July/August/September 2020 MMS 586 NEWS

Melvin M. Smith Detachment #586 & MCL Auxiliary Unit #305

DETACHMENT Hello to all, AUXILARY OFFICERS I certainly hope this finds you well and OFFICERS safe. This has been the most unusual time a lot COMMANDANT PRESIDENT of us can remember. We’ve been through so KARI SOBISKY LORI OTT much already and we will be here if you need SR VICE COMMANDANT help. TIM KRUSE I want to send a huge congratulations to SR VICE PRESIDENT Jim Brown for being awarded the Detachment GLORIA ESPARZA JR VICE COMMANDANT Marine of the Year at June’s meeting. Well ALVIN PARKER earned for all of your work with Toys for Tots JR VICE PRESIDENT CHAPLAIN and Spokane County Young Marines. Way to TEE FITZGERALD DENNIS DRESSLER Go Jim! We installed officers in CHAPLAIN JUDGE ADVOCATE June. Thank you for JOHN BROWN DONNA JAMIESON your confidence in the

ADJUTANT leaders of the Detach- CELESTE MORTON ment. We will do our SECRETARY best! JACI KRUSE

PAYMASTER Semper Fi, RANDY OTT TREASURER SERGEANT-AT-ARMS Kari SAM DRESSLER MANNY ESPARZA Kari Sobisky

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Commandant RANDY OTT

Visit our websites: www.mclspokane.org www.mclaspokane.com www.mcldeptwa.org www.mcl-nwdiv.org www.mclnational.org Birthdays of the 586

July

John Brown 1 Craig Meidl 4 Sean Flink 9

Charles Bodey 12 (80) Tim Kruse 12 Stacia Stacia 13

Ivan Urnovitz 13 (70) Renee Raidt 17 Joan Morse 18

John Gill 19 Timothy Fitzgerald 20 (60) Dennis Dressler 21 (70)

William McGehee 21 Gene Ball 22 Deanna Willoughby 23

Richard Olson 24 Doug Shurtleff 30 (80)

August

Kari “El Commandante” Sobisky 3

Ed Thew 6 (70) Graham Crutchfield 11 Don Donald 12

Barry Blackerby 15 Robert Manion 15 James Swindell 18

Jack Rasmussen 19 Tyler Wermann 19 Jorge Cabrera 20

Joseph Sullivan 25 Tom Roeder 27 Mathew Howard 28

Roscoe Tidd 28

September Joe Wilson 1 Stephen Ashworth 2 Larry Tanneberg 5

Sylvia Passe 8 Larry Rosenburg 9 Jon Dunne 10

Celeste Morton 15 Gary Heath 17 Jeremy Jones 17

Grant Deeble 19 Bob Lonn 20 Morris Clark 23

Ron Garnes 24 Mike Brown 28 Larry Hughes 29 (80)

