Shelby County Today

August 15, 2018 - A combined meeting of Rotary Club and Lions Club met Tuesday, August 7, 2018 to welcome their guest speaker Louie Gohmert, U.S. Representative from Texas 1st Congressional District.

Representative Gohmert was introduced by Rotary Club member Melba Gillis who spoke about her first meeting with Gohmert and the impression he made upon her with a single word - ask.

After the introduction, Rep. Gohmert said, "It's great to be back here speaking this time to a combined Rotary and Lions Club." Gohmert joked about speaking in public and why he felt he is often chosen as orator. He summarized by saying, "All I can figure is a lot of the country really likes the way 75% of East Texans think and... I'm a reflection of the big majority of the way we think here."

He recalled the growth of Center since his last visit and mentioned the Civic Center and what it has done for the area. He addressed current events including natural gas, "If we get natural gas going like I think it should. I think it ought to be the primary fuel in America. It just should. Its clean; its just efficient and it comes from here." He described how other countries are clamoring for natural gas so it just makes sense.

Another subject addressed was the education system and the ratio of teachers in school systems which is an average of 50%. He felt the federal government's oversight is a contributing factor for the reasons school are having to hire so many additional employees which don't have to do with education but has to do with the bureaucracy. It is a ripple effect. The government wants numbers and statistics which means the states have to hire people to process and provide those reports to the government. The state has to get its information from the school districts. So, the schools are having to hire positions to provide the information to the state government for the federal government. Gohmert said, "So when the federal government gets too involved, we cause more bureaucracy and we don't necessarily get better results. I know Timpson and some other school districts, their trying to put vocational ed back in the schools and Texas is encouraging that and I think it is a great thing."

Gohmert talked about immigration and border wall funding. "Paul Ryan and Kevin McCarthy did not support the idea of a border wall before Trump was elected, they didn't support a no amnesty policy, they didn't support a secure the border first before we do anything." As a result, Gohmert said the government only set aside about 1.5 billion in the last appropriation for border wall and fence.

Talking to Senior Robert Nichols who was also a guest at the meeting, Gohmert said, "One of the best things down there is the four boats that the Texas legislature paid for without any help from the federal government." He continued, "The thing is when our Texas DPS are out there on the river, people don't cross. But the federal border patrol had instructions that have gotten better under Trump but they're still not as tight as they need to be." He spoke about the process DPS does which includes monitoring and identifying for the border patrol where people are. He referenced one particular experience where DPS told border patrol the location of several groups along the river; however, as soon as DPS left, border patrol didn't stop them from crossing but just processed them after they entered America. Gohmert summarized the problem saying, "The Texas DPS says your not coming onto American soil. The border patrol says just come on in and we'll in process you. So, I'm hoping and I understand we are moving toward the federal government taking more of the position of the Texas government and that is if you want to come in, come in through one of our ports of entry."

He emphasized the importance of border security and the impact it will have on the drug cartel, hampering their profits and making it harder for them to cause corruption in the Mexican government. He believes Mexico could then grow into a top 10 economy. He said, "When I look at the Hispanic culture I see, generally speaking, a faith in God, a love of family, and a hard work ethic. Three things I think made America great. I want more of that for America but it needs to be legal. And why is Mexico, they've got incredible natural resources, better location than the United States really, I mean right there between the two oceans. It's just an incredible location. We know they have hard working folks. Why are they not a top 10 economy. It's because of the corruption. That's the drug cartels."

His last topic concerned tariffs describing them as a negotiation. It's a deal process. He referenced a conversation he had years ago about a deal struck having to do with the chicken and beef industry. When he mentioned it wasn't a good deal, the answer he said he received was, "Louie, you've got to understand both the Republican and Democratic administrations have had the same approach on trade agreements. We believe since we're the biggest economy in the world, even when we make a deal that's much better for another country than it is for us, we end up being the biggest beneficiaries because we are the biggest economy. I'm going, no that's not right. A bad deal is still a bad deal. It's better for them. If somebody is going to have our markets open to their stuff; then their markets ought to be open to our stuff." Gohmert finished by saying, "If we are going to have businesses reach their capacity, we've got to have better trade deals."

From left: Rotary Club President Hollie Adams, U.S. Representative Louie Gohmert, Texas District 3 Senator Robert Nichols, and Lions Club President Joey Lawson

August 10, 2018 - Center Garden Club is pleased to present its Yard of the Month Award (August) to Andrea and Randy McLeroy in recognition of their commitment to both creating and maintaining a beautiful front landscape for their 1902 Lakewood Drive home. Both Of the McLeroys are quick to credit Wayne and Carla Doudna Hornbuckle of The Nature Gardeners with the creative vision and the installation that made the plan such an impressive reality. Center Garden Club urges everyone to drive by the McLeroy home and experience the delight that a picturesque yard can bring to resident and passerby alike!

August 9, 2018 - Tri-County Harvest for Homes Produce Drop scheduled for August 22 has been canceled. Any questions please call 936-598-6315 ext 501

August 9, 2018 - VFW Post 8904 recognized the Korean War Armistice 65th anniversary on Friday, July 27, 2018 at 10am. Opening prayer was led by Auxiliary President, Sandy Risinger. 

