FMDA Reunion History
The Fifth Marine Division Association continues to focus our efforts on hosting reunions for our veterans and their family members. While the ranks of our heroes continue to fade as time goes by, we are able to keep the history and legacies alive through these events.
Each year at our annual meeting, members vote on the location and the host for the following year’s reunion. These events have been held at different locations around the country, usually in the host’s home city.
Important aspects of our reunion history.
In 1950, what would have been the second annual event, we had to cancel due to the outbreak of the Korean War. The 5th Marine Division Association reunion resumed the following year and was hosted in New York.
In 2017, the FMDA reunion was held in Hawaii for the first time ever. This historical location was where the division trained for the invasion of Iwo Jima.
Finally, in 1955, the 5th Marine Division Association held its 6th annual convention in Washington, DC. For the first time ever, four of the six division associations (1st, 3rd, 5th, and 6th) met at the same time in the same city. This reunion presented a wonderful opportunity for the men of FMDA to see buddies who were in other units, as well as their own.
Our association remains a vital pipeline of information to and for all the members, both regular and associate. There remains no better way to keep in touch with our comrades-in-arms than through our 5th Marine Division Association.
Ralph Simoneau
2023: San Antonio, TX
Standing left to right (Vietnam) John Butler, Brillo Licari, John Scatchell, Charles del Castillo, Peter Garaty, Skip Werthmeuller, Bill Baumann, Hal Campbell, Morey Butler.
Sitting left to right (Iwo Jima): Ken Brown, Ivan Hammond, Leighton Willhite. Not pictured: John Powell
2022: San Diego, CA
Standing left to right: Charles Cram, Ken Brown, George Puterbauh.
Sitting left to right: George Boutwell, Al Jennings, Ivan Hammond, Carlo Romano. Single Photo: Leighton Willhite
2021: Arlington, TX
Left to Right: Leighton Willhite, Ivan Hammond, Alfred Jennings, Don Graves, George Boutwell
2019: New Orleans, LA
Standing left to right: Ralph Simoneau, Ivan Hammond, Duane Tunnyhill, Del Treichler, George Boutwell, Al Nelson, William Braddock Jr, George Vouros.
Seated: Monroe Ozment. Missing from photo: George Puterbaugh, Jim Blane, Dewey Dorsett.
2018: Champaign, IL
Twelve Iwo Jima Veterans attended. Left to right, back row: T. Fred Harvey, Jim Kelly, Ben Bellefeuille, Duane Tunnyhill, Billy Cawthron, Sam Weldon, Al Nelson, Monroe Ozment, and Ivan Hammond.
Seated front, left to right: Samuel Jones, Del Treichler, and George Boutwell.
Photo credit: Jimmie Watson
2017: Kona, HI
Members of the 68th Reunion visit the Camp Tarawa Monument. Left to right: Jimmie Watson, Ben Bellefeuille, Del Treichler, Duane Tunnyhill, Ivan Hammond, Ralph Simoneau, Carl DeHaven, Bonnie Arnold-Haynes, Francis Jackson, Monroe Ozment, Preston Welch, Louie Lepore, George Boutwell, Don Graves, and John Coltrane.
Photo credit: Leonardo Flores
2016: San Antonio, TX
Standing, left to right: Samuel Prestigiacomo, Ivan Hammond, Bill Johnson, Monroe Ozment, Jerry Yellin, George Boutwell, George Vouros, Frank Jackson, George Cattelona, Gene Bell, Duane Tunnyhill, Billy Joe Cawthron. Walter O’Malley, Tom Kalus.
Middle row, left to right: Ray Chambers, Sam Jones, John Coltrane
Front row, left to right: Carl DeHaven, Al Pagoaga, Del Treichler, Ralph Griffiths. Not pictured: Paul Merriman
2015: Virginia Beach, VA
Members of the 66th Reunion visit the Military Aviation Museum. Left to right: Bob Mueller, Duane Tunnyhill, Walter O'Malley, Al Pagoaga, Bill Madden, John Huffhines, John Coltrane (seated), George Cattelona, Monroe Ozment, Marty Connor, Ralph Simoneau, Warren Musch, Samuel Prestigiacomo, George Boutwell, Carl DeHaven, and Ivan Hammond. Not pictured: Preble Staver.
Photo credit: Ray Elliot
2014: Tampa, FL
Sitting l to r: Ben Bellefeuille, Charlie Haggett, Ralph Grunewald, Bob Mueller, Carl DeHaven, Monroe Ozment, Warren Musch, John Scarfo, Greg “Doc” Emery, Al Pagoaga, John Coltrane, John Huffhines.
Standing l to r: George Cattelona, Martin Galvin, Ralph Simoneau, Duane Tunnyhill, Preston Welch, Ivan Hammond, Gene Bell, Walter O’Malley, George Boutwell. Missing from picture: George James and Martin Connor.
