MSG Detachment
American Embassy
Yaounde, Cameroon




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MSG Battalion / Company G
Detachments Within Cameroon



US Embassy:       Cameroon
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INFO: Languages - Cameroon

New York Times article from NYTimes.com
April 12, 1987 
Why Do Marines Guard Our Embassies?

To the Editor:

I hope the allegations against two Marine Corps security guards at our Moscow embassy (front page, March 26) will raise the broader question of the propriety of using active-duty uniformed military personnel to guard United States diplomatic missions. Few, if any, other countries do this, which is no argument against the practice but might lead us to reconsider a post-World War II innovation.

While serving as United States Ambassador to Cameroon (1975-77), I began to reflect upon this incongruity: the United States, surely one of the least militaristic of nations, confronts all visitors to its embassies, consulates and other missions abroad with a snappy, crew-cut, uniformed, often medaled and (usually) armed soldier as their first American official, who actually grants or denies physical admission to the chancery.

Obviously, Yaounde was a much more relaxed place than Moscow, where I have visited our embassy several times. Most of ''our'' Marines were nice fellows and had been carefully selected, but even in that environment, among friendly and hospitable local people, some got homesick or drunk - not just at thank-God-it's-Friday parties at the Marine House - and most were generally out of their depth. They made fine contributions to the social life of the diplomatic community, but that hardly justifies the risks or the costs of having them at posts all over the world.

To be sure, the alternative of professional civilian Americans as security guards might be as expensive. But it would remove the incongruous and wrong first impression these spit-and-polish soldiers make on foreign visitors to the buildings that house the representatives of the American people. 

HERBERT J. SPIRO Austin, Texas, March 30, 1987

The writer is professor of politics at the Kennedy Institute of the Free University of Berlin.


Yaounde MSGs Roster
                                      

-A-
Aupperlee, William 

-B-
Burnham, Dennis 75-76
Boville,  Thomas  75-76
Brock, Eddie   90- 91
Buckley, Pat   84

-C-
Covarrubias, Alejandro 76-77

-D-
Donaghey, William N  01

-E-
Eich, Roger 73-74
Ewing, Gary 70-71

-F-
Feran, Scott M.  02-03
Ferlaino,  Domenic 76-77
Finch, Steve

-G-

Gonzales, Alberto   95-96

-H-
Hess,  Joe NCOIC 70-71

-K-

Kyle,  Warren A/NCOIC 77-78
Keefer  NCOIC 74-76

-J-
Jarvis,  Kevin  76-78
Johnson , William O.   97-99

-K-
Kyle, Warren 76-77 

-L-

Lowrey, Morris D.  92- 93
Loehwing, James arrived September 76-78

-M-
Marinko, Stephen (Steve) John   80-81

-P-

Perdue, Jr. Charles Donald   97- 98
Perna, Robert 70-71
Poffenroth (NCOIC) 73-74

-R-
Rentfrow, Robert   91- 92

-S-

Shiflet,  Thomas NCOIC 76-78
Smith,  Dan 73-74
Swehla, SSgt.   04

-W-

Wertjes, Jon M.  82-83
West, Charles 70-71
Winningham, Ralph 73-74

-Z-

Zaborski, Dennis  73-74


THE NAMES OF CURRENT DETACHMENT MEMBERS ARE NOT TO BE DISPLAYED WITHOUT THE AUTHORIZATION OF THE DETACHMENT COMMANDER
2010
Ambassador:
Company Commander: 
Detachment Commander:

Watchstanders

 

2009
Ambassador: Janet E. Garvey
Company Commander: 
Detachment Commander:

Watchstanders

2008
Ambassador: Janet E. Garvey
Company Commander: 
Detachment Commander:

Watchstanders

2007
Ambassador:  R. Niels Marquardt  / Janet E. Garvey
Company Commander: 
Detachment Commander:

Watchstanders

2006
Ambassador: R. Niels Marquardt (former Peace Corps Volunteer)
Company Commander: 
Detachment Commander:

Watchstanders

2005
Ambassador: R. Niels Marquardt (former Peace Corps Volunteer)
Company Commander: 
Detachment Commander:
Watchstanders

2004
Ambassador: George McDade Staples R. Niels Marquardt 
Company Commander: 
Detachment Commander:
WatchstandersSwehla, SSgt. 

2003

Ambassador: George McDade Staples
Company Commander: 
Detachment Commander:
WatchstandersFeran, Scott M

2002

Ambassador:   George McDade Staples
Company Commander: 
Detachment Commander:

Watchstanders:: Feran, Scott M

2001

Ambassador: John Melvin Yates  /    George McDade Staples
Company Commander: 
Detachment Commander:
WatchstandersDonaghey, William N

2000

Ambassador: John Melvin Yates
Company Commander: 
Detachment Commander:

Watchstanders::  

1999

Ambassador:  John Melvin Yates
Company Commander: 
Detachment Commander:
Watchstanders Johnson , William O.

