Bunker News Page 1 MAY My fellow Marines, FMF Corpsman, Associates, Family and Friends...

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1 Bunker News Page 1 MAY 2015 Bunker News O F F I C E R S Mike Monteleone Commandant (941) Bob Fields Sr. Vice Commandant Mike McClain Jr. Vice Commandant Larry Sajec Adjutant Stephen Dalton Pay Master Rick Phillips Chaplain Dave Klein Sergeant at Arms Leonard Krueger Assistant Sergeant at Arms Robert Schooks Judge Advocate ************************ This newsletter is available at the Bunker or on the WEB at _pgg3.php3 (To submit articles, events or materials) contact Bob Fields (941) or to Jarhead@tampabay.rr.com ************************* Detachment mcldetachment588@ Gmail.com N E W S L E T T E R Commandant s Corner My fellow Marines, FMF Corpsman, Associates, Family and Friends... Well as another month goes by, we find ourselves growing in number and in status. As we turned the corner in the right direction, more people re coming back, and more people are joining. This month we have Sam's Club on Sunday the 17th... Come on out and help your Detachment. A lot of you missed Tony's Taco's this past Saturday... Those who came by were pleasantly surprised... Thank you Tony and Rosa. As you heard at the last meeting and voted on, we will be submitting a bid to host the Fall Conference. This will take a lot of work from all of us. But the rewards will be worth it. I can only speak for myself, but every time I walk in to the Bunker lately, I feel the pride and effort that is being put forth. Its been a long time coming and WE have come on this Journey together. But don't stop now. We have much more to do. We need to start collecting raffle prizes for the golf tournament Saturday Sept. 19th. also not too soon to sell ad's for the 240th Marine Corps League Birthday Ball November 6th. So lets keep the momentum going and continue to make OUR Detachment 588 something to be proud of... SEMPER FI Mike Monteleone Commandant, Detachment 588 M A Y Chartered: May 1, 1985

2 Bunker News Page 2 MAY 2015 REMINDER: NEXT REGULAR DETACHMENT MEETING IS MONDAY, MAY 18 AT the Bunker. Be there or we will send this after you. And bring a new member.

3 Bunker News Page 3 MAY 2015 Keri receives an award. Mike receives an award also. New Auxiliary Member Standing Room Only

4 Bunker News Page 4 MAY 2015 Commandant reminded everyone that we need help at our Sam s Club fundraisers. The schedule is: May 17th June 21st August 23rd September 13th October 18th SAMS CLUB on SR 70 If you have not visited the website for the Marine Corps League, Department of Florida lately, why not? Go to: You can find out many good topics there. See uniform regulations and many other hot topics.

5 Bunker News Page 5 MAY 2015 NEW MEMBER AND ASSOCIATE MEMBERS SWORN IN New Regular Member Carlos Morales describes his time in the Marine Corps to League Members. Welcome Aboard Marine. New Associate Members being sworn in at the April meeting included: Judy Martorana, Larry Couture, Ronald Clifford, Jason Sandoval, Mica McDonald, David Daughraty, Henry Ray and James Keller. Welcome to Detachment 588. This Army-Navy Store was kind enough to donate a set of dog tags to Detachment 588 to hang from the rifle that we stuck in the ground with it s bayonet, and a helmet on the rifle butt, that we used recently during the burial ceremony of a Marine who is now guarding the streets of Heaven. I recently visited the store. A great place.