Page 2 This Day in Marine Corps History

July 4 July 1801: President Thomas Jefferson reviewed the Marines, led by the Commandant of the Marine Corps, LtCol Wil- liam W. Burrows and the Marine Band, on the White House grounds. The smartly uniformed Marines performed drills and fired various salutes in observance of the new nation's 25th anniversary. 6 July 1990: One of the oldest and most versatile attack aircraft in Marine Corps history, the A-4 Skyhawk, retired from the Corps' active aviation structure after over 30 years of service. The last two Skyhawks from MAG-32 flew their initial flight from Cherry Point to NAS Patuxent River on this date. 7 July 1941: The 1st Marine Aircraft Wing was activated at Quantico, . Within a year of activation, the Wing would participate in the Marine Corps offensive at Guadalcanal. That bitter campaign would be the first in a series of legendary battles in which the Wing would add luster to its reputation. The 1stMAW would earn five Presidential Unit Citations for gallantry in campaigns spanning World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. 11 July 1798: President John Adams approved "An Act for Establishing and Organizing a Marine Corps", and it became law. The following day, the President appointed William Ward Burrows the Major Commandant of the new Corps. In August, Major Burrows opened his headquarters in Philadelphia, at that time still the capital of the new nation. 14 July 1993: The USS was decommissioned after over 30 years of service in a ceremony at Norfolk Naval Base, Virginia. The ship was named for the World War II battle during which three Marine divisions ousted 20,000 en- trenched Japanese troops. The Iwo Jima was commissioned 26 August 1961, and it was the first ship specifically de- signed as an amphibious assault ship from the keel up. 18 July 1918: The 4th Brigade of Marines began an attack near Soissons, , as part of a three-division counterattack against the Germans. In the first two days of battle, the brigade sustained 1,972 casualties. 24 July 1944: The V Amphibious Corps, commanded by Major Harry Schmidt, landed on , in the . The following morning, the 2d and 4th Marine Divisions began a shoulder-to-shoulder southward sweep of the island. Organized enemy resistance faded within a week, and on 1 August, MajGen Schmidt declared the island secure. 26 July 1947: The National Security Act of 1947 became effective, reaffirming the status of the Marine Corps as a sepa- rate military service within the Department of the Navy. The Act Provided for Fleet Marine Forces, and confirmed the Corps' mission of seizing and defending advanced bases, as well as land operation incident to naval campaigns. 28 July 1918: Brigadier General John A. Lejeune assumed command of the 2d Division, U.S. Army in France, and re- mained in that capacity until August 1919 when the unit was demobilized. He was the first Marine officer to hold an Ar- my divisional command, and following the Armistice, he led his division in the march into August 1 August 1944: After nine days of fighting in a battle termed "the perfect amphibious operation of World War II," MajGen Harry Schmidt, commander of V Amphibious Corps, declared the island of Tinian secured. The combination of surprise, heavy pre-assault bombardment, and effective logistical support was responsible for Tinian's recapture with a much lower casualty rate (344 killed and 1550 wounded) than had been experienced in previous landings. 3 August 1950: Eight Corsairs of VMF-214, the famed "Black Sheep" squadron of World War II, launched from the USS SICILY and executed the first Marine aviation mission in the Korean War in a raid against enemy installations near Inchon. After the F4Us delivered their incendiary bombs and rockets on their targets, the Marines concluded their greeting to the Communist troops with a series of strafing runs.

Page 3 This Day in Marine Corps History

7 August 1990: President Bush ordered U.S. military aircraft and troops to Saudi Arabia as part of a multinational force to defend that nation against possible Iraqi invasion. One week later the Marine Corps announced the commitment of 45,000 troops to the Persian Gulf area as part of Operation Desert Shield which would become the largest deployment of U.S. forces since the Vietnam War. 9 August 1942: With the Guadalcanal airstrip secure after heavy fighting with the Japanese, the 1st Engineer Battalion commenced work on the runway using captured equipment. Three days later, on 12 August, the first plane landed on Henderson Field, a Navy PBY which evacuated two wounded Marines. Nearly 3,000 wounded Marines would be evacu- ated from Henderson Field during the battle. 17 August 1942: Just prior to dawn, the 2d Marine Raider Battalion under LtCol Evans F. Carlson landed on Makin Island from the submarines NAUTILUS and ARGONAUT. The next day the Marines left the island after destroying a seaplane base, two radio stations, a supply warehouse, and killing about 100 Japanese soldiers. 21 August 1968: PFC James Anderson, Jr., was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor by Secretary of the Navy, Paul R. Ignatius, for heroism in Vietnam while serving as a rifleman with Company F, 2d Battalion, 3d Marines in Febru- ary 1967. This was the first Medal of Honor presented to an African-American Marine. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. James Anderson, Sr., received the award during ceremonies at Marine Barracks, 8th & I. 23 August 1984: The last Marines to serve peace-keeping duty in Lebanon arrived home. The 24th Marine Amphibious Unit (MAU) arrived off the coast of Lebanon on 9 April to relieve Marines of the 22d MAU who were guarding the U.S. Embassy in Beirut. The 24th MAU left Beirut on 31 July, marking the last presence of U.S. combat troops in Beirut since Marines entered almost two years earlier. 24 August 1814: Captain Samuel miller's 100-man detachment from Marine Barracks, Washington, fought in the battle of Bladensburg for the defense of the national capital. After helping to fight back three British charges, Captain Miller was wounded and the enemy began to work around both flanks of the American force. Almost encircled, the force of sailors and Marines was forced to retire to avoid capture. The Marines lost 8 killed and 14 wounded. September 2 September 1945: The Japanese officially surrendered to the Allies on board the MISSOURI in Tokyo Bay. With General transferred home in July 1945, the senior Marine Corps representative at the historic cere- mony was LtGen Roy S. Geiger, who had succeeded Smith as Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific. 5 September 1956: Eleven Marines from the 9th Marines, 3d Marine Division, stationed near Naha, Okinawa, drowned while swimming, from an undercurrent caused by Typhoon Emma. The violent storm, with 140 mph winds, struck the Philippine Islands, Okinawa, Korea, and Japan, causing some 55 deaths and millions of dollars in property damage. 6 September 1983: Two Marines were killed and two were wounded when rockets hit their compound in Beirut, Lebanon. Heavy fighting continued for the 24th Marine Amphibious Unit peacekeeping force in the area near their positions around the Beirut International Airport. 8 September 1942: On Guadalcanal, the 1st Raider Battalion and the 1st Parachute Battalion, supported by planes of MAG-23 and two destroyer transports, landed east of Tasimboko, advanced west into the rear of Japanese positions, and carried out a successful raid on a Japanese supply base. 11 September 1992: Hurricane Iniki devastated the island of Kauai in in one of the worst storms the islands had seen in over a century. Marines of the 1st Marine Brigade based at Kaneohe Bay, spearheaded Operation Garden Sweep, the massive cleanup effort.

