“We must therefore be prepared to cope—even better, to thrive—in an environment of chaos, uncertainty, constant change, and friction.”

― U.S. Marine Corps, Warfighting: Marine Corps Doctrinal Publication 1

2024 Annual Reunion Registration Form

New 1st Marine Division CP

Dedicated on 83rd Anniversary of

Division Founding

Under occasional rain showers, 1st Marine Division marked its 83rd Anniversary with a ceremony on 3 February 2024. Division colors were rededicated, Marine and Sailor of the Quarter awards we given, and the new CP building was dedicated. The $42 milllion headquarters building is at the entrance to Camp Margarita, aboard Camp Pendleton, California.

The former HQ, the "Whitehouse" at Mainside, is now vacant, awaiting long term plans to become a museum. FMDA's former quarters was demolished. Our HQ relocated to Building 33421, at the west end of Camp Margarita, a short walk to CP.

Dear Marine Family,

We have completed the activities schedule for our 2024 Annual Reunion. The Registration Form may be download below.

Our base will be the San Antonio Riverwalk Holiday Inn, 18th to 25th August, in San Antonio Texas.

Tuesday and Wednesday see no formal arrangements, but at your own pace, there is strolling the Riverwalk, river boat tours, and on/off bus city tours.

The Alamo is six blocks away. Even nearer is the Briscoe Western Art Museum.

A municipal golf course is nearby.

On Thursday we bus trip to Frederick, to visit the Museum of the Pacific War.

Friday morning our Memorial Service starts at 0900. That evening 0800-0900 we have a concert with the Compañas de América Mariachi Band.

Saturday night will see our traditional Farewell Banquet.

This year's banquet will be dedicated to honoring our Korean War veterans. We would love for as many as possible of you New-Old Breed Marines to be there.

The Division is working on the arrangements for guest speaker, color guard, and band.

REMEMBER: without you there is no reunion. The whole purpose of this is you and you being with your friends. We are loosing our people really fast because of illness and age. Our honor Wall of deaths has grown drastically in the past few years. Don't let your friend not see you again. I have heard it so many times: "I wish I could have seen him one more time" after their friend has passed. We have to be among our friend now before it is to late.

We have been working with Base Telephone to have phone service installed in our new offices. Until that is done, please email june.oldbreed@fmda.us to contact us.

God bless the United States Marine Corps.

Semper Fi

William S. Godfrey

President, 1st Marine Division Association

wsgsr9454@aol.com

(505)554-9635

Join us in San Antonio, Texas for at our 77th Annual Reunion, 18-25 August.

Location: San Antonio Riverwalk Holiday Inn

217 Saint Mary's Street, San Antonio, Texas 78025

Front desk phone: (210)224-2500

Reservations: (888)465-4320

Our Group Code: FMD

Download your Reunion Registration Form:

Click here for direct link to the hotel and our group discount:

FMDA Group at Riverwalk San Antonio Holiday Inn

Southern California Chapter invites you to read their March 2024 newsletter, The Breed.

Central Florida Chapter shares their newsletter, The Ooo Rah!

FMDA staff attended a graduation ceremony on Friday 22 April at School of Infantry, Camp Pendleton. Class 2-24 of the Infantry Unit Leader Course consisted of 27 Marine Sergeants and Staff Sergeants.

SSgt J.M. Dixon received the Gung Ho award. The trophy is an engraved Ka-Bar. Sgt Joshua C. Hartwell received the Platoon Sergeant Mitchell Paige Award for highest GPA in the class.

This was the 20th anniversary of the awarding of the Mitchell Paige Award. The trophy is sponsored by FMDA's Desert Cities/Mitchell Paige MOH Chapter. Col Mitchell Paige was a founding member of the Chapter.

The Chapter was represented by its President Harry Covert, who also served as guest speaker. Harry was recognized for his continuing service to the military community.

IULT Company Commander Maj Michael A. Cubillos and Senior Enlisted Leader 1stSgt Gregory E. Reynolds present the course certificate to a graduate.

Desert Cities / Mitchell Paige MOH Chapter President and Sgt Joshua C. Hartwell with the Platoon Sergeant Mitchell Paige Award trophy.

SSgt J.M. Dixon and volunteer instructor Gunner Bolton with the Gung Ho Award.

