City Council
MEETING DATE: 1/13/2016
TITLE:
Title
Sponsorship Request for Event Honoring Korean and Vietnam War Veterans
End
FROM:
Charlie McClendon, City Manager
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommends the Council discuss this request and provide direction to staff.
Body
BACKGROUND:
The Palm Springs Air Museum <http://palmspringsairmuseum.org/>is planning an expansion to accommodate aircraft from the Cold War military years. The Palm Springs Air Museum’s Major General Kenneth P. Miles Hangar is being built to memorialize the soldiers that fought in Korea and Vietnam. It is intended to be a first-class educational resource, showcasing their personal stories, artifacts and the historical achievements made by many. A fundraising event, which will also honor Korean and Vietnam War veterans, will be held to raise funds for the expansion and the City has been asked to consider a $5,000 sponsorship, which will include a table for ten at the event. Mayor Henry asked that this item be brought to the Council for consideration.
DISCUSSION:
Organizers of the event are trying to get the Gala Dinner underwritten which benefits the construction of the Miles Hangar. They have requested thy City consider a donation of $5,000 to underwrite some of the basic expenses and will include a table of ten at that donation level.
The request received by Mayor Henry included the following information:
"The Hangar is a tribute to the Korean & Vietnam veterans. Specifically at the dinner we will be honoring 5 Green Berets whose unit held off 4K North Vietnamese Army soldiers in a hamlet named Tong Le Chong near the Cambodian/Vietnamese boarder. The battle which occurred on August 6-7 of 1967 was the largest fight in South Vietnam up to that point. There were three Bronze Stars awarded to the special operators that night and a Silver Star to Miles who attacked the NVA from the air, ran out of ammunition, went back got another loaded airplane and did it again - all below 500ft at night. Sadly, as this happened early in the war and it did not fit the narrative that we were winning the war it was never widely reported and kind of swept under the rug.
"We did a great deal of detective work and found 5 of the 8 Green Berets that were there that night. One of the other three guys in the unit that we do not have was executed by the Viet Cong in Cambodia in another raid about three months after the battle his remains have never been found. His sister will be attending in his place. All of the guys are in their late seventies and early eighties. This is the last chance we are going to have to honor them. Hopefully we can convince folks the Hangar is a tribute worthy of some funding. All of the proceeds of the Gala go to the Hangar construction."
FISCAL IMPACT:
If Council chooses to participate, the $5,000 sponsorship will be paid from the General Fund small contributions account.
ATTACHMENTS:
Desert Sun article