C O M M U N I T Y
Local accepts Purple Heart on behalf of her brother By Dave Boyce Almanac Staff Writer
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oodside resident Teresa Dentino accepted a Purple Heart medal in a Veterans Day ceremony Monday in Palo Alto on behalf of her brother, Sgt. Merle Dentino, a native of Peoria, Illinois, and a U.S. Army sergeant killed in 1970 by friendly fire during the Vietnam War. The award was presented in a ceremony at the Palo Alto VA medical center complex. Sgt. Dentino had received several medals for his service in Vietnam, including a Bronze Star with Valor, and was promoted posthumously to sergeant, said VA spokesman Michael HillJackson. The story of Sgt. Dentino’s death comes from Ms. Dentino and Michael B. Christy, the company commander of Sgt. Den-
tino’s unit in Vietnam. Sgt. Dentino had been in Vietnam 10 months of a 13-month deploy ment and, in recogSgt. Merle nition of his Dentino meritorious service, was scheduled to leave early, Ms. Dentino said. His company had been the last to leave Cambodia in 1970. The night he was killed about 85 men in the company were sleeping in hooches (temporary shelters made from a poncho and a mosquito net), Mr. Christy said. North Vietnamese soldiers had penetrated the base’s perimeter. Upon learning of this and to discourage an enemy attack, U.S. forces had begun mortar fire in the fog at around 5 a.m.,
but they used mortars that had been judged to be sub par, Mr. Christy said. “Merleís hooch was directly next to mine since he was my radio operator,” Mr. Christy said. “A large piece of (mortar) shrapnel barely missed my head as I lay awake and apparently was the one that hit Merle directly in his head. He died instantly while sleeping.” Ms. Dentino said she wanted to put the ceremony together so his buddies could attend, “They’re very enthusiastic, respectful and very excited,” she said. Why is the Army 43 years late with this award? The fact of the enemy’s proximity to the scene of Sgt. Dentino’s death did not get reported, Mr. Christy said. Of the 29 other soldiers in Sgt. Dentino’s company wounded in the same incident, all received Purple Hearts, he said. With 35 percent of his company dead or wounded, they were airlifted out and reassigned away from active combat until replacements could arrive, Mr. Christy said.
PENINSULA
Venture capital pioneers to be honored at dinner By Jane Knoerle Almanac Lifestyles Editor
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n Thursday, Nov. 21, the San Mateo Historical Association will honor William K. Bowes Jr., Reid W. Dennis, William H. Draper and F.P. “Pitch” Johnson for their groundbreaking work in venture capital that changed the economy of the Bay Area. The 6 p.m. dinner will take place at the Hotel Sofitel in Redwood Shores. The evening will include a panel discussion by the four honored guests with venture capitalist George McCown as moderator. Past “history maker” recipients include the Lane family, Intel founder Gordon Moore, Dr. Thomas Fogarty, and baseball legend Willie Mays. The annual dinner is a fundraiser for the operation of the Historical Association’s three museums: the San Mateo County History Museum in Redwood City, the Woodside Store near Huddart Park, and the Sanchez Adobe in Pacifica. Tickets to the dinner are $175 per person. For more information, call the development department of the San Mateo County Historical Association, 299-0104.
‘Baubles,Bangles and Bags’ benefit
Discover the best places to eat this week! AMERICAN
Ming’s
Armadillo Willy’s
856-7700 1700 Embarcadero East, Palo Alto www.mings.com
941-2922 1031 N. San Antonio Road, Los Altos www.armadillowillys.com
The Old Pro 326-1446 541 Ramona Street, Palo Alto www.oldpropa.com
New Tung Kee Noodle House 947-8888 520 Showers Drive, Mountain View www.shopmountainview.com/luunoodlemv INDIAN
ITALIAN
Janta Indian Restaurant
Cucina Venti
462-5903 369 Lytton Ave. www.jantaindianrestaurant.com
254-1120 1390 Pear Ave, Mountain View www.cucinaventi.com CHINESE
Chef Chu’s 948-2696 1067 N. San Antonio Road www.chefchu.com
Read and post reviews, explore restaurant menus, get hours and directions and more at ShopPaloAlto, ShopMenloPark and ShopMountainView
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Support The Almanac’s print and online coverage of our community. 24 N The Almanac N TheAlmanacOnline.com N November 13, 2013
It was a sellout crowd when 300 guests gathered at the Menlo Circus Club in Atherton on Nov. 4 for the Peninsula Volunteers’ fifth annual “Baubles, Bangles and Bags” benefit featuring more than 150 designer and vintage handbags. There was lively bidding over designer bags by Chanel, Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci and Kate Spade, along with “baubles” by David Yurman and Ippolita and “mystery boxes” filled with special surprises. Camilla Shroff, Darlene Woodson and Pat Grillos were chairs of the event, which included a morning champagne reception and silent auction, followed by luncheon at 12:30 p.m. During the afternoon, Judy Padis
N A RO U ND TOW N
and her daughter, Alexis PadisMcMunn, of Steve Padis Jewelry in San Francisco entertained the audience with jewelry buying tips for the educated woman. Proceeds from the fundraiser, which premiered in 2009, benefit the Peninsula Volunteers programs: Meals on Wheels, Little House, and Rosener House Adult Day Services.
Thanksgiving cooking Chef Dmitry Elpirin will give his annual Thanksgiving-inspired cooking classes at the Village Pub in Woodside from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16, and Saturday, Nov. 23. Chef Elperin will guide the class through the step-by-step process in preparing a feast, then all will sit down for a familystyle meal including brined turkey, carmelized Brussel sprouts, and pecan pie, paired with special wines. Cost is $150. Reserve by calling 851-6844 or email events@thevillagepub.net.
Beyond bullying A workshop on promoting empathy and respect among youth will be held from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19, at the San Mateo County Office of Education, 101 Twin Dolphin Drive, in Redwood City. Registration is $50 and light snacks (not dinner) will be provided. To register, call 513-0330.
Whatever floats your boat Kids are encouraged to pull items from the recycling bin and build their own seaworthy (or tub-worthy) vessel from everyday objects at a workshop to be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 23, at the Menlo Park Library, 800 Alma St. The event, sponsored by the Friends of the Menlo Park Library, is open to children ages 5-12 (8 and under must be accompanied by an adult) and registration is required (email Lucinda at: abbott@plsinfo.org).
Man sentenced to prison for robbery Garry Ronald Darnell, 27, of East Palo Alto received a sentence of four years in state prison on Nov. 1 after a conviction in May of robbery, grand theft and other charges over an incident in the Willows neighborhood of Menlo Park. In October 2012, Mr. Darnell stole a woman’s purse while she was unloading her car and, in the process, shoved her to the ground, prosecutors said. The sentence by San Mateo
County Superior Court Judge Stephen Hall included $920 in fines, $250 in restitution to the victim, registration of his DNA and as a drug offender, and credit for 445 days for time already served in the county jail, prosecutors said. Menlo Park police located and arrested Mr. Darnell on Oct. 11, 2012, after a woman residing in the Willows neighborhood reported to police that while Continued on next page