1st Reunion: 1949
Aug 5-6, Philadelphia, PA
Keller E. Rockey, Lt Gen
Commander 5th MarDiv
1950 Cancelled due to Korean War
Los Angeles [scheduled city]
2nd Reunion: 1951
June 15-16, New York
W. Arthur Worton MajGen.,
HQ Bn Chief of Staff
3rd Reunion: 1952
June 27-29, Chicago, IL
Joseph B Warren, Captain
5th Motor Transport Bn
4th Reunion: 1953
June 26-26, Boston, MA
Justin Duryea, Colonel, 27th Marines
5th Reunion: 1954
June 25-27, Detroit, MI
Pete L Wilson, Colonel, Div Transport QM
6th Reunion: 1955
June 24-25, Washington
John J Jaqua, American Red Cross, 28th Marines
7th Reunion: 1956
July 6-7, Miami Beach, FL
Duncan Cocke, Captain, HQ Battalion
8th Reunion: 1957
June 28-30, Buffalo, NY
Benard Botsch, Captain, 26th Marines
9th Reunion: 1958
June 27-29, New York
Charles F Davies, PFC, 28th Marines
10th Reunion: 1959
July 9-12, New Orleans, LA
Joseph Raspilair, Corporal, 26th Marines
11th Reunion: 1960
June 24-26, Washington DC
Thomas Wornham LtGen., 27th Marines
12th Reunion: 1961
June 29-July 2, Chicago, IL
George McNicol, PFC, 27th Marines
13th Reunion: 1962
June 28-July 1, Atlantic City, NJ
Clifford H Shuey, BrigGen., 5th Eng Bn
14th Reunion: 1963
June 27-30, Cleveland, OH
Charles Fletcher, Corporal, 26th Marines
15th Reunion: 1964
June 25-28, Miami Beach, FL
Paul J Preston, Captain, 5th Amphibian Tractor Bn
16th Reunion: 1965
June 24-27, Washington DC
Leon P Eisman, Commander, 5th Med Bn
17th Reunion: 1966
June 24-26, Philadelphia, PA
Charles D Dickey, 2nd Lt., HQ Battalion
18th Reunion: 1967
June 28-July 2, Chicago, IL
Adolph Fang, Corporal, 27th Marines
19th Reunion: 1968
June 27-30, New York
Joe Roma, Corporal, 27th Marines
20th Reunion: 1969
June 26-30, New Orleans, LA
Cecil Bulingame, Sergeant, 27th Marines
21st Reunion: 1970
June 23-26, Washington DC
Lester S Hamel, BrigGen., 26th Marines
22nd Reunion: 1971
June 23-27, San Diego, CA
Rea Duncan, Major, 26th Marines
23rd Reunion: 1972
June 28-July 2, Sarasota, FL
Charles Early, PFC, 31st Replacement Draft
24th Reunion: 1973
June 27-July 1, Louisville, KY
Daniel Gregory, Plt Sgt., 26th Marines
25th Reunion: 1974
June 26-30, San Francisco, CA
John Downer, Captain, 28th Marines
26th Reunion: 1975
June 25-29, Chicago, IL
Howard Olson, Plt Sgt., 28th Marines
27th Reunion: 1976
July 21-24, Omaha, NE
George Paulson, Corporal, 28th Marines
28th Reunion: 1977
July 13-16, Long Island, NY
Frank Buderman, Staff Sgt., 5th Pioneer Bn
29th Reunion: 1978
June 28-July 2, Los Angeles, CA
Charles Sockett, 1stLt., 26th Marines
30th Reunion: 1979
July 11-15, New Orleans, LA
Jay Rebstock, Corporal, 27th Marines
31st Reunion: 1980
July 23-26, Reno, NV
Robert Maiden, PFC, 26th Marines
32nd Reunion: 1981
June 24-28, Charleston, SC
W J Jenkins MD, Lt, 27th Replacement Draft
33rd Reunion: 1982
1982 June 30-July 4, Denver, CO
William F Grannel, 1stLt., 26th Marines
34th Reunion: 1983
July 6-9, Cherry Hill, NJ
Thomas J Weiner, Corporal, 26th Marines
35th Reunion: 1984
June 27-30, San Diego, CA
Palmer L Lovette, Master Sgt., 27th Marines
36th Reunion: 1985
July 31-Aug 3, Long Island, NY
James Rossi, Staff Sgt., 28th Marines
37th Reunion: 1986
June 18-22, San Antonio, TX
Clem Will, PFC, 26th Marines
38th Reunion: 1987
