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

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 t is a no later than the fourth Friday of previous month. (This doesn’t mean don’t 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 April 21, 2020 @ 1930 (cancelled)

April 2020 Volume XVI – Issue 4

Commandant: Trustee 3Yr: Ed Rau: Rick Shelton 636-978-3522 314-677-0087 Sr. Vice-Commandant Mike Moss Trustee 2Yr: 818-652-9700 John Cooper 314-712-0738 Jr. Vice-Commandant Brad McNeil Trustee 1Yr: 636-225-2866 Elliot Glassman 314-434-4868 Adjutant/Paymaster: Dennis Simpson Jr. Past 636-230-5976 Commandant Lyle McFarlin Judge Advocate 314-630-5647 Public Information Officer: Hugh Smith Ways & Means: 636-536-7040 Elliot Glassman Email 314-434-4868 Benevolence: [email protected] Quartermaster: John (Jack) Bickerton Rick Shelton 314-304-4360 Detachment Webpage http://www.pvtgeophillips.org/ 314-677-0087 Sgt at Arms: [email protected] Gerald Gerling Eagle Scout Liaison: 636-271-3778 Vacant Mail:

Chaplain Pvt George Phillips Detachment Joe Gentile Marine Corps League Editor/Historian: 314-488-9440 P.O. Box #1 Carl E. Ramsey Web Sgt: Brad McNeil Ballwin, MO 63022 314-304-7915 636-225-2866 Meeting Location:

225 Old Sulphur Springs Road Ballwin, MO 63021-5356

Detachment Membership as of March 31

Meetings 3rd Tuesday 87 of Every Month 1930 – 7:30 PM

Commandant’s Corner phone and call me at 636-978-3522 and I will arrange to get you the help you need. ATTENTION ON DECK I invite you to contact me by phone, 636-978-3522 or email, [email protected], to share your ideas as to how we can make your experience with the detachment more meaningful.

Ed Rau, Commandant Pvt. George Phillips Detachment 1214 Marine Corps League

Follow Up to Commandant’s April Message

Marines, To members and associate members of our Private George Phillips detachment, Marine The Pvt. George Phillips Detachment's regularly Corps League. I am grateful for the opportunity scheduled meeting for April 21, 2020 has been to serve as your Commandant for this coming cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns and on-going year. quarantine rules.

Election of officers was held in February and In addition, we will not be able to hold our semi- the new officers will be sworn in at the first annual collections in May. While this is the primary available meeting. Many thanks to those of fundraiser for our Detachment, it is not feasible nor you who stepped up and volunteered to take prudent to hold those collections at this time. one of the empty positions. We are planning to have pizza after the next meeting. We are , going to try to have a little something after Dennis Simpson every meeting and there should be a bartender on duty. For

I received an email from the state Commandant Commandant Ed Rau with a copy of an email he received from the National Commandant. In keeping with the President’s orders to limit meeting size to no more than 10 people, all future meetings of our Detachment will be canceled until further notice. That is why I called off the March meeting and it looks like the April meeting scheduled for April 21st will be canceled also. The American Legion has temporarily closed the hall so we would have nowhere to hold meetings even if we wanted to. That being said, if there are ANY detachment members who need any assistance with shopping, picking up medications, need a ride to doctors appointments, whatever, please pick up the

Pvt George Phillips, our detachment namesake Election of Officers Email Message

Due to the current COVID-19 restrictions, the Detachment was not able to have a formal swearing in and installation of our new April 2020 14 – Staff Meeting – 1900 Post #208 Detachment Officers. In keeping with guidance from National Headquarters, Marine Cancelled due to Corona Virus 21 – Membership Meeting – 1930 Post #208 Corps League, our newly elected officers took the oath of office via e-mail and/or verbally and Cancelled due to Corona Virus by their affirmation were remotely sworn in by May 2020 Past-Commandant Jack Bickerton on April 4, 12 – Staff Meeting – 1900 Post #208 May 2020. be cancelled due to Corona Virus 19 – Membership Meeting – 1930 Post #208 Please welcome our 2020 - 2021 Detachment May be cancelled due to Corona Virus

Officers: Commandant: Ed Rau June 2020 9 – Staff Meeting – 1900 Post #208 Senior Vice-Commandant: Mike Moss Junior Vice-Commandant: Brad McNeil 16 – Membership Meeting – 1930 Post #208

Judge Advocate: Hugh Smith July 2020 Paymaster/Adjutant: Dennis Simpson 7 – Staff Meeting – 1900 Post #208 Sgt-at-Arms: Jerry Gerling 14 – Membership Meeting – 1930 Post #208 Chaplain: Joe Gentile (also birthday of Pvt George Phillips) Quartermaster: Rick Shelton August 2020 Trustee 3 year: Rick Shelton 11 – Staff Meeting – 1900 Post #208 Trustee 2 year: John Cooper 18 – Membership Meeting – 1930 Post #208 Trustee 1 year: Elliot Glassman Newsletter Editor/Historian: Carl Ramsey

Web Sergeant: Brad McNeil

April Birthday Scroll

John Bickerton Charles Corpening, Jr.

Theodore Eberley, Jr. Elliot Glassman James Grgurich

Jerry Kisner Steven Lind

Auxiliary Sheila Grgurich Arleen Jackson

MEMBERS MATTER (Chuck Corpening) troops and civilians, spending $100 million dollars a By Lyle McFarlin month. All checks had my name on them. I learned IT skills while at ‘The Stumps,’ and have remained in that field ever since. After deployment I returned, working in the accounting software industry, retiring from the Reserves at Twenty-nine Palms as a Major in April 2002.

