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It's Museum Month. It's Black History Month. We have two free musical concerts at the museum this month. February is a good time to come to Balboa Park!
January was a slow start to the year and we kicked off our monthly evening events with a wonderful presentation by The BentProp Project. We are so fortunate to have so many nonprofit organizations and dedicated professional looking out for those who came before us and those coming after us. Derek Abbey from Bent Prop provided an update of their 2016 mission in Palau looking for downed WWII aircraft and MIA/KIA military. And then he had exciting news to share about the future of Bent Prop and where the organization will grow to in future years.
Please join us for our next evening event which are always open to the public and always free to attend.
Captain Sheldon Margolis
USN (Retired)
President and CEO
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What's going on at your museum?
(Museum events or museum partners)
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Feb. 11: Civic Chorale of Chula Vista FREE concert (1 to 3 p.m.)
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Feb. 14: Free Tuesday at the museum for all San Diego County residents (all day)
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Feb. 18: Vietnam Veterans of America to host agent orange town hall meeting (9 a.m. to noon)
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Feb. 25: United Veterans Council meeting (9:30 to 11:30 a.m.)
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Feb. 25: San Diego monthly memorial service (noon)
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Feb. 25: Musical Potpourri FREE concert (2 to 4 p.m.)
- Save the date - Mar. 3-4: San Diego in WWI Congress of History Conference
- Save the date - Mar. 11-12: Thursday Club Rummage Sale
- Save the date - Mar. 23: Military Women's History month reception and speaker panel
- Save the date - April 21-23: "Vets at Home: A Showcase of Short Plays"
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FREE Youth Concert
Saturday, Feb. 11 (1 - 3 p.m.)
The Veterans Museum at Balboa Park is proud to partner with the Military Order of the World Wars (MOWW) this month for a FREE concert featuring two local music groups, The Civic Chorale of Chula Vista, led by Ms. Teresa Russell and the San Ysidro High School Mariachi Mitzle, led by Ms. Wendy Charines.
The Military Order of the World Wars (MOWW) is a non-political, patriotic organization centered on the idea embodied in its motto that "It is nobler to serve than to be served." The Military Order's founding in 1919 resulted from General of the Armies John J. "Blackjack" Pershing's request that his officers continue serving America after their active military service ended. Consequently, MOWW promotes and encourages good citizenship, patriotic education, and military and public service. MOWW serves America's youth by hosting Youth Leadership Conference (YLC) programs throughout the United States-at no cost to high school students attending.
For the first time, MOWW and Veterans Museum at Balboa Park are combining their respective strengths in bringing veterans, youth and our community together to create a free concert dedicated to recognizing our youth in their music talents.
The free concert will be on Saturday, February 11 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Veterans Museum. We hope to see you there!
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Museum Honors Legacy of African American Military Service During Black History Mo
nth
The Vietnam War saw the highest proportion of blacks ever to serve in an American war. During the height of the U.S. involvement, 1965-69, blacks, who formed 11 percent of the American population, made up 12.6 percent of the soldiers in Vietnam. During this time, many black service members fought for freedoms they would not have once returning to the states. Each war we've seen more and more African Americans step into service roles and step up to defend their country. We honor the service and sacrifice of those who have fought for our freedoms at times even when they did not have them for themselves.
Our military ranks are made strong by their diversity. Throughout the years the military have welcomed many minorities into service and by doing so, they have added to their knowledge, vision and cultural wealth. Our military would not be the greatest in the world without its African American service members. Stay up to date on what we have planned for this special month by finding us on:
Facebook
or
For more on the history of African Americans in the Military, click the following links and learn in what ways this demographic has made our country what it is today.
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FREE Musical Potpourri Concert
Saturday, Feb. 25 (2-4 p.m.)
Please join The Musical Potpourri for a showcase of flute, voice and piano r
epertoire of American songbook standards, light jazz, classical, show tunes & opera.
The three-man group began their musical adventure in 2012 and
are delighted to provide quality programs to residents of our local retirement communities to include Wesley Palms, The Patrician, Vi at La Jolla Village and others.
The Singer/Flutist is August Konrad, and Pianists are Roger Sorrell and David Frost.
