Page 3 - PGA Community News- November '23

November 2023 November 2023 PGA C.A.N.!, Page 3
From The Editor: To Our Heroes…

The month of November, horse and anticipated it would sometime be a meal for never gave me all the details but the food was limited
we designate Veterans Day them. thereby resulting in many years of health issues when our
to honor those who have The German soldiers forced the prisoners to walk service members returned home. Sleep deprivation, lack
served in the military for our 20 miles at times. Soldiers dropped from exhaustion on of sunlight and hunger were common conditions for the
freedom. I often highlight David’s sides and behind him. He was forced to keep prisoners of the Japanese military at that time.
the lives of our heroes who walking. He focused on survival and his family. It was My father and his 5 brothers all volunteered to defend
endured some of the worst under these adverse conditions that David realized we the United States and its freedoms in World War II. My
of life’s challenges during have no control over the time and manner of our death. father was a Navy “Seabee” (US Naval Construction
war time. Life is precarious and precious. Battalion) stationed in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. My
David served during David was a prisoner for 18 months. Toward the end father was a great storyteller. I remember him saying that
World War II. While he was of the War, Hitler had ordered the death of all the POWs. the sun was so bright on those islands so they had many
near Nancy, France, he and Fortunately, the Germans surrendered before the plan was different sun glasses for use depending on the time of day
the service members in his patrol saved a group of orphans carried out. David had a young wife and 3 children ages and season. My father carried a card he received when he
and the Nuns who cared for them. David and his buddies 3, 2 and 1. Thoughts of his wife and children waiting for crossed the International Dateline. He told us that he met
carried the children across a river by holding them over his return, motivated David to continue to struggle to live a mermaid on that trip!
their heads to safety on the other side. during his imprisonment. By the end of the War, 2,258,872 soldiers had served in
Unfortunately, the soldiers were captured by the When I first began working as an attorney, I worked the Seabees. They were skilled tradesmen. In the Pacific,
German troops and sent to a Prisoner of War camp in with Attorney William “Bill” Chalek, another of our they built airfields, airstrips, piers, wharves, breakwaters,
Poland. David volunteered to work out in the farm fields heroes. Bill was captured by the Japanese in the South seaplane bases, bridges, roads, command centers, fuel
harvesting potatoes so that he could be outside. The Pacific in World War II and was a prisoner of war. He farms, hospitals, barracks and anything else needed by the
prisoners were served only a limited menu of vegetables was forced to live in inhumane conditions – very often services. In the Atlantic, the Seabees’ biggest project was
from the farm area. Each day, David would see a lone in dark underground spaces for many hours at a time. He the invasion of Normandy and the landing of the troops.
I have a book that shows all the soldiers in my father’s
battalion. It is similar to the year books we received in
Reminder From high school. Fortunately, none of the Cioffi brothers were
captured and they all survived the horrors of war. The
family had a big celebration when they returned safely.
The POA/ARC in the armed forces during World War II. It is estimated
More than 16 million American men and women served
that 240,000 are still living. Please take time this month
POA documents additions or construction, fencing, hurricane to reflect on our veterans who served to protect us and
require that all shutters, impact glass, play equipment, garage door our way of life which offers unlimited opportunities for us
residents apply replacement or any other change, you must contact all. Freedom of the press must always be preserved in our
for POA and HOA the PGA POA Architectural Review Committee for society to insure our government is serving the interests
of all our citizens. We are indebted to our veterans for
approval prior approval. Information and forms are available at fighting for our freedoms and I dedicate this column To
to making any www.pga-poa.com under the “Documents & Forms” Our Heroes.
changes to the heading or call 627-2800. Until next month,
exterior of your Thank you, James A. Cioffi, Editor
home, including but not limited to tree removal Jack Hughes, james@jcclaw.com
or planting, new landscaping, painting, roofing, Chairman, POA ARC
(P.S. Please provide me stories about veterans in our
community.)

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