"The character of war may change, but its essence never will – it is the violent struggle between two irreconcilable wills. That struggle is where Marines thrive".

-- General Eric M. Smith, Commandant

79th Annual Reunion

San Diego Bay

Photo credit National University https://www.nu.edu

USMC Recruit Depot San Diego

Photo credit https://sandiegomuseumcouncil.org

DoubleTree by Hilton San Diego Bayside Hotel, site of our 79th Annual Reunion

4 May 2026

Dear Marines:

Much has gone on these past 8 weeks since my last message to you. A month ago, we had our board meeting at the DoubleTree Bayside Hotel in San Diego (the site for this year’s reunion in August) some were unable to attend due to weather and airport problems, but a few did join us on Zoom.

We met with hotel staff and at lunch time, engaged in menu tasting for the reunion’s Saturday night banquet. Then we walked around the property with the Hotel’s Sales Manager, and we looked at hospitality rooms, selected the proper sized banquet room, learned of the hotel’s “shuttle service” to the airport, etc. As expected, Susan Finnigan has been doing a great job and our meeting was very well organized and productive.

Both Susan and I have been in contact with some active duty senior enlisted and officers at both MCRD and Camp Pendleton. Because of current events, there has been some uncertainty regarding access to Pendleton in August, but we expect to visit the base on Wednesday of our reunion week, and the boot camp graduation on Friday morning. Those wishing to attend should add their names to our roster which will be submitted to the base approximatley a month before the reunion.

Again the reunion dates are: August 24-30 and the hotel website for our reservations is: DoubleTree San Diego Bayside Hotel Reservations.

Be sure to use our group code of: 91J when booking, it is important because we’ve committed to X number of “room nights” to be able to get special rates for the hospitality rooms, banquets, free parking & shuttle, etc.

You can register for the Reunion itself by clicking FMDA 79th Reunion online registration.

Printable Registration Forms can be downloaded at Registration Form and Activity Schedule for registering by mail.

Please call the office at (760)763-3267 if you need to have a paper form mailed to you.

I’m expecting this to be our best reunion in several years.

To help us with our planning for this year’s reunion (there are some logistical “hurdles” we need to deal with regarding base access) and to give the hotel staff some “ballpark” numbers – would those of you who expect to attend this year’s reunion in San Diego at the end of August, please send a quick email to: ReconBn70@gmail.com with the number of persons in your party.

As I had mentioned in my February letter, that our Association’s finances need to improve. Already, I along with some help from both the office staff and another member, have been able to eliminate some expenses and we’re working on trimming others. Our web-site shows 4,500 members (I realize most are not actively involved, and some are probably now deceased), Dennis at the office has informed me that only about 400 are paying annual dues – with most of the others having paid for Lifetime Memberships some time ago. While our office on base is most definitely a no frills operation, there are costs in operating and like the rest of the country, the inflation of recent years has affected us. So, once again I’m asking those of you who are in a position to do so, to consider sending voluntary contributions to our association.

I’ve created a Zelle method for your convenience, the recipient email id necessary for us to receive Zelle payments is: 1stMarineDivAssoc@gmail.com

There is absolutely no fee whatsoever for either the donor or our association, and all transactions should be completed in less than five minutes. This new payment option is in addition to the existing choices which will all remain available (credit cards, mailing checks, etc).

All amounts will be helpful whether done monthly, quarterly, annually or whatever you choose.

Finally, the 1st Marine Division's Commanding General, MGen Thomas B. Savage will relinquish command to BGen Andrew T. Priddy on Friday, 29 May. Please email dennis.oldbreed@fmda.us for details if you might attend.

The Association thanks General Savage for his continuing service to our country, the Corps, and being a friend to the Association. I plan to attend the ceremony to welcome General Priddy to his new command.

Semper Fi

RALPH WITKIN

President, 1st Marine Div Assoc

ReconBn70@gmail.com

203-536-7015

FMDA 79th Annual Reunion

August 24-30, 2026

We meet this year in San Diego, California. Our base will be DoubleTree by Hilton San Diego Bayside.

4875 N. Harbor Dr, San Diego CA 92106

Hotel phone +1 619-224-3621

Group Code 91J

Book your room before 3 August.

Use this link to book your hotel room

Click here for more hotel information

The hotel's $25 per day parking fee is waived with our Group Code.

You can register online at

FMDA 79th Annual Reunion Registration

Here is the Reunion Registration Form if you want to register by mail

Registration Form and Activity Calendar

Please call HQ at (760)763-3268 if you need a Registration Form mailed to you.

Southern California Chapter shares their latest monthly newsletter:

Southern California Chapter's The Breed for May 2026

Central Florida Chapter invites you to read their newsletter:

The Ooo Rah - March 26, 2026

Central Florida Chapter marks the one year anniversary of the passing of Guadalcanal veteran Sgt Elmer J. Hawkins:

In Memoriam

Sgt. Elmer “Hawk” Hawkins, Jr.

June 15,1923—April 8, 2025

After a short illness, “Hawk” passed away peacefully at his residence, Addison Assisted Living Facility in Port Orange, Florida.

We will miss Hawk’s stories of his time in the Pacific during WW2, and his adventures sailing and leading scuba trips all around the world. We’ll miss his perpetual smile.

