MAIL CALL October 2010

Commandant Mike DeBauche Editor John Sims

It is with great sorrow that we said goodbye to one of our original and most-valued members this month. J.O. Smith passed away recently and was given a hero's sendoff by twenty-eight members of our detachment, the Overland Park Police Department, as well as family and friends. Rest in peace Marine! You performed your duties well and have earned your eternal reward. You will not be forgotten. At our officer’s meeting this month, the subject of volunteerism was discussed. I am requesting each member to get involved in “something” during the year. Whether it be parades, fund-raising, VAVS, or just bringing items for our raffles or Platoons Forward, let’s all make an attempt to contribute to the community, the league, or our fellow Marines. Marines are known for “getting the job done” and I applaud those who do respond to the needs of the detachment. Let’s ALL get involved! Please check out our fund-raising opportunities contained in the newsletters. The pens and wooden dog tags make excellent gifts, considering the holidays are right around the corner (they’re closer than you think). These items are being provided by members of our detachment who are donating their time to make them available to help the detachment. Hopefully the heat wave will break soon and cooler weather will prevail. Remember as fall approaches, OUR season heats up. The golf tournament is right around the corner; fall festivals and their associated parades; Veterans Day activities; and of course the culmination of our yearly activities: Toys for Tots. I’m proud to be part of this detachment and of each and every member. Semper Fi. Mike DeBauche Commandant

Mail Call! Gen. Larry Oppenheimer Detachment #1025

6521 Nieman Road, Shawnee, KS www. mklops.org

Commandants message

Volume 10 Issue 10 October, 2010

It looks like the summer heat is finally starting to wane a bit and give us some welcome cooler weather. As I’ve said before, the activities of our detachment are just heating up. We are coming into our busy season with the racetrack activities, parades, and of course, Toys for Tots in November and December.

Volunteers are still needed for the racetrack at the end of the month. Please contact Marine O’Connor if you can help during this time period. Remember, this is our major fundraiser for the detachment for the year. Also, we have some parades coming up. Marine Sands will give us an update at our meeting. These are an excellent opportunity for us to get some exposure in the community and support our on-going recruiting efforts.

This last month, we participated in the Overland Park POW/MIA awareness event. My thanks go out to Marine Campbell for her assistance in setting up and tearing down the event. This event continues to alert our community that there are still those presumed missing and held in captivity from past wars.

Don’t forget to bring any items you can to the meeting for Platoons Forward to assist those ‘boots on the ground’. We cannot let them feel we are not thinking of them and supporting them. Also remember that the 50-50 raffle begins this month. It is just another way to help our detachment raise funds in order to continue our good work for the League and our communities.

Happy Birthday Marines. The tradition of the Marine Corps continues. Don't forget to let Marine Byrnes know if you are planning on attending the Birthday Celebration on 3 November.

We are also kicking off the 2010 Toys for Tots campaign. We still need help at the Toys R Us locations this year. If you can help in any way, contact Marine Clinton and let him know when you can be available.

Our detachment was well represented at the Overland Park and Maple Leaf parades. We have other events coming up, including the Johnson County Veteran's Day ceremony and the Ottawa parade. If any other Veteran's Day events surface, I will alert the detachment via the calling tree and email.

Once again, Happy Birthday to all members of our Marine Corps family.

Semper Fi.

Mike DeBauche

Commandant

Please convey info. on sick and distressed to Chaplain Reyes at 913/4323688.

Fortunately I don't have any news to report this month .

Separately, keep in mind that your VA disability rating can be increased if your service connected condition has worsened. You may also file for secondary issues if they are a cause of your service connected condition. Contact a service officer, or I can assist too, if you wish.

As always, I stand ready to be of any assistance that any of you may need.

Semper Fi

Gonzalo Reyes

Chaplain Gen Oppenheimer Detachment

General Larry Oppenheimer Detachment #1025 Vol 10, No. 10 October 2010 pg 2

New Century Young Marines

Upcoming Events

Current events October 17, 2010 Wednesday

Young Marines birthday party. Normal meeting time/place. Hotdogs, hamburgers, drinks provided. Parents bring a side dish. Reply to Deanna Sutterby [email protected] as to what you are bringing.

Also, we will NOT have a meeting on Oct 27th, due to people traveling and the Neewollah parade that weekend.

October 30, 2010 Saturday We will be doing the Neewollah parade in Independence, Ks. Once again, as this draws nearer, CO will have information for you. www.neewollah.com for details, parade route, etc. We will report at 9am on the corner of Laurel and Penn. There is a Bank of America on one corner and Auto Parts store across the street.

