FORWARDING AND ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED TO: ONCE A MARINE ALWAYS A MARINE Please send your dues in when you receive the notice from National. Our dues are $40.00 a year. Send this amount with your renewal form to: Detachment Paymaster P.O. Box One Ballwin, MO 63022 This newsletter and previous issues can be obtained from the new Detachment Website. http://www.pvtgeophillips.org/ Please contact the Editor to receive future issues electronically. As a suggestion, anyone wishing to provide material should try to have it to the editor no later than the fourth Friday of previous month. (This doesn t mean don t t is a submit anything at all if you need more time, instead please contact the editor.) If sent via email, please note that newsletter submission should appear the subject line. Next Meeting will be February 20, 2018 @ 1930
Commandant: Gerald Gerling 636-271-3778 Sr. Vice-Commandant: Elliot Glassman 314-434-4868 Jr. Vice-Commandant: Ed Rau 636-978-3522 Adjutant/Paymaster: Dennis Simpson 636-230-5976 Judge Advocate: Joseph Gentile 314-488-9440 Sgt at Arms: Vacant Chaplain: Larry Schwartz 314-780-3710 Benevolence: John (Jack) Bickerton 314-304-4360 Web Sgt: Brad McNeil 636-225-2866 February 2018 Volume XIV Issue 2 Email PvtGeoPhillips@gmail.com Detachment Webpage http://www.pvtgeophillips.org/ bmcneil@sbcglobal.net Mail: Pvt George Phillips Detachment Marine Corps League P.O. Box #1 Ballwin, MO 63022 Meeting Location: 225 Old Sulphur Springs Road Ballwin, MO 63021-5356 Trustee 3Yr: JamesGrgurich 314-852-9511 Trustee 2Yr: Mike Cicchese 636-208-4676 Trustee 1Yr: Hugh Smith 636-536-7040 Jr. Past Commandant Dennis Simpson 636-230-5976 Public Information Officer: Hugh Smith 636-536-7040 Ways & Means: Elliot Glassman 314-434-4868 Quartermaster: Don Aird 636-529-1067 Eagle Scout Liaison: John Chris Ketcherside 636-517-1447 Editor/Historian: Carl E. Ramsey 314-304-7915 Meetings 3 rd Tuesday of Every Month 1930 7:30 PM Detachment Membership as of January 31 109 Meetings 3 rd Tuesday of Every Month 1915 7:15 PM
Commandant s Message. The pancake breakfast is set for Saturday, February 17, 0800-1100. American Legion Post 208 is the place to be that morning. Everyone is invited to bring a guest. Grand kids and young children always have a good time. Regular meeting is February 20, election night. We need as many people as possible to be there, to vote and support the detachment. Semper Fidelis, Jerry Gerling February 2018 13 Staff Meeting 1900 Post #208 17 Pancake Breakfast 0800-1100 Post #208 20 Membership Meeting 1930 Post #208 20 Auxiliary Meeting 1915 Post #208 24 St. Charles County Ambulance District poker tournament benefit for FOCUS Marines Foundation 1700 Foundry Art Centre, 520 North Main Center, St Charles, MO 63301 (See Newsletter Article) March 2018 3 Marine Corps Trivia Night 1900 Marine Corps League #183 Ballroom 5700 Leona St. St. Louis, MO 63116 (See Brochure) 13 Staff Meeting 1900 Post #208 20 Membership Meeting 1930 Post #208 20 Auxiliary Meeting 1915 Post #208 April 2018 9 Staff Meeting 1900 Post #208 16 Membership Meeting 1930 Post #208 16 Auxiliary Meeting 1915 Post #208 Russ Lake and John Cooper sworn in at January Meeting.
