In this monthly issue of the Breech Block in the Book Review piece you will find a review of "LOON: A Marine Story" by Jack McLean. With this book he presents the reader with what - to some - would be described "A remarkable odyssey". Says he, "Kids like me didn't go to Vietnam." But, a significant number of young Marines that I served with in Vietnam could tell a story very similar to Jack's. They joined the Marine Corps for any number of reasons. One of them was that they were faced with being drafted and either signed up prior to the notice to report or as their choice of service as an alternative to serving in the Army. Few of the troopers I was privileged to serve with were "cut out to be Marines." They became Marines with the help of Marine Corps Drill Instructors to be graduated from Boot Camp and thus wear the title of Unites States Marine.

I do not wish to minimize "LOON" by any means. But I firmly believe that McLean's story is like one that could be told by thousands of Marines who served in the Vietnam War. From the rather inauspicious and tentative signing up, through Marine Boot Camp, to preparing for war, landing in Danang, movement to combat, facing the enemy, and, finally, the return to a largely divided country often facing criticism for serving. The value of what I see that McLean gives us is the confidence that our personal stories - many mirror images of his - should be told.

The Foundation is compiling the personal stories of Marine Tankers and Ontos Crewmen with the goal of developing a book that will present the stories of dozens - maybe hundreds - of "Jack McLean's". Some did not experience the "LZ Loon's" during the time(s) they served in Vietnam but have equally as exciting, unique, and interesting personal stories to tell.

I had the privilege of interviewing two Vietnam  Marine Tankers in early November. LtCols Ev Tunget  and Phil Weigand were Captain Tank Company Commanders during the war. Their oral interviews, taken in person, will be edited to fit and fleshed out with details long-forgotten but captured in the Tank Battalions' Command Chronologies, and find their way for later publications of this Breech Block, and/or our web site, and our "Book One" being compiled at this time.

The Foundation's Board of Directors is prepared to take your oral interview over the phone or - if geography is favorable - in person. Just contact me and we will take it from there.

Ray Stewart

President

• Ray,

Here are two news photos of NVA Tanks that someone sent me.

Semper Fidelis

Belmo (Belmessieri)

• Belmo - Thanx much for the photos. They're apparently hard to find.

On an other subject: Would you have time or the desire to do some grunt research for the Foundation book we're working on?

Semper Fidelis,

Ray

• Greetings Sir,

Sorry Ray, I have a lot on my plate right now: Commandant Marine Corps League Detachment # 10, Vice President Marine Coordinating Council of No. Calif; Committee member Ave of the Flags Golden Gate National Cemetery, Executive Board Young Men's Institute Council # 32, and I am also coordinating an effort to assist in the improvement of the California State Department of Veterans' Affairs Cemetery in Yountville Ca. and if I have agreed to accept an appointment to the Board of Directors of the USMCVTA. If I had been contacted about 2 months ago I would have been more than happy to work with you.

Just an FYI I got the photos from Bert Travel, the former TC of Bleeding Eyes, A Co; 3rd Tanks (67 - 69). Bert retired as a 1st SGT. he and his wife live close by.

Semper Fidelis

Belmo (Belmessieri) 

Platinum Plus

Chuck Garrison

LtCol Bill Lochridge, USMC (Ret)**

Joe Martinez

LtCol Phil Weigand, USMC (Ret)

Platinum  

Peter Brush*
Dick Carey* 

Darrell and Jeni Cox   

Federal Way, WA 98023

                                                                                 Thank you!

IRS Tax EIN 91-2111544 

"There's been some question of including historical material that doesn't apply directly to Tank or Ontos units. Our response has been to remind the Track Community that we were almost never employed on "our own."That is, we were attached to or in direct support of the Grunts. Most often any Tank or Ontos action was reported on the Grunts' Command Chronology and not by the Tank Battalions' Command Chronology. So, for archive work its the Infantry records that are the most complete. Additionally, unit awards were given to the infantry units and to their supporting units. So, for example, if you were attached to 3/7 when it was awarded an NUC or a PUC, you would probably qualify. If you were on the float with SLF "B" which was awarded RVN Gallantry Cross for 21-24 Dec '67 action, you'd rate that award. And, one more point - often we never knew or may have forgotten - the Infantry unit we were attached to and seeing names, places, and dates may jog memories."

Marine Corps Operations and Significant Events for Decembers

Note: If you can recall your month(s) of December in Vietnam, please write to us and tell us your story. Were you on the float w/SLF "B"? Attended a Bob Hope USO Show? Sat down for a traditional turkey dinner on Christmas Day? Broke open a cold can of "Ham and M/Fs?" Had a beer (or 2) to welcome in the New Year?

13 Dec, 1967 - BLT 3/26 ordered to reinforce Khe Sanh

15 Dec, 1968 - 3/7 commenced search and destroy in Operation Citrus

20 Dec, 1965 - Operation Harvest Moon ended for Task Force Delta (2/7, 3/3, 2/1) More than 400 VC KIA

21 Dec, 1967 - SLF "B" awarded RVN Gallantry Cross for the 21-24 action

Prairie I/Deckhouse IV: 3 Aug 66 - 31 Jan 67 - 182 Days - 13 Bns

1st MarDiv operation in the Con Thien/Gio Linh areas of the DMZ

VC/NVA KIA 1,397 - US KIA 215

Scotland: 1 Nov 67 - 31 Mar 68 - 152 Days - 8 Bns

3d MarDiv operation in westernmost area of Quang Tri Province, centered in the Khe Sanh area

