U.S. SERVICEMEN and servicewomen were saluted by Koa’e Kea, the organization of retired Hawaiian Airlines hostesses, stewardesses and flight attendants, Saturday at the Ala Moana Hotel. The gals came through with flying colors. Many wore red, white or blue outfits.

Koa’e Kea mainstay and emcee Hale Ka’ohu Rowland proudly wore the dog tags of her dad, Master Sgt. Levi Ka’ohu Jr., who served in World War I,

World War II and Korea. Eula May "Skippy" Sweet looked sharp in her white Coast Guard Auxillary jacket with captain’s stripes.

Former DC 3 Hawaiian pilots who served in WWII and the Korean War were honored. They included Bob Maguire, J.C. Hearn, Gill Hicks, Richard Barcheski, Paddy Evans, who flew in from Molokai, and Joe Tacker, who waited 10 hours for his Honolulu flight at Los Angeles International Airport because of the deadly shooting there last week. Also honored were Hawaii Army National Guard 1st Sgt. Jeremy Chang, who served in Afghanistan, his wife, retired National Guard Master Sgt. Mara Bacon Chang, who served in Iraq, and photographer Wayne Iha, retired National Guard sergeant first class.

"The Stage Door Canteen" was the party’s theme. The highlight of the evening was former Miss Hawaii Cathy Foy-Mahi and her harmonizing Liberty Belles — former Miss Hawaii Cheryl Bartlett, Tricia Marciel and reigning Miss Kauai Alexandra Roth, who also played flute. They looked cool in Army khaki uniforms.

The Belles brought the house down with their renditions of "Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree," "Skylark," "Sentimental Journey," "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" and more, as couples danced. Accompanying the Belles were pianist Joshua Kaye and bassist Dean Taba. The trio Naluhoe opened the evening. Audience members sang and danced hula. Lorna Kaeck sang "Waikiki" as her cousin Rowland danced …

ATTENTION CAPTAIN PHILLIPS: Punahou ’03 and Harvard ’07 grad Currun Singh wrote a piece on Somali piracy that appeared Oct. 22 in the International New York Times. Singh did his master’s thesis on Somali piracy and during the summer was invited to present his paper at the Royal Navy Commanders Conference at Oxford. He is working out of Tunisia and Libya for the World Organization Against Torture. He is the son of Amarjit Singh, University of Hawaii professor of civil engineering …

BARGAINS: Retired standout Star-Bulletin feature writer Lois Taylor sends word that collectors and bargain-hunters should not miss Saturday’s Fall Festival at the Church of the Holy Nativity. Available will be vintage books of World Wars I and II, items from long-gone airlines such as Pan American, framed artwork, a 100-year-old tansu (antique Japanese chest) and two mink coats. Hardly anybody on Oahu needs a mink coat, and this pair has shown up at past sales with no takers, but the shop remains optimistic, Taylor says. The designer handbags, however, go fast. The event runs from 8 a.m to 2 p.m. in the church gym at the Koko Head end of Aina Haina Shopping Center. Profits this year go to Hawaii Foodbank, the Institute for Human Services and Parents and Children Together …

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Ben Wood, who sold newspapers on Honolulu streets in World War II, writes of people, places and things. Email him at bwood@staradvertiser.com.