forwarding and address correction requested
TRANSCRIPT
t is a
FORWARDING AND ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED
TO:
ONCE A MARINE ALWAYS A MARINE
All annual dues expire on August 31st of each year. Our
membership dues are $40.00 a year and are due prior to
George Phillips Detachment" and send to the Detachment
address.
This newsletter and previous issues can be obtained from the new Detachment
Website. http://www.pvtgeophillips.org/
Please contact the Editor to receive future issues electronically.
As a suggestion, anyone wishing to provide material should try to have it to the editor
no later than the fourth Friday of previous month. (This doesn’t mean don’t
submit anything at all if you need more time, instead please contact the editor.) If sent
via email, please note that newsletter submission should appear the subject line.
Next Meeting January 19 2021
Commandant:
Ed Rau:
636-978-3522
Sr. Vice-Commandant
Brad McNeil
636-225-2866
Jr. Vice-Commandant
John Cooper
314-712-0738
Adjutant/Paymaster:
Dennis Simpson
636-230-5976
Judge Advocate
Public Information
Officer: Hugh Smith
636-536-7040
Benevolence:
John (Jack) Bickerton
314-304-4360
Sgt at Arms: Gerald Gerling
636-271-3778
Chaplain
Joe Gentile 314-488-9440
Web Sgt: Brad McNeil
636-225-2866
January 2021 Volume XVII – Issue 1
Email [email protected]
Detachment Webpage
http://www.pvtgeophillips.org/
Trustee 3Yr:
Rick Shelton
314-677-0087
Trustee 2Yr:
John Cooper
314-712-0738
Trustee 1Yr:
Elliot Glassman
314-434-4868
Jr. Past
Commandant
Lyle McFarlin
314-630-5647
Ways & Means:
Elliot Glassman
314-434-4868
Quartermaster:
Rick Shelton
314-677-0087
Eagle Scout Liaison:
Vacant
Editor/Historian:
Carl E. Ramsey
314-304-7915
Meetings 3rd
Tuesday
of Every Month 1930 – 7:30 PM
Mail:
Pvt George Phillips Detachment
Marine Corps League
P.O. Box #1
Ballwin, MO 63022
Meeting Location:
225 Old Sulphur Springs Road
Ballwin, MO 63021-5356
Detachment
Membership as
of December 31
85
Commandant’s Corner
ATTENTION ON DECK
To members and associate members of our
Private George Phillips detachment, Marine
Corps League. I am grateful for the opportunity
to serve as your Commandant for this coming
year.
Our regularly scheduled meeting on December
15, 2020 was canceled due to Covid-19
restrictions set forth by St. Louis County
officials. The facility where we have our usual
meetings, the American Legion Hall, has
notified us that they will be open effective
January 11, 2021. Consequently, our regularly
scheduled meeting on January 19, 2021 will be
held at 1930. I look forward to seeing all of
you at that time. Masks will be required as
well as social distancing.
I invite you to contact me by phone, 636-978-3522 or
email, [email protected], to share your ideas
as to how we can make your experience with the
detachment more meaningful.
Ed Rau, Commandant
Pvt. George Phillips Detachment
1214 Marine Corps League
Famous January Marine
Christian Frank Schilt (March 19, 1895 – January
8, 1987) was one of the first Marine Corps aviators
and a recipient of the United States highest military
decoration, the Medal of Honor. He received the
Medal for using his biplane to evacuate wounded
Marines under fire in Nicaragua.
Medal of Honor Citation: During the progress of an
insurrection at Quilali, Nicaragua, 6, 7, and 8 January
1928, 1st Lt. Schilt, then a member of a marine
expedition which had suffered severe losses in killed
and wounded, volunteered under almost impossible
conditions to evacuate the wounded by air and
transport a relief commanding officer to assume
charge of a very serious situation. 1st Lt Schilt
bravely undertook this dangerous and important task
and, by taking off a total of 10 times in the rough,
rolling street of a partially burning village, under
hostile infantry fire on each occasion, succeeded in
accomplishing his mission, thereby actually saving 3
lives and bringing supplies and aid to others in
desperate need.
Chaplain’s Corner by Joe Gentile (Repeat)
Lord we give thanks for our detachment members
and their service. We ask that you continue to
bless those who serve.
As is the case of Lori Hollingsworth. After divorce
left with sole custody of two children, she gave up
her paralegal job to become a paramedic. After
earning her degree, she began working for a
private ambulance company. Though the pay and
long hours are challenging, she loves helping and
serving others.
What drives a single mom with household
expenses to stay on the job when she could make
more money? Her heart and spirit to serve and
make a difference.
Any time we have a chance, we should thank those
who serve. Lord, bless all of those on the front
lines. Take care of them with thy Devine
Protection.
