Category: Military

The VET CENTER-VIETNAM ERA VETERANS OUTREACH PROGRAM, funded by Congress under the Veterans Health Care Amendment Act (Public Law 96-22) and affiliated with the Department of Veteran Affairs, was established in 1979 to provide counseling services to veterans of the Vietnam War. Primarily focused on Vietnam-era veterans, the vet centers offer limited assistance to any veteran. Working with the Cleveland V.A.

VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS (VFW), a national organization for military veterans formed in Columbus, OH, in Apr. 1899, first appeared in Cleveland in 1920 with the formation of Post No. 84, commanded by George Collyer.

The VIETNAM WAR, an undeclared war in Southeast Asia in which the U.S. was engaged from 5 Aug. 1964 until signing a peace agreement in Jan. 1973, affected Clevelanders much as it did other Americans.

VISCAYA CANNON, located on the northwest quadrant of PUBLIC SQUARE is a 14 cm. rifled piece which was part of the armament on the Spanish Cruiser Viscaya. The Viscaya was engaged, along with other ships of the Spanish Fleet commanded by Admiral Pasqual Cevera, with the American Fleet commanded by Rear Admiral W. S.

WAR OF 1812. When Congress declared war against Great Britain on 18 June 1812, the village of Cleveland consisted of 100 or fewer souls huddled near the mouth of the CUYAHOGA RIVER. Except for their geographic location, they had no reason to be either especially interested or principal actors in the war.

The WAR VETERANS BAR ASSN., composed of WORLD WAR II veterans, was formed in 1946 to assist former servicemen in legal matters. Its first president was future U.S. Senator Stephen M. Young. The association expanded services in 1947 to provide legal assistance at reasonable fees to persons of moderate means.

WILBRAHAM, ROBERT L. (11 February 1933 - 15 April 1997) was a national AMVETS commander and president of the AMVETS National Service Foundation Board of Trustees from 1989 to 1997 [?].

The WILKINS EXPEDITION, led by British major John Wilkins in Nov. 1763, has frequently been erroneously identified as having foundered off ROCKY RIVER and Lakewood Park. Actually, this expedition, which was intended to relieve Ft.

WORLD WAR I. With a population of 560,665 on the eve of World War I, Cleveland stood as the 6th-largest city in the U.S. It thrived economically on the manufacture of iron and steel, paints and varnishes, foundry and machine-shop products, and electrical machinery and supplies. Although recently surpassed by Detroit in automobile production, it still excelled in the making of auto accessories.

WORLD WAR II. When Japan attacked the U.S. at Pearl Harbor on the morning of 7 Dec. 1941, the ranking American victim was a native Clevelander, Rear Adm. ISSAC C. KIDD, aboard the Arizona. Before V-J Day, his death would be followed by those of nearly 4,000 more Clevelanders out of a total of 160,000 called to service.