"We have a saying in the Marine Corps and that is 'no better friend, no worse enemy, than a U.S. Marine.' We always hope for the first, friendship, but are certainly more than ready for the second."
-- General John F. Kelly
FIRST MARINE DIVISION
FOUNDED ABOARD USS TEXAS
1 FEBRUARY 1941

USS Texas. Commissioned 1914. Site of the founding of the 1st Marine Division on 1 February 1941. Decommissioned 1948. Last surviving Dreadnought. Berthed as a museum ship near Houston, Texas, but currently closed to visitors as she undergoes a lengthy repair project.
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Dear Members,
We are ready for our 79th Anniversary Commemoration next week aboard Camp Pendleton in Southern California.

Weather forecast is partly sunny to sunny, and mid-70s all week. It will be a welcome break from the gray skies here in Washington State.


You all are still welcome to join us. We first meet and sup on Wednesday, tour the base on Thursday. Friday we rededicate the Division colors, have a lunch of Korean bbq beef, hold our General Membership meeting if we have quorum, then wrap it that evening at the Anniversary Banquet.


If you cannot make to Oceanside, you can still have fun. Hit the button below to download your raffle tickets for the 50/50 drawing. Get them in the mail now for the drawing on Friday 31 January. Get your tickets by phone at 760-763-3267. Your support of the Association is much appreciated. Good luck to you.

We have news that our late, great comrade Steve 'Doc' Lakernick will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery on 24 April at 3PM.

Will see some of you next week, and good luck on the raffle.

Semper Fi, 

Jerry Johs


DJC
From Headquarters
Come join us for our 79th Anniversary Commemoration aboard Camp Pendleton, California in late January and enjoy a mild winter among friends. January 29-31, 2020.

Click the button below to download your Registration Form.

Our next big event is this summer's 73rd Annual Reunion. Set for Washington, D.C., Friday, Aug 14 - Sunday Aug 23, 2020. Details to come.

You can keep current on the Association events at our website:
Members
Happy 93rd Birthday
To member Bill Call of Clackamas, Oregon
Schooling
Teacher's Lesson
NOW SHE IS A TEACHER!!!

In September of 2005, on the first day of school, Martha Cothren, a History teacher at Robinson High School in Little Rock, did something not to be forgotten. On the first day of school, with the permission of the school superintendent, the principal and the building supervisor, she removed all of the desks in her classroom. When the first period kids entered the room they discovered that there were no desks. 'Ms. Cothren, where are our desks?'

She replied, 'You can't have a desk until you tell me how you earn the right to sit at a desk.' They thought, 'Well, maybe it's our grades.' 'No,' she said. 'Maybe it's our behavior.' She told them, 'No, it's not even your behavior.'

And so, they came and went, the first period, second period, third period. Still, no desks were in the classroom. Kids called their parents to tell them what was happening and by early afternoon television news crews had started gathering at the school to report about this crazy teacher who had taken all the desks out of her classroom.

The final period of the day came and as the puzzled students found seats on the floor of the desk-less classroom. Martha Cothren said, 'Throughout the day no one has been able to tell me just what he or she has done to earn the right to sit at the desks that are ordinarily found in this classroom. Now I am going to tell you.'

At this point, Martha Cothren went over to the door of her classroom and opened it. Twenty-seven (27) U.S. Armed Services Veterans, all in uniform, walked into that classroom, each one carrying a school desk. The Vets began placing the school desks in rows, and then they would walk over and stand alongside the wall. By the time the last soldier had set the final desk in place those kids started to understand, perhaps for the first time in their lives, just how the right to sit at those desks had been earned.

Martha said, 'You didn't earn the right to sit at these desks. These heroes did it for you. They placed the desks here for you. They went halfway around the world, giving up their education and interrupting their careers and families so you could have the freedoms you have. Now, it's up to you to sit in them. It is your responsibility to learn, to be good students, and to be good citizens. They paid the price so that you could have the freedom to get an education. Don't ever forget it.'

