2021 Second Virtual National Congress
“Always Faithful and Holding Fast”

22 – 23 October 2021

22 SEP 2021 Presentation - Naval History Night

From Belleau Wood to Guadalcanal: Thomas Holcomb and the Making of the Modern Marine Corps

David J. Ulbrich, Ph.D.

Listen to the Presentation Re-Play Here!

Synopsis

From 1936 until his retirement 1943, Thomas Holcomb served as Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps and directed the dramatic mobilization, as manpower expanded from 18,000 to nearly 400,000 Marines. He also helped establish the Corps as the United States’ premier amphibious assault force during the Second World War. Holcomb drew on more than 35 years of experience and lessons after receiving his commission in 1900. Holcomb commanded the 2/6 in the Wheat Field at Belleau Wood, spent 13 years on duty in China, distinguished himself as a student at the war colleges, directed the Corps’ preparations for warfare in the Pacific, and spearheaded the restructuring of amphibious command relations at Guadalcanal. Holcomb should be considered among the greatest commandants in the twentieth century: John Lejeune, Alexander Vandegrift, and Alfred Gray.

Dr. David Ulbrich is currently associate professor and director of the online Master of Arts in Military History Program at Norwich University. His books include Preparing for Victory: Thomas Holcomb and the Making of the Modern Marine Corps 1936-1943. The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation honored this book with the “2012 General Wallace Greene Book Award,” and the New York Commandery of the Naval Order of the U.S. gave Preparing for Victory an honorable mention for the “2012 Samuel Eliot Morison Award.” More recently Ulbrich has co-authored the 6th edition of World War II: A Global History.

2021 Congress is hosted by the Continental Commandery, the Naval Order’s virtual, national Commandery, using collaboration software easily downloaded from the Internet. Training /practice sessions will be provided in the preceding months to familiarize Companions with the use of the collaboration software.

The events leading up to our 2021 CONGRESS are important for all companions.  They involve our various committee meetings and essential business of the Order. A timeline is provided for Pre-CONGRESS activities; inputs and comments are still welcome.

Welcome to the 2021 Naval Order Virtual CONGRESS
“Always Faithful and Holding Fast”

Our Congress this year will again be held in a Virtual Environment. The CONGRESS endeavors to deliver the same level of information on the business of the Order and Educational opportunities as professional and rich as at past Congresses.  The key to success is YOU. Your participation in our advance training in mid-September and other test opportunities to make sure your equipment works prior to the Congress is critical.  Please sign up!   We will have a sign up (Registration) page, and those registering up will receive a very nice 2021 Congress challenge coin (for the nominal fee); but your commitment to your Commandery as soon as possible ensures that the Virtual Environment is sized, planned and readied for the Congress. 

The Meeting URL for the Survey for the Congress 2021 will be posted to this web site throughout the CONGRESS; the Zoom event code will have the same password. If you do not have internet or computer access, please contact us at nouscongress@outlook.com or contact your Commandery Commander, and we will do our best to accommodate your needs. A Kindle device with all reports and briefs can be provided to Companions (on a limited basis). The Zoom event can be accessed from a computer or a Smartphone. The Congress Brochure will be available soon.

Coming Soon: CONGRESS Brochure

Pre-CONGRESS presentation and preps

Wednesday - 22 SEP 2021 Presentation 20:00 EDT: Naval History Nite - “From Belleau Wood to Guadalcanal: Thomas Holcomb and the Making of the Modern Marine Corps” Speaker: D. Ulbrich

Thursday - 21 OCT 2021 14:00-16:00 EDT: Gathering and Equipment Checks

2021 CONGRESS Theme: “Always Faithful and Holding Fast”

Friday - 22 OCT 2021 “Business Day”  1400 – 1900 Eastern Daylight Time

17:45 – History Presentation: ”Harrison and McCool; the ‘Double Dose of Bad Luck Twins’ of the Marine Corps” Speaker: D. Kent

18:30 – Q&A

Saturday - 23 OCT 2021 “History Day & Change of Command”  1400 – 1900 Eastern Daylight Time

15:15 – History Presentation: “Cold War in the Tropics; the Cuban Missile Crisis” Speaker: A. Atwood

16:15 – History Presentation: “The Battle of Midway: How America Won the Pacific War” Speaker: S. M. Andres

17:00 – Break

17:30 – History Presentation: “Medium Tank Operations During the 1943 Battle of Tarawa” Speaker:  D. Vickers

 Coming Soon: CONGRESS Brochure

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