Governor George E. Pataki announced on Veterans Day a new initiative to record the personnel histories of NYS WWII veterans.

The oral history program will use state-of-the-art digital video technology to record and preserve their accounts.

"The recollections and experiences of New York's veterans are a precious and irreplaceable resource," Governor Pataki said. "By interviewing these proud men and women who served our nation so ably during World War II and preserving their stories with the latest digital video technology, we will ensure that future generations will never forget their great service and sacrifice."

Dr. Stephen E. Ambrose, noted historian and founder of the National D-Day Museum said, "To do digital video based interviews with World War II veterans, to preserve them on CD-Rom and to make them available to researchers and the general public is a wonderful thing. What priceless memories the veterans have, what a marvelous way to hear their stories, what a boon to students whether in elementary or high school or in college. Just imagine if the technology had been there in 1915, fifty years after the Civil War, to interview the veterans of that war. Such interviews would have enhanced our understanding, our appreciation, our involvement in what they did and how they did it. Just thinking of what might have been sends shivers up my spine. What the State of New York is now doing will provide contact with the World War II veterans for today's children and for children yet to be born. There is no better way for those kids to learn the values of teamwork, patriotism, courage and sacrifice."

The project will be coordinated by the State Division of Military and Naval Affairs' (DMNA) Military History Unit and will use digital video equipment provided by the State Office for Technology to conduct and record interviews with veterans. In addition, DMNA will convert existing audio and video footage of interviews compiled by other sources into a digitized format that will eventually be made available to military historians and social history researchers.

With the assistance of veterans' organizations throughout the State, military historians from DMNA will identify and seek out interview subjects. Initially, the oral history program will focus on the service of World War II veterans. It will later be expanded to include the New York veterans of all active and reserve component forces, who served in the post-World War II years, both in peacetime and in times of war.

Once the interviews are completed, they will be preserved as part of DMNA's military history collection and made available to researchers and historians. DMNA will also partner with the National D-Day Museum in New Orleans, the premier archive of World War II oral histories, to make copies of the interviews available for inclusion in its collection. This will ensure that the recollections of New York's veterans becomes part of a national oral history archive.

New York State veterans interested in participating in the oral history program are encouraged to call 1-800-955-2971. Veterans can also contact DMNA through the agency's website at www.dmna.state.ny.us and link to the oral history program.

THE BALLAD OF RODGER YOUNG - - REDUX

During WW 11, there was a song called "The Ballad of Rodger Young". He was a private in the 148th Regt. 37th Infantry Division in New Georgia in the Solomon Islands, his platoon was ordered to make a limited withdrawal from the battle line. The platoon was engaged with the enemy in a dense jungle. The Platoon was suddenly pinned down by intense fire from a Japanese machine gun hidden on higher ground just 75 yards away. The initial burst wounded Pvt. Young. From where he was he could see the enemy machine gun, whereupon he started toward the enemy gun. A second burst wounded him again. Despite his wounds he continued forward. Attracting enemy fire and firing his rifle he moved close enough to hurl hand grenades at the Japanese. While doing so he was hit again and killed.

Pvt. Young's bold action diverted the Japanese thus allowing his platoon to withdraw without any casualties and at the same time he was responsible for several enemy casualties. For his outstanding deeds he was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously.

The last words of the ballad are, "To the Everlasting Glory of the Infantry Shines the Name of Rodger Young." Source: Joseph Randazzo, Commander, Thomas Poldino Chapter 185.

Believe it or not, when we called Joe to thank him for this piece, he had the audacity to sing the "Ballad of Roger Young" to us on the telephone. A lot of chuztpah, but that's New York for you.

VHA HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS' MEDICAL OPINIONS FOR THE ASKING

If you're applying for VA benefits you should be aware of a new Directive issued by the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) on September 22nd. This Directive could markedly improve you chances of having your condition rated service-connected.

The essential provisions are as follows:

• VHA policy, nationwide, was revised to remove restrictions on the ability of VA healthcare providers to provide to VA patients medical statements and opinions with respect to their medical condition, employability and degree of disability.