BULLETIN MARCH 2015 ANNUAL DUES $10.00 REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETINGS

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1 VETERAN CORPS. 69TH REGIMENT, INC. THE FIGHTING SIXTY NINTH ORGANIZED INCORPORATED 1918 PHONE: (212) P.O. BOX 98 MADISON SQUAR ATATION NEW YORK, NY ADDRESS THE69VETERANS@GMAIL.COM WEB ADDRESS: BULLETIN MARCH 2015 ANNUAL DUES $10.00 REGULAR SCHEDULED MEETINGS MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS ARE USUALLY HELD ON THE 3RD SUNDAY OF THE MONTH AT 1400 HOURS March 17, 2015 St. Patricks Day April 19, 2015 Regular Scheduled Meeting May 17, 2015 Unit - Memorial Day Ceremonies Members of the Executive Board will meet on the 2 nd Tuesday of the Month at 1930 Hours ********** Veteran Corps 69th Regiment Mission Statement The mission of the Veteran Corps, 69th Regiment is to preserve and expound the History and traditions of the Regiment, to provide a venue to inform and foster camaraderie among veterans of the 69th and to assist the Commander of the active unit with the morale and welfare of the soldiers and their families. **********

2 MEMBERSHIP DUES AND 50/50 CHANCE BOOKS: Recording Secretary, Dennis Hearn: (516) Members who have sent in their dues prior to January 28, 2015 will find their membership cards with this distribution. Members who send in their dues from January 28, 2015 to March 20 th will receive their membership cards in the April Bulletin. To help expedite the deposits and issuance of membership cards, dues and 50/50 payments may be sent to: Veteran Corps, 69th Regiment, 139 Whitewood Drive, Massapequa Park, NY COMMANDER S REMARKS: Due to the expected inclement weather the February General Meeting of Sunday, February 15 th was cancelled. The 50/50 drawing for February will be done at the Executive Board Meeting on March 10 th. St. Patrick s Day: Tuesday, March 17 th 2015: Although you have just read this notice in the February Bulletin, I am repeating it with a few changes - especially the assembly area for the parade. The Veteran Corps will again participate in the St. Patrick s Day activities that are part of the historic tradition of our Regiment. As a reminder, there will again be three phases for us on that day as noted below. 1. Mass at St. Patrick s Cathedral: This year s St. Patrick s Day is being dedicated to the Gold Star families in remembrance of the fallen who served with Task Force Wolfhound in Iraq. Since this is the 10th anniversary of their service, we expect many of those families to attend the mass. Although there will be limited seating, those who wish to attend the mass will assemble on the South East corner of 5 th Ave. and 51 st Street at 7:30am. Pete Vesey will be responsible for coordinating our seating. 2. Marching in the Parade: NOTE - CHANGE OF ASSEMBLY AREA. Those members that are planning to march in the parade will assemble at 10:30am on W 43 rd street (between 5 th Ave & Ave of the Americas (6 th Ave)), closer to 6 th Ave and behind Regimental Headquarters. As always, you must be a member of the Veteran Corps to march with us. I remind all that a strict dress code is in effect. Denims and white sneakers are not acceptable. Banners, signs, photo graphs or any other displays are forbidden. CSM (ret) Jose Flores is in charge of the formation and will ask you to leave the formation if you do not comply with our standards. Remember, you represent our fine organization before a very large group of spectators. Look sharp and be proud!

3 3. Ceremony and Festivities at the Armory: Upon arrival at the Armory there will be an awards ceremony conducted by the Active Battalion. There will be seating available for members of the Veteran Corps to attend. At the conclusion of the ceremonies in the Drill Shed we will go down to the Mural Room for our traditional Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner. The cost will remain the same $15.00 per dinner. With each dinner ticket, two bottles of beer or one glass of wine/one liquor drink will be on the house. Memorial Day: Sunday, May 17 th 2015 This is just a heads up for our Memorial Day Ceremonies. Although two months down the road, please mark your calendars now. When I underline the word our, it s because it s the day we set aside to honor all who have passed away and at one time was a member of the 69 th. On that day we assemble at Greenpoint Cemetery in the morning and then again at the Armory in the afternoon. More information in the April Bulletin. Remembrance Services: Members of the active Battalion, along with former members of the Battalion who served in Iraq, COL Slack the former Commander of the Battalion, and myself representing the Veteran Corps, attended the Memorial Wreath Ceremonies for two of the fallen of the Battalion on the 10 th anniversary of their deaths. SGM Tooker of the active Battalion was the contact member who coordinated the visits with the cemetery personnel who in one instance had to locate the gravesite under a couple of feet of snow. The ceremonies were solemn but simple. We read a prayer, the history of the poem, Rouge Bouquet, the reading of the poem in entirety, placing of the wreath, playing of taps and to me, the most impressive part is that of the members of the Battalion who served with the fallen relating back to incidents they recall having with them. Most times the remembrance was of a humorous nature. Although saddened by the loss, it can be a wonderful way to remember someone. SPC Azhar Ali Monday Mar 2, 2015 Washington Memorial Park, Mt Sinai, NY SPC Wai Phyo Lwin Monday Mar 2, 2015 Long Island National Cemetery, Farmingdale, NY