Tun Tavern Legacy Foundation

Our Mission:  To rebuild and re-establish The Tun™ as it was, a functioning mariner’s tavern reminiscent of colonial Philadelphia, serving period-influenced refreshments, food, and entertainment and offering an educational experience through exhibits, historical documents, and special events. 

All profits from operations of The Tun™ will be donated in perpetuity to support veteran causes, Masonic charities, educational scholarships, and qualified charities as determined by The Tun Tavern Legacy Foundation’s independent Board of Directors.

77th Annual Reunion

1st Marine Division Association will gather 18-25 August 2024 for our 77th Annual Reunion in San Antonio, Texas, at the San Antonio Riverwalk Holiday Inn.

Pre-Registration deadline is 21 May 2024.

Camp Pendleton Historical Society

"Golf with a Hero" Tournament

A friendly reminder that you have less than two weeks to purchase your tickets at a reduced rate ($135) to play in the CPHS 8th "Golf with a Hero" charity golf tournament.  On March 30, ticket prices increase to $160 per player.

Join us as we return to play our annual golf tournament on the Marine Memorial Golf Course aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.

This fundraising golf tournament will be held on Friday, May 10, 2024 from 7:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.

If you are interested in registering to play; sponsoring an active duty Marine or Sailor to play; donating to CPHS; or would like more details about the event, click on the graphic below to take you to the Eventbrite website.

Help us fill all 128 golfer spots (96 paid and 32 sponsored) by passing along this event information to family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and local businesses. Thanks for helping to get the word out about this fundraising event!

Questions?  Email us at cphs.events@gmail.com.

We hope you’ll join us!  We appreciate your support.

Riverside County Veteran's Advisory Committee

Next meeting Friday, 12 April 2024 0800

Mount San Jacinto College, Menifee Campus

28237 La Piedra Rd, Menifee CA 92584, Bldg. 900, Room 927

Topic: Veterans Education Benefits and Services

Website: https://rivcoveterans.org/veterans-advisory-committee

84th Division Anniversary

Division told us we can to expect the traditional unit tours and banquet only on the big five-year anniversaries. February 2025 will be the 84th, so are hoping for a big event in February 2026.

E2 PFC DAVID W. BOZARTH, Sponsor: USMC Recruiting

E-6 SSGT ALLIE J. BRASWELL, Sponsor: Flanagan

CPL JOHN P. CARPENTER

CPL RONALD CYPHERS

E-3 PFC RUSSELL DONALD DAWKINS

SGT GEORGE LESTER FREELOVE

MRS HELEN MARIE GODFREY, Associate, Sponsor: William Godfrey

HMC/E7 CURTIS HARMON

SGTMAJ ROBERT W. HOLUB (RET)

MICKEY L. JONES, Friend

O-6/COL MICHAEL LIVINGSTON

SSGT DONALD MATHIS

LTCOL DANIEL RALSTON USMC(RET)

E-5 SERGEANT WILLIAM SCARBERRY

MRS SHERRY SHEAROUSE, Hon. Life Associate

HM2 SCOTT GORDON SULLIVAN, Sponsor: John Rodarte, CPL

SGTMAJ O'NEIL WEILBACHER (RET), Sponsor: SgtMaj Martin Vasquez (Ret)

We continue to check public records to create the Taps Report. More recent passings are noted by boldface.

Please report the passing of any Marine, Association member or not, so that our comrades may be remembered here.

