Verhovayak Lapja, 1953 (36. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1953 / Verhovay Journal
PAGE 2 Verhovay Journal May 20, 1953 Fraternal Societies Elect National Auditor Sabo National Auditor John Sabo, who since his teen years has been an active Verhovay mem her and by his abilities and efforts rapidly climbed the Verhovay ladder of success, from the various branch offices he held to his present position of National Auditor, was recently given honors outside the immediate Verhovay sphere. At their meeting held April 16, 1953 in the Sheraton Hotel, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the Fraternal Societies of Greater Pittsburgh — the name is self-explanatory — UNANIMOUSLY elected National Auditor Sabo to the presidency of that organization. We believe we are right in stating that the new president is the youngest man ever to hold that office in the aforenamed group. The acknowledgment received by National Auditor Sabo was very enthusiastically and sincerely made by the Fraternal Societies of Greater Pittsburgh. representing American and nationality groups cherishing the ideals of fraternalism. We are happy for our National Auditor’s latest achievement of success, but we feel sure his primary joy as related to his election is the awareness that Verhovay itself will participate in the honors. Congratulations. National Auditor Sabo! THE ARMY AND I By PFC. STEVE MISLAY Branch 21 Youngstown, Ohio ' I' WITH THE TJ.S. ARMY IN KO REA . .. This is it! Rotation is setting me free. Yes, before long the Army and I will part company. It took 41 hard earned rotation points to do it, but I’ve jumped the hurdle and it’s free coasting- from here on in. After a man has acquired 38 points, he awaits with wild anticipation the day his name appears on the rotation quota for home. It’s really a wonderful feeling, like gettiug- a laise or perhaps falling in love, it’s territio. Then again it may be tragic. There are many instances where our wire teams are required to pass thru mined areas to repair communications lines. But generally the mine fields are marked off with white tape signifying the danger zones. One wire crewman, who upon having learned lie had the necessary 40 points to rotate, was so jubilant, and gay that he wandered about in a sentimental mood for days. One particular day while out on a repair mission he came upon an array of beautiful flowers growing on e nearby hill side. He decided he would pluck a flower and send it home to his best girl. Without realizing what hs had done he found himself within the hounds of a mined area. In stark horror he whirled around and realized where he was. Panic stricken he cashed madly back toward the white taped boundary. Then it happened — he stepped on a live land mine, killing him instantly. W her. the mine detector crew brought his body out he was still clutching the stem of the undamaged but blood drenched- wild flower. Truly this was one of the most tragic incidents of the war I’ve ever witnessed. The Army sends photographers up front to take pictures of practically everything imaginable. You name ii. and they probably have a picture of it. One afternoon Corps headquarters called instructing us to have a man prepared to accompany an Army photographer up in plane to take night action shots of our searchlights. I was chosen as the lucky man. It felt great to be up there flying above the lines and watching the bursts of artillery rounds. We took some excellent shots of the searchlight beams converging upon the various enemy targets. As we were preparing to head hack towards the airstrip we heard hursts of anti-aircraft flak about us. To our amazement we discov ered our troops were firing upon us by mistake. It didn’t take long for the pilot to get us out of there chop-chop. One of our favorite radio programs is the Moscow Molly hour beamed to the UN troops direct from radio Moscow. Aside from the happy nonsense she dishes out, we find the recorded classical music of famous Russian composers quite relaxing and entertaining. Molly herself, in her precise English consisting of many fifty cent words, tends to become very boring. Well my replacement has been properly trained and about all I have left with this unit is three more meals and a cup of tea before I head for Japan and that long boat ride heme. Ironically enough, fate has decided that, while I’m to leave the Far East, my brother James is to arrive and embark upon his “tour” of foreign duty. Since we’re fresh out of extra brothers to replace one another, I do believe James will be the last remaining member of the clan to serve in the Orient. So until 1 arrive home again and renew old acquaintances. I wish to thank ah you kind people for putting- up with my chitchat about “The Army and I." I hope you, you and ycurs liked them as well as I enjoyed writing them. Happy Verhovay-Go-Round. (Editor’s Note: We thank Mr. Mislay for his genuine human interest series on his experiences with the U.S. Arm) in Korea. His articles