Events, News & More

June 14 Missouri Korean War Veterans Memorial Ceremony–on Flay Day

Posted: 6/14/2017

KC USNA Chapter President Bob Culler ’74, COL Buck Walker USMA ’71, LTC Dan Turner USMA ’71, and Jim Malouff, a Navy League Board Member and former Navy officer at the Missouri Korean War Veterans Memorial in Kansas City on Flag Day, June 14.

On Flag Day, June 14, Naval Academy Alumni are cordially invited to listen to West Point Class of ’71 graduate Colonel Buck Walker, who will be the featured speaker 10:30 AM at the Missouri Korean War Veterans Memorial in Kansas City, MO. Location is at Pershing Road and Main Street close to Union Station. See link below to flyer. There will be bands, music, and a military ceremony.

Col. Walker retired from the Army in 2001. More recently, he has been Security Assistance Training Manager for Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Pakistan, at the US Army Security Assistance Training Management Organization at Fort Bragg, NC.

His grandfather was an Army general, “Bulldog” Walker, commanded the Eighth Army in Korea, and was one of Patton’s generals in the Third Army in WWII. Col. Walker’s father, General Sam Walker, was an infantry company commander in Korea who received the Silver Star for bravery.

Introducing Col. Walker will be LTC Daniel Turner, his classmate, West Point Class of ’71. Mr. Turner is Treasurer of the Korean War Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri. Click on the bottom link for details and the Korean Memorial web page immediately below for avenues to contribute.

www.mokoreanwarmemorial.org

Flag Retirement Ceremony-Flyer-2017

June 10, USNA Parents Club Picnic Sendoff for Class of 2021

Posted: 6/10/2017

Capt. Al Hupp ’71, USNR Ret, and local attorney, spoke to eight Class of 2021 incoming Midshipmen at a MO-KAN Parents Club Picnic about the Link-In-The-Chain program

Eight incoming Midshipmen from the Class of 2021 from the Kansas and Western Missouri area at the Parents Club picnic.

MO-KAN Parents Club Chapter Banner

The Mo-Kan Chapter of the Parent Club Class of 2021 Send-Off Picnic was well attended.

Saturday, June 10, 2017 from 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM (Central)
Roe Park Shelter
10400 Roe Avenue
Overland Park, KS
Corey Williams, New President USNA KC Parents Club

May 28, 2017 (Sunday) Memorial Weekend Dinner & Concert

Posted: 6/2/2017

USNA Chapter participated in a dinner and concert at Union Station and the Liberty WWI Memorial in downtown Kansas City. 50,000 attended the outdoor concert. 2017

Agenda for Dinner at Pierponts 2017. Charles Cottita guest, Director Voice of a Generation, was a sponsor. Dinner organized by Lt.Col Greg Shuey, USAF Ret. (USAFA ’68). Invocation by Monsignor Stu Swetland, USNA ’81.

2017 Dinner at Pierpont’s inside of Union Station honored five WWII vets speaker was Debbie Austin, President American Gold Star Mothers. USNA Chapter mustered 26 out of the 63 total attending the dinner.

The Kansas City Symphony 2017 patriotic concert featured the centennial of WWI and honored military veterans in attendance. Concert was televised by KCPT public television in KC.

The 2017 Kansas City Symphony directed by Michael Stern played a medley of patriotic music.

May 5th Service Academy Parents Club Golf, Tiffany Greens

Posted: 5/5/2017

All Service Academy Parents Club Tournament was played on May 5 at Tiffany Greens. The Greater Kansas City Metro Chapter of the USNA Alumni Association had one foursome entry. Navy won our flight

Flight winners left to right Jeff Kranz ’74, David Martisak, Vietnam Vet (Radioman 2/C), Bob Culler ’74, and Dr. Don Cole, father of ’08 USNA grad.

