Montford Point Marine Association Inc. National Update June 2006 Greetings fellow members, supporters,
Convention 2006 is less than 50 days away! If you are planning on attending part or all of the convention, please send your registration package in very soon. Rooms and tickets are going extremely fast and we want all to be able to attend the events of your choice.
Sergeant Major James McCargo was buried with full military honors on May 20th 2006. The Sergeant Major was only the second African American to attain the rank of Sergeant Major as we know it today. An original Montford Pointer, Sergeant Major McCargo served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. Major General J. Gary Cooper recently sent this to me in an email: Sergeant Major McCargo ---A Great Marine!!! I am sad today to read of the passing of Jim McCargo. He was my First Sergeant in the Marine Detachment on the USS Chicago (CG-11) in 1964. Our time together could be a case study of how an experienced Montford Point Marine helped guide and teach a young Captain how to become a better Officer. I will always be grateful to those of you who led the way. Semper Fi!!!! J. Gary Cooper MajGen USMCR (ret) Our National Vice President, Mike Johnson, led a contingent of Montford Point Marine Association members to the service. Mike, along with Original Montford Pointer Master Gunnery Sergeant retired Robert Reid, National Special Projects Officer, George Herring and Robert Stevenson served as Pall Bearers. San Diego Chapter member and Original Montford Pointer Sergeant Major William “Movin” Vann and his wife Evanglia, also attended. The Sergeant Major will be widely remembered as a person who constantly and eloquently promoted the story of the Men from Montford Point. He will be greatly missed………………
Captain Frederick C. Branch honor: I recently attended dedication ceremonies at Dobbins High School in North Philadelphia were the Science Wing was named in honor of Captain Branch, the first African American Marine Officer. Also in attendance were National Financial Secretary, David Fortune, Original Montford Pointer and 1st National Special Projects Officer, John “Zeke” Clouser and Original Montford Pointer Al Brown. We would like to thank Dobbins Alumni President and Philadelphia “Teacher of The Year” Carolyn Monson, for her efforts spearheading this event. Carolyn is an awesome educator and we are fortunate for the effort she put in making this dedication possible.
Convention 2006: Convention Host Chapter and Camp Lejeune Chapter President, Nat James is reminding all to make your hotel reservations IMMEDIATELY. The hotel is quickly running out of rooms. Dates for our 41st Annual Convention are 26-30 July 2006 with the 26th and the 30th being travel days. Camp Lejeune is hard at work to make our 41st Convention a successful event! Registration packages have been sent out to Chapters detailing the events and cost.
Along with the Conference Suites, the Holiday Inn, 910-347-1900 $85.00 plus taxes and the Innkeeper, 910-938-0800 $71.00 plus taxes have been reserved. Please make your reservations for both early. Convention information should arrive in the mail very shortly. One of the delays was that we do not have an accurate mailing list because chapters have not provided our National Recording Secretary with the most current information.
Please visit at www.mpmalejeune10.com Please visit often to learn the absolute latest information on Convention 2006 and what’s happening with Chapter #10
All vendors at the site of the Convention MUST get permission from the National Quartermaster, Elijah Abram. An associated fee, as proposed by the National Financial Secretary, and the National Convention Director, shall be adhered to for all vendors. For more information, please contact Mr. Abram at 843-838-5475 or abrammpma9@comcast.net.
The Quartermaster has 6 ounce Champagne glasses. Glasses are $15.00 each and two for $25.00. MPMA Car Decals are $6.00 each and MPMA Mugs are $10.00 each.
Mr. Abram will also have the latest 51st and 52nd Defense Battalion coins for sale at the convention. This coin sells for $10.00 and was beautifully designed by Past National Public Relations Officer, Master Gunnery Gilbert Taylor. Coins will sell out at the convention. Please contact Mr. Abram to reserve yours.
Election of National Officers: During the National Convention we will have elections for the following National Officers; Public Relations, Special Projects, Veterans Affairs, Sergeant-at-Arms and the Scholarship Director. If you are running for either election or re-election, please contact our Voting Committee Chair Charles Paige at 760-415-7950 so that he may prepare the ballots.
National Recording Secretary: We are asking all chapters to make sure our National Recording Secretary, Regina Lawrence, has a current chapter list of paid up members. Please forward your most current chapter list to Regina immediately at: reginab2@aol.com or 804-763-3592.
