Ernest Algorri Memorial Scholarship, Loyola Law School of Los Angeles

The Ernest Algorri Sr. Scholarship salutes the YANKEE AIR PIRATE podcast. The story of Vietnam POW Capt. Dick Stratton who served 6 1/2 years in a Vietnam prison after being shot down and who tells his story first-hand with his son Pat, a Naval Academy USMC veteran as the host. Incredible story of personal strength, courage and American determination by a Stanford and Georgetown graduate who decided to serve his country as a Navy Carrier pilot upon graduation. Also just plain funny at the right times. We salute you Capt. Stratton! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvfDLUt0FnA

The Ernest Algorri, Sr. memorial scholarship is celebrating what would have been my father’s 95th birthday this coming Monday, October 26th. As a survivor of the Great Depression with 4 brothers and as a WWII US Navy veteran he would have demanded civility, decorum, class and courage in these challenging times. He voted neither republican nor democrathe voted on who he felt was best under the circumstances while respecting differing points of view. He knew that is why his g...eneration fought a world war against enemy forces. The Scholarship stands for these basic principles and salutes all Americans who respect our country and all its institutions that preserve these values. Most importantly the Scholarship supports those young men and woman in both active duty and veteran status who place their life on the life not for only these ideas but for all of us to have the right to peacefully disagree.

Both a Stanford and Georgetown grad and what did honorable Captain Dick Stratton do? He became a navy carrier pilot in the Vietnam war and was a POW for six years in the Hanoi Hilton with John McCain after being shot down. The Ernest Algorri Sr. Memorial Scholarship salutes Captain Stratton for placing courage, duty and principle over financial gain and upholding our finest American traditions.

**SAVE THE DATE** 46th Annual 8th AFHS Reunion goes virtual! While we can’t create an entire virtual reunion, we can certainly bring the reunionor at least a... good portion of itto you here on this page. Please mark your calendars for Saturday, October 24, 2020. From 12 noon until 4pm [Eastern Standard Time], we will be utilizing Zoom via Facebook Live here on our Facebook page! https://www.facebook.com/groups/8THAFHS/?ref=share You will be able to see and hear several speakers share powerful stories and dynamic history of the 8th Air Force! Simply sign in to FB and open our page. You won’t want to miss a moment! We’ll be posting a complete schedule a little closer to the 24th.

It wasn't just "guys" that fell for this country, and your freedom. It was "these guys".