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hospitality room and chat!

There will be a tour to the Marine Corps Museum on Tuesday the 18th with a buffet dinner that evening. This should be an "All Day Event" if you intend to see everything in the museum. They have a snack bar and of course "Tun Tavern" if one should desire a cool one?

An agreement to furnish a bus and driver to take us to the Museum and back to the hotel has been worked out. I am not sure what this charge will be but hopefully the registration fees will help defray this expense? An hourly rate has been established for the bus and driver.

On Wednesday the 19th a tour of the memorials in Washington, DC is scheduled. I didn't include the price of the transportation on the registration form until I could work out the transportation arrange-ments. The Commanding Officer put me in contact with the person in charge of visitations on base and we have an agreement that the base will provide transportation to and from DC, but there will be a fee of $10.00 per person for the bus and driver.

A CHANGE IN PLANS!
For those who have already registered for the reunion and are going on the tour to the Memorials please send me $10.00 per person so that we don't have to collect funds when registering. This will save us time and effort for those working the registration desk. For those who have not registered yet, please add $10.00 for each person when mailing me your fees if you are planning on going on the tour! Thanks! Shifty

On Thursday the 20th we will have our annual meeting in the AM and our banquet that evening. The rest of the day is free to do what you would like to do. The banquet will be held at the Officer's Club with cocktail hour from 6 - 7 PM with our banquet following the cocktail hour. This will be a cash bar!

At this reunion we won't be having an auction because I am trying to ensure that the registration fees will cover our costs. Auctions tend to take to much time and some of our ladies have to work most of the time when they could be meeting with the other ladies or just visiting with the Marines. Shopping at the Post Exchange would probably be better alternative than selling tickets and keeping up with the money. We do appreciate the ladies assisting us at our reunions for all these past years! We couldn't have done it without you!

CHECK IT OUT!

• Pg 1: 2007 Annual Reunion Info
• Pg 2: Taking Chance - Part II (Cont'd pg 3)
• Pg 3: Hospital Corpsmen, Their Oath, Corrections to Our Roster, Taps (Cont'd pg 5)
• Pg 5: Just Wondering, Something To Think About, Food For Thought, More About Our Emblem, I Joined The Corps (Cont'd pg 6)
• Pg 6: Words of Wisdom, MOH, 7th Marine Regiment, Assistance Please
• Pg 7: Reunion Registration Form
• Pg 8: Registration Form - A/1/7

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TAKING CHANSE - PART II

One of the pilots had taken my carry-on bag himself and had it stored next to the cockpit door so he could watch it while I was on the tarmac. As I boarded the plane, I could tell immediately that the flight attendants had already been informed of my mission. They seemed a little choked up as they led me to my seat.

About 45 minutes into our flight I still hadn't spoken to anyone except to tell the first class flight attendant that I would prefer water. I was surprised when the flight attendant from the back of the plane suddenly appeared and leaned down to grab my hands. She said, "I want you to have this" as she pushed a small gold crucifix, with a relief of Jesus, into my hand. It was her lapel pin and it looked somewhat worn. I suspected it had been hers for quite some time. That was the only thing she said to me the entire flight.

When we landed in Minneapolis, I was the first one off the plane. The pilot himself escorted me straight down the side stairs of the exit tunnel to the tarmac. The cargo crew there already knew what was on this plane. They were unloading some of the luggage when an Army sergeant, a fellow escort who had left Dover earlier that day, appeared next to me. His "cargo" was going to be loaded onto my plane for its continuing leg. We stood side by side in the dark and executed a slow salute as Chance was removed from the plane. The cargo crew at Minneapolis kept Phelps's shipping case separate from the other entire luggage as they waited to take us to the cargo area. I waited with the soldier and we saluted together as his fallen comrade

was loaded onto the plane.

My trip with Chance was going to be somewhat unusual in that we were going to have an overnight stopover. We had a late start out of Dover and there was just too much traveling ahead of us to continue on that day. (We still had a flight from Minneapolis to Billings, Montana, then a five-hour drive to the funeral home. That was to be followed by a 90-minute drive to Chance's hometown.)

I was concerned about leaving him overnight in the Minneapolis cargo area. My ten-minute ride from the tarmac to the cargo holding area eased my apprehension. Just as in Philadelphia, the cargo guys in Minneapolis were extremely respectful and seemed honored to do their part. While talking with them, I learned that the cargo supervisor for Northwest Airlines at the Minneapolis airport is a Lieutenant Colonel in the Marine Corps Reserves. They called him for me and let me talk to him.

