June
2008 NEWSLETTER
PLACE: THE SIZZLER,
1401 N. HARBOR BLVD.
June’s speaker is
Leon Leyson.
As a young boy, Leon
and his family were on Schindler’s List.
His 6-year remarkable story of his family’s life under the Nazi regime is
one you don’t want to miss, even if you read the book or saw the movie.
This is a chance to hear real history directly from the person who lived
through this terrible ordeal.
Bring your kids or grandkids for an
evening they will not forget. We
will also be serving a special dessert treat.
Installation of
Officers
We will also install the 2008-2009 officers listed in the Meeting Notes.
Chaplain’s Message
to the Members:
“Therefore,
since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith,
let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so
easily hinders our progress. And let us
run with endurance the race that God has set before us.” (Hebrews 12:1 NLT)
(Don’t forget Mothers Day!)
If we can be of service to you, please give us a call.
Jim Howland and Hal Dixon
Commander’s Corner:
Thank you again for your confidence in
me as the commander of the Post. I
look forward to another year of exciting activities serving the Fullerton
community. I am so grateful for the
other officers continuing on for another year.
The Post Officers do a great
job for the Post and the community.
A few changed positions, but we’re basically the same crew.
Welcome to Mike Albertson
(Fullerton Union High School AJROTC) as the 3d Vice Commander.
The three Youth Environmental Leadership Conference students just came
back from the Sacramento area. They
all said it was one of the greatest experiences of their lives.
We will see them in September when the Boy’s and Girls State candidates
come to see us. Memorial Day
activities will keep us busy this next week.
I hope you can come for some or all of the activities.
Bill Hessen and I are halfway
through the JROTC Awards ceremonies.
Thank you Bill for your hard
work coordinating the presentations.
Kendall Neisess has
graciously accepted the Senior Awards program presentations again this year.
Thank you
Kendall.
Boy’s and Girls State are a month away and the kids are ready to go.
Thank you again to the
Commander’s Club for making it possible to do so much for the community and
the young people of Fullerton.
Thank You to the
Railroad Days Crew:
Don and Carol Bankhead, Mike Box, Don Dutton, Jeff Harris, Marilyn
Harris, Warren Holmes, Jim Howland, Mike and Pat Hyland, F. Richard Jones, Ken
Neisess, Ed Paul, Richard and Ambra Wakefield, Alan Wiles, Andrew Wiles and the
VFW crew. If I missed anyone, I
hope you’ll forgive me. Be sure to
check out the certificate presentation pictures on the web page.
This year we focused on education.
(We still had rubber duckies and pencils etc.)
Along with the Declaration/Constitution Pamphlets, we held a drawing for
three teacher’s packets. Included
were the Declaration/Constitution pamphlet, music cd, dvd and teacher’s guide on
“veterans,” ruler, president’s placemat, booklet on combat,
Know Your America book, and a veteran comic book.
Seventeen teachers signed up, including a return teacher from last year’s
drawing. Thanks to
Richard Wakefield, we had the Civil
War train set up again this year.
The kids love coming to see the train right at their eye level.
We are having an impact.
The 2008 membership
drive will conclude this month and the 2009 year will begin 1 July.
If you have not paid your dues, you need to send it in ASAP.
If you pay for 2009 without paying for 2008, your Continuous Years will
start at one (1)
year again.
“Army Seeking DNA: The Army is hoping to collect DNA samples from more than 6,300 families to identify missing soldiers from World War II, Korea and Vietnam, according to the American Forces Press Service. Mitochondrial DNA is passed through the maternal line, so the Army must locate eligible donors from the mother’s side of the missing soldiers’ families. The
samples are
collected through an oral swab kit that is mailed to the donor.
The Army has a record of missing soldiers’ next of kin from personnel
files, but the lapsed time has made it difficult to track down current
information on family members.
Interested families of missing soldiers, or anyone who knows of a family with a
missing soldier, should contact the Past Conflict Repatriation Branch by calling
1-800-892-2490 or sending an e-mail to
tapscper@conus.army.mil.” (Army Times, March 31, 2008)
Please jot this
number down in case someone you know needs it. 800-342-9647 or
www.militaryonesource.com.
It is the number that all active service members can call
24/7 for help of all kinds. Their
slogan is “You name it. We can
help.” If you need other help,
call the Veterans Service Office
to talk to a claims officer. (714)
567-7450.
Hospital/Rehabilitation Program.
Please continue to bring things to the meetings or call me (Marilyn) or
Mike/Pat Hyland (996-8743) to
coordinate a home pick up. For more
information about this unique project sponsored by Cloudbreak Development, UC &
United States Veterans Initiative, Inc. (a 501(c)(3) organization), call (562)
499-6717 or visit their web site at www.usvetsinc.org.
Important Dates:
May 30,
Memorial Day; June 4, Officer’s Meeting,
7pm (Marilyn’s House); June 10, Post Meeting; June 14, Flag Day (Fly Your
Flag)/Happy Birthday Army!; June 15, Father’s Day.
Memory Lane Dates:
May 24,
Allies break out of
Anzio beachhead (1944); May 27, The
Army Historical Foundation is founded (1983), Air Force Opened All Aircraft to
Women (1993); May 28, Battle of
Cantigny (1918), Belgium Army Surrenders (1940);
May 30, Memorial Day (First
Designated in 1868).
