"Remember, the only thing better than being a Marine,
is being a Marine in the First Marine Division."
-- MGen Robert F. Castellvi
September 18, 2020
National POW/MIA Recognition Day
Inchon Landing
15 - 19 September 1950
First Lieutenant Baldomero Lopez, USMC, leads the 3rd Platoon, Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines over the seawall on the northern side of Red Beach, as the second assault wave lands, 15 September 1950, during the Inchon invasion. Wooden scaling ladders are in use to facilitate disembarkation from the LCVP that brought these men to the shore.

Lt. Lopez was killed in action within a few minutes, while assaulting a North Korean bunker. Note M-1 Carbine carried by Lt. Lopez, M-1 Rifles of other Marines and details of the Marines' field gear. Photo number NH 96876.
Four tank landing ships unload men and equipment on Red Beach one day after the amphibious landings on Inchon.
US Marines engaged in urban warfare during the battle for Seoul in late September 1950. The Marines are armed with an M1 rifle and an M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle. On the street are Korean civilians who died in the battle. In the distance are M4 Sherman tanks
12 September 2020
Marine Corps veterans of the Korean War gathered last Saturday at Camp Pendleton. Major General Robert F. Castellvi, center, welcomed and thanked them for their part in history. The event was sponsored by the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Los Angeles.
Korean War veterans present were awarded the Korea Ambassador of Peace Medal by Consul General Kyung Jae Park. LtCol Jean P. White USMC Ret., above, accepts his award.
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Dear Members,
We remember our POW/MIA brothers today, and always.

Korean War vets: Thank you.

Our new Nominating Committee met by phone last week. They chose Sgt Elmer Hawkins as their chairman. Their job will be to vet the candidates for FMDA officers for the 2021-23 term, and to oversee the election.

The members of the new Nominating Committee are:

SGT ELMER J. HAWKINS (Chairman)
SIG-HQ WWII
DAYTONA BEACH, FL

1STSGT HERB D. BREWER USMC(RET)
A-1-5 1-1 VN CW
PAULS VALLEY, OK

LCPL JIMMY L. CLENDENNEN
E-2-7 VN
NEWTOWN, PA

1STSGT GEORGE E. GALVAN USMC(RET)
WPNS 1-7 KO VN
ATASCADERO, CA

SGT ROBERT 'GENE' E. WUESTENFELD
B-1-11 CW
FOUNTAIN HILLS, AZ

We all owe thanks to you five for taking on this work for the Association.

The Nominating Committee will be asking Chapter Presidents to nominate members for Association offices. Further, they ask all members to consider running for an Association office, and to encourage other members.

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.

The 1st Marine Division welcomes Major General Roger B. Turner, Jr. as its 63rd Commanding General. MGen Turner will relieve Major General Robert F. Castellvi next week. We will give the new Commanding General the Welcome Aboard letter, printed below, on the day of the ceremony.

Thank you, Major General Castellvi, for your leadership these past two years. It has been our honor to support you in your duty. We wish you the best in your next assignment as USMC Inspector General.

The link below is a video of MGen Castellvi addressing Naval Academy Midshipman in April. It shows why we always enjoyed having him speak at our events.

Please watch the video for your Covid-19 pep talk.
 
Semper Fi

Jerry Johs
President, 1st Marine Division Association



DJC
TO THE DIVISION COMMAND
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:
YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN
MEMBERS
Sgt Albert G. DeLucien, Sr.
1920 - 2020
Jan DeLucien informed us today of the passing of her father, Sgt Albert G. DeLucien, Sr., on 15 September, 2020. He fought at Guadalcanal and Peleliu, and trained Marines as a drill instructor during the Korean War.

His 100th birthday was marked by Veterans Affairs back in February.

Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Troy E. Black shared the news of Sgt DeLucien being honored as the oldest Marine present at the Pentagon's Marine Corps birthday celebration in 2018.

The Association wishes fair winds and following seas to Life Member Sgt Albert G. Delucien Sr., and offers our condolences to his family and friends.
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
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
USAA Invites you to join online event:

United States Navy Memorial
Virtual Lone Sailor Awards Program
I would ask that you take the time to register and plan to attend this spectacular event.   USAA sponsors a big part of this presentation and this year we are happy to have our very own Jim Syring, who will make a special guest appearance. This will be a great event and will set the standard for future virtual presentations.

Please help me promote this event by forwarding these links to anyone that might be interested in honoring two Great Americans. 

Reserve your favorite recliner and enjoy the show. 

Sign Up to Join USAA for the Virtual Lone Sailor Awards Program on September 17, 2020 at 7 pm EDT.
New Members
No new members since last report
Taps
We are again updating the database from Social Security records.
Recent reports are boldface.

CPL EDWIN C. BEARSS, 15 Sep 2020
PHM3 WILLIAM A. DASCHER, 27 Feb 2019
SGT PHILIP E. DATZ, 24 Oct 2012
CPL EDGAR L. DAUBERMAN JR, 12 Oct 2019
CPL ROBERT DAVID, 17 Mar 2017
COL DARRELL U. DAVIDSON USMC(RET), 22 Jul 2020
SGT ALBERT G. DELUCIEN SR, 15 Sep 2020
SGT JOHN B. DILLON, 29 Dec 2011
SGT JAMES E. DOUGHERTY, 9 Sep 2020
RICHARD D. DRAINVILLE, 14 Aug 2019
CPL FRED C. ELLIS, 15 Dec 2018
1STSGT ANDREW M. FERNANDEZ USMC(RET), 7 Sep 2015
CPL EDWARD L. GRAF, 9 Sep 2020
MAJ JOHN E. KELLEY, 27 Mar 2012
SGT ROSS R. KIRKWOOD, 13 Sep 2020
PFC JOHN J. KUSLIS, 24 Sep 2010
GYSGT DALE W. LAMBSON USMC(RET), 27 May 2005
SGT RANDY J. LEEDOM, 19 Jul 2020
CPL E. J. LYNCH, 28 Oct 2002
CPL STERLING G. MACE, 17 Jul 2020
SGT JAMES F. MCENERY, 16 Sep 2012
CAPT SOTERIOS (SAM) J. MENZELOS, 31 Dec 2015
SSGT FRED E. MILLER, 22 Apr 2012
CHARLES 'CHUCK' FRANCIS MOELLER, 4 Sep 2020
CPL RAY A. SAXTON, 31 Dec 2008
CPL WILLIAM M. TRUMBLE, 7 Sep 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