Once I was satisfied that all would be okay for the night, I asked one of the cargo crew if he would take me back to the terminal so that I could catch my hotel's shuttle. Instead, he drove me straight to the hotel himself. At the hotel, the Lieutenant Colonel called me and said he would personally pick me up in the morning and bring me back to the cargo area.

Before leaving the airport, I had told the cargo crew that I wanted to come back to the cargo area in the morning rather than go straight to the passenger terminal. I felt bad for leaving Chance overnight and wanted to see the shipping container where I had left it

for the night. It was fine. The Lieutenant Colonel made a few phone calls then drove me around to the passenger terminal. I was met again by a man from the cargo crew and escorted down to the tarmac. The pilot of the plane joined me as I waited for them to bring Chance from the cargo area. The pilot and I talked of his service in the Air Force and how he missed it.

I saluted as Chance was moved up the conveyor and onto the plane. It was to be a while before the luggage was to be loaded so the pilot took me up to the board the plane where I could watch the tarmac from a window. With no other passengers yet on board, I talked with the flight attendants and one of the cargo guys. He had been in the Navy and one of the attendants had been in the Air Force. Everywhere I went, people were continuing to tell me their relationship to the military. After all the baggage was aboard, I went back down to the tarmac, inspected the cargo bay, and watched them secure the door.

When we arrived at Billings, I was again the first off the plane. This time Chance's shipping container was the first item out of the cargo hold. The funeral director had driven five hours up from Riverton, Wyoming to meet us. He shook my hand as if I had personally lost a brother.

We moved Chance to a secluded cargo area. Now it was time for me to remove the shipping container and drape the flag over the casket. I had predicted that this would choke me up but I found I was more concerned with proper flag etiquette than the solemnity of

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the moment. Once the flag was in place, I stood by and saluted as Chance was loaded onto the van from the funeral home. I was thankful that we were in a small airport and the event seemed to go mostly unnoticed. I picked up my rental car and followed Chance for five hours until we reached Riverton. During the long trip I imagined how my meeting with Chance's parents would go. I was very nervous about that.

When we finally arrived at the funeral home, I had my first face-to-face meeting with the Casualty Assistance Call Officer. It had been his duty to inform the family of Chance's death. He was on the Inspector/Instructor staff of an infantry company in Salt Lake City, Utah and I knew he had had a difficult week.

Inside I gave the funeral director some of the paperwork from Dover and discussed the plan for the next day. The service was to be at 1400 in the high school gymnasium up in Dubois, population about 900, some 90 miles away. Eventually, we had covered everything. The CACO had some items that the family wanted to be inserted into the casket and I felt I needed to inspect Chance's uniform to ensure everything was proper. Although it was going to be a closed casket funeral, I still wanted to ensure his uniform was squared away.

Earlier in the day I wasn't sure how I'd handle this moment. Suddenly, the casket was open and I got my first look at Chance Phelps. His uniform was immacu-late-a tribute to the professionalism of the Marines at Dover. I noticed that he wore six ribbons over his marksmanship badge; the senior one was his Purple Heart. I had been in the Corps for over

17 years, including a combat tour, and was wearing eight ribbons. This Private First Class, with less than a year in the Corps, had already earned six.

The next morning, I wore my dress blues and followed the hearse for the trip up to Dubois. This was the most difficult leg of our trip for me. I was bracing for the moment when I would meet his parents and hoping I would find the right words as I presented them with Chance's personal effects.

We got to the high school gym about four hours before the service was to begin. The gym floor was covered with folding chairs neatly lined in rows. There were a few townspeople making final preparations when I stood next to the hearse and saluted as Chance was moved out of the hearse. The sight of a flag-draped coffin was overwhelming to some of the ladies.

We moved Chance into the gym to the place of honor. A Marine sergeant, the command representative from Chance's battalion, met me at the gym. His eyes were watery as he relieved me of watching Chance so that I could go eat lunch and find my hotel.

At the restaurant, the table had a flier announcing Chance's service. Dubois High School gym; two o'clock. It also said that the family would be accepting donations so that they could buy flak vests to send to troops in Iraq.

I drove back to the gym at a quarter after one. I could've walked-you could walk to just about anywhere in Dubois in ten minutes. I had planned to find a quiet room where I could take his things out of their pouch and

untangle the chain of the Saint Christopher medal from the dog tag chains and arrange everything before his parents came in. I had twice before removed the items from the pouch to ensure they were all there-even though there was no chance anything could've fallen out. Each time, the two chains had been quite tangled. I didn't want to be fumbling around trying to untangle them in front of his parents. Our meeting, however, didn't go as expected.