April 27, 7:00-8:30 AM Buffet Breakfast @ Hereford House, Leawood, KS

Posted: 4/5/2017

Charles Cottitta, President of Voice of a Generation supplied the American Flag from VFW Post Parkville, MO. Stacey Butts ’82 assisted folding.

RADM Penfield talks to USNA Alumni about Navy leadership in the fleet.

Speaker is recently retired RADM Jeffrey R. Penfield, USN, now Sr. Director Honeywell FM&T, Kansas City, MO. Admiral Penfield is a highly decorated F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet pilot who held numerous operational and support commands in his 34 year Navy career. He is a native of Wichita, KS. Parents of Midshipmen and Cadets, West Point Association of Graduates (WPAOG) and the Kansas City Air Force Academy Association of Graduates (KCAOG) are invited. This event was well attended with over 25 alumni and guests attending. Admiral Penfield’s message was all Navy leadership is local and it is more important today than ever, in a higher op tempo Navy, with multiple and diverse worldwide threats. His message was well received. The invocation was given by Monsignor Stu Swetland, ’81 Catholic priest, Rhodes Scholar, Catholic radio commentator, and president of Donnelly College in Kansas City, KS. Three USMA and one USAFA alumni also attended.

RADM Jeffrey R. Penfield

March 31 Max DeWeese Speaks to USNA and USAF Alumni

Posted: 4/1/2017

Kansas City’s Max DeWeese, a 96 year old Marine Corps veteran of Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan, and Tinian is from the “greatest generation.” He shoots his age in golf. He started off while talking to Naval Academy and Air Force Academy alumni on March 31 by asking what the number 35,103 meant to them? There were puzzled looks. He said it was the number of days he has been alive.

Max DeWeese, Marine Corps WWII Veteran addresses the Kansas City Air Force Academy Assoc. of Graduates and the KC USNA Alumni Chapter.

Mr. DeWeese’s message of “freedom isn’t free” pointed to the sacrifices that veterans made in the Pacific in WWII, landing on islands with Japanese defenders entrenched in caves and fortifications. The Japanese were willing to fight to the death and would not surrender in most cases. It took well executed military planning and strategy and cooperation between the Navy, Marine Corps, and Army (& Army Air Corps) to win the war in the Pacific.

He further told us he spends time in local high schools talking about WWII history through an organization called Voice of a Generation, headed by Charles Cottitta in nearby Liberty, MO.

March 31 Dinner at Cinzetti’s to Hear Marine Max DeWeese, Guadalcanal Veteran

Posted: 3/23/2017

Air Force Academy Sponsored Dinner (Navy/Marines invited) A Voice of a Generation: In addition to a presentation by Marine Veteran Max DeWeese, age 96 of his experience during the invasion of Guadalcanal which happened 75 years ago, we will also be given a presentation by Charles Cottita, founder of A Voice of a Generation. This is a great opportunity to bring your kids (or grandkids) and let them see and shake hands with history. And if you have friends or neighbors who support our military, invite them to come as well. As always, we need to get confirmations of attendees as soon as possible, before March 26, so we can guarantee the room.

Date: Friday, 31 March 2017, 7:00 PM

Place: Cinzetti’s Italian Restaurant, 7201 W. 91st St, Overland Park, KS 66212
Dinner: Extensive Italian buffet
Cost: Pay as you go
Speaker: Marine Max DeWeese, survivor of the Guadalcanal Marine landing and invasion in 1942
RSVP: to Lt.Col Greg Shuey, President of the Air Force Academy Assoc. of Graduates in KC: gshuey@tensortech.com

March 15 Chapter Happy Hour @ Granfalloon on the Plaza, Kansas City, MO

Posted: 2/28/2017

The March 2017 Happy Hour will be at the Granfalloon Bar & Grill on the Plaza on March 15 from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. No RSVP required and please reach out to a classmate in your year group to call and invite. USAFA and USMA invited.

www.thegranfalloon.com 608 Ward Parkway, Kansas City, MO 64112