MEETING TO ORDER:
President Tim Villhauer called the meeting to order at 12:30 and led us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Tony Cubelis gave the invocation
VISITING ROTARIANS:
Gerald Baron (BellinghamBay), Jeanne McGee (Mexico), Mira Hauve (Juneau)
GUESTS:
Note
BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES:
Mel Hollinger, Jake Smith, Jerry Landcastle
RETURNING ROTARIANS
: Leah Macaleer - returning from Greece
ANNOUNCMENTS:
(1) Club Picnic June 13th, (2) Lunch at Randy Carr's House of Fun, July 16th, (3) Club induction ceremony, July 23 (not July 16th), (4) Copies of the upcoming committee assignments will be sent to everyone by email, and (5) Bill Grace will take any last minute updates to the roster.
HAPPY BUCKS:
The following people were happy: President Tim was $10 happy for our program with Joe Moser, and for Tim's appearance on TV after last Monday's City Council forum regarding military deserters. Rome was happy about the program and had already purchased one of Joe's books. Jim Bliss was happy about Joe's program and also wanted to say thanks to Tim Carpenter for the job he did in organizing the opposition to the City Council's deserter forum. Chuck Tull was $2 happy as he will be out of town for 4 weeks. Leah was happy for her 2 weeks in Greece and for those who volunteered for JA Day. Gary Tomsic was $10 happy about his wife getting social security. Ken was $2 happy about the program as well as a report from a person who said that Carl Cozier would be happy to have Rome and Jake back for another JA appearance. Jerry Landcastle was happy about Joe's program and his wife's social security. Bill Rose was happy about the weather and its positive effect on local gardens. Paul was $2 happy about a shoplifting incident at his store. Listen to this stupid crook story. Paul ripped the guy's shirt off. The thief's cell phone was in the shirt pocket. Paul used the thief's phone to call the police. Then the police used the phone to identify some others involved in illegal drug transactions with this thief. It goes to show you that it doesn't bode well for a thief who is also really stupid. Paul was also happy about a farm chicks antique show over in Spokane. Max gave $35 for 35 years of marriage. Tony was $2 happy about something.
FINEMASTER:
Ken for some smart comment. Randy $5 for his laryngitis. Rome and Jake $2 for being celebrities at JA Day. Brian Finnegan for some smart comment. Maureen $2 just cause. Ken fined Tony who liked the height of today's podium, but didn't notice that its width was too narrow for Tony. Rome was fined $2 for his shorts and showing a great deal of leg.
Banners:
For Flag Day on June 14th as well as all of the other days of memoriam such as Memorial Day and D-Day.
PROGRAM:
Joe Moser's World War II exploits as a fighter pilot was the subject of today's program. Joe Moser's story, as told by Gerald Baron, has been recently published in Joe F. Moser, Ferndale Farmboy to Buchenwald and Back. Joe, a P-38 Lightning fighter pilot with the nickname "Ground Loop Joe," flew 43 successful missions in Europe in 1944. On his 44th mission as flight leader in his squadron, his left engine was hit by anti-aircraft flak and Joe had to eject. The P-38's configuration was such that Joe had to turn the plane upside down and fall out of his seat. When he did this his shoe got stuck in the canopy. He eventually freed himself with about 100 feet left to deploy his parachute. Once he was on the ground, some folks from the French resistance tried to help Joe escape, but were ultimately unsuccessful which lead to Joe being captured. Joe was among 168 pilots who wound up at the German concentration camp in Buchenwald for 2 months. The description of the living conditions would bring anyone to tears. Joe and the other pilots were eventually moved to another location at Stalag Luft III near eastern Berlin. His worst experiences were being afraid that Buchenwald would be bombed since there was a munitions factory there, and a death march of 65 miles in January 1945 when the weather was bitter, freezing cold. Joe and the others were liberated on April 29, 1945. Joe's story was fascinating. He said that his religion and the determination to live kept him going. He kept most of this to himself until the early 1980s. Gerald Baron wound up getting in touch with Joe fairly recently through a mutual friend. Together they published a book. I'd encourage you to get a copy of the book. Joe is a soft spoken American who found himself in the midst of unimaginable situations in World War II. It was truly a pleasure to have Joe come and share his story with us. He was a Ferndale farm boy who did his duty for his country. The exclamation mark on Joe's story is that he wound up receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross 63 ½ years after he earned it in July of 1944. He was slightly indisposed at the time he earned it and was not able to receive it then. Our hats are off to you Joe, and the country owes you and all service men and women a very deep debt of gratitude.
DRAWING:
The card drawn was not a winner. Rome drew the unlucky card.
The meeting adjourned at 1:30 p.m.
Editor this week: Max Legg