I agree with many of you out there regarding non-combat duty, and the associated feelings that sometimes go along with it. My now departed fater-in-law served as an assistant and driver for an USA Inspecting General who visited many bases to check training mission objectives though often "Pop" inspections, yet due to staying in conus during WWII felt until his dying day he never served because he never went overseas and was in combat.To me he fulfilled his duty to his country when they needed his commitment and he should have felt proud to be considered a WWII veteran.
I supervised a shop in 70's aboard a repair ship, and during "Med cruize" retrofitted five small riverboats previously used in 'Nam to now five "hedge-hogs", jettison torpedoes, etc. My troops never felt it was worthwhile project since 'Nam was basically over. Funny thing happened though, first operation in 1st Persian Gulf offensive YEARS later and covered by CNN graphically-displayed our little boats taking out machine-gun nests and other implacements on oil-rigs. Hope my now long-time since discharged team got to see that coverage, it thrilled me to the bone when I heard the names of the little boats that fulfilled so vital and important a mission.
Years later in USNR felt both humbled and honored to be a plankowner for the first USNR team to be servicing our mighty ohio-class submarines. Should we who serviced them, or the crews who sat silently below the waters during offensive or at any other time since feel like we are not worthy of recognition, no way in my "book."
I have one son who has served as an USN LCDR (MD) at a Naval Hospital servicing the troops at USMC Parris Island and nearby USMC Air Station, as well as many retired veterans in local community. My other son served one tour in USAF as Meteoroligist, and then re-enlisted to eventually stack up 9 tours as an USAF Air-Refueler "across the pond" in two theaters of operation. To me they, like millions of other strong and dedicated patriots, have "answered the call" in supporting "boots on the ground" operations, and they all should be recognized for their commitment to this most blessed country, and feel good that they have done what was asked of them regardless of where, or what, was asked when the need arose. Very Respectfully, SSG Mike Blakley (USA retired)
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Interesting William Towne. I remember growing up seeing the 12 or so medals you had earned and bragged about, including, but not limited to, 2 purple hearts. I was kind enough to include 2 pictures, one was during service showing the only 3 ribbons upon your chest authorized to you be the US Navy, the other picture was taken sometime post-service...with quite the expansion of ribbons....notice one of those is the Vietnam ribbon, one is the purple heart. As words from your own lips spoke, William Harry Towne was a veteran of the Vietnam war, he was a NAVY SEAL in which one of his missions he was stabbed earning him the coveted Purple Heart AND he was a prisoner of war in Vietnam. He is currently listed on the POW Network as a wannabe/phonnie (pownetwork.org click list of names, go to list two, click the second "t"'s and he is halfway down the page. http://www.pownetwork.org/phonies/phonies1284.htm This is a gentleman that has disassociated with his family 17 years ago and counting (mother, brothers, sisters and 3 children) for NO REASON! William Towne Recently lost his brother earlier this year, was notified of the services, and couldn't be bothered to attend his own Brother's funeral (Kennith Towne, R.I.P.) William Towne talks of pride and honor and loyalty. He speaks of doing the right things in life yet he willing avoids ALL communication with his 1st family. I last saw my father when I was 15 years old. Since then, I had went thru high school, Enlisted in the United States Army as an Infantry Soldier (11BRAVO) and have given William Towne 3 grandchildren, of whom he has no desire to meet. I tried communicating with my father on numerous occasions only to be blown off, blocked and he would change address. I stumbled across William Towne on this site and thought maybe I can contact him, maybe I can initiate dialogue and slowly work up to a relationship of father and son once again. He blocked me. Wants nothing to do with me.I can't for the life of me understand why one would do so much for his community, friends and fellow sailors/soldiers, but he leaves the memory of his first born son to rot, he lets his first born daughter wonder why her daddy doesn't want anything to do with her, Leaving 9 brothers and sisters and a Mother to wonder what it is that was so bad to make him not want to even be found for 17 years. They say time heals all wounds....ask William why he won't let his and communicate with me. I tried being amicable about contacting him but he continually shuts me out, therefore, I must "pull the gloves off" and show everybody the kind of man William Towne really is. A fake. He doesn't really care. He was a phonie years ago until the era of the internet. That is the only thing I can think of. He figured now that the world wide web was born people can call on him for his lies. Get over it Dad, I don't care, I've wanted a father for 17 years and a little bit of BS really doesn't bother me....the avoidance....that bothers me. I know you reside at 413 US7N Falls Village, CT. I know what you drive and your plate numbers. I know your Social, your date of birth and your Driver's license number....you can keep running, but I will ALWAYS find you.....might as well suck up what ever it is your issue is and talk to me. I don't ever plan on backing down. I will knock on your door every year. I knocked on your door in 2002 or so....pretty bad when you had no clue who i was until I showed you a picture of me sitting on your lap in 1980. I gave you the opportunity to talk then, I gave you the opportunity to start talking then....instead you moved and changed your number. As long as I have access to the databases I do at the office, you will never be lost again...I assure you of that. I can continue airing laundry on this website or you can e-mail me to start at whtownejr@gmail.com. You can call me if you wish, my cell is (802) 688-9336. (you don't have to block your number either, I already know it, unless 860 824 7292 has been changed already, in which case, I'll have to go get it again)