UPCOMING EVENTS November 3, 2010 Wednesday

Marine Corp Dinner

6:00, dinner at 7. Please turn in your RSVP to Lisa by October $20. Dinner is $20 per plate, paid at the door, YM in full uniform.

Address: 6521 Nieman Road, Shawnee, Ks 66204

Fallen Marines There is no finer compliment than being called a United States Marine. It represents the highest honor & tradition bound together with courage & sacrifice on behalf of all mankind. Our Fallen Marine Honor Guard had the distinct honor of performing at the services of these marine who have answered the call.

January 2010 Robert Lynn Peterson Tom Dervin Bobby G. Carter Paul K. Smith February 2010 Karl Kenneth Mairs Donald L. Beashore John Archer March 2010 Daniel Weaver Jack Gibbs Jim Graham April 2010 Robert F. Brunsky James Mendenhall Vernon McQuerry

May 2010 Ralph Baker John H. Siebers June 2010 Chuck Taliano Larry Joe Cox July 2010 Earl Martin Sieggen Robert E. Orrick August 2010 J.O. Smith Jesse McClane Longworth September 2010 Lester Kessler-USMC

Fallen Marines Month of September 2010

: Priscilla Dean Jones - USMC

General Larry Oppenheimer Detachment #1025 Vol 10 , No. 10 October 2010 pg 3

Any member who is aware of a Marine or his family in need is asked to first submit a request in writing to Marine Pat O’Malley, of our Financial Assistance Review Committee, including a statement of the purpose, a cost estimate and the time period. Pat’s email is [email protected]; his address is 12412 Flint, Overland Park, KS 66213-2120. A volunteer is still needed for the Community Activities position if you are interested, please contact Commandant Mike DeBauche @ 9134845909 [email protected] Commandant DeBauche is always soliciting ideas to enhance our great website (he agrees there is always room for improvement!)

Submit them to Mike at [email protected], ph. 913/484-5909. Websites & Email The website of the Marine Corps League on the National level is http://www.mcleague.org Anyone receiving a paper newsletter, but has email, please email John Sims at [email protected] with the subject of “email newsletter”. Thanks!


To have items sewn on to your covers and shirts, contact Marsha Davey at 913/268-1017 (10409 W 53rd St. in Shawnee); To have alterations done on your dress blues, contact Louise Bland at 913/831-4647 (10149 Edelweiss Circle in Merriam – near 75th & Switzer)

COMMANDANT: Mike DeBauche [email protected] SENIOR VICE: Marcia Sands [email protected] JUNIOR VICE: John Byrnes [email protected] J.A.G.: Rick Hinrichs [email protected] PAY./ADJ.: Steve Yoakum [email protected] CHAPLAIN: Gonzalo Reyes [email protected] SGT. AT ARMS: David Yurkovich [email protected]

VAVS (VA Volunteer Service)

Anyone interested in learning more about the VA volunteer service, please contact Mr. Art Peter at 816-331-4622

http://www.volunteer.va.gov/docs/monthlynewsletter.pdf

The Veterans Day Parade in Ottawa, KS is coming up on Saturday, November 6, 2010. We will be assembling in Ottawa at 0930, around 5th and Main.


Also, have you received info on the many "freebies for veterans" that go on around the week of Veterans Day? Usually, the HyVee stores offer free breakfast on Veterans Day, Applebee's offers a free meal off a special menu that day, and the Golden Corral offers a free meal on the Monday after Veterans Day. Also, the City of Lenexa Police Dept. has a free breakfast for Marines on the Marine Corps birthday (arrive at 06:30 hrs preferably in uniform, Lenexa community center.) I have not verified any of this yet this year, but I was impressed with what I saw/partook of last year. Submitted by SENIOR VICE: Marcia Sands [email protected]

Thursday, November 11, at 11:00 a.m. at the Naval Park at New Century Air Center, Gardner, Kansas.

The public event features the Kansas Army National Guard, music by a local High School Band and choir from a local Elementary School, Johnson County’s Sheriff’s Color Guard, placement of memorial wreaths by local veterans organizations,(We will be laying the Marine Corps League wreath!) rifle salute and playing of “Taps,” display of vintage military vehicles, and the Patriot Guard.


Marine Richard Cornelius was invited to speak to a 4th grade class at Bonner Springs elementary school during a Veterans Day celebration on September 28th.

