GOLDEN GATE CHAPTER NEWSLETTER American Merchant Marine Veterans War Memorial Building 401 Van Ness Ave. Rm. 213-D San Francisco, CA 94102 1-415-252-0760 VOLUME XV Number 30 JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2018 Newsletter Editor: Frank Mendez - E-mail: mendezlaf@aol.com OFFICERS BOARD OF DIRECTORS Pres./CEO: Harold J. Wagner (925)735-321 Mickey Anderson Vacant Exec. VP: Christian Yuhas Erik Oscarsen Vacant Fin. Secretary-Treas.: Frank Mendez (925)689-2686 Secretary: Vacant West Reg. VP: Larry Starn Chaplain: Capt. K. C. O Brien OFFICE VOLUNTEERS: Hours: 10:00 AM 12:00 NOON - Monday: Frank Mendez; Thursday: Harold J. Wagner. Can you help out an hour or two one day a week? Call us. UPCOMING EVENTS 2017 NOTE: Yearly meetings and luncheon months: February, April, June, August, October and December - Held on the 4th Saturday, every 2 months, unless otherwise specified. Meetings are held at the War Memorial Building, 401 Van Ness Ave, Rm. 202, San Francisco, CA. Please let us know one week in advance if you will be attending the luncheon, in order to ensure that we will purchase enough food! Office: (415)252-0760 Home: (925)689-2686 Frank's cell (925) 890-4108.. FEBRUARY 24, 2018 MARCH 26-30 2018 APRIL 28, 2018 12:00 Noon: Lunch 1:00 P.M.: Regular meeting followed by raffle Guest Speaker, To Be Determined 32nd Annual American Merchant Marine Veterans National Convention St Louis, MO- March 14 th - March 18 th 2018 (see attached flyers) 12:00 Noon Lunch 1:00 p.m. Regular meeting followed by raffle Guest Speaker To Be Determined
MAY 19, 2018 VETERANS MEMORIALCRUISE SS JEREMIAH O BRIEN Please call (415)544-0100 for further details. No charge for WWII & Korean War Veterans. VOLUNNTERS & DOCENTS NEEDED: The Red Oak Victory is in dire need of Docents and volunteers. If interested, call (510)237-2933 CROSSED THE BAR: Harry Ingebrigtsen, a longtime and valued member. A.J. Wichita, July 26, 2017. A.J. was the AMMV National President from July 2007 to July 2011. He was a Great past President, who will be truly missed. Our deepest sympathy and condolences go out to their families and loved ones. DUES! DUES! DUES! Your dues are now due and payable. Regular dues $35.00. Associate dues $13.00. If our records show you are behind in your dues, there will be notice to that effect in your envelope. Please support your chapter and pay your dues. CARE AND CONCERN: Mickey Anderson, Cornelius Farley, Gus Guzelian, Jack Geissinger, Tom Kenny, Capt. Erik Oscarsen, Sally Raanes, Raymond E. Westberg. You all remain steadfast in our prayers and thoughts.
MINUTES - MEMBERSHIP MEETING - GG CHAPTER AMMV AUGUST 19, 2017 12:00 Noon: Pres. Harold Wagner asked all attendees to stand, while Capt. K.C. O Brien gave the invocation. Lunch was served. 1:00 P.M.: Pres. Harold Wagner called the meeting to order and Stig Rasmussen led us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Fin. Sectry Treas. Frank Mendez presented the Treasurer's Report. M.S.C. to accept report. Mendez then reported on the following points of interest: H.R 154: Honoring our WWII Merchant Mariners Act of 2017 is our new Merchant Marine Bill. We have 36 co-sponsors to date. It is imperative that you contact your representative urging them to co-sponsor our bill. National Convention 2018 will be held at the Double Tree Hotel in St. Louis, MO on Wednesday, March 14-18, 2018. Room rate is $99.00 per night plus tax. The Golden Gate Chapter purchased a full page ad in the Memory Book. There are quite a few By Laws changes which must be implemented due to the current membership makeup of the AMMV. Members at Large, who do not belong to any chapter, will now be the majority membership; therefore, the By Laws must reflect these changes. On 11/30/17, Mendez attended a function at the Korean War Memorial site at the Presidio to host a delegation from China. There were 21 in that group who wanted info on how funds were raised for the Memorial, as they are interested in building memorials for their Korean War veterans in China. Most informative. Capt. K.C. O Brien announced that he would be visiting Yountville Veterans Home to pay his respects and bring 2 cakes to one of our members, Dagner B. Alholm. Dagner will be 101 years old. Happy Birthday Dagner! SPECIAL THANKS TO MEMBERS WHO HELPED WITH THE ABOVE LUNCHEON Set Up: Frank Mendez, Carol Ann Mendez, Harold & Katharina Wagner, Chris & Jim Moore Servers: Carol Ann Mendez, Chris Moore, Katharina Wagner, Audrey Winn Clean-Up: Katharina & Harold Wagner, Frank Mendez, Carol Ann Mendez, Audrey Winn, Chris & Jim Moore Raffle: Katharina Wagner, Chris Moore Raffle Prize Donations: Frank Mendez, Carol Ann Mendez, Harold and Katharina Wagner, Chris & Jim Moore Members and Guests in attendance at above meeting: Patrick Blake, Marie Farley, Frank Mendez, Carol Ann Mendez, Anna Lopez, Chris Moore, Jim Moore, Mark Dorn, Capt. K.C. O Brien, Stig Rasmussen, Harold Wagner, Katharina Wagner, Audrey Winn A very special and warm thanks to Chris and Jim Moore for all their help in the kitchen in preparing and serving the food and generally making sure we were all happy!
WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA: On Sat., Dec 16 th, Capt. K.C. O Brien and Frank Mendez participated in the Ceremony at the Veterans Cemetery in Dixon, CA, representing the Merchant Marine. There were over 2,000 people in attendance and it was a great honor for us to place the wreath on the stand reserved for the Merchant Marine. It was a great ceremony, but it was bitter cold out there that day! Also in attendance were: Frank Mendez, Jr., Carol Ann Mendez, David Rubino; Debbie Mendes, Kathy Mendes and Dominique Martel (daughters and granddaughter, respectively, of Bob Mendes). On Jan.17, 2018, Harold Wagner and Frank Mendez attended the North Bay Chapter meeting in Santa Rosa, Sindy Raymond was being honored for her valuable contributions to the AMMV and was presented with a beautiful clear glass plaque honoring her for her many years of service. There were 16 people in attendance, including RVP Larry Starn and his wife Charlotte. Bob Ulrich, former VP of the Sacramento Valley Chapter, has converted the Sacramento Valley Chapter website to: www.ammvgoldengate.org. Check it out. Thanks, Bob! Please scroll down for pictures of recent chapter events.