President’s Corner:

Ok troops, listen up! The reunion is approaching quickly. I’ll fill you in on what we know so far….

First and foremost, if you haven’t made your reservations yet, MAKE THEM NOW! The main reunion hotel, the Town & Country, filled up immediately. No one I know got reservations there. Rooms are still available at the T&C’s "rollover" hotel, the QUALITY RESORT (800-362-7871). The Quality Resort is giving a discount room rate also, so be sure to say you’re with the 1st Marine Division Association. As we understand it, the Quality Resort is about 1/4 mile from the Town & Country.

Next, thanks go to my wife, Sherry, for managing to finagle a hospitality suite for us – it was shaky there for awhile. The hospitality suite will be at the Quality Resort hotel (NOT the Town & Country). Instead of a meeting room, it’s a two-section suite. One section is a living room and kitchen, the other section a large bedroom. The hotel has been very accommodating and will remove all the bedroom furniture and replace it with meeting tables and chairs. That should make for enough room for everyone. The other advantage of this type of "hospitality suite" is that we can bring in our own food and drinks for the kitchen, which is not permitted in a meeting room.

Early this week, I spoke with several MCRD and Camp Pendleton officers about 2/5 getting a tour of both. Your 1st Marine Division Association magazine advertises a bus trip to both, but this will be a completely separate trip just for 2/5. Today I will spend much time in the "land of military faxing", but the officers I spoke to were very helpful and enthusiastic, so my feeling at this point is that we will be able to arrange the visit with no problems. Tentatively, we’re looking at visiting MCRD on Thursday and Pendleton on Friday.

Sherry tells me that some of the ladies might prefer to go shopping those days rather than hanging around a military base (can you imagine?) San Diego has several great shopping areas, according to Sherry, especially Seaport Village, a large, beautiful outdoor shopping area like none other, right on the water.

San Diego is a beautiful city with many, many sites and convenient transportation, often by trolley car, to almost everywhere. Its also a city of many parks, one side of the city faces the bay, one side faces the ocean. During a simple walk along a park lane, one can see many ships in port, as well as plenty of other ocean and bay sights.

One of the most famous and enjoyable areas of Sand Diego is called "Old Town". Old Town is the original portion of San Diego, now refurbished and a center of bustling activity. We are planning a trip to Old Town on Saturday, after our G2/5 meeting, for those who would like to go. Saturday night is the 1st MarDiv banquet and dance, so for those who are going to attend the banquet, there will be plenty of time to visit Old Town and return for the banquet. For those not planning to attend the banquet, there are lots of great restaurants and lively entertainment in Old Town in the evenings. Seaport Village is also bustling at night, with restaurants, entertainment, horse-drawn carriages, etc. San Diego is a city like no other…even we Californians never get tired of it!

The best thing you can do at this point, if you already have your reservations, is to keep an eye on the 2/5’s website (http://www.2ndbn5thmarines.com). I’ll be posting any new information as soon as I get it. If you have any questions or need info, contact me at TomH47@aol.com, Tom Hohmann, POBox 3007, Riverside, CA 92519, or at home days or evenings, 909-682-6830.

Semper Fi,

Tom Hohmann

G 2/5 68-69

A word from the Sec/Treas.:

I would like to thank all of you that have sent your dues in and to remind those that haven't to please do so. This is your Association and we need your support.

The trip to the USS Hue City in Feb. was a great experience for all that attended. I encourage everyone who hasn't made one of the Memorial Services to attend. It is a very enjoyable and moving experience. It is also one of the few opportunities you will have to see a Modern War Ship up close and personal. The Officers and Crew really lay out the red carpet to the vets.

Next on my agenda is our reunion in San Diego in August 9 - 13 of this year. I would appreciate it if everyone is going would contact either Tom or myself know as soon as your plans are made. We are trying to setup trips for G 2/5 Marines and need to have some sort of numbers and will be doing something special for Association members again. Also if anyone still has connections with Camp Pendleton or 2/5, please contact Tom or myself as it might facilitate setting things up. Also get your reservations early as the hotel is filling up fast.