January 2021
12 – Staff Meeting – 1900 Post #208
19 – Membership Meeting – 1930 Post #208
February 2021
9 – Staff Meeting – 1900 Post #208
16 – Membership Meeting – 1930 Post #208
March 2021
9 – Staff Meeting – 1900 Post #208
16 – Membership Meeting – 1930 Post #208
April 2021
13 – Staff Meeting – 1900 Post #208
20 – Membership Meeting – 1930 Post #208
May 2021
11 – Staff Meeting – 1900 Post #208
18 – Membership Meeting – 1930 Post #208
June 2021
8 – Staff Meeting – 1900 Post #208
15 – Membership Meeting – 1930 Post #208
January Birthday Scroll
David Campbell Ray Cromer
David Edgar John Grgurich
Gary Keesling Bradley McNeil
Philipp Petersen Walter Suhre
Alfred Wallach
Gail Bickerton
Members Matters
William “George” Dragan
(Goes by W. George Dragan)
(As told to Carl E Ramsey)
I was born in 1962 in Flemington, NJ, but we
actually lived in the town of Bridgewater. Our
home at that time, was literally a mile from
where John Basilone was born and raised in
Raritan, NJ. Just before my sixth birthday, we
moved ten miles west to my mother's
hometown, Whitehouse Station, and there we
remained. I attended and graduated from
Hunterdon Central High School where I
participated in cross country, track, symphonic
band, and jazz band. I was also active in the
U.S. Naval League (ages 11-14) and Sea
Cadets. (ages 14-17). This is where I had the
opportunity to spend two-week tours during my
summers on board eleven different U.S. Naval
ships including the USS Nimitz (CVN -68),
which I charted courses and actually helmed off
the Virginia Capes at the age of 17.
After high school, I attended a year of post-
high school prep at a school that no longer exists
called, Northwestern Prep School to help me prepare
academically to enter the U.S. Naval Academy,
Annapolis, MD. However, my first application was
not accepted that year despite my desire. Nor was my
second application that spring, although I was
academically much stronger. But I was accepted for a
Naval Academy Foundation Scholarship to New
Mexico Military Institute, Roswell, NM, which was
the same school Dallas Cowboys quarterback, Roger
Staubach, attended before he was accepted to the
Naval Academy. Having done very well there both
academically and militarily, including earning the top
ROTC cadet award, I was finally accepted to the U.S.
Naval Academy in April, 1982, and entered
Annapolis, July 6,1982, eventually graduating and
commissioning as a Marine second lieutenant, May
21,1986.
On July 6, 1986, I began my basic Marine officer
training with many of my USNA classmates who
were also commissioned as Marine officers at The
Basic School (TBS, Quantico, VA) where we were
all trained to function as Marine lieutenants and as
rifle platoon commanders. Having chosen artillery as
my MOS, I entered Fort Sill, OK, for artillery officer
training in January, 1987, graduating with
commandant honors in May 1987. I then reported to
1st Marine Division HQ, at Camp Pendleton, CA,
where I was assigned as a Forward Observer with
Battery A, 1st Bn, 11th Marines.
Immediately after my active-duty career (1986-
1991), I entered the St. Josaphat Ukrainian Catholic
seminary in Washington D.C. where I studied at
Catholic University to become a Byzantine Rite
Catholic priest at what was then called the Cluster of
Independent Theological Schools. I completed a
Masters in theology in May, 1995, although I left the
seminary the year before. Having decided to follow a
vocation in marriage, I married my first wife on May
13, 1995, and worked for St. Luke Catholic Church,
in Stroudsburg as their Director of High School
Religious Education and their Rite of Christian
Initiation for Adults until May, 1999. Then we
Second Lieutenant W.
George Dragan, 1988
moved to Cincinnati, OH, where I worked
youth ministry for about a year at St. Gertrude's
parish in Madeira, OH. Next I went on to teach
middle school at Royalmont Academy in
Mason, OH, and serve as their part-time Dean
of Students.
It was at that time, I began re-application to the
Marine Corps, but this time as a reserve officer.
My application was eventually accepted and I
was commissioned as a reserve Captain on
January 6, 2001 and affiliated with Military
Police Company "C", Dayton, OH, 4th FSSG.1
At that point, I was hired by then Gateway
Academy in Chesterfield, MO, to be their Dean
of Students. That is what brought us to Saint
Louis County and my affiliation with the Pvt
George Phillips Detachment. I was actually at
the very first meeting in Ballwin and was
among the plank owning members.
Just as I landed in Iraq in 2006 as Company
Commander for the security company of Camp
Fallujah, my first wife was diagnosed with
cancer, which forced my return to the states a
week later. We moved back to the east coast,
but to Quantico, VA, after having been
accepted to Command and Staff College in
2007. In June, 2010. After fifteen years of
marriage and raising five kids together, my
wife lost her battle with cancer. At that time, I
was still on mobilized active duty as a reservist,
then working for the Marine For Life program.
