Interesting Conversation at Gun Club!

[Len-2A Training]

It's fascinating what you can learn from hanging around a gun club where members are "social" (no booze allowed on property).

After our RO meeting at BR&P last Wednesday some random conversation was started amongst the 5 or 6 folks hanging around over coffee.

- I learned that a member (sounds like he's now deceased) of BR&P was one of the US Marines that raised the FIRST flag (the little one, not the much heralded staged photo) on Mt. Suribachi, Iwo Jima! WOW!

- Two of the ROs mentioned that "they were in a SE Asian Country where no Americans were" (officially ) while in the Service. A buddy of theirs lost his legs in VN, but officially was not a VN Vet (since it happened before the US Military was "officially" in VN)!

It's awesome what we can learn when we hang around and listen to some of our fellow shooters just talk about their life experiences.

Thanks to all for their service to our Country!

 

[MrsWildweasel]

Yup especially when you get a few vets together. We open up to each other,but not many civilians.

 

[KMaurer]

Chuck Lindberg was the last living survivor. Last I knew he was living in Minnesota. Those shown raising the first flag on Mt. Suribachi in Lou Lowery's original photograph included and Lindberg, Hank Hansen, Boots Thomas, John Bradley, Phil Ward and Jim Michaels. John Bradley, whose son wrote "Flags of Our Fathers", was also in the other, infinitely more famous photo of the second flag raising by Joe Rosenthal. (For several years after the war, Harlon Block (in Rosenthal's photo) was mistakenly identified as Hank Hanson; neither made if off Iwo Jima to dispute it.)

Back in the late 60's and early 70's there were a fair number of us who made short "visits" to one particular SE Asian country where there were officially no US troops, usually either for sneaky-peeky or TRAP.

Ken

 

[Pilgrim]

In 1968, I was staff duty offiver and had to sign in some new guys being transferred from another duty station.

I asked them where they were coming in from and was told, 'officially we're NOT coming from Chile'.

We had quite a few unoffical 'intelligence' guys there at that time. The public ever heard about it though.

 

[Len-2A Training]

I worked with some guys that had been "advisers" in places that the US "weren't" in SE Asia during the early-mid-1960s. They had some interesting stories to tell when we weren't busy (storefront business).

 

[Biff Quizler]

Thanks from current Vet to past Vets....

Best intel is eyes on the ground. Kudos to all those that performed this function in the past and contiune to do so today. Our country is better for it and IMO, we need more of it!!!!

 

[MrsWildweasel]

Best intel is eyes on the ground. Kudos to all those that performed this function in the past and contiune to do so today. Our country is better for it and IMO, we need more of it!!!!

Unfortunately they took out ALOT of our intel sites.

 

[rscalzo]

I'm guessing that this was the identity of that person........


Rene Gagnon

b. Manchester, N.H. March 7, 1925
d. Manchester, N.H. October 12, 1979
Rene Gagnon was the youngest survivor and the man who carried the flag up Mt. Suribachi. He was the first survivor to arrive back in the U.S.

Rene Gagnon in later years . . .

Rene Gagnon carried the flag up Mt. Suribachi.

Rene was modest about his achievement throughout his life.

Rene is honored with a special room in New Hampshire's prestigious Wright
Museum.

Rene is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, the Flag Raiser buried
closest to the Marine Corps Memorial.

 

[Len-2A Training]

I think you are right, but I didn't catch the name as they were talking.