Page Ten

Richard Marciniko holding the gal wearing his wrist watch ! You wonder why? Guess !
My very good shipmate, Master CPO Torpedoman, (COB) Joe Garret down under when his boat was in AUstralia years back.
Doc Riojas; where? beats me! whose auto? I dunno. Were we headed? your guess?
My beloved wife Lourdes Tolentino and my only grandchild Amanda Lorraine Torres in South Padre Island
Mikal Vega
Doc Riojas immigrated to Mexico to attend Medical School. This photo is at the shopping "mercado" some gringo's buying a parrot. Check Doc's hair! this is 1982.
Ron Yeaw Jr. his father is a Navy SEAL, one of the few C.O.'s of SEAL Team SIX
R.I.P. Larry F. Ryan
John Wolfram
P. Bill McNally

Navy SEAL training AP Hill Virginia  SEAL Team TWO, Little Creek, VA       Frogmen getting trained to go to WAR.  I am sure that naked frog is Harry Butler (flight014     AT     unseen.is)

2016 at the ‘nam wall D.C.:  Erasmo “Doc” Riojas pointing at the name of his SEAL teamate John “Bubba” D. Brewton for the full story of how “Bubba” died buy the book:  “SEAL Warrior by Tom Keith

go to page:   187 “A little walk in the bush”  Vietnam, that is !

UDT-SEAL Museum Requesting History on Cold War Operations ie:  Operation Urgent Fury

From: Ruth McSween 
Sent:  Wednesday, June 22, 2016
To:     Bill Bruhmuller -; Dante Stephensen -; Doc Riojas -; Gerhard Klann -; Hector Delgado -; Kag Cagnoni -; Randy Rhodes -; Rick Woolard -; Ron Yeaw -; Tom Hawkins – Cc: Rick Kaiser; Ken Corona
Subject: Cold War Operations 

Gentlemen, 

You’re receiving this email because the museum needs your help. As you know we’re working on the new “Cold War” gallery. One of the most difficult tasks is complying the text for each display – it is important that we get the history correct. Because you were a part of these ops or have knowledge of them we hope that you will help us not only get it right, but add interesting little known facts to the story. 

Attached are the topics we plan to focus on. Most of the attached information is from articles, books and the internet. If you can add anything that could make them more about UDT/SEAL involvement and less generic we’d be grateful. It can be in bullet format or a novel. Any and all info is appreciated. Editing as well as comments are also welcome. Additionally, if there is someone you know personally that may have direct knowledge about any of our topics, please let us know.
Thank you. 

Ruth McSween Curator Navy SEAL Museum 

From: Rick Woolard 
To:    me, Ron, Ruth, Bill, Dante, Gerhard, Hector, Kag, Randy, Tom, Rick, Ken
I Didn’t watch the documentary in Doc’s link – it lost me when the narrator got the pronunciation of Grenada wrong. The people who live there there say Grenayda, not Grenahda. 

But some of the guys I know who were on the operation are Duke Leonard, Dennis Chalker, Rich Hansen, Bill Davis (Gov Schoon rescue), Luke Cass and Kim Erskine (Radio Tower), and Bob Gormly and Dennis Johnson (overall). 

They can steer you to others who were there. 

Rick Woolard 

Bradley M Glass R.I.P. 1931-2016 UDT-21

Class 37, E.C. Top row: Jerry Vancour; Ron Yeaw, Al Ebner, Bob Henry, Jim McMahon Middle Row: Gordy Boyce, Ty Zellers, Roberto Ramos, Bob Delaine, Jim Ewin Front row: Chuck Bledsoe, Jerry Watters, Curtis Ashton, Bob Bryant

the passing of Ronald “Ronnie” Howell Cates, 64, of Live Oak, Florida on 19 July 2015.
Ronnie graduated with Class 101 on 30 March 1979 in Coronado, California and served with UDT-21 and is a Plank Owner in SEAL Team SIX. He loved to go canoeing, exploring, and diving in the cave springs of northFlorida and spending time with his family. Originally Ron nie was from Forest Park and graduated from Forest Park High School in 1969. He continued his education and earned a Masters Degree from Troy State University.

.45 pistol article a really good one !

Joe Camp Tribute in the making

Re: Request for Assistance – Joe Camp Tribute From: Gregory Austin Walker 

Skip and I are working on a tribute article for “The Blast” regarding Joe Camp. 

We have a great deal of information to include Joe’s military record and FOIAs from the Camp Family, Skip and me. Also, we’re in touch with the Camp Family and they provided the great photos and family archives. Greg Higgens, Joe’s nephew, was in touch with you while doing his own search in 2003 – and you responded – letting him know Joe had passed while working as a “plumber” in NIC. 

Which is true. 

I have copy of that email and others Greg heard back from to include Rudy B and “Hoot” Andrews. 

I have a few questions for you regarding Joe / Bobby Osborne (Bobby’s business card was found in Joe’s wallet after his disappearance / death – Bob N took possession of the wallet on July 27, 78 – when he and Osborne went to Managua looking for answers. Bob arranged a meeting with then President Somoza and his son, then Major Somoza. 

Bobby Osborne apparently – although he did not disclose this to Bob – had been down in Managua on June 2, 1978, and met with Joe (we have the US embassy cable traffic to STATE) and was going to take a leave and work for Joe teaching selected Guardia National EOD skills. Joe disappeared but Osborne stayed at the El Camino Hotel, same as where Joe was living, for about a week before going back to the Naval Surface Weapons base at Ft. Lauderdale where he was assigned at the time. 

He was highly pissed about Joe’s going missing, had his own theory, and Bob flew down and met with him and then bought him a ticket and took him to Managua on July 27th – Bob was intimate with what Joe was doing in NIC, as is Skip, and this part of the story we tell in the tribute to Joe as a Navy SEAL. 

If okay I’ll send you the questions – if you can help that would be great – we’re seeking to bring closure for the Camp Family through this effort and do do right by Joe. 

VR/Greg

from: Greg Walker 
to Doc, 
Subj: Joe Camp Photos
1st photo of Joe in the Bahamas 1965 is (Left to Right) Lt Dorant (Mustang officer), Doc McCarthy (Corpsman), and Joe. 
2nd photo of Joe in the Bahamas is (Left to Right) Joe adjusting face mask and Durwood White going over the side. 
3rd Photo is Joe after winning the 1975 NAB Decathlon. His nearest competitor was ten years his junior! 
4th Photo is Joe completing the swimming event at the decathlon. 
5th Photo is Joe and Brenda at their wedding in 1962. 
Photos of oe at the decathlon are from Bob Nissley’s collection. 
Those others are from the Camp Family Archives. 
We are using these and others for the story – Please use your throw weight with Jim Madison and others to see “The Blast” publish it as a Tribute – it will be in-depth, documented, exclusive narrative and Skip/Bob’s/my way of living our shared ethos to never leave a fallen comrade behind regardless of Service or SpecOps unit. 
Thanks, 
Your warrior brother, 
Greg 
5 Attachments Preview attachment Camp Bahamas 1965.jpg [Image] Preview attachment joe in the bahamas 2b.jpg [Image] Preview attachment JOE 2.jpg [Image] Preview attachment JOE 1.jpg [Image] Preview attachment joes marriage to brenda2.jpg [Image] 

Moran?, Fred Mc Carthy, Joe Camp
Skip Crane "Joseph Camp Goes Missing in Nicaragua in 1978"

Skip, 

As we discussed the other day I’ll be completing the review draft for you and the others Cc’d by early evening (Sunday). 

I’ll then email to ALCON for review/suggestions/corrections. 

Please take your time with it as we want best input from “eyes on” for best final product. 

I am expecting some additional details / documentation over the next 10 days or so which can be melted into the main body of content. For example, the NCIS FOIA I’m expecting has not arrived in the time frame given – I believe they are going over it with fine tooth comb as Joe’s surviving family submitted for same information (we double tapped them). I’m sure FOIA folks want to ensure they send same-same to both requesting parties. 

Also, Ray (Molina) was in contact with me last night. He hopes to be in direct contact with his source today with additional information on Joe’s body actually being discovered by the Guardia, as we discussed when I visited last. 

In specific last night he text “Solaun, is doubtful he will respond to any of this issues.” – This a continuation of former AMB Solaun’s initial discussions with me on this and other things then going quiet when I asked him about the possibility of the Guardia finding/reporting and attempting to return Joe’s remains to US Embassy in late June 78. 

As noted – no response is a response…with caveat as you recommend. 

As Jim asked I’ll work up the photos we have – which are very good (about 15 for Jim and Kara to work with) and caption them. 

Doc Riojas was good enough to post some selected photos of Joe on his website last week. As you know he had none of Joe – now the site has a nice presentation of him – which may encourage other teammates to get in touch with more observations/information – and the Camp family is once again surprised and pleased. 

Doc’s effort may lead us to Joe’s adult son, Marc. He’s been out of contact with the Camp family for ten years now – has sad/angry feelings about his dad as Joe died when he was just 12 – this effort may just help Marc look at Joe in more compassionate light today and reunite with the Camps. 

Anyhow – it’s a love Sunday morning here – will have this out tonight and await you-all’s input / guidance / direction. 

Respectfully, 

Greg 

Hey Greg – Thanks for update. Even though it’s been almost four decades of distorted accounts associated with Joe’s death, this well sourced and documented article serves to set the record straight and allow his family and the special operations community to view Joe’s death, as well as Mike, Chuck and Bobby’s, as part of a just and noble cause. 

On the other hand, President Carter’s policy towards Nicaragua and mistakes in handling President Somoza’s demarche, resulted in unintended consequences and another rousing good story that is also a cautionary tale. 

Cheers, 

Skip


This email was cleaned by emailStripper, available for free from http://www.papercut.biz/emailStripper.htm

Lt-Rt: ?, Bill Goines, ?, Joe Camp, ?
Brenda and Joe Camp getting Married

For the historical record – Mike Echanis / SEAL Team Two
From: Greg Walker 
to: me, scrane, seapoacher Doc Riojas

As you know many folks over the years have speculated or questioned or denied that Mike Echanis formally instructed for ST TWO. 

Although, as Bob has pointed out several times, Mike’s July 77 demonstration at Little Creek during the reunion pretty much knocked everyone’s socks off. 

For the historical record (as you are pretty much the guru of UDT SEAL history), I’ve attached one of the best photos of Mike taken during the 77 demo, and the official memorandum for record signed by LCDR Bruce Van Heertum naming Mike as ST TWO’s senior civilian instructor in H2H and Special Tactics/Weapons. 

Marcinko brought Mike to teach at A.P. Hill when he commanded ST TWO. When he turned the Command over Van H redid the original memo as you see it. 

That memo is in the official documents attachment in the Zip folder along with Mike’s other official documentation from Ft Bragg/JFK. 

It was Mike who recruited Joe in August 77 for NIC – with Joe retiring in Nov 77 then heading down several months later. 

Mike, Chuck Sanders (SF) and Bobby Lee Nguyen were KIA on September 8, 1978, in an aviation crash in southern NIC about 90 days after Joe disappeared / died in Managua. 

From FOIA STATE/NCIS and Jimmy Carter Library documents it appears Joe was killed on June 10, 1978. We have a FOIA coming to me in another week which may add further support to that date. 

For your review –

VR/Greg

His Silver Star Citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with friendly foreign forces engaged in armed conflict against Communist insurgent forces on the hostile island of Cu Lao Dung, Ba Xuyen Province, Republic of Vietnam, on 26 July 1967. While leading a small combat patrol, Lieutenant Trani, serving with SEAL Team Detachment Alpha, encountered and subsequently was surrounded by a numerically superior enemy force. Unable to maneuver out of the enemy encirclement, Lieutenant Trani attempted to contact supporting helicopters by radio, but before he could effectively communicate his unit’s position, he experienced radio failure. Undaunted by the lack of communications with supporting arms, he maneuvered his small unit into a tight defensive position. Though pinned down by constant enemy automatic weapons and rifle fire in a position that afforded only minimal protection for himself and his squad, and despite growing uncertainty of the arrival of assistance, Lieutenant Trani courageously moved among his men and succeeded in keeping morale high. Faced with a limited supply of ammunition and the imminent threat of a coordinated enemy attack that might easily overrun his small unit, he methodically employed every conceivable means to attract the attention of armed helicopters which he could hear operating in the distance. Four unnerving hours passed before the armed helicopters arrived to assist his beleaguered unit. Able to employ only primitive methods, he succeeded in marking his position for the helicopters and directed their fire onto part of the Viet Cong forces surrounding him. He directed another helicopter to a safe location to land for extraction of his unit. He then organized his men and maneuvered them under continuing enemy fire to the extraction craft without casualties or loss of a prisoner who later yielded valuable intelligence information. Through his exemplary and professional leadership, unwavering courage under fire and inspiring conduct throughout a desperate situation, Lieutenant Trani upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

http://veterantributes.org/TributeDetail.php?recordID=361

Mr Trani was KIA in Sept 68. His posthumous Legion of Merit says he was working with the LDNN at the time: 

As the Senior Advisor to the Vietnamese Navy SEALS, Lieutenant Trani provided advice and assistance to the SEALS in all matters pertaining to their training, utilization and administration. He participated in numerous combat operations and was often subjected to direct enemy fire. Through Lieutenant Trani’s keen insight and outstanding professionalism, the Vietnamese Navy SEALS were reorganized, equipped and trained to conduct unconventional warfare type missions throughout the Republic of Vietnam. Their motivation and performance during many difficult and dangerous assignments is directly attributable to Lieutenant Trani’s efforts. 

If I’m right, this was his second tour… which means his first tour was the one with Fred Miller, 4th Platoon, out of My Tho.

