Commander's Message
What started out as a typical, ordinary American Legion veteran's organization, but filled with extraordinary Chinese-American veteran comrades, a new Band of Brothers was formed. Beginning with our march on October 31, 2003 and continuing to this present day, the American Legion Cathay Post #384 has created a new renaissance of being one of the most active veteran's Posts in California.
Our Band of Brothers has adopted three goals: (1) To establish the Chinese-American Veterans Memorial Museum, commemorating soldiers of Chinese ancestry from the American Civil War to the present day; (2) Build a permanent housing, dedicated to Chinese-American veterans and their families who are in need; and (3) Develop a youth program, in order to improve the quality of our community's leadership in the future.
These three goals will not be easily attained. However, the Band of museum, a start-up funding for the Chinese-American Veteran Housing Trust Fund, and the promotion of youth programs. The latter includes the Chinatown Boy Scouts, Chinatown Youth Center, Miss Asian USA Pageant, and two Cathay Post #384 Scholastic and Achievement Awards given each year. The athletic programs represent a combination of six San Francisco high school Junior ROTC programs and Cathay Post #384's annual sponsorship of Chinese Soldiers of the Potomac Award at the University of San Francisco's ROTC program. These awards help promote physical fitness and the preservation of the history of soldiers of Chinese ancestry who served in the defense of America from the American Civil War to the present time.
During the past three years, the Band of Brothers of Cathay Post #384 has quickly set off on mission, focusing on community volunteerism and on actively leading the promotion of equal partnership in the mainstream of American society, fighting against racial profiling and discrimination. Cathay Post #384 has reestablished leadership in the community by being a courageous, prime organization that encourages the promotion of Americanism. Our performance for the past three years speaks for itself. Our extraordinary Band of Brothers has turned the tide to transform Cathay Post #384 into one of the leading veteran pathfinder organizations in America. We are PROUD to be Chinese-American veterans.
Cathay Post #384 has jumped out of the land where time was forgotten and has stepped into the modern world with a dynamic Board of Directors who offers fresh talent, equipped with technical skills to meet the challenges in today's society.
August 27, 2006
Bok F. Pon