Alameda Kiwanis paid tribute to its member veterans at its November 6 meeting, in honor of Veterans Day November 11, noting that, “All served honorably, in service to our country.”
Current Alameda Kiwanis members who served in the U.S. Armed Forces:
- Jim Sweeney, Navy, Commander.
- Al Wright, Coast Guard.
- Denise Gasti, Navy, Petty Officer 1st Class.
- Leila Grassley, Coast Guard, O6 Captain.
- Joe Barker, Navy, Commander.
- Russ Grant, Army, Specialist 5, Information Specialist.
- Jeanie Egbert, Navy, Lieutenant Commander.
- Jeremie Andehueson, Army Reserve.
- Thomas Cobb, Navy, E5 Operations Specialist.
- Michael Gies, Air Force, Staff Sergeant.
- Dave Edwards, Navy, Lieutenant Commander.
Special tribute: Dave Denyven, who recently passed away at age 98, was awarded a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star for his service in World War II as a private in the Army Engineer Combat Battalion.
On January 31, 1945, he, along with 19 volunteers, strapped 50 pounds of TNT on his back and ran through oncoming artillery and small arms fire to successfully reach and blow up a German “pillbox”—a heavy concrete machine-gun bunker—near the Roer River in Germany. The war was almost over, and with Hitler committing suicide on April 30, 1945, the Victory in Europe was sealed on May 8 of that year.
Dave remained very modest in any conversation, saying only that he was wounded and sent back to the United States. We learned of this event only after his death.
An example of service beyond self in so many ways, Dave delivered Meals on Wheels in Alameda on his bicycle until age 97.
Thank you, veterans, from all branches of service. You honor our country by your example.
Patricia Bowen
Kiwanis Club of Alameda