6 Bunker News Page 6 MAY 2015 A Marine's Story Al Hebert, USMC After the attack on Pearl Harbor a co-worker and I decided to enlist in the Marine Corps. Having never left the town of Grosse Pointe, Michigan, I was about to experience a great adventure. We were transported by train to San Diego, California. Because I was relatively short, I had to sleep in the luggage rack - who was going to argue with the giant Tennessee guys? During Basic Training we all hated the Drill Instructor with a passion, but really appreciated him when it was all over. Upon graduation, we were lined up and every other person was told to step forward, which I did bad move I was assigned to Carlson's Raiders, a special operations unit with a history of high casualties. I volunteered instead for the Second Amphibious Tractor Battalion and was assigned to H&S Company in the Second Marine Division. Those "Amlracs" were like monsters to a country boy 1 had the job of greasing the tracks. Because I had taken administrative courses in school, I was reassigned to Administration; I protested, but eventually obeyed orders and ended up in the Personnel Section at Battalion Headquarters. During leave in Hollywood, we mingled with movie stars and I got to dance with my favorite actress, Laraine Day. Our training involved practicing the transfer from a troop ship into landing craft that were designed to transport Marines to the beach. Timing was crucial you had to scale down the side of the ship using a rope net and wait for the landing craft to reach its highest point on a wave, then jump feet-first into the craft. One of the men "froze" on the rope so I climbed down to a position beneath him and tugged on his boots while a Marine above pried loose his hands so that we could get him into the landing craft. As our unit prepared to ship out in November, I called my parents to tell them I was leaving but did not know the destination; from that time on, they really enjoyed the cut up (censored) letters that they would receive from me. The "first class" cruise wasn't that great; the holds were so full that I spent the next 21 days sleeping on deck. Crossing the International Date Line was exciting and yet I was glad when the trip was over. We arrived in New Zealand, a place I had never heard of. The living quarters weren't good (I believe it was a stable) but I was later given a wooden hut, a big improvement. Like the other guys, I "invaded" a place called Lower Hutt and soon became acquainted with a terrific gal and her wonderful family, with whom I spent much time. I fell in love with the girl but we had orders to leave and could not say where we were going. Knowing that we were headed into combat, I walked away and climbed aboard ship, never to return. I never forgot those gracious people; in fact the girl's mother corresponded with my mother for many years thereafter. On November 20, 1943, we attacked the Japanese-held isle of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll in the Central Pacific. This small island (2 miles long and 800 yards wide) was a critical target in the "island hopping" strategy whose goal was to establish forward air bases capable of supporting an invasion of Japan. This was the first time that LVTs (Landing Vehicle, Tracked) were used as full-fledged assault landing craft. I was an LVT driver, ferrying men and equipment from ships to the beachhead. We were incurring many casualties within 76 hours 1000 Marines were killed and 2100 were wounded. Because I knew how to operate a typewriter, I was instructed to return to the ship to help document our losses and draft letters to families back home. A good friend took over my position on the LVT and was killed on the next run to the beach when the AmTrac was struck by an artillery round. Half of our LVTs were knocked out of action by the end of the first day. After heavy fighting, the island was declared secure on November 23. For its part, the Second Marine Division would receive the Presidential Unit Citation "For outstanding performance in combat." Admiral Chester Nimitz said "The capture of Tarawa knocked down the front door to the Japanese defenses in the Central Pacific." After Tarawa, our unit returned to Hawaii. I was part of a group that was assigned to organize a beach party for morale purposes; we went to Hilo and rounded up a about 25 Hawaiian girls and all went well. Soon it was time to leave and, as part of the second echelon, we sailed on the 55 Sea Flier. The Captain received conflicting orders and we somehow ran aground in the middle of the night on the island of Eniwetok; much panic ensued. The Sea Flier began to list and the "abandon ship" order was given. We set up camp on Continued on next page

7 Bunker News Page 7 MAY 2015 (continued from previous page) the shore and waited for a replacement ship to arrive. Our next confrontation was on June 15, 1944 when we assaulted Saipan in the Mariana Islands. Within two hours, more than 300 LVTs landed 8,000 Marines on the west coast. The Japanese were determined to fight to the last man and conducted "banzai" or, suicidal human wave, attacks against our forces. We used flamethrowers and artillery to rout the Japanese from the many caves from which surprise attacks were launched at night. On July 7, 3,000 Japanese troops initiated a charge that would become the largest banzai attack in the Pacific War. The island was declared secure on July 9 and the Japanese commanders committed suicide rather than be taken prisoner. Among them was the Vice-Admiral who had led the Japanese carriers at Pearl Harbor and Midway. Many Japanese civilians followed suit by leaping from cliffs; they had been told that if they were captured, the Americans would treat them savagely. Almost the entire Japanese force on the island, at least 30,000, had been killed. Out of the 71,000 Americans that landed 3,000 were killed and over 10,000 wounded. On July 24 we attacked the nearby island of Tinian. This was the first Pacific battle in which napalm was used. The Japanese lost 8,000 troops; our casualties were 300 dead and 1,500 wounded. After the island was secured on August 1, construction began on an airfield that would become the launching point for the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. My commanding officer said he would recommend me for the Bronze Star; I don't know what happened to the paperwork, but the award never materialized. I returned to Hawaii aboard the SS Santa Cruz and was appointed Mess Sergeant in charge of the Officer's Mess. With no expertise in this area, I set about organizing the galley and improving the quality and quantity of meals served. The Transport Commander was so impressed that he gave me a Commendation. After my return to the States, I held various posts including the operation of a Recruiting office. In 1949, the Marine Corps was restructuring its forces, and I decided to transfer to the U.S. Army. After a tour of duty with a transportation unit in France, and a 13-month tour in Korea, I became the Advisors Detachment Commander of a Reserve center in Ohio. Having attained the rank of Sergeant First Class, I was offered a promotion to Lieutenant but decided to retire from the military in I subsequently worked in various positions in management and business but I never forgot the events that transformed that Michigan country boy into a Marine. Editor s Note: Members of Marine Corps League, Detachment #588 had the honor of rendering last honors to Marine Al Hebert on the 14 th of April, when he was buried. He is now guarding the streets of Heaven in the company of many other Marines who have gone before us.