Oatis “Eugene” Poole 1930 – 2015 R.I.P.

passing of Oatis “Eugene” Poole, 85, of Santa Monica, California, on 17 July 2015.
Gene graduated with UDT Replacement Class 006 on 21 November 1952 in Coronado, California and served with UDT-1 in Korea Oatis “Eugene” Poole 1930 – 2015 Signalman 2 nd Class , UDTRA Class 6, UDT -1, Korean War

Orders delay s required the intercess ion of “Red Dog” to pull him off the ship and into UDT training. Gene managed to jump into Class 6 , already in session, the Wednesday before Hell Week Class 6 graduate d November 2 8 th , 1952 and so began Gene’s life long career as a Frog . He joined UDT 1 in time to relieve UDT 3 , in J apan , in April 1953 , and participated in numerous UDT missions in Korea After leaving the N vy in 1954.
Many folks still recognize young Gene Poole as the stunt – double in several television programs during the 1960’s , including “Sea Hunt” and “Voyage the Bottom of the Sea,” and in films such a s “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea ” and “Creature from the Black Lagoon,” where his diving skills were no match against menacing underwater creatures. He particularly enjoyed regaling Frogs with episodes of the grueling work as life guard for Esther Williams during films made in the late 1940’s.

John Kirby 1949- 2015 R.I.P.

VIRGINIA BEACH – John Kirby, 66, went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, July 21, 2015. John retired after 30 years in the U.S. Navy in UDT/SEAL Team 2. John Kirby, 66, of Virginia Beach, Virginia, on 21 July 2015. John graduated with UDT-R Class 42 on 03 May 1968 in Little Creek, and served in UDT-21, SEAL Team TWO as well as Command Master Chief tours at both SEAL Team TWO and Naval Special Warfare Group TWO. John was also the longest serving Vice President in the UDT-SEAL Association, supervising 8 consecutive East Coast Reunions.

Tom Blais Platoon in NhaBe Vietnam
Tom Blais Platoon in NhaBe Vietnam
Vietnam SEAL insertion from Mike Boat
Alfred "Al" Ray Clark
Blake Marston
Blake Marston
Bob Holmes
My Vietnamese Brothers and Sister in Virginia Beach VA
Chuong Nguyen

                                                      Rio                             Pete                                                    Craig in Houston TX

devereaux "Bull" Knox
Glen Grinnaage
Mike Wood
Harry Humphries and Fran Scollise ST-2
Floatation Jacket 'nam era, name of SEAL ???
Gilliam
aul Rump in Alaska 2015

Joe L. Hutchins 1929 - 2015 R.I.P.

passing of Joe Lee Hutchins, 85, of Imperial Beach, California, on 22 July 2015. 
Joe graduated with UDT Replacement Class 004 on 22 March 1952 in
Coronado, California and served with UDT-3 in Korea and was a driving force as a senior enlisted member of UDT-12.

www.paulevancoe.com

About the Author

Paul Evancoe is a retired, career Navy SEAL with significant combat experience. Following his military career, he continued government service as the Director for Special Operations in the Office of the Coordinator for Counter-terrorism at the U.S. Department of State. Paul next took a position with the National Nuclear Security Administration where he later headed the Office of Emergency Response which had responsibility for world-wide nuclear and radiological accident and incident response. After 37 total years of government service he became the Vice President for Military Operations at FNH USA. Paul is the founder and president of International Security Strategies and Operations, Inc. ISSO specializes in emergency management, risk assessment, vulnerability assessment and facility hardening. .

Paul’s significant military service awards include the Joint Meritorious Service Medal, Bronze Star with “V” for valor, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal (3 awards), Cross of Gallantry with gold star for heroism, Navy Commendation Medal with “V” for valor, Navy Combat Action Ribbon (3 awards), Navy Achievement Medal (4 awards), along with 12 other lesser medals and ribbons. Paul holds a BS in Industrial Technology and advanced degrees and certifications in Human Resource Development, Political Military Strategic Planning and Weapon Systems Engineering.

Paul is the author of numerous feature articles in various national and foreign journals and magazines. He regularly is quoted as a counterterrorism, weapons and non-lethal disabling technology expert in various newspapers and magazines. In addition, Paul has written numerous security-related policy and procedural documents for both government and commercial customers. “Own the Night” is Paul’s first novel.

Paul  Evancoe – Author and Counter Terrorism Expert 

                                                                         http://www.potomacspeakers.com/Guest_Speaker_bios.html

Asymmetric Warfare   By Paul Evancoe

Browse The ‘paul articles’ Category 

Asymmetric Warfare 

By Paul Evancoe 

All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when we are able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must appear inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near – Sun Tsu, “The Art of War” circa 476–221 BCE. 
» Read More 

The US Military… They Are Us 

By Paul Evancoe Born from tyranny, this nation began a virtuous path as one with high ideals. It was a nation that guaranteed liberty to its citizens, not freedom. It was a nation which drew its strength from the many qualities of those citizens who immigrated there from around the world to make a better life. And, the result was that science, technology and the arts were advanced in quantum leaps. Newly arrived citizens raced to learn the common language used by society, melting into the work force to create a great focus of singular national thrust. At » Read More 

Contingency Planning Lessons Learned and the Sochi Olympic Games 

By Paul Evancoe Security is always a challenge especially for National-level special events like Olympics, summits and major sporting events. Of these events, Olympic security is perhaps the most challenging because the dates and locations of the Games are public and known years in advance of the games. Secondly, depending upon the location of the games, coastal or inland, and the time of year, winter or summer games, the complexity level of security grows exponentially. Next year, Russia’s Sochi will host the 2014 Winter Olympics. Sochi is located on the northeast coast of the Black Sea. Shadowed by the North Caucasus » Read More 

The National Security Strategy: Then and Now 

By Paul Evancoe Containing communist expansion, while providing a creditable nuclear deterrent, monopolized U.S. foreign policy and military spending for the 40 years preceding the 1992 end of the Cold War. The standoff between the Western allies and massive Soviet forces across the East-West divide bolstered by hundreds of Soviet missiles targeted on the United States is gone. Even as the U.S. remains the last superpower, a new world order has developed. Although this may provide some comfort, today’s security environment is laced with troubling new uncertainties while other clear threats persist. Deceptively complex, not all security risks are » Read More 

EXPLOSIVES and their EFFECTS 

A tutorial by Paul Evancoe Much speculation has been made by the media with respect to the explosive devices that were detonated at the finish line during the 2013 Boston Marathon. Certainly, the effects of the explosives were obvious. For the purpose of better understanding explosives and their effects, the following tutorial is offered. Types of Explosions. An explosion may be defined as the sudden and rapid escape of gases from a confined space accompanied by high temperatures, violent shock, and loud noise. The generation and violent escape of gasses is the primary criteria of an explosion and is present in » Read More 

Soldier-Carried Directed Energy Weapon 

By Paul Evancoe For USMilitary.com Directed energy technology increases exponentially as does today’s computing power, its close relative. Many think of directed energy in terms of microwave beams or visible light spectrum lasers, but the directed energy weapons of tomorrow may consist of a mix of many, giving them effectiveness requiring countermeasures so sophisticated and/or expensive the enemy won’t attempt them. There are a multitude of directed energy possibilities that are being considered for use as a soldier-carried battlefield anti-personnel weapon (see http://www.acq.osd.mil/dsb/reports/ADA476320.pdf). Developing an affordable battlefield laser weapon small enough and » Read More

—–Original Message—–
From: Don Shipley
To: Erasmo “Doc” Riojas ; Paul Evancoe
Sent: Mon, May 18, 2015 
Subject: fake Navy SEALs 

Honor to speak with you, Paul. Always an honor to speak with Doc Rio as well but he’s a Mexican if you hadn’t heard, Paul. 

Paul… Did you ever serve on the USS Everglades before becoming a SEAL? 

That’s where he (the phony) said he knew you from… 

My best… Don Shipley 

On Mon, May 18, 2015 , <isso4wmd .com> Paul Evancoe wrote: 
to: Don Shipley:
The wanna-be mentions my name, Paul Evancoe,  as though he served with me.
Don sets him straight.
paul Check out this video on YouTube: http://youtu.be/3ouRpOILFi0 

Attachments area Preview YouTube video Phony Navy SEAL of the Week.
Phony SEAL confrontations in person.

Diane and Don Shipley on the way to confront the Wannabe SEAL that said he knows Paul Evancoe (SEAL)

On Mon, May 18, 2015 , <isso4wmd .com> wrote: 

The wanna-be mentions my name as though he served with me.
Don sets him straight. paul Check out this video on  
Attachments area Preview YouTube: http://youtu.be/3ouRpOILFi0 
video Phony Navy SEAL of the Week.
Phony SEAL confrontations in person.


From: Erasmo “Doc” Riojas
Sent: Monday, May 18, 2015
To: Don Shipley & Paul Evancoe ;
Subject: Re: fake Navy SEALs

I hope don does not become another Chris Kyle by one of these crazies . you do not have my permission to die. RIO

to : Doc Riojas and Don Shipley(Extreme SEAL Experience)
Re: fake Navy SEALs
Inbox x Extreme SEAL Experience
to me Sure, Doc… Print away, my brother…
Don Shiply

On Tue, May 19, 2015& To: Doc RIojas
<isso4wmd com> Paul Evancoe wrote:
Good morning,
Don and Doc.
The honor is mine. Go ahead print the below story. Don your videos are the best!
Please keep it up.
Don, as for Doc…he’s not just a Mexican, he’s a Mexican dick smith who I served with in SEAL Team 2 back in the 60’s.

To answer your question about the Everglades: I enlisted in June of 65 and went to San Diego for boot camp. Following graduation (fall of 65), I went to MM “A” school at the Great Lakes. Upon graduation there (early spring of 66) as a MMFN designated striker, I got orders to the USS Everglades (AD-17), a destroyer tender, home ported in Charleston. I was put in M division and worked in main engineering for the next 8 months. M Division sucked highly as did being a snipe.

During that time the Navy sent out an all-Navy message stating they were short of salvage divers from the engineering ranks and they wavered the petty officer requirement. I had already taken the 3rd class test and was awaiting results so I volunteered for 2nd Class Diver’s School and was accepted. I went to dive school at NOB Norfolk and then back to the dive locker on the Everglades following graduation. I put on MM3 while in dive school.

While I was in dive school, I met two frogs from UDT-22 (PO1 Jarvie and PO2 Skip Isham) who were there with us for two weeks to learn how to weld and cut underwater – why? They said it was classified and I never did find out. Anyway, they could out run us, out drink us, out cuss us, dive deeper, stay down longer and come up dryer….well, you get the picture. That’s when I knew UDT was for me. No one spoke about SEALs. When I got back to the Everglades I immediately volunteered for UDT/R and got orders to Little Creek a few month later.

It was now very early spring of 67 when those of us who would become UDT/R class 40 East began preconditioning training under an all-star instructor staff the likes of MCPO Tom Blaise, MCPO Cook, PO1 Nesbit, PO1 Mike Spensor and PO2 Skip Isham. I made MM2 in training. We graduated in summer of 67 and I got orders to UDT-21. You may recall that back then it was rare that you got orders directly to a SEAL Team but out of my class Duke Leonard did.

Anyway, I immediately volunteered for a UDT 21 special classified deployment that took me (as the assistant LPO to Pier Ponson) to the Mariana Islds in the Pacific where, over the next few months, we blew slots through coral reefs to bring in the SOSUS spy cables being strung around the world to detect and classify Soviet submarines and surface ships. I immediately followed that short deployment to Argencia, NF where we did some very deep diving to find a break in a pre-existing SOSUS cable that the intel weenes believed the Soviets had cut. That was also my intro to the bends and decompression.

Immediatly upon my return from that deployment I got orders to ST2 and arrived there joining the 8th Plt as a Stonerman. We deployed to RVN in 68 and returned in 69. I made MM1 while in country. I was wounded there but elected to stay there to recover rejoining the action the same day they pulled my stitches.

I remained in ST2 working as Rudy’s asst. MAA, until late-70 and broke active service to go to college. During collage I remained in the reserves as a MM1 and also remained in contact with many of my SEAL shipmates. Prior to graduation I submitted my paper work for OCS and was told by my reserve MCPO that if I went back on AD that would advance me to the top of the OCS waiting list. So, I went back on TEMAC as a MM1 on recruiting duty and finally got orders to OCS in early spring 75. OCS was a piece of cake and I graduated an Ensign with orders to UDT-21. And the rest is history.

As far as the imposter who claimed to know me – I have zero memory of him. We might have crossed paths in M Division on the Everglades but it had a crew of over 300. I am certain he was not in the dive locker when I was. His story doesn’t hold water. I’m glad you outed him.

In closing, I think we should tell some stories about Doc Rio and his intimate experiences with furry animals (baaaaahhh). Doc, do you have anything to say for yourself before I spill the beans to Don?

Don, I love you Brother. Keep it up. Warmest regards, Paul Evancoe (class 40E) my iPhone is 240-888-1468 isso4wmd@aol.com

PS, Don, do you have a personal email? Would you share it with me?


From: Erasmo “Doc” Riojas
Sent: Tuesday, May 19, 2015 4:10 PM
To: Paul Evancoe
Subject: Re: fake Navy SEALs 

Don and Paul;  with your permission, may i put this sea story into www.sealtwo.org  by your other stuff? thanks Paul. 

BTW:  I only f- – – – d one goat, no sheep. 

RIO 

On Tue, May 19, 2015 at 7:55 AM, <isso4wmd@aol.com> wrote:

Good morning, Don and Doc. The honor is mine. Don your videos are the best! Please keep it up. As for Doc…he’s not just a Mexican, he’s a Mexican dick smith who I served with in SEAL Team 2 back in the 60’s.

To answer your question about the Everglades: I enlisted in June of 65 and went to San Diego for boot camp. Following graduation (fall of 65), I went to MM “A” school at the Great Lakes. Upon graduation there (early spring of 66) as a MMFN designated striker, I got orders to the USS Everglades (AD-17), a destroyer tender, home ported in Charleston. I was put in M division and worked in main engineering for the next 8 months. M Division sucked highly as did being a snipe.

During that time the Navy sent out an all-Navy message stating they were short of salvage divers from the engineering ranks and they wavered the petty officer requirement. I had already taken the 3rd class test and was awaiting results so I volunteered for 2nd Class Diver’s School and was accepted. I went to dive school at NOB Norfolk and then back to the dive locker on the Everglades following graduation. I put on MM3 while in dive school.

