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Next Meeting Will Be June 18, 2019 @ 1930 FORWARDING AND ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED TO: ONCE A MARINE ALWAYS A MARINE All annual dues expire on August 31st of each year. Our membership dues are $40.00 a year and are due prior to August 31st. Please make your check payable to "Pvt. George Phillips Detachment" and send to the Detachment address. This newsletter and previous issues can be obtained from the new Detachment Website. http://www.pvtgeophillips.org/ Please contact the Editor to receive future issues electronically. As a suggestion, anyone wishing to provide material should try to have it to the editor no later than the fourth Friday of previous month. (This doesn’t mean don’t t is a submit anything at all if you need more time, instead please contact the editor.) If sent via email, please note that newsletter submission should appear the subject line. Next Meeting will be June 18, 2019 @ 1930 June 2019 Volume XV – Issue 6 Commandant: Trustee 3Yr: Ed Rau: John Cooper 636-978-3522 314-712-0738 Sr. Vice-Commandant/ Trustee 2Yr: Public Information Elliot Glassman Officer: 314-434-4868 Hugh Smith 636-536-7040 Trustee 1Yr: James Jr. Vice-Commandant/ Grgurich Mike Moss 314-852-9511 818-652-9700 Jr. Past Adjutant/Paymaster: Commandant Dennis Simpson Gerald Gerling 636-230-5976 636-271-3778 Ways & Means: Judge Advocate/ Elliot Glassman Benevolence: Email 314-434-4868 John (Jack) Bickerton [email protected] 314-304-4360 Quartermaster: Detachment Webpage Rick Shelton Sgt at Arms: http://www.pvtgeophillips.org/ 314-677-0087 Gerald [email protected] Gerling Eagle Scout Liaison: 636-271-3778 Vacant Mail: Chaplain: Pvt George Phillips Detachment Larry Schwartz Marine Corps League 314-780-3710 P.O. Box #1 Editor/Historian: Ballwin, MO 63022 Carl E. Ramsey Web Sgt: Brad McNeil 314-304-7915 636-225-2866 Meeting Location: 225 Old Sulphur Springs Road Ballwin, MO 63021-5356 Detachment Membership as rd Meetings 3 Tuesday of May 31 of Every Month Meetings 3rd Tuesday of 96 1915 – 7:15 PM Every Month 1930 – 7:30 PM Commandant’s Corner Military Humor: ATTENTION ON DECK A retired Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant with bad eyes was pounding on a dryer in a laundromat. A To members and associate members of our terrified attendant said, “Sir, sir! That machine won’t Private George Phillips detachment, Marine wash your clothes.” The irate gunny replied, “When I Corps League. I am grateful for the opportunity get done with it, it will wish it had.” to serve as your Commandant for this coming year. Marine Corps Author I would personally like to thank all the Charles Portis was born in 1933 to Samuel Palmer members who volunteered to help with our and Alice Waddell Portis in El Dorado, Arkansas. He recent collections. Preliminary numbers look was raised and educated in various towns in southern good. I’m sure we’ll have final numbers at the Arkansas, including Hamburg and Mount Holly. next general meeting. During the Korean War, Portis enlisted in the U.S. I would also like to thank all the members who Marine Corps and reached the rank of sergeant. After participated in the Memorial Day Service at receiving his discharge in 1955, he enrolled in Bethel Cemetery in Labadie, Mo. On May 27th, the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. He held by the American Legion Post #565. graduated with a degree in journalism in 1958. I invite you to contact me by phone, 636-978- In 1968 Charles Portis wrote a book which sold over 3522 or email, [email protected], to a million copies, became a successful movie in 1969, share your ideas as to how we can make your and was remade as an equally successful movie in experience with the detachment more 1910. One of my favorite lines in the book and both meaningful. movies, is a character named Rooster Cogburn saying, “What’s all this hoorah!” BIO source Wikipedia. Memorial Day Candid’s, May 27, 2019 June 2019 1 – Collections 11 – Staff Meeting – 1900 Post #208 18 – Membership Meeting – 1930 Post #208 23 – Veteran’s Event My Dad’s Classic Truck Show – 0900-1500 The Village Bar parking lot 12247 Manchester Road, Des Peres, MO 63131 July 2019 9 – Staff Meeting – 1900 Post #208 13 – Pvt George Phillips Birthday Remembrance at Labadie Commandant Ed Rau addresses attendees at 14 – Pvt George Phillips Birthday Labadie where Pvt George Phillips is buried. 