National Sergeant-at-Arms, Racine (Tree) Wilson is reminding all Chapters to bring their Chapter Colors (Flags and Banners) with them to Convention Chicago. Banners and flags will be displayed in meeting rooms and at the National Banquet. Flags make a great backdrop for the events and for pictures. Chapters must bear the cost in bringing or shipping these flags. For further information, please contact Racine at; treetop0255@comcast.net or at 773-264-7679.
National Chaplain: Reverend James Moore is asking Chapter Presidents or representatives to ensure that he has an accurate list of the members who have passed in the last year so he may begin planning the memorial portion of the National Banquet. Please do not assume that members that have past have been submitted. Reverend Moore would prefer to have the names submitted twice than not at all. Reverend Moore also would like to remind us to contact him immediately after the death or serious illness of members so that he may provide prompt communication with the family. Reverend Moore may be reached at 843-846-0881 or email at: james.moore@usmc.mil
Convention Journal: The date for Journal submission was 10 June. Journal Director Reuben McNair has extended this date until only 23 June. Ads run from $500.00 (Outside back cover) to $60.00 (One Quarter Page). All ads should be camera ready. If there are any questions concerning the Journal, please direct them to Southern Regional Vice President, Reuben McNair. Rueben can be reached at 202-529-0845. Please mail Journal Items to Rueben at 2617 24th Street NE, Washington, DC 20018. Reuben is planning on making extra copies of the Journal available to members for a nominal fee. Please contact Rueben for your order.
Art Holiday a newscaster and documentary filmmaker in St Louis, is working on a documentary on the life of Original Montford Pointer and Rock and Roll Hall-of-Fame member Johnnie Johnson (www.JohnnieBeGood.net) . Art was the Master of Ceremonies for the recent St Louis Chosen Few Banquet and is interested in hearing from Montford Pointers who served with or knew Johnnie Johnson. Please contact Art directly at hollidayart@hotmail.com or at 314-968-3900. We are hopeful that Art will make the National Convention to personally talk to folks that knew Johnnie.
Convention 2007: We are still looking for a Convention site for Convention 2007. We have received an official proposal from the Jacksonville, Florida Chapter. All interested Chapters will be asked to present their proposal at the convention. Chapters are asked to work together for a possible joint convention and to also look into non-chapter sites. It is important to have a site locked down very soon. If your Chapter is interested, please be contact me, the National Convention Director, Nat James or the National Vice President immediately.
Marine Corps Ball Celebrations: Chapters are reminded to submit request for guest speakers for their annual balls/banquets and events early to ensure you get your speaker of choice. Requests should be submitted to the speaker in writing detailing all the particulars about the event. Request for National Officers should include whether the Chapter is reimbursing travel, etc… For those Chapters having events, please let our National Public Relations Officer Carmen Cordoba know as soon as possible the dates, times, place, etc.. So that she may post this information on the web. Again, the Ball season is an excellent opportunity to educated Marines and others about the Montford Pointers. For those located near Marine Commands, request special recognition be given to the Montford Pointers during these events.
Chapter Happenings: The Metro Missouri Chapter of the Montford Point Marine Association officially stood down on 1 June 2006. The chapter members have agreed to merge with St Louis Chapter #13 and are confident that the legacy of their “Chosen Few” Banquet will continue to be one the Central Region’s signature events. Congratulations to former Chapter President, Dr. Robert L. Hawthorn II, for his leadership and vision to ensure the Montford Point Marine Association has a continued presence in the St. Louis area.
New York Chapter President James Carr reports that MPMA Hall of Fame member and 1943 Montford Pointer Ernie Richardson (Final Roll Call Page 56) is currently hospitalized and recovering from heart by-pass surgery NY Hospital (NYC) he remains in ICU with potential kidney issues as well. His wife Olive has been by his side daily and we are all hoping for the best. The New York Chapter members will continue to give us updates to Ernie’s health.