enjoyed a wide Jldpularity among our readers. Though we are sorry the series has come to an end, we are even happier that Mr. Mislay is now at home after his meritorious service in Korea. We trust that after a well deserved rest ex-GI Mislay will again add to the well-being of our Verhovay Journal with his new contributions.) GUS GEORGE NAGY New Supervisor of Field II Field II, left vacant when the Board of Directors at its latest session appointed Elmer Charles to assume his new duties April 1, 1953 as Field Assistant to the President, has been filled by the naming- of Gus George Nagy, Duquesne, Pennsylvania insurance man, to the important position of Supervisor of Field II. Mr. Nagy’s appointment was made May 1, 1953 by National President John Bencze who excercises blanket approval of the Board of Directors in the selection of our full time and part time field workers. The new field supervisor has an excellent insurance background. His record at John Hancock Life Insurance Company, with which firm he had been associated since April, 7, 1946 until joining the staff of Verhovay field men-, is an enviable one and among the best in that company It is evident from this fact that Mr. Nagy shall labor equally well or even better for Verhovay. Going back further into his impressive past we find that this young man of American birth and Hungarian extraction entered the Army May 1, 1941 as a private. From November, 1944 to January, 1946 he served as Combat Infantry Commander in the European Theater of Operations. A reservist, Nagy holds the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, and his present military assignment is Director of Infantry Department, United States Army Reserve School, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Prior to his Army service Nagy was active in all the affairs of Branch 395, McKeesport, Pennsylvania, of which branch he was a member until shortly after his marriage. At Branch 395 he served in various capacities, such as president, secretary and treasurer. The new field supervisor is an active member of St. Stephen King Magyar Roman Catholic Church of McKeesport. Young Verhovay Member and Wife Slain Tragedy struck into the' lives of a youthful Robinson Township, near Grand Haven, Michigan, farming couple, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Kuntz, both only 22, when they were brutally murdered by their farm hand, Harold Gregory, the night Of April 10, 1953. Gregory, 24, who had spent about half his life ia various mental institutions and had a record of several escapes before he was pronounced cured, paid back the kindness of his young benefactors with the coldness of death. Because of his mental history Gregory was finding it impossible to get employment when the Kuntz’s, out of the sheer goodness of their hearts, gave him work on their farm located near M-50 in Robinson Township. A quirk of the mind prompted Gregory, who did not live with the slain couple but had a room in Grand Haven, to go back to the farm the evening' of April 10th, when the Kuntz’s were attending a church meeting, with the intention of breaking into the house. Unfortunately for them Kuntz and his wife returned earlier than expected. As Gregory was crawling thru the window he was suprised by Kuntz, whereupon the house breaker, without even a word, immediately with his hunting gun shot Kuntz to death. Mrs Kurtz, who was in another room, rar. in when she heard the firing of the rifle and struggled to wrest the death instrument from Gregory’s hands, but he whipped out a large knife and stabbed the young wife to death. In maniacal fury Gregory repeatedly plunged the knife into her body even after her death. Medical examiners found 48 gashes. As sometimes happens in these cases, Gregory composed himself after the brutal killings, went to tne neighboring farm house of Bernard Corbett, related the story of the trag'edy to Corbett, who then telephoned the police. Gregory could not account for his horrendous actions wnsn questioned by the police. The Kuntz’s leave a 7 months old daughter, Patricia. The husband is also survived by his mother and two brothers, while the wife leaves hers parents, Mr. and Mrs. Alex Essenyi, a sister and three brothers. Andrew Kuntz had been a member of Branch1 215, Muskegon Heights, Michigan, since October, 1946. Our sympathies are expressed to the survivors of the young couple who tragically went to their untimely deaths. He is vice president of the Holy Name Society and affiliated with St. Vincent de Paul Society. Gus George Nagy is married to the former Elizabeth Rinkacs of Duquesne, Pennsylvania. They have two children, Roger Gustave, 9, and Gareth John, 5, and the family are members of Branch 71, Duquesne, in which city they reside. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Nagy, prominent Szekler (Székely) Hungarians of McKeesport, are members of Branch 226 of the same city. We are preud of Field Supervisor Nagy’s accomplishments and we wish him well at Verhovay!
