HAPPY HOLIDAYS MARINES
ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER UPDATE | December 2017

Thank you for your continued membership and support of our chapter.  Below you will find the "scuttlebutt" on recent accomplishments, upcoming missions, and other valuable information.  We hope to see you at the upcoming lunch meeting and we wish you a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Happy Holidays.
NEXT CHAPTER MEETING: DECEMBER 21, 2017 1130 Hrs
December 21
Chapter Meeting  |   1130 hours

The December meeting is for members and spouses and special guests to celebrate the holiday season.  
A sell out crowd is expected...  So get your reservations in early by calling  
760 901 5494 and leaving a message.  
Please speak slowly, loudly and clearly,  when making your reservation. 

As usual, our meeting will take place at the Classic Club  in Palm Desert.

Guest Speaker to be Announced

Please RSVP via phone: 760 901 5494 or email Jim Olson at [email protected]
ACTION REPORT
Chapter Members Attend a Marine Birthday Ball
The Chapter was well represented at a 242nd Marine Corps Birthday Ball at the Oasis Country Club hosted by The USMC Desert Veterans, a 501 C (3) organization dedicated to providing scholarships to local active duty Marines and Marines recently discharged from active duty now reseiding in the Coachella Valley.

Chapter members and spouses attending were Vince and Shelly Mast, Matt Shoemaker, Bob Shepard, Dave Dangwillow, Dan Barber,  Hank and Rosalind Monahan.  

All enjoyed the ceremony, cake, music and dancing not to mention an outstanding presentation by the Guest of Honor.

Some members had such an enjoyable time they are already planning to attend The USMC Desert Veteran's Birthday Ball next year. 
Change of Command Ceremony at Twenty-nine  Palms

 Vince Mast, Dick Partee, Mike Holguin and Quint Villanueva represented the Chapter at the 
3rd Bn, 4th Marines Change of Command Ceremon y when 
Lt Colonel Brian Middleton turned over command of  of the battalion to Lt Colonel James W. Birchfield as seen in the accompanying photograph.



CHAPTER MEMBERS CELEBRATE MARINES 242ND BIRTHDAY AT LUNCHEON HOSTED BY MARINE CORPS LEAGUE
Twenty Chapter Members attended the Marine Corps 242nd Birthday Luncheon sponsored by the Marine Corps League Corporal Jason L Dunham Detachment, on November 9.   
Chapter member Sam Huttenhower was honored in the traditional cake cutting ceremony as the oldest Marine present.  Sam,  a World War II veteran, fought with the 7th Marines at Guadalcanal.

It was our pleasure to escort long time Marine supporter Palm Desert Mayor Jan Harnik to the luncheon.
Guest of Honor Colonel Bill Vivian, former Commanding Officer of the 7th Marine Regiment gave an inspiring speech directed to the Jr ROTC Cadets in attendance. 

Pictured Above: L to R: Chapter Treasurer Dick Partee, JROTC Instructor 1st Sgt Benoit, Mayor Jan Harnik, WW II Marine Sam Huttenhower

Pictured: l to r: LtColonel Carl Lewke, Sam Huttenhower oldest Marine present, 
Colonel Bill Vivian and the youngest Marine present (partially hidden).  Also shown are ROTC Cadets participating in the traditional cake cutting ceremony. 
CHAPTER'S ANNUAL FUND RAISING DRIVE IS UNDERWAY!

Once again Jensen's Markets in Palm Springs and Palm Desert will be the focal points of our Chapter's fund raising drive to raise money for holiday dinners for Marine families residing at the Marine Base in Twenty-nine palms. 
 
The drive was kicked off on November 11, Veterans' Day.  Delivery date for the meals is December 20.  We need volunteers to work the shifts at Palm Springs Jensen's.  
Right now, the load is being carried by only a few members. (Hint Hint)
  
Our success relies totally on the volunteer efforts of Chapter members who stand a two
hour watch at Jensen's during our fund raising drive. 

