New York OA Trader

Did you thank a soldier today? Today to give thanks to all of the men and women in all branches of the service who protect our country and you and yours.

On August 31, 1949, Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced the creation of an Armed Forces Day to replace separate Army, Navy and Air Force Days. The single-day celebration stemmed from the unification of the Armed Forces under one department — the Department of Defense. Each of the military leagues and orders was asked to drop sponsorship of its specific service day in order to celebrate the newly announced Armed Forces Day. The Army, Navy and Air Force leagues adopted the newly formed day. The Marine Corps League declined to drop support for Marine Corps Day but supports Armed Forces Day, too

All too often, it is how Rudyard Kipling said it in “Tommy”

Yes, makin’ mock o’ uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an’ they’re starvation cheap;
An’ hustlin’ drunken soldiers when they’re goin’ large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin’ in full kit.

Then it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, ‘ow’s yer soul?”
But it’s “Thin red line of ‘eroes” when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it’s “Thin red line of ‘eroes” when the drums begin to roll.

We aren’t no thin red ‘eroes, nor we aren’t no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An’ if sometimes our conduck isn’t all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don’t grow into plaster saints;

While it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, fall be’ind”,
But it’s “Please to walk in front, sir”, when there’s trouble in the wind,
There’s trouble in the wind, my boys, there’s trouble in the wind,
O it’s “Please to walk in front, sir”, when there’s trouble in the wind.

———————-

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

None of the regular issues from Shu Shu Gah are extremely difficult to obtain.  Tracking down a complete collection of flaps is certainly achievable.

Amongst the more modern issues, the toughest is the delegate issue from the 1992 NOAC, the S20.  Since 1990, Shu Shu Gah Lodge has issued a delegate patch to those who attended NOAC as  part of the lodge contingent or on staff.   Typically 3 delegate flaps or sets where given to each person.

In 1992,  the patches were ordered prior to the total number of delegates being finalized.  A slighter larger than anticpated contingent meant there were only 2 patches available per delegate.  My undertanding is that only 50 were ordered.  The number was reduced when the lodge advisors car was broken into and his luggage stolen on the night before he was leaving for NOAC.  This resulted in 8-10 patches being lost (as he had the delegate patches for himself and several staff members he was meeting at NOAC).

Those shorted on the flap had to trade for them from within the contingent, leaving only around 40 in existance for a 25 person contingent.

The S20 Delegate flap differs from the regular NOAC Flap (S19) only in the black arrow.  The regular S19 has a red arrow.  Care should be taken in trading for this patch, as some examples have surface where the red arrow has been colored black with a marker or dye.

————————–

Rocker and Country Star Kid Rock helps out a group of Scouts. He gets the headline, but is not the only one to help.

Rock, a singer with a sometimes raunchy reputation, was among many readers who donated cash or gear to an Oviedo Boy Scout troop that last week had been robbed of its trailer and camping equipment.

Robert “Kid Rock” Ritchie, 37, learned of Troop 631’s plight from a column Saturday in the Orlando Sentinel. He was in Orlando and Tampa during the weekend for concerts.

Troop leaders discovered last week that someone had taken a $5,600 trailer parked behind Tuskawilla Presbyterian Church. The troop had bought the trailer in March after seven years of fundraising.

He is not the only one though.

Shoppes of Oviedo and Real Property Specialists donated $4,000 to replace the stolen gear.

Others chipped in with smaller donations and offers to lend or donate used tents and trailers to help the cause, said Tom Daly, the church’s liaison to the troop.

“Nothing short of miraculous,” Daly, 53, said of the response. “People’s hearts were in the right place. The boys won’t be denied their trip.”

Nor do the Scouts want a handout for themselves.

Still, Scouts aren’t keen on handouts. Already the troop is hatching community-service projects to rake leaves and spread mulch as a way to repay strangers’ kindness.

“A Scout earns his way,” said Bill Stott, 43, Troop 631 Scoutmaster. “The community is giving to us, so we want to give back to the community.”

The outpouring was so strong that donations likely will exceed the troop’s need, so the Scouts intend to share the wealth.

