2015 DoNC MCL Convention Program Booklet
Author: Scott Shermeyer

June 12th – 14th, 2015

Annual Convention

Hosted at

Havelock

Invasion of Iwo Jima, WWII

Scott Shermeyer, Commandant (2014 & 2015 )

Friday 12 June 2015
1400 Hotel Check-in Commences
1400-2000 Registration Table Open (Main Lobby)
1400 Hospitality Room Open (refreshments and munchies provided)
1600 Hospitality Room—Reloaded (beverages, snacks, and food provided)
1730-1830 Marine of the Year Society Meeting (will be held in Hotel Suite # 133 )
1800-1900 NC Pack Growl Registration (back hallway at entrances to the Banquet/Meeting room)
1800-1900 Commandant’s Council Meeting (Breakfast Room)
1900-2100 NC Pack Military Order of the Devil Dogs Grand Growl (Banquet/Meeting room)
2300 Hospitality Room Secured
Saturday 13 June 2015
0608 Sunrise
0700—1000 Breakfast Served (for hotel guests only!, in Breakfast Room)
0800 Morning Colors (Flagpoles out in front of hotel)
0815-0915 Commandant’s Council Meeting (Back of Banquet/Meeting Room)
0930-1200 DoNC Convention morning business session
1200-1300 Chow
(on your own, hospitality room, or food vendor truck if available)
1200-1300 Hospitality Room Open
1300-1500 DoNC Convention afternoon business session
(including election of officers) (Banquet/Meeting Room)
1515 - Woman of the Year Society Meeting (Breakfast Room)
1800-1900 Cocktail Hour (Banquet/Meeting Room) (open bar - beer & wine w/mixers or BYOB)
1900-2200 Banquet Dinner, Installation of Officers, Guest Speaker
(Uniform: MCL Formal, Casual, or Evening Dress)
Sunday 14 June 2015
0700—1000 Breakfast Served (for hotel guests only! - in Breakfast Room)
0800-0900 DoNC Officer Breakfast Meeting (Breakfast Room)
1200 Hotel Check-out time

Hosted at

Havelock

Areas in the Hotel: All of the weekend activities will be held at the host hotel, with the following rooms or areas:
Breakfast Room – located adjacent to the hotel lobby near the main front entrance to the hotel. This is where they serve breakfast to guests, but will be also be available to us at other times. This room has a TV which we can be used to connect a computer to for AV purposes.
Lounge/Bar – will serve as our hospitality suite, since it is otherwise not currently in use.
Back Hallway – located along the back wall of the hotel this hallway has all of the entrance doors to the Banquet/Meeting Room. Look for registration tables, info tables, and raffle items along the way.
Banquet/Meeting Room – This is the large room towards the back of the hotel. From the main lobby it’s straight back and then turn to the right, down the back hallway. Also accessible from rear right parking lot.
Cherry Point Detachment #1067 Hotel Suite – an additional suite to secure some gear overnight & to serve as a break-out meeting room, as needed.

God Bless Our
Vietnam War Veterans
...and Thank You!

“i before e”

Junior Vice Commandant

Newport Post #203, Newport, NC
“Veterans serving Veterans”

For Info Please Contact:
Commander Samuel Hall @ 217-320-5305
Adjutant John Dinsmore @ 910-487-4008

We wish you a very successful 2015 Marine Corps League State Convention

The officers of #1265
wish you the best convention
and good luck to all candidates

Commandant	Monica Lockwood
Sr. Vice	Sherry Trevino
Jr. Vice	David Crumpton
Judge Advocate	Donald Maggart
Adjutant	Lynette Christensen
Paymaster	Don Mullis
Chaplain	Thomas Girton
Sergeant-at-Arms	Ray Trevino

Master Gunnery Sergeant William F. Odom
United States Marine Corps
7 June 1942 - 1 October 1971