Richard spoke about the Marine Corps, his enlistment and his various duty stations and where they were located. He also had the opportunity to explain what his duties were while he was in the Marine Corps. As you can see he had the full attention of his audience.


Dear Marine

There was a Marine deployed to Afghanistan. While he was there he received a letter from his girlfriend. In the letter she explained that she had slept with two guys while he had been gone and she wanted to

break up AND she wants her picture back.

So the Marine does what any squared-away Marine would do. He went around to his buddies and collected all the unwanted photos of women he could find. He then mailed about 25 pictures to his girlfriend with the following note: I don't remember which one you are, please remove your picture and send the rest back!

Marine Corps History

The U.S. Marine Corps begins preparations for its "birthday party" every summer. Activities become more feverish as the fall hues arrive. By early November, every Marine is either rehearsing his role in the "party" or pressing, polishing, and spit-shining in order to appear at his or her best for the Birthday Ball. This has not always been the case, however. In fact, Marines have not always celebrated their founding on November the 10th.

Formal commemoration of the birthday of the Marine Corps began on 10 November 1921. That particular date was chosen because on that day the Second Continental Congress resolved n 1775 to raise two battalions of Continental Marines.

Until 1921 the birthday of the Corps had been celebrated on another date. An unidentified newspaper clipping from 1918 refers to the celebration of the 120th birthday of the Marine Corps on 11 July "as usual with no fuss." It is doubtful that there was any real celebration at all. Further inspection of documents and publications prior to 1921 shows no evidence of ceremonies, pageants, or parties. The July date was commemorated between 1798 and 1921 as the birthday of the Corps. During the Revolution, Marines had fought on land and sea, but at the close of the Revolution the Marine Corps and the Navy were all but disbanded. On 11 July 1798, President John Adams approved a bill that recreated the Corps, thereby providing the rationale for this day being commemorated as the birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps.

On 21 October 1921, Maj Edwin McClellan, Officer-in-Charge, Historical Section, Headquarters Marine Corps, sent a memorandum to Major General Commandant John A. Lejeune, suggesting that the original birthday on 10 November 1775 be declared a Marine Corps holiday to be celebrated throughout the Corps. Maj McClellan further suggested that a dinner be held in Washington D.C., to commemorate the event. Guests would include prominent men from the Marine Corps, Army, and Navy, and descendants of the Revolution.

Accordingly, on 1 November 1921, MajGen Lejeune issued Marine Corps Order No. 47, Series 1921. The order summarized the history, mission, and tradition of the Corps, and directed that it be read to every command on 10 November each subsequent year in honor of the birthday of the Marine Corps. This order has been duly carried out.

Some commands expanded the celebration during the next few years. In 1923 at Fort Mifflin, Pennsylvania, the celebration of the Marine Corps' 148th birthday took the form of a dance in the barracks that evening.


Marine Corps Birthday Celebration

Marines at the Navy Yard, Norfolk, Virginia, staged a sham battle on the parade ground in commemoration of the birthday. The battle lasted about twenty minutes, and was witnessed by Portsmouth and Norfolk citizens. At Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the birthday was celebrated on the 12th, since a special liberty to Santiago had been arranged on the 10th. The morning activities included field and water sports, and a shooting match. In the afternoon the Marines won a baseball game, 9-8, over a Cuban team. In the evening, members of the command put on a variety show followed by four boxing bouts.

The first so-called "Birthday Ball," such as suggested by Maj McClellan, was probably held in 1925 in Philadelphia. No records have been located of one prior to 1925. Guests included the Secretaries of War and Navy, Major General Commandant Lejeune, famous statesmen, soldiers, and sailors. The principle event was the unveiling of a tablet on the site of Tun Tavern. The tablet was a gift from the Thomas Roberts Reath Post, American Legion, whose membership was composed exclusively of Marines. The celebration was held in conjunction with the annual convention of the Marine Corps League. A parade included Marines, Regular Army, and Navy detachments, National Guard, and other military organizations. The evening banquet was held at the Benjamin Franklin Hotel and a ball followed at the Bellevue-Stratford.

It is not possible to determine precisely when the first cake ceremony was held, but there is evidence of a ceremony being held at Quantico, Virginia, in 1935.

Also on record was one held at Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C., in 1937 where Major General Commandant Thomas Holcomb presided at an open house for Marine Corps officers. Ceremonies included the cutting of a huge cake designed after the famous Tun Tavern in Philadelphia.

