To fully understand the thirty eight -year history of the Tucson Marine Corps League Detachment, we must go back to 1947. It was then that 200 youngsters, mostly from Tucson High School, joined the newly formed “E” Company, 13th Battalion Marine Corps Reserve. They joined in order to receive the green T-shirts, dungaree caps and boon Dockers.

For three years, ’47, ‘48, and ’49, members of “Easy” Company participated in their Thursday night drills, learned strict “Marine Discipline,” and each year looked forward to June when they could enjoy the “summer camps” held at Camp Pendleton, California.

Who could have imagined that this outfit of ‘mere’ boys would one day be activated? Yes, that day came without warning on July 31, 1949. It abruptly took 241 youths from their homes and summer camps when “Easy” Company embarked on its long journey to combat in Korea. They became the first reserve unit in Arizona to be recalled to active duty during the Korean War.

In less than two years, the boys of “E” Company came back “men.” Not all came home. Twelve members of “E” Company gave their lives to safeguard the rights and privileges enjoyed by a free and democratic society, “Easy” Company did its job in the Korean conflict and almost wrote the final chapter of existence.

It wasn’t until twenty years later when a few members of “E” Company, spearheaded by Tom Price, got together to plan the biggest and most publicized Reunion that Tucson has ever witnessed. Of the original “E” Company, 185 members attended the Reunion from all over the country.

They were a little older than the old snapshots of twenty years showed them to be, their hair was a little thinner and touched with gray. But the hair was carefully combed, the ties were straight, and the trousers pressed. The old “spit’n polish” showed through the easy softness of civilian life. Their wives waited while the men showed their back-slapping, hand-clasping warmth and remembered their war. They raised their glasses and they drank deeply to old times, to the Corps, to friends gone and the Reunion belonged to the men of “Easy” Company and the 12 who did not return.

Again, the conclusion of this 20th Reunion seemed to spell the end of “E” Company. But no so…enter Marines Guy Sanderson, Efren “Blackie” Moreno, Joe Ryan and John Caron. They observed with interest the great enthusiasm and spirited team effort that “E” Company displayed in promoting, organizing, and executing such a successful Reunion.

Blackie Moreno, along with Caron, realized that the time was right to involve all other Tucson area Marines in forming a Marine Corps League Detachment in Tucson. This realization came about through the constant hard selling job of Joe Ryan, veteran Leaguer from Phoenix, who made trip after trip to Tucson to insist that the League must pick up where the Reunion left off.

It is interesting to note that Master Gunnery Sergeant Moreno, who since has departure from Tucson, has served for his umpteenumth tour in the Far East and more recently at Headquarters FMF Atlantic, has just been reassigned to Tucson as recruiter in charge (NCOIC.) Just in time to witness a National Convention hosted by the Detachment he helped to start.

Since there was a natural letdown of Marine activity immediately after the Reunion, it was not until February of 1971 that Marine Sanderson, Moreno, Caron and Ryan finally ignited the ‘spark’ under “Easy” Company members Price, Ruelas, don, Oxnam, Valenzuela, Fisher and many others to organize the League Detachment in Tucson,

That’s how the thirty eight history of the Tucson Detachment begins.

This newly formed Detachment received its National Charter on July 31, 1971. The Tucson Detachment quickly broke all national membership records by chartering 355 members, due primarily to the efforts of Sgt. Major Stan Elbie, sergeant-in-charge of the I&I staff of Reserve Unit, who single-handedly signed up over 50% of the charter members. This far surpassed the record of 266 members held by a Detachment in Mississippi. This feat and other accomplishments readily earned them their ‘NUMERO UNO” nickname and adopted slogan.

The first officers of “Numero Uno” were: Commandant Tom O. Price, Sr. Vice Commandant Rudy Castro, Jr. Vice Commandant Gilbert Ruelas, Adjutant John Caron, Paymaster Harold Don, Chaplain Richard Oxnam, Judge Advocate Michael Lacagnina and Sergeant-At-Arms Robert Leon.

The momentum grew and the “Numero Uno” Detachment rapidly recruited Marines from all over Tucson and outside the state so that the following year at the National Convention in Anaheim, California, Tucson answered the “Roll Call” with a phenomenal 508 paid-up members. They still shake their heads in disbelief at Anaheim!

Once again at the ’73 National Convention at Miami Beach, Florida, the Tucson delegation checked in with 405 members, followed by with 255 members.

Thirty eight years ago these Marines made it possible for us to enjoy this great “Numero Uno” Detachment and we own them the respect and the honor of keeping their legacy alive. OOH-RAH!

A lot has progressed since these Marines held their meetings at the Tucson Inn on Drachman, to owning the building on 29th.

The tradition is being carried on by the sons, daughters, nephews, nieces, and grandchildren. On October 1, 2009 Manuel “Bear” Munguia, Jr. was elected Commandant, Bear’s father Manuel Munguia, Sr. held the office of Commandant for four terms and maybe in the future Bear’s son will become Commandant.