On Thursday some of my local USSVI Submarineer Shipmates and I motored down to this event.
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2011/1...-richland.html http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2011/1...edication.html
Several commissioning plank owners and crew members from “Operation Sandblast” were present. I had all of them sign my first edition copy of AROUND THE WORLD SUBMERGED -- The Voyage of theTRITON.
Friday the 11th was cold but we had a huge turnout for the Veterans Day parade and we all celebrated the reopening of our local VFW post which was gutted by fire many months ago.
Tonight at our local USSVI SubVets monthly meeting we presented one of our WWII Submarineer Shipmates with his Holland Club certificates, framed and matted with a set of Office Gold Dolphins, Submarine Combat Insignia w/2 gold stars, his Holland Club Patch and two of his boat's wartime patches. He made war patrols 2 through 6 in the 385 boat.
And on Friday the local paper ran a great front page story on one of our other new USSVI Life and Holland Club members.
http://www.yakima-herald.com/stories...silent-service
On the evening of the 10th I attended the local USMC Birthday “Hoist a few to the Corps” event. I get invited every year because several of the “Kids” I work with are prior service “Devil Dogs”. During the course of the evening I decided how I was going to fill the Guest Speaker billet for my local USSVI base meeting. I decided to invite a local Disabled/Retired Gunny who was hoisting a few to the birthday of the USMC. I told him About the Holland Club Certificate presentation and I would be honored if he would help in presenting the certificates to our 90 year old Submarineer Shipmate who rode the U.S.S. BANG (SS-385) in 44 and 45. The Gunny agreed and tonight when I introduced him I read his Navy Cross citation, as follows:
Jose G. Lxxxx
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Sergeant Jose G. Lxxxx (MCSN: xxxxxxxx), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism while serving as a Patrol Leader with Company B, Third Reconnaissance Battalion, THIRD Marine Division (Reinforced), Fleet Marine Force, in the Republic of Vietnam on 2 September 1967. Sergeant Lxxxx's patrol was inserted near Khe Sanh into enemy infested and controlled territory. After moving from the landing zone, he spotted several enemy attempting to encircle his position. The patrol was taken under devastating enemy automatic and semiautomatic rifle fire from a numerically superior enemy force. Quickly assessing the situation, he deployed his men and returned accurate fire upon the enemy positions and directed close air support on the enemy, destroying their position. He quickly moved his men from an exposed position and established a hasty defense. Spotting six enemy soldiers approaching his position, Sergeant Lxxxx and another Marine assaulted them with tear gas grenades and annihilated them with rifle fire. Shortly thereafter, two more enemy attempted to maneuver to his position, but once again, with complete disregard for his own safety, he and a comrade assaulted the enemy with hand grenades and killed them. He then called fixed wing and armed helicopter strikes, sealing off further enemy reinforcements and destroying numerous enemy positions. He then skillfully led his patrol out of the area as gunships and fixed wing aircraft bombarded the enemy positions. By his bold initiative, gallant fighting spirit and loyal devotion to duty, Sergeant Lxxxx was instrumental in defeating a numerically superior enemy force, reflecting great credit upon himself and the Marine Corps and upholding the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
General Orders: Authority: Navy Department Board of Decorations and Medals
Action Date: 2-Sep-67
Service: Marine Corps
Rank: Sergeant
Company: Company B
Battalion: 3d Reconnaissance Battalion
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