"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is it’s natural manure."
—Thomas Jefferson
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FIRST MARINE DIVISION ASSOCIATION
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Happy Independence Day
with 1st Marine Division Band
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1st Marine Division Band, performs during an evening concert at Ad Diwaniyah Iraq, during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM
Photo credit: LCPL Jason L. Andrade, USMC
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Click above to view the video.
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Dear Members,
To another holiday in lockdown! Hope you all are staying well.
We will get through this. We will meet again. Look forward to the 80th Anniversary in January and the 74th Annual Reunion in August 2021. Oceanside and San Diego are great places to visit winter and summer.
Most of the big fireworks shows this year are cancelled. Watch out for the street fireworks and stay safe out there.
The Patriot Guard Riders are riding in a vehicle parade the morning of the 4th from San Diego to Oceanside. Details below. You might have some social-distancing events going on in your area to celebrate the 4th.
Keep on buying your 50/50 tickets, to be drawn on our "Reunion Banquet" date of 22 August, 2020. Thank you all for your response so far. This is our major fundraising activity this year. Tickets below.
Happy Independence Day to you all. Please keep it safe and sane.
Semper Fi
Jerry Johs
President, 1st Marine Division Association
DJC
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Save the date!
First week in August 2021
Oceanside, California
Blue Diamond Birthday Reunion
“Last of the First Bottle” in honor of our WW II Vets
For more info contact:
Len Hayes
(760) 760-712 7088
Lenhayes@cox.net
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73rd Annual (Virtual) Reunion 2020
50/50 Raffle
Prize: 1/2 of ticket sales
Tickets: $10 or 3 for $20
To be drawn on our “Banquet” date: August 22, 2020
Winner need not be present
Mail stub and check to
FMDA, PO Box 9000, Box #902, Oceanside CA 92051
Or leave a message at (760)763-3268.
Your call will be returned for your contact and credit card information.
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You can keep current on the Association events at our website:
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1ST MARINE DIVISION
SCHOLARSHIP FUND, INC.
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2 July 2020
Marines:
Printed below, and same attached, is the General Ledger for The Fund as of 30 June 2020 reflecting all entries and transactions through 30 June. The Fund finished May with liquid assets totaling $1,075,234, up from the end of May due to a continued broad rebound in markets.
Market volatility continues and will be a factor until th
is
Covid-19 mess is settled and markets will continue to be volatile but will respond favorably as temperatures and humidity rise eventually killing off virus. The markets, thus far, seem to be impervious to the current attempted government overthrow/insurgency by the far left in sympathetic blue states and cities.
Regardless of the
irrational
Coronavirus panic, your Scholarship Fund continues to be in good health
.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
S/F
Jerry
Jerry Reed
Chief Financial Officer
1st Marine Division Association Scholarship Fund, Inc.
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Korean War Veterans Visit Washington, D.C.,
Meet President Trump and First Lady,
Commemorate 70th Anniversary of the Korean War
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Greatest Generations Foundation sponsored a trip to Washington, D.C. 24-26 June for veterans of the Korean War. Marines attending were Gerald F. Merna, Joseph A. Ade, Arthur Cooke, Thaddeus F Gembczynski, Chuck Wiley, and Ronnie M. Fukuoka.
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Gents.
On behalf of The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation, I want to personally extend my sincerest gratitude to you for your tremendous and heroic service to our country in defense of liberty. Through your timeless duty, courage, and sacrifice, you have ensured the freedoms that we enjoy today, and for this, we are forever grateful. Honestly, you are a great American hero and an exceptional representation of the ‘mighty red, white and blue.’
We are honored to have your presence on last week’s program to Washington D.C. to honor those forgotten veterans that served our great nation during the Korean War. Your participation in this program ensures that your dedication and bravery are carried to the next generation to continue educating youth about the extraordinary history of wartime sacrifice and the importance of defending our precious liberty.
Over the next few days, I will be assembling images from the journey to Washington, D.C., plus I have enclosed a short video of your interaction with President Trump and the First Lady. Thank you again to Christian for all his efforts in helping make this short film of reflection possible.
Korean War - 70
th
Anniversary with POTUS and First Lady.
- Enclosed is the contact information on each veteran. I have also included everyone on this email too.
- In the next few weeks, I would also like to schedule my photographer John Riedy to come to visit with you at your home to shoot a professional portrait of you for our 70th anniversary Photo Album on the Korean War. It usually takes around 30 mins of your time.
Lastly, later this summer/early fall, I would like to explore the possibility of bringing you over to our world-class veteran’s center in Normandy, France, for one-week and walk the battlefields of World War II veterans with the last D-DAY veterans. This proposition is only extended to you (veterans only – no wife or son/daughter). Through this program to France, we can strengthen our message to include the Korean/Cold War veterans into the mission of The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation and help educate Americans on the sacrifices you and your brothers made during the Korean/Cold War.
Please note that I am out of the country and will not be taking calls. If you need to reach me, please drop me an email.
I will be in touch with you again soon.
Best wishes,
Timothy DAVIS
President & CEO
The Greatest GENERATIONS Foundation
“Every Day is MEMORIAL Day”
Mobile / Text: +1.303.653.4555 (USA)
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Please note: Positions for this year's remaining Washington, D.C. trips are already filled.
