Central Florida Chapter
1st Marines Division Association

October Program- LtCol. Nick Guerra, USA (ret.)
Deputy Director & Program Manager, Virtual Training Ground Simulations
Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC)

In 1995, LtCol. Guerra was transferred to the Pentagon in Washington, DC where he served at PERSCOM as Lieutenant Colonel assignment officer for the Acquisition Corps. In 1998, he graduated from the Army Command and General Staff College and was again transferred to STRICOM at Orlando, FL. In 1999, he attended the Advanced Program Managers Course at the Defense Systems Management College at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. He served as the Project Director for the production of the Army’s largest virtual simulation training system, Close Combat Tactical Trainer (CCTT) at STRICOM, where he retired from the Army in 2001 as a Lieutenant Colonel. He accepted a position with DynCorp as Manager for the Virtual Training Life Cycle Management Team. Shortly thereafter, DynCorp merged with CSC and Nick was promoted. He currently serves as the Deputy Director & Program Manager for Virtual Training Ground Simulations with CSC in Orlando, Florida.

More information on LtCol. Guerra will be included in the next Ooo Rah.

When a group of chapter officers visited Gleason’s Grille on an “inspection” tour recently, we were very impressed with the accommodations available to us for meetings. The restaurant is in the process of remodeling and has a completely new menu. We think our Central Florida Chapter members are going to be extremely pleased with this move to Gleason’s Grille.

The location at 4270 Aloma is located where Howell Branch Road intersects with Aloma Ave. (Howell Branch changes to Hall Road as it goes south to University Ave). The restaurant is 1.6 miles east of Semoran Blvd. (Hwy 436) and just to the west of the toll highway 417 (Greeneway).

Those coming from central to south Orlando might consider using the 408 (E –W Expressway). Go east on 408 to Hwy 417. Take #417 north to Aloma Ave. Exit 417 west toward Winter Park. Gleason’s Grille is on the right 1.4 miles from Hwy 417.

Members coming from Volusia County should get on toll Hwy 417 in Sanford, and take it south, exiting at Aloma Ave. (see above).

You can also visit the Gleason’s Grille webiste for directions.

The menu has a wide range of sandwich and salad sections, as well as a soup, salad or sandwich combo. Most sandwiches are in the $7 range and include a side and a kosher dill spear. Gleason’s has a full bar with a nice selection of draft and bottled beers. Members are urged to stay for lunch after the meeting. You will enjoy the food and fellowship.

As I begin my 6th year as president of your Central Florida Chapter, many thoughts are racing across my mind regarding our chapter and association. We begin a new era of our chapter’s history as we once again move the venue for our meetings. With the October meeting, we will begin meeting at Gleason’s Grille at 4270 Aloma Avenue in Winter Park. We hope that this will be a home for our chapter for years to come. Your Executive Committee had a difficult decision to make … The decision to move from O’Boys Bar B Q Restaurant where we had been for the past year. The sports pub atmosphere there made it difficult for us when alumni clubs from various schools were pushing us out in order to watch their favorite teams on the big screen TV (located in our meeting room.) We had been invited by VFW Post 2093 to bring our meetings to their post on Edgewater Drive. That is where our chapter met from its beginning until 2002. Gleason’s Grille is a restaurant with a good reputation that is in the process of remodeling. The private room is spacious and attractive with audio/visual capabilities. The food is good and the servers personable. The location in Goldenrod is just west of the “Greeneway” (toll Hwy 417) which makes it easily accessible for our friends coming from the east coast as well as from the north and south ends of town. I am excited for the future of the Central Florida Chapter as we move into this new phase.

As for our association, things are not so “cheery.” The new officers will not be known until the Annual Reunion in Philadelphia. However, new names and faces leading our association will not displace the problems facing the 1st Marine Division Association. The Association is severely strapped financially. Many cost cutting decisions have been made recently, but the fact remains that the association is spending more than is coming in. Partly as a result of these financial difficulties, infighting has damaged the association’s accountability to its members. The decision made at last year’s reunion to incorporate the Scholarship Fund as a separate corporation from the Association is still unsettled and is polarizing many of the association’s leaders.

I can only hope that these issues will not be so great that they can’t be overcome by good, sound leadership. You can help - be generous when considering your yearly donation to the association’s general fund.