Lance Machamer – FQBandG@aol.com

Hue City Memorial Service / Golf 2/5 After Action Report—by Barney Barnes

Fellow Marines,

Barney (Barnes) & Lester (Tully) here reporting on the events (non-events as well) that occurred at the Hue City Memorial Weekend, Feb 4 - 6, 2000. On Friday, a few of us started arriving in Jacksonville. ("Ok Lester, I'll type it like you sent it to me, Bro!") Barney Barnes, without Mona, Dennis Studenny without Terry, Rich Durrum, without Lisa... What, are these guys ashamed of their lovely wives or what?? Think it's called lack of $ ...anyway from what I can gather, our wives know just how important these events are for us and are willing to sacrifice to make sure we get to attend. " THANK YOU " ladies!! Actually, Stu and I were just lucky enough to arrive on Friday Night. (After sitting on the Tulsa Air Strip for almost a 2Hr. delay and then missing our flight connection in St. Louis to Jacksonville... we have decided that TWA does not stand for Trans World Airlines at all, nope we think it actually means Tulsa's Worst Airlines! ) We got to the " HAPPY HOUR " at Bogey's by about 7:00, after nearly causing Stu a heart attack with my driving. Hey, it's Florida, it's Daytona Speed Week and I was born in Hueytown, Ala. - also the home of Bobby, Donnie, and the late Davey Allison - it's in my blood!!

Arriving at Bogey's, the first person we run into is Marion Baggs and his always lovely and gracious wife, Shirlene. It was a thrill seeing him. I had no idea that he would be there because of his recent bout with cancer and subsequent radiation treatments. Lance and Nancy Machamer were sitting at a table with Jack and Cindy Fields. Jack’s brother, sister-in-law and niece were also there. (Jack was the only one to play golf and brave the elements!!) I soon spotted our very own " SKIPPER " , Col. Meadows. (Sir you will always be my skipper, first and foremost!) He was unattached as well, seeing that he had to leave Missy back in Bainbridge Island, WA. to pull " GUARD DUTY " on their new home. Buck Dyer and his wife, Kim were also in attendance. But the two people that I really wanted to see there were Rich Durrum and the Elusive Scott " GARLAND " Troupe, both long, long lost but certainly not forgotten troopers from way back. I recognized Rich right off the bat, he had sent me a previous photo, but I sat one table over from Scott, Vickie, and their two fine looking boys and had just no earthly idea who he was. This omission on my part was remedied later that night back at the hotel when I found out what room they were staying in and paid my good buddy, "GAR," as I called him back in the Nam a visit. Just seeing him and Rich alive and well after all these years was worth every penny it cost for me to get there.

After talking to Scott for a good while, I returned to the Hotel's watering Hole, The Outback Pub to check in on Stu, Lance, Skipper, and Rich and to also see if by chance, Bill Rogers had shown up since he was supposed to meet us their that afternoon. Upon entering the bar, I was greeted by Stu, who introduced me to this lady who was looking for a Navy Corpsman, by the name of Bruce Gant from Echo Co. This lady a absolute stranger up until then, began pouring this story out as to how her brother was killed in Hue City and that Doc Gant was there and tried gallantly to save him. I politely told the lady that I indeed new of Doc Gant and that I would go get him and ask him to come down to the bar. She told me that she had corresponded with him and now wanted to meet him in person. Within minutes I had contacted Bruce and he came down to the bar. What followed was a very, very emotional meeting between her and Bruce, and the start of some closure for this family after many, many years. Thanks go out to Skipper as well for coming over and handling a lot of the tough questions that were asked during this time. But still no Lt. Rogers...

Saturday morning came quickly. Ahhhhh, beautiful sunny Florida. While the weather channel showed Tulsa as being cloudy, and cold, the low twenties, we awakened to bright sunshine and temperatures in the thirties!! Again, Jack Fields and family were the only ones to brave the elements and play golf. Soon Dick and Mary Lahan arrived and were soon joined by Lester and Cheryl Tully. I went and got Rich Durrum and told him LT was here and to just follow me out to the parking lot and see if Lester would recognize him. You see, it was Rich who introduced Lester and Cheryl way, way back when in DC when he, Lester, Scott Garland, and Alan Wilks were all stationed together before participating in the " Southeast Asia War Games " of 67-68. Of course Lester had no idea. Cheryl did and after a few moments, Rich reintroduced himself to Lester. It was now time for the picnic and still no Lt. Rogers...

