From time to time, the Wine Country Marines gets involved in local activities of interest to Marine Corps veterans. This Web page chronicles those events via text and photos.
Nancy Cline & the Wine Country Marines Board of Directors present check to MajGen. J. Michael Myatt, USMC (Ret.)
MajGen. J. Michael Myatt, USMC (Ret.) with Wine Country Marines
NANCY CLINE AND THE WINE COUNRY MARINES GIVE $9,000 CHECK TO WOUNDED VETERANS
On April 23, 2011, Nancy Cline (owner of Jacuzzi Family Vineyards) and the members of the Board of Directors of the Wine Country Marines presented a check for $9,000 to Major General J. Michael Myatt, USMC (Ret.) for the benefit of the Semper Fi Fund. The moving ceremony took place at the Jacuzzi Family Vineyards in Sonoma directly in front of a marple fountain appropriately adorned with a statue of Neptune - the ruler of the sea according to Roman mythology.
The money was raised last November during the Wine Country Marine Corps Birthday Ball, which took place at Jacuzzi Family Vineyards and was proudly sponsored the Wine Country Marines. The check was presented in honor of Major General Christopher Cortez, USMC (Ret.) who was the Guest of Honor at the Birthday Ball.
Immendiately following the ceremony, Nancy Cline hosted a special luncheon and wine tasting for the participants within the courtyard of the Jacuzzi Family Vineyards.
Established in 2004, the Semper Fi Fund is a nonprofit 501C (3) organization, which provides much needed financial assistance to Marines and other service members attached to Marine units, who are wounded or injured in combat or training.
A part-time Sonoma resident and perhaps the highest profile retired Marine living in California; Major General Myatt is the President & CEO of the Marines Memorial Association in San Francisco. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund. Special guests included Sergeant Michael Liston and Corporal Jason Pool who are recovering Marines wounded or injured in the Global War on Terrorism. Also in attendance was Doctor Donald Barker, the Bay Area civilian liaison with the Semper Fi Fund. Dr. Barker, a retired physician who volunteers his time at the VA Palo Alto Health Care Facility, served as a U.S. Navy Corpsmen with the Marines during the Korean War.
Immendiately following the ceremony, Nancy Cline hosted a special luncheon and wine tasting for the Wine Country Marines within the courtyard of the Jacuzzi Family Vineyards.
Bob Benziger & Wine Country Marines Board of Directors present check to MajGen. J. Michael Myatt, USMC (Ret.)
BOB BENZIGER AND THE WINE COUNRY MARINES GIVE $6,900 CHECK TO WOUNDED VETERANS
On May 1, 2010, Bob Benziger and the members of the Board of Directors of the Wine Country Marines presented a check for $6,900 to Major General J. Michael Myatt, USMC (Ret.) for the benefit of the Semper Fi Fund. The moving ceremony took place at the Benziger Family Winery in Glen Ellen directly in front of a bronze marker commemorating the memory of the late Bruno Benziger, the patriarch of the Benziger Family Winery and a proud Marine Corps combat veteran with the 3rd Marine Division during the Second World War.
The money was raised last November during the Wine Country Marine Corps Birthday Ball, which took place in the town of Sonoma and was proudly sponsored the Wine Country Marines. The check was presented in honor of Lieutenant General John W. Bergman, USMC (Ret.) who was the Guest of Honor at the Birthday Ball.
Established in 2004, the Semper Fi Fund is a nonprofit 501C (3) organization, which provides much needed financial assistance to Marines and other service members attached to Marine units, who are wounded or injured in combat or training.
A part-time Sonoma resident and perhaps the highest profile retired Marine living in California; Major General Myatt is the President & CEO of the Marines Memorial Association in San Francisco. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund. Special guests included Captain Derek Liu, Sergeant Michael Liston and Corporal Jason Pool who are recovering Marines wounded or injured in the Global War on Terrorism. Also in attendance was Doctor Donald Barker, the Bay Area civilian liaison with the Semper Fi Fund. Dr. Barker, a retired physician who volunteers his time at the VA Palo Alto Health Care Facility, served as a U.S. Navy Corpsmen with the Marines during the Korean War.
General Anthony Zinni, USMC (Ret.)
GENERAL ZINNI'S VISIT TO SONOMA (DURING AUGUST 2009):
On August 19, 2009 General Anthony Zinni gave an inspirational talk at the Sonoma Golf Club based his new book “Leading the Charge: Leadership Lessons from the Battlefield to the Boardroom.” The talk was formatted as a town hall meeting in which General Zinni answered questions from the audience. Major General Mike Myatt, USMC (Ret.) served as the event moderator.
The room was packed by many of Sonoma’s business leaders and citizens. The audience also included numerous local veterans, many of them Marines.
