At the Veterans Breakfast Club,
Stories Unite Us.
Check out our online & in-person veterans storytelling programs and see our full event schedule below. All are welcome to join us!
The VBC returns to Bucks County Community College in Newtown, Pennsylvania, for its second Veterans Storytelling Breakfast on Monday, March 31, from 8:30am-10:30am.
Join us to listen and learn, connect and heal, and say thank you to those who’ve served. You don’t need to be a veteran to attend.
What: Veterans Storytelling Breakfast, free and open to the public.
Where: Bucks County Community College (275 Swamp Road Newtown, PA 18940) Gallagher Room in the Rollins Building (see parking instructions below)
When: Monday, March 31, from 8:30am-10:30am.
How to RSVP: Leave your name and names of those in your party and a phone number to: 412-623-9029 or JoAnn@veteransbreakfastclub.org
The Veterans Breakfast Club brings American history to life. Join us to listen and learn, connect and heal, and say thank you to those who’ve served. You don’t need to be a veteran to attend.
Where else, but at the Veterans Breakfast Club, can you gather for a casual meal and meet a 101-year-old Navy WAVE codebreaker from World War II, a Silver Star recipient from Vietnam, and a Top Gun F-18 pilot all at the same time?
The Veterans Breakfast Club has been bringing these people and more together for face-to-face storytelling events since 2008. People come to listen and learn, connect and heal, and say thank you to those who’ve served.
These breakfasts began informally in 2008 with some 30 World War II veterans. They grew to give our organization its name and serve as the flagship for a growing array of storytelling programs where veterans of all eras and branches of service could share their experiences with the public. Most of these in-person events are held in the Pittsburgh region, but we’re branching out to other locations to reach more veterans and hear more stories. One week we might might be in a VFW hall, then next week a country club or a banquet room.
We serve breakfast at 8:30am, start the program at 9:00am, and bounce around the room with the microphone until 10:30am listening to as many veterans as we can. You never know what you’re going to hear. There are often a few tears, and always a lot of laughter. Join our community of listening by coming to one of our face-to-face storytelling events!
Thank you to UPMC for Life, Bucks County Community College and Bucks County Department of Veterans Affairs for underwriting this event!
During the Vietnam War, American civilians played pivotal roles in supporting both military operations and humanitarian efforts, working through government agencies and nonprofit organizations. Thousands of these civilians were women, and we talk with several of them tonight!
Ann Kelsey was a UCLA graduate when she volunteered for the Army Special Services to serve in Vietnam as a civilian librarian. In Vietnam, Kelsey managed the U.S. Army Headquarters Area Command Library in Saigon before overseeing four libraries across Cam Ranh Bay, the Sixth Convalescent Center, Dong Ba Thin, and Nha Trang. These libraries functioned much like small-town public libraries, providing soldiers with access to books, records, and movies. They served as crucial sanctuaries, offering soldiers a respite from the war and a connection to the familiar comforts of home.
Kelsey’s role extended beyond managing library resources; she assisted soldiers with correspondence courses, helping them pursue educational goals amidst the chaos of war. Her dedication to supporting the troops highlighted the importance of intellectual engagement and morale-boosting activities during the conflict.
After her service in Vietnam from 1969 to 1970, Ann continued her career in library science, working in various libraries and specializing in automation planning and system procurement. She remained actively involved in veterans’ organizations and efforts to document the oral histories of veterans, ensuring that the experiences of those who served are preserved for future generations. wliw.org+2oralhistory.rutgers.edu+2news.ucr.edu+2
Ann’s experiences in Vietnam not only exemplify the critical role of civilian support during wartime but also underscore the profound impact such service can have on both the individuals who serve and those they support.
René Johnson similarly felt a compelling need to understand the U.S. involvement in the war firsthand. In 1969, after graduating from Florida State University, she joined the American Red Cross’s Supplemental Recreation Activities Overseas (SRAO) program, becoming one of the esteemed “Donut Dollies.”