PFC ROBERT R. BLACKWELL, 7 Nov 2014

SGT JOHN G. BRADLEY JR, 30 Jul 2015

CAPT HOWARD S. BROWNE USN(RET), 21 Sep 2021

CPL JOSEPH R. CONE, 3 Sep 2020

CAPT JAMES E. DOFFIN JR USN(RET), 17 Sep 2022

CPL JAMES J. DRAGONE, 8 Jul 2019

CPL STEVEN W. DRZAZINSKI, 19 Dec 2021

PVT RAYMOND H. DUBE, 31 Mar 2016

MIGNONNE C. DUBOIS, 1 Oct 2021

BARBARA DULONG, 11 Nov 2020

SGT JOHN J. DUMONG, 28 Apr 2020

1STLT JOHN S. DUNCAN, 24 Sep 2013

SGT RAYMOND A. DUNCAN JR, 10 Dec 2008

HM3 JOHN M. DUNNING JR, 10 Aug 2022

SSGT RALPH A. ECHAVE

CPL DANNY D. ELSEA, 3 Oct 2019

STANLEY A. FAIRBANK, 9 Dec 2014

CAPT JOHN P. FEERICK USN(RET), 18 Dec 2015

MRS JULIE FEHER

MAJ WARNER H. FELLOWS, 1 Mar 2019

SGT HERBERT L. FENSIN, 20 Oct 2015

GYSGT ROBERT A. FENTON, 22 Oct 2022

SSGT ROBERT E. FENWICK, 9 May 2015

CWO4 DANIEL B. FERENCE (RET), 6 May 2022

MRS MADLYN FERGANAG, 7 Dec 2017

CPL EARL E. FERGUSON II, 19 Nov 2020

CPL WILLIAM M. FERGUSON, 23 Oct 2019

SGT RAY L. FINCH, 2 Jun 2012

MRS CATHERINE FINELLI, 23 Mar 2023

CPL CLIFFORD J. FISHER JR, 29 Jan 2015

CPL DONOVAN C. FISHER, 2 Feb 2022

SGT BARNEY FLEISHMAN, 25 Aug 2007

CPL NICK A. FLORES, 5 Jan 2009

PFC EDWARD J. FLYNN, 26 Nov 2017

CAPT EDWARD H. FLYNN, 5 Nov 2016

JOAN FOLEY, 20 May 2012

GYSGT ROBERT R. FORCUM, 23 Jan 2016

SGT MARION R. FORD, 22 Jan 2019

MSGT EUGENE R. FOURNIER, 5 May 2015

CPL AMNON FRIEDMAN, 17 Nov 2002

MRS PEGGY FUNK, 5 Feb 2018

HM2 RODNEY E. GATES, 14 Dec 2013

DR STANFORD N. GERBER, 5 Sep 2022

SGT RICHARD MCLELLAN GEYER, 28 Jun 2013

PFC WALTER T. GLUCK, 14 Apr 2023

MRS SHIRLEY GLUECK, 13 Feb 2018

GYSGT RAYMOND GOODRUM, 30 Jun 2021

MRS MARJORIE L. GOSSELL, 5 Dec 2022

MAJGEN WILLIAM H. GOSSELL, 4 May 2020

1STLT VINCE GRECO, 14 Apr 2001

CPL DONALD J. GREEN, 19 Jan 2024

SGT JOHN D. GREENE, 27 Dec 2021

COL DONALD A. GRESSLY USMC(RET), 29 Jan 2021

SGT JAMES F. GRIMES, 15 Aug 2023

SGT WILLIAM J. GRISWALD, 2003

CPL DUKE GROSSMAN, 13 Nov 2022

CPL WALTER J. HARMON, 5 Jul 2021

PFC JESSE ELDRIDGE HOLT, 30 Sep 2022

PFC JACK CALTEN HOPKINS, 1 May 2015

SGT WILLIAM C. JOHNS, 18 Jun 2019

RM3 WILLIAM KAUZLARICH, 2 Jan 2005

SGT GERALD K. KEENAN, 19 Nov 2022

LCPL TOM J. LANCASTER, 26 Aug 2022

CPL STANLEY T. LARSON, 13 Dec 2023

GYSGT CHUCK B. MAWHINNEY, 12 Feb 2024

BERT W. MCCORMACK, 20 Jan 2023

SSGT JOHN P. MCCORMICK, 8 Aug 2015

CAPT LEN G. MCCORMICK, 20 Aug 2012

PFC JOHN G. MCKAY, 22 Dec 2018

FRANK J. MCKEOWN JR, 12 Aug 2011

CPL HUGH R. OSTRANDER, 8 May 2020

ANGELO A. PIROZZI, 26 May 2021

CPL THOMAS J. POWERS, 5 Aug 2020

REV. DR. LEONARD F. REILLY, 20 Aug 2011

PFC EDWARD L. RICHARDS, 14 Jul 2017

PLTSGT SHERMAN RICHTER, 29 Dec 2011

CPL RICHARD WALTER ROBERTS, 1 Jun 2014

SGT WILLIAM B. ROBERTS, 28 Sep 2019

PFC CHARLES WILLIAM ROBERTSON, 29 July 2023

MRS NORMA ROBINETT, 21 May 2015

FLORENCE F. RUMINSKI, 3 Sep 2023

1STSGT LEE RUX, 18 Dec 2023

CPL ALAN L. RYAN, 7 Dec 2016

COL LOUIS J. SCHOTT USMC(RET), 10 Jul 2023

1STSGT JAMES A. SHARP JR USMC(RET), 2 Jul 2023

WESLEY M. SHEDD JR, 28 Apr 2020

GYSGT AUGUST J. SHUMAKER, 1 Feb 2019

LCPL JESSE E. SIMMS, 17 Nov 2011

CAPT EDWARD J. SIMON USMC(RET), 3 Jan 2018

CWO2 STEPHEN J. SIMON USMC(RET)

