Commander George “Bucky” Curtis will conduct the regular monthly meeting of The American Legion District 18 on Friday, February 19th, 7:30 p.m.,  hosted by Keith Powell/Claremont Post 78 at the St. Ambrose Episcopal Church, 830 W Bonita Ave., Claremont.  Dinner is served at 6:30 p.m., and reservations may be made by calling the Post Commander  (909)626-4339 or Adjutant (909)624-1510. This is the night Past Commanders and Past Presidents of the District are honored with a dinner and comraderie.

In February, The American Legion commemorates one of the most selfless dedicated events of World War II with memorial services throughout the State of California honoring the four chaplains aboard the transport Dorchester as it steamed toward Europe on a black night, February 3, 1943, when  German torpedoes found their mark sending the ship to the bottom quickly.   Aboard ship hundreds of soldiers and sailors were thrown into panic, when the four chaplains responded to the panic and handed out available life jackets until each took off his own and put them on four other men.  As the ship slid beneath the surface of the water the four chaplains were seen arm-in-arm in prayer – Rev. Clark Poling (Dutch Reformed), Rabbi Alexander Good, Rev. George Fox (Methodist) and Father John Washington (Catholic).    The Department observance will mark its 44th anniversary with a service at St. Mary’s Cathedral in San Francisco on Saturday, February 6th, 2:00 p.m.

Newly elected 2nd Vice Commander Lou Dominguez of Ontario is busy handling housing and other events for the 2010 Department Convention in Fresno in June, as well as planning fund raisers, including a Comedy Night to benefit the many District programs for our  veterans.   Commander Curtis and other Legionnaires were at the Long Beach VA Medical Center Christmas morning to bring cheer to the hospitalized veterans,  and will report on plans for future events.