The Latest News, Events and Veteran Profiles!
Dear friends... I apologize for being away for such a long time. My
efforts recently have been focused on the D-Day Reenactment in Conneaut Ohio.
A lot of work building up the event from a single engagement to adding two more
battles over the last 2 years. Plus a million other moving parts!
Honestly, it's been hard to keep up with both sites. So forgive me as I
will begin to swing my attention back over to soldiersandsailors once the
reeenactment is over.
Please visit the web site... www.ddayohio.us
and try to attend if you can. August 20th and 21st 2010
January 11th - Ed Marriott sadly passed away.
A member of the 6th Beach Battalion, he joins his wife Betts in heaven. Ed
and I have been friends for a number of years now and he and Betts were
instrumental in educating those unfamiliar with the role of the Naval Beach Battalions. He was feet from
my great uncle Amin when the blast which
took my uncle's life on D-Day occurred. I recently visited Ed in Atlanta were he had been
fighting for life. Ed and I shared some really good moments together as he told
me stories about his Naval career. I will miss him a lot as he had been my
closest Beach Battalion friend. Rest in peace now my friend for I am proud to
have been yours...
Coxswain Amin Isbir's
- Head Stone Replacement
Lt. James E. Meena - Tribute
Page
PFC Hans
Bergmayr - Killed in Action - Netherlands -
Identified!
Help Identify TSgt Cliffe Wolfe
- Missing in Action - Netherlands
Upcoming Events
Reading Airshow 2010 - June
4th, 5th and 6th
D-Day Conneaut - August 21st/22nd
2010
Upcoming Veteran Profiles
I must apologize to all which have waited patiently, but I
am now working on completing the profiles of these men. With John's
illness and tragic death, and work on the D-Day event in Conneaut Ohio, my efforts have been focused
away from the men below. So please
bare with me as I assemble their profiles.
Corporal Ed Sarkisian - USMC, Bugler, USS Yorktown CV-10
I've interviewed Ed 4 times and this extensive set will be
my first project after the Conneaut Event
George Mills - 28th Division - Captured at the Battle of the Bulge
I recently visited George in Alabama and talked with him
extensively. A remarkable man.
Bud Hanson - USMC, Drummer, Londonderry Ireland then onto the Pacific
Steve Burnelko - 29th Division, D-Day, Wounded June 10th
Bill Wilch - 29th Division, D-Day Veteran
Bill Wetzler - Signal Corps, Lost His Leg in Italy
Wesley O. Niccolls Sr. - Signalman US Navy, Invasion of Okinawa Veteran
Chester Malie - USS Franklin, Survivor of Kamikaze Raids
Past Reenacting Events by Date
More to come...
2007 Reading Air Show
- Reading PA
2007 D-Day Ohio
Reenactment - Conneaut Ohio
2008 Reading Air Show
- Reading PA
2008 Battle of the Bulge Reenactment - Fort Indiantown Gap
Pennsylvania
On December 15, 2007, Ed Marriott, 6th Naval Beach Battalion
veteran and I met for the first time as we attend the Commissioning
Ceremony of the USS Mesa Verde LPD-19 in Panama City Florida. The USS Mesa
Verde is twice as long as LCI-88 which brought Ed, Joe, Amin and Company C-8 to
the shore of Normandy France, June 6th 1944.
Read more here about the USS Mesa Verde
and my press release for Ed's appearance here.
Sgt. John W. Gabersek Jr. Memorial Scholarship - Plans are in
the works for a scholarship to be awarded on a annual basis to a son or daughter
of a fallen or severely wounded Iraqi or Afghanistan veteran. The
scholarship will assist in the acquisition of text books for one student per
year. A fund will be established to allow for contributions to be made so
that the scholarship will continue to grow and be distributed to more than one
student per year. More to come very soon regarding this most important
cause.
Posthumous Purple Heart for Uncle Johnnie
I continue to try and find fellow soldiers that may have witnessed great
uncle John's incident with a Japanese Tank on Luzon, summer 1945.
Click the tent to return to the home page.
