The Milwaukee Post

Gen. Mitchell International Airport. "It's going to be quite an excit- ing day," Tim predicted, citing the memorial visits in Washington, as well as a trip to witness the chang- ing of the guard ritual at Arlington National Cemetery. "It's going to be a busy day," added his father. Both men indi- cated they're enthused about the Honor Flight, although it took some coaxing (seemingly typical for vets who take it) to pique Don's interest. Tim was the chief coaxer. The Iwo Jima Memorial will have special significance to the elder Haas. As a gunner and radioman flying above the island in February 1945 – participating in the pre-invasion bombardment provided by Navy and Marine fly- ers – Haas and a couple of col- leagues were "shot down. We could hear the shells going over our heads," the Cudahy resident recalled. "I heard a 'boom,'" Haas added. "I felt something hit me in the face. I didn't realize how bad I was bleeding." Fortunately, everybody sur- vived, thanks to a life raft and then a rescuing destroyer. Aboard the latter, personnel removed shrap- nel from Haas' forehead. The har- rowing turn of events earned him a Purple Heart. Yet a n o t h e r w a r t i m e honor for Haas (who in civilian life had a 30-year- plus career w i t h M i lw a u k e e ' s Hoffman Construction Co.) was the Distinguished Flying Cross. Like Haas, Marco Kos, who will be 89 next month, was a WWII Navy inductee. A longtime Milwaukeean who recently moved with wife Rosemary to an apart- ment in Franklin, Kos – again, like Haas – will be accompanied by his son on the Honor Flight. In addi- tion to Marco and Russell Kos, the traveling party will include Marco's brother and nephew. Marco Kos said that, at 92, older brother Rudy is still employed, at a Home Depot in his adopted state of Texas. There were four Kos brothers and all four served simultaneous- ly in the military during WWII – a circumstance that had to have been terribly disconcerting for their mother, Rosemary Kos reflected as she and Marco spoke with a reporter in their living room. Marco Kos related that, as an 18-year-old whose favorite high school subject had been chemistry, he "wanted to be a pharmacist." Figuring it for the branch of serv- ice that could best nurture that desire, Kos enlisted in the Navy in 1943. At the time, the Marine Corps was a division of the Navy and Kos soon enough found himself transferred to the Corps (some- thing he had not requested) and undergoing the vigorous type of basic training for which the Corps is known. Although likely envi- sioning military life as an infantryman, Kos wound up serv- ing as a hospital corpsman who treated sick and wounded service- men in land and field hospitals, or "first aid stations." As such, Kos was part of a MASH unit, but his lifestyle defi- nitely "wasn't humorous." Kos, in fact, had little use for the popular 1970s and '80s TV show that mixed some seriousness with a whole lot of hilarity in its depiction of Korean War medics. Kos, whose service took him to Okinawa and, after the infamous bombings, Japan (where he dis- covered "very humble" citizens who "went out of their way to be gracious" to Americans), worked as a machinist after the war. "He can do anything" mechanically, his wife said, including helping his son construct an elaborate out- door model railroad. The Honor Flight will offer a fine male bonding opportunity for her husband and their son, in Mrs. Kos' estimation. And that's why, after being the principal promoter of the D.C. trip for her spouse, she's opted to remain in the Milwaukee area rather than flying east as a sponsor. Also at home over the weekend – in Greenfield – will be 92-year- old Mario Vagnini, who experi- enced an Honor Flight in 2011. Vagnini also experienced D-Day, up close and personal, at Omaha Beach. The Greenfield man was on the USS Satterlee, a Navy destroyer, as it shelled Omaha Beach in June of 1944. The exchange of fire "was rather (intoxicating), in a sense," Vagnini said over the phone. Certainly, he added, it commanded "your attention. When (enemy forces) are shooting at you, it gets your attention real quick." For a short time, Vagnini was a Satterlee shipmate of Henry Fonda, who would portray the fic- tional Naval officer Mister Roberts on both Broadway stage and movie screen. Vagnini recalled that he met the future Oscar winner only once, "at sea," but that Fonda came across as a "very nice" man. 6 • Milwaukee County Post • June 6, 2014 D-DAY: Ex-Navy men recall service continued from Page 1 Kos Photo by Don Weltzien/Special to The Post Marco Kos, left, and his brother Rudy served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Marco Kos, 88, of Franklin, and Rudy, 92, of Plano, Texas will fly together to Washington, D.C. on the Stars and Stripes Honor Flight on Saturday. Rudy is join- ing Marco in Milwaukee so that they can travel together with their sons as guardians. By DWAYNE BUTLER Post Editor MILWAUKEE – The Northwestern Mutual Foundation is collaborating with two other Milwaukee foundations to form a small grants prorgram to help fund resident-led efforts in 21 neighbor- hoods. Northwestern Mutual, along with the Greater Milwaukee Foundation and the Zilber Family Foundation, are launching Community Connections. The pro- gram awards up to $500 to groups of three or more community members to support projects, events and activities. The grants are some of the first of their kind for the area as the funding goes directly to resi- dents rather than relying on a non- profit to accept or manage funds. "We're able to have a greater impact on the community when we collaborate with others that have similar goals," said John Kordsmeier, president of Northwestern Mutual Foundation. "This program enables small groups of thoughtful, committed Milwaukee residents to make con- tributions to drive positive change, which we hope will lead to a bigger movement of getting others in their neighborhoods to join them." According to a news release, res- idents in 21 Milwaukee neighbor- hoods can use the funds for a vari- ety of projects, including after- school and youth-led programs, beautification, community safety, health and wellness, literacy or adult education, public art, neigh- borhood festivals or events and urban gardens. "Funding shouldn't hold a com- munity back when it comes to bet- tering the neighborhood," said Kathryn Dunn, vice president, com- munity investment with the Greater Milwaukee Foundation. "We're excited to kick off this grant program and look forward to the great ideas, projects and programs that will be a result of this partner- ship." Applications are available and due July 1 with two grant cycles per year. Up to $30,000 in grants will be awarded to support resident-led projects. Residents in the following neigh- borhoods are eligible to apply: Amani, Baran Park, Capitol Heights, Clarke Square, Concordia, Harambee, Havenwoods, Johnsons Park, Layton Boulevard West, Lincoln Village, Lindsay Heights, Martin Drive, Metcalfe Park, Muskego Way, Riverwest, Sherman Park, Silver Spring, Thurston Woods, Tower Hill Waukesha, Old North Milwaukee and Washington Park. The neighborhoods are support- ed by all three of the foundations, according to a release. "Along with making improve- ments to neighborhoods, we hope the program strengthens the sense of community and increases feel- ings of neighborhood ownership among residents," said Susan Lloyd, executive director of the Zilber Family Foundation. Contact Dwayne Butler dbutler@conleynet.com Local foundations team up to create small grants program for neighborhoods At a glance To learn more about the effort and to apply for grants, residents can visit www.ccsmallgrants.org. 'BODY WORLDS' exhibit at MPM extended to June 29 Post Staff MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee Public Museum announced that it will extend the run of special exhibit "BODY WORLDS & The Cycle of Life." The new closing date will be June 29. Sponsored by the Northwestern Mutual Foundation, "BODY WORLDS & The Cycle of Life" features more than 200 plastinates – individual organs as well as full-body speci- mens – that reveal the inner workings of the human body in all its stages and conditions. "BODY WORLDS & The Cycle of Life" is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, with extended hours until 8 p.m. on Thursdays. For more details or to purchase tickets, call 414-223-4676 or visit www.mpm.edu/body-worlds.

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