by Pam Baker | November 03, 2007 | | Taking Eddie Home: Eddie asked that his ashes be spread "where the grass is green, it does not matter where, it's all one earth" I thought of many beautiful places I could have spread Eddie's ashes; Trinity Alps, Mendocino... The more I thought about it, the more I thought of his wife Helen. Eddie needs to go back to Alabama, the only home he ever knew so that his remains can be laid to rest with his wife. Helen loved Eddie unconditionally. She stood by him during the worst of times and sadly even at the expense of her own well being. I believe Helen represents the families of veterans whose voices are never heard. This trip is for Helen, and all the families who suffer in silence. Eddie never flew after Normandy, so to honor that I thought a motorcycle road trip with Eddie's comrades would be a fitting tribute to a fallen soldier. I am painfully aware that Eddie is not the only veteran living in unfit conditions, and on this trip I hope to raise awareness of the hardships that veterans and their families endure. The TRIP DETAILS to take Eddie home have been FINALIZED. Eddie’s ashes will be carried on the Run for The Wall leaving Ontario, CA on May 14th, and will take the Central Route to Washington, D.C. and then on to Eddie’s final destination in Alabama. The Pentagon is working on a service for Eddie while in Washington, D.C., details will be provided as we have them. For information regarding the Run for The Wall please visit their website at www.rftw.org. For other information on Eddie’s trip home please contact:
Pam Baker (pbaker@eddiesplace.org)
You can also visit: www.myspace.com/eddielivingston to learn more about Eddie’s story.
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 | by Pam Baker | September 16, 2007 |
Dear Vice President Johnson: A while ago you generously promised to look after an appeal of a VA decision for me. i do not have access to help of any kind. Therefore I am deeply grateful for you goodness in helping me. it should not have been necessary for me to appeal this VA decision. But VA is a shooly arbitrary agency, and all consideration has to be forced. More so from Montgomery (Ala.) VA. All I am asking is that my appeal be shown "PROPER CONSIDERATION." | Read more »
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 | by Pam Baker | September 16, 2007 |
Dear Vice President Johnson, 6 Oct. 1963 Your helper, Mr. Ivan Sinclair sent me notice from Mr. Cyrill F. Brickfield, Chief Benefits Director, Central VA office. The attitude of VA , as reflected by Mr. Brickfield, Remains unchanged after almost 20 years. VA badly needs to be forcibly divested of its arbitrary presumption of ownership of what it was given to administer. This would establish a healthy trend in government. It takes just about an act of congress to force VA to administer is responsibilities properly. It is incredible that veterans must force every consideration form VA. This is a wholly arbitrary attitude of VA must be changed. | Read more »
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 | by Pam Baker | September 16, 2007 |
Dothan Alabama June 7, 1965 Dear Editor, Because I had the guts and gall to fight V.A. for my people given rights and benefits, a few brutal individuals in V.A. tried to destroy me. I live in deathly fear of V.A. Veterans need some agency or court that is not under the thumb of V.A. For more than 19 years I tried to get an appeal adjudicated honestly. The Board of Veterans Appeal turned it down again last year. | Read more »
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 | by Pam Baker | September 16, 2007 |
8 October, 1962 Dear President Kennedy, Thanks to your interest, today I received belatedly the French Croix de guerre with palm and the French Fourragere, Belgian fouragere and the Netherlands orange lanyard. I knew I had some foreign combat awards due me but just never took the trouble to find out about them. Thank you very much for seeing about these. They are nice. U.S> Congressman George Andrews is seeing about the DSC for me. I was recommended for the DSC, our second highest combat award twice, once in Sicily and Normandy. Thanks to Congressman Andrews I am certain to receive one DSC. I have enough medals. Giving me more medals now, later, or never can't change a thing sir. All my deeds are done. I did them willingly, voluntarily, as the record will plainly reveal. | Read more »
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 | by Pam Baker | September 16, 2007 |
20 January1963 The Honorable George Andrews United States Congressman Washington 25 D.C. Dear Congressman Andrews, The election is over, my vote has been cast but even so your prolonged silence is incomprehensible. Silence can speak louder than words I think I get the message. Apparently my government has abandoned me to the tender mercies of such men as Kendrick and such agencies as V.A. All my deeds are done are in the book. But I still bleed. Not from enemy wounds but from the knowledge that I have been "Used" in war and politics. It is a most distressing bit of knowledge. | Read more »
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| by Pam Baker | September 09, 2007 | Dear President Kennedy 18 April 1962 I have written to you many times about my difficulties with V. A. And Mr. A.W. Farmer Washington V.A. has confirmed your generous expression of “interest and Care” in my case for which I am sincerely thankful. Sir in my honest opinion V.A. is the sorriest spectacle of government in action, in the whole span of human experience. Why? | Read more »
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 | by Pam Baker | September 03, 2007 | Route 4 Box 457 Dothan, Alabama 18 Dec. 1962 Mr. Neil R. Smart, Manager Montgomery (Ala.) V.A. It took me two months to get a simple hospital application form from your agency. I want to impress one thing upon you. I am an American Citizen; I am a combat disabled veteran. My Veterans' benefits as provided by Law, are identical to my civil and human rights. | Read more »
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| by Pam Baker | September 03, 2007 | Dear President Kennedy, 18 April 1962 I have written to you many times about my difficulties with V. A. And Mr. A.W. Farmer Washington V.A. has confirmed your generous expression of "interest and Care" in my case for which I am sincerely thankful. Sir in my honest opinion V.A. is the sorriest spectacle of government in action, in the whole span of human experience. Why? | Read more »
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