Plano VFW Post 4380

Support Green Star recognition! May is Mental Health Awareness month

Tomorrow we honor Armed Forces Day, the third Saturday in May.

Armed Forces Day is a joint celebration on the third ​

Saturday in May of all six branches of the U.S. military: ​

Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force and​

the newly created Space Force. ​

​

The day honors all people currently serving in the ​

U.S. armed forces. This includes the men and women​

serving in the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Coast Guard, ​

Air Force and Space Force including the ​

National Guard and Reserve components.

SILVER STAR SERVICE BANNER DAY
We celebrate Silver Star Service Banner Day on May 1 in recognition for the sacrifices of American service members have made for our country. This day is for Americans to remember service members who have been wounded in combat, are sick, and those who are dying.


Across all branches of The U.S. military, the Silver Star Medal is one of the highest honors a soldier can receive. We are using today's National Day to remind everyone the importance of honoring our military heroes and their families across the country.

The Silver Star Flag and Banner signifies the symbol of honor for those who have been wounded or incur illness during combat. Many times, the banner or flag is hung in a window of immediate family of an individual service in the military during wartime. Hanging this distinguished flag is a way for families to share they have a loved one currently serving in the military.

Each year, National Loyalty Day is celebrated on May 1, recognizing our freedom as Americans and the loyalty we have to our country on National Loyalty Day. This National Day reminds us to honor our American heritage and the freedoms we have.

Remembering the crew of EC-121 Beggar Shadow
On Monday, April 14, 1969 at 5:00 PM EST (1544Z), a Navy EC-121M reconnaissance aircraft (PR-21/BuNo 135749) of Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron One (VQ-1) with a crew of 31, including nine Naval Security Group (NAVSECGRU) and Marine linguists, took off from Atsugi Naval Air Station, Japan on a routine Beggar Shadow SIGINT collection mission over the Sea of Japan.
The EC-121M had been directed to proceed to a point off the Musu Peninsula, where the aircraft was to orbit for several hours along a 120-mile long "track," then land at Osan Air Base in South Korea. The aircraft commander had been ordered not to come any closer than 50 nautical miles to the North Korean coastline. This particular route had been flown by VQ-1 EC-121Ms for two years without incident, and the mission had been graded as being "minimal risk." More than 190 similar missions had been previously flow by Navy and Air Force reconnaissance aircraft off North Korea's east coast during the first three months of 1969, all without incident. Six hours after takeoff, the crew of the EC-121M transmitted a routine radio-teletype activity report at 11:00 PM EST, then disappeared off USAF radar screens at 11:50 PM EST, 90 miles southeast of the North Korean port of Chongjin.
The EC-121M mission had been monitored from the ground by Air Force radar sites in Japan and South Korea, as well as by the USAFSS 6918th Security Squadron at Hakata, Japan and Detachment 1, 6922nd Security Wing at Osan Air Base, Korea (USA-31), which followed the flight by intercepting North Korean air defense radar tracking transmissions. Air Force radars and USAFSS COMINT intercept operators in Korea had detected two NKAF MiGs flying towards the unarmed EC-121 prior the plane's disappearance. In addition, the intercept operators at the USAFSS listening post at Osan, South Korea, who were copying North Korean voice and Morse air defense radio traffic, tracked the flight path of the EC-121 aircraft as well as the intercept course of the North Korean fighters. The NAVSECGRU listening post at Kamiseya in Japan was also intercepting Russian PVO radar tracking of the EC-121M mission, giving NSA two sources of information as to the flight path of the aircraft.
The USAFSS listening post at Osan attempted to warn the aircraft's commander by transmitting a mission abort signal at 11:46 PM EST. But the MiGs caught up with the slow flying aircraft as it turned for home 90 miles southeast of the North Korean port city of Chongjin, and the MiGs shot the EC-121 down at 11:47 PM EST. All 31 crewmembers were killed, including nine NAVSECGRU cryptologists. The bodies of only two of the crew were ever recovered. The USAFSS listening post at Osan (SIGAD USA-31) issued a CRITIC message on the incident at 5:44 AM GMT on April 15, 1969.
President Nixon order an immediate halt of all aerial reconnaissance missions in the Sea of Japan, but rescinded his order three days later, this time ordering that all peripheral reconnaissance missions off North Korea be accompanied by fighter escorts.
According to one source, an NSA review of COMINT intercepts of North Korean Air Force ground-to-air radio traffic from the USAFSS listening post at Osan showed that the shoot-down had resulted from a command and control error between the North Korean ground controller and the fighter pilot. Other NSA intercepts showed that the Soviets were shocked by the North Korean action, so much so that Russian warships were sent to the crash site to help American ships search for survivors.
President Nixon's revelation that NSA had successfully monitored both the North Korean and Russian air defense tracking nets caused both nations to immediately change all of their radio frequencies, operating procedures and crypto systems in use at the time. It took NSA's cryptologists months to get back to the point where they were prior to Nixon's press conference.
31 men gave their lives:
ADR2 Louis F Balderman, USN,
AT1 Stephen C Chartier, USN,
AT1 Bernie J Colgin, USN,
ADR1 Ballard F Connors, Jr, USN,
CT3 Gary R DuCharme, USN,
LT John N Dzema, USN,
LT Dennis B Gleason, USN,
ATN3 Gene K Graham, USN,
AEC LaVerne A Greiner, USN,
ATR2 Dennis J Horrigan, USN,
ATN2 Richard H Kincaid, USN,
SSGT Hugh M Lynch, USMC,
ADRC Marshall H McNamara, USN,
ATR2 Timothy H McNeil, USN,
CT3 John A Miller, USN,
LCDR James H Overstreet, USN (pilot),
LT Peter P Perrottey, USN,
CT1 John H Potts, USN,
AMS3 Richard T Prindle, USN,
CTC Frederick A. Randall, USN,
LTJG Joseph R Ribar, USN,
AT1 James Leroy Roach, USN,
LT John H Singer, USN,
CTC Richard E Smith, USN,
CT3 Philip D Sundby, USN,
AT1 Richard E Sweeney, USN,
LTJG Robert J Sykora, USN,
LT Robert F Taylor, USN,
CT2 Stephen J Tesmer, USN,
LTJG Norman E. Wilkerson, USN,
ATN3 David M Willis, USN.
Source: https://www.nsa.gov

