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VMB-613 Squadron Insignia

Marine Bombing Squadron Six-Thirteen

 

MARINE BOMBING SQUADRON SIX-THIRTEEN ASSOCIATION

45 Verano Loop

Santa Fe, NM 87508-3151

(505) 466-6549

Front View of PBJ

2 February 2004

Memo To: The Bearer's Of The Roses

Happy Valentine's Day to all!

Remember to call the Reunion Reservations Desk at NAS Pensacola and place your reservations for the year 2004 VMB 613 Reunion.  Members can now make reservations immediately.  Those members on e-mail were notified of the change January 7, 2004.  Hopefully they have notified other members of the change.

When asked we are the Reunion Group I.D. No. VMB-613.

These salient dates are listed below.


REUNION 2004 - MEETING OF OLD FRIENDS

Remember that family members are welcome at the reunion.  We have had a good turnout of family members at prior reunions and would like to see this trend continue.

The Pensacola area is bubbling with all the unique ingredients needed to make a perfect site for our 2004 Reunion.  It will be another fun-filled time to meet and greet all our 613 friends.

The Air Museum is one of the biggest attractions in the country and all attendees will really enjoy seeing the various aircraft on display.  A PBJ is still under "rebuild" and hopefully we will be given the opportunity to make a walk by and take a few pictures of it.  Don't know how many will be allowed to enter the aircraft though.  There are also several interesting aviation memorabilia items on display that all would really enjoy observing.

Please keep in mind that for the Raffle we would welcome any and all gifts from members.  In prior years we received many interesting items and would like to see the trend continue.

The squadron has the Yakawich Fund whose primary purpose is to provide some assistance to members in their attendance efforts at reunions.  Any and all requests are considered confidential.


MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THE 2004 BIENNIAL REUNION

MARINE BOMBING SQUADRON VMB 613 will hold its 2004 BIENNIAL REUNION at the Navy Lodge on Pensacola, Naval Air Station, Florida during the period 5 May 2004 through 8 May 2004.

Record the following important data close to your calendar appointment schedules:

Reservations can start as of 7 January 2004.  This is a major change.

Telephone number is toll free at 1-850-456-8676, identify yourself as a member of VMB 613 to assure getting the special room rates.

Please notify me after making your reservations so that a list of attendees can be quickly prepared.

As additional information regarding the reunion becomes available all will be notified.

Save the information that has been sent to all in the newsletters in a convenient place and make changes when notified.  An update of the Reunion Data will be mailed out periodically.

Received word that some members have already made their Reunion Reservations.  These members are Vern and Anne Beggs, Their son Rick and his wife, their grandson Cory and his wife, Foster and Doris Cummings and Charlie Knapp.


NOTES FROM MEMBERS

Received a phone call from RL Marx who says greetings to all.  He and Alice were in the process of packing their sea bags for a departure to Arizona.  They are of the opinion that the weather maybe a little warmer than Iowa for a few months.  Their planned take off is around the 12 of January 2004.

He was intrigued by the book mentioned in the last newsletter that two members had mentioned.  That book title was put on his obtain and read list.  In turn he highly recommends Delivered From Evil by Robert Leckie.  This book covers every campaign of the US Marine Corps during WWII starting of course with the first campaign.

He has obtained a soft cover copy and is in the process of trying to get a hard back copy for his library.  I called the Marine Corps Association Library to see if they had a hard back copy but received negative results.  They did check the NET while I was on the line but didn't have any success in locating a supplier.

Don McCune sends his regards to all and wishes everyone a happy and healthy New Year.  He and Margaret are eagerly waiting for the Reunion in May.

Received a great annual report on the events for Herb and Susanna during the year 2003.  They had already informed us of their trip to Sweden in this report they mentioned all the cities and towns that they visited.  It was like taking a course in ancient European History.  They had a great time visiting with relatives and friends returning home with a lot of memories.

Prior to going on the trip Herb had to have surgery and on his return more surgery.  He survived both of them.  They also attended a lot of family get-togethers and then went to Sue's WWII Flight Nurse Convention with the Society of Retired Air Force Nurses.

Clifford Dotson sends regards to all and says that he will be at the reunion.  His brother who served with 2nd Marine Division as a machine gunner from Tarawa to Japan will in attendance with him.  He hopes that Tom Honan will be able to make the reunion also.  They were good buddies in the VMB 613 days.

The past year has been a great one for Patsy and he as they continued to be blessed with good health, friends, and being able to continue their physical routine.  For him this means playing tennis early each weekday weather permitting and then visits to their fitness center at least three times a week plus yard work.  He still gets call for consulting jobs in metallurgical failure analysis which keep his brain power on the go.

Thinking to the future they are giving consideration to building a new home in the year 2004.  This one will have fewer steps to climb for entrance or exit and also they will give up a lot of their gardening space to reduce the gardening effort.

Received an e mail from Robert J. Yanacek son of Paul Yanacek (VMB 613 ORD).  He had found our reunion notice in a veterans magazine from the year 2002 and wanted to check out and see if we were still up and running.  He reported that all continues well with his Dad.

