Howard Stillwagon takes command of VFW Post 347
In a ceremony on Monday marked by reverence and pride, Vietnam War veteran Howard Stillwagon was sworn in as commander of Glen Cove’s James E. Donohue Veterans of Foreign War Post 347, succeeding Henryk Nowicki.
“I’m looking forward to some challenges, and mostly keeping all the guys happy — we’re all really good friends,” Stillwagon, who will turn 76 this month, said after being sworn in. “I’m all about peace and love. I will be spreading a lot of love in the post, and hopefully getting some more members, because we need the younger veterans.”
Stillwagon said he takes immense pride in helping his fellow veterans and the community, having been instrumental in rebuilding the post after a fire in August 2021. He was often seen at the hall cleaning up afterward, and overseeing donations to fund efforts to rebuild it. The rebuilding effort has also been supported by fundraisers organized by U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi and donations from organizations like the Tribute and Honor Foundation, a nonprofit founded by Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews, a former Glen Cove city councilman, and local chef Jeanine DiMenna. Additional donations came from Glen Cove residents.
“Without their help, we’d still be burned down here,” Stillwagon previously told the Herald.
As commander, he said, he looked forward to helping many of the post’s initiatives, including its two scholarship funds, one for members and their families, and the other for Glen Cove residents facing financial hardships.
Just before his deployment, his mother was hospitalized with double pneumonia, and Stillwagon received a brief extension to stay with her until her health improved. As he prepared for his deployment, Stillwagon spent a somber New Year’s Eve alone, with the Beatles’ “Hey Jude” reminding him of his imminent departure.
During his year in Vietnam, he sustained a brain injury as a result of a B-40 rocket explosion. Before the rocket struck, he took shelter behind a tree, but suffered a concussion from the explosion, which threw him into the air. Despite the injury, he was initially returned him to combat, which led to a confrontation with his lieutenant.
Stillwagon put in for a discharge, and was notified that the process had begun, and that he was to remain on base in Quan Loi, Vietnam, until his hearing. Before it took place, however, his lieutenant physically dragged him to an airstrip, Stillwagon recalled, and ordered him into a helicopter without any survival gear. When he refused, the lieutenant aimed a gun at Stillwagon’s head, but Stillwagon said he would rather face death or a court martial than return to the front lines.
Eventually, he saw a psychiatrist at another base, whom he told about his recent experience, and about his sickly mother at home. He was granted an honorable discharge. He landed in Oakland, California, on Nov. 24, 1969, was processed out of the Army, and flew to Kennedy Airport two days later, on Thanksgiving Day. When he recognized his tall father at the gate and his mother’s red hair, he ran to them.
Throughout his service, Stillwagon sent letters home, though he shielded his mother from the harsh realities of war. His father protested his son’s involvement in the war in a unique way, refusing to cut his hair until Howard came home.
Shortly after his return, Stillwagon’s mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and died three months later. Her death had a profound impact on Stillwagon, who found solace in the connection with his future wife, Mary Vasko.They discovered that Vasko’s mother, a nurse, had cared for Stillwagon’s mother during her final days, which created a deep bond between the two families.
Despite his losses and hardships, Stillwagon’s story reflects the enduring resilience and emotional strength of those who served and their families.
“Howie is great to work with,” Michael Danchalski, Post 347’s Adjutant, said. “He’s very personable and easygoing. He’s energetic, cares a lot, and will be very good for the post.”