National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day 2026 is observed on Thursday, April 9, 2026. This day honors the courageous U.S. service members who endured captivity and those still missing in action. It marks the anniversary of the 1942 Bataan Death March, recognizing the sacrifice and endurance of former POWs and their families.

Dear Veterans and friends of the No. 1 BFTS Museum,

I wanted to personally invite you to the Veterans Continental Breakfast this Saturday, April 11th at 9 a.m. at the No. 1 BFTS Museum.

The airport is hosting an Airplanes and Coffee event on Saturday as well. If the weather is favorable, the ramp should be packed with general aviation airplanes. You can even buy a burger for lunch to chase your donuts and coffee. The money raised from the sale of hamburgers goes toward their scholarship program.

Please join us and your fellow veterans for some coffee, camaraderie and conversation.

I look forward to shaking your hand Saturday morning.

Very Respectfully,
Denis Rottler
Chairman of the Board
No. 1 British Flying Training School Museum
www.bftsmuseum.org
972-551-1122
C: 214-762-7852

Home Page No. 1 British Flying Training School. Discover a little-known chapter of World War II history, Located in Terrell, Texas.

VETERANS:
LifePath Systems, Inc. is currently hiring a TVC Veterans Financial Assistance Coordinator (Part-Time, 20 hrs/week) to support our veteran-focused initiatives at LifePath.

The Role: This position manages the TVC Veterans Financial Assistance Grant, providing direct peer support and coordinating financial aid for Veterans and their families.

Key Qualifications: Veteran Status: Must be a Veteran or an immediate family member of a Veteran.

Lived Experience: Minimum 1 year of personal recovery experience (TBI, mental health, or substance use).
Certification: Willing to obtain Certified Peer Specialist MVPN credentials within 12 months.
Education: High School Diploma or GED.

Please share this opportunity with your networks. Interested candidates can apply here:

MVPN & Veteran Resources Grant Navigator ...

This Sunday, April 5th, we honor the incredible strength and resilience of Gold Star spouses. These remarkable individuals have endured the profound loss of their loved ones who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Their courage and unwavering support are a testament to the enduring spirit of love and patriotism.