By the way, this is a true story. And this teacher was awarded the Veterans of Foreign Wars Teacher of the Year for the State of Arkansas in 2006. She is the daughter of a WWII POW.

Let us always remember the men and women of our military and the rights they have won for us.
New Base Access
New for 2020: Commissary, exchanges opening up to 4 million more people
Photo: (Defense Commissary Agency/Kevin Robinson)


Military stores are gearing up for a potential 4 million extra people who will be eligible to shop at commissaries and exchanges, and to use certain morale, welfare and recreation facilities starting Jan. 1.

The new benefit was authorized by law for all veterans with VA service-connected disability ratings; Purple Heart recipients; veterans who are former prisoners of war; and primary family caregivers of eligible veterans under the VA caregiver program.

It’s the largest patronage expansion in more than 60 years. Currently about 6 million total households are eligible for the benefit; this increases that number by 60 percent. Not all of the 4 million people are expected to use the benefit, because of distance and other factors, but officials are working to ensure no out-of-stock situations occur at stores in states with high populations of disabled veterans and in states with higher cost of living.

Federal officials have determined that disabled veterans will use their Veterans Health Identification Card (VHIC) to gain access to military installations, and to shop and use MWR facilities. The VHIC must display the veteran’s eligibility status — Purple Heart recipient, former POW, or service-connected . Current Defense Department policy and the law have long allowed these benefits for Medal of Honor recipients and veterans with 100 percent service-connected disability ratings.

Most installations’ front gate scanning systems now have the capability to scan the VHIC cards. However, these newly-eligible patrons should allow some extra time when they first visit the installation to stop at the visitor control center, where they must pass an on-the-spot background check. Depending on the type of installation, patrons may be enrolled for recurring access to allow them to proceed to the gate without stopping at the visitor control center on future visits. Spouses can’t buy anything, but they and other family members can accompany the veteran into the store.

An estimated 37,000 veterans qualify for the new benefit, but don’t qualify for the VHIC for various reasons. They won’t have access to the installations during the first phase of the rollout. A credentialing solution is being worked out for these veterans, and will be rolled out at an unspecified later date.

Caregivers approved and designated as the primary family caregivers of eligible veterans under the VA Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers will receive an eligibility letter from the VA’s Office of Community Care.

Newly eligible customers who shop in commissaries will pay a fee of 1.9 percent of their transaction if they pay with a commercial credit card, and 0.5 percent if they use a debit card. These fees won’t apply to those paying with a Military Star card, cash or check. By law, the expansion of customers can’t include extra costs associated with using credit cards in commissaries; the cost must be passed on to the customer.

Commercial credit card companies charge transaction fees to retailer when customers use their credit cards. The fees only apply to newly eligible patrons. But as has been the practice for decades, all customers pay a 5 percent surcharge on transactions, required by law to pay for commissary construction, equipment and maintenance.
The benefit extends to revenue-generating MWR activities such as golf courses, bowling centers, movie theaters, RV campgrounds and recreational lodging.
Iwo Jima Association of America
Reunions & Symposium
KA-BAR/EK
The Association receives 6% of each sale of the KA-BAR/EK
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.
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
GYSGT CARLOS MARISCAL - Annual to Senior Life
Taps
We are again updating the database from Social Security records.
Recent reports are boldface.

