Newsletter

~April has flown by and I now know how an airline pilot feels as he is negotiating a storm. There has been plenty of turbulence to say the least. It is amazing how a few individual members bent on destroying a fine detachment have gone about trying to achieve their goals. Bottom line, not only does the detachment suffer but the community also suffers.

~And now, on to a more positive note. The Board of Trustees is hard at work writing a set of amendments to the Detachment By-Laws concerning financial controls. In addition, other areas will also be explored. These proposed amendments will be distributed at our next business meeting for discussion.

~April saw the Detachment conclude another successful golf tournament. Over 112 golfers gathered on April 13th at Glen Eagle Golf and Country Club to participate. The weather cooperated and a fine day was had by all. Many golfers stopped to tell me that our tournament is the finest charity tournament they attend. It is the best organized, best managed and starts and ends on time. A big Thank you to all of the golf committee members who worked hard to ensure its success. And a special thank you to Andy Stewart. He was responsible for recruiting 40 golfers. This is over one third of the total number of golfers. I don't know how he does it, but it is mainly because of Andy that we have a successful tournament. And also I must mention that this is the one fund raising event that we have to refill our coffers that enables us to carry out our mission... "Marines helping Marines"

~Many of our northern brothers have departed but we are still maintaining a good turnout at lunch. Since we have gone back to having our luncheons as a social event, I see many members sitting around after lunch, swapping war stories, discussing current events, whatever they wish to discuss. This is how the camaraderie is maintained. No other branch of the armed services can achieve this brotherhood.

~During the past several months we have helped several Marines. Thanks to all of you who attend our Business meetings and participate in extending a helping hand to those Marines in need.

Semper Fidelis

Visit the various photo pages of the website to view Detachment members "in action" at numerous recent events. Also visit the "Then & Now" page for updates and additions, and

the Platoon photo page.

John C Marsh

Editor

jcm2149@yahoo.com

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THE MARINE CORPS LEAGUE OF NAPLES

Adjutant-- John Marsh

~Website Data: 10,962 Hits; visits from the following countries: USA, Panama, Canada, Belgium, UK, Pakistan, Philippines, Norway, Japan & Germany; most visited pages: Home page, Uniforms, Then & Now, Golf Tournament, New Beginnings School, Photo Gallery, Member Roster, Devil Dogs, Newsletter, Eagle Scouts, MCL Ribbons; Search Engines: Google, Yahoo, Bing, Comcast, Ask, AOL, Babylon Search

SEMPER FI

NCOIC: EAGLE SCOUT LIAISON -- Jerry VanHecke

~The "Good Citizenship Award" and a Detachment Challenge Coin was presented to Joseph Teak Black, Joseph Zane McHarris, and Jeffery Thomas Woods at their Eagle Scout Court of Honor on April 28, 2013. These Eagle Scouts belong to Boy Scout Troop 243 sponsored by North Naples United Methodist Church. One of Troop 243 Scout Masters stated that 6 percent of all Boy Scouts make it to Eagle Scout. With the elevation of these three Boy Scouts to Eagle Scout Troop 243 has had a total of 40 Eagle Scouts.

Semper Fidelis

WWII Veteran who supplied the American Flag at Iwo Jima

A World War II veteran who has been credited with supplying the American flag raised at Iwo Jima passed away on 18 April 2013.

Wood was a 22-year-old US navy officer in charge of communications on a landing ship on Iwo Jima's shores 23 February 1945, when a marine asked him for the biggest flag that he could find.

After five days of fighting to capture the Japanese-held island, US forces had managed to scale Mount Suribachi to hoist an American flag. Wood happened to have a 37-square-foot flag he had found months before in a Pearl Harbor navy depot. Five Marines and a navy corpsman later raised that flag in a stirring moment captured by Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal.

In a 1945 letter to a marine general who asked for details about the flag, Wood wrote: "The fact that there were men among us who were able to face a situation like Iwo where human life is so cheap, is something to make humble those of us who were so very fortunate not to be called upon to endure such hell."

CHAPLIN: Mike Stapleton

~Sick Call:

Everett & Donna Short are both at The Aristocrat Nursing Home, 10949 Parnu Street, Naples, FL 34109 (Immokalee Road)

Tom Kuznar is at home recovering from back surgery

Sure they would like to hear from members….phone call, card, or email

DAY TRIP…

If you are looking for something to do, so place to go…take a drive up the coast to Largo, FL and visit the Armed Forces Museum…

News from Gunny George Darner

Maurice has graduated the twelve weeks of Marine Recon course. He has been promoted to Lance Corporal, and now is a Recon Marine ! He has orders to the 3rd Recon Battalion, 3d Marine Division in Okinawa.

I read the league newsletter whenever it is published. I saw the photos from the Free Press Day and the ones at the Clock Restaurant. You are all looking good. Wish I was there in uniform with the New Beginnings kids.

Marine Arrogance . . .

A Marine Sergeant wrote this in response to an army guy who posted a comment on a Marine Corps site that he was sick and tired of "Marine Arrogance."

The Sergeant said:

"I think that's what makes Marines special, if only in our own minds, is that elusive Quality of Esprit de Corps. It's the fact that we, as individual Marines, don't feel that we are individual Marines. When we wear our uniform, when we hear our Hymn, when we go into battle, we are going with every other Marine who ever wore the uniform.

Standing behind us are the Marines who fought during the birth of our nation. We're standing with the Marines who fought in WWI and gave birth to the legend of the "Teuful Hunden," or "Devil Dogs." We are standing with the Marines who took Iwo and Tarawa and countless other blood soaked islands throughout the Pacific.

We are standing with the "Frozen Chosin" and our beloved Chesty Puller. We are standing with the Marines who battled at Da Nang, Hue City, Con Thien, and Khe Sanh and the muddy rice paddies of South East Asia. We are standing with the Marines who fought in Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom and now are fighting in Afghanistan.

Like real brothers, their blood courses through our veins, and when we go into battle, we would rather lay down our lives than be a disappointment to them. We carry on our backs their legacy, their deaths, and their honor. We carry that for the rest of our lives.

The Marine Corps uniform doesn't come off when our active duty is over. We wear it daily in our attitude and our love of Corps and country. We wear it on our tattoos and our bumper stickers. We wear it on our hearts.

It's why, no matter where we are in the world, on November 10th, every Marine celebrates the Marine Corps birthday. It's why we'll never be an army of 1. It's why we never stop being Marines. It's why, for most of us, being a Marine isn't something we were. It's something we are.

It's the most important part of who and what we are. Some say we're arrogant. We say we're proud. We have a right to be proud. We are the United States Marines, the most feared and ferocious group of warriors to walk the face of this earth.

When America's enemies formulate their battle plans, they plan on going around Marine units because they know Damn well that they can't go through them. We are what other branches wish they were.

We are the modern day Spartans. This isn't bragging. It's written in the battle history of our country. When there's a parade and the Marines march by, everyone pays a little more attention. Some say, "arrogance." We call it "pride." It's why, in a crowd of servicemen, you can always spot the Marine. Why are Marines special? I don't know. We just are.

"You cannot exaggerate about the Marines. They are convinced to the point of arrogance that they are the most ferocious fighters on earth - and the amusing thing about it is that they are."

- Father Kevin Keaney, U.S. Navy, 1st MarDiv Chaplain, Korean War

Saepius Exertus, Semper Fidelis, Frater Infinitas,

"Often Tested, Always Faithful, Brothers Forever,"