But most of all, we’ll miss his friendship.

His father was a Marine at Belleau Wood in France during WWI. Elmer and all five of his siblings were in the service or married to a service member during WWII.

Elmer entered the United States Marine Corps in 1942. After boot camp he was sent to radio school at San Diego after which he was placed in the 2nd Replacement Battalion. He was soon on the way to Guadalcanal where he participated in the first land offensive against the forces of Japan followed by landings at Cape Gloucester and Peleliu.

He had a successful career as a government quality control inspector and after retirement served as a water safety instructor with the American Red Cross and taught life-saving, water safety, first aid, CPR and scuba diving for the YMCA. He sailed and led scuba diving trips around the world.

Hawk was not only a member, but a leader, in several veteran organizations. He joined the 1st Marine Division Association in 2000 and served as Pres. CF Chapter; Deputy Vice President East; Director-at-Large and served on the Scholarship Selection Committee, Finance Committee and Nomination Committee.

Elmer had three children, Stephen, John and Beverly (who, sadly, passed away four years ago.) In addition, he leaves seven grandchildren and six great grandchildren

He moved to Daytona Beach, Florida, in 2000 where he lived on a sailboat in the Daytona Marina until approximately six years ago when he moved in with his close friend Mary Ann Smith.

Memorial Service—Port Orange VFW, Saturday, June 15, 2025

Interment— Florida National Cemetery, Bushnell, Monday, June 16, 2025

Fair winds and following seas, my friend…

Semper Fidelis

The Board of Directors of the 1st Marine Division Association Scholarship Fund met on 10 February. They voted to extend eligibility for scholarships to grandchildren:

We provide college financial aid to dependents and grandchildren of First Marine Division Marines and Navy Corpsmen (and attached/support units) who were killed, are missing in action, or are 100% disabled.

This will be reviewed after a two year trial.

Read about it on Scholarship Fund's new website: fmdascholarshipfund.org

LAWRENCE CASSELMAN

LCPL SHAWN GOULD

E-5 SGT IAN JOHNSTON

E-5 SGT OTT REID

E-5 SGT RICARDO SANDOVAL-PEREZ

HM2 MARK TRIPLETT

E-8 1STSGT ANTHONY VELARDE

We continue to search public records to produce our Taps Report. Older dates here were missed in routine matching with USPS records.

An important source is the VA's Gravesite Locator database. Veterans and family will be listed there if the VA paid for a marker from 1997 on.

https://www.cem.va.gov/nationwide-gravesite-locator/

Please report the passing of any Marine, Association member or not, so that we may honor our comrades here.

More recent passings are indicated by boldface.

CPL EDWARD BARANYI, 16 Dec 2025

PATRICK L. BARKLEY, 26 Mar 2026

SGT ALBERT C. DEVITO, 23 Feb 2026

MRS DOLPHINE M. MACK

MAJ GEORGE P. MILEY, 9 Aug 2020

CPL JOHN JOSEPH O'BRIEN, 11 Jul 2017

MRS SANDRA R. O'BRIEN, 2 Aug 2016

SSGT RONALD M. ORLOF, 7 Jun 2006

MRS LOUISE PARK, 25 Dec 2016

SGT CHARLES F. PATTERSON, 13 May 2013

DR. BILLY RIVERS PENN, 27 Apr 2013

CPL DONALD R. PENNINGTON, 1 Feb 2025

SSGT ROBERT W. PIERCE, 19 Jun 2023

SSGT DENNIS H. POOLE, 20 Nov 2025

SGT SAMUEL T. POOLE JR, 14 Apr 2009

D. POORMAN, 22 Aug 1973

SGT ROBERT V. POOS, 15 Dec 2008

CPL HARLAN B. POPE, 13 Dec 2011

SGT WERNER W. REININGER, 3 Jul 2016

SGT JOHN J. REIS, 19 Apr 2003

CPL BART D. SALERNO, 3 Jul 2019

CPL JOHN J. SALERNO, 12 Oct 2022

CPL ROGER SALIMBENE, 5 Oct 2018

SGT FREDERICK C. SALLEAN JR, 17 Sep 2018

SSGT RICHARD O. SALLEAN, 6 Feb 2005

PHM2 LEE H. SAPP, 30 Mar 2019

PFC NICHOLO L. SEELEY, 3 Oct 2010

SGT RICHARD E. SEELEY, 28 Sep 2020

SGT JOSEPH E. SEERY, 10 Jul 1998

MR. M. SEIDENBERG, 10 Sep 2018

CPL SALVATORE SPADA, 13 May 2012

Taps Report last run 26 February 2026

Headquarters Office telephone numbers

(760)763-3267 June Cormier

(760)763-3268 Dennis Coady, and general information

(760)763-3269 SgtMaj Marty Vasquez

(760)763-3270 fax

President Ralph Witkin's email: reconbn70@gmail.com

Please visit our website: www.1stMarineDivisionAssociation.org

Mailing address:

1st Marine Division Association

3784 Mission Ave Suite 148/608

Oceanside, California 92058

HQ Office: Building 33421, Camp Margarita, Camp Pendleton, California

Thank you for reading the Blue Diamond News.

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Semper Fidelis