I practically bumped into Chance's step-mom accidentally and our introductions began in the noisy hallway outside the gym. In short order I had met Chance's step-mom and father followed by his step-dad and, at last, his mom. I didn't know how to express to these people my sympathy for their loss and my gratitude for their sacrifice. Now, however, they were repeatedly thanking me for bringing their son home and for my service. I was humbled beyond words.

I told them that I had some of Chance's things and asked if we could try to find a quiet place. The five of us ended up in what appeared to be a computer lab-not what I had envisioned for this occasion.

After we had arranged five chairs around a small table, I told them about our trip. I told them how, at every step, Chance was treated with respect, dignity, and honor. I told them about the staff at Dover and all the folks at Northwest Airlines. I tried to convey how the entire Nation, from Dover to Philadelphia, to Minneapolis, to Billings, and Riverton expressed grief and sympathy over their loss.

(Part III will be published in our September Newsletter).

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HOSPITAL CORPSMAN
Hospital Corpsmen (HMs) are members of the United States Navy Hospital Corps. The Hospital Corps is the only all enlisted corps in the United States Navy. Corpsmen serve in a wide variety of capacities and locations, including shore establishments such as naval hospitals and clinics, aboard ships as the primary medical care givers for sailors while underway, and with Marine Corps units as battlefield corpsmen.

The Hospital Corps has been part of the United States Naval service since 1799, when congress insti- tuted a service-wide provision to include a surgeon's assistant on all ships of the fleet. The title of this specialty training, also known as 'rating' in naval terminology, has changed over the years from lob- lolly boy, surgeon's steward, apothecary and bayman (one who prepares and sells drugs and works and lives by a bay.)

The latter three required the rate holder to be a recipient of private medical instruction as well!

On 17 June 1898, by act of con- gress, the Hospital Corps was established, though the actual name of servicemen under that rating would change several times (known as "Pharmacist's Mates" throughout World Wars I and I I) before ultimately becoming "Hospital Corpsman."

During World War I, 684 personal Awards were issued to Hospital Corpsman, who distinguished themselves while serving with' United States Marines in numerous Battles, among them Belleau Woods battles.

In World War II, Pharmacist's Mates hit beaches alongside Marines in every battle of the Pacific. They also served on Ships and submarines.

The rating of Hospital Corpsman is the most decorated in the United States Navy, with 23 Medal of Honor, the most of any single Group in the U. S. Navy, 174 Navy Crosses, 32 Distinguished Service Medals, 943 Silver Stars, 1,553 Bronze Stars.

The Hospital Corps has the distinction of being the only corps in the U. S. Navy to be singled out by Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal after the conclusion of World
War II.

Fourteen ships have been named after Hospital Corpsmen. Due to the vast array of foreign, domestic and shipboard duty stations in which hospital corpsmen are called to serve, as well as the fact that the United States Marine Corps has no medical personnel of its own, the Hospital Corps is the largest single rating in the United States Navy. The Field Medical Service School has locations at Camp Pendleton and Camp Lejeune, where sailors bound for service with the Marine Corps attend classes to earn the Rating of Field Medical Service Technician. This is specialized Training emphasizing physical conditioning, small arms familiarity, and fundamentals of Marine Corps life-to make up forThe lack of traditional field training corpsmen receive during Navy boot camp. This course is seven weeks long.

A common description of the Vietnam era corpsman was "A long- Haired, bearded sailor who would go through the very gates of Hell to tend to a wounded Marine."

HOSPITAL CORPSMANS OATH
I solemnly pledge myself before God and these witnesses to practice faithfully all of my duties as a member of the Hospital Corps. I hold the care of the sick and in-jured to be a privilege and a sacred trust and will assist the Medical Officer with loyalty and honesty. I will not knowingly permit harm to come to any patient. I will not partake of nor administer. ByTom McLeod, Historian

When Corpsmen have served with Marines in combat, neither Marines nor Corpsmen think of themselves as anything but fellow Marines. The major difference is that for "grunt" Corpsmen, their world is all about sacrifice. "Corpsman up!