I met my second wife in the Fall of that year. I
de-mobilized the following year in September,
2011 and in January, 2012, began a position as
Dean of Students and Athletic Director for
Saint Michael the Archangel High School in
Fredericksburg, VA. I remained with SMHS
until June, 2017 when I decided to take a
position as an associate director working for the
Diocese of Kalamazoo, MI. It’s within an hour
1 FSSG: Force Service Support Group
of where my wife's family is from in their Office of
Evangelization where I have been since.
My wife and I have raised eleven children together,
my original five, her original two, and our four. My
oldest son is currently a Marine Sergeant in cyber
operations and my second son is a Marine Second
Lieutenant currently at TBS (The Basic School) in
Quantico, VA.
Addendum: My father, William Draganchuk, was
born and raised in Bayonne, NJ. of Ukrainian
immigrants. He was a US Army Air Force veteran of
WW II. He was qualified as a bombardier-navigator
and flew in B-26's, A-26's, and A-20's in the final
year of the war. Having gotten to theater late in the
war, he was one of the many on post-war occupation
duty in France and Germany, eventually being
discharged from active duty in 1947. He shortened
the surname to Dragan at that time.
He married my mother, Sophia Kania, of Polish
immigrants who had been given forty acres of land in
Whitehouse, Station, NJ, for the price and promise of
farming it by President Roosevelt. She was born and
raised on that land, and it is the community in which
I grew up, though a mile down the road from her
family home as noted earlier.
The following is LtCol Dragan’s career narrative
1. LtCol Dragan commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in
the regular active duty component of the Marine
Corps on 21 May, 1986. Graduated The Basic
School, Quantico, VA, in December, 1986, graduated
Field Artillery Officer’s Basic Course, Ft. Sill, OK,
in May, 1987 and was assigned the 0802 MOS.
Assigned to Battery A, 1st Battalion, 11th Marines, 1st
Marine Division. He served as a Forward Observer
for Company B, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines for 11
months which included completion of the Mountain
Warfare Course, Mountain Warfare Training Center,
Bridgeport, CA, and the Combat Rubber Raiding
Craft Course, Coronado, CA, and all pre-deployment
exercises before embarking on WESPAC 88-1
deployment with Battalion Landing Team 1/1, 11th
MEU(SOC).2
2. Prior to completion of his WESPAC
deployment in July, 1988, he promoted to 1st
Lieutenant on 21 May 1988 and re-assigned as
howitzer platoon commander for the battery for
13 months successfully completing various live
fire exercises over the course of that time
including, but not limited to Desfirex,3 CAX4
support, and WTI5 support outside of Yuma,
AZ.
3. In June 1989, he was re-assigned to Parris
Island, SC, where he completed Recruit
Training Officer’s Orientation Course and
began duties as an assistant series commander
and series commander for Company E, 2nd
Recruit Training Battalion. In December 1989,
he was re-assigned as the Officer-In-Charge of
the Recruiting Liaison Section, Eastern
Recruiting Region coordinating the duties of
six senior Staff Non-Commissioned Officers in
the processing of incoming recruits, reviewing
of their enlistment contracts, and providing
quality control data to the Assistant Chief of
Staff, Eastern Recruiting Region. He was
promoted to Captain in December, 1990. In
July,1991, he resigned active duty service to
begin studies for and discern a vocation as a
Catholic priest transferring to the Inactive
Ready Reserve until he was honorably
discharged on January 1, 1996.
4. In January, 2001, he affiliated with the
Select Marine Corps Reserves and was re-
commissioned with the rank of Captain with
Military Police Company C, Dayton, OH,
serving as a platoon commander and executive
2 MEU: Marine Expeditionary Unit. SOC:
Special Operations Capable 3 DESFIREX: Desert Firing Exercises
4 CAX Crank Angle Location where X
specified amount of charge is burned
5 WTI Weapons and Tactics Instructor
officer of the company. In July, 2002, he completed
the Mortuary Affairs Officer’s basic Course in Ft
Lee, VA. He deployed in March 2003 with MP
Company C in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom
(OIF I) as both a military police platoon commander
and executive officer of the company until the unit’s
return to the states in October 2003 conducting EPW6
transfer convoys, checkpoint operations, and
agricultural inspections.
