NEXT POST MEETING: WEDNESDAY, December 14, 2011

PLACE: THE SIZZLER, 1401 N. HARBOR BLVD.

TIME:  DINNER 6:00 PM, MEETING 7:00 PM

SUNNY HILLS CHORAL gROUP

Note the different meeting night, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14.  This change is to allow us to continue to enjoy the Sunny Hills Choral Group.  This is a one-time change.

Commander’s Club. We are seeking at least one additional member.  December is the last month for a 2011 tax deduction. If you, or someone you know is interested, contact Ed Paul.

The Commander’s Club support allows us to provide the Veterans Day Parade, Boys and Girls State, School Scholarships and helps with Memorial Day.

Post 1000 Members.  See our newsletter for important information concerning veterans.  If you want to get this Newsletter monthly, Call (714)-871-2412.

Chaplain’s Message to the Members:  “But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you: He is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11, NIV translation)  HAPPY HANUKKAH and MERRY CHRISTMAS If I can be of service to you, please give me a call.  Jim Howland (Hal Dixon is in Texas)

 

Commander’s Corner: From our family to yours, we want to wish you a blessed Christmas and holiday season, safe travels, and many happy times next year.  We are truly blessed to have each other.   Our Veterans Day program was absolutely spectacular.  Our “all high school” cadet formation on the field did a superb job.  I hope you were able to come and participate.  Ed Paul wrote the newspaper article and Mike Box took the pictures, as well as a couple of articles and pictures from regular reporters.  We were front page news, second page news, and third page news as well, and over several days.  We got great press.  A big “Thank you” to all of the committee members and the setup people who worked so hard to put it together.  Jeff and I delivered the Certificates of Appreciation to City employees on November 15.  We have a bit more work to do in order to wrap things up for this years’ program.   Around the corner are the selections of Boys and Girls State, and Youth Environmental Leadership Conference participants.  We will have another busy year with many opportunities to participate.  I hope that you will join us for the meetings too if you are not a regular attendee.  George Miller makes sure we have both entertaining and interesting programs throughout the year.  Thanks George.  Thank you also to the Commander’s Club for another great year of helping us fund community activities.  We couldn’t do what we do without you.

We will remember Pearl Harbor Day at Hillcrest Park memorial/flag pole on December 7th, 10am. 

It’s not too late to sign up for our 4th Annual Christmas Party, Saturday, December 17th at the Glenwood Condominium Clubhouse (near Euclid and Malvern intersection).  Call Ambra Wakefield for sign up information. (See Richard and Ambra Wakefield’s phone number at the left side of newsletter) This year we will donate items for the Villages at Cabrillo.  If you are coming to the Party, you can bring it then.

Continuous Membership Certificates:  At January’s meeting we will pass out certificates, awarded in five year increments (5 Years, 10 Years etc).  Please try to come if possible so that we can honor you for your continued service to both the Legion and our Nation.  If you cannot attend we will send it in the mail to you.

New Renewal Option:  This year you may pay online to National if you wish to.  The Legion has been conducting a trial run with a few states around the US.  After payment, national will take out their per capita, and then send the rest of the money to Department, where they will have to separate out the per capita and return to the posts what money is theirs.  That will be difficult, but not impossible, since the posts have different dues.  It turns around the sequence with money, i.e. the post will be the last to have the money, and the member won’t get a card until their renewal is verified by national level. OR you can do your dues directly to the Post as you always have, get your card from us then, and the delay will be transparent to you except that you may get a second notice even though you have paid your dues and are current in every way. J

 

Notes from November meeting. Adjutant Ed Paul introduced Joe Felz, Fullerton City Manager who gave a mini state of the city presentation.  He discussed the status of the Kelly Thomas case, Redevelopment and the potential loss of $6 million, which will delay the renovation of  Hillcrest Park, construction of a new 800 space parking garage at the Transportation Center. Coyote Hills which will be on the 2012 regular November ballot, the City budget and reductions that have been made, pension reform, the Joint Fire Command with the City of Brea, the new golf course contracts, other lawsuits, the new Library, new joint community center scheduled to open in October 2012, Lemon Park Sept 2012, the Transportation Center, Fox Theater development.  He also commended the Post for organizing a great Veterans Day parade every year.