1998

Ambassador:  Charles H. Twining
Company Commander: 
Detachment Commander:

Watchstanders Johnson , William O. , Perdue, Jr. Charles Donald 

1997

Ambassador: Charles H. Twining
Company Commander: 
Detachment Commander:

Watchstanders Johnson , William O. , Perdue, Jr. Charles Donald 

1996

Ambassador: Harriet  Winsar Isom  /   Charles H. Twining
Company Commander: 
Detachment Commander:

WatchstandersGonzales, Alberto

1995

Ambassador: Harriet  Winsar Isom
Company Commander: 
Detachment Commander:

WatchstandersGonzales, Alberto

1994

Ambassador: Harriet  Winsar Isom
Company Commander: 
Detachment Commander:

Watchstanders

1993

Ambassador: Harriet  Winsar Isom
Company Commander: 
Detachment Commander:

Watchstanders Lowrey, Morris D.
1992

Ambassador:  Francis D. Cook
Company Commander: 
Detachment Commander:

Watchstanders Lowrey, Morris D.Rentfrow, Robert 

1991

Ambassador: 
Company Commander:  Francis D. Cook
Detachment Commander:
WatchstandersBrock, EddieRentfrow, Robert 

1990

Ambassador:  Francis D. Cook
Company Commander: 
Detachment Commander:

Watchstanders

1989

AmbassadorMark L. Edelman Francis D. Cook
Company Commander: 
Detachment Commander:

Watchstanders

1988

Ambassador: Mark L. Edelman
Company Commander: 
Detachment Commander:

Watchstanders

1987

Ambassador:  Myles Robert Rene Frechette / Mark L. Edelman 
Company Commander: 
Detachment Commander:

Watchstanders

1986

Ambassador:  Myles Robert Rene Frechette
Company Commander: 
Detachment Commander:

Watchstanders

1985

Ambassador:  Myles Robert Rene Frechette
Company Commander: 
Detachment Commander:

Watchstanders

1984

Ambassador:  Myles Robert Rene Frechette
Company Commander: 
Detachment Commander:

Watchstanders:  Buckley, Pat

1983

Ambassador: Hume A. Huran /  Myles Robert Rene Frechette
Company Commander: 
Detachment Commander:

WatchstandersWertjes, Jon M.

1982

Ambassador: Hume A. Huran
Company Commander: 
Detachment Commander:

WatchstandersWertjes, Jon M.

1981

Ambassador:  Hume A. Huran
Company Commander: 
Detachment Commander:

WatchstandersMarinko, Stephen (Steve) John

1980

Ambassador:  Hume A. Huran
Company Commander: 
Detachment Commander:

WatchstandersMarinko, Stephen (Steve) John 

1979

AmbassadorMabel M. Smythe (Smythe-Haith) 
Company Commander: 
NCOIC:

Watchstanders

1978

Ambassador: Mabel M. Smythe (Smythe-Haith) 
Company Commander: 
NCOIC:

Watchstanders

1977

Ambassador: Herbert J. Spiro /   Mabel M. Smythe (Smythe-Haith) 
Company Commander:  
NCOIC:  GYSGT Thomas Shiflet, 
Watchstanders:  SGT Warren Kyle, A/NCOIC,  SGT James Loehwing ,  SGT Kevin Jarvis, SGT Alejandro Covarrubias,  SGT Domenic Ferlaino

BEST DETACHMENT IN AFRICA

Company “F” MSG BN

MSG Detachment Yaounde, Cameroon 1977


1976

Ambassador: Herbert J. Spiro
Company Commander:  
NCOIC: GYSGT Keifer  / GYSGT Thomas Shiflet
Watchstanders: SGT Albert Phelps  SGT Dennis Burnham (later transferred to Vienna, Austria), 
SGT Thomas Boville, CPL James Loehwing (arrived September 1976), Sgt Kevin Jarvis (arrived July 1976)
1975

Ambassador: C. Robert Moore Herbert J. Spiro
Company Commander: 
NCOIC:

Watchstanders

1974

Ambassador: C. Robert Moore
Company Commander: 
NCOIC:
GySGT Keefer / SSgt Poffenroth 
Watchstanders:  SGT Roger Eich,  SGT Dennis Zaborski,  
                                CPL Dan Smith, LCPL  Ralph Winningham

 


1973

Ambassador:  C. Robert Moore
Company Commander: 
NCOIC:
SSgt Poffenroth (NCOIC)

WatchstandersSgt Eich,  Sgt Zaborski, Sgt Arnold, Cpl Smith,  L/Cpl Winningham 

Submitted by Roger Eich
The detachment had four watchstanders and the NCOIC until the SgtMajor of the Marine Corps and the OIC of the MSGBn visited and increased our numbers to a T/O of five watchstanders.  It was pretty good duty, but we were not allowed to leave the city and that cut into options for travel and sightseeing.  

