By Mary Frances McCarthy
HERALD Staff Writer
(From the issue of 5/27/04)

Many soldiers say you won’t find an atheist in a foxhole. Most wouldn’t argue with that.

"You pray that you don’t get hit," said Joseph Satriano, national commander of Catholic War Veterans (CWV) and a World War II veteran. "We’d get zapped every once in a while. Faith was helpful."

Satriano was stationed in the China, Burma, India Theatre as a photo intelligence officer for the Army Air Corps. Being stationed in the Pacific, it was not uncommon for Japanese bombs to be dropped nearby.

"We always called upon the Lord for protection and to get home safe," he said. "We did — though it took me 33 days to get home on a boat."

Satriano returned home in 1946 and married his wife, Rita. At that time he went into active reserves with the Army. He retired in 1968 as Lieutenant Colonel and joined the Catholic War Veterans the same year.

CWV has two posts in Virginia — the St. Anthony Post, of which Satriano is commander, and the Jacque-Martin Post, which Marvin McFeaters, a Vietnam Veteran, commands. Both are in Falls Church.

Catholic War Veterans was officially incorporated under the laws of the State of New York in 1935. Father Edward J. Higgins, who served as a commissioned Lieutenant Chaplain in the Army, gathered some of his parishioners who had served in World War I and formed CWV’s first unit in Brooklyn. CWV was blessed by Pope Pius XI the same year.

CWV local posts meet once a month. CWV is concerned with protecting and promoting "God, Country and Home." Much of its work concerns promoting patriotism in youths and helping veterans and their families. Recently, CWV hosted a national spelling bee. CWV members also visit veterans in hospitals and visit the homebound. As national commander, Satriano recently attended briefings at the Pentagon with the Department of Defense on the status of reserve units. He has also made several visits to the Veterans Administration (VA).

CWV is devoted to working on behalf of its members to ensure they receive all their eligible benefits. A national service officer, Ray Williams, volunteers at the VA to ensure Catholic veterans get proper benefits on disability claims.

World War II vets are dying at a rate of 1,056 a day, according to the VA. The VA is working on solutions to accommodate the men and women who wish to be buried in national cemeteries.

To help honor those who served in World War II, CWV will have a booth at the new World War II Memorial during the dedication weekend distribute information about Catholic War Veterans. In the Memorial Day parade, CWV will have a float, described by Satriano as a "big truck full of guys." Auxiliary President Delores Stedtler will also participate. Satriano has been invited to attend a number of ticketed events that weekend.

As part of the World War II Veterans Reunion Memorial Day Weekend on May 30, Dr. Jack Pulwers, a parishioner of St. Timothy Parish in Chantilly, will present a "Stars and Stripes" lecture on his book, The Press of Battle on the National Mall from 1 to 5 p.m.