From 1937, observances of the Marine Corps Birthday appeared to develop spontaneously throughout the Corps as if they had a life of their own. The celebrations were publicized through every media. Newsreels, motion pictures, and displays were prepared to summarize the history of the Corps. In 1943, standard blank Marine Corps scrap books were forwarded to all districts to be filled with 168th anniversary clippings, scripts, pictures, programs, and other memorabilia, and returned to Headquarters. Unfortunately none of these scrapbooks remain in official files.

Traditionally, the first piece of Birthday cake is presented to the oldest Marine present and the second piece to the youngest Marine present. When and where this tradition began remains unknown. Some records indicate this practice, and others vary it depending on the dignitaries present at the ball. First pieces of cake have been presented to newlyweds, the Secretary of the Navy, governors, and others, but generally speaking, the first pieces of cake go to the oldest and youngest Marines at the ball.

At present, celebrations of the Marine Corps Birthday on 10 November differ at posts and stations throughout the Corps. All commemorations include the reading of Marine Corps Order No. 47, and the Commandant's message to those assembled. Most commands sponsor a Birthday Ball of some sort, complete with pageant and cake ceremony as prescribed in the Marine Corps Manual.


Have you ever wished that along with the memories, photo's and other items that you cherish of your Marine Corps career, you had a beautiful plaque of that special unit that you served in?

General Larry Oppenheimer Detachment #1025 Vol 9, No. 9 September 2010 pg 10

Well, now you can! Marine Dennis Armstrong one of our detachment members is an expert at custom woodworking as you can see! He has graciously offered to make custom plaques (about 12" x 24") for any or all of our membership. Keeping in the Marine Corps brotherhood tradition, he is only going to charge our detachment for the actual materials, he is providing his talent at no charge! He can be reached at 913‐244‐7302.

Gold Plated 30‐06 cartridge with the top Blood Wood copper plated bullet tip. Membership cost $25.00

Both pens have a solid brass 30‐06 cartridge on the bottom and solid brass 30‐08 top and a copper plated bullet tip. The pen with the rifle clip is $25.00 and the bottom one with the straight clip is $20.00.

These pens are hand crafted by Marine Charlie Morris. Charlie is a master wood craftsman who specializes in pens like these. If you would like to own one of these beautiful pens and who wouldn't! Please contact Charlie at 913‐299‐1412. He is donating his talent at no charge to our detachment!


In the meantime, here is an announcement of interest to us all!


As we begin to enjoy our fall weather in the 60's and 70's, let us not forget about our brothers and sisters not only in harm's way but, having to endure some of the most awful weather on this earth!!

Isadore Hoehn VFW Post #7397

Two years ago Post 7397, VFW began a program called Platoons Forward. They continue this great work providing comfort items to Infantry Platoons and Companies deployed to remote mountain top Combat Out Posts. Some of these items that we take for granted are listed below.

• Hygiene Items ‐ Wipes, soap, razors, shaving cream

• Candy ‐ Gum, hard candy, gummy bears, skittles

• Snacks ‐ Mixed nuts, dried fruit, trail mix, power bard, fruit bars, granola bars

• Ground coffee, creamers and sugar packets

• Hand Warmers: For gunners sitting in open turrets holding the cold medal of their weapons all night

• Books and Magazines ‐ Paperback books, Outdoor magazines

Bring your donated items to our monthly meeting.


It is very important that you support our advertisers. The rate to advertise in the Mail Call is just $40.00 per year for 12 issues.



Available to Rent

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REMEMBER RECRUIT - RECRUIT - RECRUIT - RECRUIT

One final request, PLEASE BRING YOUR DUES TO THE MONTHLY MEETING WHEN THEY ARE DUE!

Our next meeting is on Wednesday, October 27th, 2010, and will start at 1900 hours. Don’t forget to bring items for Platoons Forward, and any raffle items you would like to donate. See everyone at the meeting. Semper Fi, John Sims - Mail Call Editor


I encourages submissions of any announcements, pictures, stories, to the editor from detachment members. Deadline for all submissions by the 10th of every month. I hooked one! Wasn't that a great opportunity for both Marine Cornelius and our detachment his being invited to speak to those grade school children about the Marine Corps. Ladies and gentlemen, that is what I am looking for any kind of community interest or as I stated above and do every month, announcements, pictures that you might have or stories about your time in the Corps. Email: [email protected] or Call: John Sims @ 913.530.2535. Mail Address: 14004 west 72nd Terrace, Shawnee, KS 66216.

MAIL CALL October 2010

Documents

Transcript of MAIL CALL October 2010