“Our just deserts are what we’ll replace, and then we’ll make a donation to a worthy cause,” Stott said.

 photo credit: jvh33

One of the hardest pieces from Buckskin Lodge #412 to collect is their J2 backpatch. The story as I heard it, is the teal background was an error and was not widely circulated and eventually destroyed. If anyone has the full story, please feel free to share it.

With apologies to Monty Python, and now for something completely different.

Brian Petrowski sent along the following information:

just wanted to let you know about a private raffle that I will be hosting for the famous Buckskin Lodge 412 “Teal” Legend jacket patch. As you all know this is one of the rarest Buckskin Lodge items because so few were actually released before they were destroyed. Up for raffle here is a crisp mint Buckskin Lodge teal legend jacket patch. Here is an opportunity for everyone to purchase a chance to win this teal legend patch. Here are the rules:

Haven’t followed up on this theme for a while, but I will be going through the GNYC Lodges one at a time and posting on the toughest pieces (or lack of them) from each lodge.

First up is Ranachqua Lodge #4, from The Bronx.

The single toughest (and most expensive) piece from this lodge is the first Chenille (C1).  Reportedly there were only 2 of these chenille made, both for Chief William Stumpp, the first chief of Ranachqua Lodge.  Only one is known to exist today and has sold for approximately $25,000.  I believe that this may be the highest priced OA item ever sold, or was at the time of the sale.

The early arrowheads from this lodge are also seldom seen with only a handful known to exist. 

Read the rest of this entry »

A year ago we were discussing Neckerchief slides, in particular one from Adirondack Lodge Lodge #357 with a scan from Ray Gould.

I have just come across a couple of slides from Ranachqua Lodge, which I’ll be posting on over the next few days.

———————-

I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they’ve always worked for me.

Hunter S. Thompson
US journalist (1939 - 2005)

Two years ago we were discussing a previously unlisted Jacket Patch from Nissequogue Chapter, part of Shinnecock Lodge #360. 

You can see one of my affiliate programs in the right sidebar ShoppingAds (formerly AuctionAds). This is a painless way to help support this blog if you shop on eBay, there is no extra cost to you.

When you click on an Auction Ad listing and take an action on eBay I earn a small bit of cash as a commission. Actions are defined as a Winning Bid, a Buy-it-Now or a confirmed user registration. I don’t know what you’ve bid on or even who you are. eBay pays ShoppingAds, who in turn pay me each month based on the referrals from this site.

Any proceeds I earn from this program will be used to help pay for the hosting fees, bandwidth, software purchases, etc. that keep this site running.If you enjoy this blog, want to help support it and shop on eBay. Click on the link in the right sidebar.

You do not have to bid on the item pictured, but this will put a 7-day cookie on your system. This will give the NYOATrader credit for your eBay purchases during that period. If you are going to bid on or purchase items on eBay anyway, clicking through the link is a painless way to support the this blog. Thanks for your support.

If you have your own website you may want to try ShoppingAds yourself.

Here are another pair of items from Tom Wadnola. This time from the 1960 Area 2-D Conclave. As you can see, this was the 10th Annual Conclave held by Area 2-D.

The OA Section list has the composition of Area 2-D at that time as:

• Sisilija #19
• Half Moon #28
• Wakpominee #48
• Mahikan #181
• Mohawk #267
• Ta-Oun-Ya-Wat-Ha #268
• Loon #364
• Onteroraus #402 (to 2-H before 1961)
• Nick Stoner #418
• Nooteeming #443

Can anyone confirm if Onteroraus Lodge #402 was still part of Area 2-D for the 1960 Conclave? Or were they already in Area 2-H?

There was also a neckerchief issued for the event.

——————

To get something done, a committee should consist of no more than three men, two of whom are absent.

Robert Copeland

Tom Wadnola has provided another pair of images, these are for the 1964 Area 2-A conclave.

The first is the pocket patch:

According to the OA Section List, the following lodges were part of Area 2A in 1964:

• Mide #15
• Skanondo #64
• Horicon #246
• Shinnecock #360
• Buckskin #412
• Nooteeming #443
• Munsi #444

Read the rest of this entry »