Among the perpetual members of our Chapter, from left: General of the Armies John J. Pershing, Major General George S. Patton, President John F. Kennedy, Governor and Senator Leverett Saltonstall Military Order of the World Wars Greater Boston Chapter – September Issue 2013 Chartered: 11 September 1919 Chapter Meeting of 3 September 2013

Above: LTC Fred Maguire, midn 2/c Veronica Dambrauskas, CAPT Mary Jo Majors, midn 3/c Christine Donahue and cdr bob gillen at the 3 September meeting

1121834-1   We began our season with a certain After the opening procedures of an amount of unhappy news. The invocation, pledge of allegiance to outgoing adjutant, Jason Sokolov, the flag and recitation of the opened the meeting explaining that MOWW preamble, Jason called on we will not be seeing our Chapter our Region I Commander, CAPT Commander, Walt Stamper, for Harry Weinberg, to conduct the some months as he is undergoing a formal installation of Fred Maguire weekly course of treatment which and Larry Willwerth, below.. will increase his susceptibility to infections. Walt’s physicians have already advised that he should avoid large or group gatherings.

Fred then assumed his role as presiding officer.  Harry Weinberg was called upon to report the results of the National Jason explained that Walt is still Convention held in Dallas this year. very much in command of the Harry reported that the Chapter has Chapter, very much in touch, and won four national awards and two that the officers are operating individual citations were also under his continuing guidance and awarded. The Chapter won the instruction. The reason that Jason Perpetual Member Award, Winner opened the meeting is that the First of the large chapter category, the Vice Commander, Fred Maguire, Recruiting Excellence Award, Gold and the Adjutant, Larry Willwerth, Prize Winner, which carried with it had not yet been installed as such, a a $2, 000 cash prize, ROTC Program detail that would be remedied Award, second runner up in immediately. Please no calls to category 3 (the category is based on Walt except those absolutely the number of ROTC and JROTC necessary to allow him to rest. units in the area, but normally in

1121834-1 these competitions a large chapter Adjutant). is considered one with 100 or more living members), and the chapter also won the Information and Publicity Award, 2nd runner up in the large chapter category. [It must also be noted that the Youth Patriotic program was singled out for special recognition and the work of LTC Mike Jarvis and BG Tom O’Donovan of the Green  The Treasurer’s report was given by Mountain (Vermont) Chapter was Mike Lavey. He reported balances highly praised. Also, for the first of $8,879.73 and with the addition time, the two winners of the of the $2,000 cash prize and the Phoenician Awards were youngsters annual distribution from National in the New England program.] It is Headquarters due in the Fall (which indeed remarkable for our chapter last year was about $2,700), our to win four national awards in a finances should be in good shape single year, and a great tribute to for the coming year. Walt Stamper’s leadership, for  CDR Robert Gillen reported on the although the Greater Boston Youth Patriotic Leadership program, Chapter is considered a “large” especially on the need for funding chapter, it brings us in competition to send high school students to with other chapters that are many Norwich University, the host times our size. college. As we do every year, we ask the membership to donate any sum (although our goal is a contribution of $50 per member corresponding to our old custom of asking $5 per member per meeting throughout the year) to support this award-winning and highly effective program to educate our local youth in patriotic values. IF YOU ARE ABLE TO DO SO PLEASE SEND YOUR CHECK PAYABLE TO “GREATER BOSTON CHAPTER,  MOWW” TO OUR TREASURER Harry followed this up by asking ADDRESSED AS FOLLOWS: LTC the Adjutant, Larry Willwerth, to Michael A. Lavey, 54 Villagewood read National citations for Road, Burlington, MA 01803. Your exceptional service to Walt Stamper donation is tax deductible and is and another to Jason Sokolov, the deeply appreciated by the Chapter, outgoing Adjutant (but who the youngsters who benefit, and continues in service as an Assistant their parents.  CDR Bob Gillen then introduced CAPT Mary Jo Majors, NC, USN (Ret.), a member of our Chapter, who in turn introduced MIDN 3/c Christine Donahue and MIDN 2/c

1121834-1 Veronica Dambrauskas.