The embassy was pretty basic and a plain building with no frills.  The Marine House was located in the Bastos area of town which is where most of the diplomatic corps lived.  While somewhat isolated, a year’s tour there went by pretty fast. The American Club was a most popular spot for off-duty Marines when they were not training.  Running was tough in that city as there were few level spots and the 3 mile PFT run was a “killer.” 

 I have fond memories of the tour.  Poffenroth was a hard-corps PT freak and we did some running with him there as NCOIC!  I recall running up to Mont Febe about twice a month with him.  When I was first in country, the initial run to Mont Febe was tough.  I remember that I never stopped, but I was losing my cookies just as I hit the top of that hill.  I recall that Poffenroth was just running by me telling me not to stop...or I'd never make it up in the future. 

I think that they were just beginning to paint the house red with a Marine Corp symbol on it...nothing like a nice easy target!  Of course, back then we didn't have the threats that may be part of the MSG tour today.  Ben was our laundry fellow, and the others I think were different guys.  I have a picture of all three...somewhere.  I'll see if I can digitize it and forward it. 

I also recall that the Marine House vehicle was a broken down jeep which we had to leave parked on a hill ... the starter didn't work so we had to always leave it parked in a downward spot so we could pop the clutch after it started rolling.

When I transferred to Paris, I remember arranging to get a NCO sword hand-delivered by someone who stopped by on his way back to the embassy in Yaounde.  The detachment NCOIC did not have a sword and they wanted one for the ceremonies that year...I have a feeling you were there then...and I was the one who got that sword to you guys.  Small world.

The Cannings (British family - Admin Officer) lived right behind us and I remember that he'd be out on his back porch listen to the BBC first thing every morning....loud!  I think it was like a precursor to the thumping stereos that wake people up today.  I dated his daughter, Feona.  

I was in charge of the bar while there, and we got a new hand-carved bar that still might have been at the base of the stairway when you were there.  The MC Ball was always held at the Ambassador's residence...and it was a pretty low key thing...nice, but very low keyed. 

C. Robert Moore was the ambassador back then and he really did not like the idea of having Marines at the embassy...so we could only wear our uniforms at night while in the embassy.  Day watch was always civilian attire.  No weapons at all...never.  Only time you got to touch the .38's was during training.


SSgt Poffenroth – returned to MSGBn as an instructor 
Sgt Eich – transferred to Paris
Sgt Zaborski – returned to CONUS at left the Corps
Sgt Arnold – became ANCOIC in Yaounde
Cpl Smith – rotated by to CONUS and left the Corps
L/Cpl Winningham – Uncertain

1972

Ambassador: Lewis Hoffacker
Company Commander: 
NCOIC:

Watchstanders

1971

Ambassador:  Lewis Hoffacker
Company Commander: 
NCOIC:

Watchstanders

1970

Ambassador:  Lewis Hoffacker
Company Commander: LtCol John Donovan
NCOIC:  SSGT Joe Hess
Watchstanders:  SGT Robert Perna,  CPL Charles West,  CPL Gary Ewing

Detachment Activated 
1969

Ambassador: Robert L. Payton /   Lewis Hoffacker
Company Commander: 
NCOIC:

Watchstanders

1968

Ambassador: Robert L. Payton
Company Commander: 
NCOIC:

Watchstanders

1967

Ambassador:  Robert L. Payton
Company Commander: 
NCOIC:

Watchstanders

1966

Ambassador: Leland Barrows
Company Commander: 
NCOIC:

Watchstanders

1965

Ambassador:  Leland Barrows
Company Commander: 
NCOIC:

Watchstanders

1964

AmbassadorLeland Barrows
Company Commander: 
NCOIC:

Watchstanders

1963

Ambassador: Leland Barrows
Company Commander: 
NCOIC:

Watchstanders

1962

Ambassador: Leland Barrows
Company Commander: 
NCOIC:

Watchstanders

1961

Ambassador: Leland Barrows
Company Commander: 
NCOIC:

Watchstanders

1960

Ambassador: Leland Barrows
Company Commander: 
NCOIC:

Watchstanders: 
US Embassy Opened in 01 January 1960


Marine Embassy Guard Association
Historical Archives Detachment Template V3.0 - 11/2008


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