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INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION
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The Semper Fi Fund is caring for veterans from all U.S. military service branches. See below for details of services provided.
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We ran this photo last issue without noting that Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller was born 26 June 1898.
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1st Marine Division Association Membership, 26 June 1960
"First in the First-Edwin C. Clarke, (left) secretary-treasurer of the 1st Marine Division Association, pins a membership card on Lieutenant General Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller while Colonel Jonas M. Platt, Association Vice-president looks on. General Puller was the first Marine to sign the "blotter" at Division Headquarters in the Sheraton Park Hotel. The general was later elected president of the 1st Division Association."
From the Cyril O'Brien Collection (COLL/2887) at the Marine Corps Archives and Special Collections
OFFICIAL USMC PHOTOGRAPH
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Click below to see all the numbers for the VA's COVID-19 Response.
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From Veterans Affairs
What should Veterans do?
Veterans with symptoms such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath should immediately contact their local VA facility. VA urges Veterans to contact VA before visiting – you can find contact information for your
closest VA facility
. Alternatively, Veterans can sign into
My HealtheVet
to send secure messages to their VA providers or use
telehealth options
to explain their condition and receive a prompt diagnosis.
Upon arriving at VA, all patients will be screened for flu-like symptoms before they enter in order to protect other patients and staff. A VA health care professional will assist you with next steps once this screening process is complete.
At this time, VA is urging all visitors who do not feel well to please postpone their visits to VA facilities.
How to protect yourself
Currently, there is no vaccine to prevent the COVID-19 infection and no medication to treat it. CDC believes symptoms appear 2 to 14 days after exposure. Avoid exposure and avoid exposing others to an infection with these simple steps.
- Learn to use VA Video Connect through the VA mobile app store or by contacting your VA care team, before any urgent problems arise.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. An easy way to mark the time is to hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice while scrubbing.
- Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick or becoming sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue (not your hands) and throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- Getting a flu shot is recommended.
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In a 1787 letter to William Stephens Smith, the son-in-law of
John Adams
, Thomas Jefferson used the phrase "tree of liberty":
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I do not know whether it is to yourself or Mr. Adams I am to give my thanks for the copy of the new constitution. I beg leave through you to place them where due. It will be yet three weeks before I shall receive them from America. There are very good articles in it: and very bad. I do not know which preponderate.
What we have lately read in the history of Holland, in the chapter on the Stadtholder, would have sufficed to set me against a Chief magistrate eligible for a long duration, if I had ever been disposed towards one: and what we have always read of the elections of Polish kings should have forever excluded the idea of one continuable for life.
Wonderful is the effect of impudent and persevering lying. The British ministry have so long hired their gazetteers to repeat and model into every form lies about our being in anarchy, that the world has at length believed them, the English nation has believed them, the ministers themselves have come to believe them, and what is more wonderful, we have believed them ourselves.
Yet where does this anarchy exist? Where did it ever exist, except in the single instance of Massachusets? And can history produce an instance of a rebellion so honourably conducted? I say nothing of it’s motives. They were founded in ignorance, not wickedness. God forbid we should ever be 20 years without such a rebellion. The people can not be all, and always, well informed. The part which is wrong will be discontented in proportion to the importance of the facts they misconceive. If they remain quiet under such misconceptions it is a lethargy, the forerunner of death to the public liberty.
We have had 13 states independant 11 years. There has been one rebellion. That comes to one rebellion in a century and a half for each state. What country before ever existed a century and half without a rebellion? And what country can preserve it’s liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance?
Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is it’s natural manure.
Our Convention has been too much impressed by the insurrection of Massachusets: and in the spur of the moment they are setting up a kite to keep the hen yard in order. I hope in god this article will be rectified before the new constitution is accepted.
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Thomas Jefferson painting by Charles Wilson Peale in 1791. This portrait depicts Jefferson as he looked around the time of his travels to Long Island.
Credit: Independence National Historical Park
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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.
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TERRY CHARBONNEAU, Sponsor: Bill Purcell
SGT MICHAEL CLEARY
CPL WILLIAM S. GODFREY, Sponsor: COL Len Hayes
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We are again updating the database from Social Security records.
Recent reports are boldface.
PHM2 JOHN W. BAILEY JR, 26 Jun 2020
FLOYD LEROY KOGLE, 1 Jul 2010
SSGT DONALD M. MORRISON, 2 Sep 2013
SGT ELLIS A. MORRISON, 23 Apr 2020
PFC DOUGLAS C. SMITH, 23 Aug 2006
MRS DORTHA THOMPSON, 3 Jul 2020
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Association's Challenge Coins Available
Contact HQ at (760)763-3268
These Challenge Coins commemorating the 50th anniversary of Tet 1968 are available to members. The price is $5 per coin, plus shipping.
We sent out our last coin. Our supply will be restocked soon.
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Headquarters Office (760) 763-3268
President Jerry Johs Email: geronamo0122@gmail.com
First Marine Division Association
P.O. Box 9000, Box # 902
Oceanside CA 92051
(760) 763-3268
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Thank you for reading the Blue Diamond News. Please contact us with corrections, suggestions, and content you would like to see.
Semper Fidelis
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