It was bitterly cold at the picnic but the ship’s crew fed us great as usual. I hooked up with Joe and Kathy Snead in the chow line, and we proceeded to shiver, reminisce, shiver, talk about our other love, NASCAR, shiver, shiver, shiver!! Did I mention it was C O L D!!! (You guys who have never experienced a winter in Wisconsin or Iowa—don’t know bitterly cold-the ed.) We decided to take a tour of the ship and our escort / tour guide was a young sailor in his mid twenties who had been in for 8 years. His MOS was computers and he was gonna do ten and get out because of the lucrative pay in civilian life. He was extremely courteous, had a great knowledge of and about the ship and answered most every question that we asked of him. Upon leaving the ship, I noticed that "THE FLAG" yes, that Hotel Co. flag, that is displayed in a glass case. Well, the case was dingy and full of handprints. Joe and I searched the ship over, but could come up with no glass cleaner so. . .sorry, Hotel guys, you know we would have had that case sparkling if we could have found some cleaner! We soon parted company, it was around 1600 hrs, and since Joe and Kathy, who live in nearby Yulee, Florida, had some previous engagement to attend, agreed to meet back at the ship on Sunday. I returned to the hotel and went over to the Outback to check in with the guys. Lester, Rich, and I played pool while the others partook of their favorite beverage. Tony "LIMEY" Cartlidge made a brief appearance that afternoon. Turns out that he has moved up to where LT and Cheryl live near Woodville, Florida. He is still very active in both the Florida and also National Viet Nam Veterans Affairs. We were soon joined at the pool table by Dick Lahan, seems he made the same mistake as I did with Scott Garland. He didn't know or recognize Scott either and Scott had to leave before Dick had the chance to reintroduce himself. Still no Lt. Rogers . . .

Saturday evening we made our customary visit to a great seafood place "SINGELETONS" for supper.( That’s right guys in the SOUTH we have DINNER at 12 noon and SUPPER is any time after 5:00 PM. ) We made reservations, but the place was packed and Rich Durrum and myself sat away from the group. Lester said that at the main table, Dick Lahan and Mary held a seminar on the English Language and " Mountain Oysters. "Rich and I shared a table with this couple from New York who was enlisted during Hue but ended up being a Mustanger. It was his first reunion since Nam. I asked him if it was worth it, and he replied, " Yes ten times over! " Which I think is the general consensus of all who make that first reunion. Stu opted to sit at the bar rather than eat and struck up a conversation with a Navy Admiral who, just happened to be the neighbor of General Peter Pace. Stu brought him back to our tables and introduced all of us to him. After supper, we returned to the Outback for more liquid refreshment, attempts at pool, much, much reminiscing, etc, etc, etc. Lester says that since we can't shoot pool we ought to stick to drinkin'!!! Still no Lt. Rogers. . .

Sunday dawned sunny and bright, and much, much warmer. It was a beautiful day for such a special memorial service. I do believe this was maybe the biggest as far as attendance goes. The Skipper made a very emotional and moving speech, then unveiled and presented the painting to the ship. Even though their is no one identifiable in the painting, believe me, or as LT says, " Lordy Mercy, it is soooooo real!! " There is a part of each and every one of us in that painting. I think we all owe Lance and Nancy a big "THANK YOU" for such a wonderful tribute and a lasting memorial to their wonderful and loving son, Jason. I don't believe after the Skipper's speech that there was many a dry eye on deck. Gen. Downs followed as the guest speaker, but for me, as well as many of us I do believe, that painting was the focal point. Honestly, I can't tell you what Gen. Downs said...I was lost, deeply lost in the painting! I had just about regained my composure when the band struck up our Hymn, and the tears rolled again.

The ceremony was followed by food and drink in the WardRoom, where the painting will hang I think. Met the ships new Captain, Capt. Knouse who announced that next year, we will board ship, cruise down to Ft. Lauderdale, spend the night in a hotel, have the Memorial Service aboard ship as usual and then sail back to Jacksonville. Really something to look forward to!!

Well that’s about it. Oh, remember back in the first of this report when I mentioned "NEAR EVENTS", well Lt. Rogers did show up two days late but he made an appearance. Another "NEAR EVENT" was that LT and I spent a good 20 minutes talking to a reporter from the Jacksonville paper before the service. He asked and we answered at least 20-25 questions... I get home, go on line, and check out the article. It was all about Hotel and that Flag... should have known!!!

That’s it for now. Hope to see all y'all in San Diego. It was real, real nice having two of our brothers show up for the first time. Thanks Rich and Scott!! Help spread the word, these reunions are G R E A T!!!

Semper Fi....Barney & LT

Photos of the reunion are included in this issue—the editor.

FORMATIONS:

Reunion—San Diego, CA August 9 – 13, 2000

Lest We Forget. . .!

