SEPTMEBER 21, 2012 MEMORIAM PNC Kogutek: ‘A very devoted Legionnaire’ By Steve B. Brooks As newly named Past National Commander and longtime Department of New


York Adjutant Richard Pedro was leaving Indianapolis the day aſt er the 94th American Legion National Convention ended, he made a call to one of his very close friends, Past National Commander Michael Kogutek, to let him know how things had gone at the convention. T at’s when Pedro got the news that Kogutek had passed away the day before. “I’d been calling him every two or three weeks for a while to update him on what


was going on in the department,” said Pedro, who fi rst met Kogutek in 1963. “I was on my way home from the convention when I did what I normally did, and that’s when I found out.” Kogutek, who passed away Aug. 30 at age 86, served as the Legion’s national


commander from 1980 to 1981. It was Pedro who nominated him for the post. “He was a very close friend,” said Pedro, who attended Kogutek’s viewing and


funeral mass. “I’d seen him at our department convention and talked to him two weeks before he died. He’ll be missed.” Pedro said his friendship with Kogutek was also professional. “He was in the 8th


District, and I was in the 6th,” he said. “We were always sharing what was going on in our districts. We’d talk about what was working, what wasn’t, share things like that. Michael was a very devoted Legionnaire.” Past National Commander John “Jake” Comer, who led the Legion from 1987 to


1988, was also a longtime friend of Kogutek’s. He remembers Kogutek as a man who dispensed sound advice, but could relax and have fun once business was over. “He was a very jovial guy, and he was a good kidder,” Comer said. “He always


had a smile. And he loved his Polish heritage. He was so proud of that. He’d get around friends and start singing the Polish song ‘Sto Lat,’ and he’d get everyone to try to sing along.” Elected during the 1980 National Convention in Boston, Kogutek was a World


War II Navy petty offi cer and the son of Polish immigrants. Born and raised in Lackawanna, N.Y., he entered the Navy right aſt er high school in 1944 and saw


MEMBERSHIP AWARDS


Virginia Legionnaire now 4-time Recruiter of the Year


Frank Carr did it again. T e three-time American Legion


National Recruiter of the Year became a four-time winner during the 94th National Convention in Indianapolis. Carr, a member of the Department of Virginia, brought 546 new members into the Legion this year.


Carr


quickly shiſt ed praise to those watching him receive the award. “To all of you in T e


American Legion, it’s because of the things that T e American Legion stands for, I was proud to recruit people for it,” Carr said. “T ere is no magic bullet (for recruiting). Just ask.” Carr’s award was one of many given


during the national convention. T e winners of the National Emergency Fund Commander’s Challenge were Phil Youngblood, Department of Georgia; Jeanette Rae, Department of Nevada; and W. Michael Bowen, Department of New York. Other membership awards: T e O.L. Bodenhamer Trophy,


presented to the department that led the Legion in traditional membership for the


Flag Day report on June 14 – Department of Florida All Target Dates Award, presented to


the departments that met every target date during the membership year – Department of the Philippines Department Commander of the Year


Award – Joseph Carsley, Department of the Philippines. Award for exceeding membership


goal by utilizing traditional methods – Department of the Philippines. Race to the Top winners (district


commanders whose district membership on March 31 represented the greatest percentage increase from its previous year’s membership) – Ray E. T iessen, Department of Arizona; Ronald W. Parshall, Department of California; Jay Conti Sr., Department of Florida; and Robert D. Kiley, Department of Florida Departments achieving a Consoli-


dated Post Report response rate of 95 percent or higher – departments of Arizona (Cmdr. George Cushing), Florida (Fletcher Williams Jr.), Missouri (Kenneth Goth), Montana (Everett Robison), Nebraska (George Cyboron), Oregon (Jon Marsh), Pennsylvania (Kerrie Gill Sr.), Rhode Island (Erick Michaud), Vermont (Francis Killay), Virginia (Douglas Ramos Sr.), West Virginia (Tommy Hayes), Wisconsin (Denise Rohan) and Wyoming (Ronald Wood)


combat in New Guinea and the Philippines aboard the amphibious landing craſt LCI-747. Following the war, Kogutek


married Dorothy Druzbik, went to work as a forkliſt operator, and attained an associate of science degree from Empire State College. He eventually became plant manager at Buff alo Brake Beam. Kogutek joined Matthew Glab


Post 1477 in Lackawanna in 1946 and held multiple Legion positions at the post and department levels, including commander. He also served as Alternate National Executive Committeeman prior to being elected national commander. During the 1980 National Convention, Kogutek referred to himself as a


PNC Michael Kogutek passed away Aug. 30 at age 86. American Legion photo


“grass-roots Legionnaire” and praised the rank-and-fi le members for being the heart of the organization. “You are the rock the Legion rests on, the foundation it’s built on and the base


that keeps it on a strong and sure course,” he said during his acceptance speech. “If a leader is only as good as those he leads, then I say I cannot fail, because I look out on some of the bravest, most courageous and most determined people the world has ever known.” Memorial contributions may be made to the PNC Michael J. Kogutek American


Legion Scholarship Trust, c/o Michael D. Kogutek, P.O. Box 497, Silverado, Calif., 92676. Cards of sympathy and notes of condolence can be sent to Kogutek’s son, Michael, at P.O. Box 497, Silverado, Calif., 92676.


TAPS


Walter W. Bonham Oklahoma City Walter W. Bonham of Post 12 (Department of Oklahoma) passed away Sept. 3 at age 93. He was a


World War II Army veteran. Mr. Bonham served as department adjutant in 1994, department commander from 1994 to 1995


and National Distinguished Guests Committee vice chairman from 1995 to 1998. He was a member of the National Counter-Subversive Activities Committee in 1994 and the National Security Training Committee from 1958 to 1959.


Raymond G. Howe Jackson, Miss. Raymond G. Howe of Post 91 (Department of Mississippi) passed away Aug. 24 at age 80. He was a


Korean War Army veteran. Mr. Howe served as department commander from 1994 to 1995, and National Americanism Council vice chairman from 1986 to 1988 and 1990 to 2012.


Michael J. Kogutek Orchard Park, N.Y. Michael J. Kogutek of Post 1477 (Department of New York) passed away Aug. 30 at age 86. He was


a World War II Navy veteran. Mr. Kogutek served as national commander from 1980 to 1981, department commander from 1968


to 1969, Alternate National Executive Committeeman from 1969 to 1970, National Advisory Committee to the National Commander vice chairman from 1982 to 1983, National Advisory Committee to the National Commander chairman from 1981 to 1982, National Overseas Graves Decoration Trust chairman from 1980 to 1981, National Overseas Graves Decoration Trust vice chairman from 1981 to 1982, and National Veterans Preference Committee vice chairman from 1965 to 1966 and 1969 to 1972. He was a member of the American Legion Child Welfare Foundation from 1973 to 1982, the


National Finance Commission from 1972 to 1981, the National Overseas Graves Decoration Trust from 1982 to 1983, and the National Veterans Preference Committee from 1964 to 1965, 1966 to 1969 and 1972 to 1973.


Timothy P. O’Neill New Boston, Texas Timothy P. O’Neill of Post 488 (Department of Texas) passed away Aug. 3 at age 54. He was a


Lebanon/Grenada War Army veteran. Mr. O’Neill served as Department of France adjutant from 1997 to 1998 and National Americanism Council vice chairman from 1996 to 1997.


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