CORRECTIONS TO ROSTER
Angelo D'Amore's Tel #:
631-716-0296
Bud Cavin's address:
3808 Altex St., NE Albuquerque,
NM 87111-3305
Ray/Betty Cullin's email:
Bettyb330@sbcglobal.net
Wally Dugan's email:
wdugan8@comcast.net
Edward Gibson's Tel #:
212-289-9428
James J. Nastro, Jr Tel #:
732-254-1764
Duane St John's email:
sinjon2@embarqmail.com
Ron York's address:
P.O. Box 554, Osburn, ID 83849-0554

TAPS
Donald J. Bain 9/50-4/51 60mm Mortars. Date of death 25Jun04. (I received this as of 22Mar07)
Leo Bonneau 3/52 -2/53 60mm

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Mortars. Date of death 10Dec06
Fred C. McLaughlin 2/52-12/52 CO. Death of death 24Oct06
Grover Warren 1/51-6/51 3rdMGs
Date of death 1Mar07

Soldier, rest! thy warfare o'er,
Sleep the sleep that knows not breaking:
Dreams of battled fields no more,
Days of danger, night of waking.

(Sir Walter Scott, The Lady of the Lake, canto 1, st.31)

JUST WONDERING?
The Marine Corps has it CRUCIBLE in boot camp;
The Air Force has Warrior Week;
The Navy has it Battle Stations;
and the Army will probably have, "Let's Hold Hands and Go to the PX (Post Exchange), where you buy things!
Colonel Malachowsky USMC,
Chief of Staff Marine Corps Recruit Depot, PISC.

Taken from the Book by Larry Smith "The Few and The Proud"

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT!
During the operations on the islands of Guam and Okinawa during WW II Lemuel C. Shepherd (who later became CMC) found out that Japanese Soldiers had been captured.

It was the fact that they wanted to save their own skin. As you might know or have read Japanese Soldiers do not surrender but die in battle for their Country and their Emperor.

A Master Technical Sergeant Murrey Marder recalled an extra-small Japanese Soldier, his

uniform hung limp like a scarecrow's trappings and he was asked why he surrendered. He said, "My Commanding Officer told us to fight to the last man the prisoner said. "Well, queried the Marine?" A look of wondered innocence spread over the Soldier's face as he declared, "I was the last man." Quick thinking huh?

From the book "Leatherneck Legends" Conversations with the Marine Corps' Old Breed by Dick Camp

FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Once upon a time there was a veteran who never joined any organizations. All his life, he took benefits and entitlements won for him by veterans' service organi-zations. He had ten-point preference, a GI Home Loan, he had gone to school on the GI Bill, veteran employment personnel got him a job, and he was a regular at the local V A Medical Center. But still he refused to join.

On his deathbed he told his wife, "Please do something for me- I want to be buried in a National Cemetery, have a military marker, and I want a veterans' organization to provide an Honor Guard and be my pallbearers." His wife stated, "My dear, you never belonged to any veterans' organizations, why would you want them for pall-bearers?" "Dear," he replied, "they've carried me this far, they might as well carry me the rest of the way!"

The point is this, a person should join and participate in a veteran's organization while they are able and not put it off 'til it is too late.

Sent to me by a good friend GySgt Robert L.

Duncan USMC (Ret) SS Medal Korea H/3/7 Chosin Reservoir 1950

MORE ABOUT OUR EMBLEM
There are three basic elements of the Marine Corps emblem: First, the anchor symbolizes the close ties of the Marine Corps with the United States Navy. Second, the globe symbolizes the "global involvement" of the United States Marine Corps. Finally, the eagle, with it wings spread full, identifies the Marine Corps with the United States. Clutched in its beak is a banner bearing the Marine Corps motto, "Semper Fidelis, Latin for "always faithful."

I JOINED THE CORPS!
I didn't join the military; I joined the Corps By Anthony Camacho. In conversation with people, it inevitably comes up that I am in the Marine Corps Reserve. The person I'm speaking to may tell me he served in uniform also. If he says, "I was also in the military," I take my chances and guess he was in either the Army or the Air Force.

I'm almost always right. Sometimes, you hear that phrase from someone who used to be a sailor, but not very often. But now I hear Marines talk about when they "joined the military." While deployed last year, I read an article about a Marine pilot who had received an award; in the article, she spoke about why she "joined the military."

I didn't join the military. I became a Marine. The thought of joining the military never entered my mind as a young adult, but the goal of becoming a Marine was constantly there. I had offers from the other service branches, but that isn't what I

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wanted to do. I never looked at any bonus money or special schools. I wanted to become a Marine and, since I had thought about it for years, my recruiter didn't have to sell me on anything - I was his recruiting dream come true. I became a Marine for every thing the Corps stands for and then some. I did it because Marines were, and still are, the best our country has to offer; because the pride shown by Marines is second to none when compared to the other branches of the service; because around the world, Marines are respected, revered and held in awe.

