American Legion Post 804 - Medal of Honor - Eugene A Obregon

07/17/2023

Mohawk Valley Funeral and Cremations provides complete funeral services in Little Falls, NY. Call us today for pre-planning or custom planning options

06/15/2023

Flag Retirement Ceremony, Flag Day, US Army's 248th Birthday.

06/14/2023

https://www.facebook.com/reel/808647963868599?mibextid=9drbnH&s=yWDuG2&fs=e

Happy Birthday United States Army. 248.

06/07/2023

Slow Hand Salute.

06/06/2023

A Mother's Heart.

A segment from the PBS Memorial Day concert dedicated to those who were wounded and the dedication required of those who must care for them. Actresses Katie ...

06/06/2023

D-Day, Normandy, France, June 6th, 1944.

06/06/2023

06/06/2023

Major Jim Capers Jr., a legendary Marine Force Recon Master Diver in Vietnam.

Only three generations removed from slavery, he is the first African American to lead a Force Marine Recon team and the first African American to receive a battlefield commission.

Multiple Purple Heart recipient and for his actions in Vietnam he received the Silver Star.

Today there is still petition for him to receive the Medal of Honor for which he was initially nominated for.

Let me tell you, this is a man with which you do not play.

06/06/2023

Normandy, June 6th, 1944.

79 years ago today, 225 men from the 2nd Ranger Bn loaded ships and landing craft to storm the beaches of Normandy today, and take 'the high ground' at Point Du Hoc.

If they failed, it was believed that all of D-Day would have failed. Point Du Hoc was (and is) the only site from where German artillery fire could cover the whole beach.

A few hours ago, they would have been climbing 100ft cliffs, on ropes secured by rifle and small rocket-propelled grappling hooks and ladders (on loan from the London Fire Brigade) under downward heavy fire and grenades. In the first 'special operation' of the D-Day landings.

If they were lucky enough to make it across the beach to the cliffs (Note: under withering machine gun and mortar fire), they would fire off the grappling hooks, and up they went. Two Rangers would climb, stop every 10-15ft, and provide covering fire straight up as two more climbed up behind them to take their position. And the whole thing would start over.

Successive bounding on ropes going straight up a cliff while Germans are shooting straight down at you from above (as well as from the flanks).....think about it.

Of course, once they scaled to the top of the cliffs, the guns that were supposed to be on-site had been moved inland approximately 1 mile, a measure implemented by the Germans to protect the guns from sabotage, so the Rangers had to push through bunkers and endless lines of enemy troops to get to the gun emplacements and set the charges. So not only did they have to scale a cliff under fire and then ensure a foothold at the top, the men of 2nd Ranger Battalion also had to battle through German fortifications, mazes of trench systems, and through hedgerows, in order to complete their mission, silencing the guns, and securing a victory that day.

Out of 255 from the 2nd Bn, only 90 survived. That doesn't even count the wounded. But they "displayed the intestinal fortitude required to fight on to the Ranger objective and complete the mission, though they be the lone survivor.

Balls that clanked. These men truly 'Lead the Way'. Rest easy, my WWII brothers.

! -Michael Kirk

04/19/2023

Mother's Day Potluck - May 14, 2023, @ 6:00 PM
TV Raffle & 50/50 Raffle

04/18/2023

Steak Night. Choose your cut of steak.

02/12/2023

Guess who will be flying over Super Bowl LVII? Congrats!!🎉

12/31/2022

12/31/2022

The US Army Ranger Association wishes you a Happy New Year! Our mission is to strengthen relationships among all US Army Rangers -- past, present, and future; foster camaraderie among those who have earned the title, US Army Ranger; and provide extended community for all US Army Rangers and their families. This year, help us accomplish our mission by staying connected and involved! Rangers Lead the Way!
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12/31/2022

On December 19, 2022, the Soldiers of the Presidential Salute Battery stood before their cannons, awaiting the arrival of Ecuador’s president, Guillermo Lasso. The Soldiers had set up three polished and gleaming 105mm howitzers at Section 37 of Arlington National Cemetery, and their two-man teams were ready to fire. Behind them stood four senior Soldiers and a captain.