The free concert will be on Saturday, February 25 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Veterans Museum. We hope to see you there!
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Bent Prop Project Shares Story of 20-Year Mission to Locate Lost Aircraft of WWII
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Derek Abbey, Marine Veteran and BentProp board member, speaks to event attendees about the BentProp mission.
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We were so fortunate to have The BentProp
Project provide our patrons, members and veterans with another great presentation about their ambitious and important mission. BentProp is a non-profit that, for 20 years, has been working to resurrect downed aircraft from World War II. As part of this main mission, they also work to find and repatriate those Missing In Action and Killed in Action during WWII.
The BentProp Project consists of a small group of volunteers with varied backgrounds from across the country. Created over two decades ago, it has resulted in the repatriation of several missing Americans. Derek Abbey, BentProp board member, spokesperson and Marine Veteran, spoke to our crowd about the history and focus of the project and what the work mainly consists of. The team has mainly focused their attention on the waters around Palau, where many WWII planes went down as they attacked the Japanese base established there. Over the years the team has found many lost aircraft and many a lost pilot as well. The remains of pilots lost with their aircraft and those captured and executed by the Japanese, are still in Palau, never found or retrieved after the war. Their most passionate purpose is both to help bring closure to affected MIA families and to express their gratitude for these Americans lost in combat for their sacrifices in defense of our country, as well as for the consequent sacrifices of their families.
The event also included a documentary about BentProp, which included interviews of the families of repatriated MIA and KIA. We were also given a look into the intensity of their yearly treks to Palau and provided the stories behind some of the resurrected airwrecks.
We hope to host BentProp Project again in the future so we continue to follow what this incredible group has accomplished.
To view a video about Bent Prop, click:
Here!
To learn more about the organization click:
Here!
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Stories from the Archives
Pat McTague served one year at the 93rd Evacuation Hospital, Long Binh, RVN, 1969-1970.
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Cpt. Patricia McTague, NC, US Army
Pat McTague grew up in Florida and attended Nursing School at Florida State University in the Army student nurse program. Upon graduation Pat went to Fort Sam Houston, TX for orientation training and then on to Fort Campbell KY for 7 months of regular hospital duty. She got orders for Vietnam and flew out of Travis AFB in September 1969 in her dress uniform, arriving at Bien Hoa Air Base. She was assigned as a Nurse at the 93rd Evacuation Hospital in Long Binh. The 93rd stabilized patients for MEDEVAC to hospitals in Japan or returned them to duty. There were about 100 nurses at the hospital, they worked rotating 12 hour shifts, six and a half days a week, and lived in quarters with shared baths and no air conditioning. The wards were separate and each was in
an "X" shape with the Nurses station in the center of the cross and held from 72 to 98 beds each. There was a large ammo dump on the base that would get rocketed and the concussions would rattle the IV bottles on their poles. The nurses were the only women except for a few WACs assigned to the Finance Center.
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Arial view of 93rd Evac Hospital at Long Binh.
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Pat on a MEDCAP in the countryside delivering care to Vietnamese.
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Long Binh had a mess hall and a Chinese Restaurant on the base and showed movie every night that was projected on the outside of a building. However whenever they could, they would go to the nearby Air Force Base at Bien Hoa that had an indoor air conditioned theater with comfortable seats, and the Air Force did not make them clean up the area after the movie like the Army did. Pat watched the movie "M*A*S*H" at both theaters in 1970.
Pat did many medical civic programs (MEDCAPS} that took medical and dental care into the country side. She also worked with a local orphanage in Bien Hoa. She left Vietnam after one year to the day and completed her 3 year obligation at Fort Bragg, NC where she was promoted to Captain. After the war she reflected in a poem: "My memories are so vague and scattered, Not all black and white, I wouldn't have traded my time there for anything and I wouldn't have stayed one minute longer."
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Recent Donations the Museum
January 2017
Robert Alden of San Diego
donated a Soviet Russian Shashka sword and scabbard, and two French bayonets, models 1873 and 1879.
Meredyth Devin of La Jolla donated nine photographs and an Officer's Social Roster from her husband's (LT Joseph B. Devin, MC, USNR) tour on the USS Bon Homme Richard (CVA-31) from their 1970-71 cruise.
