so much more! And of course, the SeaFair pirates are on hand to "terrify" and delight the children! In addition, Post members will be leading the opening parade on Friday night and gathering outside the Post hall to watch the festivities!

To learn more about the Tour de Terrace, click here!

Plus, check out the special offer below from Romio's, whose owner is a veteran and a member of the American Legion!

To extend our Summer fun campaign, use the code word fun and get 20% off on your entire order. Don't forget all the other yummy items on the menu. Our expanded menu of pastas, salads, sandwiches and delicious deserts
makes the possibilities unlimited. Everything is deliverable.

Good for take out, pick-up and delivery
Minimum ($20.00) still require for delivery
Offer ends 08-03-2016
Code word is fun
Not combined with any other offers

www.e-romios.com - 425.673.2187 - support@e-romios.com

Posted by: Audrey Simmons

WWI Centennial

7/28/2016

The US World War I Centennial Commission was created by an Act of Congress in 2013. The Commission's mission is to plan, develop, and execute programs, projects and activities to commemorate the Centennial of World War I (WWI).

Learn more by clicking here.

Members of Post 234 Install Veteran Bricks

7/26/2016

On Saturday July 23rd, members of American Legion Post 234 worked side by side with members of VFW #1040 to install veteran commemorative bricks in Veteran Park, Lynnwood.

Click here for the form to order a brick to honor a veteran.

Diversity employment day career fair 7/20

7/16/2016

Posted by: Audrey Simmons

The Story of "Bad Angel"

7/16/2016

In 1942, the United States needed pilots for its war planes lots of war planes; lots of pilots. Lt. Louis Curdes was one. When he was 22 years old, he graduated flight training school and was shipped off to the Mediterranean to fight Nazis in the air over Southern Europe.

Lt. Louis Courdes arrived at his 82nd Fighter Group, 95th Fighter Squadron in April 1943 and was assigned a P-38 Lightning. Ten days later he shot down three German Messerschmitt Bf-109 fighters. A few weeks later, he downed two more German
Bf -109's. In less than a month of combat, Louis was an Ace.
During the next three months, Louis shot down an Italian Mc.202 fighter and two more Messerschmitts before his luck ran out. A German fighter shot down his plane on August 27, 1943 over Salerno, Italy. Captured by the Italians, he was sent to a POW camp near Rome. No doubt this is where he thought he would spend the remaining years of the war. It wasn't to be. A few days later, the Italians surrendered. Louis and a few other pilots escaped before the Nazis could take control of the camp.

One might think that such harrowing experiences would have taken the fight out of Louis, yet he volunteered for another combat tour. This time, Uncle Sam sent him to the Philippines where he flew P-51 Mustangs.

Soon after arriving in the Pacific Theater, Louis downed a Mitsubishi reconnaissance plane near Formosa. Now he was one of only three Americans to have kills against all three Axis Powers: Germany, Italy, and Japan.

Up until this point, young Lt. Curdes' combat career had been stellar. His story was about to take a twist so bizarre that it seems like the fictional creation of a Hollywood screenwriter.

While attacking the Japanese-held island of Bataan, one of Louis wingmen was shot down. The pilot ditched in the ocean. Circling overhead, Louis could see that his wingman had survived, so he stayed in the area to guide a rescue plane and protect the downed pilot.

It wasn't long before he noticed another, larger airplane, wheels down, preparing to land at the Japanese-held airfield on Bataan. He moved in to investigate. Much to his surprise the approaching plane was a Douglas C-47 transport with American markings. He tried to make radio contact, but without success. He maneuvered his Mustang in front of the big transport several times trying to wave it off. The C-47 kept head to its landing target. Apparently the C-47 crew didn’t realize they were about to land on a Japanese held island, and soon would be captives.

Lt. Curdes read the daily newspaper accounts of the war, including the viciousness of the Japanese soldiers toward their captives. He knew that whoever was in that American C-47 would be, upon landing, either dead or wish they were. But what could he do?

Audaciously, he lined up his P-51 directly behind the transport, carefully sighted one of his .50 caliber machine guns and knocked out one of its two engines. Still the C-47 continued on toward the Bataan airfield. Curdes shifted his aim slightly and knocked out the remaining engine, leaving the baffled pilot no choice but to ditch in the ocean.

The big plane came down to it wings in one piece about 50 yards from his bobbing wingman. At this point, nightfall and low fuel forced Louis to return to base. The next morning, Louis flew cover for a rescuing PBY that picked up the downed Mustang pilot and 12 passengers and crew, including two female nurses, from the C-47. All survived, and later, Lt. Curdes would end up marrying one of these nurses.

For shooting down an unarmed American transport plane, Lt. Louis Curdes was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Thereafter, on the fuselage of his P-51 "Bad Angel", he proudly displayed the symbols of his kills: seven German, one Italian, one Japanese, and one American flag.

See the exhibit at the Pima Air and Space Museum.

Thanks to Lou Pirone for this interesting article.

Active Shooter Presentation 07/11/2016

7/7/2016

Join members of American Legion Post 234 for an Active Shooter presentation by former FBI agent and current Director of Safety, Security and Emergency Preparedness at Edmonds Community College, Daniel Guerrero, MA.

Date: Monday, 7/11
Time: 7:00 - 7:30pm
Location: 22909 56th Avenue W, Mountlake Terrace

This special event is open to the public at no charge.

Media Announcements:

Everett Herald - page A3, Front Porch
Lynnwood Today
MLT Today

Homeland Security Active Shooter Preparation Fact Sheet