Reliving memories at the veterans breakfast
BUTLER TWP — The day Dennis Bogan returned to his home after two years in the Navy during World War II was one of the happiest days of his life. He hitchhiked his way from Bainbridge, Md., to his aunt’s house in Pittsburgh, where his mom and dad were waiting for him.
He said he remembered that day “very well” — enough to share it in front of a few dozen people Saturday morning, June 14, at a Veterans Breakfast Club event at the American Legion in Lyndora. At the request of Todd DiPastino, who facilitated the event, Bogan relayed the story into a microphone.
“A couple tears flew, she said, ‘You’re home, you’re home,’” Bogan said of his mother’s response to seeing him. “I can’t tell you how many kisses from mom.”
DiPastino founded the Veterans Breakfast Club in 2008, as a way to keep the stories of military personnel alive. DiPastino, who remains the executive director of the organization, explained that the mission of the organization is to get the stories of military service and war directly from the source: the people who were there.
So while people may be drawn in by the breakfast, they stay for the stories.
“It's a wonderful bonding experience for veterans and educational for non-veterans,” DiPastino said. “It's just amazing. We've had thousands of veterans share thousands of stories over the years.”
After eating some breakfast, consisting of eggs, sausage, hash browns and coffee, DiPastino started the program. He dove right into questions with Dick Powell, an Army veteran, about his time in the service, and used the conversation to speak about the Veterans Breakfast Club and its purpose.
The ensuing 90 minutes were filled by stories from other veterans — AJ Smith, Joe Gallagher, Jerry Krauchck, Bob Buckler and his son, Jack Buckler — who each spoke about their experiences serving in the military.
And DiPastino came prepared. For each of the people he called on Saturday, he pulled up a few photos of them from their time serving. So while Smith, a Navy veteran who served during the Vietnam War, was showing off a shell casing that would have been used in weapons at the time, photos of him on a Swift Boat were projected onto the wall.
Smith relayed the plan of Operation Sealords, which he was part of in the Vietnam War, in which the U.S. made a naval move on Mekong Delta.
“At that time it was known as the fort of no return,” Smith said. “We took boats down there … took two crews for each boat, 24 hours with one, come back and refill with the other crew and take the boat out.”
DiPastino also spoke Bob Buckler, an Army veteran who served during World War II, and his son, Jack Buckler, an Army veteran who served during the Vietnam War. Bob Buckler was a B-17 tail gunner during World War II, and once flew a mission that lasted 13 hours. In total, he flew “22-and-a-half” missions — the half mission being his final mission in Poland, when he and his crew ended up landing in Sweden. He would be there from February to December 1944.
“Sweden was a neutral country,” Bob Buckler said. “We got back to the United States, and they said we broke international law by taking refuge in a neutral country and leaving there before the war was over.”
Bob Buckler’s son got to Vietnam in April 1970, where he experienced combat. He said that although conditions were difficult, he doesn’t regret any time he spent overseas.
“It was like Boy Scouts for adults,” Jack Buckler said. “We lived out in the dirt and we camped and we cooked control rations and were exposed to heat and water. It was kind of amazing the things we did.”
DiPastino also asked the Vietnam veterans in the room about their return home, and how they experienced public reception. Bob Buckler said at the breakfast that he didn’t understand why people were angry with military personnel who served in Vietnam, many of whom were drafted into service. Jack Buckler said he didn’t talk much about his service at the time, so he didn’t face much criticism personally.
“I think that aspect of the Vietnam War has affected my father more than it affected me,” Jack Buckler said. “I just let it slide. I didn’t talk to anybody about it, I didn’t want to hear anybody, nobody wanted to hear about it. It didn’t really affect me emotionally.”
The Veterans Breakfast Club has come to Butler a few times — having an event in March before the one on Saturday. DiPastino said the organization also has online meetings and events, which anyone can take part in.
The event Saturday was special not only because it was the 250th birthday of the Army, or because it was Flag Day, but because it was also the date DiPastino’s grandfather chose as his birthday after immigrating to the U.S., having been a fan of the holiday. DiPastino said his grandfather is one of the reasons the Veterans Breakfast Club exists.
“My hero was my grandfather, who immigrated and didn’t know when he was born,” DiPastino said. “He chose as his birthday Flag Day, and it just warms my heart what a patriot he was that he chose this day.”
