Military Times articles:
Military Times articles:
Note: Cpl Meyers was 3/3, but TAD to an ETT at the time of the action.
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Vol 1
Issue 21
05/01/2011
MEDAL OF HONOR
Recommendation
Cpl DAKOTA L. MEYERS
From left to right: GySgt Aaron Kenefick, 1stLt Michael Johnson, Cpl Dakota Meyer, HM3 James Layton.
GET ON BOARD!
3/3 Reunion BRANSON MO
Jul 30 (Early bird) - Aug 5, 2012
120 S Wildwood Drive, Branson, MO 65616
Reservations: 1-888-566-5290
(or 417-335-5767)
(hotel link will be available online around 8/1/2011)
Be sure to provide group code: 3/3 RVN
Rooms:
$104/nite STD or
$139/nite Leisure Suite
$179 Presidential Suite
(all rooms + taxes)
Mail in your Reunion Registration/Activity forms
(will be mailed out to you in Aug-Sep 2011)
REUNION PLANNING:
We need to know the following:
1. Will you be staying at the Radisson?
2. Will you attend the Banquet?
3. How many in your group, including yourself?
We are chartering the Branson Belle show boat for our banquet … The approximate all-inclusive cost of $85-$95 includes the bus ride to the Branson Belle dinner, program, and a full stage show (not just the meal). Please respond ASAP.
(Note: This is for planning only and does not register you for the reunion.)
350 have already committed, as of this date. Don’t be left out. Share a ride, share a room … contact your old comrades and grow your group. First timers give me a call if you have any questions.
See ya next year!
Grandpa’s Post Op Report:
Recently I ran across an ad selling this document. I had to have it, and ordered it at $19.95 plus shipping. It is my Grandfather’s post op report on a plastic surgery prior to being fitted for an artificial hand, after being WIA in France in WWI. I queried the dealer about the source of this Record and for any others they might have.
Correspondence follows:
Doc,
Thank you for your purchase. I am so happy to know that this piece of history is in the hands of family. I apologize for not responding sooner, I thought my husband answered you and he thought I did. We purchased about 400 of these clinicals from a military dealer who got them from the estate of the Doctor who signed the documents. They most likely were his copies. As far as we know the hospital where the soldiers were treated was in the Midwest and were all signed by the same Dr. We do not have any other paperwork concerning your Grandfather. If we can answer any other questions please don't hesitate to contact us.
Kind Regards, Jill
Jill,
Thanks a million! Your info resolves some questions. Some clues therein to Grandpa's experiences (ordeals) have surfaced.
Grandpa “Hop” (Clarence Whatman Hopkins) lived a full life, as a farmer. He learned to play the violin, one handed mind you, and played with a band every Friday night at local Community Hall dance in Woodward OK for many, many years. He taught me how to drive in his 1954 Plymouth and later gave me a ‘55 Desoto which I drove until I went into the Navy. Grandpa had a 160 acre farm 7 miles South of town ... where I was raised, until we relocated to SW KS. Grandpa also had homesteaded a farm in Ft. Collins CO back in the 20's.
I returned to the farm in OK for my Sr. year of school and one year of college (before receiving my draft notice in Jan 1966 whereupon I enlisted in the Navy).
By that time Grandpa's health was deteriorating. He lived until 1969 and died during my tour in Vietnam. I learned of his death when I returned from R&R in Tokyo in September.
He and I were the only combat vets in our family, and we always had a special bond (in retrospect). Grandpa was always a bit evasive about his combat time ... which I finally understand, having "walked the walk". Details of his tour were difficult for him to converse about.
I remember how well he was respected by all who knew him ... a very special person.
By the time I rotated home from Vietnam, having completed my enlistment, there were no articles of his memorabilia remaining. All I've had were memories (but fine ones at that). Now I have a special part of his military service and sacrifice. Kewl!!! Even now, 4 decades later, I greatly miss him, particularly his calm demeanor, and determination.
Thanks again. Doc Hoppy
TOOLS EXPLAINED
DRILL PRESS: A tall upright machine useful for suddenly snatching flat metal bar stock out of your hands so that it smacks you in the chest and flings your beer across the room, denting the freshly-painted project which you had carefully set in the corner where nothing could get to it.
WIRE WHEEL: Cleans paint off bolts and then throws them somewhere under the workbench with the speed of light . Also removes fingerprints and hard-earned calluses from fingers in about the time it takes you to say, 'Oh sh--!'
SKILL SAW: A portable cutting tool used to make studs too short.
PLIERS: Used to round off bolt heads. Sometimes used in the creation of blood-blisters.
BELT SANDER: An electric sanding tool commonly used to convert minor touch-up jobs into major refinishing jobs.
HACKSAW: One of a family of cutting tools built on the Ouija board principle... It transforms human energy into a crooked, unpredictable motion, and the more you attempt to influence its course, the more dismal your future becomes.