Robert retired from the Marine Corps as a Master Sergeant and is now living in North Carolina.  Over the years he has been endeavoring to locate history items concerning VMB 613 several of which he has e mailed to me. 

In the interim I loaned him my copy of VMB 613 History which he received.  He started reading it as soon as he arrived home from work and was up till 3:00AM reading it.  It was well worth it though he said.  He couldn't believe the amount of information and work that went into the book.  It is really a tribute to the Marines of VMB 613.  He plans to read it through again over the next few days.

He is also planning on setting up a website for 613 and we will be hearing more of it as time goes on.

Robert also sent me a new letterhead for our newsletter which has a front view of the PBJ1H with props spinning and the radar dome on the right wing tip.

Cal Russell says hello and regards to all.  Hopes to see all at the reunion.

Doc Scott says hello and regards  to all.  All is well with him except for some impaired eye sight and hearing loss.  He still drives but limits the driving to familiar roads.  He will be 98 years of age in August 2004.

Doc stayed behind after we left for the states and he saw some of our planes partially skidded down on the beach.  In looking through and around the debris he found a magnetic compass which he salvaged and used for years on his boat in Maine for several years. He proved that it could be used on the sea as well as in the air.  He then saw the remains of the PBJs pushed into the ocean.

He was then transferred to Engebi where he was Chief Medical Officer.  Orders were then received to totally strip the island which meant that he had to dump an entire hospital into the lagoon.

Then they embarked on the Anti-Aircraft Cruiser Oakland and shipped to San Diego.  While on the way back he had to perform an operation - gangrenous appendix.  The patient who was a Marine had a full recovery.

Bob Chrisman reports that all continue well in Arizona and he is keeping the temperature turned up for RL and Alice Marx.  He sends his regards to all.

Carmine Nasta called and we had a great discussion over some VMB 613 pictures that one of his sons mailed to him.  The pictures were primarily of the Kwaj Squadron area most of which were in the book that Lt Col O'Reilly had published after we returned to the states.

It was interesting putting names to some of the faces Carmine reported in the departmental pictures and even while talking I was able to add a few more names to some of the individuals in the pictures.

Carmine is going to send me the pictures so that I can bring them to the reunion for all hands to look at. 

Carmine sends his regards to all.

Bob Longenberger reports that he is still alive and kicking but not too high.  His operation is OK and his back is getting better but not as fast as he thinks it should.  As result he has to be do things in low gear for fear of reinjuring himself. 

They got by Christmas without any snow which allowed the snow from the beginning of the month to suffice for the season.  He and Rose Marie are getting along as good as can be expected.

Jim Milhousen reports that all is calm and quiet in Schaumberg.  The weather has been warm for this time of year, no real snow as of the time of writing.

To stay in condition he bowls three times a week.  Even though he has been doing this routinely his average has fallen off a good ten points.  Jim sends his best regards to all.

Bob Litzau sends his regards to all.  He said that his memory never fails him particularly during the Thanksgiving and Christmas periods when he thinks of the George W. Julian and the excitement when we should have been paid submarine duty for the few alerts that we had to undergo.

He is still involved in reading the history of Marine Aviation in WWII in the Pacific and includes the activities of 613 in all of his thoughts. 

Two books that recommends to all are (1) Early Birds by G.J. Halpern ISBN-0-525-93134-1, and (2) Spirits In The Sky  - Classic aircraft of World War II ISBN 0-86101-578-9.

Bob also sent along the following quiz of Sea Lore for the Sea Going Leathernecks:

Word

 Origin

May Day

French language of the sea "Maidez" Help Me Became May Day.

Scuttlebutt

Place on deck of old warships where crew could talk without being heard by Officers -or- Butt Barrel was fresh drinking water storage.  The opening was called the Scuttle - the Sailors passed gossip as they drank thus became scuttlebutt.

Slacker

Sailor shrewd enough to grab a SLACK SHEET.  While some one else sweats lines to haul and raise the sails.

Heads

Crew relieves themselves from the bowsprit shroud near the boom figurehead.

Straight Poop

News directly from Captain as he stands above crew on Poop Deck.

Pull Your Own Weight

Pulling yourself up the shrouds.

Three Sheets To Te Wind

Something wrong with the rigging: Square Rigger can be only two sheets - so the sail must have been rigged by a drunk.

Art Navarre says hello and regards to all.  He is feeling well but doesn't dare try to run the 220.  He sent along some newspaper clippings about some WWII Veterans Reunions held in his area and also articles about the Marine families coping with the deployment of family members to Iraq and a few other places in the far off lands.

Additional articles were of the Commanding Generals informing the troops of the need to be sensitive to the natives of the lands that they are going to enter.

In addition there was an article about the Marines tactics being different from the U.S. Army tactics.  The Marine tactics will be laser precise with a maximum effort to avoid endangering or humiliating civilians.  They Marines will be working with the Iraq police and will train and equip an Iraqi force to take on insurgents.

George Comer says hello to all and to remember that A Good Time Will Be Had By All at the reunion.

