Welcome again...
When all were seated,
photo-ops
completed, and the invocation
read,
the expert staff at
The Clubs of Quantico
served
a wonderful 3 course
lunch complete with Orange Sherbet ice cream
at the end.
This was a great time to
socialize and
catch up on all the latest news with your 
table mates.
At 1300hrs the formal program
began with 
opening
remarks by, master
of ceremonies,
Gunnery Sergeant Gig Garrison
USMC (Ret).
After which
SGT.
George Williams USMC
(Ret.) who served with
the H-3-7 1st Marine
Division (1951) during the Korean
War spoke.
Mr. Williams stressed in his brief remarks how the Marines were sincerely thankful for the heartfelt service they had received from the Navy Nurses and Corpsmen. These were "Angels of Mercy" ! He also had much praise for his fellow Marines in attendance at the luncheon.
Next
Pearce Grove
spoke eloquently about his service
aboard the
Navy
Hospital Ship USS Consolation (1950-52)
and his first hand knowledge of the tremendous service rendered by the nurses and
corpsmen.
The keynote speaker for this
year's luncheon was 
Jan
Kenneth Herman who has
documented the nurses
and corpsmen oral histories both on film and now in a soon to be
released book
entitled
"FROZEN IN MEMORY-U.S. Navy Medicine
In The Korean War ".
He
spoke at length
about what it has meant to him to be able to document the story of Navy medicine during
the Korean War.
And... how
different it was compared to the popular
rendition as presented on a
sitcom TV show.
Jan
praised the
nurses & corpsmen and 
reminded all that America needs
to not only
learn
of their great
service but 
not it forget as well.
Mr. Herman's well
paced remakes
kept all present, spellbound.
"Gunny"
thanked him and
then 
made
a short but very
moving speech about his fellow Marines who
fought so valiantly in
Korea.
This
was
not
easy for him to do as one could see the
memories of fallen comrades
he had fought
with at the Chosin Reservoir Battle well up in
his face. His
tribute to the Marines was
spoken as only a combat Marine
could. At that
point he asked all
Marines present to stand and be recognized.
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(c)2003 Chip Feise Location Photography & David Litvin All Rights Reserved