War vet hits streets for 10th year
| • | Which poppy? — Explaining the differences between the two |
By Will Hoover
Advertiser Staff Writer
James O'Brien, 78, survived World War II, the Korean War and cancer in fine form, but he says it's getting tougher than ever to stand for eight or nine hours and hand out poppies on the sunny street corner.
Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser
"I've got too many aches and pains these days," he said yesterday as he leaned against a lamp post at the corner of Kalakaua and Ka'iulani avenues. "I keep saying this will be my last year, but I know I'll be back."
War veteran James O'Brien, left, gives Phillip Kuchler of Mililani a Veterans of Foreign Wars "Buddy" Poppy in return for a donation. O'Brien says the average donation is one or two dollars, but Kuchler contributed $20.
As he has for 10 years, in the days leading up to Memorial Day, O'Brien pounds the pavement in Waikiki and downtown Honolulu with a handful of poppies in his right hand and a plastic bucket stuffed with bills under his left arm.
"Memorial Day Poppies," he repeats to passersby. "Any donation. Help disabled veterans. Help the guys who helped you."
Each year he orders 3,000 poppies. And every May he hits the street — morning and afternoon, seven days a week — until every one has been handed out. Usually, that brings about $4,500 to the coffers of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Diamond Head Post 8616.
This puts O'Brien, who was a Marine corporal in the Solomon Islands in WWII, and an Air Force master sergeant in Korea, among the tops in the country in annual poppy donations garnered.
While his counterparts frequently work military areas for donations, O'Brien prefers to walk among the public. Yesterday, he was easily the most visible poppy force in Waikiki.
The average donation is a dollar or two, he says. Sometimes people give more, sometimes less. Whatever they give, they get a smile and a sincere thanks from O'Brien.
Wear it proudly
George Arnold, 75, of Mission, Texas, paused to push some cash into O'Brien's bucket and happily collected a poppy.
"I always buy an American Legion Auxiliary poppy," said Arnold, who's visiting Hawai'i with his girlfriend, Bonnie Close. When Arnold — who was in the Navy in WWII and the Korean War — was told he was actually holding a VFW poppy, he seemed momentarily startled. But after eyeing his poppy, he declared, "Doesn't make a bit of difference. Same thing. I'll wear it proudly."
Like many folks, Arnold wasn't clear on the difference between poppies offered by the VFW and American Legion, the two organizations commonly associated with bright red artificial Memorial Day flowers. Volunteers from both groups have used poppies as a memorial flower and a means of raising money for veteran services and welfare assistance since the early 1920s.
The Legion poppy is made of red and green crepe paper, while the VFW's registered "Buddy" poppy has red cloth-like petals and a green plastic flower center.
The VFW poppy tradition began about a year before the Legion adopted the practice. Both organizations were inspired by a popular World War I poem by John McCrae, "In Flanders Fields," which described a battlefield of crosses marked by red poppies.
"In Flanders Fields the poppies blow, between the crosses, row on row," the poem begins.
Sales slow this year
People tell O'Brien that business must be pretty good this year because of the increased sense of patriotism nationwide. But, he reports the opposite. In 10 years of handing out poppies, this year has been the slowest.
"You'd be surprised how many people look at you like you've got a dirty stick in your hand," he said. "There have been people around the country who have denigrated soldiers since the Vietnam era. Some people still give you stink eye."
"Nobody rolled out any carpets for us until years after the war," said Vietnam era veteran Bill Kerstner, 50, as he stepped up to make a donation and twist a poppy stem around his shirt button. "I support VFW, I support the troops and I support the president. I go all the way."
Most of those who did take a poppy did so enthusiastically. Susan Kinne, 47, of Los Altos, Calif., wheeled a stroller carrying her 13-month old son, Charles, up to O'Brien's feet and smiled broadly.
"Thank you very much for doing this," she told him. "My dad was a veteran, and I lost him January. He was in the Army in India in World War II. He would have been 85 in March."
Kinne leaned down to show the poppy to Charles, who seemed fascinated by the flower.
"This is for Gramps, honey," said Kinne, before thanking O'Brien again. Then, she headed down the sidewalk pushing the stroller and disappeared into a sea of tourists and sunbathers.