While I was in dive school, I met two frogs from UDT-22 (PO1 Jarvie and PO2 Skip Isham) who were there with us for two weeks to learn how to weld and cut underwater – why? They said it was classified and I never did find out. Anyway, they could out run us, out drink us, out cuss us, dive deeper, stay down longer and come up dryer….well, you get the picture. That’s when I knew UDT was for me. No one spoke about SEALs. When I got back to the Everglades I immediately volunteered for UDT/R and got orders to Little Creek a few month later.

It was now very early spring of 67 when those of us who would become UDT/R class 40 East began preconditioning training under an all-star instructor staff the likes of MCPO Tom Blaise, MCPO Cook, PO1 Nesbit, PO1 Mike Spensor and PO2 Skip Isham. I made MM2 in training. We graduated in summer of 67 and I got orders to UDT-21. You may recall that back then it was rare that you got orders directly to a SEAL Team but out of my class Duke Leonard did.

Anyway, I immediately volunteered for a UDT 21 special classified deployment that took me (as the assistant LPO to Pier Ponson) to the Mariana Islds in the Pacific where, over the next few months, we blew slots through coral reefs to bring in the SOSUS spy cables being strung around the world to detect and classify Soviet submarines and surface ships. I immediately followed that short deployment to Argencia, NF where we did some very deep diving to find a break in a pre-existing SOSUS cable that the intel weenes believed the Soviets had cut. That was also my intro to the bends and decompression.

Immediatly upon my return from that deployment I got orders to ST2 and arrived there joining the 8th Plt as a Stonerman. We deployed to RVN in 68 and returned in 69. I made MM1 while in country. I was wounded there but elected to stay there to recover rejoining the action the same day they pulled my stitches.

I remained in ST2 working as Rudy’s asst. MAA, until late-70 and broke active service to go to college. During collage I remained in the reserves as a MM1 and also remained in contact with many of my SEAL shipmates. Prior to graduation I submitted my paper work for OCS and was told by my reserve MCPO that if I went back on AD that would advance me to the top of the OCS waiting list. So, I went back on TEMAC as a MM1 on recruiting duty and finally got orders to OCS in early spring 75. OCS was a piece of cake and I graduated an Ensign with orders to UDT-21. And the rest is history.

As far as the imposter who claimed to know me – I have zero memory of him. We might have crossed paths in M Division on the Everglades but it had a crew of over 300. I am certain he was not in the dive locker when I was. His story doesn’t hold water. I’m glad you outed him.

In closing, I think we should tell some stories about Doc Rio and his intimate experiences with furry animals (baaaaahhh). Doc, do you have anything to say for yourself before I spill the beans to Don?

Don, I love you Brother. Keep it up. Warmest regards, Paul Evancoe (class 40E) my iPhone is 240-888-1468 isso4wmd@aol.com

PS, Don, do you have a personal email? Would you share it with me? —–Original Message—– From: Don Shipley <info@extremesealexperience.com> To: Erasmo “Doc” Riojas <docrio45@gmail.com>; Paul Evancoe <isso4wmd@aol.com> Sent: Mon, May 18, 2015 6:29 pm Subject: Re: fake Navy SEALs

Honor to speak with you, Paul. Always an honor to speak with Doc Rio as well but he’s a Mexican if you hadn’t heard, Paul.

Paul… Did you ever serve on the USS Everglades before becoming a SEAL?

That’s where he (the phony) said he knew you from…

My best… Don Shipley

Sniper: Inside The Crosshairs (Full Documentary) 'American Sniper' smashes box office records

“Hearts I Leave Behind”

Event Location
Creekside Offroad Ranch 
13580 US Hwy 59 Splendora, Texas 77372

Chris Kyle Memorial
About the Frog

Hearts I Leave Behind- In Memory of Chris Kyle and Chad Littlefield

 Chris Kyle 

This is apparently from a wife of one of the Navy Seals in attendance at Chris Kyle’s funeral… it makes interesting, disturbing, but hardly surprising reading. 


Chris Kyle became the armed services number #1 sniper of all time. Not something he was happy about, other than the fact that in so doing, he saved a lot of American lives. 

Three years ago, his wife Taya asked him to leave the SEAL teams because he had a huge bounty on his head by Al Qaeda. He did and wrote the book “The American Sniper.” 100% of the proceeds from the book went to two of the SEAL families who had lost their sons in Iraq. 

That was the kind of guy Chris was. He formed a company in Dallas to train military, police and I think firemen, how to protect themselves in difficult situations. He also formed a foundation to work with military people suffering from PTSD. Chris was a giver not a taker. He, along with a friend and neighbor, Chad Littlefield, were murdered trying to help a young man that had served six months in Iraq and claimed to have PTSD. 

Now I need to tell you about all of the blessings. Southwest Airlines flew in any SEAL and their family from any airport to the funeral… free of charge. The employees donated buddy passes and one lady worked for four days without much of a break to see that it happened. Volunteers were at both airports in Dallas to drive them to the hotel. 

The Marriott Hotel reduced their rates to $45 a night and cleared the hotel for only SEALs and family. The Midlothian, TX Police Department paid the $45 a night for each room. I would guess there were about 200 people staying at the hotel, 100 of them were SEALs. Two large buses were chartered (an unknown donor paid the bill) to transport people to the different events and they also had a few rental cars (donated). The police and secret service were on duty 24 hours during the stay at our hotel. At the Kyle house, the Texas DPS parked a large motor home in front to block the view from reporters. It remained there the entire five days for the SEALs to meet in and so they could use the restroom there instead of the bathroom in the house. 

Taya, their two small children and both sets of parents were staying in the home. Only a hand full of SEALs went into the home as they had different duties and meetings were held sometimes on a hourly basis. It was a huge coordination of many different events and security. Derek was assigned to be a Pall Bearer, to escort Chris’ body when it was transferred from the Midlothian Funeral Home to the Arlington Funeral Home, and to be with Taya. A tough job. Taya seldom came out of her bedroom. The house was full with people from the church and other family members that would come each day to help. I spent one morning in a bedroom with Chris’ mom and the next morning with Chad Littlefield’s parents (the other man murdered with Chris). A tough job. 

George W Bush and his wife Laura, met and talked to everyone on the Seal Team one on one. They went behind closed doors with Taya for quite a while. They had prayer with us all. You can tell when people were sincere and caring Nolan Ryan sent his cooking team, a huge grill and lots of steaks, chicken and hamburgers. They set up in the front yard and fed people all day long including the 200 SEALs and their families. The next day a local BBQ restaurant set up a buffet in front of the house and fed all once again. Food was plentiful and all were taken care of. The family’s church kept those inside the house well fed. 

JerryJones, the man everyone loves to hate, was a rock star. He made sure that we all were taken care of. His wife and he were just making sure everyone was taken care of….Class… He donated the use of Cowboy Stadium for the services because so many wanted to attend. The charter buses transported us to the stadium on Monday at 10:30 am. Every car, bus, motorcycle was searched with bomb dogs and police. I am not sure if kooks were making threats trying to make a name for themselves or if so many SEALs in one place was a security risk, I don’t know. We willingly obliged. No purses went into the stadium! 

We were taken to The Legends room high up and a large buffet was available. That was for about 300 people. We were growing. A Medal of Honor recipient was there, lots of secret service and police and Sarah Palin and her husband. She looked nice, this was a very formal military service. The service started at 1:00 pm and when we were escorted onto the field I was shocked. We heard that about 10,000 people had come to attend also. They were seated in the stadium seats behind us. It was a beautiful and emotional service. The Bagpipe and drum corps were wonderful and the Texas A&M men’s choir stood through the entire service and sang right at the end. We were all in tears. 

The next day was the 200-mile procession from Midlothian, TX to Austin for burial. It was a cold, drizzly, windy day, but the people were out. We had dozens of police motorcycles riders, freedom riders, five chartered buses and lots of cars. You had to have a pass to be in the procession and still it was huge. Two helicopters circled the procession with snipers sitting out the side door for protection. It was the longest funeral procession ever in the state of Texas. People were everywhere. The entire route was shut down ahead of us, the people were lined up on the side of the road the entire way. Firemen were down on one knee, police officers were holding their hats over their hearts, children waving flags, veterans saluting as we went by. Every bridge had fire trucks with large flags displayed from their tall ladders, people all along the entire 200 miles were standing in the cold weather. It was so heartwarming. Taya rode in the hearse with Chris’ body so Derek rode the route with us. I was so grateful to have that time with him. 

The service was at Texas National Cemetery. Very few are buried there and you have to apply to get in. It is like people from the Civil War, Medal of Honor winners, a few from the Alamo and all the historical people of Texas. It was a nice service and the Freedom Riders surrounded the outside of the entire cemetery to keep the crazy church people from Kansas that protest at military funerals away from us. Each SEAL put his Trident (metal SEAL badge) on the top of Chris’ casket, one at a time. A lot hit it in with one blow. Derek was the only one to take four taps to put his in and it was almost like he was caressing it as he did it. Another tearful moment. 

After the service Governor Rick Perry and his wife, Anita, invited us to the governor’s mansion. She stood at the door, greeted each of us individually, and gave each of the SEALs a coin of Texas. She was a sincere, compassionate, and gracious hostess. We were able to tour the ground floor and then went into the garden for beverages and BBQ. So many of the Seal team guys said that after they get out they are moving to Texas. They remarked that they had never felt so much love and hospitality. The charter buses then took the guys to the airport to catch their returning flights. Derek just now called and after a 20 hours flight he is back in his spot, in a dangerous land on the other side of the world, protecting America 

We just wanted to share with you, the events of a quite emotional, but blessed week.” 

To this day, no one in the White House has ever acknowledged Chris Kyle; his service, his death, his duty, his generosity, his caring, his life. However, the President can call a sports person and congratulate him on his bravery for announcing to the world that he is gay. He can say on national television that someone, a man who has committed a crime and was shot by police in the line of duty, would have made him a good son . 

The SEALS have asked that you please, keep this moving if you think Chris Kyle would have made a good son.



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Chris Kyle Memorial Service in Arlington Texas March 11, 2013

Reuters) – Thousands of people gathered at Cowboys Stadium on Monday to remember former U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, who was killed at a shooting range by an Iraq War veteran he tried to help.

By Marice Richter 
  Mon Feb 11, 2013 5:38pm EST 
ARLINGTON, Texas (Reuters) – Thousands of people gathered at Cowboys Stadium on Monday to remember former U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, who was killed at a shooting range by an Iraq War veteran he tried to help. 

Kyle, 38, was considered the deadliest sniper in American military history. He served four combat tours of duty in Iraq and elsewhere and won two Silver Stars and five Bronze Stars for bravery, according to his book “American Sniper,” about his military service from 1999 to 2009. 

Kyle was shot to death on February 2 at the shooting range at Rough Creek Lodge, an upscale retreat about 50 miles southwest of Fort Worth, Texas.

 

Chris Kyle RIP

Did an Islamist Convert Murder Chris Kyle? 

Former Marine Eddie Routh will stand trial for the 2013 murder of Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle and Kyle’s colleague, Chad Littlefield. The assumption has been that Routh suffered from PTSD, and his attorney says he’ll plead not guilty by reason of insanity. Kyle, who worked with PTSD vets, was working with Routh. 

But the Warfighter Foundation obtained Routh’s wartime record though a Freedom of Information Act request and found something astonishing: “Eddie Routh served one tour in Iraq in 2007, at Balad Air Base (the 2nd largest U.S. installation in Iraq), with no significant events. No combat experience. Let [us] say that again, he NEVER SAW COMBAT or any aspect of traumatic events associated with a combat deployment (i.e. incoming mortar or rocket fire). He never left the base, EVER.” What Routh did do, however, was guard captured Muslim terrorists at the Bilad Airbase prison.

 And some are speculating Routh had either converted to Islam or was in the process of doing so. There are no known ties between Routh and Islamist radicals, but, as Mark Alexander noted in Jihad — Target USA, “Describing Islamists as ‘lone wolf’ actors or ‘radicalized’ constitutes a lethal misunderstanding of the Jihadi threat. [They are] tied to worldwide Jihad by way of the Qur’an, the foundational fabric linking all Islamist violence.”

 If the speculation about Routh is correct, it puts Kyle’s death in a completely different light. More…

http://www.truthrevolt.org/news/evidence-surfaces-chris-kyles-killer-was-not-suffering-ptsd-terrorist-sympathizer

Chris Kyle Day Feb 2, 2015 TEXAS; American Spniper
Source: http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/02/11/Kyle-funeral

255 confirmed kills: Meet Navy SEAL Chris Kyle

the deadliest sniper in US history Served four tours of duty in Iraq, where he gained the nickname ‘The Devil of Ramadi’ from insurgents Longest shot was a 2,100-yard strike against a man armed with a rocket launcher Prefers a bolt-action .300 Winchester Magnum custom sniper rifle Left the Navy after 10 years to ‘save his marriage’

Erasmo “Doc” Riojas and his sister Esperanza Riojas attended Chris’ memorial at the Cowboy Stadium, Arlington TX 11 Feb 2013

From: Larry Bailey
Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2013
To: Maynard Weyers


Subject: SEAL Mom’s Account of Chris Kyle’s Funeral 

Maynard, I have permission to distribute this. The author’s son is a serving SEAL. Seems suitable for SEAL Ink. 
LB 

Chris Kyle, Patriotism and Texas February 12, 2013 

I just wanted to share with you all that out of a horrible tragedy we were blessed by so many people. Chris was Derek’s teammate through 10 years of training and battle. They both suffer/suffered from PTSD to some extent and took great care of each other because of it. 2006 in Ramadi was horrible for young men that never had any more aggressive physical contact with another human than on a Texas football field. They lost many friends. Chris became the armed services number #1 sniper of all time. Not something he was happy about other than the fact that in doing so he saved a lot of American lives. Three years ago, his wife Taya asked him to leave the SEAL teams as he had a huge bounty on his head by Al Qaeda. He did and wrote the book The American Sniper. 100% of the proceeds from the book went to two of the SEAL families who had lost their son in Iraq. That was the guy Chris was. He formed a company in Dallas to train military, police and I think firemen as far as protecting themselves in difficult situations. He also formed a foundation to work with military people suffering from PTSD. Chris was a giver not a taker. He along with a friend and neighbor, Chad Littlefield, were murdered trying to help a young man that had served 6 months in Iraq and claiming to have PTSD. 

