IRON MOUNTAIN — As we all continue to be under a shelter-at-home order, I would like to take a moment and give you information about the Iron Mountain VA call-in veteran support group. The purpose of this is to give veterans an opportunity to gain support and stay connected during this unprecedented time. It is understood that this situation can cause increased stress and loneliness.

You can contact this support group just to talk, ask questions and get information. You do not need to be enrolled in the VA to participate. All you have to do is call from 1 to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday at 1-800-767-1750, then when prompted enter the code 56125# and you will be connected to a trained veteran who will be able to help you. Feel free to join the call one time or call as often as you want during the time listed. 

In the last article, I gave you all the opportunity to have some fun and see what you knew about the five branches of the military. I hope you all enjoyed looking for the answers and it kept you busy. It can be difficult to be homebound, however, please continue to follow the guidelines set forth by our governor, stay home and safe. 

Below you will find the answers to the trivia quiz and some fun facts. Enjoy!

— The five U.S. branches of service include — Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard. When flying all five flags together, they should be flown in the order listed. The order is set by the Department of Defense. It correlates for when each branch of service was established. The American flag must be flown higher then any other flag and should be larger or at least the same size as any other flag. The American flag should never be smaller than any other flag that is flying with it. 

— On July 29, 1943 the Army authorized the Women’s Army Corps Service Medal. This medal was authorized for service in both the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps and the Women’s Army Corps. It was awarded until 1945. After 1945, the Women’s Army Corps received the same medals as other members of the Army. Fewer than 100,000 women in World War II qualified for the Women’s Army Corps Service Medal.

This medal is unique as it is the only U.S. service medal specifically created and authorized for only women in the military. 

— A Blue Water Navy veteran is a person who was involved in a Maritime Force (Navy) capable of sustained operations across the deep waters of the open oceans. The term hit the spotlight in 2019 when the Veteran Affairs Agency lost their court battle. A new law was passed called the “Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019.” They must now recognize those veterans that served aboard ships that were within 12 nautical miles of the coast of Vietnam. This is a huge victory for these veterans as it now allows them to file presumptive claims for compensation benefits. The Veteran Affairs must now acknowledge that these veterans were exposed to herbicides such as Agent Orange. Thank your military organizations for backing up the court battle and getting this win for all veterans and their families. If you would like further information regarding this new law contact our office. 

— A Brown Water Navy veteran is a Navy veteran of the Vietnam War that never set foot on Vietnamese soil. They operated on ships in the inland waterways of the Republic of Vietnam. These Navy sailors traveled within the more than 3,000 nautical miles of perilous rivers and canals in the interior of Vietnam. Their primary mission was to intercept and interdict communist supplies being smuggled from the North. They also delivered and supported land forces and engaged north Vietnamese forces who would hide in the forest along the shorelines and fire upon them. These Navy sailors were in constant danger from the enemy and had very little protect from incoming fire. Their advantage was speed. 

— The movie “The Bridge on the River Kwai” was released in 1957. It was based on a book written by a French author whose book was based on the construction of the Burma Railway. The movie is almost entirely a work of fiction beginning with the correct name of the river.  The railway bridge was actually built over the Mae Klong river (renamed “Khwae Yai” in 1960s after the success of the movie) at a place called Tha Ma Kham, 5 kilometers from Kanchanaburi, Thailand. The bridge was built by Allied POWs and Asian forced laborers (slaves). It is estimated that over 13,000 POWs and 100,000 Asian forced laborers died during the building of the railway. It became known as the “Death Railway.” After being used for two years by the Japanese military, the Allied forces blew it up. It was rebuilt and is still in use today. 

— March 21, 1917, during World War I, Loretta Perfectus Walsh enlisted in the U.S. Navy and later became the first woman to be ranked as a Chief Petty Officer. Days before she had enlisted in the Naval Reserve. However, on March 21, 1917, she was sworn in as Chef Yeoman because of a change in Navy policy. On March 19, 1917, the Navy had become the first branch of the services to allow women to enlist in a non-nursing capacity. This also made her the first female to serve in any branch of the armed forces in a non-nursing capacity.

— The U.S. Military Academy was established on March 16, 1802. It was the first military school in the United States and was founded for the purpose of educating and training young men in the theory and practice of military science. The Academy is located at West Point, New York and is commonly known at West Point.

West Point was the site of a Revolutionary-era fort built to protect the Hudson River Valley from attacks from the British. In 1780, Patriot General Benedict Arnold, commander of the fort, agreed in a secret deal to surrender the fort to the British in exchange for 6,000 pounds (British currency). His plot was uncovered before the fort could be surrendered and Benedict fled to the British for protection. This fort was to become the site of the U.S. Military Academy. 

— The “father of West Point” is Sylvanus Thayer. In 1817 he began the reorganization of the Academy. The school became one of the nation’s finest sources of civil engineers. The Academy facilities were expanded and the Vest Point corps were increased. In 1870 the first African-American cadet was admitted and in 1976 (106 years later) the first female cadet was admitted. 

— On March 17, 1959, the first submarine to surface at the North Pole was the USS Skate (SSN-578). She had tried once before in August of the prior year however the ice pack was too thick. At that time they had stayed under the ice for 10 days while surfacing 9 times but none at the North Pole. The USS Skate was also the first submarine to make a completely submerged trans-Atlantic crossing. 

I am only able to answer the first 10 trivia questions in this article due to the limited space. Stay tuned for the next article to get the answers for the remaining trivia questions.  

Practice social distancing, wash your hands often and stay home as much as possible. We miss you and look forward to seeing each of you in the near future. 

Everyone is encouraged to like us on Facebook at Dickinson County Office of Veteran Affairs. The office remains open for phone contact, e-mail, faxes and paper mail. The office number is 906-774-2820, fax 906-774-0051, e-mail Denise dformolo@ovadickinsoncounty.com or Lacey Vso1@ovadickinsoncounty.com.