Verhovayak Lapja, 1945 (28. évfolyam, 1-52. szám)
1945 / Verhovay Journal
Page 4 Verhovay Journal September 12, 1945 Verhovay Journal of the Verhovay Fraternal Insurance Ass’n OFFICE OF PUBLICATION 8502 West Jefferson Ave. Detroit 17, Mich. PUBLISHED SEMI-MONTHLY BY THE Verhovay Fraternal Insurance Association Managing Editor: JOHN BENCZE Editor: COLOMAN REVESZ Editor’s Office: 345 FOURTH AVENUE ROOM 805 PITTSBURGH 22, PA. All articles and changes of address should be sent to the VERHOVAY FRATERNAL INSURANCE ASSOCIATION 345 FOURTH AVENUE, PITTSBURGH 22, PA. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: United States and Canada ---------------------------------$1.00 a year Foreign Countries ___________:---------------------— $1.50 a year ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT: P. O. BOX 7, WOOLSEY STATION — LONG ISLAND CITY 5, N. Y. Entered as Second .Class Matter at the Post Office at Detroit, Michigan under the Act of March 3, 1879. CHANGES IN OUR DISTRICT MANAGERS’ STAFF Official Announcement DISTRICT VII. DETROIT, MICH. All members and officers of the branches, located in the territory of District VII., are notified that Mr. Thomas Buchter, former District Manager, demitted his position as of August 31st, 1945. Supreme President John Bencze announces the appointment of MR. NICHOLAS TAKACS, as his successor, one of the oldest members of the District Managers’ staff, a fieldman of long experience, who during the many years of his district-managership in District V., Youngstown, O. endeared himself to all officers and branches in that territory. The transfer of Mr. Nicholas Takacs from District V., to District VII., took effect on September 1st, 1945. Mr. Takacs is a true fraternalist and an enthusiastic Verhovayan. Singulary lacking favoritism, he is a real friend of all branch-officers, an ever willing co-worker, whose friendly disposition and charming countenance will win him as many admirers and followers in the VlXth District as were his reward in District V., the field of his activities up to September 1st. Fellow-member Nicholas Takacs, new Manager of District VII., is sincerely recommended to the membership of NW. Ohio and Michigan. We wish him God-speed and much success and trust that the members of his new District will give him a warm welcome and whole-hearted cooperation. JOSEPH NEMES APPOINTED MANAGER OF DISTRICT V. The 5th Organizing District of the Association covers great territory. Beginning at Erie, Pa., it takes in the north-western part of Pennsylvania to the north-east border of the State of Ohio. From Barberton, O., it includes the greater south-eastern part of Ohio. Important Verhovay centers in this territory are Erie, Pa., Ashtabula, O., Sharon, Pa., Youngstown, O., Canton, O., Martins Ferry, O. ,in the East and Columbus, O., in the west. The position of District Manager became vacant with the transfer to Detroit of Mr. Nicholas Takacs. The Supreme President is pleased to announce that Mr. Joseph Nemes, president of Branch 26, Sharon, Pa., has been appointed District manager for this great territory. His appointment also was effective with the 1st of September. Mr. Nemes is the youngest member of our District Managers’ staff. He was born in Bakony-Szentkiraly, Hungary, on Oct. 22, 1902, came to the States in his early youth and was brought up in America. He lives at 886 Stambaugh Avenue, Sharon, Pa. He is a very active man, looking much younger than his age, suave, charming with his contagious friendliness, and an excellent business-man. When Mr. Sveighart resigned from the presidency of Branch 26, the members elected him as his successor and it proved a wise choice. We were sincerely impressed by his executive ability at a recent celebration held in Sharon in honor of the two old officers of Branch 26, Mr. Stephen Sveighart and Mr. Thomas Kuti. But, as local organizer of the same branch, he also proved himself an excellent business-man by securing a steady flow of membership-applications. Sharon offers rather limited possibilities for expansion, yet Mr. Nemes secured top-honors in the Managers’ Membership contest : just ended, by attaining the fourth prize. He achieved 22 points in this contest: an excellent organizing performance considering the small territory to which his activities were confined. On the basis of his achievements one can safely assume that he will do great work for the expansion of the Association on the great territory with which he has been entrusted. We wish all the success to District Manager Joseph Nemes and we hope that the managers of the branches in District V., will honor him with their sincere confidence and cooperation. He is a worthy successor to Mr. Takacs, and the officers of the Fifth District’s branches will soon find him a trustworthy friend whose only desire is to work hand-in-hand with every branch manager and officer. He believes in and lives fraternalism and so it is up to his co-workers to make their relationship with their new District Manager a pleasant and successful one. " * * * Mr. Takacs and Mr. Nemes will soon make their rounds to make the acquaintance of the branch-managers and officers in their district. We urge you to receive them in the spirit of friendliness and to give them the encouragement which is the condition of successful work in all fields of endeavor. It is a great pleasure to introduce one of the oldest and the youngest of our District Managers to their new fields and we hope that all parties concerned will benefit from the work which each of them will do on his territory for the good old Verhovay. THE HOME OFFICE. VERHOVAY EPIC ________ \ DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS AWARDED TO T/SGT. J. J. VIROK Technical Sergeant Joseph J. Virok, a member of Branch 13, Trenton, N. J., a son of Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Virok of 165 Tremont St., Trenton, N. J., has been awarded the coveted “Distinguished Flying Cross” for '‘outstanding courage and devotion to duty” in an aerial fight off the coast of French Indo-China on March 28, 1945. Joseph Virok was an engineer on a B-24 Liberator which made a lone daylight attack