Larry Hume welcomed everyone, "Thank you for joining us this sunny morning to remember the 65th signing of the peace armistice which ended the Korean War which lasted from June 25, 1950 to July 27 1953. Sixty-five years ago today the war ended and hundreds of thousands of Americans served their country during that war and many gave their lives. Some called the Korean War the forgotten war but those Americans who served during that time will never be forgotten by the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Auxiliary. These men served with honor and distinction. Some call it a Korean Conflict, it was not a conflict. A conflict is something you have with your children. It was a war with 33,686 battle deaths; 2,830 non-battle deaths 103,000 wounded in action. Still missing from the Korean War 7,699 Americans. That number missing-in-action is 41 less than last year. Thanks to the Defense POW/MIA accounting agency 41 more families have closure. And with the new climate in North Korea that number is even less. The first 55 landed in Osan Airbase this morning and their remains will be taken to forensic laboratory in Hickman Air Force base in Hawaii for identification. We have one MIA who might be one of that group. 

"This morning, our Past Post Commander John Piersol served in Korea in the United States Army during that time. He was a paratrooper earning the Korean Service Medal with five bronze service stars, United Nation Service Medal, Meritorious Unit Citation, Army of Occupation, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation, Coveted Combat Infantryman Badge, and Parachute Badge. I have asked John if he would like to recount some of his memories this morning."

Piersol spoke honoring those he served with, "I have been given the opportunity to speak about the Korean War and the men and women that gave their life during the 4-year campaign in Korea. This is celebrated on this day by Mr. and Mrs. America and all the ships at sea which is a statement an old-time newscaster used to say on the radio. These are my opinions but I tried to remember some of the things that are often not heard of and little humor and insight of these stories."

"I was a draftee, that tells you something right there. I figured if I was going to be in the army I might as well be a good soldier so I volunteered for the airborne school. Next stop was Japan. While in Japan I was assigned to a military company that was attached to the 182nd Airborne and Regimental combat team. Now when I was a real young man and the second World War ended, I remembered seeing movies about GIs in Europe and around that always made the pack of cigarettes an important item. They would trade them for information from the enemy, for food, and sometimes trade them for girlfriends.

"So, when I was going into Korea I figured I would work on a package of cigarettes. When I got there, the cigarettes were not the important thing. The important thing, of all things, was a roll of toilet paper. In 1950, Korea did not know what a roll of toilet paper was, which I thought was very interesting. Another enlightening and funny thing that happened, on my first jump in Korea in 1950, we were to go in and try to locate a mass of American prisoners that was around 250 - 400 miles north of the 38 parallel. Our job was to locate these men and see what we could do about freeing them. The problem was most of our equipment landed in rice paddies and we weren't able to use it or get it out of some of the rice paddies. I remember the job master walking up and down the stick making sure we were hooked up right. And one of his statements were 'Well, boys, we are in for 30 days of rough combat.' One of the troopers said, 'that's easy, Master, I got that right here.' Then the Master said, 'Have you got nights right there?' to which meant we weren't thinking ahead too good, I guess.

"We were the last combat jump to be made without the use of helicopters. In Korea, helicopters were used for the wounded and for observation. They didn't carry many troops or land troops into combat areas. Another fact, the men coming back from the middle east that talked to me about Korea and their war, I asked what the difference was and the main thing that I observed that would scare me to death, if I was in the middle east today, in Korea you had no problem identifying the enemy. They all wore quilted uniforms and they all looked the same. You knew who the enemy was. In the middle east, I guess you would have to kill them all and God pick the goods ones out as there is no way to tell who the enemy is in my opinion."

"The biggest problem our troops had outside of combat was frozen feet. We wore leather shoes, leather boots, thick socks which caused your feet to sweat. When you got cold in the foxhole, your feet froze and you were no longer a combat issue. The North Korean, this was an issue that demoralized a lot of people, they wore tennis shoes, not socks, and all they had on were these quilted uniforms. Their feet didn't freeze because they didn't produce any sweat to cause your feet to freeze. Another fact I hate to bring up is the measure of the incentive of the war. There were more people killed, troops killed in four years than there were in 12 years in Vietnam. I thought that was a very interesting fact. At this point, I would like to read our list of the men and women who served in the Korean War and didn't make it back home. It is pleasure and honor for me to be able to read these names.

"Floyd Harris killed in action in Sept 1950; Clifford Hughes killed in action August 1950; Johnny V. Mena killed in action April 1951; Bobbie F. Mock killed in action  November 1950; Billy Clyde Stephenson killed in action November 1952; Leonard Williams killed in action May 1951; Willie Wilson killed in action May 1951; Willie E. Windham missing in action since August 12, 1950; known prisoners of war are Herbert L. Langford, North Korean prisoner of war, Pearl D. Lucas, North Korean prisoner of war, and Billy Westcoat, Chinese prisoner of war. I thank ya'll for indulging me and if you have any questions I will be happy to answer them. Thank you very much."

Larry Hume said, "The one missing-in-action, Willie Windham, is the one I referred to when I said it would be nice if he was among the 55 that they brought home this morning. One other interesting note, Clifford Hughes, who was killed-in-action also served in WWII and won the Silver Star and came out unscathed, then went back in the Korean War and was killed-in-action. We can never thank those who served during that time enough. John, we thank you."

John Piersol then had the honor of placing the memorial wreath on the Veterans monument and the ceremony was closed by the playing of Taps by Post Junior Vice Jason Samford.