Jack and Nancy Evans of La Mesa donated a scrapbook of John Finn, the first American to be awarded the Medal of Honor during WWII, and three books on Pearl Harbor.
Raymond Flores of Chula Vista
donated a painting of James "Swabbie" Collins in his navy whites, and a framed silk embroidered souvenir and photo of a relative's cruise to China and Japan aboard the USS Oregon (BB-3) sometime between 1902 and 1905.
In Memory of my Cruise to China and Japan in the USS Oregon (BB-3), c. 1902 - 1905.
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Painting of James "Swabbie" Collins, undated.
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Karen Schulze Hall and Tim Hall of Chula Vista donated a collection of her father's Underwater Demolition Team artifacts from WWII through Vietnam, including uniforms, photos, café cards from his Yokosuka liberty, a WWII era wrist compass, and a set of Seafarer tailored dress blues with Liberty cuffs and a dragon embroidered inside the collar and four knives.
Robert McDonald of San Diego donated a DVD of the WWII series Victory at Sea, a collection of WWII movies and a CD of the Victory at Sea music.
Lee Parkhurst of Chula Vista donated two books on Naval History.
Mark Weber of the U.S. Navy Memorial in Washington DC donated a copy of "NTC: A Final Tribute" a 23 minute history of the Naval Training Center, San Diego, and a copy of a 1925 photo of a Martin MT Bomber dropping Parachutists over NAS North Island.
A video film made at the closure of NTC San Diego in 1994.
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Martin MT Bomber dropping parachutists over NAS North Island, c. 1925. Note USS Langley, our first aircraft carrier docked at the pier in background.
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Have you already started shopping for that special person for Valentine's Day?
Did you know that you can support the Veterans Museum every time you shop online at Amazon.com by signing up with AmazonSmile? It is a simple and automatic way for you to support the Veterans Museum at no cost to you. By signing up and shopping at smile.amazon.com, you'll find the exact same low prices with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to the Veterans Museum.
To shop at AmazonSmile simply go to smile.amazon.com from the web browser on your computer or mobile device with your existing Amazon.com account or create a new account. You will need select the charity of you choice and we encourage you to type in and select the Veterans Museum and Memorial Center. Amazon will remember your selection and then every eligible purchase you make at smile.amazon.com will result in a donation to our museum.
You may also want to add a bookmark to smile.amazon.com to make it even easier to return and start your shopping at AmazonSmile.
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Creative Arts for the public - No skill required
Join us for Family Fun on Free Tuesday!
Lower Level
3 to 5 p.m. - Arts for All Forum
Every Tuesday 
6 to 9 p.m.
Workshops: ARTS FOR VETERANS
Lower Level
Reservations required! Limited seating!
1. Bronze Casting by Veterans Art Project
Free: Only for Veterans, Military and Spouses.
RSVP with Steven Dilley at
(760) 815-8868 or
steve@vetart.org
2. Artwork Preparation for National Veterans Creative Arts Festival (NVCAF) 2017
Entries NLT 2-13-17 and
Public Expo 2-16-17 @ VA La Jolla Hospital
Free: Only for Veterans enrolled in the VA San Diego Healthcare System.
6 to 9 p.m.
Workshops:
ARTS FOR ALL
Lower Level
Playwriting Workshop:
Open to the public. All Skill Levels.
Enrollment required! Register now!
$15 donation per 3-hour session
24 January - 6 March
AA (Tony The Vet) LoBue, Instructor
Scholarships available only for qualified Veterans!
6:30 to 9 p.m.
Workshops:
ARTS FOR ALL
Lower Level
Acting Workshop:
FREE! PUBLIC! RESERVATIONS REQUIRED!
January 31st - March 14th
Katie TURNER, Instructor
katie@sandiegotheatrelab.com
***Events subject to change without notice
1. Call for Short Plays!
Maximum 10-page, 10-minute, minimalist, any genre with
US VETERAN/FAMILY/COMMUNITY HOMEFRONT theme
Deadline: Tuesday 28 February 2017
$10 submission donation per entry.
