THE FAMOUS PHOTO OF THE FLAG RAISING ON IOWA JIMA 1945

THE FAMOUS PHOTO OF THE FLAG RAISING ON IOWA JIMA 1945

Everyone of my generation recognizes the famous photo of U.S. Marines raising the American flag on Iowa Jima taken in World War II. The photograph was taken by Joe Rosenthal which shows five U.S. Marines and a U.S. Navy corpsman raising the flag during the battle of Iowa Jima. The photo was instantly famous and was reprinted thousands of times. It is probably the most reproduced photograph of all times. It was the only photograph to win the Pulitzer Prize…

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SUPREME COURT JUSTICE ANTONIN SCALIA & JUDICIAL ETHICS – DISTANT COUSINS WHO RARELY SPEAK TO ONE ANOTHER

SUPREME COURT JUSTICE ANTONIN SCALIA & JUDICIAL ETHICS – DISTANT COUSINS WHO RARELY SPEAK TO ONE ANOTHER

Justice Antonin Scalia recent agreement to speak at the Tea Party Convention puts this controversial member of the U.S. Supreme court in the ethical spot light one more time. While there are ethics rules in place for lower federal court judges, there is no explicit code of ethics for the nine Supreme Court justices.He was appointed to the court in 1986. Since his appointment he has engaged in a continuous series of activities which call into question his awareness of…

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REFLECTIONS ABOUT A PHOTO TAKEN OVER HALF A CENTURY AGO

REFLECTIONS ABOUT A PHOTO TAKEN OVER HALF A CENTURY AGO

I just came across this photograph taken in 1959. It makes me both smile and be proud. That's my dad, Paul Luvera, Sr. and my mother, Mary Luvera. We are standing on the steps of the Skagit County Superior Court house. I've just been sworn in by Judges Charles Stafford and Art Ward as a member of the Washington State Bar Association. I was presented to the court by Robin Welts and his son, David Welts, was presented by Alfred…

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“THE LONE RANGER RIDES AGAIN” & OTHER OLD TIME RADIO PROGRAMS

“THE LONE RANGER RIDES AGAIN” & OTHER OLD TIME RADIO PROGRAMS

When I was a boy growing up there was no television. There was radio and the movies period. It was a time when you could find prizes in the breakfast food box or a coupon on the box to mail in for a special prize. Radio was the source of home entertainment. But, the radio was very special and a wonderful opening to a world of excitment and drama unlike anything television could provide because it involved the listener on a very personal level. You…

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FRED HARGESHEIMER, REMEMBERING A DEBT OWED

FRED HARGESHEIMER, REMEMBERING A DEBT OWED

On March 9, 2008 I wrote about a unique man, Fred Hargesheimer, https://paulluverajournalonline.com/weblog/2008/03/an-inspiring-st.html He was P-38 fighter pilot in the Southwest Pacific who was on a photographic reconnaissance mission when the Japanese shot his plane down on June 5, 1943. Fred parachuted and ended up in the jungle. For some thirty one days he managed to barely survive when he was found by local natives who were hunting. They took him to their village and for seven months they nursed him…

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ELIZABETH CATHERINE BARNETT 1910 – DECEMBER 20, 1985

ELIZABETH CATHERINE BARNETT 1910 – DECEMBER 20, 1985

I'm writing this about my late mother in law, Elizabeth (Betty) Catherine Devitt, who was born December 5, 1910 in Butte,Montana and died December 20, 1995 in Puyallup. Her children included my wife, Lita, Devitt (deceased) Hollis, Barbara and Monica.  She was a very remarkable woman in so many respects. She was also someone for whom I had a great deal of admiration, respect and love.  Betty's parents were Merritt John Devitt and Elizabeth McCarthy Devitt. She was baptized at St Patrick’s Catholic Church in Butte….

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PHYLLIS FILIPPA LUVERA 1870 – 1946

PHYLLIS FILIPPA LUVERA 1870 – 1946

My grandmother on dad's side of the family, Phyllis Filippa Luvera died in Anacortes, Washington on December 20, 1946.  By coincidence, that is also the day my wife's mother died. Nonna Luvera was born in Italy May 26, 1870 and spoke little English. Since dad believed the children should speak English we never learned Italian and could only communicated with her through dad. She was typical Italian grandmother, an excellent cook and who was always feeding us something. She  had Italian candy she offered us when ever we visited. Nonno and…

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A TRIP BACK IN TIME TO 1954

A TRIP BACK IN TIME TO 1954

 Yesterday was our office Christmas party. Our office claims representative for many years and my childhood friend, Nick Petrish,  has been out of the office undergoing treatment for medical problems, but he made it to this meeting. I showed some photos from our Anacortes high school days together and Rich Weyrich, the Skagit County Prosecutor, who is also an Anacortes graduate, sent along an old Anacortes  American of 1954 because it had a picture of Nick on the front page as captain of the football…

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