Now I need to tell you about all of the blessings. Southwest Airlines flew in any SEAL and their family from any airport they flew into free of charge. The employees donated buddy passes and one lady worked for 4 days without much of a break to see that it happened. Volunteers were at both airports in Dallas to drive them to the hotel. The Marriott reduced their rates to $45 a night and cleared the hotel for only SEALs and family. The Midlothian, TX. police department paid the $45 a night for each room. I would guess there were about 200 people staying at the hotel. 100 of them SEALs. Two large buses were chartered to transport people to the different events and they also had a few rent cars. The police and secret service were on duty 24 hours during the stay at our hotel. 

At the house (Chris & Taya’s home) the Texas DPS parked a large motor home in front to block the view from reporters. It remained there the entire 5 days for the SEALs to congregate in and all to use the restroom so as not to have to go in the house. Taya, their two small children and both sets of parents were staying in the home. Only a hand full of SEALs went into the home as they had different duties and meetings were held sometimes on an hourly basis. It was a huge coordination of many different events and security. Derek was assigned to be a pall bearer, to escort Chris’ body when it was transferred from Midlothian Funeral Home to Arlington Funeral Home and to be with Taya. Tough job. Taya seldom came out of her bedroom. The home was full with people from the church and other family members that would come each day to help. I spent one morning in a bedroom with Chris’ mom and the next morning with Chad Littlefield’s parents (the other man murdered with Chris). Tough job. 

Nolan Ryan sent his cooking team, a huge grill and lots of steaks, chicken and hamburgers. They set up in the front yard and fed people all day long. The 200 SEALs and their family. The next day a BBQ restaurant set up a buffet in front of the house and fed all once again. Food was plentiful and all were taken care of. The church kept those inside the house well fed. 

Jerry Jones, the man everyone loves to hate, was a rock star. He donated use of Cowboy Stadium for the services as it was determined that so many wanted to attend. The charter buses transported us to the stadium on Monday at 10:30. Every car, bus, motorcycle was searched with bomb dogs and police. I am not sure if kooks were making threats trying to make a name for themselves or if so many SEALs in one place was a security risk…I don’t know. We willing obliged. No purses into stadium! We were taken to The Legends room high up and a large buffet was available. That was about 300 people. We were growing. A Medal of Honor recipient was there, lots of secret service and police and Sarah Palin and her husband. She did not impress me. She was taking the opportunity to be interviewed for TV and dressed in high clog shoes and corduroy jeans. She looked nice, but this was a very formal military service. She was not dressed appropriately. The service started at 1:00 and when we were escorted onto the field I was shocked. We heard about 10,000 people had come to attend also. They were seated in the stadium seats behind us. It was a beautiful and emotional service. Bagpipe and drum corps was wonderful and the A&M men’s choir stood through the entire service and sang right at the end. We were all in tears. 

The next day was the 200 miles procession from Midlothian, TX to Austin for burial. It was a cold, drizzly, windy day, but the people were out. We had dozens of police motorcycles riders, freedom riders 5 chartered buses and lots of cars. You had to have a pass to be in the procession and still it was huge. Two helicopters circled the procession with snipers sitting out the side door for protection. It was the longest funeral procession ever in the state of Texas. People were everywhere. The entire route was shut down ahead of us the and people were lined up on the side of the road the entire way. Firemen down on one knee, police officers holding their hats over their hearts, children waving flags, veterans saluting as we went by.. Every bridge had fire trucks with large flags displayed from their tall ladders….people all along the entire 200 miles standing in the cold weather. It was so heartwarming. Taya rode in the hearse with Chris’ body so Derek rode the route with us. I was so grateful to have that time with him. 

The services were at Texas National Cemetery. Very few are buried there and you have to apply to get in. It is like people from Civil War, Medal of Honor winners a few from the Alamo and all the historical people of Texas. It was a nice service and the Freedom Riders surrounded the outside of the entire cemetery to keep the crazy church from Kansas that protests at military funerals away from us. Each SEAL put his Trident (metal SEAL badge) on the top of Chris’ casket one at a time. A lot hit it in with one blow, Derek was the only one to take 4 taps to put his in and it was almost like he was caressing it as he did it. Another tearful moment. 

After the service the governor’s wife, Anita Perry, invited us to the governor’s mansion. She stood at the door and greeted each of us individually and gave the SEALs a coin of Texas. We were able to tour the ground floor and then went into the garden for beer and BBQ. So many of the team guys said that after they get out they are moving to Texas. That they had never felt so much love and hospitality. The charter buses then took the guys to the airport to catch their returning flights. Derek just now called and after a 20 hours flight he is back in his spot. 

Quite an emotional, but blessed week.

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Chris Kyle:  Hero to Zero as seen by Obama

From a retired firefighter and Army/National Guard LTC. 

It is about the funeral of Chris Kyle, the American soldier who was murdered while trying to help a soldier suffering with PTSD. 

The highest ranking officer at the service was a Brigadier General, and many, many military service people both active, reserve, and retired were here! Sara Palin quietly slipped into the service avoiding all press, to pay her personal and very private respects to the family, along with many others who did not want to make their appearance look like an attention grabber. Chris’s casket was solemnly brought in by a military color guard and escort and placed on the Texas star in center field in front of the podium. The military honor guard never left the casket from the time his body was first placed in it days earlier until he was finally laid to rest. Chris Kyle’s wife was the final speaker with a Marine escort at her elbow the entire time. The Marine gave her a white glove to dry her tears as she wept during her message, NO ONE..not one single person.. could hold back tears, and many openly sobbed as she spoke!! No one could believe how she got through it, especially when she spoke of being a broken woman by this loss, and yet when she spoke of his strength, we all knew that she was drawing her strength from Chris, even then. The entire stadium politely applauded her as she left the podium. All of the local television stations carried the service and broadcast live, as well as rebroadcast late that night. 

Yesterday, Tuesday, even in the pouring rain, the funeral procession left from his hometown of Midlothian, TX, just 15 minutes south of Dallas for Chris’s final resting place in Austin, a 240 mile journey. The funeral procession stretched for 200 miles!!! The beginning of the procession arrived in Austin just 30 minutes after the end of the procession was just leaving his hometown 200 miles away!!! It was the largest and longest procession in the history of the State of Texas. Every single overpass was filled with people holding flags and paying respect. Military from all branches stood at attention along the side of the interstate highway. Some of the overpass bridges had huge fire department ladder trucks set up with enormous U.S. flags stretched from the top one towering ladder to the top of the other in a formal salute to this hero. The cemetery where Chris is laid to rest is reserved for only people who have made incredible sacrifice for the State of Texas and the United States. He is laid to rest near Sam Houston, the man who ultimately fought for the freedom of Texas from Mexico and the Statehood of Texas. Ann Richards, the first female governor of Texas, along with most of the other governors and heroes whose entire life was dedicated to the freedom of this nation are laid to rest there! 

Obama may have snubbed this hero, but trust me, he did not have the final say in how this hero was remembered! The State of Texas and all of the local military gave this brave warrior the proper honor he so deserved. We all wept with both sorrow and pride for this incredible warrior, friend, husband, and father. 

Don’t forget FLAGS AT HALF-MAST FOR WHITNEY, NO MENTION ABOUT CHRIS FROM BARRY when you vote for the next Democratic person running for office.

Someone has to TEACH Barry about AMERICAN VALUES…………………………….. 
Life is a gift, Freedom is a responsibility.

255 confirmed kills: Meet Navy SEAL Chris Kyle...

the deadliest sniper in US history Served four tours of duty in Iraq, where he gained the nickname ‘The Devil of Ramadi’ from insurgents Longest shot was a 2,100-yard strike against a man armed with a rocket launcher Prefers a bolt-action .300 Winchester Magnum custom sniper rifle Left the Navy after 10 years to ‘save his marriage’

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) – An ex-Navy SEAL sniper slain earlier this month at a Texas gun range is to be buried Tuesday. 

A 200-mile funeral procession to an Austin cemetery from the Dallas area is planned after Chris Kyle’s funeral service. 

The Texas Department of Public Safety says drivers along Interstate 35 will not be allowed to pass the procession. 

Nearly 7,000 people attended Kyle’s memorial service Monday at Cowboys Stadium. 

Some who served with him said Kyle was more than an excellent sniper feared by U.S. enemies – he was a devoted family man. Kyle wrote the best-selling book “American Sniper.” 

Iraq War veteran Eddie Ray Routh has been charged in the Feb. 2 killings of Kyle and his friend Chad Littlefield at a North Texas gun range. 

(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.) 

Associated Press 

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Chris Kyle was Murdered in Texas


‘Shooting Therapy’ Did Not Kill Navy SEAL Chris Kyle

Ron Paul set off a Twitter firestorm on February 4th when he said super sniper Chris Kyle’s murder at the hand of fellow veteran Eddie Ray Routh during a target shooting session at a Dallas-area gun range “seems to confirm that ‘he who lives by the sword dies by the sword.'” “Treating PTSD at a firing range doesn’t make sense,” he wrote. 

 

 

Chris Kyle

Capt. Jack Menendez >
Annice Marie Byers R.I.P. Annice Byers
Brett D. Shadle R.I.P.

In Loving Memory of Rebecca “Becky” Menendez

Special Warfare Operator Chief Brett D. Shadle, 31, of Elizabethville, Pa, a highly decorated SEAL who had earned multiple Bronze Star Medals with Valor and several service ribbons, died during parachute training in southern Arizona. While details about his deployments were secret, officials confirmed the 31-year-old Shadle had served in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Shadle enlisted in the Navy in July 2000. The following year he completed his SEAL training and was assigned to his first unit in early 2002. He leaves behind a wife, a 2-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter.

Matthew P. “Matt” White, R.I.P

Born: June 20, 1981 
Place of Birth: Providence, RI 
Death: January 7, 2013 
Place of Death: Lincoln, RI
Lincoln – Matthew P. “Matt” White, 31, died unexpectedly Monday, January 7, 2013 at home. Born in Providence, the beloved son of Debora J. Morsilli of Lincoln, he had lived in Cranston and Lincoln for most of his life. He was the owner of MPW Building of Lincoln. He was a graduate of LaSalle Academy, Class of 2000. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 2003 and was a member of BUDS Class #253 and Seal Team 10.

The USS BEGOR—UDT Connection

http://www.ussbegor.org/seaStories.htm

The USS BEGOR—UDT Connection By Barry McCabe, Ensign, UDT-21, 1945 A platoon of UDT-21 aboard USS BEGOR, August 1945. Sea story author, Ensign Barry McCabe is at right with camera strap over his shoulder. UDT 21 Platoon As World War II closed, I was aboard USS BEGOR with Underwater Demolition Team (UDT) 21. My team was tasked with locating and destroying Japanese armament, suicide boats and miniature submarines in the area around Yokosuka, the main Japanese naval base on Tokyo Bay, in September 1945. 

The suicide boats were about 20-feet long, with wooden hulls, and powered by gasoline engines, many by American-made Gray Marine six-cylinder engines of about 70-80 horsepower. The boats did not have a reverse gear (for obvious reasons)! 

Dozens of the boats were stored in caves on top of dollies that ran on railroad-type tracks, to enable the Japanese to quickly run them into the water. We found none that were loaded with explosives, but, if the US invasion became imminent, explosives would have been loaded quickly. Each boat would have carried two depth charges, 260 pounds apiece, which were released by hand or on impact with their targets. The boats were usually painted green. See related photos on the Photo Gallery page. 

I and other UDT 21 officers were involved with supervising the teams in the destruction of these suicide weapons. We tried burning the boats in the caves, but they were so damp they wouldn’t burn, even with gasoline being poured on them. Obviously, we tried to blow them up close to where we found them, but after doing it once, we decided it presented too much danger to the villages, because the boats were right where the people lived. We finally towed them out into the water and sometimes cut holes in their hulls with axes to sink them. 

As for the midget subs, they had to be towed out and sunk. As with the suicide boats, Japanese laborers provided most of the muscle for moving the boats from storage to the water, with UDT members supervising. I can’t recall the subs’ length, but they were extremely small, as you can see from the related photos on the Photo Gallery page. They were perhaps about 4′ in diameter. 

When people question the use of the atomic Bombs, which ended the war, I tell them even though it was catastrophic, I along with a million American troops probably wouldn’t be alive today [had the war been fought to its conclusion through invasion and conventional warfare]. I was amazed that, once the Emperor told the people the war was over, they immediately gave up their arms and were remarkably friendly. Otherwise, men, women and children would have fought to their deaths. 

Barry McCage is deceased. See his obituary on our Shipmates Memorial page. Comment on Barry McCabe’s sea story by the BEGOR website team 

We thank Barry for his story and the accompanying photos on the Photo Gallery page, all of which were taken by him. USS BEGOR’s crewmembers are honored and privileged to have worked with the effective and courageous men of the Underwater Demolition Teams over the years. For more information on the history of UDT and that program’s evolution into the Navy SEAL program, go to http://www.seal.navy.mil. 

Barry is not resting on his laurels. Here is a Spring 2005 email communication from him: 

“FYI, for the past 10 years I’ve been working closely with a Captain in the SEAL Reserves in a very successful program physically testing and mentoring young SEAL candidates at the Merchant Marine Academy in NY. That’s the primary reason my attention these days is more focused on the SEALs. To give you an idea of our program’s success, of all the men across the country who enter the demanding 6-month program in Coronado, called BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition SEALs), about 80% fail. Of all the men we have tested and recommended for BUD/S, 70% make it and only 30% fail. It’s truly rewarding working with these young men.” 

That is dedication! Our BEGOR ballcaps are off to you, Barry!