In honor of the 70th Anniversary of Iwo Jima, we are pleased to have a retired Marine Master Gunnery Sergeant William F. Odom as our guest of honor. His service spans the “trifecta” of Word War II, Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
Born in 1924, Odom served from 7 June 1942 until October 1971. For 17-year-old William Odom, enlisting wasn't to get that peach of a pretty girl, nor was it for the chance to go up against the mortal enemy - it was to proudly wear "The Marine Dress Blues!" He reportedly was not issued those dress blues but subsequently after returning to California, he purchased a set.
Each experience, each memory stays with him to this day. Recollections of when he came across two Iwo Jima survivors on the beach listening to the classical music piece "Going Home" on the radio. The experience of visiting with the family of a Japanese soldier he morally wounded on the battlefield. During his visit with the soldier's family, they told of when a soldier left for the battlefront, he would get a haircut and nails trimmed. Those pieces were left with the family, so if their bodies did not return, part of them could be buried with their ancestors." - 2013 The Local Book (Jones, Craven, & Pamlico Counties), Honoring Our Hometown WWII Veterans, page 4
Top Odom was featured on the front cover photo of 2013 edition of "The Local Book" along with service members from other US military branches. Notably, of the other WWII members, Top Odom is the only one in uniform, still proudly wearing the USMC Dress Blues. He resides in Havelock, NC near his daughter Kathy and son-in-law, Gary Hullopeter who is also a retired Marine veteran. He did indeed find that “peach of a pretty girl” and is married to his lovely wife Margaret Odom.
Master Gunnery Sergeant William F Odom was born 19 October 1924 and raised in Macon, GA. He joined the United States Marin Corps in June 1942 and completed recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island. He reported for duty with the 3rd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune, NC as a Communication/Telephone Man. All Marines assigned to the 3d Marine Division were then transported to Camp Pendleton in 1943 to join up with the rest of the division. Odom participated in the invasion of the island of Bougainville 6 November 1943. Upon the island being declared secured, the division was transported to the island of Guadalcanal for refitting and re-manning. On 21 October 1944 Odom participated in the invasion of the island of Guam. Upon the island being declared secured, the unit was re-fitted and re-manned again. On 21 February 1945, he participated in the invasion of the island of Iwo Jima. Upon the end of the World War II, Odom returned to the states and was placed on Reserve status.
With the outbreak of the Korean War, Odom was recalled to active duty and stationed at MCB Camp Lejeune, NC from 1950 to 1953 where he was tasked to train all replacement Marines heading to Korea in the art of calling in naval gunfire and controlling air strikes. In 1954 he received orders to VMF-114 stationed at Jacksonville, FL where he was trained and re-designated as an Aviation Electrician. In 1956 Odom reported into VMR-253, MAG-12, 1st MAW at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan as an aviation electrician. In 1958 he reported to MCAS Cherry Point, NC for assignment to Station Operations and Engineering Squadron (SOES). In 1960 he reported to Naval Air Technical Training Center (NATTC) Memphis, TN for Instructor Duty. In 1963 he reported to HMM-163, MAG-16, 1 MAW Okinawa, Japan. His squadron deployed to Vietnam for Combat Operations in 1966. he served as an aviation electrician, air crew, and door gunner during his tour. In 1967 he reported to Marine Corps Development and Education Command (MCDEC) at MCB Quantico, VA. In 1970 he reported to VMA-211, MAG-12, 1 MAW MCAS Iwakuni, Japan as the Avionics Chief. It was here that he was hand-selected to be the Maintenance Chief for VMAQ-2 detachments A & B. During this tour, he deployed to MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, Cubi Point, Philippines, and aboard the USS Midway CV-41 and USS Coral Sea CV-43.
In 1975 he returned to MCAS Cherry Point, NC to assume the position as the Avionic Chief for 2d MAW. Master Gunnery Sergeant Odom retired officially retired 1 October 1979 after 37 years of dedicated and faith service to his beloved Corps and Country...although he reportedly continued going to work for the next few days.
Master Gunnery Sergeant Odom’s personal awards include the Purple Heart, Air Strike Flight Medal with Bronze Numeral 2, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Valor Distinguishing Device, Combat Action Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal (12th award), and other personal awards, and was also the recipient of the Combat Aircrew Wings with three gold stars.

www.cheapcharliesenc.com

608 E Main St, Havelock

252-447-3106

Hours
Mon-Fri 09:00 to 18:30
Sat 10:00 to 16:00
Sun Closed

Last-minute emergency uniform repairs

Conveniently located just around the corner from the convention hotel

237 W Main St
Havelock, NC

Mon-Sat: 10am—6pm

252-447-8102

wide variety of great antiques and collectibles

Joe Alcoke’s Mazda Kia of New Bern
Serving Families in Eastern NC for 50 Years!

252-633-6161

Come see OUR HUGE SELECTION OF NEW & PRE-OWNED VEHICLES TODAY!