MEMBERS MATTER by Lyle McFarlin Larry Schwartz Biography I was born on March 13, 1939, at our home at 905 Baker St. Covington, KY. I was the tenth birth, but ninth live birth which would eventually become sixteen children born to my parents, Leo and Sadie Schwartz. All, but one, were delivered at the Baker Street address. Dad was born on September 12, 1897 and died on October 16, 1973, age 76. Mom was born on February 28, 1907, and died on November 19, 1954 age 47. We had a two-story home, with one bath room and three bedrooms, one for parents, one for the girls and one for the boys. Boys and girl s rooms had bunkbeds. The earliest memory I have is at age 4 in 1943, when our house caught fire with mom and ten children home. The fire department rescued us from the roof of the front porch. Dad was aboard a destroyer as a Navy cook in the south Pacific. A couple of Dad s highlights are that he cooked for President F.D.R. on one of his trips to Hawaii and he was one of the highest paid cooks in the Navy (thanks to ten junior dependents). Speaking of bunk beds, during the summer of my fourth grade, I fell from the top bunk onto the wood floor landing on my chin with my tongue between my teeth. I must have been knocked out, but when I came to I began to cry, as I had blood on me and my tongue really hurt. I woke up my brothers big mistake. When asked why I was on the floor and crying like a baby, I told what happened. Well, be quite and get back into bed and go to sleep. So, I did. To this day, my tongue is still split in half cross-wise. I attended St. John s grade school graduating in 1953, then attended Newport Catholic High school in Newport, KY. My older brother Jim Dutch attended there and was BMOC (Big Man on Campus), good enough in football that Paul Bear Bryant tried to recruit him for University of Kentucky. He ended up going to Xavier University in Cincinnati. I showed up in 1953 as a strapping five-two, at ninety-nine pounds and made the freshman football team. When the varsity coach heard that Dutch s brother was on the team, he wanted to meet him. So, the freshman coach called us out. The varsity coach showed up all excited, pointing at the larger guys, asking which one was Dutch s brother. Here! I was in the front, with my hand raised. He looked down and said, You, you are Dutch s brother, didn t they feed you? and walked away. While at Newport Catholic I did grow some, played on the 1956 KY state champion baseball team. Our record was 29-5, and we never lost to a Kentucky high school team. I graduated in 1957. That summer was really great, playing baseball, softball, and cards and drinking beer. I had a part-time job at a local golf course. One day I did not go to work, and dad wanted to know why. I told him I decided to join the Marine Corps. Okay, he said. So, I walked which you did everywhere (as dad s saying was walking isn t crowded ) to the recruiting office in downtown Covington. Next thing I knew I was on a bus headed for the VA hospital in Ft. Thomas, KY, about 15 minutes from Covington. I passed both physical and mental (surprise) exams and left for San Diego for boot camp on September 3, 1957. After boot camp I went to Second ITR (Infantry Training Regiment) at Pendleton. After that I was sent to Headquarters Company, Seventh Marines, with MOS (Military Occupation Status) of 2543 Message Center Man. I spent one year there, then was shipped to Fourth Marines in Kaneohe Bay, HI. One of the most solemn times of my entire life occurred when our troop transport pulled into Pearl Harbor and we went past the USS Arizona the large guns were still protruding out of the water. You
could have heard a pin drop. I really enjoyed my time in Hawaii (who wouldn t). One time a group of us went on what we called vampire liberty, to Queen s hospital in Honolulu and pumped a pint of blood for five dollars. We pooled our money, and went to Waikiki where we slept on the beach that night. The next morning, I went into the surf to wake up and upon coming out of the water, saw a group of co-eds running toward me, hollering, Dean Martin, Dean Martin. Hated to tell them I was not Dean, to which they said, We are not talking to you, we are talking to Dean Martin. Who was standing right next to me. The guys really got a kick out of this, often calling me Dean. After my discharge in 1960, I returned home to Covington, KY and attended one year of day school at Villa Madonna College. One morning at Freshman English class, a group of nurses came in. I noticed one in particular, and not knowing her name or anything about her, something in me said that s her!! We dated for the next five years, getting married on October 9, 1965. We have three biological children and two adopted children, one of who died on February 17, 2012. In 1961 I transferred to Xavier University in Cincinnati, but lasted one year-as I was financially embarrassed! So, I held various jobs, while attending night school for the next eight years, and graduated with a degree in accounting in 1969. In 1978, I was working at the Ralston Purina plant in Sharonville, OH, when I was transferred to St. Louis. I retired on May 1, 2000. After retirement I volunteered as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA). In this