Archive for August, 2006

17 Leathernecks from 4 states rode into Mark’s parents home bringing best wishes and just under $3,000.00 in donations. OH, NY, NC and MA were represented.

We met with Mark and 3 other double amputees that had spent time together in Walter Reed Hospital. The grit of these Marines and the one Corpsman was remarkable. The Corpsman was from South Dakota and the Marines were from NY (2) and the UP of MI. We were invited to go hunting this fall with any and all of these guys.

Each of them displayed a positive attitude and a great sense of humor. Mark greeted me by saying – “I bet you thought figuring out who the guest of honor was would be easy?” Mark said this while standing in the center of 3 other double amputees. Mark’s wife was there and she is a Marine veteran and as salty as any of us.

There was a display of the various types of prosthetics and two of the guys went naked (w/o prosthetics) in wheel chairs. LMCI Ohio stole a cooler of ice and made sure the coldest beer on site was in their little group. OK – so we were drinking from that cooler too.

We were welcomed by about 100 family members and friends. LMCI Ohio gave the wounded Marines and Corpman a black cover with a gold EGA – these were provided by Tim DeWolf .

Lots of good domestic beer and enough food that you would have thought you were in the navy. The Roasted pig was perfect and there was even a home-made bologna.

The ride there was great except for a few wrong turny-around back-tracky maneuvers by “skidlid” Pete Casey. Marine “wanderaway” Holden tended to recon by himself by ignoring the turns the rest of the group made. He did look a little silly continuing down those long straight roads by himself after everyone else turned. Maybe we don’t put him in front anymore.

It was a day to remember – and I will.