Cummings honored for 70 years of service at VFW

Across America, the Veterans of Foreign Wars are a familiar sight and symbolize a commitment to the nation both at home and abroad. The organization traces its roots back to 1899 when veterans of the Spanish-American War (1898) and the Philippine Insurrection (1899-1902) founded local organizations to secure rights and benefits for their service.

The VFW Mission: To foster camaraderie among United States veterans of overseas conflicts. To serve our veterans, the military and our communities. To advocate on behalf of all veterans.

When it comes to community service, the Lloyd Riding Post 6238 in Superior jumps in with both feet. Their most visible contribution is the steadfast Color Guard at parades and military funerals but as individual member of the post, there might not be an organization in the area that doesn’t have at least one VFW member.

Doug Cummings was born in Plains on May 17, 1934 and joined the Navy in 1951 at the age of 17. The next year while he was on active duty, he became a member of the Lloyd Riding Post 6238, Veterans of Foreign Wars which was headquartered in Plains, at that time.

On Nov. 16, Cummings received a plaque commemorating his 70 years of membership and service to the organization at a special ceremony at the Masons Lodge in Superior where Post 6238 has been for many years.

“That kinda knocked me for a loop,” the gracious gentleman said. “There had to be over a dozen of my family who showed up that I didn’t know were coming. It was a really nice thing of the guys to do.”

Cummings was originally a Gunners Mate on the USS Brown DE 546 which he was assigned to his entire enlistment. The ship was built in 1941 and saw action in World War II but after the Korean War, it was turned over to the Greek Navy.

“Twenty-two hundred and 50 tons,” he recites. “I think it was 175 feet long. I think, but we had 50 or 60 men on board.”

The USS Brown was a destroyer.

“We had 20 millimeters’ (guns) and they took them off before we went to Korea and replaced them with 2-sets of four 40 millimeters. We carried 10 torpedoes that were 8 to 10 feet long. And we had five 5-inch guns.”

The cots were stacked in threes and Cummings said he learned quickly to get the top one.

“That’s because guys would come in at all different hours from their shifts and they’d crawl up the other two beds which always woke you up.”

The 5-inch guns on the USS Brown were accurate at 9 miles but the ship usually stayed 5 miles out. Cummings didn’t know the magnification level of the binoculars that were used but there were some as long as a telescope that could track the shelling.

One war experience Cummings remembers well, took place on the coast of north Korea.

“There were lots of tunnels and this north Korean troop train was chugging along the tracks and it went into this big tunnel. The whole train was in the tunnel so we fired and closed the front of the tunnel. We caved the front in and then fired on the back and closed it too. It could have had 200 or 300 troops on it. We never knew. I often wonder what happened after that.”

When asked what other duties he performed, he laughs because he has no idea why he was chosen for the different jobs on the ship. One was the Helmsman steering the entire ship into port if they weren’t firing any weapons.

“The last two years I was on there, I was the Mount Captain. That’s why I got these,” as he points to his hearing aids. “I was at Mount 1, which is way out on the bow and I stuck my head up out of the hatch. I had my phones on (hearing protection earmuffs) but I always left my left ear open so I could hear the conversations and the Number 2 gun fired right over my head. Not only did it make one Helluva noise, but the heat was tremendous!”

Cummings hearing loss resulted in 70% disability upon his discharge that he continues to receive today. A highlight of his time in the Navy was the cease fire in 1953.

“McArther (General) was on a Carrier and there were four destroyers, two on each side guarding it, and I was on one of them. They flew him up there from the Philippines to sign all the papers and then he came out and waved to all of us. He was less than 100 yards away,” he remembers.

Discharged May 5, 1955 Cummings made it home on his 21st birthday. “I barely made it to Thompson Falls in time to renew my driver’s license that was going to expire the next day,” he chuckles.

Jim DeBree, Commander of VFW Post 628, organized the semi-surprise reception and presented Cummings with a plaque.

“We realize Doug has been an integral part of VFW and his contributions to our post has helped to sustain and maintain our commitment to veterans throughout the community. Our heartfelt thanks to you Doug,” he said.

Doug Cummings and his wife Neva have lived, worked and served Mineral County and set the bar very high as an example of stewardship.