Histories for UDT 18 Association

http://images.military.com/HomePage/UnitPageHistory/1,13506,700172%7C768426,00.html

1990 Reunion

The UDT 18 Association had just presented their Plaque to the UDT-SEAL Museum at FT. Pierce, FL. The history of WWII UDT 18 is being compiled at this time along with the Muster list of the Members who served in the Borneo Operation and the Tokyo Bay Operation. In the meantime direct inquiries to the Page Manager.



Mar 16 2003 03:36:29:000AM

Benjamin Smith
Chris Gonczlik
Gerry Flowers, Riojas, Rudy Boesch
Doc Riojas, , Bob Holmes
Glen Doherty
Glen Doherty
50's frogs Don Belcher & Don Marler

Glen Anthony Doherty trained as a pilot 
at  Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University before joining
the United States Navy. Doherty  
served as a Navy SEAL including tours of  duty in
 Iraq and Afghanistan. After leaving  the Navy, he
worked for a private security  company in Afghanistan,
Iraq, Israel,  Kenya and Libya.[61] In the month
prior  to the attack, Doherty as a contractor with  
the State Department told ABC News  in an interview
that he personally went  into the field in Libya to
track down  MANPADS, shoulder-fired surface-to- air
missiles, and destroy them.

Glen Anthony Doherty

A Letter to My Friend Glen Doherty

By Brandon Webb September 21, 2012 2:19 pm

http://atwar.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/21/a-letter-to-my-friend-glen-doherty/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=1


Glen A. Doherty, a security contractor and former member of the Navy SEALs, was killed in Libya on Sept. 12, 2012, while defending the American Mission in Benghazi, Libya. During a memorial service for Mr. Doherty and the three other Americans killed in the attack — the Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens, Tyrone S. Woods and Sean Smith — President Obama said of Mr. Doherty: “He believed that his life he could make a difference, a calling that he fulfilled as a Navy SEAL…in Benghazi, as he tended to others, he laid down his life, loyal as always, protecting his friends.” 

Mr. Doherty’s best friend and former SEAL Team 3 comrade, Brandon Webb, has written a goodbye letter that we are publishing in full. —At War Photo Left, thousands lined the streets of Boston as Glen Doherty’s coffin passed on its way to burial. Right, Mr. Doherty’s folded flag. Left, thousands lined the streets of Boston as Glen Doherty’s coffin passed on its way to burial. Right, Mr. Doherty’s folded flag.Credit Courtesy of Brandon Webb 

Glen, 

I still can’t believe you punched out early on me, but glad to hear from the guys that you fought like a hero–no surprise there. 

You should know, your efforts resulted in the rescue of over 20 Department of State personnel. They are alive today because of yours and Ty’s heroic action. 

I know you hate funerals as much as I do but, the service in Winchester was humbling and inspiring. The people of Boston are amazing. I had to choke back the tears as me and the boys rolled through town, and thousands of people lined the streets to honor a hero and our friend and teammate. Seeing American citizens united around a hero, if only for a brief moment, restored my faith in humanity and that there’s other things more important in life than killing each other. 

Your family is and was amazing. Their poise, patience and the dignity they displayed was incredible to witness. Your mom, Barbara, stood by stoically for hours to ensure she greeted everyone who came to pay their respects. She was an inspiration to everyone who watched. Seeing your dad, his sadness and how proud he was of you, made me give him a big hug, and reminded me to work harder at patching things up with my own father. 

Greg delivered one of the best talks I’ve ever heard under the most difficult of situations. What an amazing brother; I hope to get to know him better. His speech made me reflect on my own life choices and how important our relationship with friends and family are. I’m going to work harder at embracing my friends and family the way you always did. 

Katie gave such an awesome toast at the wake with all the Bub lessons to live by, I smirked secretly to myself knowing that I’ve heard them all before and will never forget. “Drive it like it’s stolen!” and “Kids don’t need store-bought toys, get them outdoors!” and all the rest. 

Photo Glen A. Doherty on a fishing trip in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. The author is taking the picture. Glen A. Doherty on a fishing trip in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. The author is taking the picture.Credit Courtesy of Brandon Webb 

Your nephews are amazing and so well-behaved. Great parents of course. F.Y.I., I told them I’d take them flying when they come out west. They were beaming when I described all the crazy flying adventures me and their uncle went on. I told them how you and I would fly with my own kids and take turns letting them sit on our laps to get a few minutes at the controls. I’ll do it up right and let them each have a go at the controls. 

Sean has been steadfast in his support role and has handled everything thrown at him. Helping him this last week really showed me why he was such a close friend of yours. He’s solid, and I look forward to his friendship for years to come. You chose well having him execute your will, he’s solid. 

We are all dedicated, as you explicitly indicated to us all, to throw you the biggest eff-ing party we can, and to celebrate your life as well as our own. Done deal; Sean and I are on it. 

Most of SEAL Team 3 GOLF platoon showed up in Boston. It was great to see how guys like Tommy B. just made stuff happen, no matter what was needed. Things just got handled like men of action handle them, no questions asked and no instructions needed — just get it done in true SEAL fashion. 

One by one the Tridents were firmly pounded into to the mahogany as the guys paid their respect. Mike and I handed the plank to your mom, choked back tears, and kissed her on the cheek. We both told her how much you’ll be missed by us all. 

Afterwards, the Team Guys, Elf, Steve, Sean and others tipped a few back in your honor. In good Irish fashion we drank whiskey from Sean’s “What Jesus Wouldn’t Do” flask, hugged each other like brothers and said goodbye, each in our own way. 

We are planning the yearly surf trip to Baja in your memory. We share Steve Jobs’s philosophy on religion and tolerance, but if you can arrange it, please talk to whomever and fire up a good south swell for me and the boys. 

My kids will miss their Uncle Glen. I told them it’s O.K. to cry (we all had a good one together) and to be sad but not for too long. You wouldn’t want that. They will grow older, and like the rest of us, and be better human beings for having known you. 


You definitely lived up to the words of      Hunter S. Thompson: 

“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming “Wow! What a ride!” 


When I skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke myself I’ll expect to see your smiling face handing me a cold beer. 

See you on the other side, brother. You are missed by many. 

-B.W. 

Brandon Webb is a former Navy SEAL, author of a memoir, “The Red Circle,” and editor-in-chief of SOFREP (Special Operations Forces Report). He served with his best friend, Glen Doherty, at SEAL Team 3, where they were sniper students together. They had just completed a book together, “Navy SEAL Sniper,” which is due out in January.

Mr. Hung Larry Bailey Kiet Nguyen
SEALs at war
Rio & Miles
"Moki" Martin
Ramon S. Van Svanda Walker & WWII frogmen
Doc Riojas and Gerry FLowers atop Space Needle Seattle WA. Oct 2012
Lowell Gosser ST-2 'nam
Franklin Anderson and Wife

 James Charles Tipton – Jan 1933 – July 2011   R.I.P.

        

James Charles Tipton (7/15/11)

J.C. Tipton died at Southwestern Medical Center on Wednesday, 13 July. His ashes will be inurned at USNA at a later date.

A tribute to J.C. From his son, Chris:

James Charles Tipton – Jan 1933 – July 2011   

My father, known by his family and friends as J.C., passed away peacefully this morning  at 11:50, surrounded by his wife of 53 years and his two children. He lived a truly wonderful life. He had a huge smile for everyone he met, he would ask you how you were doing because he really wanted to know, listen to your stories intently, and leave you with a feeling that he was the nicest man you’d ever met, and he was. He was a twin brother, a loving son, a patriotic and loyal man, an amazing father and a doting husband.

He grew up in rural northern Alabama. He served his country for over 25 years, beginning in Korea as an Underwater Demolition Specialist before being accepted to the U.S. Naval Academy as a member of the Class of 1958. Upon graduation from Annapolis, J.C. was commissioned in the U.S. Air Force and served around the world – Vietnam, Japan, Canada, Denmark and various U.S. bases. His wife Peggy was by his side from their first blind-date in Annapolis in 1957, and they had their 53rd wedding anniversary two days ago, July 12th. He and Peggy adopted me and then their daughter Liz while they were stationed in Canada with the Air Force, and boy did we get lucky! He was the best father either of us could have ever wanted. He was confident but humble, hard-working but jovial, strict but fair, and he had our respect. He loved his family with all his heart and we loved him back.

He retired with the family to Dallas in 1977. His second career with Rockwell-Collins in Richardson led him to many of the friends our family still shares today. He was an avid runner, voracious reader, non-stop traveler and a lover of life. He lost his battle with dementia but he never lost that smile, even if he had forgotten your name. He would still hold the hands of his grandchildren with a look of pure love in his eyes. His granddaughters both gave him stuffed animals to hold on to when the end drew near, and he clutched them both as he passed on. His spirit lives on with his wife, his children, his grandchildren, his brother and his vast network of friends all over the world. We love you Dad…you will be missed.  

Bud King, Jim Tipton Jack Lynch Cathy Townsend King, Fred Cox, Rudy, Karen Cox
Archie Grayson, Joe Silva, Jim Tipton, "Eagle" Gallagaher
Lt to Rt: Jack Lynch, ? ? , Rudy Boesch, Jim Tipton
Top Row, 6th Sailor from left is Jim Tipton

Jim Tipton R.I.P.

Dennis, Rudy, Jim

Navy Cross   

Awarded for actions during the Vietnam War

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Radarman Second Class Robert J. Thomas, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism on 23 March 1969 while serving with Sea-Air-Land Team TWO (SEAL-2), Detachment ALFA, Seventh Platoon, during combat operations against communist aggressor forces in the Republic of Vietnam. 

Embarked in a Seawolf helicopter on a visual reconnaissance and strike mission on Da Dung Mountain near the Cambodian border when the aircraft was struck by enemy ground fire and crashed in an exposed rice paddy, Petty Officer Thomas was thrown from the wreckage, sustaining multiple injuries. Fighting off the stunning effects of shock, he immediately moved to the aid of the helicopter crewmen who were still in the burning aircraft.

 Despite the intense flames and the heavy gunfire from both the mountain and a nearby tree line, Petty Officer Thomas managed to remove one of the crewmen to safety and, with the aid of another man who had been dropped onto the site by an accompanying helicopter, succeeded in freeing the trapped pilot from the flaming cockpit. Petty Officer Thomas then made a gallant attempt to rescue the two remaining men trapped beneath the twisted metal, discontinuing his efforts only when driven back by the exploding bullets and rockets of the burning helicopter. 

After moving the two previously rescued men to a greater distance from the crash site, Petty Officer Thomas realized that Viet Cong troops were steadily advancing on his position. He selflessly threw himself upon the body of one of the wounded men and began returning the enemy fire. His deadly accuracy accounted for at least one enemy dead and held the aggressors at bay until an Army rescue helicopter landed.

 By his valiant efforts and selfless devotion to duty while under hostile fire, Petty Officer Thomas upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

General Orders: Authority: Navy Department Board of Decorations and Medals

Action Date: 23-Mar-69

Service: Navy

Rank: Radarman Second Class

Company: Sea-Air-Land Team 2 (SEAL-2)

Regiment: Detachment ALPHA

 

On Thu, Jun 30, 2011
RJ Thomas <win70shooter  [at] live   DOT  com

wrote:  

 Guys, 
March of 69 has our Platoon’s little dust ups in Ha Tien, they (COMNAVFORV) obviously only counted the two I dumped at the crash site…interesting how COMVAVFORV screwed it up.   

RJ  Thomas, CDR USN Ret. (SEAL)

From: langleychfs  [at]   knology  DOT  net
To: langleychfs  Email Listing
Subject: Vietnam records
Date: Wed, 29 Jun 2011 

This is interesting for Vietnam veterans from Doc Riojas.  Navy Operation reports declassified from Vietnam.
http://www.history.navy.mil/ branches/org10-8.htm  

From:Kent Graham 
to:     Doc Riojas, RJ, Andy, Al, B, Carl, Cisco, Cliff, Dave, Dick,
 Don, me, Fred, Gordy, Fred, Gus, Hawk, Hunter, Jay, Jim, Jim, Jud, Jud, Kevin, Kirk, Larry, Mike 


Thanks, RJ – 

This is interesting for Vietnam veterans. 
http://www.history.navy.mil/ branches/org10-8.htm  

That report also cost you the MOH. 

With regard to two aircraft – could have been, but we went in twice – after the first time when Mike was hit the Master Caution panel looked like a Christmas tree from all the hits – did a go-around – climbed to 1000 feet and checked the gauges to make sure we had engine and transmission oil pressure, put out a MayDay call – we had a light fire team at Tri Ton – they didn’t respond – then back in at 120 knots and a low level autorotation to the site. 

Once landed, I did not see anything out the front of the helicopter as I was trying to count moving bodies out the side of the bird to make sure we had everybody on board before we lifted off. 

I did see a whole bunch of former NVA on the ground that you took care of as we lifted off.  These were the guys you waxed with the  M1911 .45 pistol.