René was initially stationed at Chu Lai with the Americal Division and later at Cu Chi with the 25th Infantry Division. Her primary role involved traveling to remote fire support bases via helicopter, where she and her colleagues organized morale-boosting activities for the troops. A typical day entailed boarding a helicopter around six in the morning, visiting one or two firebases, conducting programs for at least five hours, serving lunch, and then returning to base to prepare for the next day’s activities.
The challenges were significant. René recounted that visiting soldiers in hospitals, especially those with severe injuries, was particularly taxing. She grappled with finding the right words to comfort those who had sustained critical wounds, such as lost limbs or disfigured faces, and endeavored to reassure them about their futures.
Despite the hardships, René found her work deeply fulfilling. After completing her one-year tour as a Donut Dollie, she felt a profound connection to Vietnam and its people. This bond led her to return with the U.S. Army Special Services in the Service Club division, further supporting the troops and local communities.
Betty Burris felt it wasn’t fair that our men were subject to the draft and women weren’t. Betty applied to the Air Force but was told she’d have to wait for induction, probably due to a quota that limited the number of women in the military. As a USO volunteer in Philadelphia, she learned of the American Red Cross (ARC) Service in Military Hospitals program. Betty served in the ARC as a Social Worker from 1970 to 1978 in the Portsmouth Naval Regional Medical Center (Virginia), Valley Forge Army Hospital (Pennsylvania), 95th Evacuation Hospital (Vietnam) , Saigon Army Hospital (Vietnam), Wiesbaden Air Force Hospital (Germany), and the Philadelphia Naval Regional Medical Center (Pennsylvania).
We’ll also talk with other women who served in Vietnam with the US Agency for International Development , Non-governmental organizations, and the American Red Cross.
We’re grateful to UPMC for Life for sponsoring this event!
Come to our live, in-person breakfast in Beaver, PA.
We meet at Seven Oaks Country Club (132 Lisbon Rd, Beaver, 15009). You’ll walk in, pick up your name badge, pay $15 if you plan to eat (no cost for those who don’t), and meet others who are there to hear and share the stories. Breakfast is served at 8:30am. At 9:00am, we start the program. For the next 90 minutes, we circulate the room with the microphone and have veterans share a slice of their service experience. You never know what you’re going to hear, and there’s always new people with new memories to offer.
RSVP by calling 412-623-9029 or emailing betty@veteransbreakfastclub.org. Please make sure to RSVP for events at least two days in advance. We understand that your schedule can change quickly, but advance notice of attendance always helps us and our venues prepare the program. Thank you!
Thank you to our sponsors, VITAS, Beaver Financial, and UPMC for Life!
We look forward to our first breakfast at Monroeville United Methodist Church, whose pastor, Rev. Kelly J. Smith, has kindly embraced our mission by having the church pay for everyone’s breakfast!
We’ll meet at Monroeville United Methodist Church (219 Center Rd, Monroeville, PA 15146) in their fellowship hall. We’ll show photos of veterans on a screen and hear from as many veterans as possible during the program.
You’ll walk in, pick up your name badge, and meet others who are there to hear and share the stories. Breakfast is served at 8:30am. At 9:00am, we start the program. For the next 90 minutes, veterans share slices of their service experience. You never know what you’re going to hear, and there’s always new people with new memories to offer.
RSVP by calling 412-623-9029 or emailing betty@veteransbreakfastclub.org. Please make sure to RSVP for events at least two days in advance.
We understand that your schedule can change quickly, but advance notice of attendance always helps us and our venues prepare the program. Thank you!
Thank you to our sponsors for supporting this event!
We welcome two people who have devoted themselves to educating the nation about the long Korean War and those who served and sacrificed for South Korea’s freedom. The first is Susan Kee whose “Honoring Korean War Veterans” project has documented the stories of over 500 Korean War veterans and advocated for the families of those still MIA since the war.
