"Being ready is not what matters. What matters is winning after you get there."
LtGen Victor H. Krulak, USMC
April 1965
Battle of Huế
30 January through 3 March 1968
Navy Hospital Corpsman D.R. Howe treats the wounds of Pfc. D.A. Crum, with H Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, during Operation Hue City on Feb. 6, 1968. U.S. and South Vietnam forces lost hundreds of troops and inflicted thousands of casualties on the North Vietnamese in a house-to-house battle lasting more than a month. One lessons-learned report on the fighting ended with this warning: “Based upon our experiences during Operation Hue City, expect the unexpected, expect chaos, and plan for all possibilities.” (National Archives/Office of the Secretary of Defense)

5 Medal Of Honor Recipients Who Helped Turn The Tide Of Vietnam's Brutal Battle Of Hue City
At the end of January in 1968, the Viet Cong launched an offensive that turned the tide of the Vietnam War.

The Tet Offensive began on January 30 as the North Vietnamese occupied the city of Hue. U.S. Marines spent nearly a month fighting a brutal urban battle to retake the city — which was 80% destroyed by the battle's end, according to H.D.S. Greenway, a photographer embedded with the Marines during the war. An estimated 1,800 Americans lost their lives during the battle. But in the midst of the chaos, five men who faced harrowing circumstances risked their lives to save those of their comrades — and earned the nation's highest award for courage in combat, the Medal of Honor.

During one of the ceremonies honoring these heroes, President Richard Nixon remarked on the incredible risks they took. "They are men who faced death, and instead of losing courage they gave courage to the men around them," he said.

Read full article at
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Dear Members,
I would like to thank everyone who attended this year's anniversary at Camp Pendleton. I hope everyone had a great time. It was good to see you all there.

I would also like to thank my office staff for all their hard work in putting together the activities and making everything run smoothly. 

A big thank you to the division for letting us celebrate the 78th anniversary of the division with you.

I'm hoping to see a lot of you at the upcoming reunion in Louisville, KY August 3-12, 2019, details to follow.

Semper Fi, 

Jerry Johs 
FMDA President

Our website has been updated with a great volunteer effort by
Jud Blakely.
Please check it out.
CALL FOR CANDIDATES
FOR 1ST MARINE DIVISION ASSOCIATION OFFICES

Your Association Needs You
To serve as an officer for the 2019-2021 term.

Please send in a picture and bio to appear in the
January-February-March 2019 edition of The Old Breed News.
DEADLINE FOR HQ TO RECEIVE YOUR PIC & BIO IS EXTENDED TO TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2019
FROM THE HEADQUARTERS
72nd Annual Reunion
Louisville, Kentucky
Our 72nd Annual Reunion is set for August 3 through 12, 2019, in Louisville, Kentucky, at the Crowne Plaza Louisville Airport Hotel.

We'll see old friends, make new friends, and see the sights of the Blue Grass State.

The registration form will be in the upcoming The Old Breed News, and the next edition of the Blue Diamond News.

Click here to make your hotel reservation online

Please start making your plans to join us in a week of tradition, fun, and comradery.


Executive Committee/Board of Directors Meeting
Updated Itinerary

April 7th Travel day Hotel check in

April 8th Free day. Check out the hotel and surrounding area, use hotel shuttle to various places around the hotel go downtown Louisville and look around check the restaurants and pubs

April 9th
0830-1200 Committee meeting
1200-1300 Lunch
1300-1400 Executive Board Meeting
1415-1715 Board of Directors Meeting

FMDA SCHOLARSHIP FUND INC WILL POST THEIR MEETING TIME AND PLACE AT REGISTRATION
78TH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATION
Last week's 78th Anniversary Commemoration was generally a good time had by most. 48 members registered. Along with their guests we had up to 75 good people at the events.

The General Membership meeting held on Friday, February1, ended up being informational only, as it drew about 16 members, short of the 25 needed for a quorum. Among items discussed were the upcoming elections, the August reunion in Kentucky, and fundraising activities.
We did not draw the 50/50 winner as intended at the banquet, so we invited Margaret Williams, Division Commander MajGen Castellvi's Protocol Officer, down to HQ yesterday to pull the winning ticket.
The winner is...The winner did not write their contact info on the back of the ticket.
Please contact HQ if you hold the winning ticket number 812929, for the $75 prize.
If we do not hear from the winner by Friday, February 22, noon Pacific Standard Time, we will draw another ticket.
And now a few more pictures from the week. More will appear in the upcoming edition of The Old Breed News and the next Blue Diamond News.
The 1st Division produced a short video that was shown at the Anniversary Banquet.
Click here to see it: Video: Generations
MARINE CORPS KA-BAR/EK
Here's the first look at a new item. Order form will be in our next edition.
MARINE CORPS STILETTO
Chapters
Hawaiian Islands Chapter Says So Long
Greater Boston Chapter Returns Charter
Greater Boston Chapter returned their original charter, and sent a check for $3,99.45 representing the chapter assets to HQ. Getting enough members together for a meeting had become difficult.
Members
Ed Aulman, Secretary of the New York Chapter is asking for help to get the Blue Diamond News and The Old Breed News out to those members who are computer challenged.

