2020 Veterans Day at Field of Healing and Honor

Announcements, News, Thank You

COFFEE4VETS on Veterans Day at Field of Healing and Honor at Pelona Vista Park, Palmdale. Coffee4VETS Dedicated to Senior Veterans – In Memory and In Honor to them, both the Living, the Dead, the Fallen – the organization that honors our elder veterans weekly dedicated flags in their names at the Field of Healing and Honor for Veterans Day 2020. We could not name everyone, but we tried to honor as many as possible, owing to the action of the Board of Directors, and our Host, Jin Hur, of Crazy Otto’s – home of the weekly Coffee4Vets gathering, returning as soon as we are all safe! Flags named in Honor of: Lt. Gwendolyn Bolden, U.S. Navy. Korean War Era Bishop Henry Hearns, Sergeant U.S. Army, Korean War Jerry Lawrence, U. S. Marine Corps, Southeast Asia Ed Galindo, U.S. Air Force Airman, Korean War Walter Sapp, Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Coast Guard, Vietnam Fred Barthe, Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Coast Guard, Korean War Art Ray, U.S. Navy, 3rd Class – World War II, D-Day, Tokyo Bay Dean E. Murphree, U.S. Air Force, Staff Sergeant E5 Andy K. Giest, Sergeant U.S. Air Force Jared Williams, Fireman – Contra Costa Fire James Baker, Gunnery Sergeant U.S. Marine Corps, Gulf War Waddell Moore, Master Sergeant – U.S. Marine Corps LCpl Craig Hansen, U.S. Marine Corps Ken Brazelton, U.S. Army Specialist E4 Robert D. Shackelford, U.S. Army Jeremiah B. Williams – Law Enforcement Los Angeles Robert Pelayo U.S. Marine Corps – Sergeant E-5 Jerral Hancock, U.S. Army –1st Cav, Iraq War, Purple Heart Montfort Point Marines – First Black Marines Corps, WWII Leonard Thornton, Master Sergeant U.S. Marine Corps, Korean War Era, Vietnam R. Lee Ermey – Marine, Vietnam Blanco Family Members: Thomas Blanco Sr. U.S. Army PFC – Father Juan Blanco, U.S. Army SP4 – 8TH Infantry Nathan Blanco, U.S. Army Ranger – Brother Thomas Blanco, Jr U.S. Army PFC Paratrooper – Brother Atherine Shackelford, Registered Nurse, MSN – Daughter Captain Lamar Davis, U.S. Army – Cousin Robert Miller – U.S. Army – Brother-in-law Dr. Taha Mansoor Ahmad MD

HERO’S WELCOME: VIETNAM VET COASTIE SURVIVES LONG COVID FIGHT

Announcements, News

Three months and five days in the hospital, and Walter Sapp, Lt. Cmdr. Ret. U.S. Coast Guard, is a coronavirus survivor. Sapp, 76, believed he did well surviving Vietnam 50 years ago.He served as a fighting sailor in “brown water navy,” boats that fought the Viet Cong on coastal and inland waterways.He never got a “Welcome Home” parade for that. But Saturday, he got a parade for surviving Covid-19, the novel coronavirus, the virus that has killed more than 130,000 Americans, many of them older citizens. More than 3 million Americans are infected, with Los Angeles County one of the nation’s hot spots.”I spent three months, and five days in the hospital,” Sapp said in an interview from his home. “And 39 days of it were in a coma. I don’t remember anything.” Sapp, known as a veterans community supporter and Loyal Knight of Elks Lodge 1625 in Lancaster, was welcomed home by a thundering procession of motorcyclists from Patriot Guard Riders, Patriot Crusaders, bikers who ride with American Legion, and Veterans of Foreign Wars. Following in cars were vet supporters from Sapp’s own military support group, Coffee4Vets, as well as Vets4Veterans, Point Man of the Antelope Valley and other groups.The signs were simple – “Welcome Home, Walter,” and “We Love You, Walter,” and “Semper Paratus,” the U.S. Coast Guard motto, meaning “Always Prepared.” Scouts held aloft Old Glory and a Coast Guard flag, while Sapp, 76, waited on the front lawn, masked, and wheel-chair mobile.”I never leave the house without my mask,” he said. “This is serious.” Sapp’s 97-day ordeal began in March when his wife, Susan, noted he had a fever. They drove around, seeking a drug pharmacy that would have an electronic thermometer, “but they were already sold out everywhere.” They got to the doctor’s office and his regular care physician noted fever, and that his oxygen level was dangerously low.”He called 911, and that is the last thing that I remember.”Sapp’s circumstances were dire. He had a number of markers that could complicate his survival prospects. He was a 76-year-old African-American man, with underlying conditions from exposure to chemicals during the Vietnam War. The majority of fatalities have been above the age of 65, with underlying health conditions, and disproportionate numbers of African-American deaths.”At one point they expected that he would die, but I would not let that happen,” his wife said. Rather than increasing drugs for comfort, she insisted on a tracheotomy to clear his airway. After about six weeks in the hospital, he was transferred to Greater West Los Angeles VA Healthcare Center where he said, “I got the best care.””I had doctors, social workers, physical therapists,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned, they were the best.” Nearly 14 weeks later, he came home, a survivor.