National Naval Officers Association (NNOA) The Quantico Chapter of the NNOA will be the host chapter for the 34th Annual National Professional Development and Training Conference 17-21 July at the Marine Corps Base Quantico. The Quantico Chapter has worked very closely with the Quantico Montford Point Marine Chapter with their events since that chapter stood back up in October. For the latest information, please visit their website at; http://www.quantico-nnoa.org
Queens Tickets: Chapters are reminded not to mail the raffle stubs to National Special Projects Officer, George Herring, but to bring them with you to the convention. Also, if your last report is not in the mail to George by 1 July, please bring that with you so that reports are not caught up in the mail and everyone who has bought a ticket will have their stub in the drawing box. Please give one good last push for this National Fundraiser. The Queens Contest is the National Office’s premier fundraiser for the year and funds our scholarship efforts as well as our operating costs. It is also an excellent opportunity for the local Chapters to raise money for their local initiatives. Just a few years ago Camp Lejeune Chapter #10 took home over $4,000.00 in rebates!!! Chapters are required by our National by-laws to raise a minimum of $500.00 to remain financial and to keep their voting rights at the National Convention. Tickets sale for $1.00 each or $25.00 for a book of 25. The raffle takes place at the National Convention and the winners need not be present.
NAACP National Convention: Will be held from 15-20 July 2006 in Washington, DC at the Washington Convention Center. More information will be passed as it is received. We scheduled our National Convention purposely not to conflict with the NAACP. To receive a registration for the Convention call 410-580-5780 and leave your full name and complete mailing address. Please visit www.naacp.org for the latest information with the NAACP.
High Honor: Original Montford Pointer and MPMA Hall of Fame member (posthumously) James Stewart Sr. will have a preview of his vast collection of letters and memorabilia presented by the Oklahoma Historical Society Board of Directors on Friday, the eighteenth of August, Two thousand and six from 2:00 PM until 5:00 PM. The address is: 2401 North Laird Street Oklahoma City, Oklahoma program starts at 3:00 PM. For more information, please contact his son, Maryland Chapter President James Stewart Jr. at; oklamarine@aol.com or 5708 Chris Mar Ave Clinton, Maryland 20735, home 301-877-7610, cell 240-535-5580. James Stewart Jr. is constantly updating his web site with information that his late father left him. Please visit this link http://blackdispatch.smugmug.com/gallery/1401989 and the website at www.mpma28.com for some great information and history.
12th Annual Cherry Point Black Marine Retirees Reunion will be held August 18th-20th in Orlando Florida. The host hotel will be the Holiday Inn in Altamonte Springs, FL 407-862-4455. Please contact John Veney Sr, at 407-358-9550 for more information
General Officer Happenings:
Major General Walter Gaskin will assume command of the 2d Marine Division on Friday the 16th of June. This will be the very first time that an African American has commanded a Marine Division! Ceremony will begin at 8:00 AM at the Julian C. Smith Hall Building H-1. For more information and RSVP, please call 910-451-8000. Congratulations to General Gaskin as he assumes this vast responsibility!
Retired Major General Charles Bolden: This email note was received from Major General retired Charles Bolden upon his recent induction in the NASA Hall-of-Fame “Joe and All MPMA Members, Thank you very much for the kind words of congratulations on my recent induction into the Astronaut Hall of Fame. This was quite an honor, as you might expect, and I was privileged to represent all of you in accepting this honor. Semper Fi! Charlie B”.
Brigadier General Ronald L. Bailey very first assignment as a General Officer will be the Deputy Director, National Military Command Center, Joints Chiefs of Staff, Washington DC. We congratulate and wish General Bailey success in this new billet!!!
Thanks! My very special thanks to those members who continue to assist me in the many mailings that I send. I have recently received “stamp support” from National Veterans Affairs Officer Leo Taylor and Credential Committee Chair Gus Willis, Sergeant Major “Movin” Vann and others. Your assistance helps to keep the cost of these mailings down.
As always, please continue to check our official website for more information throughout the Association at www.montfordpointmarines.com . Please also check chapter sites at: www.mpma28.com , www.mpmalejeune10.com, http://www.mpmanyc.com and www.montfordpointchicagochapter2.org
Please continue to do all that you do to Preserve the Legacy of our heroes!
Semper Fidelis!
Joe Geeter Master Gunnery Sergeant (retired) National President, Montford Point Marine Association 27 Red Tail Court Limerick, PA 19468 geeterj@yahoo.com 610-495-3619
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