Page 4 This Day in Marine Corps History

15 September 1950: The 3d Battalion, 5th Marines landed on Wolmi-do Island in Inchon Harbor and secured it prior to the main landing. The under the command of Major General Oliver P. Smith landed at Inchon and began the Inchon-Seoul campaign. 16 September 1814: A detachment of Marines under Major Daniel Carmick from the Naval Station at , to- gether with an Army detachment, destroyed a pirate stronghold at Barataria, on the Island of Grande Terre. 18 September 1990: A new 40-acre training facility for Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT) was dedicated at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, by General Alfred M. Gray, Commandant of the Marine Corps. 20 September 1950: Marines of the 1st Marine Division crossed the Han River along a six-mile beachhead, eight miles northwest of Seoul, Korea. Five days later, the 1st and 5th Marines would attack Seoul. 24 September 1873: One hundred and ninety Marines and seamen from the USS PENSACOLA and BENICIA landed at the Bay of , Columbia, to protect the railroad and American lives and property during the revolution. 27 September 1944: The American flag was raised over Peleliu, Palau Islands, at the 1st Marine Division Command Post. Although the flag raising symbolized that the island was secured, pockets of determined Japanese defenders continued to fight on. As late as 21 April 1947, 27 Japanese holdouts finally surrendered to the American naval commander on the sce- ne. 30 September 1945: Marines of III Amphibious Corps, commanded by Major General Keller E. Rockey, began landing in North to assist the Chinese Nationalist government in accepting the surrender of Japanese forces and repatriating Japanese soldiers and civilians.

Chaplain’s Report

With deep sadness I must report that we’ve lost another Marine of the greatest generation. Actually, we’ve lost 2 of them because Jack & LaRee Rasmussen passed away within two weeks of each other.

Jack enlisted in the Corps January 4,1942 and was discharged January 9, 1946. During his time in the Corps he saw action on Guadalcanal, Bougainville, and Iwo Jima. He received a Letter of Commendation from Major General G. B. Erskine and received the from Admiral C. W. Nimitz on March 3, 1945.

After discharge, Jack married LaRee. He attended the University of Utah, becoming the first member of his family to graduate from college. He and LaRee celebrated their 70th anniversary. They lived mostly in Washington and raised their family. Jack & LaRee joined the MCL/MCLA in 1990 and be- came incredible volunteers for our many events like the Coffee Stops, Toys for Tots and his Iwo Jima reunions.

Respectfully,

Dennis Dressler

Page 5 A Hero Remembered!!!

A Real Hero!!!