I hope to hear from you soon....either as to why it is you want to keep your entire family in the past with no recolection of at all, or to start a dialogue and maybe want to see your grandchildren....babysteps at first, I understand. Anyone reading this want to see pictures of William Towne and I growing up, look on my face book. Search Bill Towne or William H Towne Jr. My photos are open to everybody, look in the albums of some old family photos. I used to be happy and so was my father.......what's changed....I'd like to know
The title VFW sort of speaks for itself. You have to be a veteran, and a veteran of a “foreign war.” American Legion likewise is entitled to their rules for membership. However, AL rules get confusing when they state that a long ago congressional charter dictated the dates of active service or congressionally recognized periods of national defense to qualify for membership. I did not know that the American Legion owed their existence to the U.S. Congress; perhaps. Regardless though, they are an organization entitled to draft their own policies and impose them. I joined the Navy at the age of 17 as soon as they would take me after high school graduation … just three months after one of those periods of National Defense. While aboard a nuclear submarine during the Cold War, I did what other submariners did during that previous “official” period of National Defense, but my service is regarded as different by the American Legion and VFW. Many years later in life, I served as a DoD specialist with the Marines in Al-Anbar, Iraq. A gunny-sergeant at Fallujah speculated that I was a vet and asked what I did. I told him I was briefly in the Navy and the Submarine Service. He and the other Marines in the unit were enthralled. Hearing that kind of recognition was good enough for me.
As far as joining a veterans’ organization, a lot of former and retired Marines and Fleet Marine Navy vets in our area join AMVETS. I might do the same.
"Any person shall be eligible for membership in The American Legion
who was a member of the Army,Navy,Marine Corps, Coast Guard
or Air Force of the United States and assigned to active duty at
some time during any of the following periods:
April 6, 1917, to November 11,1918
December 7,1941 to December 31,1946
June 25,1950, to January 31,1955
February 28,1961, to May 7,1975
August 24,1982, to July 31,1984
December 20,1989, to January 31,1990
August 2,1990, to the date of cessation of hostilies as determined by the Government of the United States; all dates inclusive.... provided,
however, that such service have been terminated by honorable discharge or honorable separation, or continued honorably after any of said periods;
provided, futher, that no person shall be entitled to membership who,
being in such service during any said periods, refused on conscientious, political or other grounds to subject himself to military discipline or unqualified service"
Hope this helps understand the American Legion and it's eligibilty requirements a little better
William H Towne, Jr.
AL Member ID 203589652
Post 0100 Montpelier, VT
I appreciate your thoughts and observations. Also, it is a great feeling of satisfaction for me to just manuver from one incoming gate to my intended departing gate in the appropriate time-frame when at DFW! What I also appreciate, as you may already know, is that anyone is free to cross-reference ribbons on-line, and they usually are very accurate in "telling the story" of someone's military career. All of us veterans may have very different experiences, even though we may all serve at the same time in American history. I think that factor has always been the case, and from what I see laws are changing all the time that in my point-of-view give more recognition for actions accomplished by the service-member during his/her time of service to our country. My personal observation has been that sometimes too awards are authorized by proper authority for past times in a command's performance, and also regrettably after service-members from that command were discharged, as one USN surface-fleet command I know of that was authorized the Humanitarian Award and Sea Service Deployment ribbons, but was authorized and issued after many crew-members had been discharged. It is imperative that anyone interested check via a variety of available sources on a given command's issued awards, (both veteran or their dependants), and then request from given branch of service a review of record be accomplished. My experience has been that both the USA and USN have some great totally-dedicated staff that will help anyone obtain the proper credit once proper forms are submitted, (although it takes a few months to accomplish due to so many requests). What I think is really neat is that they will also then send you proper medals that you or loved ones are entitled after the review of those records.