Bob Polakowski continues doing some research on a location for our next reunion and has tentatively selected The Cross Road Inn at Quantico.  This location is also close to the National Museum of the Marine Corps.

He will be in contact with a WWII Marine, who is handling arrangements for his own squadron, to get more information regarding administrative matters.  He has been told that a two bedroom goes for $59.00.  Another advantage of the location is that there is a lot to see without having to do much traveling.

It would be appreciated if members would let me know if they are interested in attending so that we would could discuss the logistic matters with The Cross Road Inn.  A response prior to 31 October would be appreciated so that plans, arrangements etc. could be started.

NOTES FROM MEMBERS

R.L. Marx sends his best to all.  He said that everything is going well with them in Sioux City.  He did receive some bad medical news from his Doctor.  The Doctor told him that he was going to live past 100 years.

R L said that possibly he himself is sick in the head though because he got on his tractor and mowed ten acres around his condo.  This has become an annual habit of his for the past many years.  He had been in Arizona for three weeks in July waiting for another grandchild and it was a boy.

The temperature in Arizona was 117 degrees in Arizona so he was really glad to get back home to a colder climate of 95 degrees.

Received a letter from South Australia.  Ned and Betty Carmichael send their best to all.  They are both well, but find the days too short for their efforts.  They are fully occupied in Christian Ministry particularly since Ned is filling in for the Pastor who hasn't been well for the past three months.

Weather is also a factor in Australia and at the time of his writing they were in the middle of a very dry winter, when it should be wet.  The residents feel that it is the worst drought in the nation's history, except for the tropical fringe along the north coast. All are praying for rain.

Ned's remaining three children and their families will be joining he and Betty in Hawaii in November for a two week reunion.  They had one before in Hawaii in 1993.  Since the children live from Rhode Island to California to Hawaii it isn't too easy to get all together at one time.

We received a picture of Robert Shock which will be part of this letter. 

There are three people in the picture, Robert Shock is in the center, Robert's son-in-law, a Vietnam era Marine, is on the right and a Colonel friend of Shock's son-in-lawis to the left.

We received some pictures of Stan Inman which he had forwarded to the Veterans History Project via the Google, Network procedure.  There were 42 pages of Stan's Marine Corps memories, which included Parris Island, the Hawaiian Islands, Kwajalein Island, various islands in the Pacific, and ships of all sizes both tactical and Merchant Marine types and VMB 613 personnel and squadron area.

Mary Jane Lewis sent along her regards to all.  She mentioned the collapsed bridge in their area and hoped that no family members were involved in it.  She finally received a call from family members that all was OK.

She also mentioned various activities that have been keeping her occupied which included a trip to the Boston area to attend a convention.

John Peterson called and said hello and regards to all.  He said that they were in the process of getting ready to attend a family wedding and that all members of the family were very active.  One of his grandsons is the quarterback of his football team and he has made some very important scheduling decisions so that he too will be able to make the event.

John brought up the name of George W. Julian and asked if I remembered it to which I said yes.  In fact I told him that when I was living in New Jersey I passed a ship wrecking yard while on the way to NAS Floyd Bennett Field one Saturday and there was the George W. Julian being “field stripped”. 

He also mentioned that when we tied up at the Naval Docks at Pearl Harbor some one was able to commandeer a Jeep and they located his sister who was a Navy Nurse at one of the local Naval Hospitals and they brought her to the pier to visit with John.  He was able to get off the ship to visit with her but he couldn't make it off the pier.

 His recall of getting off the George W. Julian brought my memory into play.  One day I went to Sick Call and told Waxie Prankard that I had an impacted tooth problem.  He ran an inspection and said that I indeed had a problem and that I would have to go to the Dental Clinic up at the Island Hospital for treatment.  He had Doc Scott review the matter and he agreed.  Waxie had Doc signed the request for Dental Assistance at the Island Hospital, sign a release form so that he and I could get off the George W. Julian, another set of forms so that we could leave the pier and then signed a transportation form so that we could drive our assigned government vehicle to the Base Hospital.

Where Waxie got the Jeep I never knew but it was parked on the Pier near the G.W. Julian and we got into it and took off.  The trip through Honolulu was outstanding.  I think there were more U.S. Sailors in Honolulu than elsewhere in the Pacific.  We visited practically every street in the city and then progressed up to the Base Hospital.  At the Dental Clinic they had to schedule me for an appointment which would be later in the week.  Waxie explained that if we didn't show up it meant that our ship had been alerted to take off for battle.  That was no problem to the Base Dental Clinic.