“Settle down!” ordered the captain. “Stand by!” Then, the signal came from President Lasso’s caravan. The captain, who had been standing with his right arm out, curled his fingers into a fist. The gunner at the first cannon pulled the lanyard. “Boom!”

Nine seconds later, an NCO standing near the captain pointed at the second gun and called out “Top!” and the second gun fired. Then he pointed again at the first cannon, waited nine seconds and the first cannon fired again. The process continued with each cannon firing, and empty shells clinking onto the street, until they fired a combined 21 shots. The last shot rang out just as the motorcade arrived at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

The gunners at the third cannon (the backup known as “Thrape”) stood quietly, ready to take over if one of the other two cannons malfunctioned. While the NCO shouted out “Wap” (short for “One Gun”) and “Top” (short for “Two Gun”), another Soldier stood by the captain, holding a chart with one-through-21 on it. He pointed at each number as the gunners fired so that the captain could keep count. Even though the battery fired off 21 shots, the mission was not over. They would repeat the process when the president left the cemetery.

Such is the work of the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment’s (The Old Guard) 1st Battalion, Presidential Salute Battery, which fires its cannons at presidential inaugurations, foreign dignitary visits, funerals for high-ranking officers, and other events such as the Fourth of July and the Army Ten-Miler race.

For a visit from a dignitary such as President Lasso, a communications representative in the lead vehicle radios Capt. Nathan Lundquist, the battery officer in charge, as the vehicle passes by McClellan Gate. That starts the firing sequence. “We found through trial and error,” explained Lundquist, “that nine seconds is the interval spacing that gets the last round fired as they get to the Tomb.”

Surprisingly, none of the gunners are trained artillerymen from the U.S. Army’s Field Artillery School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. They’re actually mortarmen. “Because this is an infantry battalion,” said 1st Lt. Nicholas Lami, “there are no artillerymen.” Instead, they are trained on ceremonial procedures at Fort Myer and drill both there and at the cemetery.

The maintenance and performance training is intense, according to section leader Staff Sgt. Colin Cooper. “The Soldiers learn how to pull everything apart,” he explained. “Everything is cleaned and shined before it goes out for a mission.” Once the men learn loading procedures on the primary cannons, they learn it on the backup cannon, which is always present in case a primary cannon fails. “We don’t mess around,” said Cooper. When the men finish training on the backup, they learn how to be gunners, first on the primaries, and then on the backup. “Our backup gunner is typically the best gunner in the platoon,” he said. “He’ll be there to guarantee that everything goes smoothly and there are no hiccups.”

The Soldiers take acute care of their weapons. They hand-sand all the stainless-steel pieces to shine like chrome, using everything from 80-grit to 3,000-grit sandpaper. The cannon block itself requires eight hours of manual sanding. “The point being to make these as shiny and pristine as possible when they come out here,” said Cooper.

Lami agreed. “I’d never seen 3,000 grit sandpaper in my life, and I show up on my first day, and they are laser focused on one singular piece that you can’t even see because it’s in the [cannon’s] inner workings.” Lami then listed the unit’s two major functions: “One: Make sure it shines; and two: Do not have a misfire.”

The battery operates ten cannons in all. They are 105mm howitzer cannons that saw service in World War II and have been “sized down to take a 75mm blank,” said Cooper. The blank rounds look like a candle inside a shell casing, with a wax seal holding in the gunpowder and filament. The cannons themselves were used in North Africa and Europe and one even knocked out a German tank.

The officers and NCOs take a great deal of pride in their men and their ceremonial weapons. “Things are down to the second here,” said Lami. “The men’s level of proficiency between maintenance and the amount of care the guys put into doing their job is impressive.” Staff Sgt. Cooper proudly pointed to the three howitzers in Section 37 and said, “These are, by far, the nicest 105s you’ll find in the Army.” It was no boast. It’s simply part of the mission for the Presidential Salute Battery.