 

Following the presentation Commander Harris led the Legion as the Minutes and Finance Reports for the October meeting were approved unanimously.  She also reminded all that the December meeting would be on Wednesday, December 14 to accommodate the SHHS choir.

 

Adjutant Paul passed around a 90th  birthday card for Bill McGarvey, Jr., the man responsible for the successful Commanders Club.  Bill set up the structure for recognizing the Commanders Club members, keeping them informed of developments and recruited many of the initial members.  He is so pleased with the results that he is signing up for another 10 years.  We expect Bill to attend the November 2021 meeting and celebrate his 100th.

 

Historian Mike Box presented Commander Harris with her book for the past year.  Mike makes this book a little more special every year.  Don Dutton mentioned Elizabeth Howard Dinner Theater will reopen under the name Encore for possible Early Bird Dinner consideration.

 

Ambra Wakefield passed out flyers for the Christmas party on 12/17/11.  All are welcome.

Important Information When You Need It

DD 214/Discharge Papers:  Do you know where your discharge papers are?  Does your family know where they are?  We often hear from families that they don’t know where they are.  Without this important document your burial benefits will be delayed several weeks unnecessarily.  If you plan to be buried in a national cemetery, it won’t happen, until proof is given to the cemetery.  Please give a copy to someone or let your next of kin know where to find it.

 

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.

 

Veterans Homes Qualifications: Any questions, call us at (714) 871-2412 or go to www.cdva.ca.gov 

 

For those with internet access at home or at the city library, (it is open and expanded now) 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. 

 

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 duty, Guard and Reserve and their families can call 24/7 for help of all kinds.  Their slogan is “You name it.  We can help.” 

 

Hospital/Rehabilitation Program/Villages at Cabrillo.   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.

 

Memory Lane Dates:  Nov 25, Battle of Peleiu Ended (1944); Nov 27, Battle of Chattanooga ends (1863), Battle of the Chosin Reservoir Began (1950); Nov 28, Shenandoah Campaign ends (1864); November 30, Battle of Franklin, TN (1864); Finnish-Soviet War Began (1939).  Dec 2, First Atomic Chain Reaction Achieved (1943); Dec 7, Japan Bombed Pearl Harbor)/National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day (1941); Dec 8, US and UK Declared War on Japan (1941), Japanese Invade Malaya and Thailand (1941); Dec 9, Operation Restore Hope Began (Somalia)(1992); Dec 10, Japanese Invade Philippines (1941), Five Navy Nurses Taken Prisoner by Japanese on Guam (1941), Wonsan-Hungnam Campaign Ended (1950); Dec 11, Germany and Italy Declare War on US and US declares war on Germany and Italy (1941); Dec 12, US Army Cavalry Branch established/Birthday of US Army Armor Branch (1775); Dec 13, First Muster of Massachusetts Bay Colony Militia/Birthday of National Guard (1636), Battle of Fredericksburg (1862); Dec 14, Japan Invaded Burma (1941); Dec 15, Battle of Nashville begins (1864); Dec 16, Battle of Nashville ends (1864); Ardennes-Alsace Campaign/Battle of the Bulge Began (1944), Operation Joint Endeavor Began (Bosnia-Herzegovina) (1995) Operation Desert Fox Began (Iraq)(1998); Dec 18, Operation Linebacker II (Christmas Bombing)(1972); Dec 19, Operation Joint Endeavor Ended (Bosnia-Herzegovina) (1996); Dec 20, WASP Disbanded (1944); Operation Just Cause Began (Panama) (Also listed as 17th) (1989), Operation Joint Endeavor Began (1995) (Also listed as Dec 16th); 19/20, Operation Joint Endeavor Ended (1996), Operation Joint Guard Began (Bosnia-Herzegovina)(1996), Operation Desert Fox Ended (Iraq)(1998); Dec 21, Union Forces capture Savannah, ending “March to the Sea” (1864); Dec 24, Treaty of Ghent signed, ending War of 1812 (1814), USAF Began Strikes on Laos (1964); Dec 26, Battle of Trenton (1776), Siege of Bastogne Broken (1944); Dec 29, FDR Announces US as “Arsenal of Democracy” (1940); Dec 30, First Liberty Ship SS Patrick Henry in Service (1941); Dec 31, American Forces assault Quebec City (1775), Battle of Stones River (Murfreesboro) begins (1862), New Guinea Campaign ends (1944), Official End of WWII (1946).