Kent 

—– Original Message —–
From: RJ Thomas
To: Andy Nelson ; Al Morris ;  B W ; Carl McLellen ; Cisco Morton ; Cliff Heavern ; Dave Fiehtner ; Dick Barr ; Don Hill ;  Erasmo Riojas ; Fred Filkins ; Gordy Nakagawa ; Fred Miller; Gus Taylor ;  Hawk Holloway ; Hunter Grimes ; Jay Lindstrom ; Jim Ebbert ; Jim frigiola ;Jud Munger ;  Jud Thomas ; Kent Graham ; Kevin Quint ; Kirk Scarboro ; Larry Baily ; Mike Dyer ; Mike Iovino ;  Mike Turpen ; Paul Doolittle ; Phil McMillen ; Ronal Ryder ; Rick and Vik O’Haire ; Ron Anglin ;  Rupert Wyble ; Ted Holmes ; Tom Cox ; TFC ; Vic Wilson ; Vic Williams ; Will Mayberry ; Ron Yeaw ;  Paul Kirchner ; Jim Kauber ; Jack Varga ; Ed Head ;Bill Langly
Sent: Wednesday, June 29, 2011 


Subject: FW: Vietnam records 
This is interesting for Vietnam veterans. 
http://www.history.navy.mil/ branches/org10-8.htm  

—– Original Message —–
From: RJ Thomas
To: Andy Nelson ; Al Morris ;  B W ; Carl McLellen ; Cisco Morton ; Cliff Heavern ; Dave Fiehtner ; Dick Barr ; Don Hill ;  Doc Erasmo Riojas ; Fred Filkins ; Gordy Nakagawa ; Fred Miller; Gus Taylor ;  Hawk Holloway ; Hunter Grimes ; Jay Lindstrom ; Jim Ebbert ; Jim frigiola ;Jud Munger ;  Jud Thomas ; Kent Graham ; Kevin Quint ; Kirk Scarboro ; Larry Baily ; Mike Dyer ; Mike Iovino ;  Mike Turpen ; Paul Doolittle ; Phil McMillen ; Ronal Ryder ; Rick and Vik O’Haire ; Ron Anglin ;  Rupert Wyble ; Ted Holmes ; Tom Cox ; TFC ; Vic Wilson ; Vic Williams ; Will Mayberry ; Ron Yeaw ;  Paul Kirchner ; Jim Kauber ; Jack Varga ; Ed Head ;Bill Langly
Sent: Wednesday, June 29, 2011 


March of 69 has our Platoon’s little dust ups in Ha Tien, they obviously only counted the two I dumped at the crash site…interesting how COMVAVFORV screwed it up. RJ  


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Adm Kauffman
Suth
Mike Toussaint
Travis & Becky and Max
Steve & Sharon Robinson and R.D. Russell
FROG (a different take on)= "Fully Rely On God" Erasmo Riojas
Henry Beal and his wife
Keith Davids
Fred Miller and Linda Miller, below Linda is Doc Riojas
Travis Morgan and his SEAL dad
MK 15 sniper rifle
Clark Schwedler
James "Patches" Watson and wife
Adm William Mc Raven " Yes sir, We will get Bin Laden today!"
Richard "Hook" Tuure
Gus Kaminski
Pete Pirate & john Wayne
Vickie Mc Cutchan Hank T. Envelope

AIRBORNE FROGMAN ESCAPES PARACHUTING ACCIDENT IN ITALY

By: Gene Cahill (UDT-SEAL Association BoD Member)

The routine of daily life is sometime taken for granted. Never again will I assume the usual to take place. I am Chief Petty Officer Eugene A. Cahill, U.S. Navy Platoon Chief, Underwater Demolition Teams.

On the morning of March 28, 1968, my unit was engaged in parachute training. Our aircraft was flying 1500 feet, and 110 knots above Salerno, Italy at 12 noon. It was another routine training parachute jump, and I was looking forward to the end, because my unit was packing up and getting ready for a return to the states, from a six-month deploy­ment. I had written my wife and four children the night before and relayed the news and anticipated arrival date. I was the Jumpmaster for the first group of jumpers, and I was breaking in a Lieuten­ant Junior Grade as Jumpmaster for another group of jumpers. I gave the pre­jump briefing; covering all the safety precautions and emergency procedures in case one of the jumpers had trouble. Just prior to exiting the aircraft, I asked the LTJG if he had his knife, (a required piece of equipment for all UDT jumpers). His reply was, “I forgot to bring it.” Before leaving the aircraft I said “Here take mine, I won’t need it.” The several minutes that followed, passed like several hours. I was the first jumper in a six-man stick. Immediately after jumping, five other men hit me on the way out. My parachute had deployed and was wrapped around the tail section of the plane. I was hanging by my neck about 25-feet behind the plane. The shroud lines of the parachute were wrapped around my neck. One man knocked my helmet off with his foot. One kicked me in the jaw and neck and another kicked me in the knee.  I was bleeding from my mouth and neck. I was near strangulation from the tangled shroud lines around my neck, and the weight of my body was pulling them tighter and tighter.

Somehow, I remained conscious throughout this ordeal. Shifting my position slightly, I was finally able to assess my precarious situation. I signaled the aircraft that I was conscious, using the standard signals (left hand on head, right hand on reserve parachute handle). The aircraft circled the airport for almost ten minutes; weaving and dipping, trying to shake me free. This did not work.

At this point, I was trailing the aircraft lying on my back. I instinctively reached for the one necessity in this situation; my knife. I had to get my shroud lines free from my neck. It was not there! Then I remembered, “Here take mine, I won’t need it,” as I had said to the other Jumpmaster before leaving the plane. My knife was in his possession, and it was the one thing that could help most.

I finally managed to free the lines from my neck by rolling and pulling myself toward the aircraft. The rushing wind from the plane’s speed made breathing difficult. Pulling my body toward the plane was like doing a chin up with lead shoes on. Then it was time for a new maneuver. I reached across my chest and pulled the canopy release and was free from the plane, and my parachute. I started to tumble through the air. I remembered that while I was tumbling through the air, that my watch band had become uncoupled and that I reached over and recouped it.

I went into a free-fall position, parallel to the earth in order to get somewhat stable before pulling my reserve. When I became stable, I was coming down with my back to the ground. I pulled the reserve chute. The small pilot chute came out and blew apart, because of the force from the 120 miles per hour speed at which I was falling. Instinctively, I reached in and pulled the main reserve out and threw it into the wind.

My falling motion was slowed by a jarring jolt. Looking down, I estimated that I was between 300 and 400 feet from

athe ground. This was later confirmed by the jumpers who were already on the ground. I was directly over a highway with railroad tracks and high-tension wires running along both sides.

I was trying to maneuver and, next thing I knew, I had fallen and landed in a courtyard about two feet from the side of a building. My first impulse was to silently thank God for helping me to remember what Airborne training had taught me.

I then looked around and about 150 Italians were crowded around me, all excited and all trying to help me. I had made a nice soft standup landing.

lMy men arrived along with the Italian Police, and sped me away to an aid station. A doctor immediately insisted I should drink some wine, which I refused. The last thing in the world I wanted was a drink. They then washed my burns, applied sulfur medication to my cuts, and transported me back to the airport.

Soon our C-117 Aircraft returned to pick us up. It had flown to its home base at Naples and landed to remove my para­chute from its tail section. We then flew back to Naples, and I was taken to the Naval Hospital by ambulance.

When the ambulance finally arrived at the hospital, I walked inside and the Corpsman asked, “What happened to you Chief?’ I replied, “I had a fall, but I’m Okay.” The Corpsman started to check my cuts and bums and ask me to fill in an accident report and write a brief summary of what had happened. After reading what happened the Corpsman and two other doctors rushed in to check me over. Although I had no broken bones, I did have multiple contusions. Due to the vast swelling in my neck area from cuts and bums from the shroud line, I was unable to eat for three days. Aside from some scars around my neck, which [make me] look like I had been lynched, I have fully recovered and resumed normal jumping with the Teams.

Investigations never determined exactly how or why my parachute became hung up on the plane’s tail section. It was one of those freak accidents, which requires one to utilize all past experiences and, to recall in an instant, all the instructions that one has been taught, and very possibly to create a few new ones.

Needless to say, I am lucky and very thankful to be alive.

<font’times new=”” roman’;=”” “=””>source: The BLAST 3d quarter 1997 Vol. 29 No.3 </font’times>


 Webmaster’s Note:   Gene was an instructor at the UWSS at the same time that i was ships’s company there way before this incident.  Gene was a superby instructor both in the classroom and on dives.  We will miss him at the UWSS reunions.     Doc Riojas

Jack Lynch RIP

LT John “Jack” Lynch USN (Ret) SEAL, Class 29 President – UDT-SEAL Association 

  <align=”left”>    <align=”left”> It is with great sadness that the UDT-SEAL Association informs the membership about the passing of LT John “Jack”</align=”left”></align=”left”>  Lynch USN (RET), Class 29 and President – UDT-SEAL Association.

 

Jack suffered a cardiac arrest due to arrhythmia on February 2, 2010. Jack’s condition remained critical and unresponsive, requiring life support. Due to the severe brain damage which occurred as a result of the lack of oxygen during his cardiac arrest, and upon consultations with the attending physicians, the difficult decision to suspend life support was made by Jack’s family.This decision was made due to a prognosis of little or no improvement in the quality of life, and the known wishes of Jack.

 

Jack was removed from life support on Saturday, February 13th at 3:00pm and had been moved to a private room. He remained as comfortable as possible with his family at his side. The care Jack had been receiving from the medical staff at the hospital was of great comfort and support to the family.

 

Jack completed his mission and reported for a new assignment yesterday, Saturday, February 15th,  at 4:20pm with his family at his side.   Details regarding services will be forwarded as soon as they are available.

 

The family respectfully requests in lieu of flowers, that donations be made to the Naval Special Warfare Foundation marked “Building Fund in memory of Jack Lynch”.

Naval Special Warfare Foundation
P.O. Box 5965

Virginia Beach, VA 23471

or on-line www.nswfoundation.org  

/linefrogsmall.jpg

  MCPO  Tom Keith   SEAL    

Hey guy’s I was asked by the VFW to be the grand marshal for the Memorial day parade here in palatka and my choker whites still fit. Of course at 0900 that morning they told me that after the parade I would be expected to speak to the crowd waiting at the amphitheater down on the river. My cousin Brian took this video.

Have a great day,     Tom Keith

  Eric Greitens Biography

Eric Greitens was born and raised in Missouri, where he was educated in the public schools. He was an Angier B. Duke Scholar at Duke University where he studied ethics, philosophy, and public policy. Selected as a Rhodes and Truman Scholar, he attended the University of Oxford from 1996 through 2000. There he earned a master’s degree in development studies in 1998, and a Ph.D. in politics in 2000.

Eric’s award-winning book of photographs and essays, Strength and Compassion, grew from his humanitarian work. His doctoral thesis, Children First, investigated the ways in which international humanitarian organizations can best serve war-affected children. He has worked as a humanitarian volunteer, documentary photographer, and researcher in Rwanda, Cambodia, Albania, Mexico, India, the Gaza Strip, Croatia, and Bolivia. Strength and Compassion is a collection of striking photographs from each of these countries, combined with bold essays on Strength, Pity, Dignity, Courage, Faith, Time, Hope, and Compassion. Among other accolades, Strength and Compassion has been recognized as ForeWord Magazine’s Book of the Year and the Grand Prize Winner of the 2009 New York Book Festival.

Eric is also a United States Navy SEAL officer, and he has deployed four times during the Global War on Terrorism: to Iraq, Afghanistan, the Horn of Africa, and Southeast Asia. He has served as the Commander of a Joint Special Operations Task Unit, Commander of a Mark V Special Operations Craft Detachment, and as Commander of an Al Qaeda Targeting Cell. His personal military awards include the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Navy Commendation Medal, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Purple Heart, and the Bronze Star.

In 2005, Eric was appointed by the President to serve as a White House Fellow. The White House Fellowship is a non-partisan, non-political appointment that is considered America’s most prestigious fellowship for leadership and public service.

Eric is a sub-3 hour Marathon runner and the winner of the Shamrock Marathon at Camp Fallujah, Iraq. As a boxer, he won two Oxford Boxing Blues and the Gold Medal at the BUSA National Boxing Championships. Outside Magazine recently named Eric their first ever Reader of the Year.

Eric used his combat pay from Iraq to found The Mission Continues. The Mission Continues empowers wounded and disabled veterans to begin new lives of public service. From May 2007 to May 2009, Eric contributed over 2,750 volunteer hours as a volunteer Chairman and CEO. In October 2008, the President of the United States personally presented Eric with the President’s Volunteer Service Award in recognition of his inspiring national leadership working with wounded and disabled veterans. In June 2009, the Draper Richards Foundation named Eric as a Fellow, recognizing him as one of the leading Social Entrepreneurs in America.

Eric also serves as a Senior Fellow at the Truman School of Public Affairs at the University of Missouri, where he teaches on public service, ethics, and leadership.

http://ericgreitens.com/biography.html

Bill Langley and Lowell "Bo" Burwell
Chuck Thiess
War Dog
Chuck Thiess talks to tourists at UDT SEAL Museum
Mark Devine SEAL Trainer
Scott Taylor running for Senator in VA.
Scott Taylor running for Senator in VA.
Mack
Tom Keith
Gov. J. Ventura
Roger Crossland
Roger Crossland
Matto
Gov. J. Ventura
Adam Brown KIA
Tom McC Tom McCutchan utchan
A Navy SEAL
Adm Olson
Ed Rohrbach
Mike Moriarty
JasonTorrey
Trey Tuggle
Mark Bailey
David Goggins
Doug Moorehead
Dusty Turner
sealtridentmtclimb.jpg
Jason Redman
John Walkers
Mark Allen Lee
Michael Jaco
Michael Moore
Micheal Binley
Nate Brown
Nate Brown
Joshua Thomas Harris
SEAL LtCdr
Michael Mc Greevey
Keith Davids
Dusty Turner
Ryan Job
Rudy Boesch 2010
Rudy Boesch 2010
Mitchell Hall
Holtz and Boesch
Mark & Marshelle Waddell
Scouts and Raiders Dinner 2009
Trinh Hoa Hiep C.O., LDNNs Vietnam 1970
"Pancho" Cresini and Joseph "Red" Coyle
Lt to Rt: ?, ?, Jack Lynch, John Carl Roat, ?

Lt to Rt. Bill Langley, Bob Nissley, Clay Grady, Bill Brumuller, Erasmo Riojas, Dusty Rhoades  

9 of 17 UDT-SEAL Assn Presidents attended the 2009 East Coast Reunion.   Lt to Rt. Jim “Tip” Tipton, Pat Paterson, Rudy Boesch, Noel SMith, Bill “Fat Rat” Sutherland, Jack Lynch, Bill “Bru” Brumuller, Tom Hawkins, Bob “Doc” Clark

Arles "Nasty" Nash

Somebody to tell me who the crazies were that wrote    this  poem

Email Me :   docrio45@gmail.com  he is the webmaster:    Erasmo   “Doc” Riojas    

This Poem was written by Dan Potts, class 55 W.C.   The Trip  to HELL !

