DeShazer

Born Nov. 15, 1912, in Salem, Ore., Sergeant DeShazer graduated from Madras High School in 1931. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1940.

Sergeant DeShazer, then a corporal, was the bombardier of Crew No.16 flying the “Bat Out of Hell,“ the last of the 16 B-25 Mitchell bombers to launch from the USS Hornet April 18, 1942, on the famous bombing run over Tokyo. Led by legendary aviation pioneer Lt. Col. James H. “Jimmy“ Doolittle, the raid is one of the most studied and talked about missions in the history of aerial warfare.

All 16 bombers made it to their targets. However, they were forced to ditch or bail out over or along the Chinese coast because the task force had been spotted by Japanese picket boats, and Colonel Doolittle had decided to launch early – more than 600 miles from the Japanese mainland and 200 miles farther out than planned.

Sergeant DeShazer and the rest of his B-25 crew were forced to parachute into enemy territory over Ningpo, China, when their B-25 ran out of fuel. The entire crew was captured by the Japanese the next day.

During his captivity, Sergeant DeShazer was sent to Tokyo with the survivors of another Doolittle crew, and was held in a series of prison camps in Japan and China for 40 months, 34 of which were in solitary confinement. During this time he was subjected to unbelievable cruelty, including being forced to watch helplessly while one of his friends died of slow starvation.

“My hatred for the enemy nearly drove me crazy,“ he said. “My thoughts turned toward what I had heard about Christianity changing hatred between human beings into real brotherly love. I begged my captors to get me a Bible, and when the emperor of Japan told them to treat us better, I got one.“

Sergeant DeShazer was able to read the Bible for only three weeks. Still, its message had a lifelong impact on him. After his release, he attended college and then seminary in preparation to become a missionary.

Sergeant DeShazer returned to Japan in 1948, where he spent 30 years preaching and teaching Christianity.

He leaves behind his wife, Florence, and five children.

Individuals who normally do not file a tax return, but must do so this year to receive their economic stimulus payment, can use a free filing tool. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and several of its partners in the Free File Alliance will accept returns submitted by those who have no legal requirement to file other than to receive stimulus payments

‘‘If you are only filing a return to receive a stimulus payment, Free File is a great option for you,” said Linda E. Stiff, IRS commissioner. ‘‘All you need to do is follow the simple instructions provided by the software. It’s easy, and it’s free.” People in this category should take care to use only those companies listed on the Free File section for the payments under ‘‘Online Tools” at www.irs.gov.

Individuals and families must have at least $3,000 of income from any combination of earned income, Social Security retirement or disability benefits, certain Railroad retirement benefits, or disability compensation, disability pension, or survivor benefits paid by Veterans Affairs. The minimum economic stimulus payment is $300 for individuals and $600 for married couples.

To obtain a payment, those who are eligible for payments up to $600 for individuals ($1,200 for married couples) must file a tax return in order for the IRS to know their name, address and eligibility. Parents also may qualify for a $300 payment for each eligible child younger than 17. Valid Social Security numbers are required.

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There is no charge for using IRS Free File. With just a few answers, people can complete a simple form and use IRS e-file. IRS officials also urge filers to use direct deposit to a checking or savings account, because it is the fastest way to receive an economic stimulus payment. First payments are expected to be issued in May.

Though gas prices rise daily and the stock market makes nerve-wracking adjustments by the hour, commissaries provide customers the constant relief of groceries sold at cost – every day, every hour. The Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) operates a worldwide chain of commissaries providing groceries to military personnel, retirees and their families in a safe and secure shopping environment.

“Commissaries save authorized shoppers 30 percent or more over commercial grocery store prices,“ said Rick Page, DeCA director. “That means a family of four saves nearly $3,000 annually. Couples can save nearly $1,900; single shoppers, more than $1,000.“

DeCA's average savings calculations are based on an annual price comparison study, which compares commissary prices on approximately 30,000 items with those of local supermarkets, major grocery store chains and super centers. The survey also takes into account state taxes and the 5-percent commissary surcharge, which funds commissary renovation and construction.

Figures for fresh meat and produce, as well as data for locations outside the contiguous United States, are obtained via random sampling. Weighting techniques take into account such factors as cost of living in a variety of areas and regions, as well as customer buying habits.

“Commercial stores are profit-motivated. They lower prices on popular items to attract customers, and they recoup those losses by pricing other items much higher. This routine business practice uses a lower-priced item as a 'loss leader,'“ said Page. “Though we operate in businesslike fashion and are proud of our stewardship of American tax dollars, our sole reason for being here is to deliver the benefit.“

The Department of Veterans Affairs is deploying mobile pharmacies that will provide vital medicine when patients are unable to fill their prescriptions during major emergencies, especially natural disasters.

Each VA mobile pharmacy is housed in a 40-foot-long solid steel trailer built to withstand winds in a Category 3 storm. The units include a satellite connection with VA's Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy system, a computerized, automated state-of-the-art mail-out pharmacy that can process more than 1,000 prescriptions hourly.

Pharmacists can use the satellite system to obtain a veteran's prescription data to dispense the drugs on site. In addition, VA can send replacement medications during an emergency by mail or another carrier to a veteran's home or temporary address.

VA recognized the need for mobile pharmacies in 2005 after hurricanes Katrina and Rita severely damaged VA medical centers along the Gulf Coast.

To ensure rapid response to a wide range of emergencies, VA's mobile pharmacies will be strategically placed across the nation. Plans call for one of the three mobile pharmacies to be stationed at Dallas; Murfreesboro, Tenn.; and Charleston, S.C. A fourth unit is planned for the western part of the country.