 The meeting was then adjourned until the next scheduled luncheon meeting on Tuesday, 1 October.  Many thanks to Alan Rieper and Bill Maloney for taking the time and trouble to take our pictures at the meeting.  Our Adjutant, Larry Willwerth, announced that in future the first four pages of our newsletter will CAPT Majors and her guests gave contain all of the Chapter and the meeting an interesting overview Boston news. This will be Xeroxed of the education and work of on a double-sided basis in black members of the Navy Nurse Corps and white and send to hard-copy and the NROTC Nurse Corps- recipients. Email recipients will option program. Following her receive the same format, but after presentation, CDR Gillen presented page 4 there may be other items of her with a Certificate of regional or national interest. Appreciation.  It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our immediate past commander, CDR Redmond L. Clevenger, USN (Ret.). Our condolences go to all of his family members. Red left us the best of legacies: his daughter Ivy Shalin and his granddaughter Mary Correa, will remain with us as perpetual members. At a time of great personal difficulty for him and his late wife, Mary Ann, he provided us with three years of outstanding leadership.

GREATER BOSTON CHAPTER CALENDAR FOR THE YEAR 2013 - 2014

Please note that spouses, significant others and guests are always welcome to attend all of our meetings

Tuesday, 1 October – regular chapter meeting at the union oyster house with a guest speaker Tuesday, 5 November - Regular Chapter Meeting at the Union Oyster House with a guest speaker Tuesday, 3 December – chapter meeting at the Union Oyster House, Webster’s Den requested. As this is our holiday party, There will be no guest speaker. Companions are especially encouraged to bring spouses, significant others and other guests. Tuesday, 7 January – Regular Chapter meeting at the Union Oyster House with a guest speaker Tuesday, 4 February – Regular Chapter Meeting at the Union Oyster house with a guest speaker Tuesday, 4 March – Regular Chapter meeting at the union oyster house with a guest speaker Tuesday, 1 April – Regular Chapter meeting at the union oyster house with a guest speaker Tuesday, 6 may – Regular chapter meeting at the union oyster house with a guest speaker

1121834-1 Tuesday, 3 June – Chapter meeting at the union oyster house, Webster’s Den requested. As this will be the season wrap-up meeting, there will be no guest speaker. Companions are especially encouraged to bring spouses, significant others and other guests.

THE LOST BATTALION REMEMBERED

Below: In continuing our reminders of the 100th anniversary of the start of World War I, we present the following pictures and notes concerning the “Lost Battalion”

Survivors of the lost Battalion (actually formed into two battalions for the attack): Originally 9 companies of the 77th infantry division, taken from the 307th and 308th infantry regiments and the 306th machine gun battalion. of about 554 men, 197 were killed in the action, approximately 150 were captured, and 194 men were led to freedom by major (later Lieutenant Colonel) Charles white whittlesley. The action and the heroism of the officers and men are legendary.

Above Left to Right: Memorial plaque to Lieutenant Colonel Whittlesley receiving the , monument in the argonne forest to the unit in france The units were led by two lawyers, Charles W. Whittlesley, commanding the 1st Battalion, having graduated from Williams College and Harvard Law School, and Captain (later Major) Charles G. McMurtry who was also a lawyer and a veteran of the Spanish-American War, commanding the 2nd Battalion. Largely drawn from the Lower East Side of City, the unit contained a cross-section of the American urban population of the time, including many recent immigrants. Units on the flanks failed to keep up with these units and they were isolated for six days. Desperately short of ammunition, food and medical supplies, bombarded by enemy forces and suffering from errors resulting in friendly fire casualties, the units refused to surrender. In addition to Messrs. Whittlesley and McMurtry, Medals of Honor were also awarded to CPT (later Colonel) Nelson M. Holderman, 1LT Harold E. Goettler, a pilot of the 50th Aero Squadron, his observer 2LT Erwin R. Bleckley, SGT Benjamin Kaufman and PVT Archie A. Peck. Twenty-eight others were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross: William Begley, Raymond Blackburn, George Botelle, James Bragg, Clifford Brown, Phillip Cepaglia, William Cullen, James Dolan, Carmine Felitto, Joseph Friel, Jack Gehris, Jeremiah Healey, Irving Klein, Stanislaw Kosikowski, Abraham Krotoshinsky (the daring volunteer who carried a key message back to Allied lines), Irving Liner, Henry Miller, James Murphy, Holger Petersen, Frank Pollinger, Harry Rogers, Haakon Rossum, Joseph Sauer, Gordon Schenck, Irving Sirota, Sidney Smith, Albert Summers and Charles Turner. The famous carrier pigeon, Cher Ami, was awarded the with Oak Leaf Cluster for delivering 12 messages, but she died of her wounds after the War in June 1919.

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