G/Sgt. Lawrence G. Bargaheiser KIA 9/6/68

L/Cpl Guido Farinaro KIA 7/30/68

L/Cpl. George E. Partin KIA 8/14/67

A few words from the editor:

Since becoming the new editor of the newsletter, I’ve received several e-mail messages from some G 2/5 vets and family members relative to the status of some of our brothers. The article that follows provides some information about some vets we’ve lost and the health status of others and I’ve titled this article "In our thoughts and prayers. . ."

In our thoughts and prayers. . .

• Lt. Marion Baggs (my former 3^rd platoon commander in 1968 at An Hoa) is suffering from cancer that has now spread to his liver. He is undergoing treatment and was admitted to the hospital recently but has been released and is now home. The treatments are taking a toll as well and the family asks that you remember him in your prayers. Also, the family is pleased to receive your words of encouragement from those of you that have his e-mail address. However, the family also asks that the members refrain from forwarding on any of the jokes passed on by some of the members.
• The following was passed on to me from L. Machamer: Hello, my name is Cheryl McCormick, my husband, LCPL Kenneth D. McCormick is currently a member of your organization. I am writing to inform you that my husband passed away on 13 Dec 1999. I would very much appreciate if you can tell me if Ken had any type of insurance or special type of services he may of participated in through your organization. I am in the process of filing claims through the VA. I’m not sure if your organization has any type of special services for widows, but I would appreciate any information you can give me.

Sit Reps

Vet Newsbriefs:

• A follow-up from George Haught on the Toys for Tots Campaign he headed this past Christmas in Beaver County (near Pittsburgh) PA – "To give you some final figures from our toys for tots program for 1999 we passed out 3500 toys to close to 1100 children. Our figures didn't get to be as big as I had anticipated this year but I know that is going to change next year with the publicity that we got from this campaign and the word of mouth through the various social agencies out there."

Hope the toe healed up—a word of advice, you might want to give up pogo sticks! The Editor.

• Dennis Studenny advises: If any of our guys are interested I have the address and the Gov't forms needed to either get or replace the medals they are entitled to. I could bring them to the reunion or forwarded them to you. Advise those interested that it takes approx. 8-10 months to get them. Or, they can contact the local VA service rep and he can cover it.
• I heard from Joe Scoccola recently who has been living in Italy for many years now. He will be visiting his brother who still lives in Cleveland toward the end of May. In addition to visiting his brother Joe will also attend the graduation of his two daughters in Louisville, Kentucky who will receive their college degree. His son will graduate in December. Of course he is bursting with pride at the accomplishment of his children and expressed disappointment that he will not be able to make the San Diego reunion in August.

We’ll miss you, Joey, but we’ll drink a toast in your honor—the editor.

Veterans Benefits

In the last newsletter, I published some information relative to dividends we may be entitled to on the GI insurance we had while in the service. I hadn’t checked the accuracy of the information I was passing on because it sounded very legitimate to me. After I mailed out the newsletter, I received a call from a brother Marine in Alaska who had worked for the VA and from George Haught who were both familiar with this erroneous information being passed along for some time now.

I wrote a letter to the Veteran’s center in Philadelphia to inquire as to whether there is any truth to this information about dividends. I sent the letter in early February and have finally recently received the following response:

"A false and misleading rumor sweeping the nation is plaguing us at the Department of Veterans Affairs and leading thousands of veterans such as you to write us requesting dividends on insurance that you may have had in force while on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Congress did not pass any new law giving veterans a dividend based on the amount of months their insurance was in force while on active duty. The information you received regarding such a dividend is a hoax.

Also false is the rumor that individuals who are currently serving or who served in the military after 1965 are or were insured under the SGLI (Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance) program are entitled to a refund. There have never been any dividends, rebates or refunds due to surplus funds in the SGLI program.

You can help us to eliminate these rumors by passing this information along to any of your friends or to any veterans’ group to which you belong.

Thank you, Department of Veterans Affairs"

Apologies if any of you wasted your time responding to this-—the editor.

In Praise of Marines. . .!

I received the following via an e-mail from a retired Navy Captain and a former co-worker. He passed on the following message to me that he had received from a retired former Navy Rear Admiral, Ron Wilgenbusch.

"I would be fibbing if I told you I joined the Navy with some feeling of higher values such as "serving my country." It might have been there somewhere but not in the forefront of my mind for sure. I joined because it was 1956, we had just gone through Korea and many of the people I worked for in part time jobs while in high school had been in that war and I did not relish what I heard. I did not want to be drafted into the Army. It seemed like there had to be a better way. I did not want to sleep in a foxhole. I wanted clean sheets even if I might have to swim for it one night. The Navy was the right choice for me. I was 17 and that is what I could see at that time.

