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Dear Marine,
A major event in the lives of many Vietnam Tankers and Ontos Crewmen is the every-two-years USMC Vietnam Tankers Association Reunion. This year it was held in San Diego, 17-21 August. For me the Association reunions are an opportunity for both personal enjoyment i.e., gathering together the young Tankers I took to Vietnam and who so loyally supported a brand new Mustang 2nd Lt and professional - meeting with the members of both the Association's and our Foundation's Board of Directors. The reunions also provide the Foundation an opportunity to collect oral interviews, the program which is managed by Jim Raasch, and provide updated and new input to the Map Chronology Program managed by Pappy Reynolds.
Slightly disappointing were the missing Foundation Board members and some of the many Ontos Crewmen with who I've been in contact during the past few years. Foundation Board Member, "Doc" Forsyth is steadily improving from his near-fatal motor cycle accident a few months ago. Dick Carey - founder of the Association - had planned to attend but health issues meant a last-minute decision to take a miss. Former Ontos Crewman, and the Foundation's newest Board of Director's Member, Rick Walters, was present to represent the Ontos Community.
Also present at the Association reunion was Dr. Oscar "Ed" Gilbert who is collecting personal stories for an article on Marine Tanks and Ontos participation in Vietnam amphibious operations - Deck House, Dagger Thrust, Operation Starlite, and others. Ed has written a number of articles and books about Marine Tankers and, as understand it, is thinking about writing about Ontos Crewmen's actions in Vietnam.
During the reunion I had the opportunity to meet many - unfortunately, not all - who have so generously contributed to the success of the Foundation - both financially and with in-kind donations of books, documents, pictures, oral history summary report writing, and as interviewees and interviewers.
Thank you and Semper Fidelis.
LtCol Ray Stewart, USMC (Ret)
Please note: The Association's web site has encountered some difficulties. Most of the pictures and articles gathered over the years have been "lost". The Foundation has "found" many of them and they are now posted on the Foundation's web site. I would ask that, to insure your articles and pictures get published, you send a copy of your articles and pictures - especially those of the VTA Reunion to Pappy Reynolds - the Foundation's Web Master - for publication. Thanks a Lot. |
Camp Lejeune Water Toxin Registry |
The Marine Corps encourages all those who lived or worked at Camp Lejeune between 1957 and 1987 to register to receive notifications regarding Camp Lejeune Historic Drinking Water.
The VA gave service-connection for this exposure starting in 2010.
Click on this link to register: https://clnr.hqi.usmc.mil/clwater/ |
"Watch Me!" By David "Doc" Forsyth
Corpsman, 1st Tanks Bn. |
| Doc Forsyth |
"Watch me!" I said, after pausing to take a long slug from what I remember to be an unforgettable bottle of . . . oh what was it, I forget, Scotch I think. Anyway, I was explaining to the sergeant sitting across from me, crossed legged on a sand bag, that if we were to get hit at that very moment I could easily outperform him because he was certainly ...
Read more... |
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REYNALDO SALINE FERNANDEZ,
CORPORAL, USMC
ODESSA, TEXAS
AWARDS AND DECORATIONS Bronze Star w/Combat 'V,' Purple Heart,
National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal
BIOGRAPHY
Reynaldo was drafted into the U. S. Marine Corps from Odessa, Texas in 1966. He did his boot camp training at the Marine Corps Recruit Training Depot at San Diego, California and ITR at Camp Pendleton, California in infantry and then did further training as tank crewman at 29 Palms, California. His unit mobilized to Okinawa and he further trained in the Ontos. In August 1966, his unit went to Vietnam.
In Vietnam, he was assigned to C Company, 3rd Antitank Battalion, 3rd Marine Division. He was assigned as a "Ontos" tank crewman. The Ontos was a tracked vehicle with six 106mm Recoilless Rifles mounted and had a three man crew. On May 19, 1967, he was the gunner/commander of a tank. His company was participating in "Operation Hickory." His unit was operating with an infantry company when his tank hit an anti-tank mine. He was killed and there were seven marines wounded in the event. He was awarded a posthumous bronze star and purple heart.