I did it because of the camaraderie and the brotherhood of being a member of an exclusive group whose bonds extend well beyond the uniform. In the civilian world, being a Marine has made me some lifelong friends and allowed me opportunities because Marines take care of other Marines. We're family.

I have met former devil dogs who perhaps didn't have an illustrious tour of duty, but the pride in their voices tells me, and everyone else, they were Marines.

This intense bond we share, the title we earn, the pride we have about being the best aren't found in any other branch of the military. When former Marines see my license plates, they give me a shout, a nod, a wave or say "Semper fi" to me. I have yet to witness that from former members of the other branches of the military - I've never heard a "Hooah" or an "Aim high" shared in passing on the street. So, Marines, please remember this: If you had just joined "the military," you wouldn't have earned the title, the pride, the heritage, the history or the legacy that you now carry with you.

I don't know about you, but I didn't join the military. I became a Marine.

The writer is a reserve master sergeant who spent the first four of his 22 years as an active-duty Marine. A civilian police officer, he is the military adviser for a Reserve Naval Mobile Construction Battalion.

SEMPER FI !!
Brian Esker (GySgt retired)

WORDS OF WISDOM
Being a Marine isn't everything...it's the ONLY thing.
Semper Fidelis, Gerald T. Pothier
Capt. USMC (Ret) 1951-1988

"Some people live an entire lifetime and wonder if they have made a difference in the world. Marines don't have that problem."
President Ronald Reagan , 1985

"There are only two kinds of people that understand Marines: Marines and the enemy. Everyone else has a second-hand opinion."
Gen. William Thornson, U.S. Army

"Freedom is not free, but the U.S. Marine Corps will pay most of your share."
-- Ned Dolan

"America is not at war,
The Marine Corps is at war;
America is at the mall."

MEDALS OF HONOR
WW II - 464
KOREAN WAR - 131
VIETNAM - 246

IRAQ - 1 "Land of the Free BECAUSE of the Brave" "All that is necessary for the forces of evil to win in the world is for enough good men to do nothing."
-Edmund Burke

"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things; the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks nothing worth a war, is worse. A man who has nothing which he cares more about than he does about his personal safety is a miserable creature who has no chance at being free, unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." -John Stuart Mill

7TH MARINE REGIMENT
The Marine Regiment originated on 14 August 1917, when it was activated at Philadelphia. It did not see service on the Western Front but was deployed to augment the garrison at Guantanamo Bay. After two years of overseas service, it was deactivated in 1919, but was again mobilized briefly in 1933. Serving on warships off Cuba during a period of internal unrest, it took no part in operations as there were contained by Marine units already on the ground. The regiment once again returned to the United States and was demobilized until 1941.

ASSISTANCE PLEASE!
Looking for anyone that would have known PFC Roger B. Rigney MIA 12/52 - listed as KIA 12/53.If you have any information please contact Michael S. Rigney at 7267 Teaberry St, Englewood, FL 34224 Tel: 941-474-8685.
Email: mrigney@comcast.net

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PLEASE FEEL FREE TO HAVE THEM CONTACT ME,

MY ADDRESS IS MICHAEL S. RIGNEY, 7267 TEABERRY ST. ENGLEWOOD, FL 34224. PHONE: 941-474-8685.

AGAIN THANKS FOR YOUR HELP N THIS EFFORT AND

CONTINUE TO INSURE YOUR WAR IS NOT FORGOTTEN


WHAT IS A VET?

You can tell a vet just by looking.
He is the cop on the beat who spent six months in Saudi Arabia sweating 2 gallons a day making sure the armored personnel carriers didn't run out of fuel.

He is the barroom loudmouth whose frat-boy behavior is outweighed in the cosmic scales by four hours of unparalleled bravery near the 38th Parallel in Korea.

She is the nurse who fought against futility in Da Nang and went to sleep sobbing every night for two solid years.

He is the POW who went away one person and came back another.
He is the drill instructor who has never seen combat, but has saved countless lives by turning lazy no-accounts into Marines and teaching them to watch each other's backs.

He is the parade-riding legionnaire who pins on his ribbons and medals with a prosthetic hand.

He is the white-haired old guy bagging groceries at the supermarket, aggravatingly slow, who helped liberate a Nazi death camp.

A vet is an ordinary and extraordinary human being - someone who offered his life's most vital years in the service of his country. He is a solider and a savior and a sword against the darkness, and nothing more than the finest, greatest testimony on behalf of the finest, greatest nation ever known. We will never be able to repay the debt of gratitude we owe.

REGISTISTRATION FORM
12TH ANNUAL REUNION July 2007
(For Microsoft Word)