This Week at Walter Rhoades Post 111
Announcements, news, events, and other information about your American Legion Post.
From the Commander
A huge thanks to everyone who came out, or in some way supported, Wreaths Across America yesterday! This was a wonderful event and truly embodied one of our key tenets, “Honor those who came before us.” A very special thanks to the following: Andrea and Boyd Bell for storing the wreaths; Steve and Amy Kloos, Graham Wells, Barry Dibble, Leroy Lorenzi, Paul Hofsetz, Jerry Zarret, and the Bells for moving the wreaths to the cemetery; Dave Wyman for staging the wreaths; Barb Walsmley for getting waivers signed; Ady Kupfner for helping to organize this event and acting as our liaison with the cemetery; and Mary Worsley for championing this effort. A shout out to Steve Butner, District 4 Commander, for participating as well. Well done, Team 111!
I regret to announce the closure of Field Kitchen 111, scheduled for December 30th. Thank you to Chef Nate and team for helping keep us fed with wonderful food over the past 20 months. We wish you the best of luck in future endeavors! FK111 will host a special meal on December 30th; see below for more details. The post is actively working to find a new tenant.
v/r
Chuck
Announcements
Membership Renewal: Please remember to renew your membership online or in person with our Adjutant. Yearlong memberships expire on December 31, 2024. Key-cards to the post expire at the same time. New key cards can be obtained from the bar as long as you are paid up in full for the next year. Simply ring the bell for access in the meantime.
Help Wanted: We are still in need of an Honor Guard Coordinator. The Honor Guard Coordinator interacts with the community and organizes honor guard support for local events. This work can be primarily done from home. If you are interested, please contact the Commander or any member of the Executive Board.
Field Kitchen 111 Weekly Specials: This week’s specials:
Mon: Chicken Fried Steak & Gravy w/ Cornbread & Green Beans $14
Weds: Chicken Tenders w/ Mango Curry Sauce $12
Thurs: Pork Belly Tacos (3 for $12)
Fri: Strawberry & Goat Cheese Salad w Honey Lemon Vinaigrette $10
Sat: BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger w/ fries $16.
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News
Robert Fernandez, one of Pearl Harbor attack’s last survivors, dies at 100
Robert Fernandez was a 17-year-old boy with a sense of wanderlust when he enlisted in the Navy in August 1941.
Four months later he was working as a cook aboard the USS Curtiss docked at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, the morning of the cataclysmic Japanese surprise attack on Dec. 7, 1941.
“I just thought I was gonna go dancing all the time, have a good time, see the world,” Fernandez recalled in a 2016 interview. “What’d I do? I got caught in the war.”
Fernandez, who died Wednesday at age 100 in Lodi, Calif., was among the hundreds of servicemembers who survived the attack. His death leaves barely more than a dozen Pearl Harbor veterans still living.
Fernandez had planned on attending the annual commemoration of the attack held each year at the Pearl Harbor National Memorial in Hawaii, but a sudden downturn in his health forced him to cancel at the last minute.
His photo and short bio had been included in the ceremony’s program, along with those of the only other two veterans of the attack who attended.
His death was announced in a post on the social platform X by Pacific Historic Parks.
Fernandez was busying himself in the ship’s mess the morning of Dec. 7, 1941, anticipating liberty later in the day. When the ship’s alarms when off, he raced up to the deck of the Curtiss, a seaplane tender, Fernandez recalled in 2016 for the Library of Congress’s Veterans History Project.
A plane flew past him, so close he felt he could reach out and touch it. “And the pilot didn’t even look at me; he just kept on going,” Fernandez said. “I just run right home to my battle station.”
“All I could see was a red ball,” he said, referring to the rising sun emblem on the plane. He was scared. “My knees were knocking,” he said. “I seen a couple guys on the deck just praying and praying and praying.”
Fernandez’ battle station was three decks below, where he was sealed up “like they do in a submarine,” he said. His job was to pass ammunition to the gunners.
The Curtiss was one of few ships that managed to get underway during the attack. The ship’s crew sighted the periscope of a Japanese midget submarine in the harbor and fired upon it.
Shipboard gunners hit a Japanese plane, which crashed into the Curtiss.
Minutes later, a Japanese dive bomber struck the ship and damaged several decks. Twenty-one crew members of the Curtiss died that day, with many more than that wounded.
Fernandez served aboard the ship for the rest of the war. It saw service during the battles at Midway, Guadalcanal and the Solomon Islands.
He was discharged from the Navy in 1947.
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Upcoming Events
Live Music by James Hurtado (December 20, 2024): We are excited to once again welcome James Hurtado to Walter Rhoades American Legion Post 111. James has been playing professionally for 20 years and has shared the stage with Daniel Valdez and has also performed at the Winter Park Music Festival as well as the Taste of Colorado. Join us for a night of wonderful music. This event is open to the public.
Christmas Day Potluck (December 25, 2024): Join us for a Christmas Day potluck. A sign-up sheet is on the bar.
Field Kitchen 111 Final Night (December 30, 2024): In celebration of FK111, FK111 will host a special dinner: Prime Rib w/ au jus, White Cheddar Mashers and Roasted Vegetables $16. There will also be a ton of discounts on their main menu items: $12 burgers, chicken wings and such.
Sons of the American Legion Meeting (January 1, 2025): There will be a Sons of the American Legion Meeting at 6:00 PM at the post.
General Membership Meeting (January 14, 2025): There will be a General Membership Meeting at 6:00 PM at the post. The lounge will be closed during this meeting.
Auxiliary Unit 111 Meeting (January 11 , 2025): There will be an Auxiliary Unit 111 Meeting at 9:30 AM at the post. Note the start time to deconflict with Wreaths Across America.
Pancake Breakfast (January 18, 2025): We will be hosting a fundraising pancake breakfast at Walter Rhoades American Legion Post 111. Please join us on Saturday, January 18th, from 8:00-11:00 AM as we serve pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, hashbrowns, fruit, coffee, juice, and water. All proceeds go to veterans, veterans families, and veteran organizations. If you’d like to volunteer to help, there is a sign-up sheet at the bar.
Bingo (Every Monday Night): Join us for bingo, every Monday night starting at 6:30 PM. All proceeds support Veterans and Veterans' Programs.
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Hours
Monday 4-8 PM
Tuesday 4-8 PM
Wednesday 4-8 PM
Thursday 4-8 PM
Friday 1-9 PM
Saturday 1-9 PM
Sunday 12-8 PM
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Walter Rhoades American Legion Post 111
1150 Pine Street
Louisville, CO 80027
(303) 666-6314