VISE-GRIPS: Generally used after pliers to completely round off bolt heads. If nothing else is available, they can also be used to transfer intense welding heat to the palm of your hand.
OXYACETYLENE TORCH: Used almost entirely for lighting various flammable objects in your shop on fire. Also handy for igniting the grease inside the wheel hub out of which you want to remove a bearing race.
TABLE SAW: A large stationary power tool commonly used to launch wood projectiles for testing wall integrity.
HYDRAULIC FLOOR JACK: Used for lowering an automobile to the ground after you have installed your new brake shoes , trapping the jack handle firmly under the bumper..
BAND SAW: A large stationary power saw primarily used by most shops to cut good aluminum sheet into smaller pieces that more easily fit into the trash can after you cut on the inside of the line instead of the outside edge.
TWO-TON ENGINE HOIST: A tool for testing the maximum tensile strength of everything you forgot to disconnect.
PHILLIPS SCREWDRIVER: Normally used to stab the vacuum seals under lids or for opening old-style paper-and-tin oil cans and splashing oil on your shirt; but can also be used, as the name implies, to strip out Phillips screw heads.
STRAIGHT SCREWDRIVER: A tool for opening paint cans. Sometimes used to convert common slotted screws into non-removable screws and butchering your palms.
PRY BAR: A tool used to crumple the metal surrounding that clip or bracket you needed to remove in order to replace a 50 cent part.
HOSE CUTTER: A tool used to make hoses too short.
HAMMER: Originally employed as a weapon of war, the hammer
nowadays is used as a kind of divining rod to locate the most
expensive parts adjacent the object we are trying to hit.
UTILITY KNIFE: Used to open and slice through the contents of
cardboard cartons delivered to your front door; works particularly
well on contents such as seats, vinyl records, liquids in plastic
bottles, collector magazines, refund checks, and rubber or
plastic parts. Especially useful for slicing work clothes, but only
while in use.
SON-OF-A-BITCH TOOL: (A personal favorite!!) Any handy tool that
you grab and throw across the garage while yelling 'Son of a BITCH!' at the top of your lungs. It is also, most often, be the next tool that you will need.
Thanks to Paw Anderson
“Close call?”
This is the transcript of an alleged radio conversation of a U. S. naval ship with Canadian authorities off the coast of Newfoundland in October, 1995. Radio conversation [purportedly] released by the Chief of Naval Operations on 10-10-95 was subsequently denied by the U.S. navy.
Americans: "Please divert your course 15 degrees to the North to avoid a collision."
Canadians: "Recommend you divert YOUR course 15 degrees to the South to avoid a collision."
Americans: "This is the Captain of a US Navy ship. I say again, DIVERT YOUR course."
Canadians: "No. I say again, you divert YOUR course."
Americans: "This is the aircraft carrier USS Lincoln, the second largest ship in the United States Atlantic Fleet. We are accompanied by three destroyers, three cruisers, and numerous support vessels. I demand that you change your course 15 degrees north...that's one-five-degrees North, or counter-measures will be undertaken to ensure the safety of this ship."
Canadians: "This is a lighthouse. Your call."
Third Battalion, Third Marines Memorial Foundation
This is your chance to help create a permanent memorial on the grounds of the National Museum of the Marine Corps to honor all members of America’s Battalion, the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines who have served in the battalion in all eras. This memorial will honor the deeds of past, present and future members of the unit in which we so proudly served. Memorials of this type are expensive, ours may cost as much as $250,000 and we have a lot of work to do to raise that amount. If we work together, just as we learned to do in the Marine Corps, we should be able to accomplish this mission. I am asking you each to make a small sacrifice in pursuit of our goal and pledge a certain amount to be paid over the next two years.Let’s look at what it will cost you in comparative terms.
A $1,000 pledge to be paid over the next two years is the approximately the equivalent of the cost of: Four cigarettes per day or One beer, soft drink or bottle of water per day.
A $500 pledge is the approximate equivalent of the cost of: Two cigarettes per day or Five beers, soft drinks or bottles of water per week.A $250 pledge is the approximate equivalent of the cost of : One cigarette per day or Two and ½ beers, soft drinks or bottle of water per week.A $100 pledge is the approximate equivalent of the cost of: 1/2 cigarette per day or 1 beer, soft drink or bottle of water per week. ALL CONTRIBUTIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE
Doc Hoppy is creating a page of an Honor Roll on http://www.33usmc.com to recognize those who have supported this important project. Donors will be listed in a level commensurate with how much they support Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum. A credit card payment method is being set up on the Memorial Fund pages.
LCpl Jake W. Suter 05/29/2010 Lima 3/3
05/29/2010 Lima 3/3Sgt Joe L. Wrightsman 07/18/2010 Kilo 3/3
07/18/2010 Kilo 3/3 2dLt Scott J. Fleming 09/17/2010 Kilo 3/3
09/17/2010 Kilo 3/3
2010 Reunion Books still available $10 each incl. postage
Thanks for the memories