Amazing stats: Ted Williams averaged 42 home runs per year in his career. His military service in 2 wars cost him 8 years of his major league years' prime. That 42 home run average in 8 years totals 336 homers. His actual career home run totals were 521. Add the missing years to his career homers & it is easily argued that he could have had more homers - many more homers than Barry Bonds' 762. This is definitely a case of WHO KNEW!?! When asked to name the greatest team he was ever on, Ted Williams said: "The Marines". Ted Williams was John Glenn's wingman flying F-9Fs in Korea. The Boston Red Sox slugger, who wore No. 9 as a major leaguer, was assigned to an F-9 Panther jet as a pilot. Ted flew a total of 39 combat missions in Korea. He was selected by his commander, John Glenn (later the astronaut, senator, and 'septuagenonaut'), to fly as Glenn's wingman. While flying an air strike on a troop encampment near Kyomipo, Williams' F-9 was hit by hostile ground fire. Ted com- mented later: "The funny thing was I didn't feel anything. I knew I was hit when the stick started shaking like mad in my hands. Then everything went out, my radio, my landing gear, everything. The red warning lights went on all over the plane." The F-9 Panther had a centrifugal low engine and normally caught fire when hit. The tail would literally blow off most stricken aircraft. The standard orders were to eject from any Panther with a fire in the rear of the plane. Ted's air- craft was indeed on fire, and was trailing smoke and flames. Glenn and the other pilots on the mission were yelling over their radios for Williams to get out. However, with his radio out, Williams could not hear their warnings and he could not see the condition of the rear of his aircraft. Glenn and another Panther flown by Larry Hawkins came up alongside Williams and lead him to the nearest friend- ly airfield. Fighting to hold the plane together, Ted brought his Panther in at more than 200-MPH for a crash landing on the Marsden-matted strip. With no landing gear, dive brakes, or functioning flaps, the flaming Panther jet skidded down the runway for more than 3000 feet. Williams got out of the aircraft only moments before it was totally engulfed in flames. Ted Williams survived his tour of duty in Korea and returned to major league baseball. For those who didn’t know... Ted missed out flying combat missions during World War II, because his flying and gunnery skills were so good that he was kept as an instructor for much of the War. During advanced training at Pensacola, Florida Ted would accurately shoot the sleeve targets to shreds while shooting out of wing-overs, zooms, and barrel rolls. He broke the all-time record for "hits" at the school. Following Pensacola, Ted was sent to Jacksonville for advanced gunnery training. This is the payoff test for potential com- bat pilots. Ted set all the records for reflexes, coordination, and visual reaction time. As a result of his stunning success, he was made an in- structor at Bronson field to put Marine aviation cadets through their fi- nal paces. By 1945 Ted got his wish and was finally transferred to a combat wing, but weeks later the War was over. He was discharged from the military in December of 1945. Seven years later, in December of 1952, Ted was recalled to active duty as a Marine Corps fighter pilot.

Page 6 July 2020

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9th - MCL/MCLA Meetings (VFW 1435, 6pm) (POC Kari Sobisky or Lori Ott)

Jack & LaRee Rasmussen at Touchmark on the South Hill are celebrated for being a part of the Greatest Generation. Also pic- tured left are Dan & Terese Pratt (their daughter), LaRee and to the right is Louise Reynolds (MCLA and Bailey Reynolds wife.

Page 7 August 2020

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13th - MCL/MCLA Meetings VFW 1435, 6pm) (POC Kari Sobisky or Lori Ott)

15th - MODD Pound Growl VFW 1435 at 0830 for Kibbles N Bits

Veterans’ Forum On hold until further notice.

22-23 - Hoop Fest So far looking great to be this weekend. Please keep an open mind and consider volunteering.

Page 8 September 2020

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10th - MCL/MCLA Meeting (VFW 1435, 6pm) (POC Kari Sobisky or Lori Ott)

Jack Rasmussen receiving his Quilt of Valor at Touchmark on the South Hill.

Page 9 Melvin M. Smith #586 P.O. Box 13682 Spokane Valley, WA 99213

INSIDE THIS EDITION:

BIRTHDAYS

THIS DAY IN USMC HISTORY

PHOTOS

Marine Corps League

North West Division

Department of Washington

Melvin M. Smith #586 & MCLA Unit #305

MMS 586 NEWS