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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

6 October 2008

Memo To:   All the Island-Hoppers

NOTES FROM MEMBERS

Sandy Hudspeth remains in the hospital where they are taking good care of him.  He is looking good, good color continues to come back and he does feel a lot better.

The medical staff  continues to give him required medical tests to assure that his overall system is performing properly.

Here is a new request for info.  George Comer has suddenly become a fast mover and the mail can’t keep up with him.  His address in Grandin, FL was suddenly changed to Oak Kill, WV 25901 but the letter with that address was returned to Grandin, FL.  If any member has a new address for George Comer please send it to us.

This is still a repeat from last months news letter.  I would appreciate it if members could pull a memory check on Warren D. Ritter and see if they can recall where he moved or relocated to.  He was living in the Manor House, Assisted Living, in Wilmington, N.C. and his last letter was returned, NOT DELIVERABLE AS ADDRESSED.

Heard from Frank Kos and he and his wife Ruth send their regards to all.  Re reported that they have spent most of this summer at his wife’s home in Pennsylvania.  They arrived on 12 May, 2008 and their planned departure date for the return trip home is 9 September, 2008.

The area of Pennsylvania they have been staying in is called Pennsylvania Dutch Country.  Because of this he has had the opportunity to eat many apple dumplings and lots of home pot pies.

This good eating though has to come to an end though because they are getting ready to leave for home, which is in Seattle, Washington.

Foster Cummings sends his regards to all. The weather in their home town area will soon improve they hope.  So far it has allowed an excessive mount of rain  to fall coupled with a lot of extremely hot days.

He has been going through this unusual weather routine a little too often this year, as a result he hasn’t been able to get out to cut the lawn, hence he was able to get some hay cutting done in the hay field around his home.

Willis Roose says hello and regards to all. He enjoyed reading the article in the last letter about the B-17 pilot Capt. Glenn Rojohn and said that he could see how he won all of those medals and earned all of the citations.  Willis said that if he died at the age of 81, he was only 17 at the time of his heroics!

Willis said the descriptive story was great, but he must have been only 17 at the time of his heroics and possibly even younger, hence too young to be in the service.  He is of the opinion that he was much older when he died.  There could have been a touch of fiction in its finest form he concluded.

Carmine Nasta called and sends his regards to all.  We had a great chat about various members of the squadron which required much mental searching to go along with some of the subject material. 

It was really amazing how Carmine was able to put members’ names into the various places in the islands and their efforts in completing aircraft maintenance under unique situations at times at Kwajalein and other locations while on special assignments.

Nick Dudo sends his regards to all VMB 613'ers and hopes that all is well with all of them.  He said that to this day the friendships developed in VMB 613 remain in his mind.  He still remembers many of the names of members and the various work routines they went through, which were technical and just friend ship routines.

He reported that he is still having problems with his spinal stenosis and in addition he suddenly developed a problem with a slipped disc.  The medical personnel are considering giving him a special medical shot to see if they can relieve some of the pain.

Jim Garls sends his regards to all.  He reported that Autumn is in the air and he has one pear tree that is overloaded with fruit.  He is hoping that the worms haven’t infected this one tree which is really overloaded with fruit.  If the fruit hasn’t become wormy he is going to wrap them carefully in paper and store them in a cool spot in his cellar.  This is one method he feels will allow him to have the fruit available during the winter.

Jim said he tolerated an MRI when the Doctor that was examining his lower back and hips for the source of pain that limits his mobility.  In addition he was given a shot of cortisone in the right hip.  He is scheduled to some kind of shots in his lower back.

Hopefully they will give some needed relief to Jim.

Red Nelson got a message to us through his daughters e mail system.  He reported that he and Evelyn are doing fine.  He is still wheeling around in his scooter and still doing therapy. 

Evelyn has been in the hospital but is getting back to normal.  They are taking one day at a time.  They said to tell everyone that they both said hello.

Received word that the Polakowski girls are working on plans for the reunion next year in Oshkosh.  This shows that the second generation is really getting involved in the activities to make things stay going.  Other members children, if they desire, can take part in the planning.  They just have to get in touch with Nancy or Joan.  This reunion will have to be at the attendees own expense, hospitality stuff and meals, etc.

Our webmaster's latest project is a listing of all 706 PBJs that were assigned to the Marine Corps.  This listing is nearly complete and provides the Bureau Number of each aircraft, as well as, the squadrons each served with and the final disposition.  Robert even located the one J-Model PBJ that was assigned to VMB 613 for a short period of time.  Once completed, members will be able to view this listing on the Internet and compare it to their log books to see what happened to each aircraft they flew in.


WEB NEWS

Robert Yanacek our Webmaster called to say hello.  Robert mentioned that he and Diane just got done celebrating their 25th Wedding Anniversary.

Robert also reported that recently he received an unexpected package.  This package was quite large and rather heavy.  When he opened it, it contained many WW-II aviator items that the Marines of VMB-613 would most certainly recall.

The items included a green nylon flight suit, a parachute harness, a set of headphones, a hand held microphone, a pistol belt with canteen and first aid pouch, and a combat knife. 

The sender of these items was a collector in Cleveland named Adam Prusick.  Adam indicated that he has been viewing our Website for many years and amassed a collection of flight gear based on the many photographs of our flight crews.  Adam forwarded them to Robert with the hopes that one day they would be used to create a permanent display honoring the officers and men of VMB-613.

Robert recently took these items to a meeting of his local Marine Corps League Detachment inviting them to visit our Website to learn more about our squadron.

As a bonus to those VMB-613 members with e-mail addresses, Robert recently set up a video player with film clips taken from the Hollywood Canteen in 1944. 

Narrated by actress Dinah Shore, the film showed scenes from inside the Hollywood Canteen and many of the stars including Bette Davis, Lana Turner, Marlena Deitrich, Heddy Lamar and Red Skelton.  Those with connections to the Internet really enjoyed viewing it.


Remember that our new fiscal year started in January 2008.  If there isn't an (08) 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.  Many thanks to those members who have already paid their dues.

Note: (07) denotes 2007, (08) denotes 2008, (09) denotes 2009.  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.

These memorabilia items can be ordered from Charlie Knapp.

Here is a VMB 613 Special from McGrogan's Patch Design.  A cloth patch five inches in diameter which is the standard WWII size.  This is the VMB 613 squadron logo patch in color.  The cost to VMB 613 members is $3.50 per patch.  Order direct from the following address:

      McGrogran's Patch Design

PO Box 2254

Hayden, ID 83835

Website: http://www.mcgrogans.com

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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