16 – Membership Meeting – 1930 Post #208 August 2019 13 – Staff Meeting – 1900 Post #208 20 – Membership Meeting – 1930 Post #208 MEMBERS MATTER I arrived in Vietnam during January 1970 and reported to HML-167 located at Marble Mountain John Charles Cooper by Lyle McFarlin Air Facility (MMAF) just south of Danang. The I was born on 15 October 1949 at Pierce squadron’s missions were widely varied from aerial County Hospital in Tacoma, Washington. Both recon., to transportation for commanding generals; my parents were in the Army, so my mother but the main mission was providing gun cover for was, according to then existing policy, given an troop deployments, Med-Evacs, and resupply Honorable Discharge under Medical transports. During my one-year tour I was able to fly Conditions. over 520 combat missions which resulted in the awarding of 26 Air Medals (one for every 20 We moved around a lot, Kansas City, Chicago, missions) and Marine Corps Combat Air Crew Wings Oklahoma, and St. Louis. I went to a lot of with three strike flight stars. I also got the Good different schools. I was always the new guy Conduct Medal and was promoted to Sargent during and had to fight to fit in. That was how I made my year in beautiful Southeast Asia. new friends. I ended up living in Fieldon, Illinois, and went to High School in Jerseyville, When my tour was complete, I returned to HML-267 Illinois. When my Grandpa died, we moved to at Camp Pendleton for my last eight months and I got north St. Louis County to care for Grandma and out of the Corps August 30th of 1971 on a Monday as I graduated from McCluer High School in June a Sergeant. I went home for a visit then returned to 1967. attend Junior College at Mira Costa Community College in Oceanside, California. After one semester I joined the Marine Corps on a 120-day delay I returned to Missouri and started work at the Ford program in May, entering active duty in August factory in Hazelwood, Missouri, while attending 1967. I went to boot camp at MCRD San Florissant Valley Community College. During the oil Diego where real Marines are made. I was a embargo I was laid off. squad leader and graduated as a PFC and went to ITR and then on Christmas leave. I was My fiancé told me about job openings at issued orders to report to NAS Memphis in Mallinckrodt Chemical Works, so I applied, and I Millington, Tennessee. for aviation training. I was hired in June 1974. Four years later in 1978 I chose Jet Engine Mechanic for my initial was promoted to foreman at Mallinckrodt. Over the training course. I wanted to stay in Millington next 40 years I was involved in many projects and because it was close to St. Louis and I could go campaigns to help improve health care for many home on weekends. I finished high enough in people. In January 2015 I retired; then in February my class that I was eligible for Basic 2016 I returned as a consultant writing procedures Helicopter school. This allowed me an until 2018. additional eight weeks of training and a I married my wife, Denise, in August of 1974 and for promotion to Lance Corporal. Then I went to the first five years we worked a lot but did travel to Camp Pendleton, California, for more training places like Florida and Alaska. In 1976 I joined the with (Marine Light Helicopter Squadron) Missouri Air National Guard and had great HML-267. The training was intense and deployments to Las Vegas, Florida, Panama, and complete. I earned my certification as a Crew Alaska. Our oldest daughter, Colleen, was born on Chief for UH-1E Huey Helicopters. Prior to St. Patrick’s Day 1980. Two years, two months, and shipping out for Vietnam, I was promoted to two days later our youngest daughter Carly Rose was corporal. born. Both girls live in the Saint Louis area. I also have a son, Patrick, from a previous relationship and his family lives in California. We have four grandchildren Sophia (14), Kai (11), Cataleya (7), and Nadia (19 months). They are the joy of our life. Denise and I moved from north county to Manchester, Missouri in 2017. I was already a life member of the VFW and American Legion Post # 1 (The first Post formed in the American Legion) I then joined Private George Phillips Detachment, Marine Corps League in 2017. In March 2019 I joined the Military Order of Devil Dogs, Pound 66. I am very active with the VFW Post 6274 Honor Guard for Veteran John Charles Cooper, 2/19/2019 funerals. My hobbies are coin collecting, fishing and boating. I have had a boat most of my life. I recently had a 20-foot Bass boat with a 200- horsepower motor but downsized when I retired and currently have a 17.75-foot Lund with a 115-horsepower motor. We try to get out on the boat with the kids and grandkids as much as we can, it is great fun. I am John Charles Cooper John Charles Cooper 11/20/2018 John Charles Cooper family picture submitted with BIO.
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