I continued working for a software company and was laid off in 2005 when I returned to St. Louis, Missouri. I married my wife, Margo, in July 1989 and our son Charlie was born in May 1990. I began working in IT at St. John’s Mercy Hospital where I am currently employed, now working full time from home because of the current health crisis.

Photo used by permiss ion from Chuck’s My Dad was Lt. Col. “Charles” Corpening, a WWII Facebook page and Korea Veteran who had served as the Marine Corps 3/24 (now 3/23) Battalion Commander at the St. Louis Airport back in the sixties. I was born on 6 April 1959 in St. Louis, MO. I graduated from Kirkwood, High School and I have no Grandchildren yet. My hobbies include went to Southeast Missouri State University. I camping and hiking. I was my son’s Scout Master in graduated there in May 1981 with B S Degrees California for a Scout Troop with 130 Boy Scouts for in Economics and Marketing. many years. I had twenty-one of my scouts advance to Eagle Scout rank during my tenure. I attended the Platoon Leaders Class and in Quantico, Virginia, and I was I work around the house, remodeling projects, garden commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the and cook. Margo and I have been married thirty-two Marine Corps Reserve by my years. In 1989, one of my proudest moments, I father. I was assigned as a Deputy Disbursing became a blood marrow donor, saving a teenager’s Officer at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, life. I later met her at a Red Cross recognition California. I spent three years there on active dinner. We were on the LA news and we went to duty and another four years in a Reserve IMA Disneyland the next day. (Of course—what else would you do in Southern California?) Detachment.

I then worked for the City of Santa Ana, I began my membership in the Marine Corps League California for 7 years and also owned a at the South St. Louis Detachment #183 and later Cleaning Franchise for ten years. After that I transferred to the Private George Phillips Detachment. worked for a software company in Irvine, California. I was still in the Marine Corps I go by “Chuck” as my Dad, a retired LTC, goes by Reserves at Twenty-Nine Palms, California and “Charles” and my son goes by “Charlie”. Each of us was activated for Desert Storm. I was has a different middle name; I am not Charles \Disbursing Officer there for seven months, a Corpening Jr. thirty-something year old captain paying all

VA Response to Corona Virus

Focus Marine Foundation is KMOX Radio’s Special Charity of the Month for April.

Marines who received Medal of Honor 4/21-22 /1914, Vera Cruz, Major Randolph Carter

Berkeley (Picture 1), Other Navy awards: Navy Cross, Distinguished Service Medal. For distinguished conduct in battle, engagements of Vera Cruz, 21 and 22 April 1914. Maj. Berkeley was eminent and conspicuous in command of his battalion; was in the fighting of both days, and exhibited courage and skill in leadi ng his men through action. His cool judgment and courage, and his skill in handling his men in encountering and overcoming the machinegun and rifle fire down Cinco de Mayo and parallel streets account for the small percentage of the losses of marines under his command. Captains Jesse Farley Dyer (Picture 2), Eli Thompson Fryer (Picture 3) Walter Newell Hill (Picture 4) For distinguished conduct in battle, engagements of Vera Cruz, 21 and 22 April 1914; was in both days fighting at the head of his company, and was eminent and conspicuous in his conduct, leading his men with skill and courage. Captain John Arthur Hughes (Picture 5) Other Navy award: Navy

Cross. For distinguished conduct in battle, engagements of Vera Cruz, 21 and 22 April 1914.

Capt. Hughes was in both days' fighting at the head of his company, and was eminent and conspicuous in his conduct, leading his men with skill and courage. Lieutenant Colonel Wendell Cushing Neville (Row 2 Picture 1), Other Navy award: Distinguished Service

Medal. For distinguished conduct in battle engagem ents of Vera Cruz 21 and 22 April 1914. In command of the 2d Regiment Marines, Lt. Col. Neville was in both days' fighting and almost continually under fire from soon after landing, a bout noon on the 21st, until we were in possession of the city, about noon of the 22d. His duties required him to be at points of great danger in directing his officers and men, and he exhibited conspicuous courage, coolness, and skill in his conduct of the fighting. Upon his courage and skill depended, in great measure, success or failure. His responsibilities were great and he met them in a manner worthy of commendation. Major George Croghan Reid (Row 2 Picture2), For distinguished conduct in battle, engagements of Vera Cruz, 21 and 22 Apri l 1914; was eminent and conspicuous in command of his battalion; was in the righting of both days and exhibited courage and skill in leading his men through action. His cool judgment and courage and his skill in handling his men in encountering and overcoming the machinegun and rifle fire down Cinco de Mayo and parallel streets account for the small percentage of the losses of marines under his command.

4/22/1914, Vera Cruz, Major Smedley Butler (Picture 1), was best known of 9 USMC & 53 Navy MOH recipients for US occupation of Veracruz, “for distinguished conduct in battle.” When he said he didn’t deserve it was ordered to wear it prominently. He received second for Haiti in 11/17/1915; known in the Corps as Old Gimlet Eye. Major Albertus Wright Catlin (Picture 2), For distinguished conduct in battle, engagement of Vera Cruz, 22 April 1914. Eminent and conspicuous in command of his battalion, Maj. Catlin exhibited courage and skill in leading his men through the action of the 22d and in the final occupation of the city.

Marine Officers at Veracruz. Front row, left to right: Wendell C. Neville; John A. Lejeune; Littleton W.T. Waller, Commanding; Smedley Butler.

Source Wikipedia