Lemay (Mo.) Memorial Post 162 hosts a Veterans Coffee Talk every Wednesday morning. Veterans show up at 0900 and the coffee talk is an hour-and-a-half program. They share coffee, donuts and companionship. Every few weeks, organizations supporting veterans will come in and share information about their support for veterans. Some of the organizations that have recently spoken to the veterans are the Greater Saint Louis Honor Flight program and the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery program.
The Honor Flight team explained how they arrange, coordinate and sponsor one-day trips to Washington, D.C., for veterans who served during World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. The trip visits the war memorials, Arlington National Cemetery and several other of our nation’s historical sites. The team signed up a Vietnam veteran from Post 162 for a future trip.
The Jefferson team provided an update on current availability for veteran burials, future expansion plans and current status of the national cemetery. They also talked about self-guided tours and the history of Jefferson Barracks, one of the National Cemetery Administration's oldest interment sites, which has served as a burial place for soldiers from all wars. Although it was formally established as a national cemetery in 1866 by passage of a joint resolution, the first burial at what is now Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery is believed to have occurred the year after the post's founding, on Aug. 5, 1827.
Veterans Coffee Talk was created so veterans can enjoy the brotherhood shared by all branches of service and provides a non-political atmosphere where their stories and valor can be shared by all. Most importantly, it is a place where veterans come to find friendship and help in healing memories from their times in conflict. This program is organized and sponsored by Saint Louis Vets Connect, a nonprofit serving veterans in the greater St. Louis region. For more information on this event, please contact Ted Hodgson, Saint Louis Vets Connect and post VSO, at 314-221-2096 or Dan Bub, the post commander, at 314-631-7646.