BOOK NOTE: A historical analysis of the Ukrainian American Veterans

PARSIPPANY, N.J. - "Ukrainian American Veterans 1948-1998: Historical Analysis and Evaluation" by Dmytro Bodnarczuk, Ph.D. was published by the Ukrainian American Veterans in 1998 on the occasion of the organization's 50th anniversary.

The book commences with a chapter containing entries on Ukrainians and Ukrainian Americans who have served in the United States armed forces starting with the Civil and Spanish American wars, and continuing through World War I, World War II, the Korean, Vietnam and Persian Gulf wars.

The primary objective of the book, however, as noted in the preface, is "to describe ... and evaluate activities and events in the life of the Ukrainian American Veterans organization from 1948 to 1997."

The core of the book is devoted to the UAV organization, which was established on Memorial Day at the first national convention convened in 1948 in Philadelphia. There is a section on the activities of the national executive boards, the national ladies auxiliary, and the Ukrainian American Military Association, which became affiliated with the UAV at the latter's 1997 national convention.

Among other topics covered are the UAV national welfare fund, local UAV organizations, individual posts and the UAV state departments, which accommodate regional concerns.

In a chapter titled "Working for Peace and Security of the U.S.A.," the focus is on work with other local war veterans, charitable, social and political organizations; and on UAV members and Ukrainian Americans in the U.S. armed forces, with specific reference to "Operation Desert Storm."

A section on the UAV's mission of peace includes UAV projects in Ukraine, with reference to participation in missions of humanitarian, medical and military nature (e.g., the joint military exercises "Operation Peace Shield-95," conducted by the U.S. armed forces and Ukraine in the Lviv area on May 22-June 1, 1995). The chapter concludes with UAV resolutions passed in support of U.S. security, its foreign policy and national interest.

A separate chapter is dedicated to the UAV and Ukraine, covering such topics as: dissemination of information about Ukraine in the U.S.; organized charitable aid to Ukraine, starting in 1948 and intensifying with the advent of the independence of Ukraine in 1991; UAV participation in briefings, conferences and official ceremonies concerning U.S.-Ukraine relations; as well as UAV contacts, on both individual and organizational levels, in Ukraine.

The book concludes with a summary and evaluation of the organization's 50 years of activity and the role the UAV has played in both the Ukrainian and American communities. This is followed by appendices containing individual post histories, selected documents from the UAV archives; and photographs depicting significant events in the life of the Ukrainian American Veterans.

The book is available from: Ukrainian American Veterans, 2 E. 79th St., New York, NY 10021.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, May 30, 1999, No. 22, Vol. LXVII

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