He is buried in the Golden Gate National Cemetery, San Bruno, California. |
Donors: Thank you for your support. |
Platinum
Mike 'Boris' Bolenbaugh, 3d Tanks ~ (2011)
Peter Brush* ~ (2011) Dick Carey, 3d Tanks* ~ (2011)
Kyle Decicco-Carey* ~ (2011) David 'Doc' Forsyth, 1st Tanks* ~ (2011)
Chuck Garrison, 1st Tanks ~ (2011)
LtCol Will Lochridge, USMC (ret), 1st Tanks ~ (2011)
Jim Raasch, 5th Tanks** ~ (2011)
Pappy Reynolds, 3d Tanks* ~ (2011)
LtCol Ray Stewart, USMC (ret), 1st Tanks** ~ (2011)
Guy Wolfenberger, 3d Tanks ~ (2011+)
Martha Zaragoza~ (2011) GoldSid Ferguson, 1st Tanks ~ (2011)
Gene 'Doc' Hackemack, 1st Tanks ~ (2011)
Garry Hall, 3d Tanks ~ (2011)
LtCol Frank Slovik USMC (ret), 3dTanks ~ (2011)
Silver Danny Farrell, 1st Tanks ~ (2011)
Garry Hall, 3d Tanks ~ (2011)
Louis Najfus, 3d Anti-Tanks ~ (2011)
Larry Parshall*, 3d Tanks ~ (2011)
Michael 'Doc' Pipkin*, 3rd Tanks ~ (2011)
Bronze Rick Oswood, 3d Tanks ~ (2011)
Jerry Wahl, 3d Tanks ~ (2011)
Note: A special "Thank you" to Michael "Boris" Bolenbaugh for his most generous donation of M48A3 Tank manuals and otherpublications that he sent to the Foundation Library. Should any member wish to know specifics on the M48A3, or its components, please write.
Ontos Crewmen in possession of Ontos manuals who wish to donate them to the Foundation Library, we would be most proud to archive them.
+Additional Donation
*In-Kind Services
**In-Kind & Monetary
~ Donations received after 28 March will appear in the May issue. |
Your continued support is appreciated. Please send your Donation to: |
MCVTHF, 707 S.W. 350th Ct., Ste. #1
Federal Way, WA 98023 Thank you! |
Vietnam War Flashbacks |
THE VIETNAM WALL
Carved on these walls is "The Story of America", of a continuing quest to preserve both democracy and decency, and to protect a national treasure that we call "The American Dream."
Something to think about: Most of the surviving parents of the dead are now deceased themselves.
There are 58,267 names now listed on that polished black wall including those added in 2010.
The names are arranged in the order in which they were taken from us by date and within each date the names are alphabetized. It is hard to believe it is 36 years since the last casualties.
The first known casualty was Richard B. Fitzgibbon, of North Weymouth, Mass., listed by the U.S. Department of Defense as having been killed on June 8, 1956. His name is listed on the Wall with that of his son, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Richard B. Fitzgibbon III, who was killed on Sept. 7, 1965.
There are three sets of fathers and sons on the Wall. 39,996 on the Wall were just 22 or younger. The largest age group, 8,283 were just 19 years old 33,103 were 18 years old. 12 soldiers on the Wall were 17 years old. 5 soldiers on the Wall were 16 years old. One soldier, PFC Dan Bullock was 15 years old. 997 soldiers were killed on their first day in Vietnam. 1,448 soldiers were killed on their last scheduled day in Vietnam. 31 sets of brothers are on the Wall. Thirty one sets of parents lost two of their sons. 54 soldiers on the Wall attended ThomasEdisonHigh School in Philadelphia. Wonder why so many from one school? 8 Women are on the Wall -- nursing the wounded.
Two hundred and forty-four (244) soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War; 153 of them are on the Wall. Beallsville, Ohio with a population of 475 lost 6 of her sons. West Virginia had the highest casualty rate per capita in the nation.
