Dale Cook is buried: 23rd Marines, 4th Marine Division (Iwo Jima veteran)

Marine Corps League Detachment’s founding commandant Dale Cook and president of the San Francisco Joe Rosenthal Chapter of the USMCCCA, was laid to rest recently.  (Photo from MCL1155)

By William Michels
(Bill Michel’s father served in the 4th MarDiv during WWII)

The funeral for Dale Cook was an impressive affair befitting an Iwo Jima veteran. In addition to Dale’s large extended family who attended from around the country, proudly assisting at the service were veterans from a number of local groups, led by a contingent of Marine veterans from the Delta Diablo Detachment 1155 Marine Corps League (1155 MCL), which Dale Cook founded. Ably assisting the 1155 MCL Det was Mount Diablo Det 942 MCL, VFW Post 10789, the American Legion Post 202, and staff of the Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building. These veterans (including Marine veterans) coordinated flags, flowers and photographs for the Rosary Mass on the previous evening (Monday), and were prominent throughout today’s (Tuesday’s) full church service–many serving as pallbearers.

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Requesting combat stories from occ fields 43XX’s and 46XX’s

First lieutenant James Mercure is requesting your personal stories from combat within the legacy 43XX, 46XX Occ field to help train our Marines (and future Marines) for combat and as a forcing function/evidence for an additional formal combat training requirement for Marines in the 45XX field before a deployment. Questionnaire is here.

In the legacy 43XX, 46XX MOSs, there was often a significant disparity between training before a deployment and the expectations of the Marine while deployed i.e. the Marines were not prepared prior to a deployment and some were labeled incompetent because they were not properly trained or integrated with the unit prior to deploying. Some Marines also adapted to their environment and were successful operating under fire based on their own initiative, intuition and instinct.  This is a success story for that Marine, but it should not be on the individual to “figure it out” when lives are on the line.  Also, a firefight should not be the first occasion a Marine thinks about what to grab; their rifle or camera?

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Red Cross seeks regional communication and marketing program manager

As one of the nation’s premier humanitarian organizations, the American Red Cross is dedicated to helping people in need throughout the United States and, in association with other Red Cross networks, throughout the world. We depend on the many generous contributions of time, blood, and money from the American public to support our lifesaving services and programs.

At the Red Cross, there is no such thing as a small disaster. In every single case it is the Red Cross’ mission to help people affected by disaster meet their emergency needs that include shelter, food, clothing, and health and mental health services. As a paid staff member, you will support our loyal Red Cross disaster volunteers who serve selflessly to provide a bridge of assistance until individuals and families can resume a normal life.

Our disaster volunteers are the heart and soul of our mission to respond to emergencies and provide relief to victims of disasters. They serve in a number of capacities, including Disaster Action Team Member, Disaster Assessment, Caseworker, Mass Care Feeding, Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV) Driver, Shelter Manager/Staff, Disaster Health Services and Disaster Mental Health.

The American Red Cross is currently seeking a Regional Communication & Marketing Program Manager (Raleigh, NC) to work in our Raleigh, NC office. This position will work 8:00am to 5:00pm Monday through Friday, and some weekends and evenings will be required during times of business need, and will be on call evenings and weekends to field media questions. Travel will also be involved up to 25% of the time.

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Cook: President of Rosenthal Chapter dies

Dale Cook, President of the USMCCCA, Joe Rosenthal Chapter, died at his home in Brentwood, Calif., February 29, 2019, at the age of 92. Cook is well known across Northern California for his seemingly tireless commitment to veterans’ causes and his pride in being a United States Marine. He was one of the few surviving Marines who invaded Iwo Jima on February 19, 1945, 74 years ago.