1st MARINE DIVISION ASSOCIATION
DESERT CITIES MITCHELL PAIGE MOH CHAPTER
MAY, 2011 NEWSLETTER
MAY 19TH MEETING
This should be an interesting meeting since we will have Major Richard Shellhaus,
Commanding Officer Infantry Unit Leader Training, School of Infantry, Camp
Pendleton. He will talk to us about their excellent training program for senior
NCO’s. Our Chapter sponsors the Mitchell Paige Award given to the
outstanding graduates.
CITY OF HOPE / GEMS OF THE DESERT GOLF TOURNAMENT
Someone donated $5000 to them and requested that 4 Marines play in the
tournament on April 11th. Buddy Sklar took the lead and we found a Sgt
Major and three 1st Sergeants from the 7th Marines to play on April 11th
at Mission Hills. The Marines had a great time!
AGUA CALIENTE HOTEL & CASINO
They offered weekend accommodations for a young combat veteran and wife,
so member Rick Saxon helped locate a deserving PFC from the 7th Marines to
take advantage of this package which included a show, dinner and accommodations.
Agua Caliente has done this before and deserve to be recognized for opening
their arms to Marines.
Saxon has come up with two more packages in May which we passed on to
deserving combat veterans with the 7th. We asked Sgt Major Mike Kufchak to
oversee these nice offers and spread them to the various battalions in the
regiment.
NEW MEMBER
Please welcome aboard Gene McClendon who was recruited by Dick Partee.
Gene served with the 1st Marine Division during the Korean War. He and his
wife Barbara live in Palm Desert.
TUN TAVERN TEAM
Thanks to those 17 members that have already signed up: Wes Ahlgren,
Mike Bales, Carl Brooks, Harry Covert, Mac Dube, David Franklin, Charlie
Garbarini, George Hatzidakis, Dean Hunter, Dick Partee, Henry Sanchez, Ray Schum,
Bob Shepard, George Stettler, Jim Sullivan, Quint Villanueva and Michael Walker.
To sign up simply make a minimum donation of $100.
MARINE JR. ROTC CADETS AWARDS CEREMONY
This is a good time to see the cadets in uniform at DHSHS receive their
promotions and awards. This will be on Wednesday, May 4th at 1900 in the
school gym. LtCol Carl Lewke, USMC (Ret) does a great job with the
ceremony and will call on the Chapter to present the annual Semper Fi
Award to an outstanding cadet. We present the cadet with both a plaque and
a Savings Bond. We also will update the Semper Fi plaque on display at the
school with the cadets name for 2011. It only last an hour and your
presence will be appreciated.
WOUNDED WARRIORS LUNCHEON
On April 8th we hosted lunch for 30 Wounded Warriors at their battalion
headquarters at 29 Palms. We barbecued N Y Steaks for these Marines and
really enjoyed the couple of hours we visited with them We will do it
again soon. Our Old Breed Marines swapped sea stories with these New Breed
Marines and developed a good camaraderie in the 2 ½ hours we mixed with them.
Thanks again to Mike Bales, Craig Bevan, Charlie Garbarini, Dick Partee,
Henry Sanchez, George Stettler, Pete Van Vechten, Quint Villanueva, Mike Walker
and Ray Wilburn for their presence and support. Charlie, Craig and Mike
handled the chef duties and barbecued 45 steaks. We also have thank two
other members who made donations to support the lunch but couldn’t be with us:
Mac Dube and George Hatzidakis.
Something that touched us was the appreciation we saw for what we
did. We were told that we prepared the best chow and that our
members mixed well with these Marines and made them feel special. It was a
rewarding experience and everyone should want to be part of the next Wounded
Warriors Luncheon which will be on June 17th.
LUNCHEON TO HONOR WOMEN MARINES
Let’s salute those members who contributed to the success of this luncheon.
Mike Walker came through with a charter bus to transport the Marines down to
Indian Wells at no cost to the chapter. Dick Partee arranged for the
Monterey Country Club to donate a round of golf for four as one of the raffle
prizes. Buddy Sklar arranged for a round of golf at Plantation Country
Club and a another prize which is dinner for two at Corkscrew Restaurant.
And, Carl Brooks arranged for two raffle prizes. A round of golf at PGA
West and the other a weekend for two at La Quinta Resort, including
dinner.
Thank you Mike, Dick, Buddy and Carl for your outstanding support to
help make this luncheon so successful.
We also want to recognize members Charlie Garbarini, Henry Sanchez, Bob
Shepard and George Stettler for buying four of the seven tables sold for the
luncheon. Thank you for your support!
1st DIVISION POST AND RELIEF CERMONY, 22 APRIL 2011
The 1st Marine Division appointed Sgt Major Mike Kufchak the Division Sergeant
Major. He replaced Sgt Major Michael Barrett who has become Sgt Major of the
Marine Corps.
Dick Partee and I represented the chapter by attending the 0745 morning
colors ceremony at Camp Pendleton.
Sgt Major Kufchak will continue his 7th Marine Regiment
responsibilities until he is relieved in late May.
FUND FOR FALLEN POLICE OFFICER JERMAINE GIBSON
Reminder that we are collecting donations for the family of this Cathedral City
Police Officer, who was a Marine.
CHANGE OF COMMAND CEREMONY 1/7
LtCol Todd Simmons, Commanding Officer, will be relieved of command on Friday,
May 27th at 1000. He will be going off to War College as his next duty
station. Simmons was our April 21st Guest Speaker and did a great job in
reporting on their recent six month deployment to Okinawa for amphibious warfare
training there, Korea, Guam, Singapore, Thailand, South Korea and the
Philippians. His report on the 1/7’s Inchon Landing on the 60th
anniversary of this famous Korean War battle was very interesting.
If you are interested in attending the May 27th ceremony, please make a
reservation at 760 901-5494. We will car pool.
TAPS
We are sad to report that Larry Seaward passed away after a valiant battle with
lymphoma. He has reported for duty on heaven’s scenes to support the
Marines on guard there.
Larry served 1951 - 1954 as a FMF Corpsmen with the 3rd Medical
Battalion in Korea. He later worked for Bell Systems where he eventually
retired.
Larry and Mary Seaward were always supportive of our chapter
activities. His family will hold a memorial service for him on Thursday, April
28th at 1330 at Palm Desert Greens Country Club House. If you plan to
attend please let Doc Gillette know (310) 918-9168.
GOD BLESS AMERICA AND THE MARINE CORPS
SEMPER FIDELIS
Jim Sullivan, Editor
EXECUTIVE BOARD
Quint Villarnueva, President, Richard Partee, Vice President
Jim Sullivan, Sec / Treas. Carl Brooks, Director
Henry Sanchez, Director