SGT ROBERT A. SIMONSEN, 24 Jul 2010

MRS MARJORIE SIMPSON, 8 Jun 2022

GYSGT WILLIAM F. SINCOCK, 28 Mar 2014

HMCS HAROLD J. SMITH, 27 Dec 2019

SSGT FRANK SOUSA, 23 Sep 2021

CPL DONALD A. SOUTH, 10 Dec 2012

SGT HENRY B. SOWELL, 1 Jul 2016

ROBERT J. SPEIGHTS, 30 Jul 2015

SGT ROBERT K. STILLWELL, 20 Mar 2023

SFC WILLIAM J. STOKLEY USA(RET), 17 Oct 2023

GYSGT ALVIN TALL BEAR, 30 Mar 2014

SGT ROBERT E. THARP

SGT ROLAND W. THOM, 20 Feb 2021

SSGT F.G. TOMCHIK, 3 Jun 2011

MRS NORMA TRELEAVEN, 29 Oct 2018

SGT JAMES D. TREPTOW, 12 Dec 2012

2NDLT JAMES G. TRIMBLE ESQ, 13 Jan 2021

PFC JAMES T. TROLLE, 4 Jul 2005

SGT IRA B. TURNER, 23 Jan 2017

SSGT AMMON J. ULSH USMC(RET), 29 Aug 2003

SSGT FRANK C. VANARTSDALEN, 17 Apr 2005

SGT JOHN R. VANORT, 31 Dec 2008

SSGT THOMAS H. VARLEY, 20 May 2016

SGT ROBERT A. VERTACNIK, 6 Feb 2023

SGT CHRISTIAN FRANK VORTISCH JR, 7 Apr 2021

MAJ MICHAEL E. WARHOLAK JR USMC(RET), 24 May 2010

CAPT ROBERT H. WARREN USN(RET), 9 Jun 2022

LCPL W. L. WARREN, 19 Jan 2022

GYSGT JACK M. WATSO, 10 Jun 2020

PFC FRANK W. WECKERLY JR, 10 Oct 2020

SGT BERNARD A. WEHBY, 12 Sep 2018

CDR RICHARD L. WEIDENBACHER JR, 10 May 2006

SGT ROBERT L. WEIDNER, 28 Jan 2021

SSGT RICHARD A. WEIK, 26 Sep 2015

LCPL JAMES H. WEST, 8 May 2020

JOHN WEYRETER, 8 Dec 2015

MAJ JAMES T. WHIPP, 16 Dec 2023

SGT GEORGE L. WILLIAMS USMCR(RET), 22 Aug 2017

SSGT GORDON R. WILLIAMS USMC(RET), 15 May 2014

LCDR JOHN A. WILSON, 23 Oct 2016

SSGT JOHN J. WILSON, 2 Jan 2021

CPL OMER H. WINN, 28 Mar 2022

GYSGT JOHN B. WINTER, 14 Nov 2021

SGT JOHN W. WISHART, 13 Apr 2012

SGT RON J. WITT, 2 Feb 2015

CPL CAMERON M. WOJIE, 15 Jul 2014

LENORE J. WOJTOWICZ, 9 Jul 2011

SGT EARL J. WOODCOCK, 30 Aug 2010

SSGT JOHN M. WORTHY JR, 9 Feb 2010

SGT JOHN J. ZENYUCH, 22 Jun 2022

COL ORLOW R. ZUMWALT USMC(RET), 15 Jul 2021

Reported last run 3 Nov 2023

Headquarters Office (760) 763-3268

President William S. Godfrey's email: wsgr9454@aol.com

Please visit our website: www.1stMarineDivisionAssociation.org

Mailing address:

First Marine Division Association

P.O. Box 9000, Box # 902

Oceanside CA 92051

Thank you for reading the Blue Diamond News.

Please contact us with corrections, suggestions, and content you would like to see.

Semper Fidelis