Sr. Vice Commandant:
Thomas Knight
1123 S. Clinton Street
Defiance OH
43512-2706
Home Phone:
419-782-4059

Jr. Vice Commandant:
Fred Rodriguez
7723 Road 230
Antwerp, OH
45813-9247
Home Phone:
419-258-2846

Judge Advocate:
Raymond Dailey
400 Greenler Rd #1507
Defiance, OH
43512-8125
Home Phone:
419-438-4579

Paymaster:
James W. Gillis
1129 Valley Forge Drive
Defiance, OH
43512-1345
Home Phone:
419-782-3639

Adjutant:
Tod Liffick
25212 Watson Road
Defiance OH.
43512
Home Phone:
419-395-1887

Sergeant-at-Arms:
Kenneth A. Steffel
24356 Allen Road
Defiance OH
43512-9711
Home Phone:
419-428-2101

Chaplain:
Charles Wistinghausen
06963 U.S. Highway 20
Montpelier OH
43543-9708
Home Phone:
419-485-3091

Hello Marines:

This is the first time, since I was installed as the new Commandant of the Herman A. Hesselschwardt Detachment 758, that I have been able to write to all members of our detachment. Many things have occurred and some are in the works.

I first of all would like to thank everyone who has answered my calls when I needed Marines for all the color guard details including Memorial Day, General Livingston Highway dedication, and the Defiance County Fair. Without the dedication of all of you we could not remain a visible group in our community.

We have several things in the works. To begin with, our 11th Annual Children's Charities Golf Scramble is scheduled for Saturday, 9 October 2010 at Auglaize Golf Course at 19062 State Route 111 at 1330. We can still use more 4-somes if you are interested in playing contact Ken Steffel at 419-297-9692 or Robert Stearns at 419-782-6165 for more information. We are also looking for a place to hold this year's United States Marine Corps Birthday Celebration. As soon as we get it locked in, we will let you know where it will be held. We are also looking into setting up a 20th Anniversary Celebration for our Detachment. We received our charter on April 1, 1991.

Remember please if you know of a Marine that has passed away please let me know as soon as possible so I can try to visit the funeral home. All Marines deserve to get the eagle, globe and anchor placed on their chest or casket even if they are not a member of our Detachment. Even in death we take care of our own.

Semper Fi

Robert C. Stearns

Upon completion, turn into your Detachment Sponsor with required payment or mail application and payment to Herman Hesselschwardt Detachment #758, Attn: Paymaster, P.O. Box 164, Defiance, OH, 43512-0164

Marines and FMF Corpsman:

This is my first article that I have written since I was elected as Senior Vice Commandant of this Detachment.

What I am trying to focus on is to get more Marines and FMF Corpsman to join up with our Detachment and make it better and bigger. If you know of any Marines or FMF Corpsman on leave or in the area tell them about our Detachment and what we are about. We will then go on from there.

Semper Fi

Tom Knight

I, personally, have some old Leatherneck Magazines dating back over the past twenty years. They are yours for the taking.

This year is almost over and we need new members. Please help us to gain new members as soon as possible. Thank you.

Semper Fi!

Freddie Rodriguez

This being the first edition of "The Alphabet" published since before, and after my term of office as Detachment 758 Commandant ended at the end of April, 2010, I as Detachment 758's Junior Past Commandant, would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone that helped me, and my two years serving as Commandant, be as successful, for the good of Detachment 758, as I personally believe those twenty-four months were.

Again, I want to thank all of the Marines who helped me during my two year tenure, Volunteering for the various work parties. The Event Committees that work on the necessary event planning, for occasions that help frame a Detachment 758 year. Mess Night Committees, Annual USMC Birthday Ball Celebration Committees. Thank you's to those that were not on the committees, but nevertheless helped, pitched-in, and worked the days of those events, especially come Mess Night, at the end of every February.

Thanks of course go out to those who regularly show up for our Adopt-A-Highway Road Clean-up's.

Thank-you's to those who participate in the numerous Color Guard Detail's, Detachment 758 mounts for various functions during a calendar year.

Thank you's to all who contributed time and effort to Our Christmas For Kids Program, many thank's for those Detachment members attending the radio remotes, when, and where they are able to.

Sadly, funeral's usually accompany a Commandant's Tour of Duty, also. To all those that mustered for our League Ritual Services, as well as grave-site services, and final salutes to our Detachment's four departed Marine's I say, here, to you, now;--Thank You One and Thank You All.

Please; Please, Make it a point to plan on, and then attend monthly meetings when you can. It makes us that much better, a stronger, more vibrant organization. It will help Commandant Stearns Tour of Duty, be that much more of a successful endeavor.

Semper Fidelas

Ken Steffel

Past Detachment Commandant Ray Dailey was elected to the National Governing Board by his position as Central Division Assistant Vice Commandant. Past Department and Detachment 758 Commandant Roger Gardner was appointed to the Scholarship Committee for the National Marine Corps League and as Adjutant/Paymaster for the Central Division, in addition he was chosen to be Kennel Deputy Operations Dog for the Fun and Honor Society of the Marine Corps League, the Devil Dogs.

Did you know that there were two Marines who received the "Medal of Honor" on the same day. Can you name them? Can you also tell where they earned their medals? Hint: It was during World War II.

This issue of the "Alphabet" is featuring the book "Strong Men Armed, The United States Marines Against Japan". It was written by Robert Leckie and was featured in the HBO miniseries "The Pacific".

The book takes us from the battles of Guadalcanal to the beaches of Okinawa. Mr. Leckie uses his own firsthand experience and unwavering research to re-create the nightmarish battles that were waged throughout the Pacific. He discusses each battle in depth with painstaking accuracy. We are able to feel like we were in each of the battles on each of the islands.

Robert Leckie has maps of each of the islands and has placed a time table at the back of the book to go over a chronological course of events. There is also at the back of the book the names of every Marine and FMF Corpsman who won the Medal of Honor, a list of all the Marine Pilots who became "Aces" during the war. There are also some pretty ugly pictures spread throughout the book.

This book is one that you will want to have in your Marine Library. It is that good.

Don't forget to get that foursome together for the Children's Charity Golf Scramble that will be held on Saturday, October 9, 2010 at Auglaize Country Club. There will be many prizes and lots of good food. You will have a good time.