John Peterson sends his regards to all from the snow covered area of Washington state.  He said that they just got through a brutal snow storm followed by a very brutal ice storm.  It was so bad they had to close the VFW Bar.  If all goes well he and Jane will be able to make it to the reunion.

Ralph McClain sends his regards to all and reports that all is well in Godfrey.

Joe Waldowski wishes all the 613'ers a very healthy and Happy New Year.  He repots that he and Dot are fine, Dot has some problems nothing really serious but just a little worrisome.  They are continuing to stay active with their Senior group plus bowling along with their casino trips to Atlantic City to keep the larder filled up.

Ray Hickey sent along best wishes to all for a long, healthy, and happy life.  At their local Marine Corps League Marine Corps Birthday Celebration they had a total of 45 Marines, wives, and guests that attended.  He was the oldest Marine with the youngest at age 22.

At age 84 he still remains quite active cutting up a few cords of fire word.  He made it a little easier this year by using a gasoline log splitter.

He went out and got a knee replacement which has proven to be a great improvement in his walking and moving around.  He experience very little pain and had a fast recovery.  His surgeon told him that it would last the rest of his life, but didn't clarify how long that might be.

Ray also reminisced about his early enlistment in February 1942 (Serial Number 354334) when the pay was only $21.00 a month.  His first pay was for two months and that left him with $15.00 and after paying for the bucket of necessities.  Shortly after that they got a tremendous pay raise up to a total of $50.00.

Ray also mentioned that he wasn't in 613 when they were in the process of disposing planes and equipment.  He was at Kwaj but in a fighter squadron and they were directed to strip the planes and ship all the equipment to Roi and the rest of their planes were pushed into the ocean over the reefs on the windward side of the island into the deep six of the Pacific.

Received a nice letter from the Butlers, John and Carol who send their best wishes to all 613'ers for wondrous holiday season and safe New Year.  They will see all of us at the Reunion in May.

In their annual Seasonal missal they reported on the many doings of the family during the year.  All were very busy on family get-togethers, trips and attendance at various sports events.  They even had the opportunity to go out on the USS Theodore Roosevelt when it pulled in to Norfolk with Carol's nephew on his return from the Gulf.

This one day trip on USS Theodore Roosevelt was great since the ship put on an air operations demonstration.  This added to the excitement of being aboard the ship.

Jim and Mary Jane Lewis send their regards to all.  May Jane was able to recover from her knee operation quicker than anticipated which allowed them the go to Texas for their annual winter vacation.  They should be back home in March.

Jim Nelson called and sends his best regards to all.  All the residents of his area are excited because they had their first rain fall of the season which amounted to one inch.  The ground let it sink in very slowly so all are now hoping that it will continue to arrive so they don't run out of water during the warm weather months.


PLEASE CHECK YOUR MAILING LABELS AND SEND IN YOUR CHECKS SO THAT THE FILES CAN BE UPDATED. 

Remember that our new fiscal year started in January 2004.  If there isn't an (04) or higher two digit number appearing after your name on the mailing label on your envelope you should mail a check to us made out to VMB 613 in the amount of $20.00 for payment of dues.

Note: (03) denotes 2003, (04) denotes 2004.  Many thanks to the members who have already sent in their dues checks.


SQUADRON MEMORABILIA

THE LIMITED EDITION COLLECTORS ITEM, the squadron logo hat pin is still available for VMB 613 members and friends.  This pin is an inch in diameter and comes in a pewter finish or gold plated with a hand painted finish.  The colors are similar to the colored logo that was mailed out several months ago. Marine Corps Scarlet Red background, Gold Wings, Black Cannon and Maces.  Plus it is made in America.

Pewter finish logo hat pin - $4.50

Hand painted finish logo hat pin - $5.50

A new item is the license plate frame.  It is a composition material (special plastic) with a red background and gold lettering. The top of the frame has U.S. MARINES and the bottom VMB 613 WWII.  The cost is $5.00 INCLUDING PACKING AND SHIPPING.

USMC Heat Transfer Kit.  Has 6 large insignias and 6 small insignias.  Can use on caps, T shirts or any other cloth item.  These kits are $3.95 each.     

We still have the small VMB 613 number plate for the rear window at $5.00 each.  These now can be ordered with either a WHITE or RED background. 

The regular size VMB 613 license plate complete with mounting hardware is now available on special order for $20.00.

We are out of stock on the Red VMB 613 caps. Efforts are in process to find a qualified organization to supply us with a restock of the caps.

We have a limited number of Red VMB 613 caps, the cost is $10.00 each and are being sold on a first-order, first-serve basis.

These memorabilia items can be ordered from Charlie Knapp.

Please continue the notes or letters all of which help to make the monthly letter more interesting. 

This is all for now.  Stay healthy.

Semper Fi,

Signature of Charles Knapp

Charlie 


ROSTER CHANGES

For security reasons, changes to the roster are not available on-line.  Please contact Charlie Knapp for address information.


VMB 613 E-MAIL DIRECTORY LISTING

A directory of e-mail addresses for members is available on-line in a password protected area of the site.  Please contact our webmaster to obtain your password. 

Note: Please check your address on the listing and let me know of any required corrections.  Some messages have been returned with a comment "unknown address."

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