Now all that being said, it was only after I was in the Navy for several years and after having had the opportunity to help out Marines with comm problems in Danang and other SouthEast Asian vacation spots, and after having a company of Marines attached to my command in Rota, Spain that I really came to realize that Marines are not the same as soldiers, sailors, and airmen and thank God for that. There are so many little things that make up the composite of what a Marine is that it is not possible to adequately describe it in a sentence or in a book. I can tell you what Marines are not, they are not dumb ground pounders -- some of the smartest people I ever met were/are Marines. They are not casual about what they are -- even years after leaving active service, a former Marine will choose to relate to his/her Marine identity before all else. Why is that? Because we all want to be part of something bigger and better than ourselves. Because being part of something bigger and better we become bigger and better in our own eyes where the most important critic in our life lives. That is why sailors in good units can be very proud of themselves and their ship/squadron or unit. As we make being a sailor or soldier or airman, "easier," we take away the reason why a young person would want to be a part of that organization. Quality of life items are important, in their place, but we cannot substitute QOL for the basic requirements for pride, discipline, unit integrity and most important, military professionalism, i.e. knowing your war-fighting skill like your own ability to tie your shoe strings.

I suspect that any high school student can quickly understand that Marines emphasize pride, discipline, unit integrity and military professionalism. After that it becomes an easy choice. Nonetheless, I am proud I enlisted in the U. S. Navy and would do it all over again."

Ron Wilgenbusch

RADM, USN (Ret)

Comment: When I first received this e-mail, I thought it was some kind of a joke because this retired navy captain friend of mine is quite a prankster. He swore it was legit and gave me Radm. Wilgenbusch’s e-mail address. I e-mailed him and asked him what prompted him to write this (as you don't often [if ever] hear any of the other branches of the service say anything complementary about Marines).

His reply. . ."Why did I write the letter? Because I sincerely believe what I wrote and I have always been impressed by the dedication and focus of Marines. That's it."

Rear Admiral Ron Wilgenbusch retired from active duty in October, 1991 after 31 years service including extensive experience in the operation, research, development, acquisition and life cycle support of Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence systems.

He very eloquently captured what we firmly believe.

A Big Semper Fi to Radm Wilgenbusch—The editor

Golf 2/5 Website Addresses

Sign on at http://members.aol.com/gco25/index.html. Also visit http://www.2ndbn5thmarines/golfco

Association Officers:

President

Tom Hohmann

P.O. Box 3007

Riverside, CA 92519-3007

H (909)683-7251

E-Mail: Tomh47@aol.com

Vice President

Jack Field

9906 West 107 Place

Westminster, CO 80021

H (303)465-6294

Secretary/Treasurer

Lance K. Machamer

8550 E. Turney Ave.

Scottsdale, AZ 85251

H (480)947-7883

E-Mail: FQBandG@aol.com

Ops. Chief

Mike Averill

424 Water Street

Celebration, FL 34747

H (407)566-9318

E-Mail: dana.averill@celebration.fl.us

Editor

Larry S. Ortiz

7064 Scripps Crescent

Goleta, CA 93117

H (805)685-4221

E-Mail: LSOrtiz123@aol.com

Photos From Hue City Memoria – Mayport, Florida

L to R: Richard Durrum, Barney Barnes & Lester Tully

Hue City Painting Commissioned by Lance Machamer

Artist: Austin Deuel

L to R: Mary Lahan, Lance Machamer & Dick Lahan

L to R: Lester Tully, Tony "Limey" Cartlidge & Chuck Meadows

G 2/5ers at Hue City Memorial

L to R: Joe Snead, Dennis Studenny, Richard Durrum, Barney Barnes, Chuck Meadows and Lester Tully

Golf 2/5 Association Membership Form: (New Members Only)

Name_____________________________________________________AKA_________________________________________

Address________________________________________________________________________________________________

City_____________________________________________________State_______________________Zip________________

Home Phone( )_____________Work Phone( )______________E-Mail Address________________________________

Years Served_____________________Platoon/Squad___________________________MOS___________________________

Optional: Wounded / Date_____________________________________Location____________________________________

Dues: $25.00 first year; $10.00 per year thereafter. If you are on 50% or more disability, just send $10.00 first year and $10.00 per year thereafter. If these amounts are a financial hardship, contact Lance. We want everyone to be a part of the Association.

Mail New Membership Forms to: G 2/5 Association, c/o Lance K. Machamer, 8550 E. Turney Ave., Scottsdale, AZ 85251