General Zinnin’s talk was co-sponsored by the Marines’ Memorial Association in San Francisco and a local Sonoma Valley women’s organization called SALON. The event was largely made possible by the efforts of local resident Colonel Bucky Peterson, USMC (Ret.).
The day before his recent visit to Sonoma, General Zinni gave a similar talk at the Marines’ Memorial Club and Hotel in San Francisco. This was the second time General Zinni has visited the Sonoma Valley in recent times. Back on March 24, 2005 General Zinni gave an inspirational talk regarding “The Future of the Middle East” at the Lodge at Sonoma. His previous visit in 2005 was sponsored by local organization called: SPIN (Sonoma Political Information Network).
General Zinni is one of our Nation’s most distinguished and brilliant “Soldier Statesmen.”He is a retired four-star Marine General; his final tour was from 1997 to 2000 as the Commander in Chief, United States Central Command (CENTCOM), where he was responsible for implementing national security policy and protecting the vital interests of the country in the Persian Gulf and Southwest Asia. He organized Operation Desert Fox, a series of air strikes against Iraq during December 1998 with the stated purpose of degrading Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction program.After his retirement in 2000 he was appointed a special presidential envoy to Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
He has written three books that draw from his wide range of experiences:“Battle Ready” (co-authored by Tom Clancy); “The Battle for Peace” (co-authored by Tony Koltz) and a just released book, “Leading the Charge,” on leadership.
Wine Country Marines Presents Check to MajGen. J. Michael Myatt, USMC (Ret.)
WINE COUNTRY MARINES DONATE $12,000 TO AID WOUNDED VETERANS
On May 12, 2009 members of the Board of Directors of the Wine Country Marines presented a check for $12,000 to Major General J. Michael Myatt, USMC (Ret.) for the benefit of the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund. The moving ceremony took place within the historical library of the Marines' Memorial Club and Hotel in San Francisco. Established in 2004, the Semper Fi Fund is a nonprofit 501C (3) organization, which provides much needed financial assistance to Marines and other service members attached to Marine units, who are wounded or injured in combat or training.
A part-time Sonoma resident and perhaps the highest profile retired Marine living in California; Major General Myatt is the President & CEO of the Marines Memorial Association in San Francisco. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund. Other distinguished guests included Captain Derek Liu and Corporal Jason Pool who are recovering Marines wounded in the Global War on Terrorism. Also in attendance were Gunnery Sergeant Jason Deitschman, the Marine liaison for the Wounded Warrior Battalion-West at CampPendleton and Doctor Donald Barker, the Bay Area civilian liaison with the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund. Dr. Baker, a retired physician who volunteers his time at the VA Palo Alto Health Care Facility, served as a U.S. Navy Corpsmen with the Marine during the Korean War.
Wine Country Marines Presents Check to MajGen. J. Michael Myatt, USMC (Ret.)
WINE COUNTRY MARINES RAISE $15,000 FOR THE INJURED MARINE SEMPER FI FUND
On February 22, 2008 a group of Marine Corps veterans and their spouses representing the California Wine Country presented a check for $15,000 to Major General J. Michael Myatt, USMC (Ret.) for the benefit of the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund, which provides financial assistance to Marines and other service members attached to Marine units, who are wounded or injured in combat or training. The moving ceremony took place in front of a Marine Corps Color Guard and several recuperating wounded Marines and their families at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System Facility in Palo Alto. The money was raised last November during the Wine Country Marine Corps Birthday Ball, which took place in the town of Sonoma. General Myatt, a part-time Sonoma resident, who serves on the Board of Directors of the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund, was also the Guest of Honor and keynote speaker at the Birthday Ball fundraiser in November.
S.S. JEREMIAH O'BRIEN: 2005 FLEET WEEK CRUISE ON SAN FRANCISCO BAY WITH THE BLUE ANGELS (DURING OCTOBER 2005):
Wine Country Marines Committee member Commander Donald Watson Jr., USNR (Retired) is the Chief of Staff to Admiral Tom Patterson, Chairman of the National Liberty Ship Memorial.
On Sunday, October 9, 20005, Don hosted several other members of the Wine Country Marines on board the National Liberty Ship Memorial S.S. Jeremiah O’Brien during her Fleet Week Cruise in San Francisco Bay. The group included Colonel Harry & Grace Pratt, Sergeant Fred Unsworth and Captain Bob Leonard. Everyone enjoyed the full-day cruise along with the air show by the Blue Angels.
The S.S. Jeremiah O’Brien is a Second World War Liberty Ship, a 441- foot veteran of the Normandy invasion. Fully restored and maintained in her original condition and operated by an all-volunteer crew, she is as functional today as when she served during the Second World War.
