Battle Ground Elks lodge honors veterans

Battle Ground — Veterans representing the U.S. Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force were served a home-cooked meal including all-American apple pie on Nov. 11 at the Battle Ground Elks Lodge. Barbara Roberson, Elks veterans chairman, arranged for buses to bring veterans from the VA Medical Center in Vancouver for dinner that evening. Also present was veteran George Bennett, a lodge member. Bennett joined the U.S. Navy at the age of 17, in January of 1941, and was stationed at Pearl Harbor. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, he was part of the Navy’s first B-24 bomber squad over and eventually flying off of Guadalcanal. Bennett retired in 1984 as chief radio man. He remains very active today as the national secretary for the Pearl Harbor Survivors. He said there are about 1,000 registered survivors left.