3/3 Deploying

09/13/04

3/3 Marines and Corpsmen,

Here is the latest scoop.  I got an email from the 3/3 Battalion S3 this morning and he said that the Battalion will finish their training on the 29th and will be turning in gear and stuff on the 30th.  He suggested that we meet in the afternoon and asked me to propose a time.  I told him I though 1300 would be good.

After 3/3 finishes their training on 9/30 they will be going back to Hawaii for a short while before deploying.  Before they go I want to set up a support network so we can take care of them while they are gone.

Bridgeport, according to Mapquest, is about a 2-½ hour drive from Reno.  I am going to be in Reno on the 28th and 29th for a reunion and will leave early on the 30th to go to Bridgeport.  After we talk to the Marines I will be going back to the Bay area the same day.  I will be staying at John Ascuaga’s Nugget Hotel and Casino in Sparks, NV, which is something like a Reno suburb.  If any of you who want to go are going to spend the night of the 29th in Reno, let me know and maybe we can get together beforehand.

Semper Fi,              Otto Lehrack

  Updated:  10/01/04

Yesterday, five of us met with the current generation of 3/3 at the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center in Bridgeport, CA.  Besides myself, Bruce Devert, former 0311 came from the Bay area, Dan Ryan came up from Arizona, Mike Harrington from Houston and Ron Cislo, another of our great 0311s came all the way from Connecticut.

3/3 RVN Ass’n  Vol  1  Issue 3    05/01/2005

Remember Reunion 2006 Colorado Springs   Page 4

What a fantastic time it was.  These young warriors treated us like royalty, all the way from the CO, who is a Ripley trained Naval Academy graduate named Norm Cooling to the last PFC in the group.  We were able to spend several hours with 850 of them.  The rest of the battalion had already left for Hawaii to prepare mounting out for Afghanistan. 

I gave them a speech about their heritage in WWII, Vietnam and Desert Storm and then the others in the “geezer platoon’ made some remarks.  There was a storm of OOORAHS and applause. After that we talked to individuals and small groups.  We talked to riflemen, mortarmen, docs, TACP guys, FOs, the whole shot.   It was the best thing I have done in at least ten years.  When they were dismissed they lined up for handshakes (and hugs from Pierrette).  A warrior dinner was held in the mess hall later. 

We are going to set up a support network to send these guys what they might need while deployed.  More on this later as we get better organized.  At least two of the geezers took photos which we will post on the net when available. 

Thanks to all of you who sent your remarks along.  They were greatly appreciated.

Let’s show these young Marines what it means to be part of the 3/3 family. 

Semper Fi,             Otto Lehrack

For those of you who recall the excitement of those care packages from home so long ago, pitch in and give Otto a hand with this project.  Click on Otto's name in the previous columns to email him.  3/3 Alumni may access the ThirdMarines.net files for Otto's full info.

I came out of my self-established cocoon and joined your reunion in DC.  WOW   I am sorry it took me so long to reconnect with my brothers and I certainly appreciate the Doc's and others efforts at doing this wonderful work of allowing a forum for such.

Where can I connect with the author(s) and gain possession of one of the Books on OP Starlight???

Howie Schwend                 '65 FAC

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