Greetings to all from the San Francisco Bay Area. CA-3 continues to meet monthly via Zoom meetings, hosted by Marine Corps parents Elaine Vallecillo-Miller and Greg Miller. Our normal meeting location was still operating under restrictions.
In addition to our monthly Zoom meetings, CA-3 also keeps in touch via weekly emails.
During this period – CA-3 member Kathleen Wright attended the funeral of Marine Alice Eloise Gunnerson in Santa Clara. As was previously reported, Alice passed away following a long illness. She was one of the earliest members of CA-3 when it was chartered over 50 years ago. Kathy read the Prayer for a Woman Marine, which Alice’s brother appreciated very much.
Kathy Wright and CA-3 member Janet Johnson went to Elk Grove to visit former member Alice Engle who turned 100 in October last year. They were both both excited to see her again! The residents at her assisted living facility can hardly believe she is 100 because she is so active. She broke her leg in two places last year and you would never know it. She trots around with her walker like it never happened.
CA-3 member Lily Brockmeier’s company held a Memorial Day Remembrance event on May 25th. They displayed poster boards of the company employee’s fallen family members at the ceremony. They also invited the city police department color guards to display colors. They provided information on what Memorial Day represents as well as the poppy pins that were passed out to attend. Lastly, they held a moment of silence to pay tribute to the fallen. Here’s a photo Lily with the color guards from the city police department.
CA-3 member Susan Johnston participated in the placing of flags on the over 2000 veterans buried at the Tracy Public Cemetery for Memorial Day. We placed the flag, stood at attention, saluted, stated the veteran s name and any other information we had – including their branch of service, rank, and era served, and thanked them for their service. It is said that you are not forgotten as long as someone says your name out loud. We honored veterans from those who were laid to rest this past year, back to a couple of veterans from the Spanish American War!
Susan is also a member of the combined American Legion/Veterans of Foreign Wars Honor Guard which led the City of Tracy 4th of July Parade, posting the colors at the end of the parade to begin the day long festivities in the park, culminating with a fireworks display.
For the 13th year in a row, CA-3 Loyal Escort and Marine veteran Vern Smith and his Marine Corps League Detachment met at a local restaurant for breakfast on Memorial Day. They split into two groups and visited 7 Bay Area Cemeteries and a beach to pay homage to 59 of their departed comrades, both male and female Marines. This year they added the niche of recently deceased CA-3 Woman Marine veteran Barbara Naas. At each grave site, crypt, niche, and the beach, they placed a US Flag and a USMC Flag. A prayer was said at each site and concluded with a very vocal exclamation of “Semper Fi!”
They reminisced about each Marine. As usual, the best story told was of CA-3 Sister Marine Betty Lieser and her ability to out drink young Marine Reservists on a Marine Corps Birthday Cruise. Vern states that he loves supporting CA-3 as a Loyal Escort and looks forward to each meeting with us. We love having him as a Loyal Escort.
During this quarter, CA-3 member Susan Johnston participated in 2 Memorial Services as a part of the combined American Legion/VFW Honor Guard.
Semper Fi.