December 2008 NEWSLETTER

NEXT POST MEETING: TUESDAY December 9, 2008

PLACE: THE SIZZLER, 1401 N. HARBOR BLVD.

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

PROGRAM: Sunny Hills High School Singers-Holiday Music

 

December 9 program. The Sunny Hills High School singers will return and perform a selection of holiday music. They were great last year and we look forward to their return. 

 

For those less Fortunate.  Please bring any non-perishable food or toiletry items that you can spare for donating to Fullerton Interfaith Emergency Services (FIES). Ken Neisess will see that all the donations get to FIES. These gifts help people help themselves.

 

Commander’s Club. Welcome Neil Reich to the Commander’s Club. We are seeking at least one additional member..  December is the last month for a 2008 tax deduction. If you, or someone you know is interested, contact Ed Paul at (714) 871-2412.

 

Chaplain’s Message to the Members:  “Thank God for His Son-a gift too wonderful for words!” (II Corinthians 9:15, NLT translation)  If we can be of service to you, please give us a call.  Jim Howland and Hal Dixon

 

New Members:  I am pleased to welcome Forrest Gantner who has joined our Post.   

 

It’s not too late to sign up for our 1st Annual Christmas Party, Saturday, December 6th at the Glenwood Condominium Clubhouse.  Call Mike and Pat Hyland or Ambra Wakefield for sign up information. (Phone numbers are left side of newsletter)

 

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

 

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 terrific, I hope you were able to come and participate.  We had great press, even live broadcast on 1070 radio.  A big “Thank you” to all of the committee members and the setup people who worked so hard to put it together.  I delivered the Certificates of Appreciation for the City employees on November 18. 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.  As we look forward to the New Year please make sure that your loved ones have a copy of your discharge papers/DD-214 in their possession and that your wishes are known.  None of us are guaranteed another day.  Make every day count.       

 

Membership drive for 2009 is ongoing.  If you delay until January to pay your dues you will have shut off your magazine from National until your membership is processed.  As always, please do not pay a second time if you have a 2009 card in your hand.

 

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.”

 

Continuous Membership Certificates:  At January’s meeting we will pass out certificates to the following members.  (The certificates are awarded in five year increments.  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.) 5 Years: Albert P. Blake,

Kenneth Brooks, Jim Carew, Gilbert S. Carnighan, Michael Hyland, Patricia A. Hyland, Boyd Keyes, Emory F. Lewis, William D. Little, Peter Lucas, Larry Reddel, Richard E. Reese, Bill Sawyer, Stewart Semple, Samuel Taubman, Ronald W. Weckerly, Andrew Wiles; 10 Years: Kenneth R. Boatner, Joe Dallape, Paul J. Dixon, Stephen D. Fox, Marilyn R. Harris, William T. Hite, Frederick H. Kingdon, Michael J. Marino, Thomas R. McLaughlin, Donald R. Miller, Sam H. Stiefel, Toby Thams, John P. Twomey; 15 Years: Robert Edwards, Jeffrey W. Harris, Edward G. Hill JR, James Love II, Lester H. Manske, Lloyd A. Plowman, Ronald D. Rallis SR, James H. Russell, Ken Schaffer, Clyde G. Shreve, Kenneth L. Walker; 20 Years: Douglas W. Hoffmann, Richard D. Maresh, Bobby Vannoy; 25 Years: Ralph C. Beers, Winston J. Bryan, Thomas H. Dollarhide, Francis H. Dow, Edward D. Paul, J. W. Sadler, William F. Seymour; 30-55  Years: None; 60 Years: George Dedic, Edward R. Piechocinski.

 

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.

 

Important Dates: December 3, Officer Meeting at Marilyn’s; December 7, National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day/Ceremony at Hillcrest Park 10am; December 10, Human Rights Day; December 9, Post Meeting; December 15, Bill of Rights Day; December 21, First Day of Winter; December 22, First Day of Hanukkah; December 25, Christmas Day; December 26, Kwanzaa; December 31, New Year’s Eve.

 

Memory Lane Dates:  Nov 30, 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).

 

Notes from October. The meeting was called to order by Commander Marilyn Harris at 7:02 p.m.  Commander Marilyn Harris discussed the very successful, and well-publicized, Veteran’s Day parade.  Neil Reich, serving as the “Veteran in Charge” was on Channel 9 News, and looked spectacular.  Troy H.S. was awarded the “Outstanding JROTC Unit” award for their demonstrated appearance and marching proficiency during the parade.  In addition to Troy High School, JROTC cadets from Fullerton Union High School, La Habra High School, Buena Park High School, and Sonora High School also participated.  The Fullerton Union High School Marching Band, fifty state flags and flag holders from Troy High School, and an aerial flyover from “Air Combat USA” added to a magnificent event for Fullerton.  During the ceremony, Adjutant Ed Paul delivered a tribute to Bill Hessen, the man that is credited for masterminding and establishing the Fullerton Veteran’s Day Parade as an annual event for the city.  Another highlight of the day was a Fullerton Police Rifle Honor Guard that fired three salvos prior to a moving ceremony where taps was played and wreaths and flowers were laid at the Veteran’s Memorial at Hillcrest Park. During the meeting, certificates of achievement were presented to Neil Reich, Myron Roberts, George Miller, Katie Harris, Jeff Harris, Warren Holmes, Ed Paul, Alan Wiles, Mike Box, Jim Howland, Marilyn Harris and Don Bankhead for making the Veteran’s Day Parade another successful milestone in the life of the community and American Legion Post 142.

 

Commander Harris then introduced the guest speaker, Alice Rogan, the Community Relations Officer for the Orange County Transportation Authority.  Ms. Rogan briefed and updated all attendees on the I-5 Gateway Improvement Project that will add 2 lanes on Interstate 5, making it a five lane highway from Anaheim all the way to northern LA County.  This project will take approximately ten years to complete.  A closer, near-term project is to reconstruct the Beach Blvd Bridge as well as the Beach Blvd and I-5 interchange.  For three weeks in January, 2009, Beach Blvd will be closed where it crosses the I-5.  During this three-week closure, construction crews will work to raise the Union Pacific Railroad tracks, demolish and rebuild the Beach Blvd Bridge and widen and improve the I-5 and beach boulevard on and off ramps. To be added to the distribution list for more information on this project, log on to www.octa.net/i5gateway or call the transportation “helpline” at (800) 724-0353.

 

Neil Reich briefed that the COLA for social security, veteran benefits and veteran disability will go up 5.8% on the 1st of December.  He also informed all legionnaires on the value of the survivor benefits plan (SBP) for spouses of retired military personnel, and the need for spouses to know where all paperwork relating to the SBP is located at all times. 

2nd Vice Commander Richard Wakefield then asked all members to sign up to provide food for the Christmas Party, that will be held at the Glenwood Club House on Saturday, 6 December 2008.  The party will consist of appetizers, a pot luck dinner, desert and games.  Appetizers will be served at 6 PM, dinner will start at 6:30 PM, and dessert and games will commence at 7:30 PM.  Presents will be exchanged ($10.00 max) and clothing for the Veteran’s Shelter will also be collected at the party.