News

Meeting Notice

Next meeting the 1288th meeting of the association will be held, as the Titanic Memorial Service, on Saturday 14 April at our cemetery at Mt. Hope. Followed by an Armory meeting on Tuesday April 17th.

The Chairman's Message

The Officers and Trustees wish every member and their families a Bright and promising new year. We trust your Christmas Holidays were all that you wished for. With our December meeting we closed on a fruitful year in the history of our association. We have a lot to be thankful for; A new home in a real armory, increased membership, sound financial management (a comprehensive audit was completed), loyal and supportive members. Growing Generational Membership, excellent support from the Division of Military & Naval Affairs and the 258th Field Artillery Bn. Last but not least, the long missing bust of our founder, Col. Henry P. Martin was reunited with us at his 103d Annual Birthday event thanks to MG Patrick A. Murphy, The AG of the NYNG and Mr. Courtney Burns of the NYS Military Museum. I want to thank all those Trustees and members who volunteered during and after our moves to Jamaica.

Letter from BG (r) Thomas J. Principe,
President of the 7th Regt Assoc

Dear Veterans of the Seventh Regiment and Friends,
I wish all of you a happy & healthy 2012! We started the year on New Years’ Day with a wonderful reception at our Regimental Home, the Park Ave. Armory. Nearly 200 members & guests gathered at noon for a three hour reception. The entire first floor of the Armory was open for our use, with the formal program taking place in the Tiffany Room, which was filled with 175 chairs. Read more....

2012 Dues

The 2012 Dues Envelope has been mailed along with the Newsletter. However we have been receiving dues from members who didn’t want to forget. Thanks. Don’t put the envelope aside for later, you will probably forget. Last year we had to send out many reminders. For new members who joined after the Martin dinner; the dues you paid will be applied to 2012. However, you may wish to send in a Booster donation.

snow birds Please call our Secretary James Kasprzak, 718-353-9167, or email jimkaz0525@msn.com with your winter address.

New Members

• CSM (R) Jose A. Flores, 216 Westwood Dr. Brentwood, NY 11717, 631-434-6604, floresj@dany.nyc.gov
• CSM Arnold G. Reyes (258th FA BN) 8 Michelle Lane, Selden, NY 11784, 631-698-7960, Arnold.g.reyes@us.army.mil
• Salvatore Mongiovi, PO Box 831, Peekskill, NY 10566, 914-739-3215, mongiovisalvatore@hotmail.com
• William Grodnick, HHC, 5932 Flushing Ave. Maspeth, NY 11378, 718-332-0640 williamgrodnick@gmail.com
• Leo White, 7615 176 St, Fresh Meadows, NY 11366-1513, 718-969-0009

Two Generational Members are grand & great grandsons of Isaac Werdenschlag of F Co. in the Spanish American War;
• Andrew Werden,108 Lake Ridge Place, Chapel Hill NC 27516, 919-259-9472, ajwerden@yahoo.com
• Kenneth Werden, 47 Davis Ave. White Plains, NY 10605, 914-946-6707, kenwrdn@aol.com

Generational Member
• Grace R. Anspake 2015 Newbridge Rd, Bellmore, NY 11720-2203

RMS Titanic Memorial Event

We have added a new one time memorial event to our schedule. April 14 & 15 will be the 100th anniversary of the tragic sinking of the Titanic. One of our Spanish American War Vets. Wm. Logan Gwinn along with two other US Postal employees also went down with the ship while guarding the registered mail. The Gwinn headstone at our regimental cemetery is a monument to his dedication to duty. We are laying the plans for a joint USPS and 71st Vets service on Saturday 14 April. The arrangements will be much like last year’s May Memorial Service; bus from Jamaica ($20.00), or go direct, Honor Guard, Color Guard, Bugler, etc; with lunch following at the San Martino restaurant. IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND LET US KNOW IF YOU PLAN TO USE THE BUS PUT A NOTE IN THE DUES ENVELOPE. For our May service we may just drive to the Green-Wood Cemetery in B’klyn, visit Col’s Vosburg and Martin’s graves and perhaps lunch at Ft. Hamilton.

Officers (5) and Trustees (6)

President Donald Ferguson
1st VP Julius Stein
2d VP James Whalen
Treasurer Steven Walata
Secretary James Kasprzak
Trustees; Louis Milgram, Raymond Kuta, Michael Guglielmo,
Joseph Tassa, George Hohenstein, Gabriel Grenciplanning ahead

Nominations & Elections

Nominations for expiring terms will be accepted at the April 17th meeting and the election will be at the June meeting. The positions expiring are; President, 1st & 2d Vice Presidents, and four Trustees. If you attend meetings and want to participate, notify the Secretary if you are interested in running for office.

Annual Col. Henry P. Martin Dinner

The dinner was attended by a hundred members and guests. Reportedly, all was great; comradely, food, ambiance and the surprise appearance of Col. Martins long lost bust. Our attempt at partial reserved seating did not work and inconvenienced some attendees. The lesson learned is our attendees like sitting with friends and acquaintances. So, it’s open seating going forward. Our President unveiled a plaque honoring the seventy four sponsors and contributors to our Jamaica Hq’s Construction Fund. A special thanks to Gen. Arthur Jackson for a generous booster donation.

