"I walk slowly, but I never walk backward."
-- Abraham Lincoln
From 1st Marine Division's Facebook:
22 September 2020
MajGen Robert F. Castellvi
Turns Command of the 1st Division Over to
MajGen Roger B. Turner, Jr.
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Dear Members,
Here, above is last month's Change of Command at the 1st Division.

We will miss Maj. General Castellvi. Great job, well done, sir.
We look forward to working with Maj. General Turner.

Watch the full ceremony on video. Looks like we will be in good hands with the new command. Also, the 1st Division Band put on a great show, in its usual top form.

The Nominating Committee is waiting to hear from you. Please consider running for an FMDA office for 2021-2023.

The offices of President and Treasurer require some dedication of time, but the other offices can be done with just a little of your spare time. Meetings by phone this last year have averaged about one per month, 30 to 45 minutes each. The only requirement is membership in good standing, and an interest in the welfare of our Association.

Please submit your name, desired office, and short biography to Committee Chairman Sgt Elmer Hawkins at EHAWKINS23@AOL.COM.

The Committee has until 31 December to collect and vet nominations. They would like to see them sooner, before we all get busy over the holidays.

We will have news soon on the 80th Anniversary Commemoration. Watch this space.

We have come this far, so keep up the discipline: Wash your hands, wear a mask, avoid crowds. We will get through this.
 
Semper Fi

Jerry Johs
President, 1st Marine Division Association



DJC
FROM HEADQUARTERS
Save the date!
First week in August 2021
Oceanside/San Diego, California
 Blue Diamond 80th Birthday Reunion
“Last of the First Bottle” in honor of our WW II Vets

The Reunion Committee welcomes your input. Let us know what you want.

We of the Committee would also welcome your participation. If you want to get involved with the planning, please drop a line to Dennis Coady in the HQ office. email: dennis.oldbreed@fmda.us

For more info contact:
Len Hayes
(760) 760-712 7088
Lenhayes@cox.net
You can keep current on the Association events at our website:
CHAPTERS
Thank you to Desert Cities Mitchell Paige MOH Chapter for sharing their latest newsletter:
The newsletter contains further coverage of the 12 September reception aboard Camp Pendleton honoring Korean War veterans.
MEMBERS
HA1 Robert F. Bobst
1926 - 2020
Dale Turner notified us of the passing of our favorite Silver Star Corpsman, Bob Bobst, on Monday, 28 September. Bob saw action on Cape Gloucester, Peleliu, and Okinawa in World War II.

Bob's Chapter affiliations were: Bodfish, Central California, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Melbourne, Orange County, Oregon/Columbia River, and Southern California.

Fair winds, and following seas, brother.
WM Ruth Osborn and Bob Bobst at 69th Inchon Landing Commemoration,
12 September 2019 aboard Camp Pendleton.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DOROTHY COLE
From: Military Times
Oldest Marine Dorothy Cole turns 107
--Jared Morgan

When Dorothy Schmidt Cole joined the Marine Corps in July 1943, she wasn’t thinking about the impact her service would have on the Corps or on generations of women to come.

She just wanted that stylish uniform.

“I loved the hats we were wearing,” Cole said in a call with Marine Corps Times on Monday. “It was fun when I got the first complete Marine outfit. I loved it very much and felt right at home with it.”

But the Marine Corps wasn’t Cole’s first choice. She initially wanted to join the Navy — for its hats — but was told she was too short.

And while she downplayed her reason for joining, Cole also said her decision was influenced by the community in her hometown of Warren, Pennsylvania, and the longing for a sense of purpose.
...
SEMPER FI FUND

The Semper Fi Fund is caring for veterans from all U.S. military service branches. See below for details of services provided.
Health: Agent Orange
SgtMaj Steve Lara reminds us of the VA's Agent Orange Newsletter:
VA information on other military exposures:
Health
Coronavirus FAQs: What Veterans need to know
Our call centers and some VA health facilities are currently experiencing very high numbers of calls. To help us address the most urgent needs first, we ask that you use our online tools and frequently asked questions (FAQs) for routine or non-urgent questions. We’ll continue to update this page as the situation changes.
VA coronavirus chatbot
You can also use our VA coronavirus chatbot to get answers to your questions.
Visit the CDC for general coronavirus questions
For general questions about COVID-19, such as symptoms, prevention steps, guidance for travelers, and more, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
On this page
From Veterans Affairs

