April 2009 NEWSLETTER
PLACE: THE SIZZLER, 1401 N. HARBOR BLVD.
April Program:
Mark McGee is Vice President
of Operations for MG Disposal/Republic Services, Refuse Hauler for most North
Orange County Cities. The City of
Fullerton will have a new program effective July 1, 2009.
Mark will explain the changes and answer questions.
Mark and MG are also charter members of the Commanders Club.
Officers for 2009-2010.
Are you interested in serving the Post in the next year?
We have both elected and appointed officers. If so, please contact Ed
Paul, at (714) 871-2412 who will provide you
information on the responsibilities of each position.
Albertsons Update: If you have not renewed your Preferred Partner Card, please call 1-(800) 696-6419 and they will help you. Please renew as this program pays for our Youth Environmental Conference Program helping three local students get scholarships.
Chaplain’s Message to the Members:
“So I pray that God, who gives you hope, will keep you happy and full of
peace as you believe in Him. May you overflow with hope, through the power of
the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13, NLT)
If I can be of service to you, please give me a call.
Jim Howland
This month we transferred Alfred (Al)
Goetzka to Post Everlasting.
Commander’s Corner:
Our family missed the last meeting but I heard it was great.
We were busy hearing about our daughter’s upcoming high school experience
and requirements. Time does fly.
We will not be participating in FACES of Fullerton this year.
We’ll look at it again next year.
The Fullerton students for Boys and Girls State and Youth Environmental
Conference are busy planning for these events.
The Post election is coming up soon.
I want to take this opportunity to tell you that it has been an honor to
work the officers of the Post. You
folks are the best and Thank you for your support.
If you would like to hold a position in the Post or move around a bit,
please contact Ed Paul. He is acting
as the nominating committee. May
brings the school award ceremonies and the summer events.
Don’t forget Memorial Day. We
need volunteers to help coordinate the community volunteers getting out the
flags and crosses, and then getting them put away.
More to come on that. There
are many changes in policy for veterans coming out.
We’ll try to filter the messages a bit and try to make sure that the
important ones that are passed and signed are announced.
For those with internet access at home or at the city library, all of our
newsletters, and meeting and event pictures are available for viewing at our web
page. (Fullertonpost142.com)
Thanks go to Richard Wakefield and
Mike Box for keeping our web page
updated with great stuff.
Upcoming Events: The officer’s
meetings for this month and next month will be on Thursday instead of Wednesday
prior to the Post meeting to accommodate my schedule, and the Post meetings are
always on the second Tuesday of the month.
The next few monthly meetings are:
May 12, June 9 and July 14.
Mark your calendars.
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.”
Hospital/Rehabilitation Program.
Please continue to bring things to the meetings or call
Mike and 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.
To request your DD-214, go to the National Archives and Records Administration at http://www.archives.gov/veterans/evetrecs/. Follow the instructions. You can also get assistance from the Veteran Service Office. If you are not sure what you or your family is entitled to, please call the Veterans Service Office to talk to a claims officer. (714) 567-7450. If you reside outside of Orange County, call your County offices to find the Veterans Service Office location nearest you.
Important Dates: April 1, April Fools Day; April 5, Palm Sunday; April 9, Passover; Officer Meeting at Marilyn’s; April 10, Good Friday; April 12, Easter Sunday; April 14, Post Meeting; April 15, Income Tax Day; April 19, Orthodox Easter; April 22, Administrative Professionals Day.