June 3, Battle of Cold Harbor ends
(1864), Battle of Midway Began (1942);
June 4, Siege of Petersburg begins (1864), British Army Completes Dunkirk
Evacuation (1940), Battle of Midway also listed on this day (1942), Allied
Forces capture Rome (1944); June 6,
D-Day: Allied Invasion of Europe/”Operation Overlord” (1944), Operation Counter
Began (1952); June 8, USS Liberty
Attacked (1967); June 10, Italy
Declares War on France and UK (1940), Army Nurses Landed at Normandy (1944),
Battle for the Punchbowl Began (1951), Siege of Outpost Harry Began (1953),
Kosovo Air Campaign ends (1999); June
11, First Woman Promoted to General/Flag Officer Rank (1970), Kosovo Defense
Campaign begins (1999); June 12,
President Truman Signed Women’s Armed Forces Services Integration Act (1948);
June 14, US Army Founded (1775),
Continental Army Established (1775), US Army Infantry Branch birthday (1775),
Flag Day (Commemorates the Adoption of the US Flag in 1777; officially
designated as Flag Day in 1949), Germans Enter Paris (1940);
June 15, George Washington appointed
Commanding General of Continental Army (1775), Battle of Saipan/Allies Land on
Saipan (1944), Western Pacific Campaign begins (1944), Cadet Nurse Corps
Establishment (?);June 16,
Establishment of Adjutant General Corps, Finance Corps, Quartermaster Corps, and
Corps of Engineers (1775); June 17,
Battle of Bunker Hill (1775), Valley Campaign ends (1862);
June 18, War is declared on Great
Britain (1812); June 19, Battle of
the Philipine Sea (1944), Operation Joint Guard Ended (1998);
June 20, Americans Land on New
Georgia Island (1943), Operation Joint Forge Began/Joint Guard Ended
(Bosnia-Herzegovina) (1998), Operation Allied Force Ended (Kosovo) (1999);
June 21, Signal Corps Established
(1860); June 22, Germany Invades
Russia (1941), Pledge of Allegiance Recognized by Congress (1942), GI Bill
Signed Into Law (1944), Women In Military Service For America Memorial
Groundbreaking (1995), June 23, Last
Confederate Forces surrender (1865);
June 24, Berlin Airlift begins (1948);
June
25, North Korea Invades South
Korea/Korean War Began (1950); June 28,
Battle of Monmouth (1778), Chemical Corps Established (1918);
June 29, First US.
Notes from May Meeting.The
meeting was called to order by Commander
Marilyn Harris at 7:00 p.m.
Guests were introduced including Past
Commanders Arty King and Richard Scott.
Guest speaker was
William R. Mimiaga, Major, USMC (Ret).
Bill described some highlights of his 31 years in the Corps, which
included fighting alongside women in the Gulf War.
He also discussed the history of Memorial Day and how good it is to see
the American Legion remembers the POW/ MIA’s.
He also discussed his experiences dealing with middle school students in
Long Beach. He says they need the
strict discipline he provides and he believes he is making a difference by
trying to provide them better role models.
After speaking to Post 142, he was beginning a motorcycle ride to
Washington DC, the Run for the Wall.
He described how this 300-member group raises awareness of the POW/MIA’s
as they cross the country, ending up in Washington, DC on Memorial Day.
Minutes for the
April meeting and financial report were reviewed and approved as presented.
Asst. Chaplain Hal Dixon gave us an
update on members not able to be with us.
He read a moving poem, about a young girl who lost her Dad in combat the
previous year and was proud to tell about him on a bring your Dad to school day.
Don Dutton asked for input on
what the members would like to do for an Early Bird Dinner. Prices everywhere
are increasing and he wanted to survey the members for ideas.
Commander Harris reported on
presenting a Certificate of Appreciation to local young man,
Corporal
Moses
Cardenas, USMC, who was awarded the Silver Star for his bravery in Iraq.
Don Bankhead indicated the
City might adopt the local armory unit in support of the troops.
Commander Harris also reported the need to be certain prospective members
have served in the military during the proper time periods, i.e., check the
DD-214.
Adrian Morton, introduced himself as
a candidate for District 29 2nd VC, in charge of serving the VA
Hospital. OC Flyers represented by Gary
Carter, SHHS graduate and Hall of Famer, Darrel Evans and two others
discussed the on-coming season of the Flyers.
Adjutant Paul
conducted elections according to the by-laws.
Elected were Commander Marilyn
Harris, 1st VC George Miller, 2nd VC Richard Wakefield, 3rd VC Mike
Albertson, Chaplain Jim Howland, Finance Officer, Larry Sears, Sgt.-at-Arms Alan
Wiles, Executive Board Bill Hessen, Jeff Harris, and Don Dutton. Commander
Harris will appoint the remaining officers at the June meeting.
Delegates elected were Marilyn
Harris, George Miller, Richard Wakefield, Mike Albertson, Alan Wiles, Jim
Howland, and Ed Paul. Alternates elected were Larry Sears, Bill Hessen, Jeff
Harris, Don Dutton, Mike Hyland, Pat Hyland and Hal Dixon.
Commander Harris then appointed the following officers: Adjutant Ed Paul,
Asst. Adjutant Mike Albertson, Asst. Finance Officer Bill Hessen, Assistant
Chaplain Hal Dixon, Assistant Sgt. at Arms Andrew Wiles, Judge Advocate Myron
Roberts, Historian Mike Box, Service Officer Mike Hyland, Asst. Service Officer
Pat Hyland, Special Events Don Dutton.