CITY'S VETERAN GROUPS DESERVE OUR RECOGNITION

A visit to Cape Girardeau Thursday by the national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars offered an opportunity for local veterans to hear first-hand of the work being done in behalf of veterans throughout the nation. We can think of no other place where the national commander of the organization is more likely to receive a warm welcome than in Cape Girardeau, with its large contingency of veterans and numerous veterans organizations.

The commander, Robert E. Wallace of Milton, N.J., visited VFW Post 3838 as part of a tour of Missouri, during which he discussed veterans' issues with VFW members. While Wallace was here to inform local veterans of the national VFW's efforts on a number of fronts, he also wanted to hear how local veterans view the many wide-ranging issues he addressed and other matters.

He no doubt left with many new thoughts. Cape Girardeau veterans, after all, have always extended a resounding voice on veterans affairs. That is because of the active roles many have taken within the veterans organizations, and the fact that they take pride in having served their country.

A past national president of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Ladies Auxiliary, Glenneta Vogelsang, is from Cape Girardeau. When she served as head of the 720,000-member organization in 1984-85, she was only the second Missouri resident to hold the post. Likewise, Calvin Vogelsang long has been active in veterans matters. He is a past commander of the VFW post here and a past state commander. He has served on various national VFW committees.

The veterans' pride is aptly shown each year on Nov. 11, Veterans Day. Not a single Veterans Day passes that veterans in Cape Girardeau and a number of immediate surrounding communities don't gather to ceremonially commemorate the day that is set aside in their honor.

Another example of their pride and dedication was the culmination a few years ago of a project through the Joint Veterans Council to erect a Veterans Memorial in the North Cape Girardeau County Park. The memorial, a result of fund-raising efforts that topped $30,000, sits graciously atop a hill near the entrance to the park. With the huge American flag waving high above the memorial, it is an eye-catching sight to all who pass it.

The Avenue of Flags that lines the monument and park road on special occasions is another project instituted by veterans. It features hundreds of U.S. flags that have been bestowed upon survivors of veterans, and, when the flags are up, it is a spectacle that attracts hundreds of people.

Nearby, a new Veterans Home built by the state stands near the interchange of Interstate 55 and Highway 61. It and other new homes around the country have been built largely to meet the needs of World War II veterans as they advance in age.

Cape Girardeans can be proud of their veterans, not only for their sacrifices during military service but their many achievements through local veterans organizations.