What should Veterans do?
Veterans with symptoms such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath should immediately contact their local VA facility. VA urges Veterans to contact VA before visiting – you can find contact information for your closest VA facility. Alternatively, Veterans can sign into My HealtheVet to send secure messages to their VA providers or use telehealth options to explain their condition and receive a prompt diagnosis.
Read responses to Veterans' frequently asked questions about accessing their VA benefits.
Upon arriving at VA, all patients will be screened for flu-like symptoms before they enter in order to protect other patients and staff. A VA health care professional will assist you with next steps once this screening process is complete.
At this time, VA is urging all visitors who do not feel well to please postpone their visits to VA facilities.
How to protect yourself
Currently, there is no vaccine to prevent the COVID-19 infection and no medication to treat it. CDC believes symptoms appear 2 to 14 days after exposure. Avoid exposure and avoid exposing others to an infection with these simple steps.
  • Learn to use VA Video Connect through the VA mobile app store or by contacting your VA care team, before any urgent problems arise.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. An easy way to mark the time is to hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice while scrubbing.
  • Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Stay home when you are sick or becoming sick.
  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue (not your hands) and throw the tissue in the trash.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
  • Getting a flu shot is recommended.
  • 
What should I do if I have symptoms?
If you have any of the symptoms listed above, call your VA medical center before going to a clinic, urgent care, or emergency room. You can also send your doctor a secure message through My HealtheVet.

Contacting us first helps us protect you, medical staff, and other patients.
If you’re not sure about your symptoms, our Annie text messaging service can help you monitor them and advise you when to contact your VA care team or your facility’s advice nurse.

The messages also provide general wellness tips and steps you can take to protect yourself. You can subscribe to Annie coronavirus precautions messages yourself, or ask your VA care team to assign it to you.

Visit the CDC website to learn more about the symptoms of COVID-19.
MILITARY SERVICE RECORDS
MILITARY SERVICE RECORDS, AWARDS, AND UNIT HISTORIES
(See the attached pdf file, or go to the URL at bottom here)
 
A New Congressional Research Service Publication on U.S. Military Service Records, Awards, and Unit Histories
 
The Congressional Research Service has just published a short reference document that might be of interest to many:
 
The guide provides information on locating military unit histories and individual service records of discharged, retired, and deceased military personnel. It also provides information on locating and replacing military awards and medals. Included is contact information for military history centers, websites for additional sources of research, and a bibliography of other publications, including related CRS reports.

 
GENERAL FUND DONATIONS
USAA
New Members
No new members since last report
Taps
We are again updating the database from Social Security records.
Recent reports are boldface.

HA1 ROBERT H. BOBST, 27 Sep 2020
CPL DEWITT L. DAVIS, 4 May 2017
CPL GEORGE I. DAVIS JR, 19 Feb 2016
1STSGT HUGH W. DAVIS USMC(RET), 5 Sep 2017
HN FMF JIM F. DAVIS USN(RET), 25 Feb 2012
JOEL W. DAVIS, 17 Apr 2008
MSGT LOGAN E. DAVIS USMC(RET), 23 Apr 2012
SGT RICHARD H. DAVIS, 17 Mar 2015
SGT ROBERT DAVIS, 2 Jan 2013
ROBERT DAVIS, 30 Sep 2015
PFC WILLIAM H. DAVIS JR, 15 May 2018
SSGT WILLIAM J. DAVIS, 20 Jul 2020
CPL WILLIE J. DAVIS, 18 Apr 2014
GYSGT EUGENE A. DAY USMC(RET), 11 Aug 2019
SGT EMIL J. DEAK, 12 Oct 2019
MAJ CARROLL T. DEAL, 19 Jan 2018
MRS ANNE P. DEAN, 2 Jun 2018
SGT CHARLES C. DEAN, 7 Feb 2014
CPL GERALD R. DEAN, 27 Feb 2009
SSGT DONALD R. DECHAMBEAU, 9 Jan 2009
PFC MICHAEL J. DECKER, 2 Apr 2018
SGT RUDY E. DECKER, 7 Mar 2013
CPL RICHARD J. DECRISTOFARO, 29 Dec 2005
MSGT JIM E. DEGUENTHER, 31 Mar 2007
PVT CHRISTIAN DEGUIGNE, 20 Oct 2019
PFC EDWARD V. DELATORRE, 7 Jan 2020
ROBERT H. DELEHANTY, 3 Sep 2014
IVAN VARELA, 19 Feb 2020
SGT ALLEN W. WALKER, 1 Oct 2020

Challenge Coin
Association's Challenge Coins Available
Contact HQ at (760)763-3268

These Challenge Coins commemorating the 50th anniversary of Tet 1968 are available to members. The price is $5 per coin, plus shipping.

Our coin supply is replenished.
We'll be fulfilling backorders, and welcome more. 
Headquarters Office (760) 763-3268
President Jerry Johs Email: geronamo0122@gmail.com
Please visit our website: www.firstmardivassoc.com

First Marine Division Association
P.O. Box 9000, Box # 902
Oceanside CA 92051

(760) 763-3268