Commanders Corner
May 2026
Greetings Fellow Legionnaires,
I hope that everyone had a good Easter. We are celebrating Mothers’ Day and Memorial Day this month. The History Officer also records the USNS Card which was sunk by an NVA diver limpit bomb before the Gulf of Tonkin incident and "Decoration Day" the predecessor to Memorial Day which was first observed in 1866 and some YouTube videos. The Service Officer has information on Managing your medicines on VA site, maximize GI Bill benefits, Back Pain Exercises and other MyHealtheVet app information, several VA Resources like VA HEALTH CONNECT to VA Nurse 24/7 for non-emergency medical services, Veteran Discounts, etc. There are also some California Legion Department stories like PTSD medicine research and West LA VA Campus Homeless Veterans Housing.
All are invited to our Post meeting which is on May 4th where we have a social hour prior to the meeting with meals served, so please plan on attending. There are also the usual District-wide events like Monday chess at Post 858, Vet to Vet Café at Post 419 on Thursdays. Post 419 is also hosts a First Sunday Breakfast. There are also Memorial Day ceremonies at Oak Hill and Los Gatos Ceremetery Check the District 13 Calendar and Post 642 Calendar for information.
Remember that we generally meet at the Odd Fellows Lodge #70 on Homestead Road on the first Monday of the Month at 1800 for socializing and a light meal and refreshments then check out the meeting at 1900.
We really want to get more people attending the Post meetings and events and to be more social, so let us know your ideas by coming to our meetings. I would like the current attending members/officers to use the roster to call and invite members to our meeting which is also a form of Buddy Check. Newly attending members do give us a heads-up, so that we can requisition extra rations versus our regular contingent. The next person on the meals roster (on the Adjutant’s Corner)will take the cooler with drinks, etc for the next meeting. If additional drinks are required, it will be reimbursed above the normal meal amount. I have the cooler and will bring it to the meeting for the meal.
We need a Finance Officer to step up as our long time Finance Officer Mike O’Meara needed to step down for personal reasons and Arturo is temporarily holding that position as well as Adjutant. If you have questions about the position, please reach out to either Mike O’Meara at (408) 691-8277 or momeara47@yahoo.com or Aturo (Adjutant and Temporary Finance Officer). In our Post ByLaws Section 5. Duties of the Finance Officer. The Finance Officer shall be charged with custody of the funds of the Post. He shall keep its accounts and report thereon at regular meeting of the Post. They shall receive all funds of the Post and pay all bills approved by the Post. The office of Finance Officer and any other officers and/or positions charged by the Post Constitution and/or Bylaws, with the responsibility of handling Post funds, should be bonded and must pass a credit check. This position is very important for maintaining the Post Charter and eligibility in the District.
Please remember that if you have Post or Veterans events that you would like on the calendar get them to Arturo. Please include pertinent information like event information, contacts, address, where to meet, etc. https://www.americanlegionpost642.com/site/eventscalendar.php?y=2023&m=3
If you know of deceased members during the past few months either bring their name and share with our District Chaplain, (currently vacant) so contact the Adjutant at wheimsoth@aol.com with information or if you would like to volunteer for the District 13 Chaplain position.
To Comradeship!
Vincent Guinnane, MSME, P.E.
CW4, 881A2, USAR (Retired)
Cell: +1 (408) 219-0191