Joining Susan is Army Korean War veteran Ron Twentey, who served in Korea in 1955-1957. Ron grew up in a small farm community near Frederick, Maryland, and worked on local farms from the age of ten, performing hard labor without modern mechanized equipment. Earning 25 cents an hour, he gained an appreciation for the value of work. A strong childhood memory from 1944 was collecting milkweed pods for the war effort, which were used as a substitute for kapok in life jackets. This initiative made him feel like he was contributing to the war.
During high school, Twentey watched the Korean War unfold. He was awarded a scholarship to the University of Maryland for his track and field abilities but was uncertain about his future. Ultimately, he decided to enlist in the U.S. Army for three years, intending to return to school afterward.
His military service began with basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, with the 101st Airborne Division. He then attended the Engineer School at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, specializing in military drafting. Upon completing his training, Twentey and his entire class of 22 men were assigned to Korea. Departing from Seattle, Washington, on a troop ship, he arrived in Inchon after a 20-day journey. From there, they took an old steam train north toward the DMZ. Unaware of their exact destination, they were dropped off and left alone until a convoy of trucks transported them to a replacement tent compound. That night, local Korean boys raided the camp, stealing Army blankets and supplies—a common occurrence due to poverty and shortages following the war.
The next day, Twentey was assigned to Headquarters, 24th Infantry Division, G-3 Combat Operations, south of Munsan-Ni. The division had recently returned from Japan to safeguard the DMZ following the Korean War armistice. The fragile peace was frequently challenged by North Korean infiltrators. Twentey served as an Infantry Operations Specialist and Platoon Sergeant, maintaining records of minefield locations above the Imjin River, overseeing maps in the bunker and mobile war rooms, and tracking U.S. and UN troop movements within the DMZ. His work was classified, reflecting the sensitive nature of operations at the time.
Additionally, he was tasked with plotting potential nuclear targets throughout North Korea. Using the “Atomic Annie” cannon as a potential delivery method, his job required pinpointing key targets—a task so secretive that he was ordered to forget about it once completed.
Twentey served in Korea for 16 months before returning to the U.S. and becoming an engineering instructor. After leaving the military, he worked as a draftsman, eventually transitioning into marketing and communications. His contributions highlight the intricate and often perilous roles played by soldiers in the Korean War and its aftermath, emphasizing the enduring challenges of peacekeeping in a volatile region.
Susan Kee was born in South Korea and immigrated to the United States at the age of five. As the daughter of Korean War survivors, she grew up with a deep appreciation for the sacrifices made by American soldiers. After a successful career in the corporate world, she shifted her focus to honoring Korean War veterans, dedicating her life to documenting their stories and advocating for their recognition.
Susan’s work exemplifies the spirit of dedication to Korean War veterans and their families. Her passion stems from a deeply personal place—her gratitude for the American soldiers who fought for South Korea’s freedom.
We’re grateful to UPMC for Life for sponsoring this event!
Join us for a FREE VBC breakfast at Ridgecrest Senior Living in McCandless on Wednesday, May 14 at 8:30am. Please RSVP for this free breakfast event by calling 412-623-9029 or emailing betty@veteransbreakfastclub.org.
Everyone is welcome, veterans and non-veterans, and the breakfast will be provided for free courtesy of Ridgecrest Senior Living.
We plan our usual fast-moving and wide-ranging program with lots of participation. We’ll have veterans of various ages and branches of service sharing their stories of service.
Breakfast is served at 8:30am. At 9:00am, we start the program. For the next 90 minutes, veterans share slices of their service experience. You never know what you’re going to hear, and there’s always new people with new memories to offer.
RSVP by calling 412-623-9029 or emailing betty@veteransbreakfastclub.org. Please make sure to RSVP for events at least two days in advance. We understand that your schedule can change quickly, but advance notice of attendance always helps us and our venues prepare the program. Thank you!
Thank you to our event sponsors Aetna, Dignity Memorial, and Commonwealth Hospice!
