Volume 20 Issue 2
Elected Officers for 2015
Commandant: Frank Antoline
Phone: 724-523-4208
February 2015
Editor: Joyce Arrigoni
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 724-861-8558
Sr. Vice: Gary Burkett
Phone: 724-493-5958
Email: [email protected]
Jr. Vice: Jim Lohr
Phone: 724-925-2735; 724-858-8111
Email: [email protected]
Judge Advocate: John Rosatti
Phone: 724-837-6547
Email: [email protected]
Junior Past Commandant: Rich Nickle
Detachment Birthday Corner
February Birthdays
Happy Birthday to Marines James Lohr, Doug Hurst,
Richard Long, Victor “Sam” Redinger.
If you would like to have this newsletter wish you a Happy
Birthday, please contact the editor with your birthdate.
Phone: 724-8365-3893
Appointed Officers for 2015
Adjutant: Joyce Arrigoni (see above)
Chaplain: Joseph Nist
Editor: Joyce Arrigoni (see above)
Paymaster: James Smith
Quartermaster: Chris Demorest
Sgt at Arms: Cephus Johnson
Trustees:
Meeting: 4th Tuesday of the month.
Next Meeting: 24 February 2015
Place: VFW Post #211, Youngwood, PA
Time: 1900 (7:00 PM) hours
The “count on deck” is: 69
If you know any active, retired, or former Marines who
are not members of the Marine Corps League, please
invite them to come as guests to our next meeting. All
Marines are always welcome at our meetings.
ATTENTION
Detachment members will find part 2 of your
detachment address roster inside this newsletter.
Newsletter by Email
If you would like to receive your copy of the newsletter by
email, please send an email to the editor.
MCL Life Membership
The Greensburg Detachment has established a "payment
plan" for Life Membership. Members can now make
monthly payments in amounts of their choice toward the
total fee, which has been established, for their age group.
Up to 35 yrs.
36 to 50 yrs.
51 to 60 yrs.
61 & over
$500.00
$400.00
$300.00
$150.00
Contact your detachment Paymaster if you're interested in
this plan. Please make sure you include your birth date
if signing up for Life Membership.
Websites of interest
Detachment #834:
www.greensburgmarinecorpsleague.org/
Detachment #834 FACEBOOK page:
Search for: Greater Greensburg Marine Corps
League Detachment 834
Westmoreland Toys for Tots:
jeannette-pa.toysfortots.org
Dept. of PA MCL: www.pamcleague.org/
MCL National HQ: www.mcleague.org/
January Meeting
The following 8 members were on board:
Antoline, Frank
Hurst, Doug
Arrigoni, Joyce
Lohr, Jim
Burkett, Gary
Smith, Jim
Haines, Bob
Soles, Bill
Meeting Highlights:
NO official meeting was held last month as there were
NOT enough members present.
Is your MCL membership expiring?
Past due memberships:
James Murray – 5/14
Harmon, Susan – 1/15
McCarthy, Joseph – 12/14
Demorest, Christopher – 1/15
Make checks, for $30, payable to MCL Greater
Greensburg. Please send your dues to the Paymaster:
James Smith
636 Welty Street
Greensburg, PA 15601
A Bit of Marine Corps History
Part 5 of a series. From Condition Red:
Marine Defense Battalions in Wolrld War II
by Major Charles D. Melson
Page 2 of 6
Next Sergeant Major of the Marine
Corps Announced
By Office of Marine Corps Communication, Defense Media Activity
WASHINGTON -- The Commandant of the Marine Corps
announced today the selection of Sgt. Maj. Ronald L.
Green as the next Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps.
“It gives me great pleasure to name Sgt. Maj. Green as
the 18th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps,” said Gen.
Joseph F. Dunford Jr., the commandant of the Marine
Corps.
“His dynamic leadership is well known throughout the
ranks of our Corps. His wide range of experience in both
peacetime and combat, and his record of performance
make him extraordinarily well-qualified to serve as our
senior enlisted leader,” Dunford said.
Green, currently the sergeant major of I Marine
Expeditionary Force (I MEF), will replace Sgt. Maj.
Micheal P. Barrett, who has held the billet since June
2011.
Barrett is credited with improving Marines’ training,
education, compensation, quality of life, bachelor enlisted
quarters, on-base housing, and family support programs.
“Sgt. Maj. Barrett has poured his heart and soul into
serving Marines, Sailors, and their families,” Dunford said.
“He has truly made a positive impact on the combat
readiness of our Corps.”
The relief and appointment ceremony is scheduled for 10
a.m., Feb. 20, at the Marine Corps War Memorial in
Arlington, Virginia.
The post of Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps was
established in 1957 as the senior enlisted advisor to the
Commandant of the Marine Corps, the first such post in
any of the branches of the United States Armed Forces.
The Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps is selected by
the Commandant, and typically serves a four-year term,
though his service is at the pleasure of the Commandant.
Page 3 of 6
“My time in service was very educational; it was like a
college education, reading, writing, and learning,” said
Britton. “I came out a very well educated person even
though I didn’t formally go to school.”
Between 1942 and 1949 over 20,000 African-American
Marines were trained. Of those, 13,000 served overseas
areas including Vietnam, Japan and Guadalcanal.
VA Hospital Wish List
Montford Point Congressional Gold Medal Recipient
Surviving Montford Point Marines attend a ceremony for
Sgt. Hiram L. Knowles to be awarded the Congressional
Gold Medal on Feb. 7, 2015. Knowles was one of over
400 Montford Point Marines to be awarded since 2012.
91-year-old Montford Point Marine
veteran receives Congressional Gold
Medal
By Cpl. Elizabeth Thurston, Defense Media Activity
NEW YORK -- Montford Point Marine Sgt. Hiram L.
Knowles was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for
his honorable service during the Era of World War II on
Feb. 7, 2015 at the Mary Woodard Lasker Biomedical
Research Building, New York City.
In 2012, Congress authorized the Congressional Gold
Medal to be awarded to each of the 20,000 Montford Point
Marines or to their families in recognition of the
accomplishments and sacrifices made during a time of
segregation.
“It’s a great honor for anyone to give their service to our
country and knowing what my dad did, was a great gift,”
said Jemere Smith, Knowles’ daughter.
Montford Point Marines were the first African-American
Marines to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps. They got the
name because of their segregated training site at
Montford Point, North Carolina.
Along with family and loved ones in the audience, was
Ambassador Theodore Britton Jr., a former Marine who
served beside Knowles as a Montford Point Marine.
“We had a great time. He was a lot of fun, (but) he took
care of business, and didn’t take any stuff from no one
because he knew what he was doing,” said Britton, the
honorary Consul General of the Republic of Albania. “I
was pleased to serve with him.”
The Montford Point Marine Training Facility was shut
down in 1949 after President Harry S. Truman issued
Executive Order 9981 which desegregated the U.S.
Armed Forces.
The following are wish lists for both the VA Hospital in
Oakland and Aspinwall (Heinz). We will be collecting
items at the meetings to be donated to both of these
programs.
*Body Wash
Denture
adhesive
Mouth wash (no
alcohol)
Toothpaste
Personal Care
Body Lotion
Denture cleaner
Shave cream
Tooth brush
Body Splash
*Deodorant
(stick)
Razors
Tooth brush
holder
Men's & Women's Clothing
Gloves
Hats
Socks
*Jean's/Dockers Sports Bras (all
Sweat Pants
(waist 30 & up)
sizes)
(elastic waist
band)
Sweat
*Shoes/Boots
*T-Shirts -up to
Shirts/Hoodies
with velcro
5X
Underwear
Elastic waist
Coats (Medium
shorts
& up)
Refreshments
Coffee (Decaf/Regular) & Creamers & Sugar
Soda (2 liter bottles regular or diet, caffeine free)
Chips, pretzels, snack crackers, granola bars (single
serving size)
Items That Are Needed
Large print puzzle books
Canteen books
Games that 2 or more can play
Art supplies
Large print playing cards
*Reading Glasses
2 hand held remotes for WII
*Stamps
Back Packs / Messenger bags
Gift cards for outpatient programs
Karaoke songs from the 60's, 70's & 80's
Special Requests
-Back Packs and Messenger bags.
-Socks-cold feet at UD!!! No ankle length though.
-Really, REALLY need T-shirts 3X and up to 5X.
-Dialysis Clinic Save the Vein bracelets.
-The Woman's Health Clinic needs 45 $10 Giant Eagle
gift cards per month.
- Men's shoes sizes 9 to 13 with Velcro closures.
* In Constant need
Page 4 of 6
Page 5 of 6
2014 Calendar of Events
February
Tuesday, 24 Feb @ 1900
Greensburg Detachment meeting.
March
Tuesday, 24 March @ 1900
Greensburg Detachment meeting.
PA Marine Corps League Specialty License Plate
Make your check in the amout of $30.00 payable to “MCL of PA,Inc.”
Send Application to: Paul F. Hastings, PNC
1631 Bridge Street
New Cumberland, PA 17070-1174
Applications sent (directly) to the Commonweath will be returned to the sender and not processed. Checks made
payable to the “PA Dept of Transportation” will also be returned not processed.
To ask questionsby phone: call PNC Hastings: 800-747-1420 or email: [email protected]
MCL Greater Greensburg Detachment #834
21 S. Rolling Hills Ave
Irwin, PA 15642
Page 6 of 6