 Archie Grayson RIP.   He suffered a seizure and his Medical Practitioners went FUBAR.  Archie was killed by a bunch of doctors in FL.   They were not sued because Archie’s NOK said that would not bring him back.  True !

Bill “Andy”Anderson R.I.P.

From: Frank Toms
To: ‘doc’ Riojas
Sent:  February 8, 2009
Subject:  Photos of Bill “Andy” Anderson 


Doc, These  photos of Bill “Andy” Anderson that just passed away with a brain tumor. He was a retired Chief in UDT 12. The first picture is Andy in the middle with his sons. 

The second one is Andy flippin’ the bird with Chuck Chaldikas driving the golf cart at the reunion.  NO IT IS NOT, SCROLL DOWN FOR PROPER I.D.

The last one is Andy’s daughter-in-law Thea, the ex Gov Jessie Ventura, Bill (Andy’s son) and Andy. 

Adios Amigo and HooYah!
 Frank

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17 Feb 2009
Hey Doc,

       I miss identified the driver of the golf cart. It’s not Chuck Chaldikas…….it’s Vergal McCallister, a CHP out of El Cajon , CA .
He’s a dead ringer for Chuck,
a retired LCDR from Seal One.

Thanks and hooyah,   Frank

Is this M-16 conerted for .22 long rifle? Look at the magazine !

Curtis Ashton KIA Vietnam 1969

Curtis M. “Butch” Ashton is a fellow Texan from Sweetwater TX. Curtis and Doc Riojas were members of the SEAL Team TWO (origional) 7th Platoon.  We trained together and we both made our first deployment to Vietnam in 1967.  The 7th platoon made over 100 clandestine operations in the IV Corps area of Vietnam. “Butch” was Killed in Action during his second tour of duty.

Wade Ashton & Wesley Ashton

Photos courtesy of Wade Ashton, Dallas TX

click on each small photo to enlarge it
Wade Ashton
Capt. Lyons Curtis Ashton Frank Moncrief
urtis Ashton Erasmo "Doc" Riojas Mike Boynton

Fred Miller’s Sea Story about Bobby Stamey at USNH Portsmouth

From: fmilcusguns [at] aol.com
To: docrio45 [at] gmail.com
Sent: Wednesday, July 08, 2009 4:03 PM
Subject: Re: Davey Sutherland, Bob Stamey and Rick Trani 

Rio, 

When I was I the Portsmouth Hospital Bobby Stamey had the bunk on my left for a while, he was recuperating from a gunshot wound in his left cheek.

  Bobby was perpetually pissed off about everything and complained about everything and was not a model patient. pulling rank or trying to on the corpsman trying to help him. One interesting story while we were there. 

When the guys were coming up to visit us they would stand around the bunks between me and Bobby and couldn’t see Bobby’s left cheek. I guess Bobby had his mouth open when a bullet zipped right into it blowing out his cheek but not bothering his teeth. he had big unhealed hole and you could see his teeth and tongue working while he was trying to talk. 

The space between our bunks became crowded and some of the guys moved around and to the left side of Bobbys bunk. Then they saw the hole in Bobby’s mouth and one of them said in a loud voice ” Dam Bobby I bet you have a hard time drinking beer” If anyone could have had a heart attack from being pissed it could easily have been Bobby.

  His face got red as a beet and he started accusing everyone of making fun of a injured Man. Then he got quiet and wouldn’t talk at all and someone said well fuck you  if you can’t take a joke! shortly Bobby was put in the quiet room, at his request, so no one could bother him. I never saw him again.

  Bobby and I were in the same platoon in Vietnam and when we were in the hospital together I bet he never said ten words to me. I never knew anyone like Bobby Gene Stamey while I was in the teams or ever since. 

All of the Corpsman referred to Bobby as O.W. Stamey “one way Stamey” because they never did a thing right according to Bobby Gene.

Your Amigo Fred

Admiral To Take Command Of Socom On Monday

Vice Admiral Eric Thor Olson is the deputy commander, United States Special Operations Command, MacDill Air Force Base, FL.

A native of Tacoma, WA, Olson graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1973. During his career as a Naval Special Warfare officer, he has served operationally in an Underwater Demolition Team, SEAL Team, SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team, Special Boat Squadron and at the Naval Special Warfare Development Group. He has also served as a SEAL instructor, strategy and tactics development officer, and joint special operations staff officer. His overseas assignments include duty as a United Nations Military Observer in Israel and Egypt and as the Navy Programs Officer in Tunisia.

Olson has participated in several conflicts and contingency operations, and has commanded at every level from SEAL platoon officer-in-charge to Naval Special Warfare force commander. His primary staff duty was as Assistant Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Plans, Policy and Operations).

Olson earned a Master of Arts degree in National Security Affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School. He is a joint specialty officer and political-military affairs subspecialist. His awards include the Distinguished Service Medal and the Silver Star. Olson is married with two children.

Interviewed by Jeffrey McKaughan, SOTECH editor.

Christopher Kyle receives award from Adm Olson

Deputy Commander U.S. Special Operations Command

Skip directly to the full story.                      By BILLY HOUSE The Tampa Tribune                   Published: Jul 7, 2007

WASHINGTON – Eric Olson officially takes over the helm of U.S. Special Operations Command on Monday during a change-of-command ceremony set for the Tampa Convention Center.

In becoming the eighth person to head Socom, Olson will essentially assume the role as lead combatant commander in the global war on terror.

Secretary of Defense William Gates is to preside over Monday’s ceremony.

On Friday, Olson received his promotion to full admiral from vice admiral, after his confirmation last week by the U.S. Senate to become the first Navy officer to run Socom.

No statements from Olson were issued.

The 55-year-old Naval Academy Graduate has since 2003 been deputy commander of Socom, headquartered at Tampa’s MacDill Air Force Base.

He succeeds Army Gen. Bryan “Doug” Brown, who is retiring.

Socom is a confederation of soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who take on the most dangerous assignments in often the worst conditions. Olson is not expected to say much publicly in the coming weeks as he focuses on meeting with troops under his command and other duties tied to his new job, said Ken McGraw, Socom’s deputy public affairs officer.

Olson has said major challenges will be prioritizing the employment of special operations forces, transforming Socom’s fixed-wing fleet, maintaining and streamlining acquisition processes, and increasing the special operation forces while ensuring quality and maturity.

dm. Erick Olson, click on photo.

 Ty Zellers with Grim Reaper between Wannabe Busts!

Rudy Boesch and Miss Puerto Rico [Miss Universe}
put mouse on above photos and "Click it"
One Ugly Motho Dick Marcinko

To: Doc Rio ; Richard Nancy Marcinko

Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2007

Hi Doc Rio, 

I have been in Cu Lao Dung island 1970 while Dick Marcinko was there. But I did not know Larry Bradley. Thats why I forwarded your email to my LDNN to find out whoever was there and knew Larry?

Note: To Dick, did you remember while you were in Cu Lao Dung (Naval base) . One night the guard did shot an alarm from his guard tower. It was two guys from LDNN crawed back from the navy supply stuff.

 You and other SEALs came out when you heard fire. You did help those two LDNN guys out of the wire (Centina) to back their barrack? Later I was with you and Hen (Chief team) to Can Tho for hitch a bus back to LDNN’s headquater.

 I wanted to thank you for some money which you had exchanged in Can Tho for my bus’s ticket. 

Kiet Nguyen LDNN

This email was cleaned by emailStripper, available for free from http://www.papercut.biz/emailStripper.htm

Marcus "Doc" Luttrell
Patrick Robinson writer for Marcus Luttrell
Michael Patrick Murphy and Matt Axelson
SEALs KIA in Afganistan, except 4th from left to right he is Marcus Luttrell (Lone Survivor)
Michael Patrick Murphy
Patrick Murphy's Relatives
Norval Nelson MM1C served in NCDU 43
Marcus Colburn
Evin Thompson
Rudy Boesch Pierre Birtz in MyTho RVN '68
Ricahrd Machowictz

05 June 2008:    Hey Rio , This picture of Rudy and Pierre in MyTho in 1968 is mislabeled.  That is Pierre Birtz, Not Pierre Ponson.  Pierre, Rudy and I were in the same squad and we relieved your platoon in MyTho on that particular trip to the ‘nam.
Great Site Brother,
Jack Lynch , President UDT SEAL Assn, Little Creek VA.                     WEBMASTER NOTE:  Thank you Jack.

 SEAL with cammie Floppy  ??    lt to rt, Top:   Jess Tollison(sunglasses)      Bill Garnett      Fred Doc Mc Carty 

Email:  06 June 2008
 

to: Rio, 
Subj:The SEAL “with the floppy camo hat” on the above picture playing cards is Bill Goins.   
thanks,  Chuck Detmer

WEBMASTER NOTE: 
   Thank you Chuck.

 

Bill Garnett III contribution to this web site

South Vietnam Map
Letter from Bill Garnett, FIRST SEAL Team TWO platoon to deploy to Vietnam
Orders for the very first SEAL Team TWO platoon to deploy to Vietnam

SEAL Team TWO 8th Platoon 1969
BMCS L. “Hoss” Kucinski
Schutzman J.
Boink, L. 
Neidrauer R.A.
Turre, “Hook” R.
Matthews, R. D.
Pacuirck T.
Davis, M. H.
Finley, J.
Coulson, W.
Evancoe, P.
Porter, J.
Mc Mahon J.
Shoulders T.
Nalley “Super N_ _ _ _ _” 

 

: 1969 7th platoon
Ron Yeaw
to me, RJ, darrenagreenwe.
Bac Si,
I remember all but one name from the 7th that deployed from Feb – Sept 1969:
Ron Yeaw,
Dick Moran,
Doc Schwartz,
Al Ashton,
Hunter Grimes,
Ty Zellers,
Bob Gorby,
Chuck Bledsoe, Devearaux (Bull} Knox, Jim Wallace, Bob Thomas, Harry Constance, Duke Leonard.
Regards, Ron

SEAL Team TWO 6th Platoon May 1967 – Feb. 1968
Lt. John Hennigan   WIA, dischrged 
LT. Fred Marx WIA discharged
LT. Fred Koche
LTjg Ron Yeaw
J.C. Tipton TMC
Joe Silva
D. “Bull” Knox
Art Hammond EN1
Larry “Doc” Johnston HM1
R. “Poco” Fredenberg
John “Fly” Fallon
James “Scottie McLean
Jerome “Diz” Cozart
Bill “Fat Rat” Sutherland
Robert G. “Archie” Grayson
Art. “One Lump” Williams

Doc Rio, 
ST-2 Second Platoon in VN 20 June through December 1967:
Lt Rick Trani,
Ltjg Bill Bishop,
Cf Scotty Lyons,
Herb Clemons,
Sam Fornier,
Durwood White,
AD Clark,
Steve Dunthorn,
Dennis Turner,
Shorty Long (corpsman),
Bill Langley,
Don Tocci,
John Jaunzems,
and Bill McCarthy. 

FITH, Bill

14Aug2005

And it may have been the 5th platoon instead of the 2nd.
I’m checking with Bill Bishop and John Jaunzems.   Bill Langley

Art Abbett
Donnie Raimon
Gary Rossi
Jesse Selwyn
Jimmy Batistta
Mark Mac Donald
Matthew Hicks
William M. Shepherd
Tim Larkin
Tom Rancich
Tom Rancich
Pat Sherwood
Which one is Bill Weber,Navy SEAL? Skivvie Check would reveal him?
Slattery

 Dave Mc Cracken “Gold Miner SEAL”

Gary Sullivan and ?Ronald Kelmell?
Fred Toothman & LDNN
Tom "Hulk" Richards
Larry Lyons
Names of these SEALs?
RD Russell & Doc Riojas (click to enlarge)
Doc Riojas Paul Rump Jim hazelwood Lou DeGroce
Jack Schultz
Dusty Turner - He is Free !
Richard "Doc" Martin
Eric Prince
l. to rt: Kim, John Jauzems & John Rapp
Erasmo "Doc" Riojas
LouLou Tolentino, Bo Burwell, Doc Riojas, David "Big Bird" Hyde
Curtis M. Ashton & Wife
lt to rt: Charlie Bump, John Fallon, Dennis Drady
Sol Atkinson "Kimo"
Bill Goines Collection
Solomon "Kimo" Atkinson and West Coast Frogs
Bill Goines Collection: lt to rt sitting: 3d man is Bill Goines the last sailor sitting is Fred Mc Carthy

                  Memorial for Sean Michael Flynn

Born in Suffern, NY on Apr. 21, 1972
Departed on Feb. 1, 2009 and resided in Virginia Beach, VA.   

SEAN M. FLYNN

VIRGINIA BEACH- CPO Sean Michael Flynn, U.S. Navy SEAL, 36 passed away on February 1st 2009 in his home. Sean was born in Suffern, NY and had moved to Virginia Beach in 1997 after joining the U.S. Navy 14 years ago. He was a highly decorated Special Operations Chief that had earned 3 Bronze Stars with valor and other numerous awards. Sean loved sky diving and was a certified Advance Freefall Instructor, Tandem Master, and an avid Free Flyer.

lt. LDNN Instructor, 2 trainees, and BMC Willis, CamRanhBay LDNN Trng.Camp
Bill Earley
Richard "Doc" Martin
"Eagle" Gallagher getting awarded the Navy Cross.

                          LT. John Connors, SEAL Team 3  KIA Panama Fiasco

I am not a SEAL . John Connors lived the next town over and I am friendly with the family. It was 1989 and seems like a lifetime ago. 
Google his name and you will find the story that appeared in Readers Digest “Measure of a Man”. Have a friend who spend over 25 years in ST 3 AND ST 6. He is out now and struggling. I hope to visit him in the near future. Any questions just e-mail me. 
Massachusetts has produced a few Seals in it’s day. Sad the only ones we read about are the ones that have lost there lives. 
Best of luck 
RAY DARLING

WEBMASTER:  Thank you mr. Darling,  Mr. Connors lost his life due to the incompency of the U.S. Army planners to take down Noriega’s plane without destroying it.  In my time as a SEAL, we could have done that job with 2-3 men at the most and would have left nothing but footprints and a disabled jet plane.  PRESENTLY, SEALs run their own OPs and not the Army of anyone else.

