Mail
Call Ladies!
Time to get
out the magnifying glass and check out the Network Roster! As you
have seen I have reversed course and have sent the “Runner to all
2/9 Veterans. I came to my senses and realized that there are many
other MARINE “Brothers” who are listed and are looking for their
old buddies. No matter what era we served, we are all “Brothers”
and that’s what this Network is here for.
Reunion
2003
Well, once again
we had one fine reunion. This year we had the largest turnout ever.
We had 103 former 2/9ers sign in the logbook. There were quite a
number of “new” faces here this year. The pizza party went off without
a hitch and every one seemed to enjoy the party. A special thanks
to Kenton Dean, Captain Bob Driver, Jim Murphy, Eugene Long, Ted
Cleckler, Steve Roman, Morton Ford III, Jim Hahn, Captain Pat Pearce,
Robbie Wright, Joe Henebury, Darrell Butler, Joe Murphy, Glenn Siegler,
Mario Silvestrini, Richard Wallis, Ken Moody, Dennis Becton, Robert
Nixon, James Costello, Ron "Bo" Bowen, George Kerr and
Ed Gorman for donating the dollars to make the pizzas happen. Also
want to thank Steve Clemons and Garrette Peck for providing the
cakes for the Marine Corps Birthday. Also want to say Thank You
to my daughter Rickie, to my wife Darnell, to Judy Joyce and Pat
Jackson for all the help they provided selling the 2/9 caps, t-shirts
and other paraphernalia. And for helping get all of the birthday
cake handed out!
A
Special Thanks to Charles “Herc” Salerno
Dear
2/9 Marines,
It is with great
pride I write to the 2/9 community in honor of my father, Charles
Salerno or otherwise known as “Herc.” Charles served in the 2nd
battalion 9th Marines in Vietnam with Fox Company in 66-67 and is
currently a member of the 2/9 network. I’m very proud of his service
to his country and his continued participation in veteran activities.
I am most proud of his patriotic artwork, a piece called “Honoring
& Remembering”. This work is my father’s tribute to his fallen
comrades in the Vietnam conflict. The original hangs in the National
Vietnam Veterans Art Museum in Chicago, IL and has received national
recognition from Vietnam Veterans of America, Colin Powell, Senator
McCain, and other veterans across the country. Being that he is
a 2/9 comrade, I wanted pass along the website I made in his honor
(www.CHARLESSALERNO.com)
The site is a biography of his life, Vietnam experience, and artwork.
It has several pictures of the War: his comrades, battles, letters
to home sketches, etc. Thank you for your time. Semper Fi.
Sincerely,
Mark Salerno
(Proud son of the most patriotic man I know)
For any of you
who visit the 2/9 website Charles painting “Honoring & Remembering”
is the background for the “Our Men On The Wall” Page. Some of the
names on the wall in the background of this piece are of 2/9 fallen
comrades, so it has special meaning. I wish to thank “Herc” for
allowing us to use it on our website.
Thanks Herc,
Semper
Fi Brother
“Red”
Welcome
Home Vietnam Veterans Day
Jose' G. Ramos
To my friends,
fellow Veterans and family. In April of 2000 I began a campaign
to designate a day of remembrance for our Vietnam Veterans who had
returned from the war to a "cold shoulder" reception here
at home in the United States of America. My proposal was to just
designate a WELCOME HOME VIETNAM VETERANS DAY, just one day out
of the year when America could open up it's arms and it's heart
and finally just say to all the Vietnam Veterans in their community
and in their lives; "Welcome home". It was a tall order
to imagine that the President of the United States would consider
or even hear of my proposal. I have been in contact with the Honorable
Congresswoman Linda T. Sanchez and the Honorable Congresswoman Grace
Napolitano both from my area. It was with their help that the possibility
of a WELCOME HOME VIETNAM VETERANS DAY began to see the light of
day and become more of a reality. Now the offices of both Congresswomen
are working with the folks in DC and the White House. The proposal
has been presented to the President of the United States, George
W. Bush. It is hard for me to describe to you how I feel personally
inside for what is evolving with this day of recognition but I also
know the effort is far from over. In the beginning I printed ten
thousand postcards and handed them out over the last two years asking
people to just place a $.27 cent stamp on the postcard and return
them to my PO Box 556 Whittier, CA 90608. The postcards ask President
George W. Bush to support and act on this day for our Vietnam Veterans.