12/31/2022

12/24/2022

From Our Post 804 Family to Yours 🎄

12/09/2022

Good cause…

11/14/2022

Rest in Peace.

The cremains that had gone unclaimed for months in a morgue were buried amid folded flags, the playing of the taps bugle call, a color guard and a rifle detail at the national cemetery outside Battle Creek.

11/14/2022

Still serving Veterans.

US Army Vet Pfc. Robert Duval:

Actor and filmmaker Robert Duvall grew up a Navy brat — an endearing term for a child whose parent is on active military duty.

Duvall's father, Navy Rear Adm. William Howard Duvall, wanted his son to attend the Naval Academy and have a career in the Navy.

But that was not to be. Instead, Duvall enlisted in the Army in 1953, just after the end of the Korean War. He served for two years and was stationed at Camp Gordon (now Fort Gordon), Georgia. After his enlistment was up, he was honorably discharged, having attained the rank of Private First Class.

Duvall then used his GI Bill benefits to attend acting classes at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York City. Classmates included future actors Dustin Hoffman, James Caan and fellow veteran Gene Hackman.

In 1962, his big-screen break came playing Boo Radley, alongside actor Gregory Peck, in "To Kill A Mockingbird."

In the years and decades that followed, Duvall would appear in many acclaimed films. Those with military themes include:

Director Robert Altman's 1970 dark comedy "M*A*S*H." in which Duvall played Army Maj. Frank Burns during the Korean War. The movie spawned a highly successful TV series.

Director Lewis John Carlino's 1979 movie "The Great Santini" in which Duvall played main character Marine Corps Lt. Col. Wilbur "Bull" P. Meechum. The film was set in 1962, and Meechum is an F-4 Phantom jet naval aviator.

Director Ronald F. Maxwell's "Gods and Generals." Duvall played Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee in the 2003 film. Duval's father was a descendant of Lee.

Director Francis Ford Coppola's 1979 film "Apocalypse Now" in which Duvall played Army Lt. Col. William "Bill" Kilgore, the commander of 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment, during the Vietnam War.

In "Apocalypse Now," Duvall's character was a composite of several real-life soldiers, including Army Col. John Stockton, the actual commander of 1st Squadron, 9th Cav. Reg.; Army Lt. Gen. James F. Hollingsworth, who served in Vietnam in 1966 and 1967; and Army Maj. Gen. George Patton IV, son of famed World War II veteran Army Gen. George S. Patton.

Duvall once said that he was upset that a scene where Kilgore saves the life of a Vietnamese baby during the beach assault was cut by Coppola, as he felt that it added to the complexity of his character.

During his spare time, Duvall, now 91, sometimes visits Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals across America to thank injured veterans for their service.

Photo from movie role US Marine The Great Santini!

Story by David Vergun

11/14/2022

11/12/2022

Marine Corps Ball,
Upland, California.

11/11/2022

Thank You Veterans 🇺🇸 POST 804

11/11/2022

Happy Veteran’s Day! May God Bless our Veterans from Post 804

08/16/2022

PACT (burn pit exposure) Law Information

07/07/2022

POST 806 MEMBERSHIP MEETING TODAY @1830

06/17/2022

Urgent!

05/09/2022

Good Afternoon Legionaries, you are invited to stop by post 261 in El Monte for a Job Fair and Wellness day. You may also share this information with fellow veterans. Thank you for your support and thank you for being part of a great organization. Veterans helping Veterans.

When: Thursday May 12, 2022

Time: 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

where: American Legion Post 261
4542 Peck Rd, El Monte CA 91732

03/07/2022

Mangoneandas at Post 804 😊

11/09/2021

This is an opportunity for FREE Career Training in Security for U.S. Veterans:

Links to RSVP / RSVP via EMAIL
Email: [email protected]
For Los Angeles area (Wednesdays): https://bit.ly/3BOSU8E
For San Gabriel Valley (Tuesdays): https://bit.ly/3BNofIR
For a Virtual Zoom Meeting (Thursdays): https://bit.ly/3g98Rxt