All Marines

After Reunion Report

To all hands, the reunion wound down the morning of 21 Oct. 2011 with everyone departing Laughlin and headed back to colder climates. This year was similar to the 2009 reunion, with nice warm temperatures all week. The following Tuesday it turned cold and windy on the river, so the timing was perfect.

This year was slightly larger than in years past, we seem to be growing at a slow and steady pace. Most of the old hands keep returning and new ones are coming. This time Fred Widder who was with Det. A was there with his daughter and her husband along with a couple of grandchildren. One of the lads had to get back to Wyoming by Sunday; he was headed to MCRD San Diego. He had a positive attitude and was looking forward to Boot Camp.

Three other new faces included Mike LaRusso, Joe Rossi & Pat Murgallis. Some of us had not seen these three in 43 years!

Mike Amtower will be posting photographs on the 463 web page if he has not already got them posted.

Colors were posted before dinner on Wed. and retired after dinner on Thurs. The Color Guard was from Miramar and again we had picture perfect Marines. The Colorado Belle again shut down the casino music and played Semper Fi and the Washington Post March as the Color Guard marched the Colors thru the casino. There was a lot of applause and go Marines etc. Kind of lifts you spirits to see the support given by everyone on the casino floor.

To those who attended and were impressed by the Color Guard, I would like you to communicate you thanks to MGySgt. Goniotakis at the following e-mail address brian.goniotakis@usmc.mil. The MGySgt. was unable to secure a government vehicle and paid for the gas to have the Color Guard to come by POV. Letting him know how impressive these young Marines were is the least we can do.

You should start making plans for another reunion around the third week of October 2013. As you know these are off year reunions from Pop-A-Smoke so we do not draw from their attendance.

Now for the good news!

Thanks to the generosity of everyone in supporting the reunion even if unable to attend we met our expenses for the Color Guard, hospitality room and came out a little ahead. That little ahead came out to the tune of $4415.73 (Yes that’s right Four Thousand Four Hundred Fifteen Dollars and Seventy Three cents.) that will be going to Wounded Warriors. One third will be going to Semper Fi West, one third to Semper Fi East and the last third to the Burn Clinic in San Antonio.

The majority of these funds were the result of the M-1 Garand raffle and Charlie Chase is to be thanked for donating the M-1. By the way the winner was Bernie Wood, who is giving the rifle to Larry South an old HMH-463 member. The two CH-53 models we raffled also brought in a fair share as well. Remember that this amount could not have been achieved with out the donation for the Color Guard expenses. Those of you who donated to the expenses make this high figure possible. There is one problem I see for the next reunion, which is how are we going to have another raffle that will bring in the funds this one has. If any one knows where this a WWII jeep that is not heavily guarded and someone who is good at altering serial numbers, then the problem may be solved.

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You.

Last but not least thank you for coming. Without those who attended there would not be a reunion. We had a few that had to drop out because of illness and that makes it just that much more necessary to have these. Seeing old friends and meeting new ones.

Thanks Again and Semper Fi

Hoot