Not too far from now, on May 15, 2004, I will leave Whittier Ca.
and begin my bicycle ride across America. On June 12, 2004, I will
be at the White House to deliver the postcards, letters and all
the proclamations signed by those in Congress and by Mayors all
across America, including my town of Whittier, CA which was the
first in the country to designate January 27 as WELCOME HOME VIETNAM
VETERANS DAY, now other cities such as San Francisco and Los Angeles
CA. have seen the greatness in this cause and have joined the ranks
of those who believe it is time to set an old wrong right. There
will be an update on my website http://WHVVD.ORG
on proclamations, routes, dates, sponsors etc. But for now I need
your help. I need those letters and postcards more than ever. The
office of Congresswoman Linda T. Sanchez say the volume of postcards
and letters will make a difference. I will pay the postage if you
will allow me to send you twenty of my postcards and you will have
twenty folks just send them in. They are already addressed and the
message to the president is also included. The momentum is on and
we just need a little more push from all of you who feel this a
good thing and want to be a part of it. The postcards may be sent
by anyone who cares. We also have our WELCOME HOME VIETNAM VETERANS
DAY buttons for five bucks so you too can show your support for
this day which is way over due. Just visit the website, it will
give you most of the information you need. If you have any questions
please email me at wlcmhmveterans@aol.com
Or call me at 562.696.3965. We have made a lot of progress. Please
send in your letters/postcards and help me to distribute mine. God
bless you and please pray for us who are trying to put this thing
together and for all the Vietnam Veterans who are still waiting
for their "Welcome Home". God bless.
Jose' G. Ramos
Team Coordinator/Founder
welcomehomevietnamveteransday.org
Extremism
in the Marines
Sent by
Lt. Lee Cobb
Platoon Commander, Golf Company 67-68
To
all my fellow extremists, God Bless You and Semper Fi. Now carry
on.
Sara E. Lister,
the Army's top personnel official and, according to Rowan Scarborough
in a recent article in the Washington Times, the Pentagon's most
ardent advocate of women in combat, in a public forum called the
Marines "extremists" and "a little dangerous."
"I think the Army is much more connected to society than the
Marines are," Mrs. Lister told a seminar on October 26, 1997.
"The Marines are extremists. Wherever you have extremists,
you've got some risks of total disconnection with society. And that's
a little dangerous."
Commandant of the Marine Corps, General Charles Krulak, fired back.
"Assistant Secretary of the Army Sara Lister has been quoted
as characterizing the Marine Corps as 'extremists,'" Gen. Krulak
said. "Such a depiction would summarily dismiss 222 years of
sacrifice and dedication to the nation. It would dishonor the hundreds
of thousands of Marines whose blood has been shed in the name of
freedom. "Citizens from all walks of life have donned the Marine
Corps uniform," continued the Commandant, " and gone to
war to defend this nation, never to return. Honor, courage and commitment
are not extreme." I have to assume that Ms. Lister includes
all Marines who have ever worn the "... checkerboard fancy
uniforms and stuff..." that she mocked in her speech. If she
does, and clearly that was her intent, I have to address her remarks,
and then make a few of my own.