Photos taken at this event appear below:
SS Jermiah O'Brien in San Francisco Bay during Fleet Week
"Fat Albert" piloted by U.S. Marines during "Blue Angels" air show
"Blue Angels" fly over San Francisco Bay
Sergeant Fred Unsworth, Colonel & Mrs. Harry Pratt and Commander Don Watson on deck
Commander Don Watson & Sergeant Fred Unsworth watching the "Blue Angels"
Colonel Harry & Grace Pratt enjoy the Blue Angels air show
29 PALMS MARINE CORPS BAND CONCERT IN SONOMA (DURING OCTOBER 2005):
On Saturday, October 8th a free concert took place at the Grinstead Amphitheater in the Sonoma Plaza by the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Band from Twentynine Palms.
The band was in the Bay Area for Fleet Week activities and it appeared in Sonoma at the special request of Major General Mike Myatt, USMC (Retired) who owns a home in Sonoma. Retired Marine Colonel Bucky Peterson, another local resident, was the Master of Ceremonies.
An estimated 400 people listened as the band (handsomely uniformed in their Dress Blues) perform some of the best-loved Sousa Marches and other popular melodies for the better part of an hour. It was good to see an audience full of veterans, many of them Marines.
After the concert, Fred Unsworth, a Marine veteran and local resident, arranged for the band to visit Buena Vista Winery for lunch where they played jazz and blues tunes for the guests of the Winery.
Although the Marines’ Memorial Association in San Francisco sponsored the concert, many local residents helped make this event possible. Wendy Peterson and the Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau provided the overall coordination with additional support from the Wine Country Marines. Doug McKesson, a Marine veteran and member of the Sonoma City Council helped with logistics. Bill Lynch, a former Navy Officer, generously provided promotional and public relations support via the Sonoma Index-Tribune. This was truly a joint Navy-Marine Corps operation and it was executed flawlessly.
Photos taken at this event appear below:
Marine Band arrives at Sonoma Plaza
CWO Robert Jacob, SSgt. Joseph Streeter, GySgt. Sean Helms & Colonel Bucky Peterson
Master of Ceremonies Colonel Bucky Peterson introduces the Marine Band Director to the crowd in Sonoma Plaza
Master of Ceremonies Colonel Bucky Peterson with Marine Band Director
Marine Band plays at Sonoma Plaza
Drum Solo
Marine Band takes a bow
Wendy Peterson and Kay Eldred at Marine Band concert
Major Bob Zwiener with Colonel Loran and Kay Eldred at Marine Band concert
Colonel Marshall Colo & Anneliese Rockrise
Colonel Harry & Grace Pratt with friend
Doug McKesson and Jim Parks at Marine Band concert
Elbert Shaw with friend at Marine Band concert
Sergeant Fred Unsworth welcomes Marine Band to Buena Vista Winery
Sergeant Fred Unsworth chats with young Marine Band member
Marine Band plays Jazz & Blues for Buena Vista Winery guests
Kathy Leonard enjoys Marine Band at Buena Vista Winery with Major Bob & JoAnn Zwiener
Sergeant Fred Unsworth inspects the Marine Band Bus with fellow Marines in the Buena Vista Winery parking lot
GENERAL ZINNI'S VISIT TO SONOMA (DURING MARCH 2005):
On March 24, 2005 General Anthony Zinni gave an inspirational talk regarding “The Future of the Middle East” at the Lodge at Sonoma.
General Zinni is a very high-profile retired Marine Corps four-star general who is will-known internationally as a “warrior diplomat.” He served as the commander in chief of the U. S. central Command for three years before turning over command to Army General Tommy Frank in September 2000. He is also the co-author of the best-selling book “Battle Ready” with Tom Clancy.
The Sonoma Valley doesn’t often have people of General Zinni’s caliber stopping by to speak with a local group of citizens on a typical Thursday afternoon. This was a rare exception. True to everyone’s expectations, General Zinni was both highly intellectual and entertaining speaker. He was also refreshingly optimistic and encouraging regarding the future of the Middle East.
This was a wonderful event and the type of enlightening and stimulating experience that should take place more often in the Sonoma Valley. The room was packed by many of Sonoma’s business leaders and citizens. The audience also included numerous local veterans, many of them Marines. Major General Mike Myatt, USMC (Retired) was among the distinguished guests.
General Zinnin’s talk was sponsored by a local group called SPIN (Sonoma Political Information Network). The event was largely made possible by the efforts of local resident Colonel Bucky Peterson, USMC (Retired).
The day before his visited Sonoma, General Zinni gave the same speech at the Marines’ Memorial Club and Hotel in San Francisco. A transcript of this speech appears at the Marines' Memorial Association Web site: www.MarineClub.com
