"If you don't read the Blast, you are uninformed, if you read something else you are misinformed." -El Jefe FIRST MARINE DIVISION ASSOCIATION "If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then is an empty desk a sign?" -Albert Einstein PHOTO OF THE WEEK Purple Heart Memorial Dedication Ceremony Wednesday, 22 February 2017
SgtMaj Vasquez getting escorted by SSgt HQ 5th Marine Regiment. HA1 Bob Bobst (center) Left Colonel Kassner and SgtMaj Nguyen
From the Headquarters
Mrs. D'Arcy Neller (Center) Lindsey Parra 2nd person (on the right from the center) Spouse Luncheon at Camp Pendleton with Mrs. D'Arcy Neller (The Commandant's Wife) Attention Members we have a limited amount of 76th Anniversary Challenge coins available for purchase. 3 coins for $20 or $10 Each.
MONEY MATTERS GENERAL FUND Bank of America Checking Beginning Balance (02/08/17) $88,021.18 Credits, Total $6,740.00 Debits, Total $13,335.00 Ending Balance ( 02/24/17) $81,426.18 Below is the Invoice for Administrative Fees owed the First Marine Division Association, Inc General Fund by the First Marine Division Association Scholarship Fund Inc. PREVIOUS TOTAL OWED $24,215.34 CREDITED 2/24/17 $1,109.00 TOTAL OWED $23,106.34
Vince Rios, President FIRST MARINE DIVISION ASSOCIATION, Inc. AMERICA'S HEROS Taken in Hue City 49 years ago.
The first picture is taken near the An Cau Bridge in Hue. L to R Sgt Josef Burghardt, Battalion Scout Lawrence Hoffman, Corpsman Doc Tom Tura, Radioman, Cpl Greg Holmes, Platoon Commander, 2nd Lt William Donnelly and L/Cpl Neas kneeling down in front. The second picture was taken middle to late February 1968 of what is left at the time of 1st Platoon, 20 Marines/Corpsman. Sgt Burghardt is on the left side, 3rd from the top and I am to his left behind a.30 caliber Machine Gun. REMOVED from the MACV compoun ATTENTION MEMBERS ELECTION FOR FMDA ASSOCIATION OFFICES: 2017
PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR BIOGRAPHIES TO FMDA HEADQUARTERS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO APPEAR IN THE 1ST QUARTER OBN 2017 REUNION SHAPE UP
YOU NEED TO KNOW
Re: FMDA Directors Meeting at the 2017 Anniversary Celebration We would appreciate a brief report on the relationship between the FMDA and the FMDA Scholarship Fund, Inc. We were told that this issue would be discussed vigorously, and we were hoping one result would be a solid agreement, between the entities, regarding that relationship, including who owed what to whom, and how you would proceed going forward. We are also hoping that you have managed to bring an end to the negative, destructive dialogue between members of those organizations, and that you have all agreed to a plan on how you will work together to the betterment of the FMDA and the Scholarship Fund, Inc. Please send us your honest appraisals of the current situation, as soon as possible. I have copied Jim Dougherty, our president, and Jim Latta, our project leader for the Blue Diamond Shoot up in Lehigh Valley, PA. The 3 rd Annual Blue Diamond Sporting Clays Shoot will take place on Saturday, September 30 th. Thanks, and Semper Fidelis! Nicholas Warr, Treasurer 1/5 Vietnam Veterans Association Howdy Nick, The combined BOD/EXEC Meeting was a flop. There was not a quorum and key officers of both bodies were absent. Notes were taken by June Cormier, Executive Assistant to the President in the absence of the FMDA Secretary and will be printed in the OBN and the President's Blast.
Although there was no action taken, several important issues were discussed and those that will require action will be posted in the OBN to be placed on the agenda for the August meeting or they wont be called for action. There was no one there willing to speak on the Scholarship issues; no dialog, destructive or otherwise. Stay tuned. More to come. Semper Fi, President Vince Rios NEW MEMBERS OUR GOAL: Every member recruit at least one member. -President Vince Rios Juan C. Aviles Jose Gabriel Romo Freddy L. Bell Recruited by Vince Rios Self Recruited by Vince Rios
GENERAL FUND DONATIONS All FMDA Members please use your USAA card- the First Marine Division Association, Inc gets a small but helpful rebate. TAPS Sgt William F. Cleghorn DOD 12/17/16 PltSgt Brown E. Chisam Cpl Joseph A. Miceli DOD 03/16/16 Frederick "Fred" F. Houle DOD 12/7/16 TSgt Wayne M. Lawson DOD 12/01/16
President Vince Rios First Marine Division Association Office (760) 763-3268 President Vince Rios (817) 847-9954 President Vince Rios E-mail vrmarine@msn.com Please visit our website: 1stmarinedivisionassociation.org P.O. Box 9000, Box # 902 Oceanside, CA 92051 (760) 763-3268