Are Marines
'extremists'? Dr. Daniel W. Polland, a former Corpsman in the 1st
Battalion, 9th Marines and now a physician in Colorado said this
at a recent gathering of veterans: "O Lord, we have long known
that prayer should include confession. Therefore on behalf of the
Marines... I confess their sins: * Lord, they're just not in step
with today's society; * They are unreasonable in clinging to old-fashioned
ideas like patriotism, duty, honor, and country; * They hold radical
ideas believing that they are their brother's keeper and responsible
for the Marine on their flank; * They have been seen standing when
colors pass, singing the National Anthem at ball games, and drinking
toasts to fallen comrades; * Not only that, they have been observed
standing tall, taking charge and wearing their hair unfashionably
short; * They have taken John Kennedy's words too seriously and
are overly concerned with what they can do for their country instead
of what this country can do for them; * They take the Pledge of
Allegiance to heart and believe that their oath is to be honored;
* Forgive them, Lord, for being stubborn men and women who hold
fast to such old-fashioned values; * After all, what more can you
expect? They're Marines! 0 Lord our God, bless our misguided ideals,
continue to raise up in this nation strong leaders and deliver us
from "me first" managers and "don't ask me"
followers. Be our honored guest this day. Let it be a day of laughter,
good food, good drink, and the telling of tall tales and legends
that occasionally exceed the truth. Watch over and keep safe those
who wear this nation's uniform with special attention to their families
everywhere."
And a former
Air Force officer, Vietnam veteran and fighter pilot, Toby Hughes
of San Antonio, said, in response to Ms. Lister's ill-thought remarks,
"... I never knew many Marines who were only a "little"
dangerous. Most of them seem to be a LOT dangerous. That, I think,
is the idea."
Are Marines
as 'extremist' as Ms. Lister would have us believe? * We believe
we are Marines up until the day we die, at which time we become
dead Marines; * We believe in the Marine Corps, God, country, Mom,
apple pie (or enchiladas, in my case), and often in that order (and
only a half-hearted apology to those who believe that God comes
first!); * We believe that Marines draw the Guard duty in Heaven,
because the Marines' Hymn says so; * We believe the Marine Corps
Guidebook to be the finest book ever written; * We believe in the
three B's: Bullets, Beans, and Band-Aids; * We believe the Marine
Corps is bound by honor, guided by the past, and driven by tradition;
* We believe that Marines in service today are our direct descendants;
* We believe that Lewis 'Chesty' Puller was the greatest American
who ever lived, with former Commandant Al Gray a close second, and
former Secretary of the Navy (and the most decorated Marine of the
Vietnam War) James Webb coming in third; * We believe that Duty
is a Right; * We believe that Service to our country is a God-given
opportunity; * We believe only two types of people exist: Marines,
and everybody else; which is what probably gives you, Ms. Lister,
all of your sleepless nights; * We believe that Patriotism is Duty,
not to be taken lightly; * We believe in the Brotherhood of Marines;
* We believe that the blood shed by our brothers who went before
us gave us Life; * We believe that the Marines in service today
are the finest Marines who have ever served, even as... * We believe
the 1st Marine Division wrote the most glorious chapter in the history
of American arms at the Chosin Reservoir in Korea in 1950; * We
believe in Honor, Duty, Service, Patriotism, the United States of
America, and the United States Marine Corps; * We believe in the
Freedom of the American citizen, and have proved it, tens of thousands
of times.
Are United States
Marines 'extremists'? Yes, Ms. Lister, we are: * We are extreme
in our pride. * We are extreme, even insufferable, in our Brotherhood.
* We are extreme in our devotion to duty, to service, to country,
to you. If we are, at times, ill-served, ill-equipped, ill-fed,
ill-housed, we have never completely been without air support (Thanks,
Toby, Air Force and Marine pilots and Naval aviators), without naval
support (Thanks, all you sailors), without medevacs (both Marine
and Army), without gunship support (Marine and Army), without the
undying belief in ourselves and each other.
The Chief of
Naval Operations would never be called a Sailor. The General of
the Army would never be called a Soldier. The Chief of Staff of
the Air Force would never be called an Airman. The Commandant of
the Marine Corps is damned proud to be called a Marine.
I admit: I am
old and gray, and I no longer move as fast as once I did. My active
duty service is long behind me, but the memory of those Marines
with whom I served is as fresh today as it was yesterday or 30 years
ago. And my recollection of their devotion to duty serves me now,
just as it did then, so long ago in Vietnam. We will always be 'extreme.'
We know no other way to live, to serve, to pay back our country
for what we have and for what we have earned. And what we have earned,
Ms. Lister, is a title. A name. A right. What we have earned is,
I believe, something which you will never understand, nor do you,
I believe, want to. What we have earned you can never take from
us. Dr. Pollard said it best, and I can only add: We have earned,
by the service and blood of our brothers, the right to be known
as United States Marines.