Semper Fidelis,

Mike Galyean

On August 1, 1940 a young man from Baltimore by the name of Tim Broughton was introduced to the United States Marine Corps with the sand and swamp of Parris Island, South Carolina. This Private out of Maryland lost his long brown hair his first day out, and in a matter of weeks was turned from boy to man ready to save his country from the perils of war. First it was communication school in Quantico. His first major assignment was in Guantanamo where he became part of the 1st Marine Brigade that was later
formed into the 1st Marine Division. The division trained at Lejune and Pendleton before the invasion of Guadalcanal, the first major operation of the United States during World War II. The Marines landed on Guadalcanal on August 7, 1942, and Tim remembers being shelled by artillery and Jap ships his first night in a fox hole half full of water. Several days later while hanging wire from a tree he was fired on by artillery from a Jap submarine offshore but miraculously the shell missed Tim and landed harmlessly.

Sergeant Tim Broughton and the other brave Marines from the 1st Marine Division helped turn the land war around for the United States on the bloody island called Guadalcanal, where 1152 Marines died and 2799 were wounded. n December 26, 1943 Tim landed with the Fifth Marine Regiment at ape Glouster in New Britain, and had some exciting combat experiences; one that involved a Jap soldier that invaded his fox hole, but never returned to Tokyo. In September, 1944 it was Peleliu, where Tim was on the 1st wave and his platoon lost 12 men;  1200 Marines would die taking this highly
fortified Japanese Island only 500 Miles from Mindanao in the Philippines.

The victory at Peleliu cleared the way for General McArthur to make the successful invasion of the Philippines and keep his long time promise “I shall return.”  For an interesting story that space here does not permit, ask Tim how, as an E-5 sergeant, he briefly commanded the 3rd Bn 5th Marine Regiment!  … probably the only time a Marine Sergeant led a battalion!

Upon his return and Honorable Discharge from the Corps, Tim attended New York Institute of Technology where he received a degree in Radio and Television in 1948.  This prepared him for his employment with Martin-Marietta who moved him to the Orlando plant in 1956.  Tim retired from Martin-Marietta in 1988 after 38 years.  In 1946, while at NYIT, Tim married his wife, Marie.  They have since celebrated 64 years of marriage.

The 1st Marine Division, with the likes of Sergeant Tim Broughton, participated in the first major offensive operation of the United States during World War II. The defeat of the Japanese Army at Guadalcanal by this heroic bunch of Marines set the pace for our total victory during this Great War. The heroism as documented in “The Guadalcanal Diary” inspired many young men to join the United States Marine Corps.  The Central Florida Chapter is proud to claim Sergeant Tim Broughton as one of its own.

Jerry Pierce, President of Central Florida Veterans, Inc., to speak at June Meeting About Veterans Administration Hospital Plans is the umbrella veterans organization for approximately 120 organizations and 400,000 veterans that live in a six county area. He has been an important cog in the wheel of veterans’ efforts over the past several years to nail down a Veterans Medical Center for our area.

During the well known “Pueblo Incident” in which a U.S. Navy ship was hi-jacked at sea by North Korea, Jerry was a U.S. Army Lieutenant stationed in Korea. He attended armor training at Ft. Knox and was later a Basic Training Company Commander at Ft. Leonard Wood.

Jerry is Chairman of the Board of Restaurant Equipment World, a company that sells restaurant equipment to over 50,000 customers in 90 countries. and was selected as the Small Business Person of the Year in Florida by the National Federation of Independent Business.

An advocate for veterans, an inventor, an entrepreneur, Jerry Pierce is certainly a spokesman Central Florida veterans can be proud of. Come hear his up-to-date report on the VAMC.

There is another article in this issue of the “Ooo Rah about the need for action in regard to the long awaited VA Medical Center. Our speaker at the June meeting, Jerry Pierce, as President of the Central Florida Veterans, Inc., certainly has first hand knowledge of this saga of progress as well as disappointment. I look forward to his visit on June 2 to bring us up to date on recent events of deceit and political shenanigans.

However, prior to hearing his message, here’s my take on what has recently taken place. Granted, these are my impressions only, as a result of discussions with others involved in the process. This time a year ago, the veteran community in Orlando, under the capable leadership of the Central Florida Veterans, Inc. had studied the various sites that were available for the VAMC. This group, with the support of Orange County Mayor Rich Crotty, recommended a site at the International Corporate Park, just off Hwy 208, in East Orange County. At some point since that recommendation was made, Rep. Rick Keller and other members of the Central Florida political leadership went to the VA site selection committee and were able to get funding approved for a site at Lake Nona, which lies southwest of the ICP in the city limits of Orlando, approved for funding.

