Shoreline Detachment MCL

On July 11 we collected the flags that were placed on 8th Street in downtown Holland.  We had placed them there for Flag Day, and left them posted until now to cover the 4th of July.  The flags will stay in storage until the Labor Day weekend, when they will again be posted downtown.  It is a real honor to be able to do this for the community.

  Our Detachment is starting to assist the VFW Honor Guard with ceremonial duties.  Today it was Mack MacKellar and Oscar Ledsema.  Looking sharp guys!

Commandant Lopez was the recipient of the 2020 Detachment Recruiting Award.  It was noteworthy that he also received the 2019 award.  Both years he obtained 8 new members.

  We’re back!  This is our first Zoom meeting.  There were a few hiccups in the program, but for the most part it went well.  The downside is that we need to hold it upstairs due to the lack of broadband downstairs.   Please join us whenever possible!

  Have you ever wondered why Tootsie Rolls hold significance with the Marine Corps? During the Korean War, the First Marine Division met the enemy at Chosin Reservoir in subfreezing temperatures. Out of ammunition, Marines called in for 60mm mortar ammo; code name “Tootsie Rolls.” The radio operator did not have the code sheets that would tell him what a “Tootsie Roll” was, but knew the request was urgent; so he called in the order. Soon, pallets of Tootsie Roll candies parachuted from the sky to the First Marine Division! While they were not ammunition, this candy from the sky provided well needed nourishment for the troops. They also learned they could use warmed Tootsie Rolls to plug bullet holes, sealing them as they refroze.
Over two weeks of incessant fighting, the 15,000-man division suffered 3,000 killed in action, 6,000 wounded and thousands of severe frostbite cases. But they accomplished their goal and destroyed several Chinese divisions in the process. Many credited their very survival to Tootsie Rolls.

  We have posted the United States flags downtown on 8th Street again.  This was to bring attention to Flag Day on June 14.  We will be leaving them up until July 11.  This time frame will allow us to also celebrate the 4th of July!

The Shoreline Detachment of the Marine Corps League is starting to meet again using all the precautions required to meet safely.  We have a number of “at risk” members that can’t attend in person.  For this reason we are also using virtual meeting software for our meetings.  It is important to us that our members are safe to meet without fear of contacting this virus. 

On Saturday, September 14, members of the Shoreline Detachment met at the Pilgrim Cemetery in Holland and inventoried all 437 casket flags held for the Avenue of Flags.  All flags were unfurled and checked for cleanliness and serviceability.  All dirty flags were removed from their poles for dry cleaning.  Unserviceable flags were either replaced or marked for future replacement.  While doing this we also recorded all information on the honored service person associated with those flags.  We will be making that information available to anyone requesting it.

Good Work Marines!   Semper Fi!

There has been some discussion around the Cold War Medal / Ribbon.  In 1998, Congress directed the Secretary of Defense to establish a certificate to honor United States Armed Forces members as well as eligible civilians who contributed honorably to the Cold War effort between September 2, 1945 and December 26, 1991. Those who received the Cold War Recognition Certificate may wish to accompany it with a medal and ribbon, though as an independently created award it is not eligible for wear on military uniforms.  In other words, it is good for the shadowbox, not for the uniform.  There are a number of Military Veterans retail sites that sell this medal if you wish to purchase it.

Authorization indicated in SecNav Instruction 1650.1H (see below)

http://www.marines.mil/Portals/59/Publications/SecNavInst%201650.1H.pdf