Command
Chronologies
If you want
Command Chronologies and After Action Reports for 2/9 write to the
following address:
Department of
the Navy, Headquarters United States Marine Corps, Historical Center,
1254 Charles Morris Street, SE, Washington Navy Yard, DC 20374-5040
They will send
you a CD with all the unit records and actions.
Replacing
Lost Medals
You can replace
lost service medals by filling out a standard Form 180 (request
Pertaining to Military Records). You can request via a copy of the
form by visiting their web site at http://www.nara.gov/regional/mpr.html.
If you are using the mail send to: Navy Liaison Office, National
Personnel Records Center, Room 3475/ N-314, 9700 Page Blvd., St.
Louis, MO 63132-5100. Whether using the internet or by mail you
need to send proof that you received these medals. Providing a copy
of your DD 214 will satisfy that requirement. Also include your
full name, DOB, Service Number, Social Security Number, approximate
dates of service and your return address.
Personnel
Rosters
If you are looking
for the names of the men that you served with you can request that
info’ by writing the DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY, Headquarters USMC,
Personnel Management Support Branch, 2008 Elliot Rd., Quantico,
VA 22134-5030.
Just write that you are looking for men that you served with and
give them the time frame and unit you served with.
You might also be able to request copies of the Unit Diaries at
this place.
Circumstances
of Death
If you are looking
for information on how a “Brother” or loved one died you can request
the circumstances of the death from:
NATIONAL PERSONNEL
RECORDS CENTER
MILITARY
PERSONNEL RECORDS
9700 PAGE
AVENUE
ST. LOUIS,
MO 63132-5100
Include service
number if you know it or at the least all of the info’ surrounding
this event.
2/9
Accessories
Wanted to let
you know that there are 2/9 caps, t-shirts, pins and patches available.
Caps are $15 T-Shirts are M-XL $15, XXL $17, Lapel/hat pins $5,
Patch (3” ) $7. All prices include shipping costs. Make checks payable
to Richard “Red” Hill.
2/9
Web-Site
www.2ndbattalion9thmarines.org
If you haven’t
been to the website lately I have added a new message board that
allows the capability of uploading pictures to your messages. You
can change font colors, add “smileys,” place direct links to e-mail
addresses or websites. It is an upgrade to the former message board.
When you go there you will need to re-register. The message board
has helped a lot of 2/9ers find some of the men who served with
them and were on the same ops.’ It can be real interesting read.
Change
of Address!
I just want
to drop a note that if you happen to move in the near future please
think of the 2/9 Network and a change of address. When I get a return
from the post office it runs 92¢. Last mail-out there were
over 100+ returns. If you have a computer just send me an e-mail.
I am the “Contact the Battalion Scribe” on the 2/9 website.
Reunion
Planned For Golf Company 1968-69
Glen Cornelius,
Tel: 314-576-5418 or E-mail (glen4@swbell.net)
and Jim Horn, Tel: 405-372-3515, or E-mail (jmhorn03@swbell.net)
are organizing a reunion for former Golf Company Brothers to be
held on or about April 21st, 2004. All interested parties please
get in touch.
Network
2004 Reunion
If you want
to get an early jump on next Novembers reunion, which will be held
as usual, same place, same time (Nov 9-11th)
Telephone 1-800-424-1501. Group Number is #2560. Room Rates are
$75 for single, double, triple.
These
Folks Keep The Network Going!