Limit 5 entries per Author. Email only. AUTHOR retains copyright.
2. Call for Production Team!
Actors, Directors, Crew, Promotion, Public Relations and Script Readers!
Artists, Dancers, Mimes, Musicians, Playwrights and Puppeteers!
Filmmakers, Photographers and Videographers!
And more!
3. Call for Interns & Volunteers!
Assistant Arts Director
Ambassadors (Make-A-Card for VA Hospital Patients Program )
Artists in Residence (Literary, Performance and Visual)
Promotion
Public Relations
Save the date!!
Kevin Raquidan
Volunteer Artist in Residence
Photo Journalist
"Intro to Digital Photography"
4-Week Workshop
2-3:30 p.m. Wednesdays
8,15, 22 & 29 March 2017
Location: Lower Level
Open to Public
Limited enrollment
$40. Suggested Donation in Advance
Scholarships available: Vet/Mil/Spouse
AA "Tony the Vet" LoBue,
Arts Director
Contact: (cell) 619-806-2075 or via email at:
ArtsDirector@veteranmuseum.org
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New and Renewing Members
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Frank Grabarits
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Debbie Kash Family
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Sheldon & Elizabeth Margolis*
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Lee & Betty Merwin*
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Kathy Tinsley
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* Life Member
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Courage to Call to host food distribution
Saturday, Feb. 11 and Feb. 25 (10 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
Courage to Call in conjunction with Feeding America is doing a Food Distribution twice a month for all active duty, veterans, guard, reservists and their families. It will always be the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month at locations throughout San Diego County.
This month's info:
Feb. 11 - 9951 Business Park Ave, San Diego from 10 am to 1pm
Feb. 25 - 9465 Farnham St, San Diego from 10am to 1pm
To RSVP or to sign up to volunteer, email: CouragetoCall@mhsinc.org
For more information about Courage to Call and their services, Click Here!
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It's Museum Month!
Arts, entertainment and culture collide for Macy's Museum Month in San Diego. This February the San Diego Museum Council and Macy's have teamed up again for Museum Month, giving patrons a chance to discover what's new at more than 40 area museums with savings only seen once a year.
Participants can pick up a Museum Month Pass at any area Macy's store to enjoy half-off admission to all of the participating museums through the entire month of February.
Passes will be available beginning February 1 at all San Diego, Temecula and Imperial Valley Macy's.
Guests with a pass can bring up to three people to participating museums to receive half-off admission for the entire party. Additional fees may apply for special exhibitions.
Remember to keep your pass all month long and explore a few new museums!
For more information about participating museums, Click here!
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Become an ambassador with 2-1-1 San Diego
Help 2-1-1 reach more San Diegans who need their our services!
This year their annual fundraising event takes on an entirely new objective: to create long-lasting impactful outcomes for everyone by increasing awareness of 2-1-1's services. This can only happen with your support.
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Men's Vocal Ensemble to perform "No Greater Love Than This" - Free tickets to active duty and veterans!
With "No Greater Love Than This,"
the men of Cantus explore the bonds that have defined those willing to lay down their lives for others. Camaraderie, bravery, honor, elation, loss, longing - words common to all soldiers in times of both peace and war, exemplify emotions shared between loved ones at home and across entire nations. The compelling stories of brave young men and women have shaped the very boundaries of our world, the rights of our citizens, and the cultures and freedoms we all know today. As one of the nation's few full-time vocal ensembles, Cantus is acknowledged around the world for their artistic excellence and charismatic personality. Included will be works by Irving Berlin, George M. Cohen, Going Home
by Antonin Dvorak, Danny Boy
, In Flanders Fields
and Lee Hoiby's poignant Last Letter Home
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The focus of the ensemble is on soldiers and veterans. St. James enjoys supporting our local military and are offering free tickets to the concert for active duty military and veterans.
For more information on The St. James Music Series,
Click Here!
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STAY CONNECTED ON UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ON OUR
SOCIAL MEDIA SITES
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Know someone who would like to see this email?
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The Veterans Museum at Balboa Park, 2115 Park Blvd., San Diego, CA 92101
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info@veteranmuseum.org |
www.veteranmuseum.org
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