PFC JOSEPH J. ACCOLLA, 23 Dec 2009
SGT JOHN A. BEARD, 6 Feb 2016
CPL JAMES R. BURNETT, 18 Jan 2013
CPL DONALD B. BURNS, 22 Jun 2018
SGT GEORGE T. BURNS, 20 Dec 2013
DR. HOUSTON BURNSIDE PHD, 11 Mar 2018
GYSGT MELVIN H. BURRIS JR, 23 Apr 2006
SGT TRAVIS V. BURROUGH, 7 Dec 2018
SGT RAYMOND R. BURROWES, 12 Jan 2017
CPL W. ERNEST BUSBEE, 24 Apr 2018
SGT JOHN F. BUSBY, 7 Jul 2019
PFC DENZIL L. BUSH, 19 Jul 2008
GYSGT E. R. BUSH USMC(RET), 1 Oct 2001
TSGT HARRISON DOYLE BUSHMAN, 16 Feb 2008
SGT ARTHUR W. BUSLER, 3 Jun 2018
CPL JOSEPH T. BUSZKIEWICZ, 2 Jan 2015
PFC WALTER H. BUTLER, 22 Mar 1998
SGTMAJ WALTER A. BUTTRICK, 22 May 2009
CPL JOHN W. BUZBY SR, 26 May 2016
SGT CLAUDE T. CABLE, 14 Sep 2017
PFC JOHN P. CAFFREY, 3 Feb 2007
PFC GABRIEL R. CAGGIANO, 2 Aug 2016
MRS LOIS CAIN, 8 Oct 2007
TSGT HUGO M. CALACI, 15 Jun 2015
JOSEPH CALCATERRA, 11 Jun 2015
CPL CURTIS L. CALDWELL, 30 Jan 2016
H.P. "BUDDY" CALDWELL, 3 Apr 2016
SGT OVERTON J. CALDWELL, 11 Nov 2017
SGT JOHN L. CAMARA, 27 Jan 2016
SSGT MICHAEL A. CAMBROLA, 12 Oct 2008
ROBERT P. CAMERON, 5 Oct 2004
CPL RAUL CAMPBELL, 8 Nov 2018
ROBERT D. CAMPBELL, 29 Jan 2008
1STSGT SANDY H. CAMPER USMCR(RET), 26 Jul 2019
FLORETTA CANADAY, 13 Nov 2002
SGTMAJ RAFAEL ANGEL CANDELARIO, 3 Jun 2019
MRS LEORA CANFIELD, 7 Dec 2017
PLTSGT ROBERT A. CANFIELD DMIN, 3 Aug 2009
CPL JOSEPH F. CANTORE, 6 Apr 2016
SSGT GILBERT CANTU, 17 Feb 2010
PFC J. A. CANTU, 6 Jan 2019
SGT ALFORD C. CARAZZA, 18 May 2009
LEO P. CARDARELLI, 17 Nov 2018
MRS BETTY CARDEN, 6 Mar 2012
ARMANDO R. CARLI JR, 12 Jul 2013
SGT RICHARD D. CARLSON, 26 Nov 2009
GYSGT WILLIAM D. CARNEY USMC(RET), 10 Nov 2013
ROBERT (BOB) CARO USMC, 15 Feb 2014
SGT LYLE D. CARPENTER, 28 Mar 2017
1STLT BERNARD CARR RN, Jul 2019
PFC ANGEL S. CARRANZA, 27 Jul 2008
SGTMAJ JUAN F. CARRANZA USMC(RET), 14 May 2015
PETER A. CARRILES, 16 Apr 2003
GYSGT RICHARD J. CASE USMC(RET), 17 Jul 2011
CPL WILLIAM J. CHELL, 27 Jan 2004
MSGT HAROLD A. CRAMER, 19 Jul 2018
ROBERT V. DELANOY, 7 Nov 2006
SGT JOHN G. DICKERSON, 13 Mar 2017
COL ARCHIE G. DONAHUE, 30 Jul 2007
SGT ARCHIBALD ECCLESTON III, 4 Jun 2019
CWO3 ROGER K. FENSLER, 13 May 2003
PHM1 WALTER FINN, 3 Jul 2006
PFC HAROLD D. FOX, 5 Dec 2011
PFC GEORGE E. GAFFEY SR, 2 May 2006
CAPT WILBUR J. GEHRKE, 5 Jun 2005
RALPH J. GEIGER RAJICH, 19 Jun 2019
JACK T. GILLESPIE, 11 Mar 2013