VC/NVA LIA 1,561 - US KIA 204

Scotland II: 15 Apr 68 - 28 Feb 69 - 320 Days - 17 Bns 

1st MarDiv operation centered on the Khe Sanh area of Quang Tri Province

VC/NVA KIA 3,311 - US KIA 435

Henderson Hill: 24 Oct 67 - 3 Dec 68 - 44 Days - 3 Bns

3d MarDiv search and clear operation in north-central Quang Nam Province

VC/NVA KIA 700 - US KIA 5 

Meade River*: 20 Nov 68 - 31 Jan 69 - 73 Days - 8 Bns

1st MarDiv operation in "Dodge City" area of Quang Nam Province

VC/NVA KIA 84 - US KIA 107

*December 7, 1968 - March 9, 1969 - The 1st Marine Division Task Force Yankee conducted Operation Taylor Common in Base Area 112 southwest of Da Nang, accounting for extensive North Vietnamese casualties. Significance: Incorporating mobile helicopter and firebase tactics used by the 3rd Marine Division, the 1st Marine Division entered the North Vietnamese base areas, destroying much of the enemy main force logistics buildup and clearing the 2nd NVA Division elements which had taken refuge there.

Thursday, December 23, 1965

JOHN F ASHMAN, LCpl, Age 21 

Scranton, PA 

Saturday, December 10, 1966

DOUGLAS J MILLER, Sgt, Age 20

East Lansing, MI

Tuesday, December 20, 1966

JAY PAUL, Cpl, Age 23

Philadelphia, PA

Thursday, December 22, 1966

ROBERT C BOYD, Pfc, Age 20 

Newark, CA

Monday, December 18, 1967

JAMES H BUSH JR, Pfc, Age 19 

Guyton, GA

Friday, December 22, 1967

CLARENCE W OBIE III, LCpl, Age 20 

Staunton, VA

Thursday, December 4, 1969

DAVID C SCHOENEWALD, HN, Age 21 

Phoenix, AZ

Monday, December 29, 1969

LAWRENCE A LUCIANI, LCpl, Age 19 

Kenosha, WI

PEABODY, Mass.-- Peter Devereaux didn't even know men could get breast cancer.  So when his doctor called to give him the news, Devereaux thought he had called him by mistake.

"I said, 'Doc, it's Peter Devereaux,'" he said, thinking his doctor would apologize and hang up. He didn't, and within days Devereaux was back at the hospital, getting a bone scan and chest X-ray to see how far the cancer had spread within his body.  

A Peabody native and North Andover resident, Devereaux, 50, was diagnosed with stage 3B invasive ductal carcinoma in January 2008. For the past 41/2 years, he has been battling the disease, which doctors discovered had spread to his hips, ribs and spine in 2009.

He is one of 82 men who have been diagnosed with male breast cancer believed to have been caused by water contamination at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

"It's the largest cluster ever recorded," Devereaux said.

Devereaux signed up for the Marines after graduating from Peabody High School in 1980. He served until December 1984, and in that time spent 16 months at Camp Lejeune.

"On average, you're 19 years old in the service, you work out like crazy, you work hard, you're drinking water by the quarts," he said. "None of us knew about the contaminated water."

In 2008, Devereaux said he received a letter telling him he may have come in contact with contaminated water. By then, however, he had already found a lump in his chest.

After his diagnosis, Devereaux underwent a mastectomy followed by numerous rounds of chemotherapy and radiation. Doctors removed 22 cancerous lymph nodes. "It makes you appreciate a lot of things in a hurry," he said.

In 2009, after he began experiencing shooting pain up his spine, doctors discovered that his cancer had metastasized. He's still fighting, currently undergoing chemotherapy to beat the cancer.

We have contracted with the Crowne Plaza Hotel on the River Walk for a $99 per night room rate.

This room rate will includes breakfast for 2 and free daily self-parking.

We will also get a 20% discount on food and drinks (not alcoholic drinks) in the hotel restaurants and bars.

We will be allowed this same room rate for three days prior and three days after the reunion if you want to spend more time in the city.

Call the hotel at 1-888-623-2800 after 10/1/12 but before 10/1/13 to make room reservations.

Our hospitality room (that we call "The Slop Shute") will be the same size as the one that we had in San Diego in 2011.

There will be lots to do while we are visiting this San Antonio. We are formulating activity plans that will be announce as they are completed.

Please mark your calendars and start saving your money to meet and  greet with your brothers in arms.

We encourage you to bring your wives or your girl friends and as many of your family members as you want to attend.

FRANK D. STRUCK -  Lakeville, IN 

Frank was born November 9, 1951, to the late Stanley and Freda (née Paulus) Struck in South Bend, Indiana. On July 8, 1972, he married the former Miss Sharon Rose in South Bend. Surviving are his wife, Sharon Struck of Lakeville; his brothers, Edward Louis Struck and Noel Frederick (Janice) Struck; and his sisters, Joanne Carole (Ronald) Crawford and Judith Kay Rutkowski. Also surviving are several nieces and nephews, Rhonda Owens, James Rutkowski, John Rutkowski, Julie Rutkowski-Lawson, Eric Struck, Holly Magyar, Ashley Struck, Neely Struck, Jacob Struck and Alisson Struck. 

Frank served honorably in the United States Marine Corps from 1970-1974, where he was a tank commander for the 1st Marine Division. He graduated Cum Laude from Indiana State University with a B.S. in Safety Management in 1982, and was employed first as an engineering consultant for AETNA Insurance and Casualty, and then later as an elevator and amusement ride inspector for the State of Indiana. He loved riding his Harley, and was a lifetime member of Vietnam Veterans of America - St. Joseph County Chapter #1027. Frank, in his youth, was also an Eagle Scout, where he obtained the Order of the Arrow.