1715 US Highway 70 East New Bern NC 28560

The Cpl Suzie Sannes Det #1262

Wishes the Department of North Carolina a Great Convention.
The department has been providing exceptional service to our
Marines, their Families and our Communities for 45 years.
We salute your past accomplishments and future endeavors for the years to come.
Commandant: Rick Thomason
Sr. Vice Commandant: David Sannes
Jr. Vice Commandant: Rick Ferguson
Judge Advocate: Leo Nieves

www.Cplsuzisannes1262.org

Your One Stop Pet Shop

Hours of Operation:
Mon-Sat 10am-7pm
Sunday 12pm-6pm

491 Hwy 70 West, Havelock
252-447-2750

billspetshops@gmail.com

Commercial & Residential
Carpet * Vinyl * Hardwood * Tile * Laminates

252-447-2175

“The Floor Covering Experts”

801 E Main St
Havelock, NC 28532

www.mrcarpetmsfloors.com

Chapter Service Officer

Disabled American Veterans Chapter 26, Havelock, NC

gunnero39@yahoo.com

Mike McCulley, Senior Vice Commandant - Cherry Point Detachment #1067,
Marine Corps League
& his wife, Carolyn McCulley

252-671-1528 Cell
252-444-5420 Home

CWO-4 USMCR (Ret.)

Cherry Point Detachment #1067
Past Commandant

SE District Vice Commandant

PFC Bruce Larson

Ice Cream, Cakes, Smoothies, Shakes, Cupcakes, Frappes.
Smooth & Creamy, Made Fresh Daily.
Jacksonville (910) 989 COLD
Greenville (252) 439 COLD
www.coldstonecreamery.com
Call 252-622-5004 for Catering
MARINE VETERAN OWNED AND OPERATED

Www.frabranch141.weebly.com

FLEET RESERVE ASSOCIATION
BRANCH 141,
HAVELOCK, NC

FRA is first and foremost a community of the Sea Services; U.S. Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard personnel. Your enlisted service in any of these branches—past or present, for a short time or for the long haul—is your passport to membership in an association that works hard for you and your family on Capitol Hill and in your local community.

FRA’s guiding principles are Loyalty, Protection, and Service to our shipmates.

Join today! You can go online, www.fra.org Or, come out to our next meeting!

We meet at the branch home located at 805 East Maine Street in Havelock. Please join us at 1900 on the second Thursday of each month.

frabranch141@gmail.com

Join Us on Facebook!

...to several local Marines we’ve met recently. They’ve agreed to attend our convention and share their stories and their creations.

The Never-Ending War The Unseen Scars of
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
The combat memoir of Raymond D. Clark Written by Laura M. Clark

Ray Clark knows how to fight. I know, because we served together in combat. Ray was then - and is today - a “Warrior’s Warrior.” If you know and love a veteran of today’s war - or any other - this book is a “must read.” Lt. Col. Oliver L. North (USMC Ret.)

Hand-carved wood

Marines have a well earned reputation for being incredibly tough warriors. They are expected to win our nation’s battles, and that is what Marines do. Ray Clark provides vivid descriptions of what life was like for our Marines on the ground in Vietnam in 1969. He also describes the problems that followed some of those young warriors home. The most important thing he does in this book is to tell others who have or are experiencing the same post combat effects that help is available and that it works. Ray showed his toughness in battle and in the ensuing struggle. His book has the potential to be an inspiration to many combat veterans suffering from PTSD. For Ray’s valiant effort to assist in the healing process of his fellow warriors, I congratulate him. Lt. Gen. Thomas Braaten (USMC Ret.)
(member of Cherry Point Detachment #1067, Marine Corps League)

252-626-7005

We Make Buying a New or Pre-Owned Automobile SOOO EASY!

888-261-8431

101 E Main St, Havelock, NC

Thank you to Ray Clark and his wife Laura for graciously donating a copy of their book to the Cherry Point Detachment which will be given away to a lucky convention-goer this weekend.

www.theneverendingwar.com

Your go-to attorney for your legal needs

Associate Member of Cherry Point Detachment #1067

Bankruptcy
Family
Personal Injury
Criminal Defense
Traffic
Civil Law

attorney@corwinlegal.com

803 E Main St, Suite A
Havelock, NC 28532

209 N 35th St, Suite B4
Morehead City, NC 28557

Specializing in Unique Vacation Experiences for Group and Individual Travel
Contact us to learn how your Detachment can partner with Travel Blue Star for your next major fundraiser.
Call 919.418.1325 or email info@travelbluestar.com
Travel Blue Star is owned and operated by Marine Corps League Members George & Debora Steenson

Tall Ship Cruises on the Star Clippers

River Cruises on AMA Waterways, Viking, WindStar & UniWorld

Land Tours Hotels Airfare