4 ROUGE BOUQUET: Go to Sleep, Go to Sleep, Slumber well where the shells screamed and fell Lay your rifles on the muddy floor You will not need them anymore Dangers past; now at last Go to Sleep! Joyce Kilmer HHC 165 th Inf (KIA 30 Jul 1918) SERVICE OFFICER S SICK REPORT: Maurice Savage 3 McCartney Drive, Albany, NY Tom Gordon Gino Merit Veterans Ctr, 401 Penn Ave, Scranton, PA John Marino 1078 N. Broadway, N. Massapequa, NY Harry Snyder Encantardo Cir., Ft. Pierce, FL May we join in prayer that our sick have a complete and speedy recovery! In case of illness or death of a member, please call our Service Officer, Frank Sherry at (516) or leave a message on our answering machine at (212) on a timely manner. If known please list the Company and dates of service in the Regiment. Please direct all correspondence to: Veteran Corps, 69th Regiment, Inc PO Box 98, Madison Square Station New York, NY Other contact information: address for the commandor is tomandlilfitz2@verizon.net LETTERS and CONVERSATIONS: Scooter Barclay: Received a short note from Scooter indicating that he will providing us with a report of his upcoming visit to Saipan and Okinawa, two of the three islands he will be visiting this coming Spring along with 19 other combat veterans as guests of the Greatest Generation Foundation. Ann Brennan: Dear Ann, Thank you for your generous contribution in memory for your late husband, LTC Edward A. Brennan. I remember him and his love for the 69 th. He will be remembered in out Memorial Day Ceremonies this coming May Joan A. Burke: Hi Joan, Good hearing from you. It is our pleasure to include you in our activities. As with LTC Brennan, Morton will be remembered on our Memorial Day Ceremonies in May.

5 Tom Kennedy: Hi Tom, Thank you for your continued support to the Veteran Corps and your contribution to the Family Support Fund. Hope to see you on St. Patrick s Day John Csserley: John, great hearing from you. Thank You for the contribution to the Family Support Fund. They will also have a great spread on the Drill Shed floor, but in case you desire, the Veteran Corps has a Corned beef dinner downstairs in the Mural Room. Gerald F. Steakin: Hi Jerry, Thank you for you continued support. As one of the longtime members who supports our programs, I wish to thank you. We have added the Massapequa Park address for a faster response to our mailings. Again, Thank You. Kenneth Rudzewick: Ken, Please accept our gratitude for your very generous contribution to the Family Support Fund. Your continued support over the years demonstrates your dedication and loyalty to the soldiers of the active Battalion. Again, Thank You. See you at the parade. James A. Grismer: Jim thank you for the kind words about the Bulletin. In some cases it is the only link one may have with their days with the 69 th. I enjoyed your trip down memory lane and your remembrance of Barney Kelly. I think Barney knew every Irish song that was written and probably a few that were not written. Although I understand that Savanna, GA has a great St Patrick s Day Parade, our NCO Club is still operating and awaiting your visit someday. James Bradley: Hi Jim, Thank you for participating in the 50/50 drawings and also for your contribution to the Family Support Fund. Patrick Kenny: Patrick, thank you for your generous gift the Veteran Corps. It will certainly go toward the cost of distributing the Bulletin. Our costs are a little expensive but the results of our members being informed on our activities and in many cases making contact with each other are priceless. Timothy Hoy: I hope all is going well with you. It has been a while so we are looking forward to seeing you on St. Patrick s Day. Ronald Casey Jr.: Ron, good hearing from you. We will appreciate your assistance with the kitchen crew on St Patrick s Day. You were great help last year and it was appreciated. Kevin Maxwell: Kevin, who stays in constant contact with me via telephone and , is awaiting his next assignment on behalf of the Veteran Corps. He has traveled from his home in Spotsylvania, VA to Arlington National twice for wreath ceremonies for the fallen of Task Force Wolfhound. He will be at Arlington on March 17 th, to place green floral pieces on the graves of Christian Engeldrum, Wilfredo Urbina and Hernando Rios. Michael Guiry: Mike called to inform me that he will not be present for the parade this year. But as he has done for years, he will provide the Boxwood Wreath for the Regimental Flag and the Boxwood sprigs to be worn by the soldiers symbolic of those worn by members of the 69 th at the battle of Fredericksburg. Thank you Mike.

6 FINAL REMINDER!!!!!! After the St. Patrick s Day Parade, gourmet Corned Beef and Cabbage will be provided by the Veterans Corps downstairs in the Mural Room. The damage remains $15.00 per dinner. With each dinner ticket, two bottles of beer or one glass of wine/one liquor drink will be on the house. I wish to thank all who assisted in the preparation and distribution of the Bulletin Tom Fitzsimmons-Commander