5. In January 2004, he transferred to Battery B, 1st
Battalion, 14th Marines, Joliet, IL, serving as the guns
(howitzer) platoon commander. In May, 2004, re-
assigned as battery assistant executive officer. In July
2004, re-assigned as battery executive officer
coordinating and executing all training evolutions in
preparation for what was initially to be a provisional
infantry role in support of OIF7, but this became a
provisional military police role. On Oct 9, 2005, he
officially assumed command of the battery as it
prepared for its deployment in support of OIF 05-07
in a provisional Military Police role with MP Task
Force 1-14.
6. Upon arrival to the intermediate location (ILOC),
Camp Pendleton, CA, he coordinated and organized
all final training and led the unit through a successful
final training evolution (Mojave Viper) before the
unit deployment. Upon arrival to Iraq on March 19,
2006, began the Relief–in-Place as the Camp Fallujah
Force Protection Company Commander, but as
already noted, a week later, Major Dragan received a
Red Cross message regarding his spouse’s cancer
forcing his early return in late March, 2006.
7. In summer of 2006, he remained activated with
his parent unit in Joliet, IL, with limited duties to
focus on his spouse and family. In Aug 2006, he was
temporarily assigned to active duty with 3rd Battalion,
24th Marines in St. Louis, as assistant operations
officer and initiated planning for their upcoming
6 EPW: Earth Penetrating Weapon
7 OIF: Operation Iraqi Freedom
annual training until his de-activation on 30
September, 2006.
8. On 23 Oct 2006, he was reassigned to the
Marine For Life program in St. Louis, MO, and
performed duties as the Hometown Link and
Injured Support representative for the regional
area. He participated as a team member in the
initial planning conference for the
organizational structuring of the Wounded
Warrior Regiment.
9. From 23 May 2007 to 1 Jul 2007 Major
Dragan served on active duty for special work
(ADSW)8 standing up the office of the
Charitable Organizations for the Wounded
Warrior Regiment.
10. In Aug 2007, Major Dragan entered the
Marine Corps Command and Staff College,
Quantico, VA, residence course for which he
was competitively selected in a reserve slot
graduating in June, 2008.
11. Major Dragan began mobilization
contingency orders on 14 June, 2008, with the
Marine For Life Program, Wounded Warrior
Regiment, where he originally assumed duties
as the acting Marine For Life Program Deputy.
After playing a key role in hiring new staff and
reinvigorating the program he was eventually
re-assigned as Northeast District OIC9
responsible for the training, oversight, and
coordination of 13 program representatives
throughout the district as well as coordinating
with outside agencies in networking with
veterans’ service organizations and civilian
businesses for employment opportunities for
transitioning Marines.
12. Major Dragan was promoted to LtCol on
February 1, 2010. After de-mobilization on
8 ADSW: Active Duty Special Work
9 OIC: Officer in Charge
September, 2011, in January, 2012, LtCol Dragan
affiliated with the 14th Marines regimental
headquarters in Fort Worth, TX, in January, 2012,
where he was initially assigned as Assistant Fire
Support Coordinator, and later as MEF10 Liaison
Officer participating in Ulchi Freedom Guardian 12
& 1311 and initiating multiple command post
exercises instituting the regiment’s new role as a
Force Fires HQ which included HIMARS (Rocket
Artillery). During this period, he also assisted in the
unit’s planning efforts for African Lion 12 & 1312 for
which 14th Marines staff was assigned as the planning
lead, and he also served as Senior Inspecting Officer
on two Commanding General Inspections as part of
an intra-unit CGI pilot program to re-ignite the
Marine Corps wide Commanding General’s
Inspection (CGI) program which had been put on
hold due to the high operational tempo of the reserves
during OIF and OEF.
13. From December, 2013 to December, 2014, LtCol
Dragan was assigned as 14th Marines regimental
executive officer. During that period, the regiment
conducted its first regimental-wide live firex since
2009.
14. In December, 2014, LtCol Dragan transferred to
Reserve Affairs Division, Reserve Affairs
Management Branch (RAM-3), Reserve Affairs,
Quantico, VA, where he served as an officer career
counselor until his retirement on July 31, 2019 with
27 total years of service.
10 MEF: Marine expeditionary Force
11 Ulchi Freedom Guardian: Combined military
exercise between the United States and South Korea
12 African Lion: Military Exercise conducted by
United States in Morocco, Tunisia, Senegal, with
armed forces of those countries as well as Spain,
United Kingdom, Italy, Netherlands, and others.
George Dragan’s Commissioning as Second
Lieutenant, May 21, 1986
LtCol George Dragan with oldest son
Andrew, boot camp graduation in 2015,
now serving as a sergeant in cyber security
Commissioning of George’s younger son,
Alex
Second Lieutenant W. George Dragan
LtCol W. George Dragan Continued
Second Lieutenant George Dragan with Corporal Stoll Red Beach Subic Bay, May, 1988
Second Lieutenant George Dragan (on right), WESTPAC, Hawaii, 1988