capacity I spoke before the family court of Saint Louis County for abused, abandoned and neglected children. I did this for about four years. Next, I was a volunteer driver for the DAV (Disabled Veterans), taking veterans to their medical appoints at either Cochran or JB. I had the honor of driving one of the original Tuskegee airmen, Army vets who were in the Stalag prison camps in Germany, Marine vets who were on troop transports headed for Japan, and Dennis Connor Marine who was captured on Wake Island and spent forty-four months in a prison camp in Japan. I Joined the Marine Corps League on March 2, 2003, becoming a member of Saint Louis Detachment #183. While there I filled positions of Junior Vice, Senior Vice, Paymaster and the last year I was Commandant. I transferred to Private George Phillips detachment in 2006. I assumed duties as paymaster serving in that post until Dennis Simpson took over in 2013. Currently I serve as Chaplain. I am very proud and honored to be a member of our detachment! I really do not have a bucket list. But if I did, it would have to be good health for my wife and myself, to live long enough to watch our seven grandchildren grow to be responsible adults who are grateful to be Americans and always honoring those who made it possible. I am Larry Schwartz
Chaplain s Corner Now that the holidays are over, we can settle into a less hectic pace of life. This is especially true of us "old retirees as our growing, working and child-raising years are behind us. Although the years of our retirement are sometimes called the golden years or twilight years I prefer to call them as the "awakening" years. When we reach this age, we have learned that each and every day is a blessing. After giving it some prayerful thought, I have decided to stay on as detachment chaplain. Please contact me when there is a death or illness in your family. I will be more than willing to help/listen. Each month in the coming year I will have a "thought for the month" that we all should try to live by. People are often unreasonable, irrational and self-centered. FORGIVE THEM ANYWAY. Semper Fi Larry Schwartz January Candids Continued New members Russ Lake and John Cooper. Joe Gentile and Ed Rau Charles Scott and Mike Cicchese Larry Schwartz, Chaplain, January Meeting. Hugh Smith and Jack Bickerton
Officer Elections Marines, it is that time of year where we decide who will lead our Detachment. We are in desperate need of Detachment members willing to step up and move our Detachment forward. If you are interested in any of the elected or appointed positions, or would like to nominate someone for a position, please contact Dennis Simpson at Dennis.Simpson4420@gmail.com. We need new leaders with fresh ideas to keep our Detachment active and current. Please consider stepping up. Elected Positions Commandant Leadership of the Detachment. Chief Executive Officer of the Detachment, responsible for the activities, financial standings, and the image portrayed in the community and the League. Presides over meetings, formulates and develops programs, appoints committees, and represents the Detachment. Senior Vice-Commandant Second in command of the Detachment and logical successor to the Commandant. Provides support to the Commandant, backs-up the Commandant in his absence, assists with the achievement of Detachment goals and operations. Junior Vice-Commandant Primarily responsible for the recruitment and retention of members. Assists the Commandant and Senior Vice-Commandant and presides in their absence. Judge Advocate Knowledgeable in National, State, and Detachment by-laws. Assures that the Detachment abides by those by-laws. Renders opinions and rulings during meetings on procedures. Trustees Acts as auditing committee. Conducts at least one financial audit of the Detachment yearly. Appointed Positions Adjutant Corporate recording secretary for Detachment meetings and affairs. Maintains correspondence, documentation, written communications and provides other staff assistance. Keeps accurate minutes of meetings and prepares them for permanent record of the Detachment. Paymaster The Detachment s Chief Financial Officer. The Paymaster serves as treasurer, accounts for all funds received and expended, assists in the annual financial audits of the Detachment, and files all forms required by law. Maintains Detachment roster, submits new member transmittals, roster additions / deletions as required to the National MCL. Sergeant-at-Arms Responsible for setting up and maintaining order at business meetings. Chaplain Provides comfort and special service to members and families in time of need. Offers invocations and prayers for meetings, installations, ceremonies, and funeral services. Visits sick members or corresponds appropriately. Provides comfort and information to families of deceased members. Provides notification to Department, Division, and National on deceased members. Maintains the record of deceased Detachment members. Quartermaster Maintains the property of the Detachment. Ensures the Detachment has adequate supplies needed to perform its function and items necessary for the membership. Provides Marine, Marine Corps League, Veteran related, and other items for sale at Detachment meetings.
