Central Coast Chapter Minutes for June 18, 2016

                                    Central Coast Chapter Minutes for June 18, 2016

Meeting to Order: 1:20 PM

Invocation by Nate Maas

Pledges of Allegiance & SAR

Guest: Dave Evers

Sunshine Report: Earl Rader’s treatment will be done by October and the prognosis is good.

Secretary’s Report: May Minutes accepted as read.

Treasurer’s Report: Account balance is $2,379.78.

Guest Speaker: Our own Nate Maas was introduced as the guest speaker for June. Nate is a former history teacher and is now a school principal in north SLO County. Nate is also an Asst. Scout Master after being the Scout Master for Troop #308. Nate extolled the benefits of travel and outdoor adventures for our youth and remembered trips to the Sierras and Santa Catalina Island.

Nate’s topic was the Battle of Long Island in August 1776 and the fallout (Nate provided handouts). George Washington was able to escape Long Island with his army still intact and spent the next few months avoiding the army of Lord Cornwallis. At years’ end Washington was able to surprise the Hessians at Trenton NJ which was followed by a victory at Princeton.

Having had POW ancestor (Freeman), Nate is particularly animated about the forgotten history of our POW patriots. Those captured by the British were subjected to the inhumane treatment, first in Sugar Houses where Provost Marshal William Cunningham routinely tortured his captives. Later, POW’s were incarcerated on prison ships in Wallabout Bay. The HMS  Jersey is particularly notorious. It is estimated that some 11,000 prison ship POW’s died while in British custody. Buried in shallow graves, the bones of the dead washed ashore for many years following the Revolution. The remains were collected and kept in a crypt at the Brooklyn Navy Yard and then at the Prison Ship Martyrs Monument at Fort Greene Park in Brooklyn. The Monument was first dedicated in 1908.

Nate’s presentation was much appreciated.

Old Business: None

New Business: No meeting until next October.

Closing Pledge

Benediction by Nate Maas

Adjournment: 2:42 PM

Respectfully Submitted,

Chris Scrimiger

Chapter Secretary