If you are reading this, you have met that challenge. How can we get the news out to the others? The Blue Diamond News goes out only by email. We cut back the printing of The Old Breed News to an affordable 150 hardcopies that are just about all spoken for at this time.

Word of mouth? Call up a computerless buddy to share the news? Set up a telephone tree? Discuss at your Chapter meetings?

You can find back issues of The Old Breed News and the Blue Diamond News on our website: www.1stmardivassociation.com

Please let us know if you have some ideas to share.
MILITARY SERVICE RECORDS
MILITARY SERVICE RECORDS, AWARDS, AND UNIT HISTORIES
(See the attached pdf file, or go to the URL at bottom here)
 
A New Congressional Research Service Publication on U.S. Military Service Records, Awards, and Unit Histories
 
The Congressional Research Service has just published a short reference document that might be of interest to many:
 
The guide provides information on locating military unit histories and individual service records of discharged, retired, and deceased military personnel. It also provides information on locating and replacing military awards and medals. Included is contact information for military history centers, websites for additional sources of research, and a bibliography of other publications, including related CRS reports.

 
GENERAL FUND DONATIONS
USAA
From: Montagno, Rafael < Rafael.Montagno@usaa.com >
Sent: Thursday, January 3, 2019 1:16 PM
To: 'Jerry Johs'
Cc: June Cormier
Subject: Information regarding USAA Savings Bank
 
Hi Jerry,
 
I just learned about a fine imposed by CFPB and the USAA Savings Bank (USB) for unintentional violations that occurred between 2011-2016. Although it affects a small number of members, we have worked over the past year to resolve this situation and make all necessary process changes and to implement appropriate remedies. 
 
I am including a landing page for your review and am standing by if you, or anyone else at FMDA, has any questions or concerns. Most of the individual members affected have already been contacted and have received restitution; but if any of your members should contact FMDA directly, please encourage them to contact USAA at 800.531.8722. 
 
 
I hope you had a wonderful holiday,
 
Gino
 
 
Rafael "Gino" Montagno
Lead Business Advisor
Business Design & Architecture
New Members

PFC Freddy L. Bell, sponsor Vince Rios
Sgt E/5 Chris J. Connors
MSgt Tyler M. Hammel, sponsor Mike Galyean
Duane P. Siegmann
Patty A. Siegmann, Associate
W3 CWO3 Victor E. Velasquez
Larry W. Weeks

Taps

Another long Taps Report as we continue
to update the database from Social Security records.