At this time
I want to thank Jim Chase, John & Wanda Carson, Lloyd E. Moore,
Lindsey J. Suddarth, Jay Langford, Joseph Stine, Eugene Long, Charles
Mahone, Bob Forsee, Tom Callum, Ted Licitra, Col. Gaven Sarvinski,
David Wray, Dennis Voge, Melvin Clements, Col. William Kent, Bernie
Truschka, Ed Gorman, Glenn Siegler, Col. Jerry Diffee, Joe Mannino,
Cecil "Buck" Buxton, Jim Horn, Richard Ambose, William
Jones, Watson Burton, George Kinnaman, Ralph Martinez, William Negrelli,
Lewis J. Weber, Mario Silvestrini, Jim Sadler, Bill Edwards, David
Torrel, Warren Atkinson, Dennis Becton, Tom Reasch, Jack Foster,
G. Byron Norman, Van Olson, Jim Duncan, Paul Bell, Robert Bennett,
Kenton Dean, Jack Smith, Alvin Baldree, Jim Beaman, Ted Licitra,
Jim Murphy, Chuck Smith, Robert Arboneaux, Eugene Long, Glenn Elvey,
Ted Cleckler, Everado Reyes, Gary Diehl, Raymond John, Bill Henderson,
Timothy Forbes, Craig "Swanny" Swanson, Walter Wood, Harvey
Barnum, Robert Green, Andrew Wiemann, Steve Roman, Andy Puttagio,
Jack Swallows, Robert Mumper, Col. Bob Modjeski, Morton Ford III,
Lee Cobb, Capt. William Whorton, Tim DeWolf, Jim Hahn, Capt. Pat
Pearce, John Moseley, Ken Tomlinson, James Rogers, Col. Tom Richards,
Tom Van Winkle, David Byrne, Geoffrey Steiner, Robbie Wright, Wayne
Willison, Kevin Jewers, Bruce "Doc" Collison, Charles
Cooper, Mike Schramm, Garrette Peck Tom Spencer, Dave Petree, James
and Pat Jackson, Joe Henebury, Dave & RuthAnne Bigler, Henry
Lopez, Gerald Hornick, Gary Griffis, Joe Murphy, Col. John Peeler,
LTCOL. Mike Bresnan, Ronald Wecht, Kenny Blankenship, Ray Nieto,
Robert Nixon, Phil Franklin, Mike Fitch, Robert Barclay, Ron "Bo"
Bowen, Tom Nicholas, Darrell Butler, Chaplain Bill Childers, Walter
Richter, Kathy Upchurch, John Goulart and all the folks who made
donations at the reunion. Without the help from Marines and family
like yourselves I could not possibly keep this going. YOU are the
support behind the 2/9 Network and I thank You all very much!
Since the last
Battalion Runner, The Network has picked up 122 new men. One pre-Vietnam
era, 99 Vietnam era and 22 post-Vietnam era Brothers. I am really
proud that this Network is out here to serve you. Once again let
me say “Welcome Aboard.” I do hope that I have helped to link you
up with some old friends that you have lost contact with over the
years.
As I stated
earlier I had tried to “tweak” what I have been doing by saying
in the last newsletter that I was just going to correspond with
Vietnam Era Veterans. And then I then I said “What the hell am I
doing!” In 1984 when I started looking for my guys in Echo Company
I found a whole lot of other 2/9ers that were looking for their
guys. And in 2004 there are 2/9ers still looking. They search the
internet and stumble upon the 2/9 Network. Yesterday there was another
“Member Addition”. I put the 2/9 Network out there and as the “House
Mouse” I have a responsibility to all of us no matter what year
we served. We are all linked to one another in this fraternity.
So as long as I am able I will keep this Network alive and serve
all that served with 2/9.
The Network
has been going strong now for 20 years. Who’d a thunk it! And it’s
you that has made it all happen. A tremendous “OOORAH” goes out
to all of you for making it what it is today. Thanks so much for
your support and words of encouragement.
So as usual,
if you can contribute anything to the Network it would be greatly
appreciated. As I mentioned we have picked up another 122 “Brothers”
since the last “Runner” and it’s your donations that keep this Network
up and running.
If you do decide
to make a contribution, once again, please make checks payable to
Richard “Red” Hill. The bank no longer takes checks payable to the
2/9 Network. If you are uncomfortable with this I fully understand.
If I’ve left
out anything I apologize. I have a lot of “Senior” moments. And
again, if you have anything you want to include in the “Runner”
get in touch. If you are planning a reunion let me know. How better
to get the word out to over 1600 Brothers.
Wishing you
all the best in the coming year.
Semper Fidelis
“Red”
Echo Company
3rd Platoon
3rd Squad
68-69
