The Koran Iron Horse
March 2009
Published by Voiture Locale 1588, Grande du Louisiana
5401 Highway 527, Haughton, LA 71037 # 318-987-0052
Carl A. Barr, L'Editeur
carlbarr@bellsouth.net
Chef de Gare Richard LaDue
Voyageurs,
We will conduct a Flags for First Graders on 2 April at Bellaire Elementary School in Bossier City. We expect to have about 130 children and 6 teachers, and can use your help. You will find that it is truly a joy to work with the children. Please plan to be at the school about 0900; the program is scheduled to start at 0930.
We will meet at Koran on Sunday, 26 April to work on our train starting at 0830. Burt Pitts promised to serve ribs to the workers. The planned March date was cancelled for weather!
We will name our nominating committee during the April Promenade. Come express yourselves, get involved. If you want to help run the show, this is the place to begin.
DickVoiture 1588 Officers – 2008-09
Chef de Gare -- Richard Ladue
Chef de Train -- Lynn Mellen
Chef de Train -- James Vise
Correspondant – Larry Aytes
Commisaire Intendant – Hank Kwiatkowski
Gard de la Port – Paul Roland
Lampiste – Donny Glasgow
Conducteur – Jerry Cruthis
Commis Voyageur – John DeMoss
Avocat – Burt Pitts
Aumonier – Carl A. Barr
Medicin – Chuck Rodgers
Cheminot – James Brumley
Cheminot – Kathleen Gray
Cheminot – Jack Steransky
This page was last updated: May 5, 2009
We began publishing these Medal of Honor citations in the May 2002 Issue. The citations are selected at random and quoted from the official web site of the US Department of Defense.
From L'Editeur's Notebook L’Editeur Carl A. Barr
Fred E. Raymond Memorial
Chili Cook Off
14 March – The annual Fred E. Raymond Memorial Chili Cookoff was at Koran Post 388. Winners pictured are: 3rd Kim Small, 2nd LeeAnn McDade, 1st Carol Hudson, People’s Choice B. J. Willis. The Chili plaques were made by Burt Pitts. The weather was not as wet as had been forecast, but it did affect the turnout. We had ten participating teams and very few other people attending.
Voyageur Donnie Glasgow and Rosie Brown are in the Friendship Room.
Carville Cemetery Monument Dedication
A cover feature article is published in the
"National Forty and Eighter" March 2009
The Print Version of this Newsletter is the recipient of the
Thomas W. Fay, Jr.
Award -- 2005
Best Publication by a Voiture Locale for FY 2005
John W. Emerson Award
2001 and 2007
Best Publication by a Voiture Locale without advertising
PDF version of Newsletters
(including this one)
MEDAL OF HONOR
Vietnam 1970
Sergeant RICHARD A. PENRY, U S Army
Rank and organization: Sergeant, U.S. Army, Company C, 4th Battalion, 12th Infantry, 199th Infantry Brigade. Place and date: Binh Tuy Province, Republic of Vietnam, 31 January 1970. Entered service at: Oakland, Calif. Born: 18 November 1948, Petaluma. Calif.
(Ed’s Note: As you read this, keep in mind that at the time of this incident Sergeant Penry was age 21 years and 2 months.)
Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Penry, Company C, distinguished himself while serving as a rifleman during a night ambush mission. As the platoon was preparing the ambush position, it suddenly came under an intense enemy attack from mortar, rocket, and automatic weapons fire which seriously wounded the company commander and most of the platoon members, leaving small isolated groups of wounded men throughout the area. Sgt. Penry, seeing the extreme seriousness of the situation, worked his way through the deadly enemy fire to the company command post where he administered first aid to the wounded company commander and other personnel. He then moved the command post to a position which provided greater protection and visual communication and control of other platoon elements.
Realizing the company radio was damaged and recognizing the urgent necessity to reestablish communications with the battalion headquarters, he ran outside the defensive perimeter through a fusillade of hostile fire to retrieve a radio. Finding it inoperable, Sgt. Penry returned through heavy fire to retrieve two more radios. Turning his attention to the defense of the area, he crawled to the edge of the perimeter, retrieved needed ammunition and weapons and resupplied the wounded men
Learning that none of the radios were operable, Sgt. Penry again crawled outside the defensive perimeter, retrieved a fourth radio and established communications with higher headquarters. Sgt. Penry then continued to administer first aid to the wounded and repositioned them to better repel further enemy attacks. Despite continuous and deadly sniper fire, he again left the defensive perimeter, moved to within a few feet of enemy positions, located 5 isolated wounded soldiers, and led them to safety. When evacuation helicopters approached, Sgt. Penry voluntarily left the perimeter, set up a guiding beacon, established the priorities for evacuation and successively carried 18 wounded men to the extraction site.
After all wounded personnel had been evacuated, Sgt. Penry joined another platoon and assisted in the pursuit of the enemy. Sgt. Penry's extraordinary heroism at the risk of his own life are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on him, his unit, and the U.S. Army.
Several of our 1588 Voyageurs are experiencing moderate to severe health problems, all are at home . We list by name only those of whom we are aware.
Odis Whittington, Lucky Darrow, Bob Vercher,
Bob Vernon, Jimmy Rodgers, Hank Gann.
Cheminot / Promenade
Voiture 1588
1800 on the 4th Wednesday
Calvin Kain Ceremony
Voiture 1588
21 June 2008
Chef de Gare Richard LaDue
Above left photo: George Willis, National Directeur of Carville Star, is at the podium. Chef de Chemin de Fer Ted Lang is next to the flag, National Aumonier Preston Olson is behind him.
Above right photo: Chef de Chemin de Fer Ted Lang helps unveil the monument.
Left photo: Chef de Chemin de Fer Ted Lang holding the drape, Museum Curator Elizabeth Schexneider, LaPresident Nationale Sue Houttekier, and Sous LaPresident Pat Bertrand
The monument and it's installation were paid for by 40 & 8 and LaFemmes as a community service project - note the symbols at the bottom of stone.
Correspondant Larry Aytes
Membership numbers are posted on this web page:
http://fortyandeight.org/membership.htm
MEMBERSHIP STATUS – Grande de la Louisianne has achieved 106.63% as of 23 March, ranks 3rd behind New Hampshire and France. Voiture 1588 has 118% with 52 members. Thank all of you who have paid dues.
There are two ways of increasing our paid up membership; we can and should add new Voyageurs by recruiting, and the Voyageurs on the roll should keep their dues current.
Look at your membership card; if it is for 2008, you have not yet paid dues for 2009. I have your 2009 membership card and will send it to you in exchange for your payment of $25.00. Mail it to me at the address below.
Correspondant Larry Aytes
8910 Hollow Bluff Road
Haughton, LA 71037