SGT JAMES E ASHTON, 01 DEC 2011
MSGT CHARLES W (BILL) BAILEY, 14 DEC 2014
PFC EDWIN BEATTY
CAPT MATTHEW L BLAKELY, 09 MAR 2017
CPL DANIEL O BUSHEY, 30 MAY 2016
SGT WILLIAM P BUTTNER, 07 JAN 2011
LESLIE (LES) E CAMPBELL, 15 NOV 2017
PFC WILLIAM J CARROLL, 29 JUL 2011
CPL JOSEPH X CAVANO, 20 OCT 2010
PFC WALTER L CHILDS, 15 DEC 2010
SGT EDWARD S CHIN, 26 JUL 2016
SGT VIRGIL C CHRISTENSON CPL
MAX COHEN
LCPL KEVIN M COLEMAN
MRS MARY CROWLEY, 01 SEP 2011
PFC JOHN A CULVER, 09 FEB 2012
GEORGE DAVENPORT, 20 JUL 2014
PFC PAUL E DECKER, 28 APR 2014
SSGT JONATHAN F DEDRICK, 09 FEB 2016
CAPT JOHN (RUSS) R DETERDING JR
SGT HARRY E DOERR JR, 28 JUL 2011
CHRISTOPHER S DONNER
PFC JAMES E DORE, 02 OCT 2012
SGT CHARLES S DREYER, 26 DEC 2010
CPL JOSEPH E DUFFY, 03 FEB 2014
RICHARD D FAHEY, 24 DEC 2013
WILLIAM F FITZPATRICK, 01 APR 2011
PFC DENNIS P FOLEY, 18 MAR 2012
SGT BERNARD F FRAIN, 06 SEP 2012
CPL WILLIAM E FRISCH, 08 APR 2016
LCPL JOSEPH R GAGNE, 19 JUN 2014
MRS ANGELINA GAURUDER, 25 FEB 2011
PFC FRANK G. GIBSON JR., 25 MAR 2015
CAPT PAUL A GILLIS, 20 NOV 2010
SGT JOHN B GIORDA, 05 DEC 2010
PFC HARVEY E GOLDMAN, 11 FEB 2015
THOMAS M GOSS JR
CPL FRANCIS C GRABINSKIE, 23 DEC 2010
CPL THOMAS A GRADY, 28 FEB 2018
SGT JOHN L GROVES, 09 MAR 2014
CPL RICHARD W GUSTAFSON, 17 AUG 2014
SGT J D HARGROVE, 21 SEP 2010
SGT WILLIAM G HERMANCE SR
SGT ROBERT M HICKS
MRS JEAN HIGGINS, 17 SEP 2016
E-3 JAMES CHARLES HILL, 24 JUN 2018
CPL EDWARD A HOBBS, 10 FEB 2011
CPL JAMES R HOLCOMB Sr, 19 JAN 2013
VINCENT G HOLLAND, 11 JUL 2011
SGT DAVID M HOSFORD, 11 APR 2017
CPL ANDREW J HOWARD, 21 NOV 2010
CPL HARLAND D HOWE, 23 JAN 2011
SGT AL A HUJDICH, 19 AUG 2015
ANNE M HYNES, 15 JAN 2017
MRS MARY JANE JENSEN, 02 JAN 2013
LTCOL ROBERT M JOHNSTONE USMC (RET), 23 DEC 2017
MRS LEONA JURGOT, 21 MAR 2017
MRS LADONNA KERTON
GYSGT ROY KERTON, 08 MAY 2013
1STLT LEWIS J KLEINROCK, 03 DEC 2012
LCPL WILLIAM C LARSON, 29 JAN 2017
SSGT EDWARD L LEIBLEIN, 08 MAR 2012
LTCOL BASILE LUBKA, 22 OCT 2010
CWO4 FREDERICK D MANN, 09 JAN 2007
PFC PAUL F MAYKUT, 02 JAN 2010
SGT DONALD J MCALEER
SGT PATRICK J MCDONOUGH
SGT NEIL PATRICK MCKENNA, 17 AUG 2018
CPL SALVATORE J MELCHIORE, 14 JAN 2014
DONALD MENZIES, 16 APR 2018
JOSEPHINE MEUNIER, 27 DEC 2014
SGT FRANK W MODERSKI, 03 MAR 2012
CPL JOSEPH J MONTANA, 17 NOV 2014
CPL CARMINO P MONTEFUSCO, 28 FEB 2011
MRS EVE MOORE, 28 DEC 2011
SSGT ROBERT (BILL) W MOORE, 01 MAY 2011
SSGT JOSEPH MORANO, 15 JUN 2012
SSGT HARRY B MULLIKEN, 19 SEP 2013
ARTHUR J MURPHY, 06 FEB 2015
HM3 GEORGE O'GROSKY, 22 JAN 2019
LTCOL PETER I OLSEN USMC (RET), 07 NOV 2015
PFC DAVID A OLTON, 04 APR 2011
MRS. MADELINE  A O'MALLEY, 28 DEC 2011
SSGT HENRY W OTTE, 26 JUL 2017
CPL FRANCIS A PENNIMAN, 01 NOV 2017
CAPT WILLIAM PERSKY, 03 JUL 2012
STAN W PHILLIPS, 15 AUG 2014
PHM2 MILTON POTASH, 17 APR 2011
SSGT ROBERT W PROCKO
PLTSGT CARROLL E RETALLICK (RET), 05 APR 2011
HENRY 'HANK' RICCIO, 30 MAR 2013
1STSGT BERT Q RINCON, 15 JUN 2018
SGT RALPH F RITCHIE, 18 OCT 2011
CPL ALFRED A ROBBINS, 29 JUN 2012
HM3 LIONEL J ROCHFORT
JOHN M ROGERS, 10 APR 2013
MSGT MEYER ROSSUM USMC (RET), 07 DEC 2005
SSGT DONALD E RUSIE, 26 JAN 2017
HM3 JOHN SABOL, 21 AUG 2017
ANTHONY SENAPE
PFC GERARD E SHADER, 14 JUL 2017
CPL JOHN N SHEA, 22 DEC 2010
CAPT FREDERICK D SINGER, 05 APR 2013
CPL ALBERT M SKORUBSKI SR., 30 NOV 2010
SGT BENJAMIN F SLATER II, 17 OCT 2017
CPL DAVID L STEELE
S1 ROBERT J SWETLAND, 15 AUG 2014
JOSEPH J THIBAUT, 03 OCT 2013
COL ROBERT O TILLEY USMC (RET), 18 OCT 2017
ALAN R TITLEMAN USN (RET)
MRS MARY TOWER, 20 NOV 2010
PFC ROBERT L TUTHILL Sr, 10 SEP 2012
SGT DENNIS VINSUN, 16 FEB 2015
SGT ROBERT D WENGER, 11 FEB 2018
ELMER D WHITE, 15 AUG 2016
SGT G L WHITTED USMC (RET), 18 APR 2014
Challenge Coin
71st Annual Reunion Challenge Coins Available
From: Steve "Doc" Lakernick

These Challenge Coins commemorating the 50th anniversary of Tet 1968 are available to members. The price is $10 per coin, plus shipping and handling.
Pictured here are front and back of the coin.
 
1 coin: total $12.00
2 - 5 coins: $10.00 per coin + $7.00
7 - 12 coins $10.00 per coin + $15.00
More than 12 coins ship via UPS Ground. Please call the office or write for a quote. Mailing address and phone at bottom of this page.
Headquarters Office (760) 763-3268
President Jerry Johs Email: geronamo0122@gmail.com
Please visit our website: www.1stmardivassociation.com

First Marine Division Association
P.O. Box 9000, Box # 902
Oceanside CA 92051

(760) 763-3268