8 Bunker News Page 8 MAY 2015 In The Highest Tradition Presentation of the Navy Cross U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Joseph L. Osterman, commander, Marine Special Operations Command, Camp Lejeune, N.C., presents Gunnery Sgt. Brian C. Jacklin, team chief, Delta Company, 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion, Marine Special Operations Command, with the the Navy Cross Medal during a ceremony held to honor Jacklin and five other members of Marine Special Operations Team 8131 at Camp Pendleton, Calif., April 9, On June 14, 2012, while deployed to Afghanistan, the Marine Special Operations Team 8131 simultaneously conducted counterattacks against the enemy, established village stability and evacuation of two Marine casualties in Upper Gereshk Valley of Helmand Province. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Maricela M. Bryant/Released)

9 Bunker News Page 9 MAY 2015 The M1909 Colt.45 Caliber Revolver By John D Alusio All Marines are familiar with Colt M1911 semi-automatic pistol that fires.45 ACP. However, many are not aware of this weapons immediate predecessor. In 1905, Colt produced the M caliber revolver. This was a six shot pistol that was manufactured expressly for the Marine Corps. The weapon was used as the primary sidearm in the Caribbean and during the Philippine Insurrection. However, performance was considered unsatisfactory as it did not have the desired stopping power. This was particularly evident in the Philippine uprising where the enemy often continued charging after being struck by a.38 caliber bullet. During the Moro War (as the Philippine insurgency was called) US Army personnel found the Colt.38 Long Colt New Army 1896 was unable to reliably stop fanatic Moro insurgents. There were a number of cases of a Moro being shot 6 or more times with the.38 Long Colt only to kill the US soldier before dying himself. The military decided that the.38 Long Colt was too under powered and ineffective to be the standard service pistol caliber, so they started looking for a more modern replacement A heavier round was clearly needed. Colt then designed and manufactured the M caliber double action revolver. It featured a 5.5 inch barrel, with an overall length of just under 11 inches, and a six shot capacity. Weight was 2.5 pounds, and muzzle velocity was rated at 760 feet per second. Approximately 1,400 Model 1909 Double Action Revolvers were purchased by the U.S. Marine Corps in It fired the stout.45 Long Colt cartridge. When an enemy was struck by this round, there was no second act involved. The target stayed down. The military bought the US Army Model 1909, the US Navy 1909, and the USMC 1909 (which had a different grip frame shape). The 1909 remained a limited standard until the Model Automatic was adopted. All told, the military bought about 14,000 Model 1909 revolvers. The M1909 Colt.45 Caliber Revolver was an effective weapon that was a bridge to the justly more famous Colt M1911 semi-automatic.45 Caliber ACP. The M1909 possessed tremendous stopping power, and being a revolver, was extremely simple and reliable. But its time as the military s primary sidearm was short, and the semi-automatic successor was going to hold sway from 1911 to 1988.