Be a part of this mission! Volunteer by emailing [email protected].
CHRISTMAS DINNER PROGRAM ENTERS 10th YEAR! 
CHRISTMAS DINNERS FOR 7TH MARINE REGIMENT FAMILIES

Chapter members will deliver 180 boxes of Christmas dinners to 7th Marines families at 29 Palms Marine Base on December 20.  Each box contains eight completely prepaed meals by Jensen's Markets chefs.  All the family has to do is place the meals in a warm oven for twenty minutes and they're ready to eat. Do the math to calculate the number of meals we'll provide to the families.

Driving the delivery truck will be Matt Zack, CEO of Jensen's Market 
and  honorary member of our Chapter, riding shotgun will be the one and only Bob Shepard.

This will be the 10th year our chapter will be delivering Christmas dinners to 
7th Marine families at 29 Palms Marine base. 
Any Chapter member is welcome
to join the delivery caravan on Dec. 20. 

Just contact Quint Villanueva at [email protected] prior to Dec 12 to submit the necessary paperwork for Base clearance.
NEW FUND RAISING INITIATIVES 
CHAPTER  FUND RAISING INITIATIVE IS GROWING
  Our Chapter is expanding its initiatives to raise funds that will enable us to grow our mission of supporting Marines and their families.  
 To that end and with support from all members the Chapter is compiling a donors mailing list.  
Please forward names, addresses and telephone numbers of individuals and businesses you would recommend  be included on the donors database. 
Forward the information to Chapter Secretary Quint Villanueva at [email protected].

The donors list will be confidential and will not be shared with any other organizations.
SAVE THE DATE
SAVE THE DATE
Colonel Mike Walker USMC (ret)
Will speak on North Korea
Monday February 26, 2018
2:00 PM  at
Indian Ridge Country Club
This will be Colonel Walker's 3rd Appearance at Indian Ridge
TALES FROM THE TUN TAVERN

DID YOU KNOW...

The penultimate battle of the War of 1812 was fought between the Americans and British in New Orleans, a massive engagement that saw American forces outnumbered almost three-to-one by the 11,000-man-strong British force. Only a small portion of the American forces (1,000 Army regulars  and 58 Marines ) were even professional soldiers. The rest were militiamen, farmers, Choctaw natives, and freed slaves. And the Army was only marginally trained; it was those 58 Marines who were tasked with holding the center of the defensive line. 

Those 58 Marines posted up right where they knew Britain's hammer would fall the hardest. The attack began on New Years' Day 1815, as British forces pounded the front lines with artillery. But the Marines held behind earthwork barriers, slowly and coldly returning British artillery with sniper fire. The battle lasted 25 minutes. In that time, American forces killed 2,600 British soldiers, taking only 700 losses of their own.
Much of this was attributed to the Marines, who fought off attacks from all sides while holding the crucial center. Dispirited and realizing they couldn't break that line, the British withdrew.
CURRENT TUN TAVERN MEMBERS

Wes Ahlgren | Mike Bales | Harry Covert | Joe Daily | Dave Franklin | Charlie Garbarini | Frank Gillette |  Charlie Hall |     Sam Huttenhower | Jim Irwin |  
Franz Jevene | Jim Larsh | Howard Lehman | Jimmy Martin  |Vince Mast | Gene McClendon |    Jack Mennis |    George Moffatt | Hank Monahan | Gene Mooring | Mike Ostrom |    Marilyn Paige |  Richard Partee | Henry Sanchez |    Sandy Sandoval | Ray Schum | Bob Shepard |  Buddy Sklar |    George Stettler |    | Dale Turner | Quint Villanueva |  Mike Walker |  Michael Walker |    Myrl Wallace | Linn Wiley
PAST PRESIDENTS
Bill Ping (RIP) 1998-2002 | J oseph A. Daily 2002-2006 | James Sullivan (RIP) 2006-2009
Quint Villanueva 2009-2012 | Richard Partee 2012-2014 | George Stettler 2014-2016
THANK YOU FROM THE EDITOR
We hope you find this newsletter of benefit.  We appreciate your continued membership and support of the chapter.  If you are interested in contributing to this newsletter with news or stories, or if interested in helping edit and produce the newsletter please email the editor.

Quint Villanueva, [email protected]