Subsequent to that, the Secretary of the VA and various other governmentalleaders visited Orlando and approved the site at Lake Nona owned by Tavistock Group. Tavistock Group, owned by British citizen Joe Lewis, controls over 100 companies in 15 countries. Mr. Lewis is a billionaire and is listed in Forbes as the 486th richest man in the world. Lewis’s company has also recently reached agreement to buy the 2,368 acre International Corporate Park.

The veterans of Central Florida were mostly in agreement that whatever caused the changes to the site selection didn’t really matter…what was important was that the VAMC be approved, funded and constructed. However, it seems that now Mr. Lewis and Tavistock has withdrawn its offer of the approved site at Lake Nona, leaving the site selection of the VA Hospital somewhat at “square 1.” The 400,000 veterans of our community have had the rug pulled out from under them. We are all aware of the lies and deceit that exists in big business and high level politics, but when the health of
thousands of veterans who have laid their collective lives on the line are the butt of these political misdeeds, it’s time to “take off the gloves” and to hell with what is politically correct. It’s time the business and governmental leaders of Central Florida get off their self serving rear ends and work together to get the VAMC doors open.

Semper Fidelis,
Mike Galyean

The following article was written by Scott Hoehn, and the images belong to him. This article was taken from his website with his permission.

On Saturday April 7, 2007, I had the great pleasure of attending a meeting of the 1st Marine Division Association of Central Florida in Winter Park, Florida. The guest speaker that day was former U.S. Marine and now Director of NASA at the Kennedy Space Center, William “Bill” Parsons.

Bill enlightened the room filled with retired Marines about about the current and future projects that NASA is working on. The great part about hearing this talk, from a Toastmasters point of view, is that Bill knew his audience. He was speaking to comrades from his military days, keeping his focus on their respect for American goals and values. He spoke of the importance of the U.S. Space Program in regard to keeping a presence in outer space at all times.

Why do we explore space? “It tames the explorer beast in all of us. Mankind is always curious as to what lies just over that hill. The technology NASA creates and their scientific advances benefit every aspect of our daily lives including medicine, communication and education.”

One of those present asked “Why bother going back to the moon?” Bill answered “We went there the first time, because President Kennedy told us to. We were to win the race into space… and we DID! There wasn’t as much focus at that time about in depth studies of this foreign celestial body. Now, our goal is to learn more about long-term existence outside of our atmosphere if we are to ever think about journeying to Mars.”

“A trip to Mars”, Bill said, “…will take six months of travel time to get there. Then we’ll stay for a year of study and exploration, followed by another six month trip home. Keeping a human alive for two years outside our atmosphere will take an inordinate amount of study, research, planning and re-planning if it is going to be accomplished safely. Using the moon as our close by testing ground will be the most critical part of our research”.

When I was given a chance, I asked Bill what the favorite part of his job is. His answer? “Making smoke, fire and putting human beings into space!” Should Bill become an active member of Toastmasters International (as Astronaut James Lovell was) he will be a tough act to follow when it comes to International speaking competitions. Speaking of Toastmasters, Bill, did you know that there are several Toastmaster Clubs (South Cape Club #3631, Kennedy Space Center Club #3695, LC-39 Club #9260) at the Cape that would love to welcome you as a new member?

Thank you Bill, for sharing your time with your fellow Marines and fellow Americans.

- Scott Hoehn

Ed Payton joined the United States Marines in 1947 in Denver Colorado at 17 years of age, and he was sent immediately to boot camp in San Diego, California. Ed was a big strapping lad weighing 220 pounds in his stocking feet. San Diego Marines had a great football team, but they needed a tough tackle. Ed was shuffled off on a bus to the football team delaying his boot camp experience. Private Payton immediately became part of the football team, and played for five months before some mean Marine broke his leg. This required a seven month stay in the Naval Hospital, and Ed was in the Marine Corps for one year before he entered boot camp as a Private First Class.

