Initially, most projects start out with an idea. The basic idea develops into a desire and somewhere along the line the similarity between the idea and the desire starts to separate and the desire to "make things happen" dominates.
The idea to organize the Sampson Navy Veterans occurred to me when my wife and I returned to the old Naval Training Station for a visit in the fall of 1985. I remembered Sampson as it was when I took basic training in March and part of April 1944. It was a shock to see that most of the original buildings were no longer there. While talking with the Park Superintendent, he told me that the Royce Memorial Chapel had recently been torn down. He also said that other buildings had been dismantled and moved, including some of the drill halls. Obviously something had to be done. It was no simple task to accomplish but the end result was the formation of the Sampson Navy Veterans.
Most of our members know that our first meeting was held at the VFW Post 6433 on September 12, 1987. What they don't know is what happened from the time I visited the Sampson Park in 1985 and our first meeting in Waterloo on September 12, 1987. It wasn't easy!
Approximately one hundred and fifty (150) Sampson WW-2 Navy Veterans were present at our first meeting and only forty-eight thought enough of the idea to join. Commander F. V. (Horse) Kubasik and Bob Craig, Sr., VFW Post 6433, officially welcomed us.
As the founder and first president of the Sampson WW-2 Navy Veterans, Inc., it is my belief that the entire Sampson organization owes a big "THANK YOU" to those 48 charter members. We also owe a lot to VFW Post 6433, Waterloo, NY.