10 Bunker News Page 10 MAY 2015 The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) invites the public to hear from the authors of a group of health studies that have been conducted to understand the impact of past exposure to contaminated drinking water at U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The authors will discuss the study results during a public meeting and Community Assistance Panel meeting that will take place in Greensboro, NC on May 12-13, The authors will also be available to address questions about the studies and their results during the public meeting. For more information about the health studies and other work done by ATSDR at Camp Lejeune, please visit For members of the public who wish to attend in person, the public meeting and Community Assistance Panel meeting will be held at: Embassy Suites Greensboro-Airport Hotel 204 Centreport Drive Greensboro, North Carolina Public Meeting: May 12, 2015, 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM Community Assistance Panel Meeting: May 13, 2015, 9:00 AM - 2:30 PM For those not able to attend in person, a live stream of the meetings will be available for viewing online. Details about the live stream will be available at

11 Bunker News Page 11 MAY 2015 ADVERTISING IN THE BUNKER NEWS AD SIZE SINGLE COPY COST 12 ISSUES DISCOUNT FULL PAGE $20.00 $ HALF PAGE $10.00 $ QUARTER PAGE $5.00 $50.00 NOTES: Checks for ads to be made out to MCL Det 588. Business cards for businesses who have provided material support for the detachment will be inserted free of charge. Mr. Kistler recently came to the aid of Det. 588 when he retrieved and returned several pieces of detachment property that fell off of the trailer on the Interstate. He is a Marine Corps Veteran. Just goes to show, SEMPER FIDELIS is more than just words.

12 Bunker News Page 12 MAY 2015 MARINE CORPS HISTORY IN MAY 2 May 1946: Marines from Treasure Island Marine Barracks, under the command of Warrant Officer Charles L. Buckner, aided in suppressing the three-day prison riot at Alcatraz Penitentiary in San Francisco Bay. WO Buckner, a veteran of the Bougainville and Guam campaigns, ably led his force of Marines without suffering a single casualty. 5 May 1983: In Beirut, Lebanon, a UH-1N helicopter carrying the commander of the American peace-keeping force, Colonel James Mead, was hit by machine gun fire. The six Marines aboard escaped injury. Colonel Mead and his crew had taken off in the helicopter to investigate artillery and rocket duels between rival Syrian-backed Druze Moslem militiamen and Christian Phalangists that endangered French members of the multinational force. 8 May 1995: In the wake of the most devastating storm to hit the New Orleans area in more than 200 years, a group of Marines and sailors from Marine Forces Reserve demonstrated the quick response synonymous with the Navy/Marine Corps team. Within 24 hours of being called, Marines assisted in the evacuation of 2,500 civilians, and Navy corpsmen treated scores of flood victims. 10 May 1945: The 22d Marines, 6th Marine Division, executed a pre-dawn attack south across the Asa River Estuary and seized a bridgehead from which to continue the attack toward Naha, the capital of Okinawa. 15 May 1862: Corporal John Mackie, the first Marine to earn the Medal of Honor, was commended for service in the USS GALENA during action against Confederate shore batteries at Drewry's Bluff which blocked the James River approaches to Richmond. 16 May 1945: The 22d and 29th Marines continued the attack against Half Moon Hill, a day characterized by the 6th Marine Division as the "bitterest" of the Okinawa campaign. By the 18th, the famed "Shuri line" had been broached. 22 May 1912: First Lieutenant Alfred A. Cunningham, the first Marine officer to be assigned to "duty in connection with aviation" by Major General Commandant William P. Biddle, reported for aviation training at the Naval Aviation Camp at Annapolis, Maryland, and Marine aviation had its official beginning. 23 May 1988: The V-22 Osprey, the world's first production tilt-rotor aircraft, made its debut during rollout ceremonies at Bell Helicopter Textron's Arlington, Texas, facility. More than 1,000 representatives from the military, industry, and media, gathered to hear various speakers, including Gen Alfred Gray, Commandant of the Marine Corps, praise the versatile rotor craft designed to meet the needs of 21st Century battlefields. 26 May 1969: Operation Pipestone Canyon began when the 1st Battalion, 26th Marines and 3d Battalion, 5th Marines began sweeps in the Dodge City/Go Noi areas southwest of Da Nang. It terminated at the end of June with 610 enemy killed in action at a cost of 34 Marines killed. 29 May 1991: Elements of a joint task force that included the 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade departed the Bay of Bengal off the coast of Bangladesh after nearly two weeks of disaster relief operations following a devastating cyclone. The joint task force delivered tons of relief supplies using helicopters, C-130s, and landing craft in Operation Sea Angel. SEMPER FIDELIS

