Today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is Army Veteran Alvie L. Brewer
Alvie L. Brewer served in the Army for 24 years on active duty and one year in the Reserve. During his military career he saw combat action across three wars: World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. In an interview for the Veterans History Project, he recounts his experiences and some of his most notable memories.
Drafted into service, his initial days were challenging. He recalls being terribly homesick and the difficulty of getting through basic training. However his determination and desire to succeed eventually saw him through. He was then sent to the Philippine Islands towards the end of the war as part of 1st Regiment, 6th Infantry Division. He still remembers his first patrol along the same route as the Bataan death march. On another patrol in Northern Luzon, his unit came under enemy fire, but Alvie momentarily forgot about the attack as a snake fell on him and wrapped itself around his neck. He also remembers the caribou ice cream.
During the Korean War, he served with the 377th Transportation Truck Company. While receiving a battlefield commission in Korea, he recalls someone playing a prank by walking into the tent with a hand grenade and pretending that the pin had fallen out. “He dropped it and ran. The rest of us were diving under cots or any place we thought would offer some protection.”
Alvie then went on to serve with the 1st Air Cavalry Division during the Vietnam War. For his service across the three wars, he received numerous medals and citations including two Bronze Star Medals and Army Commendation Medal.
After he retired from the Army, Alvie obtained his degree in business administration and would eventually work as a Public Works Director for the City of Ruston, Louisiana. He was also active in numerous Veterans organizations, keeping abreast of VA’s activities so that he could distribute information to other Veterans in his community.
Thank you for your service, Alvie!
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Do you want to light up the face of a special Veteran? Have you been wondering how to tell your Veteran they are special to you? You’re in luck! VA’s #VeteranOfTheDay social media feature is an opportunity to highlight your Veteran and his/her service.
It’s easy to nominate a Veteran. All it takes is an email to newmedia@va.gov with as much of the information as you can put together with some good photos. Visit our blog post about nominating for how to create the best submission.
Veterans History Project
This #VeteranOfTheDay profile was created with interviews submitted to the Veterans History Project. The project collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war Veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. Find out more at http://www.loc.gov/vets/.
Graphic created by Carl J. Valentino: Carl J. Valentino is a student at the University of Delaware with a Major in International Business and a Minor in Graphic Design.
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Today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is Army Veteran Alvie L. Brewer – Thank you for your service!
My Nomination for Veteran of the Year is my Grand father WWII Veteran Rodger Williams of Waverly, Alabama.
My Grandpa Rodger was 105 years old on October 15, 2016.Grandpa was drafted into the United States Army
in 1941, where he would serve unto 1946 with an Honorable Discharge.
Grandpa Rodger has many stories to share as an American and a proud WWII Veteran.
He has received a U.S. Congressional Record as a WWII, 104 year old Army Veteran form his Alabama Congressman
Mike Rodgers.
As a proud Grand son and Service – Connected Disabled Veteran United States Navy.
I would like to recognize my Rodger Williams as Veteran of the Day, Week, Month and Year…..Thank You
We would love to feature your grandfather as a Veteran of the Day. Please visit our “How to submit a guest post” page for details.
Hello Lyly and/or to whom may be interested,
Thank you for the excellent article about Army Veteran Alvie L. Brewer along with the other articles.
It so happens when watching a CBS “Sunday Morning” program yesterday morning (11/13/2016 called the “The Good Cemeterian” per this link of: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-good-cemeterian/
Just a mini suggestion perhaps someone from your department can interview Mr. Lumish who I am sure you will find very interesting and an encouragement to many.
Here is some brief information from the CBS report:
“Most any Sunday you can find him in a cemetery, instead of at the beach. “This is more fun for me. Hands down. Seven days a week, 365 days a year. If I could do this every day, I would.”
He set up a Facebook page, titled with his nickname: The Good Cemeterian. It’s a celebration of those veterans’ lives, filled with the stories of the men and women beneath the gravestones.
He gets a lot of thanks from veterans and their families for what he does, but has trouble feeling like he deserves it.
“I am appreciative of it, but I’m unworthy of the same respect of someone who chooses to go the route to serve our country,” Lumish said. “And for someone to approach me, to show me that level of respect, it’s humbling, to say the least.”
Bringing back the names and lives of veterans, he says, is just what he does”.
For more info see: ” The Good Cemeterian ” on Facebook