    OPERATION JUST CAUSE Panama War

Bill Brumuller
Joe Camp
ST-2 Collage, Nam Era: Was Posted at the UDT SEAL Museum for a long time. Gone in 2008.
lt.to rt. Roberto Ramos, ??, ??, David Hyde: ST-2 Honor Guard
Bill Garnett
"Big" Ron ROgers
1948 Navy Boot Camp San DIego CA. Laredo boys. lt to rt: Cerda, Martinez, Gonzalez, Riojas Class 446
Harlan Funkhouser SEAL Team ONE R.I.P.

Harlan Funkhouser (Class 37 West Coast) passed away Fri day evening, 22 Jan,
in his hometown of Moorefield, WVA.

He had been diagnosed w/ pancreatic cancer two months previously.

Harlan was in UDT-12 for a short time and then ST-1.
He retired as an MM1 after 22 yrs and 3 months of svc.

His wife said he did 5 deployments to RVN.

I deployed w/ him to RVN w/ ST-1 ALFA Plt in Aug ’68-Feb ’69.

Snuffy Mac:  If you (also in his class) or ANYONE has any Harlan anecdotes,
pls pass them to me as I am sked to speak (after being asked by his widow
Lynn)
at a Memorial Svc for him at 2 pm Sat, 30 Jan, in Moorefield WVA at Fraleys
Funeral Home.

His ashes will be spread at sea off San Diego as his request.

Steve Frisk


Steve,
It’s difficult to remember some of those thing now without a reminder. What
reminded me was the note from Mike Thornton. I can’t remember, but Harlan
may have had something to do with the great Swamp Cooler fiasco. I think we
got them from DRMO. We certainly didn’t have We were trying to cool down
some of the summer heat and created an actual swamp inside the building. The
mold and mildew built up so quick we had to stop using water in the coolers
and only use the fan. I think George Angerer took over from Harlan in 73 or
74.

Danny Horrell says Harlan won the two water tanks we were using to provide
water pressure for the outdoor showers. It was later that we were able to
lay cement, under the building to bring the showers into the building. We
used the P250s, in the beginning, then someone suggested we buy/steal a
bigger pump. Rumor has it that Mike Thornton was in one of the tanks with a
hose from the P250 to clean the tank before filling and the nozzle got away
from him. Beat hell out him. Friday night card games at the Past Time Café
and the ____ _______ across the street may have funded early Niland Camp
(Kerry) Billy Machen development. Harlan was called Camper Driver because he
was the only one with enough money to own a camper to live in while the Camp
building was being built, piped, wired and furnished. I know Harlan was
focused on Camp funding and development. I never saw him drink a single beer
in all that time.
Chuck Chaldekas

 

Harlan was the Camp Supervisor at Niland in 1970-71 and for some time after.
After we brought the building down from Cuyamaca, we started digging the
leach lines for the heads and using a P250 pump to bring water from the
canal into the camp. We had a great fun cutting through and around rocks
with picks and shovels to complete the leach field. No explosives! We didn’t
want to reroute the canal.

Chuck Chaldekas

The word of Harlins passing was received yesterday.  I spent several hours last night going through old scrap books and photos and found my self traveling back through the time tunnel (some 44 years) to UDTRA Class 37, UDT 12, jump school in Okinawa,  and Seal Team One of which Harlin was a major player.  It is my hope that the passing of Harlin in this modern day Naval Special Warfare community will not go un-noticed.  The real players in this life story are the Team Mates who trained with, fought with, played with and drank with Harlin Funkhouser.  To us, Harlin was a classmate, Team Mate, professional warrior and a true Shipmate all rolled into one. The term “Trusted my life with Harlin” is so true and his loss has hit home with a profound impact.  We will be the keepers of Harlins memory for all time.  I am proud to have served with Harlin not only as a class mate in UDTRA class 37, dropping lead lines above the DMZ with UDT 12, to giving the VC a bad time in Viet Nam.  I am sure that we will see Harlin somewhere down the trail on the final patrol.  R/Mike

Michael E. McCollum

Harlan was a great Guy and we had some great times together help building
Niland training camp and doing the testing the first 50cal long Gun in China
Lake, CA. He will be missed.

Mike Thornton

Amen on the Warrior, Harlin led us on a patrol for the third night (he had just returned from Rach Gia and didn’t know we had been the two previous nights) in a roll down the Ti Cam Canal.  We came under fire and were ambushed coming out.

 That’s where Von Esseson ( BSU) made his great stuttering comment “Ta Ta Take that you hos hos hostile Bastards”.  That took us from a fierce firefight with everyone firing and the green tracers coming from both sides of the canal to complete silence – then to laughter.

 Harlin got us in and out without a scratch. I’ll miss him and maybe even the early morning calls where I could barely understand him.  West By God Virginia has lost a favorite son and we a great TEAMMATE. 

Hooyah!!  Funk !     John Ware

 

   John Douglas Schworm  R.I.P.

—– Original Message —–
From: Sherryl Schworm ;   sirius2.dbaron [at] gmail.com
To: docrio45 [at] gmail.com ; Doc Rio
Sent: Sunday, January 24, 2010 1:59 AM
Subject: My Father John Schworm; “Beachmaster” “Flapjack” 

Doc Rio, 

Here is the important bit of information, and the explanation is below. My name is Sherryl Schworm Johnston, I am the daughter of John Schworm.  We are spending most of our time at the hospital and in intensive care we cannot have our cell phones turned on, so please leave me a message with your phone number so that I may call you back. 

I want to contact you somehow because my father John Schworm is extremely ill and is on a ventilator for the moment. We think he will be taken off tomorrow and probably won’t last long once it is removed. You are one person that my mother told me to try to contact with this information. I am assuming you all have met at the SEAL reunions and I know I have heard him speak of you from the bulletin boards that he perused. I will give you my phone number even though I hate doing that in email but please call me. I am sure that there are people who he would want to know when he is gone. I know he also wants some military part to his funeral and I don’t know if you know of anyone that I can contact to figure out this process. 

I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but I do want his buddies to know, and I know that he would want someone to tell them. 

Thank you in advance, 

Sherryl Schworm (Johnston) 

Guys, 

  I’m saddened to inform you that John Douglas Schworm, Class 001 East Coast, is gravely ill and is not expected to survive much longer. John was on an amphib in the Pacific during World War II, then volunteered for UDT training and did a tour at UDT-2 just after the war. 

He left the Navy to pursue an engineering degree, then joined the Army when the Navy told him it was downsizing after the war. John did a tour during the Korean War as a combat engineer, then left the military altogether.   He was admitted to the hospital seven weeks ago with shortness of breath, underwent a quadruple bypass surgery, and has been sliding downhill since then. 

John was on a ventilator until sometime today, as well as dialysis and a host of other supportive care measures. He is currently off his ventilator and on morphine, but the family expects him to pass in the next day or so. I’ll post contact information and updates as I get them.  John has requested a military funeral at a nearby national cemetary (near Timonium, Maryland).   

Please feel free to forward this to any of John’s classmates or Teammates at UDT-2.  

 Shaun Chittick BUD/S 135

Hi Doc,

Dad died at 2:35am this morning 26 Jan 2010. His family was with him and he went
quietly. We are making arrangements and as soon as we have them, I
will give you details.

Sherryl

Doc,

I will contact the Md National Honor Guard first thing in the morning about the burial detail. It looks like John Schworm rates two flag bearers and a bugler, since he was honorably discharged after less than 20 years of service (did not retire). Do you have comms with the VFW or any other Veteran’s Organizations that might be willing to augment John’s funeral?

Right now I’m planning on going up north the day of the funeral to serve as a pall bearer, provided I can cut away from work. The latest word I have is that the funeral service will be held at 1000 on Monday, 01 February 2010 at the Sol Levinson Funeral Home at 8900 Reisterstown Rd., Pikesville, MD 21208     1.800.338.1701

The burial will be held at around 1130 at the Crownsville Veteran’s Cemetary at 1122 Sunrise Beach Rd., Crownsville, MD 21032    410.987.6320

Shaun Chittick

 

 

 

Ronald Tyler Woodle

Ronald Tyler Woodle, 26, of Waynesville, N.C. was engaged in dive training in Key West, Fla. on Tuesday morning when he died. The Virginia Beach-based SEAL is pictured here with his parents, Ron and Kathi Woodle of Asheville, N.C. (Photo courtesy the U.S. Navy)

http://www.keysnet.com/news/story/189922.html Navy SEAL dies in dive training off Key West

http://hamptonroads.com/2010/02/beachbased-seal-who-died-florida-identified

Don Marler
Lew Hicks
McCabe
Robert Bowes
Erasmo "Doc" Riojas
Adam Lee Brown

Google Search Engine is ONLY for www.sealtwo.org

 
 
 

                                                                                                 Just Say No

 

THE INDOMITABLE PATRIOT  Fertig, The Guerrilla General

 

One of our guys, although he had the misfortune of going Army instead of Navy, has become a writer in
his old age. His first few books were about the paranormal… he likes to chase ghosts in his spare time. But his latest
endeavor; Wow! He has started a new series of books he calls Behind the Lines. His first book, recently completed and
published is titled “THE INDOMITABLE PATRIOT: Fertig, the Guerrilla General.” It’s a historically correct novel about Wendell Fertig in the Philippines in World War II.  Here’s what the book looks like. 
Cover Final :
May, 1942. General Wainwright has just surrendered the Philippines. Wendell Fertig, a Corps of Engineers Lieutenant Colonel, refuses to comply and flees into the mountains of Mindanao. Fertig is soon
joined by dozens of former Philippino Army scouts who encourage him to form a guerrilla Army. Over the next few months Fertig is joined by several other displaced American soldiers, one of whom builds a small, makeshift transmitter and establishes contact with the Navy. 
General MacArthur denounces Fertig, going on record claiming it’s impossible for a guerrilla movement in the Philippines to succeed. The O.S.S. decide to take a chance and covertly supplies Fertig by submarine. Once he receives the tools to wage war, his achievements become legendary. By the time MacArthur returns to the Philippines in 1944 he is met on the beach at Leyte by a force of over twenty thousand of Fertig’s guerrilla Army. 

This fictional accounting is based upon the actual military records and reports of one man’s impossible achievements against overwhelming odds; against an enemy who outnumbered him a hundred to one. Wendell Fertig, a civil engineer and untrained amateur in the ways of war, defied the predictions of the experts and brought the Japanese Army to its knees. Enjoy this first installment in the new Behind The Lines series of combat thrillers based upon historical records.

The book is available from Amazon in either print or Kindle versions, or by special order from almost any book retailer.
(He’s not Tom Clancy yet. They don’t stock his books but they can order them). These links will take you to the Amazon listings. If you look at the Kindle listing there is a Look Inside feature that lets you read through the first chapter. 
Print: 
http://www.amazon.com/Indomitable-Patriot-Fertig-Guerrilla-General/dp/
1512025623/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1431972445&sr=8-1&keywords=the+indomitable+patriot 

Kindle: 
http://www.amazon.com/Indomitable-
Patriot-Fertig-Guerrilla-General-ebook/dp/B00XUSX4RU/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1432050603&sr=
1-1&keywords=the+indomitable+patriot
 

About the Author     Carl’s professional career began as an Army and then FAA air traffic controller. He advanced from a small radar van in the Central Highlands of Vietnam to the TRACON in one of our nation’s busiest airports. He also became a commercial pilot and flight instructor, retiring after thirty-nine years of flying. By 1986 he was experiencing severe burnout. He put himself through the police academy, resigned from the FAA and became a deputy Sheriff in Reno, Nevada. He retired after a distinguished career on the street. Not only the cop on the beat, Carl became a renowned traffic accident reconstructionist on his departments Major Accident Investigation Team, as well as a highly acclaimed crime scene investigator. Throughout his life Carl has been a student of the paranormal and often experienced the effects of the supernatural in his personal life. In 2012 he became involved in the saga of the haunted Allen House in Monticello, Arkansas and its resident spirit, Ladell Allen Bonner. The result of dozens upon dozens of paranormal interactions with Ladell led Carl to write his first book about Ladell’s life and death. Writing that first book sparked a latent avocation in his life: writing. Carl has always been a connoisseur of military history, and that interest began a new direction for his writing. This latest book is the story of Wendell Fertig, and the beginning of a thrilling new series, ‘Behind The Lines.’ While the stories are fictionalized, they are all based upon factual military history. Join in with Carl and enjoy his books as you gain an interesting new insight in what war is all about.

The following is typical of the reviews I’m receiving on the book: 


Just finished your book and you get 4.0 marks from this old Navy Seal. Really enjoyed and it adds to my hobby of WWII.
Spent 22 years of my 34 in and out of the PI. Have traveled every island and was trained a marksman by RJ when we were
stationed at Team 2 during Vietnam. Still a very good friend I keep in contact with. Going to recommend it to my friends,
at least the ones that can read.

 THE INDOMITABLE PATRIOT  Fertig, The Guerrilla General

Doc Riojas Comment:  Once i started reading this book, i have find myself hard to putting it down! because of my very old age (84 yr old eyes and at the end of being able to correct my vision) I find that the way  the paragraphs are other important text are spaced to be extremly easy to read.

Having retired from the Navy and traveled to that part of the orient reminds me of my days as a guerrilla combatant as part of the Navy SPecial Warfare serving as a Navy SEAL in the Jungles of Vietnam.

The author is equally as good a military writter as Tom Clancy.  This story may possibly be material for a great movie similar to the the movie produced about the POW rescue in WWII by Filipino Guerilla fighters and the U.S. Army Rangers.  “The Great Raid”

Do not wait to buy it tomorrow, order it today !  It was recommended to me by CDR R.D. Thomas (recommended for the Medal of Honor by the US Army, but our politically correct US Navy downgraded it to a Navy Cross. SHame on them !

Carl McLelland, USMC Pilot: the author’s father

Mi Vida Loca – Copyright ©1998 – All Right Reserved       Webmaster:  Erasmo “Doc” Riojas        email:   docrio45@gmail.com