on a Japanese convoy consisting of a light cruiser, two or three destroyers, two destroyer escorts and five freighters. Flying at an altitude of 300 feet through intense anti-aircraft fire, the Liberator picked on the largest freighter. He scored direct hits but the bombs failed to explode and, therefore, a second run was made through increasing cross-fire. Heavy ack-ack wounded, two of the crew members as five 500 pound bombs were dropped on the ship and in the water nearby, causing several explosions which made the vessel list heavily. Then two Jap fighters attacked the lone Liberator, immediately after the second run, killing the co-pilot and the radio operator and wounding other two members of the crew. The top turret and one engine was knocked out, *wo other engines were hit, the trim tab and elevator controls were destroyed, thus the crippled Liberator with two dead and four seriously wounded crew-members started on its uncertain homeward trip. But... the plane managed to return to its home base and make a crash-landing. Indeed, the members of this crew displayed outstanding courage and unsurpassable devotion to duty... The Distinguished Flying Cross awarded to Joseph J Virok is proof of his great qualities which made him one of the great fliers of this war. Incidentally, Joe’s father, Mr. Alexander Virok was secretary of Branch 13, for many years and in his office achieved outstanding results, too. Several years ago he participated in one of the great contests launched by the Association and won an automobile. Branch 13 will always remember the devotion to the cause of the Verhovay of its former secretary and now the members of this branch, together with all Verhovayans, will also remember the son whose heroism won him one of the highest military awards. Congratulations to T/Sgt. Joseph Virok and to his proud parents! * * * S/SGT. J. R. “TINY” HORVATH MOST POPULAR MEMBER OF BATTALION The hero of this epic story hails from Rillton, Pa., and is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Horvath, Sr., Box 482, Rillton, Pa. He is a member of Branch 78, Irwin, Pa. An article concerning him appeared recently in a servicepaper published in Germany. But J. R. Horvath is a much too modest fellow to have sent it to us. In fact, we gather that he wouldn’t even have sent it to his parents but some of his buddies of Hqu. Co. 2nd Bn. 505 Paratrooper Inf., saw the light and sent the article to1 the Republican Standard, explaining in an accompanying letter: “He always was a sort of a fellow who didn’t write much, so we are taking the opportunity to write of him. He was one of the best liked fellows we ever had, a very good soldier and a fine combat-man... He also holds the Bronze star and two clusters.” The article follows: ‘Ask any Second Battalion trooper about “Tiny Horvath” and you will get enough in return to fill a book. A product of the “’EGB” era, Horyath has long been outstanding in the division 81mm mortar, circles for his outstanding technical ability. Tiny towers above his Second Battalion mates from a height of six feet three and a half inches and has a frame to go with it. This is the boy who sparkplugs his platoon, long acknowledged the division’s best. The boy whose squad is called upon when they need a gun for some, needlethreading operation; the fellow who always delivers his bill of goods with hair-splitting accuracy; the fellow who is always there pitching, giving the Krauts one hell of a bad time. Horvath has made all of the 82nd’s missions. Three times he has been wounded, twice seriously, only to return at the earliest opportunity so as to be once more with his outfit. This is the boy who, set up in a cemetery which was zeroed by enemy fire, the air filled with flying steel and chunks of marble, spent 36 consecutive hours on his gun at Nijmegen. Horvath, firing hundreds of rounds, walking around only fifty yards ahead of our own troops—and all in the face of an intense counter-battery, set a new army reeord firing over 1,900 rounds in 36 hours from one mortar. This is the boy who began the “SOP” platoon performance on hedgehopping with his mortar to provide continuous close support during a prolonged attack, the boy who commanded his section alone at Trois Points while retreating friendly units broke through his position; who without observation, fired coordinates with enough accuracy to keep the crack 1st Adolf Hitler SS Panzer Division from following lip its momentary advantage and crossing the river after us— all in the face of withering mortar and M.G. fire. This slow-speaking, quickthinking Pennsylvanian and his mortar have been officially, credited with the killing of over 500 Germans in the regiment’s past campaigns. It is characteristic of Horvath that he could take such normally unsung tasks as is usually the lot of a mortar squad and turn it into such a vital and colorful striking force. In addition to his combat accomplishments Tiny is a natural athlete, playing each game in its season. He is a member of the regimental softball team, was on the Post football team and the regimental baseball team. Tiny is going home soon. He now has over a hundred points and we asked him for his address. He replied: “Rillton, Pa.—Main Street—house—can’t miss, it—only house in town. Now—I don’t live there—I get my mail there.” Speaking for Hdqus. Co. Second Battalion I say: So long, buddy. We’ll be seeing you!” To all of which little can be added except the question: doesn’t this man deserve the Congressional Medal of Honor? * * * ROEBLING FLIER GIVEN AIR MEDAL Frank Renghoffer, manager of Branch 176, Roeb’ing, N. J , has a son of whom he is justly proud and his pride is shared by his fellow-members. The story appeared in the Wilmington Journal as follows: “First Lieutenant Zoltán J. Renghoffer, son of Mr. and Mrs. Renghoffer, 224 Fifth Ave., Roebling, N. J., has been awarded the Air Medal for “meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight over Angau Peleliu and Negregong Islands of the Palau Group. Operating over enemy lines in Hasion type airc’-',i* without armor, armament or bullet-proof tanks, Lt. Renghoffer (Continued on Page 5)