PFC RICHARD H. GIRARDIER, 21 Apr 2009
LTJG CHAPLAIN ARTHUR F. GLASSER, 8 Dec 2009
SGT JOE O. GOBLE, 24 Aug 2019
SGT RICHARD E. GOBLIRSCH, 22 Jun 2018
SGT EUGENE J. GRIFFIN, 19 Jul 2000
CAPT JOHN A. GRIFFITH III USMC(RET), 20 Jan 2019
CPL ROBERT D. HASSLER, 30 Nov 2017
SGT JOE R. HEATH, 13 Aug 2016
DR. ROBERT E. HEERENS, 19 Oct 2014
JESSE J. HEIL, 9 Jan 2012
WARD M. HEISER, 5 Oct 2008
CHARLES "DOC" W. HUGHES PHD, 25 Mar 2019
MRS CAROLYN IMMERMAN, 19 Jul 2017
GYSGT PAUL E. JOSIF USMC(RET), 24 Jan 2018
GEN PAUL X. KELLEY, 29 Dec 2019
LTCOL WILLIAM F. KOEHNLEIN, 20 Jan 2016
SGT G. F. KOEPPLINGER, 25 Aug 2006
MSGT ROBERT H. LARIMER, 18 Feb 2014
CPHM LLOYD A. LINDENFELSER USN(RET), 16 Jan 2008
ARTHUR A. LOMBARD, 17 Dec 2006
PFC CHARLES EDWARD LONG, 18 Nov 2019
CPL RUSSELL E. LONG, 16 Jun 2013
CPL JOSEPH A. LUONGO, 18 Feb 2010
SGT FREDERIC W. MANCE, 22 Jul 2003
JOHN A. MARSH, 15 Jan 2007
SGT JAMES L. MAYNOR
LTCOL RUSSELL J. MCCURDY USMC(RET), 17 Jun 2005
CSK WESLEY C. MOORE, 25 May 2007
SGT EDWARD J. MORAN, 4 Apr 2003
PFC WILLIAM G. MUIR, 17 Apr 2010
MAJ M.F. MURKEY (RET), 11 Jun 2008
Brother DAVID NASH OSST, 10 Jun 2006
MRS MARY NIETO, 12 Dec 2019
LTCOL HIEROME L. OPIE JR, 5 Jan 2006
MSGT REGINALD F PICKENS, 16 Jan 2007
SGT PERRY ROY PUGH, 24 Nov 2019
CPL DANIEL P. RICHARD, 31 Mar 2014
SGT WILLIAM D. RITCHIE, 30 Jun 2018
SGT KENNETH R. ROLLINS, 27 Apr 2011
CPL HARRY ROSS, 3 Aug 2004
1STLT JOHN W. SCHAEFER, 2 Jul 2008
LTCOL LEONARD G. SEWELL, 6 Aug 2015
MRS MARGARET SHERRY, 22 Jan 2019
SGT JOSEPH A. SOMERS, 4 Jul 2002
CPL ANDREW E. SPANO, 13 Jul 2006
SGT BEN H. SPECKELS JR, 13 Jan 2020
CAPT BUDDY B. SPIVEY, 9 Jan 2014
SGT JOHN R. SPOONMORE, 15 Feb 2013
SGT JOHN STEVENS, 21 Nov 2014
CWO2 CHESTER C. STEWART, 1 Sep 2006
CPL JAMES E. SULLIVAN, 18 Aug 2016
ROBERT M. SYLVESTER, 9 Jul 2010
SGT ARTHUR J. TABAKIAN, 26 Apr 2008
DONALD A. THOMPSON, 2 Jul 2009
PFC ROBERT J. TODD, 28 Apr 2010
PFC DELBERT V. TULLIUS, 27 Mar 2007
CPL PERRY E. VANSICKLE, 21 Feb 2002
GARY D. VAUGHN, 29 Mar 2018
SSGT GEORGE L. WALKER, 3 May 2012
SGT NATE H. WARD, 25 Dec 2019
MR. WILLIAM G. WELLHAM, 28 Jul 2014
SGT MAURICE L. WENTZ, 7 Sep 2009
CPL WILLARD C. WHITEHEAD, 24 Dec 2007
CPL GARY JOSEPH WILK, 23 Jul 2017
CPL MICHAEL ZOWNIR, 19 Dec 2014


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.
 
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