July 1-5, Tampa, FL
Stuart H Watson, Corporal, 27th Marines
39th Reunion: 1988
July 1-10, Chattanooga, TN
George E Joyce, PFC, 26th Marines
40th Reunion: 1989
Sept 27-30, Scottsdale, AZ
Wayne Bellamy, Corporal, 27th Marines
41st Reunion: 1990
July 11-15, New Orleans, LA
Roland Chiasson, Sergeant, 26th Marines
42nd Reunion: 1991
Sept 25-28, San Diego, CA
Ray E Wilson Jr., PFC, 26th Marines
43rd Reunion: 1992
July 8-12, Philadelphia, PA
Leif Larson, Sergeant, 27th Marines
44th Reunion: 1993
July 14-17, Chicago, IL
George McNicol, PFC, 27th Marines
45th Reunion: 1994
July 27-30, Seattle, WA
Harold Reynolds, Corporal, 27th Marines
46th Reunion: 1995
Sept 20-23, St. Louis, MO
Bill Curran, Corporal, 13th Marines
47th Reunion: 1996
July 17-20, Salt Lake City, UT
Harold Buckner, PFC, 27th Marines
48th Reunion: 1997
Aug 14-17, Baltimore, MA
James Frado Sr., PFC, 26th Marines
49th Reunion: 1998
Oct 14-17, Peoria, IL
Warren Musch, 1stLt., 28th Marines
50th Reunion: 1999
July 15-18, Albuquerque, NM
James Frado Sr., PFC, 26th Marines
51st Reunion: 2000
Sept 6-9, West Palm Beach, FL
Mort Caplan, Sgt., 27th Marines
52nd Reunion: 2001
Oct 31-Nov 3, Tucson, AZ
Milton Dietz, Corporal, 5th JASCO
53rd Reunion: 2002
Sept 4-7, Kansas City, MO
Marshall Martin, Corporal, 13th Marines
54th Reunion: 2003
Aug 20-24, San Diego, CA
Robert Hansen, Captain, 5th Pioneers
55th Reunion: 2004
Oct 13-17, Lafayette,
Pierce Meleton, Corporal, 27th Marines
56th Reunion: 2005
Aug 30-Sep 4, Philadelphia, PA
Jack Depew, PFC, H&S 26th Marines
57th Reunion: 2006
Aug 29-Sep 3, Dallas, TX
John Huffhines, PFC, 13th Marines
58th Reunion: 2007
Aug 21-26, Raleigh, NC
George Cattelona, Corporal, L-4-13
59th Reunion: 2008
Aug 27-31, Washington DC
Ken Watterson, PFC, F-2-13
60th Reunion: 2009
2009 Sept 21-27, Houston, TX
Ivan Hammond, Sgt., 5th JASCO
61st Reunion: 2010
Oct 17-21, Biloxi, MS
Leonard Nederveld, Corporal, E-2-27
62nd Reunion: 2011
Oct 12-15, Branson, MO
Thomas Kalus, PFC, 5th JASCO
63rd Reunion: 2012
Aug 26-31, Reno, NV
Thomas Kalus, PFC, 5th JASCO
64th Reunion: 2013
Sept 9-13, San Diego, CA
Bill Behana, PFC, 27th Marines
65th Reunion: 2014
Sept 8-13, Tampa, FL
John Butler, Legacy son of:
LtCol. John Butler, CO 1-27 – KIA 3-05-45
66th Reunion: 2015
Sept 10-13, Virginia Beach, VA
Monroe Ozment, PFC, Communications 2/28
67th Reunion: 2016
Oct 6-8, San Antonio, TX
Ivan Hammond family, Sgt., 5th JASCO
68th Reunion: 2017
Oct 17-24, Big Island, Hawaii
Kathy Painton, Legacy Daughter of:
PFC George Dunn, F-2-28 – KIA 2-19-45
69th Reunion: 2018
Oct 16-21, Champaign, IL
Ray Elliott, Legacy Member & Veteran of 7th Marines
Friend of PFC Ben Correll, A-1-28
70th Reunion: 2019
Oct 21-27, New Orleans, LA
Jimmie Watson, Legacy sister of:
PFC Harrydale Hyde,
A-1-27 KIA 2-28-45
Leonard Isacks, Legacy grandson of:
Lt. Leonard Isacks Jr.,
5th Motor Transport Bn KIA 2-21-45
2020 Canceled Due to Covid
71st Reunion: 2021
May 12-16, Arlington, TX
Tom Huffhines, Legacy son of:
Cpl. John Huffhines Com Platoon, H&S Co, 3rd BN, 13th Marines
72nd Reunion: 2022
May 11-15, San Diego, CA
Kathy Tinsley, Legacy daughter of
Pvt Kenneth Martinosky
73rd Reunion: 2023
October 4-8, Arlington, TX
Tom Huffhines, Legacy son of
CPL John Huffhines