Welcome to the web site of the Peninsula Civil War Round Table, the San Francisco Peninsula's own Round Table, founded in 1972. The PCWRT is a non-profit organization dedicated to those interested in the Civil War era history, and meeting monthly to hear noted historians and authors speak on various topics related to America's Civil War history. The PCWRT also encourages efforts to preserve battlefields and historic Civil War sites.

News/Updates

Meetings

We invite you to join us at our monthly meetings, held the third Tuesday of each month at the Poplar Creek Grill in San Mateo (see below for directions). Guest and new members are welcomed. A social half-hour cash bar starts the program at 11:30 AM. Lunch ($25.00) is served at 12:00 Noon. The featured program speaker begins after lunch.

Upcoming Programs/Speakers

Date Speaker Topic
February 21 Charlie Sweeney Some Aspects of Slavery
March 20 Lt. Col. John Stevens The 1st Marine Brigade, The Fire Brigade, in the Pusan Perimeter
April 16 TBA TBA
May 15 TBA TBA
June 19 Hal Jespersen The Seven Days Battles

Preview of the February 21 Meeting

Charlie Sweeney on "Some Aspects of Slavery"

Charlie will cover slavery in ancient History, slavery in recent history, and slavery today.

Preview of the March 20 Meeting

Lt. Col. John Stevens on "The 1st Marine Brigade, The Fire Brigade, in the Pusan Perimeter"

The Korean War started on 25 June 1950. By the end of July the North Koreans had forced the troops defending South Korea into a small perimeter around Pusan, on the southeast corner of South Korea. The 1st Marine Brigade landed in Pusan on 2 August 1950 and were deployed the following day as General Walker's "Fire Brigade."

John Stevens was born in April 1921 in Butte, Montana. He enlisted in the Marine Corp in 1939 and had a 23-year career, serving in WW2 and the Korean War, (all told a total of 6 campaigns). He obtained a BS degree at the University of Maryland.

After boot camp and field-telephone training, he was assigned to the 1st Defense Battalion which was sent to Pearl Harbor in February 1941. From there, Sgt Stevens was sent to Midway, and then back to Pearl Harbor, where he was on December 7, 1941 when it was bombed. (John is a Pearl Harbor Survivor.) Master Technical Sgt Stevens was field commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in August 1942 on Palmyra and then sent back to Midway.

After returning to the U.S. in July 1943 for additional training, in 1944 he was assigned to the 1st Marine Division as XO of the 1st Signal Company, on Pavuvu Island. He participated in the Battle of Okinawa, including the assault and subsequent occupation. He later served as the Regimental Communications officer of the 7th Marines in North China, returning to the U.S. in June 1946.

After a tour as the base Communications officer at the Recruit Depot in San Diego and various schools, Capt Stevens joined the 1st Marine Division. As the CO of A Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines in 1949, he took that unit to Korea in July 1950. While in Korea, Capt Stevens participated in the Pusan Perimeter campaign; the Inchon landing and capture of Seoul; the Wonsan Landing; and the Chosin Reservoir Campaign.

Returning to the United States in November 1950, LtCol Stevens was assigned to various tours, including CO of the Marine Barracks Naval Supply Center in Oakland; assistant G3 of Parris Island Recruit Training Depot; Sr Instructor at the Weapons Training Group, Basic School in Quantico; student at the Amphibious Warfare School; CO of Headquarters Battalion, Basic School, and a 2-year cross-training tour with the 2nd Marine Air Wing.

His final duty station was at Kaneohe, Hawaii. In July 1959, he was the ground G-3 of the 1st Marine Brigade, and later served as XO of the 4th Marine Regiment. From July 1961 until retirement in 1962, John was the Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion 4th Marine Regiment. His combat awards include 2 Bronze Stars with Combat Vs and 2 Presidential Unit Citations, among many others.

In 1962, he joined IBM where he served in various systems engineering, marketing, and management positions. He left IBM in 1969 to become an entrepreneur. First he founded a software consulting company specializing in the insurance industry, American Information Development (or A.I.D). He then formed a joint venture, called Insurnet, with A.I.D, Quotron Systems, and the Continental Insurance Corporation to market turnkey computer systems to the independent insurance agencies.

In 1983, He left the active management of Insurnet to co-found a new telecommunications management company, called Centex Telemanagement. In 1985, John Stevens turned the active management of the company over to a talented man, who took the company to a successful IPO in 1987. This company was used as a case study both at Harvard and Stanford business Schools.

In 1986, he founded Stellar Net, Inc., where he served as the Chairman until 2001. This pioneering company provided an electronic data interface, using the Internet, between medical service providers and Worker's Compensation insurance claims payors. He was a co-recipient of a U.S. patent for the business system developed for this business.

John has found the time to contribute as an officer or board member for many community and business organizations, including:

John is married to Joanne (Jody) Stevens, and he has four children, 7 grand children and 10 great grand children.

And finally, last but not least, John is a 13-year colon cancer survivor.

Membership

Annual membership dues are $25. Checks should be made payable to PCWRT and mailed to PCWRT, 1471 Woodberry Ave., San Mateo, CA 94403.

Directions to the Meetings

Poplar Creek Grill
(at the entrance to the San Mateo Municipal Golf Course)
1700 Coyote Point Drive
San Mateo, CA 94401


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Website design by Hal Jespersen. Our masthead includes an image of an original painting by Mort Künstler, "With a Rebel Yell", Second Manassas, August 29, 1862. Used with permission. ©2002 Mort Künstler, Inc., http://www.MKunstler.com