There are 711 West Virginians on the Wall. The Marines of Morenci - They led some of the scrappiest high school football and basketball teams that the little Arizona copper town of
Morenci (pop. 5,058) had ever known and cheered. They enjoyed roaring beer busts. In quieter moments, they rode horses along the Coronado Trail, stalked deer in the ApacheNational Forest And in the patriotic camaraderie typical of Morenci's mining families, the nine graduates of Morenci High enlisted as a group in the Marine Corps. Their service began on Independence Day, 1966. Only 3 returned home. The Buddies of Midvale - LeRoy Tafoya, Jimmy Martinez, Tom Gonzales were all boyhood friends and lived on three consecutive streets in Midvale, Utah on Fifth, Sixth and Seventh avenues. They lived only a few yards apart. They played ball at the adjacent sandlot ball field. And they all went to Vietnam . In a span of 16 dark days in late 1967, all three would be killed. LeRoy was killed on Wednesday, Nov. 22, the fourth anniversary of John F. Kennedy's assassination. Jimmy died less than 24 hours later on Thanksgiving Day. Tom was shot dead assaulting the enemy on Dec. 7, Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.
The most casualty deaths for a single day was on January 31, 1968 ~ 245 deaths. The most casualty deaths for a single month was May 1968 ~ 2,415 casualties were incurred. For many Americans who read this they will only see the numbers that the Vietnam War created. To those of us who survived the war, and to the families of those who did not, we see the faces, we feel the pain that these numbers created. We are, until we too pass away, haunted with these numbers, because they were our friends, fathers, husbands, wives, sons, and daughters.
Marine Corps Ops
Macon |
4 Jul-27 Oct 66 116 days 3 Bns |
1 MarDiv operation for the An Hoa industrial complex in QuangNamProvince |
VC/NVA KIA 507 US KIA 23 |
Prairie I/Deckhouse IV |
3 Aug 66-31 Jan 67 182 days 13 Bns |
1 MarDiv operation in the Con Thien/Gio Linh areas of the DMZ |
VC/NVA KIA 1,397 US KIA 215 |
Kingfisher |
16 Jul-31 Oct 67 108 days 9 Bns |
3 MarDiv operation in the DMZ |
VC/NVA KIA 1,117 US KIA 340 |
Swift |
4-15 Sep 67 12 days 3 Bns |
1 MarDiv operation in Quang Nam and QuangTinProvinces |
VC/NVA KIA 517 US KIA 127 |
Lancaster II |
21 Jan-23 Nov 68 308 days 12 Bns |
3 MarDiv search-and-clear operation |
VC/NVA KIA 1,801 US KIA 352 |
Houston |
26 Feb-12 Sep 68 200 days 9 Bns |
1 MarDiv operation in border region of Thua Thien and QuangNamProvinces |
VC/NVA KIA 702 US KIA 117 |
Napoleon/Saline |
29 Feb-12 Sep 68 285 days 16 Bns |
1 MarDiv operation along CuaVietRiver in QuangTriProvince |
VC/NVA KIA 3,495 US KIA 353 |
Mameluke Thrust |
18 May-23 Oct 68 159 days 7 Bns |
1 MarDiv operation in central QuangNamProvince |
VC/NVA KIA 2,728 US KIA 270 |
IdahoCanyon |
21 Jul-25 Sep 69 77 days 5 Bns |
1 MarDiv/101st Airborne operation west of TamKy in QuangTinProvince |
VC/NVA KIA 565 US KIA 78 |
PipestoneCanyon |
26 May - 7 Nov 69 166 days 6 Bns |
1 MarDiv operation in QuangNamProvince centered approximately 13 kms west of Hoi An |
VC/NVA KIA 488 US KIA 54 |
ImperialLake |
31 Aug 70 - 12 May 71 255 days 4 Bns |
1st MarDiv operation in QuangNamProvince | ___________________________________________________________
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No More Agent Orange Claims! |
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Book Review |
By LtCol Ray Stewart, USMC (Ret)
Peter Brush has completed his documentary "USMC Tanks and Ontos at Khe Sanh". It is a master piece and will soon be published on the Foundation's website and finally, as a chapter in the Foundation's planned publication "Marine Tanks & Ontos in Vietnam". My efforts are now focused into paring down Peter's 7,500+ word piece to around 2,500 words for publication in the monthly Leatherneck Magazine. Col Walt Ford, USMC (Ret.) of the Leatherneck opines that, while it will be a challenge to "take this down to article size, but if you can and you have photos/map, go for it. It's a good subject." We've been so "challenged" before and we'll make the cut again this time. Look for the article in an upcoming Leatherneck and the full documentary to follow closely thereafter on our Foundation Web site. |
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Mustang Officers Association Tampa, FL. Sheraton Sand Key Resort. September 29 - October 2, 2011. More Information
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USMC ONTOS REUNION ~ May 2013, Details to Follow. |
OBITS |
BALTIMORE, MD - Clay Dell "Skip" Edmonds
Clay Dell "Skip" Edmonds, a retired mechanic who served in Vietnam with the Marine Corps, died Feb. 4 of Agent Orange-related leukemia at his Woodbine home. He was 63.
