MARINE LEAGUE FORMS IN CAPE

More than 50 Marines have been inducted into the Corporal Mason O. Yarbrough Detachment of the U.S. Marine Corps League of Cape Girardeau.

The Marine Corps League, founded in 1923 and chartered by an Act of Congress in 1937, is open to honorably discharged, active duty and reserve Marines who have more than 90 days of active service.

"We're open to new members," said Bill Walker, the chapter's commandant.

The local group already has Missouri members from as far south as New Madrid and Bloomfield, west to Fredericktown, and north to Perryville.

The chapter was chartered last month at VFW Post 3838 by state and national League officers, including David Hunter, state commandant.

The membership elected to name the detachment after the late Yarbrough.

"Yarbrough was a member of Carlson's Raiders,'" said Gunnery Sgt. George Jaco, a Marine recruiter who will serve as the group's junior vice commandant.

Yarbrough of Sikeston was killed in action Aug. 17, 1942, during World War II, but his body was not reclaimed and returned home to Sikeston until last December when he was buried with full military honors in Memorial Park Cemetery at Sikeston.

Yarbrough, born Aug. 16,. 1922, enlisted in the Marine Corps June 7, 1941, and trained with Lt. Col. Evans F. Carlson at Camp Elliott, Calif., where he was selected to be a Marine Raider.

Yarbrough killed

Yarbrough was among 19 Marines to fall to Japanese fire when Carlson's Raiders went ashore on Butaritari Island. When the raiders withdrew to continue their South Pacific mission, Carlson paid natives to bury the fallen Marines.

Officers of the new League are: Walker of Cape Girardeau; Jim Herod of Cape Girardeau, senior vice commandant; Jaco of Jackson, Mo.; Mat McGill of Cape Girardeau, acting adjutant; Chuck Stotz of Scott City, Mo., paymaster; Charles Hatley of Scott City, judge advocate; Jimmie Winder of Jackson, sergeant-at-arms; and Tom Zych, of Advance, Mo., chaplain.

The group will meet the third Thursday of the month at VFW Post 3838. The next meeting will be Aug. 16.

The League has a national membership of about 50,000 officers and enlisted personnel. The national group is headquartered at 86826 Lee Highway in Fairfax, Va.

The League, a veterans-military service organization, was formed to promote the interests of the Marine Corps; to provide camaraderie and assistance to Marines, as well as to help their widows and orphans; and to preserve the traditions of the Marine Corps.

The group conducts a number of community projects, including the "Toys for Tots" project.

A "Toys for Tots" project is expected to be one of the first big projects, said Walker.