Thanks to Comrades Ralph Moore, Bill Merryman, and Frank Lamson for their contribution to this page.
Col Horace Hickam VFW Post 970 was not the original VFW Post on Hickam Air Force Base. In 1945 some World War II veterans formed the Pvt. Stuart H. Fiander VFW Post 3830, later to change its name to the Lt Gen Millard F. Harmon VFW Post 3830. Their meetings were held at Fort Kamehameha, which was part of the US Army Air Corps located at Hickam Field. Because of all the World War II veterans stationed at Hickam Field and Pearl Harbor, VFW Post 3830 was the largest VFW Post in the Territory of Hawaii.
1959: VFW Post 3830 lost it’s permission to hold its meetings at Fort Kamehameha and so they move off Hickam Air Force Base. For several years in the 1960s, VFW Post 3830 kept on moving, not having a permanent meeting location, it finally disbanded.
Sometime after that VFW Post 3830 was reorganized on the Big Island of Hawaii in Pahoa. The new VFW Post 3830 was named the Lance Corporal Hayward Kimo Hamili Peleiholani Post.
1980 December 13: The Col Horace Hickam VFW Post 970 was charted with its meetings held at the Golden Anchor Restaurant on the beach at Hickam Air Force Base.
1981 June 18: VFW Post 970 dedicated a monument commemorating the end of Operation Homecoming that brought the POWs back from Vietnam, April 4, 1973. The plaque was placed at the Hickam AFB gas station near to where the POWs first stepped back onto US soil.
1986 July 3: VFW Post 970 dedicated the first plaque at the Hickam AFB flagpole in memory of U.S. servicemen held prisoner and those missing in action of all wars “Lest We Forget”.
1988 July: Post 970 was deactivated till 30 Jun 1993
1993 July 1: Post 970 Reactivated
1996-1997: VFW Post 970 became the first Post in the State of Hawaii to receive National honors and be designated as an “All American Post” for that fiscal year.
1997 April 4: VFW Post 970 along with the PACAF Top Three and the Chiefs Group of Hawaii rededicated a new monument commemorating the end of Operation Homecoming, April 4,1973 at the Hickam AFB gas station.
1997-1998: VFW Post 970 received the VFW Department of Hawaii’s honors of being designated as an “All State Post”.
1998-1999: VFW Post 970 received the VFW Department of Hawaii designation as “All State Post” for the second time.
1999-2000: VFW Post 970 became a two time “All American Post”.
2000-2001: VFW Post 970 became a three time “All American Post”. Also received the VFW Department of Hawaii “All State Post” Honors for the third time.
2001 April 14: VFW Post 970’s first annual Luau at the Pearl Harbor-Honolulu Branch 46, Fleet Reserve Association. This annual Luau became a major event in the Veteran community for over 10 years with the Hickam Base Commander or Deputy Commander in attendance as well as the Adjutant General for the State of Hawaii National Guard. Mahalo to Comrade Nathan Kum and his family for allowing us to use their family farm to do the imu for all those years.
2001-2002: VFW Post 970 became the first “Distinguished All American Post” in the State of Hawaii, making it a four time “All American Post” and became a four time “All State Post”. Also receiving the National VFW Outstanding Post Community Service Award.
2002 December 13: VFW Post 970 Adopted the 293rd Combat Communications Squadron and the HQ 201st Combat Communications Group, Hawaii Air National Guard. Actively supporting their deployments and annually supporting their Family Day events until the units deactivation November 5, 2016.
2002-2003: VFW Post 970 became a five time “All American Post”.
2003-2004: VFW Post 970 became a six time “All American Post”.
2005-2006: VFW Post 970 became a seven time “All American Post” and five time “All State Post”.
2006-2007: VFW Post 970 became an eight time “All American Post” and six time “All State Post”.
2008: VFW Post 970 became the chartering organization for the Boy Scotts of America Troop 135 on Hickam Air Force Base. This was the first of many youth organizations to be officially supported by the Post.
2010-2011: VFW Post 970 became a nine time “All American Post” and the seventh time “All State Post”.
2011-2012: VFW Post 970 became a ten time “All American Post”.
2013 Sep 20: VFW Post 970 along with the PACAF Top Three and the Chiefs Group of Hawaii rededicated a new monument commemorating the end of Operation Homecoming, April 4, 1973, across the Hickam AFB gas station.
2014-2015: VFW Post 970 received the VFW Department of Hawaii designation as “All State Post” for the eighth time.
2019: VFW Post 970 Adopted the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA). Actively supporting their deployments and annually supporting their Family Day events.
2020-2021: VFW Post 970 became an eleven time “All American Post”.
2021 Sep 20: VFW Post 970 placed a Flag Depository Box at the Oahu Veterans Center to collect unserviceable American flags to properly retire them.