Posted on 08/11/2010 2:59:44 PM PDT by DFG
ST. MARIES, Idaho -- Strangers are stepping up to help the widow of a north Idaho veteran who received the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Vernon Baker died at his St. Maries home in July and will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1941, served and was wounded in World War II. Vernon was 90 years old.
(Excerpt) Read more at ktvb.com ...
I find this not believable. What about the 2 grand a month he gets just for the award of Medal of Honor? Was he receiving veteran’s benefits? There is a Medal of Honor group that involves all the Medal of Honor winners. Are they saying they can’t afford to give this women a plane ticket? Something doesn’t smell right here.....more information in the article would have been helpful of course.
I can’t see a way in the story to give money to the travel fund.If anyone knows how to do it could you either respond to this post or send me a PM? Thanks!
I would very much like to be informed when the account is setup so I may donate.
What a pitiful state things have come to when Government elites use our money to jet themselves and their friends all over the world and the wife of a man who serviced this country so well is left to beg to attend his funeral!!
Maybe it is time to sake the thrist of the Tree of Liberty!
If you read the story you’ll see that the Post Falls National Guard is working to set up an account at all American West Bank locations to help pay for Heidy and her family’s travel. The account should be established and ready for donations by Wednesday.
“the Post Falls National Guard is working to set up an account at all American West Bank locations to help pay for Heidy and her family’s travel. The account should be established and ready for donations by Wednesday.”
Here’s a list of branches:
http://www.awbank.net/locations_all2.asp
Account has been set up.
Currently it is walk in to any branches but they accept checks mailed to any branches. The account is “Heidi Baker Account” and call for the account number, I have it but not a good idea to post it publicly.
I imagine can wire xfer as well, but didn’t think to ask.
Branch listing again
http://www.awbank.net/locations_all2.asp
As of 2008 it was $1194 per month but I don’t think it is transferable to a spouse.
Yes,I noticed that.I made my request with the thought that [erhaps someone located near this woman,for example,might see an updated local story and pass the latest info onto us (or to me,at least).
What two grand a month?
That's more like it, they should get two grand a month, but not with this congress.
I guess it is only one grand but there was a bill going through congress and was supposed to be signed by President Bush to make it 2000 dollars but I guess it was not passed. The Medal of Honor will get you 1 thousand dollars a month.
Please remember that this was a generation that was not raised to expect to be given handouts from the gubmint. Maybe he was too proud of his service and never applied for his stipend? Maybe he didn’t know he was entitled to the stipend, even if his fellow Medalists tried to tell him he could get it, maybe he felt he didn’t want to “take some from the government”. Maybe he just wanted to go home after the war and return to his life and felt that even though he was awarded the CMoH that he was just doing his duty.
My late Dad fought most of his post military life (1939-1962 USA Retired) 1962-1990 for the rights of all veterans including testifying to congress in the 70’s. He even fought his own brothers who would complain about the problems they had from some service connected issue because they didn’t want welfare or any other handout.
My point, and his is they are not handouts but obligations to our Veterans and he was serious about enforcing the contracts he signed and what Uncle Sam claimed they would do for him in those contracts (not handouts).
The red tape and hoops the VA makes you jump through are not easy for some to get through and yet others figure that it is just part of their duty to go home and not say anything.
One last note was there was a huge fire in St. Louis that destroyed hundreds of thousands of veterans records in the late 40’s or early 50’s and his was one of them...
He retired from the army as an officer in 1968, he worked for the Red Cross for 20 years, he was drawing $1200.00 a month for the MOH and collected retroactively, so I guess he had social security, military retirement, $1200.00 MOH, maybe a Red Cross pension.
I’m surprised that she could not squeeze out a funeral flight.
You know I did not even think of that. That generation is pretty “proud” and would most likely not request this. My grandparents were in this group and they never asked for anything (even though they didn’t have anything...:) But thank you for that post because it really made me think.
They are “recipients”, not “winners”.
I say that just so you know, not to be snippy.
Thanks! I am learning a lot tonight. lol.
The 2 grand is only awarded to recent winners of the medal, his award was most likely the 50 bucks a month they received for WWII winners. As for the rest of your post, I don't know, but he sure as he** didn't get rich by winning the medal, he merely saved other American soldiers lives.
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