Memorabilia

We need; mannequins, display cases, uniforms, old flags, photos and books for the library (we will pay for shipping) Call 631-757-5821.

71st Mementos

The Trustees have approved the 2012 budget and as a result you will find a little something extra in your envelope in 2012. Also approved was ordering 71st Regimental neckties patterned after the original. Dan McNally donated his original to assist with the process. Mrs. Mary Kelly donated some of her husband Robert’s, artifacts included are programs from earlier Dinner events and the original Invocation and Benediction prayers used by the association.

We have Polo shirts with the Regt Crest, light blue, $20.00 plus postage $5.00. Originally we bought a small quantity for the Memorial Service, but ended up with over 85 orders.
Regt Crests for Blazer pockets with gold metal thread, attach with usual pin clips $19.00 plus postage.
Contact Steve Walata, 97 Lockwood Ave Farmingdale, NY 11735, 516-694-6435 or sawalata@msn.com. You may also look at these items on our website and download an order form.
We have had numerous requests for the very small Regt Lapel Pins. They were last made in the 1960’s 5/8”h x 1Ž2” w. We will endeavor to have some made at a reasonable price. On 19 Apr. members approved purchase of the small pins for possible Martin Dinner memento.
Our hat company Keystone, in Philadelphia has been stalling us on last year’s order, they owe us seven caps. Sorry for the delay.

71st Artifacts and Mementos

Members and their relatives come upon 71st items and mail them to us. They go on display or into the library. If you have any items that you would like to display then please contact us so that we can make arrangements.

71st In The Great War WWI

Your editor, Jim Tierney and Bruce Meyerson were invited, by the Flanders Govt., to a WW I event at their NYC headquarters. The Guest Speaker Steven Hill is the author of “Duty, Honor, Privilege” about the 7th Regt and the Hindenburg Line. The Flanders Govt. still honor the sacrifices of the American units that fought at Flanders. The 71st earned a Battle Streamer at Flanders. .

42nd Inf. Div. Rainbow Association

The revitalized association is having a membership drive. If you were in the 42d ID call the Secretary Sal Mongiovi at 914 469-5310. The dues are $20.00 per year. They are planning a June reunion at Camp Smith.

NY State Military Museum

A small group of us were up at Saratoga Springs and visited the museum on Lake Ave. and were afforded a tour tailored to view 71st items preserved by the museum. They have some of the very large oil paintings from the Veteran Room at 34th Street with the Veteran Assoc. name plates attached. Col Wells Plaque and many other items of interest, plus a gift shop. If you head north stop by ask for the Courator, Courtney Burns, call for hours; 518-581-5100. While in town stop at Compton’s Restaurant on Main Street for a down home breakfast served all day.

In The Works

• LIBRARY DISPLAYS-We intend to hang groupings of the photos we have of the Companies of the Regiment on the library walls. Included will be copies of three Co. K(1934,1945 &1948) loaned to us by BG
M.Swezey, Commander 53d Troop Command.
• SHOOTING TEAM-George Hohenstein is arranging for the cleaning of weapons and Jim Whalen has discussed arranging a shooting schedule on L.I. Members interested contact George at 631-615-2576. George has been authorized to purchase a suitable gun safe.
• MEMORIAL TEAM-Members volunteered to establish regional representation at wakes and funerals in our immediate areas.
• SPANISH AMERICAN WAR MONUMENT- We have to get GRANT MONEY from any source for needed repairs. Also, we have not mounted the National Historic Monument Bronze Plaque on the granite steps out of concern for thefts occurring in cemeteries because of the price of scrap metal.
• MEMBER COMMENTS/SUGGESTIONS- We would like to hear from you.
• WW II PHOTOS- We have a large collection of photos of each member of the Regiment taken at wars end in Germany or Austria. Unfortunately none have names annotated. Except for easy to ID members like Tom Gannon we are stumped as to how to ID them. Any ideas?
• RECRUITING-It has become apparent that there are a lot of ex 71st members around that don’t know the Vets Association is still active 71st Crest pins at gatherings someone will offer their former membership. That’s the time to get their name and address and pass on to us. Also, tell them of our web site.
• 4TH DIV ASSOC. NEWS- Gary Patucci (a 71st Generational Member) has been elected President of the 44th Div. Assoc. Their next Annual Reunion will be held on 18 to 22 Sept, 2012 at the Wright Patterson AFB, Dayton Ohio. Contact Gary at 410-207-9666, gpatucci67@yahoo.com

Louis Milgram, Editor
milgraml@optimum.net

 In Memoriam 2011

REMEMBER OUR DEPARTED COMRADES AND FAMILIES IN YOUR PRAYERS

Sunshine Report

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Lou Milgram
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Fort Salonga, NY 11768-2422

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