New Jersey World War II Veterans Organization to Hold Final Meeting

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) May 25, 2004 -- After 28 years the Garden State Basha of the China-Burma-India Veterans Association will hold its final meeting ever on June 13, 2004 at the Wharfside Restaurant, Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey, from 2 pm until 5 pm.

At the May meeting members of the Garden State Basha (a term for housing native to Burma) voted to cease official activities. The national host organization, the China-Burma-India Veterans Association (CBIVA), will cease operation in September of 2005.

Each day over one thousand veterans of World War II are lost to the passage of time. Surviving veterans are approaching or in their 80s. This has reduced the Basha�s membership from a high of 182 in the early 1980s to only 46 today.

The China-Burma-India Theater of Operations (CBI) produced some of the most notable events and figures of World War II, including General �Vinegar� Joe Stilwell, The Flying Tigers, Merrill�s Marauders, �The Hump� military airlift, and the building of the Ledo Road.

CBI is often referred to as �The Forgotten Theater of World War II� because of the relatively few Americans (about 250,000) who served there. Members of the Garden State Basha served in all branches of U.S. Armed Forces in CBI.

According to Robert Abrams, Commander of the Garden State Basha, �We did our duty and served with honor. Many of us became comrades and kept that friendship going through the CBIVA and Garden State Basha. Now we are old men and women. An important phase of our lives is coming to an end. The CBIVA and Garden State Basha were a big part of our lives. Great friendships were made. We had yearly national reunions for forty-five years and the Garden State Basha held 7 meetings a year for 28 years. Our newsletter, The Monsoon Tribune, kept the members informed of news of the Basha and news important to veterans. We were just a bunch of great guys and gals who enjoyed being together and telling stories of our days in CBI.�

Members and guests are encouraged to attend the final meeting as this veteran�s organization comes to an end. The meeting will be held June 13, 2004 from 2 pm until 5 pm in the Topside Room of the Wharfside Restaurant, Channel Drive, Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey, 08742. 732-892-9100. For directions or more information please call Bob Abrams at 732-257-4084 or Priscilla Flint at 973-584-5028.