CHAPTER NEWS & UPDATES

DEAN HUNTER

Lt. Col. Dean Hunter

Commonly known among FMDA Marines is the name Mitchell Paige, Founder of our Chapter, Medal of Honor recipient and long time Coachella Valley resident.  Less familiar to our members my be the name Dean Hunter.

Lt. Colonel Dean Hunter, US Air Force. former Marine, is a long time member of our Chapter, resident of Rancho Mirage and candidate for the Medal of Honor.

Dean has a most interesting and unique 26 year military background that began as a Marine grunt and closed out as an Air Force fighter pilot (Dean embraces the credo once a Marine, always a Marine).

Marine Private Hunter, by some bureaucratic snafu was shipped out to Korea at the early part of the Korean war where he served as a rifleman without having first received any training to prepare him for combat. Surviving Korea and receiving an Honorable Discharge from the Marine Corps, Dean joined the Air Force, trained as a fighter pilot, and flew 166 combat missions during the Viet Nam war to become one of the highest-decorated officers for heroism in the US Air Force.

Dean Hunter is currently a candidate for the Medal of Honor for a flight flown on June 25, 1964 in South Vietnam.

CHECK THIS OUT: Author, educator, and American hero, Lt Colonel Dean Hunter will relate his experiences from ground pounder to fighter pilot in his spellbinding presentation, “For Love of Life” at the Palm Springs Air Museum on November 16 at 1:00PM. This is a unique event for hosting family and friends and an opportunity to meet an amazing American hero.

A WORD ABOUT MITCHELL PAIGE

FOUNDER OF THE DESERT CITIES

MITCHELL PAIGE MEDAL OF HONOR CHAPTER

Nicholas Warr

I’ll never forget the day that I first met Colonel Mitch Paige, USMC (MOH). I was attending an FMDA Anniversary celebration many years ago at Camp Pendleton. It was a rather dreary day with a light but persistent rain falling on those of us who had participated in and observed our annual “Rededication of Colors” ceremony at 1^st Marine Division Headquarters. I had invited my son, Brent, and we were both soaking wet, so we ducked into the Quonset hut behind the White House where I knew there was a historical display of various artifacts displaying some of the legendary history of our division.

As I began to show him around, I noticed that Mitch Paige was also in the Quonset hut, so I introduced my son to him. After a brief conversation, Mitch asked Brent if he would like to walk around the museum with him, so he could expand on the displays surrounding us. Brent was in awe of this kind, soft-spoken man who was wearing the beautiful starred blue and white decoration, proof of the fact that we were in the presence of a true hero, and so was I.

I’ll never forget his kindness that day, and the humility that Colonel Paige demonstrated. It capped off a very memorable day for all of us.

MARINE CORPS 246TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION

A celebration of the 246th birthday of the U. S. Marine Corps and “Last of the First” Salute to 1st Marine Division WW II combat veterans.

The 1st Marine Division Association (FMDA) and Camp Pendleton Historical Society (CPHS) cordially invite you to celebrate the 246th anniversary of the United States Marine Corps and to salute World War II combat veterans of the 1st Marine Division.

All Marines (active duty, Reserve, retired, veteran) and their spouses and friends of the Corps are invited.

Nov. 6, 2021

Omni La Costa Resort & Spa.

Carlsbad. CA

Attire

For men: Service Dress uniform, formal attire with miniature medals, or coat and tie. For women: Service Dress uniform or cocktail dress.

“Last of the First” Salute (8 p.m. – 8:45 p.m.)

Hotel Accommodations

Rooms are available at the Holiday Inn Carlsbad (2725 Palomar Airport Rd, Carlsbad, Calif.) for Nov. 5 and 6. The group rate is $119.00 and the group code is MCB. Please contact the Holiday Inn at 760.438.2725 to make your reservation. Cut-off date for hotel reservations is Oct. 15, 2021.

Please contact the CPHS Events Committee at cphs.events@gmail.com.

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Both FMDA and CPHS are registered and recognized non-profit organizations.