Public Relations Officer Responsible for getting publicity about the Marine Corps League and the Detachment publicized and recognized in the public arena. Various Committee Chairmen Toys for Tots Marine Corps Birthday Ball Ways and Means Benevolence Committee Memorial Day Committee Private George Phillips Birthday Committee Color Guard By-Laws Notes: FREE Dental Services for U.S. Veterans - St. Louis Community College Dental Hygiene Clinic (See Brochure) We have one of our Favorite Events put on by some of our Favorite People, St. Charles County Ambulance District (SCCAD). Thank you to our SCCAD friends for taking care of our FOCUS Participants every session, and for helping to support FMF through this event every year! The 8th Annual TEXAS HOLD'EM TOURNAMENT will be February 24th! If you want to guarantee your spot in the tournament, sign up ASAP. This event sells out every year! (FOCUS Grads, remember your ticket is free thanks to SCCAD) (See Brochure) RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP NOW! 2 nd Notice This is being reprinted due to a disappointedly low response to the previous notice. All Marine Corps League membership dues expired on September 1, 2017 (unless you are a life member). For most of us that means our MCL membership dues are due NOW. National Headquarters, Marine Corps League is in the process of upgrading their membership renewal process, and as such, will not be sending out renewal notices. Until that is com-plete, it is incumbent upon each Detachment to send out renewal notices to each Detachment member. Consider yourself notified. Please save the Detachment a lot of money on mailing costs and the Paymaster a lot of time and work. If you are not a life member and have not already paid your 2018 membership dues, then please do so now. Do it now while you are reading this illustrious newsletter, which your dues help support. Pvt. George Phillips Detachment membership dues are $40.00 annually. Please send a check in that amount, payable to Pvt. George Phillips Detachment #1214 and mail to: Pvt. George Phillips Detachment, MCL Attn: Paymaster P.O. Box 1 Ballwin, MO 63022-0001 We appreciate your continued support of our Detachment. If you have any questions regarding your membership, please contact Paymaster Dennis Simpson via e-mail at Dennis.Simpson4420@gmail.com (preferred) or by phone at (636) 230-5976. Special thank-you to those Detachment members who took the initiative and sent in their 2018 dues. Semper Fidelis, Dennis Simpson Paymaster / Adjutant
February Birthday Scroll Paul Brown Jerry Bryant Dan Covert Dominick Delia Chris Ketcherside Eugene Kroenung Michael Moss Andrew Stone Regarding Focus Marines, below is a photo that was taken at the FOCUS Marines Foundation December, 2017 session. The photo is of Marine Corps League members who volunteer at FOCUS. Detachments represented include: Pvt. George Phillips Detachment #1214 Richard Scott Haymes Detachment #1393 JeffCo Detachment #707 St. Charles County Detachment #705 South St. Louis Detachment #183 L/Cpl Justin Wilson Detachment #1405, Port San Lucie, FL Also in the picture is Marine Corps League National Commandant Wendell Webb.