Mr. Edmonds was born in Baltimore and raised in Lansdowne. He attended Woodlawn High School.
He was assigned as a tank mechanic to an infantry unit in Vietnam.
"He volunteered for three tours of duty during the Vietnam War," said a daughter, Taryn Wilson of Bel Air.
Mr. Edmonds was discharged from the Marine Corps in 1977 and remained an active reservist until 1994.
Mr. Edmonds owned gas stations in Woodlawn and Catonsville, and was a self-employed mechanic in Woodbine until retiring in 2000 because of post-traumatic stress disorder and other service-connected disabilities, family members said.
"He loved three things: auto mechanics, wooden boats and the Marine Corps," his wife said.
Also surviving is a son, Thomas Edmonds of Baltimore; another daughter, Kathleen Prince of Baltimore; his stepfather and stepmother, Frank C. Falise and Patricia Falise of Woodbine; a brother, James Falise of Westminster; two sisters, Angie Falise of Pasadena and Mary Kay Falise of Arnold; a stepson, John Walters of Taneytown; a stepdaughter, Wendy Bizzari of Westminster; and 12 grandchildren. |
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THE BREECH BLOCK |
Publisher
Marine Corps
Vietnam Tankers Historical Foundation
Staff
President & Editor
LtCol Raymond A. Stewart USMC (ret.)
Contact:
usmcvthf@comcast.net
Archivist in Residence
Kyle Decicco-Carey
Harvard University
BA in History, MLIS
Author in Residence
Dr. Oscar "Ed" Gilbert
Historian in Residence
Peter Brush
Vanderbilt University
BA and MA in History
Marketing & Production
Richard 'Dick' Carey
Contact:
mcvthf@gmail.com
Web Master
Lloyd 'Pappy' Reynolds
www.mcvthf.org
Contact:
bravo3rd@earthlink.net
____________________
Board of Directors
LtCol Raymond A. Stewart
USMC (ret.)
President
Open
Vice President
James Raasch
Secretary
Oral Historian
Richard 'Dick' Carey
Treasurer
Public Relations/Marketing
Richard Tilden
Recruiter
LtGen Martin R. Steele
USMC (ret.)
Director
Robert 'Mike' Flick
Director
David 'Doc' Forsyth Director
Dr. Ken Estes, LtCol
USMC (ret.)
Director
Rick Walters
Director
MGySgt Donald R. Gagnon
USMC (ret.)
Director Emeritus
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In Memory Lance Corporal Robert Hugh Gage
1st Marine Division
1st Tank Battalion
1st Anti-Tank
MIA/POW
03 July 1966
PP/ Staff Sergeant 30 September 1974 ____________________
Disclaimer: "Marines" and the Eagle, Globe and Anchor are trademarks of the U.S. Marine Corps, used with permission. Neither the U.S. Marine Corps nor any other component of the Department of Defense has approved, endorsed or authorized this newsletter. |
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