The title of Honor Man was presented to Ed after completing boot camp and he was sent to Sea School in San Diego, and spent the next two years aboard the Navy Cruisers USS Atlanta and USS St. Paul. In 1950 Ed was made Sergeant of Guard at the San Diego Naval Base. In early 1951 Ed volunteered for 6 more years of service, and he was rewarded by being shipped to Korea in the 8th Replacement Draft where he was assigned to heavy combat duty with Easy Company of the 2nd Battalion of the 1st Marine Regiment. During the end of 1951 Ed volunteered to participate in North Korea with a Special Liaison Unit operating out of Yodo Island off the coast from Wonson. This unit worked in intelligence in concert with South Korean Marines and English Commandos. They operated amphibious boats and picked up our Navy and Marine pilots that were forced to bail out at sea, and also provide intelligence on enemy activity at sea. In the picture above, you may be able to see the .38 revolver being worn by Sergeant Payton. It was a gift from one of the Marine pilots rescued by Payton. Notice also in the picture the lack of branch or rank insignia. That is because of nature of his assignment behind North Korean lines.

After Korea, Ed was assigned to Chicago with the Marine Reserves in the 9th Infantry Battalion stationed on the Navy Pier. Ed met and married his lovely wife Nancy in Chicago. In 1954 Ed became a Staff Sergeant and was sent to Camp Lejeune to attend NCO Leadership School. Then assigned to Parris Island in 1956 - 1958 where he became a Senior Drill Instructor with rank of Technical Sergeant.

Okinawa was the home for Ed Payton in 59 where he served in the 1st Battalion Fifth Marines considered the most elite Battalion in the United States Marine Corps at the rank of Gunnery Sergeant. Afterwards he spent 1962 and ‘63 in Key West as Security Guard Chief for 200 Marines. It was back to Camp Lejeune in 1964 with the 6th Marine Regiment. Ed was involved with the 6th Marines in the invasion of Santa Domingo during the 1965 Revolt in the Dominican Republic with the help of the 82nd Airborne Division of the United States Army. His last assignment as a Master Sergeant was at Parris Island as the operations chief for the 3rd Recruit Battalion. He retired in 1968 from active duty but remained in the Marine Reserves until September1977. Ed Payton is the complete Marine and it would indeed be an honor to have served with him.

Submitted to the “Ooo Rah” by Rick Kennedy

The Central Florida Chapter has moved smoothly into 2007. We have accomplished a lot, and look forward to continuing our steady progress. I have been a little disappointed with the membership renewals that have come in thus far. As I write this, there are about a dozen members from 2006 who have not responded to our appeal to renew. I feel that we have had excellent programs and activities, but we may not be reaching everyone’s expectations. My phone number and email address are in the column to the left, and I would encourage anyone with ideas on how our 1st Marine Division Association Chapter could better meet your needs and expectations to get in touch with me. I am always open to new ideas.

If you have any doubt about your current status of membership, look on your mailing label. To the right of your name, you should see “12/06,” “12/07,” or “Life.” If there is “12/06” next to your name, it means that you have not renewed for the current year. Our By-laws allow a 60 day grace period for renewal, so, unless a renewal is made, this will be your last issue of the “Ooo Rah.” We really hate to lose you as a valued member of our chapter, so please let us hear back from you.

I wish I could report that our 1st Marine Division Association has moved as smoothly into the New Year. Unfortunately, the same kind of political in-fighting that has disrupted other veteran and service organizations have struck the “Blue Diamond” Association. Our Sgt. at Arms and Chapter Representative, Elmer Hawkins, attended an “Emergency” Directors meeting held in conjunction with the 1st Marine Division Anniversary at Camp Pendleton last month. Unfortunately, he was only 1 of 3 representatives from the Eastern Region along with 5 from the Central Region who attended. There were 20 representatives from the Western Region. The result of the meeting was to censure Association President Peepsight Pendas for actions some felt were out of line. The Association President claims that the meeting was called illegally, and therefore any actions decided there were null and void. The Spring Directors’ meeting of the Association in Philadelphia is shaping up to be a lively affair. Let’s hope the personalities involved in both sides of this dispute do not jeopardize the future of our Beloved 1st Marine Division Association.

Semper Fidelis,

Mike Galyean

Marines,

Those of you who attended the last Chapter meeting at O’Boys BBQ Restaurant
remember that Bill Flenniken, President of the 3rd Marine Division Association State Chapter, invited our chapter to join the 3rdMDA for their Spring
Meeting, May 3 - 6. I guarantee you’ll have a good time. Since there will
not be an official “All Florida Marine Reunion” this year, this will be our
only opportunity to gather with other Florida Marine Chapters. Please open
this attachment and give your consideration to attending the gathering.

There will be a “Kentucky Derby Social” on Saturday and an auction. Meal
packages are listed on this attachment.

If you have questions not answered on the attachment you may email Bill
Flenniken at strykr9@bellsouth.net.
Semper Fi,

Mike