13 Bunker News Page 13 MAY 2015 VOLUNTEER HOURS NAME DATE HOURS MONETARY PROJECT OR CAUSE VALUE

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15 Bunker News Page 15 MAY 2015 Marine Corps League Desoto Detachment th Street West, Bradenton ( ) Event Calendar for 2015 Open to all Members and Friends for all Special Events 05/11/ Executive Board Meeting at the Bunker 05/17/ Fund Raiser at Sam s Club, SR-70 05/18/ Regular Monthly Meeting 05/20/ Devil Dogs Growl Largo Pound 05/25/ Memorial Day Veterans Plaza Please Come Out and Support the Events Reverend Ric Phillips (Detachment Chaplin) Please let me know about needs for: Prayer Requests. Marines or Family Members who are sick or in distress. Contact me at: 777Ricips@Gmail.com

16 Bunker News Page 16 MAY 2015 Support the Businesses that support the Marine Corps League, and Toys for Tots.

17 Bunker News Page 17 MAY 2015 Scuttlebutt The Paymaster has asked that everyone confirm your address next time you are at the Bunker. Send your articles, announcements, photos for the newsletter to Bob Fields by the 25th of each month for inclusion in the next month s newsletter. If you want it in the Bunker News, send it to: Jarhead@tampabay.rr.com Visit the Marine Corps League, Department of Florida website: There is even a list of discounts for veterans and senior citizens listed there that covers: Restaurants, Retail & Apparel, Grocery Stores, Airlines, Rental Cars, Hotels, Entertainment, Telephones, Haircuts, etc. DEADLINE: for registering for the Camp Lejeune contaminated water program is 9/11/2015. Go to this website for more information: offthebase.wordpress.com/2012/08/09/to-do-list-for-camp-lejeune-watercontamination-victims/ If your dues are in the arrears, please catch them up with the paymaster. When is the last time you invited a non-member to the Bunker or to a MCL Meeting? We need some volunteer Bar Tenders...Contact Steve Dalton or Mike Monteleone. Remember to always tip your bartenders at the Bunker very generously!

18 Bunker News Page 18 MAY 2015 Application for Membership Marine Corps League Full Name: Phone: ( )- Street Address: City State Zip + Date of Birth: / / Address: Service Or S.S. #: Date of Enlistment/Commissioning: Date of Discharge/Retirement/Separation: Type of Application: New Renewal Membership Type -- Regular Associate Dual Have you ever been convicted of a felony? YES NO If yes is checked, I agree to waive my rights under the Privacy Act and disclose the nature of the felony conviction for consideration of membership in the Marine Corps League. I hereby apply for membership in the Detachment, Marine Corps League and enclose $ for one year s membership.* I hereby apply for membership in the Marine Corps League as a Member-at-Large (MAL) and enclose $30 for one year s membership* *Includes free subscription to Semper Fi, (The Magazine of the Marine Corps League) I hereby certify that I am currently serving or have served honorably in the U.S. Marine Corps, on active duty, for not less than ninety (90) days * and earned the Eagle, Globe and Anchor, or have served or am currently serving in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve and have earned no less than ninety (90) Reserve Retirement Credit Points or that I have served or am currently serving as a U. S. Navy Corpsman who has trained with Marine FMF Units in excess of ninety (90) days and earned the Marine Corps Device or Warfare Device worn on the Service Ribbon authorized for FMF Corpsmen. If discharged, I am in receipt of a DD Form 214 or Certificate of Discharge indicating "Honorable Service". ("Honorable Service" will be defined by the last Form 214 or Certificate of Discharge that the applicant received). General discharge under Honorable Conditions is acceptable.) By signature on this application, I hereby agree to provide proof of honorable service/discharge upon request. I hereby authorize the National Executive Director, Marine Corps League to obtain an un-redacted copy of my latest DD Form 214 from the Marine Corps custodian of Official Military Personnel Files (IMPF, and/or verification of honorable service if deemed necessary to verify my eligibility for regular membership in the Marine Corps League. I understand the DD Form 214 may contain information such as military awards, training, and character of service. (*Korean War Era Marines See National Bylaws, Article 6, Section 600) {Sponsor where applicable) Applicant's Signature (see reverse side)