Memory Lane Dates: April 1, Invasion of Okinawa Began (1945), Operation Pegasus Began (1968); April 2, Siege of Petersburg ends (1865), India-Burma Campaign begins (1942); April 4, North Apennines Campaign ends (1945), North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Established (1949); April 5, Po Valley Campaign opens; last campaign in Italy (1945), Operation Rugged Began (1951); April 6, Army Day, Battle of Shiloh begins (1862), US Entered WWI (1917), Operation Linebacker (1972), Operation Provide Comfort Began (1991); April 7, Battle of Shiloh ends (1862); April 8, Siege of An Loc Began (1972); April 9, General Robert E. Lee surrenders at Appomattox Courthouse (1865), Germany Invades Norway and Denmark (1940), Bataan Falls (1942), Special Forces becomes separate branch of the Army (1987); April 9/10, Bataan Death March/US Forces on Bataan, Philippines surrenders (1942), Operation Provide Comfort (Northern Iraq and Turkey) Began (1991); April 10, Battle for Lang Vei Began (1968); April 11, US Began Neutrality Patrols in the Atlantic (1941), Persian Gulf War/Operation Desert Storm Official Cease Fire (1991); April 12, Civil War Began/Rebel Forces fire on Fort Sumter (1861), Roosevelt Dies; Truman Becomes President (1945), Operation Eagle Pull (1975), Army Aviation Branch established (1983); April 16, Women’s Medical Specialist Corps Established (1947), Battle of Pork Chop Hill Began (1953); April 17, Battle of Cerro Gordo (1847); April 18, Doolittle Raid on Tokyo (1942); April 19, Battle of Lexington and Concord (1775), Operation Delaware Began (1968); April 20, Operation Little Switch Began (1953); April 22, US Forces Land at Hollandia (1944); April 24, Battle of the Hills Began (1967); April 25, Spanish-American War Began (1898); April 26, Black Hawk War begins (1832); April 28, Occupation of Japan ends (1952), US Forces invade Dominican Republic (Operation Power Pack) (1965); April 29, German Unconditional Surrender to Italian Allies (1945), US Forces invade Cambodia (1970), US Forces Evacuated Vietnam/Operation Frequent Wind (1975); April 30, Battle of Chancellorsville begins (1863), Hitler Commits Suicide (1945).
Notes from March Meeting. 1st Vice Commander George Miller first introduced guests and friends of all assembled members and then Adjutant Ed Paul presented Eddie Piechocinski with a “60 Year Membership Certificate.” Eddie commented that his hat still fits and it looks good too! His wife Wanda agreed.
1st Vice Commander Miller then introduced the guest speaker, Pat Ahle, Assistant City Attorney for Anaheim. Pat Ahle has served as a public prosecutor for 19 years, Mayor of San Clemente and is an adjunct Professor for Chapman Law School. The subject of Pat Ahle’s talk was “Things you can Tell your Grandchildren,” and he shared stories of father’s experience as a B-17 gunner and radio man in WWII. His father flew 35 missions and Pat shared copies of his dad’s diary which was a very detailed account of all the places his group attacked, the bomb loads, planes used, and close calls with the enemy at both very low and high altitudes. The diary highlighted and pays tribute to the courage and character of the “Greatest Generation.” Pat’s discussion then turned to work he does with kids that visit the courtroom Drug awareness is a big issue in the courts today and Pat updated all assembled Legionnaires on dugs of choice among today’s youth and how marijuana is now a much more potent and dangerous drug then it was in the 1960’s. Pat then concluded his talk with stories of patriotism that he personally witnessed during the invasion of Panama and the Gulf War and how convoys of troops streaming into El Toro were met with citizens waving American flags. Pat commented that patriotism is back in fashion again, in part because of the service and sacrifice of veterans like those assembled in the room.
Following Pat Ahle’s presentation, the assembled members
accepted and posted meeting notes from 9 February,
with the correction that Father Flannigan’s Boys Town is in Nebraska,
not Kansas. (Thanks Miles)
1st Vice
Commander George Miller then opened the floor for committee reports and
informed members that next month, Mark McGee, Vice President for MG Disposal
will brief all members on the new trash pick-up system for Fullerton.
Chaplain Jim Howland updated post
members on the status of legionnaires that need support and prayers.
Special Events Officer Don Dutton reported that the Orange County Flyers are starting their Spring season soon and asked assembled members if they are interested in buying tickets at a special group rate. The Flyers are preparing to defend the title Orange County won last year over Calgary in a hard fought best of 5 series that went down to the final at bat with the Flyers capturing the crown 10-9. Based on the positive response from Legionnaires in attendance, Special Events Officer Don Dutton will coordinate with the ticket office and work to broker a good deal for our members.
Post Adjutant Ed Paul announced that nominations are being accepted for officer’s positions. All positions are open. Nominations will be also sought at the April meeting and elections will be in May and installation in June. All interested Legionnaires are encouraged to contact Adjutant Ed Paul if they are interested in playing a greater role in the life of American Legion Fullerton Post #142.