News from the Outposts

Outpost 2-John S. Cole/Tampa, FL
Contacts: Angelo "Jim" Tiezzi  Ajimmjitezzi@aol.com
                 Frank Kane               ThanFranKane@aol.com
Meeting. A regional meeting was held on October 25th in Sarasota. In addition to the President Jim Tiezzi and new Secretary Adrian Krieg, fourteen other members including three first-timers attended the luncheon meeting which was 50% subsidized by the OP.

Minutes. The meeting was informal, and self-introductions were made, with members sharing a little background information to the group. Jim Tiezzi called for or made the following reports: reunion highlights, Membership Committee activities (recruiting and retention), OP donations to the Scholarship Fund, and OP Society Troop Support activities.

New Business. Several motions were made and discussions followed about the possibility of making two Outposts in Florida for access by members, members hosting future meetings, and the urgency of needing to fill three vacant OP positions. A major motion for the OP to donate ten two-year membership gifts for WIA’s. The OP Treasurer reported that OP finances were insufficient. Then, Barbara Frank, daughter of member Mr. & Mrs. Max Friedman, made a motion that she would fund the 10 gift memberships as well as become an Associate Member herself. The motion was carried by thunderous applause.

Adjournment. Before the meeting ended, members were reminded that the OP annual reunion will be held in Orlando on April 4-5, 2008.
—Jim Tiezzi, P

—Jim Tiezzi, President

Meeting. A regular meeting was held at Tony Roma’s restaurant Fayetteville, NC, October 12th to the 14th. President Alta Milling attended including Henry and Pennie Burke, Horace and Juliet Burnett, Bob and Joy Farrington, Ralph and Millie Merritt and their son Lee; Whitney Mullen, Tom Twomey, and George Winders.

Minutes. An informal “social” meeting was held. During the meeting, there were several reports and lots of discussion. Alta Milling called for or made the reports on Army deployment rates, the reunion, membership (retention, recruiting, and the need for officers), and the OP history (chartered in 1985).

New Business. A national award was presented and several issues were discussed. Don Hotz, who attended the reunion, presented a Presidential Award plaque to Alta Milling who had not been able to attend, for assisting with The Watch on the Rhine. A motion was made and a vote taken to decide that the OP would donate ten two-year gift memberships, five for active troops and five for those Wounded Warriors. Finally, ideas for the next meeting location were discussed, but no decision was made; the officers will check out some ideas and inform members regarding the next meeting.

Adjournment. Henry Burke closed our meeting with a prayer asking God to keep our troops in His Hands; the next meeting site has not yet been determined.
—Alta Milling, P
Post meeting update: After the meeting, Alta made a visit to the Dorn VA Hospital to show charter member Mr. Cooper the plaque, and number of others attending visited the museums in the area.

Outpost 5-George G. Frost/NY and Northeast
Contacts:   John Fisher       OCSJFisher@aol.com
                   Earl L. Killen    earlkillen@wpia.net

Outpost 7-Washington D.C.
Contact:   John Insani         johninsaniarmy@aol.com

Meeting. The OP conducted its fall luncheon meeting, hosted by James Timmens, in Fredericksburg on November 10th at Andy’s Steak and Seafood Grille. President and Secretary/Treasurer Joe and Lynn Ball and Society Judge Advocate Jerry Kraft were present.Minutes. With and twenty-one other members and guests in attendance, including Wayne and Charlotte Allison; Milt, Barbara, and Sean Carr; Lula Coble; Jack Davis; Joe and Lucia Hilderbrand (who provided Veterans Day décor); Peggy Malloy; Ron and Marilyn Miloch; Jim and Linda Reeves; Bob and Reyna Reynolds; Richard and Sue Sack; Joanne Sherard; James Timmens (who arranged the meeting), and Jack Wold, the meeting’s “social hour” was lively. Joe Ball called the business meeting to order at 1:00 PM. Introductions and normal agenda items ensued. Jerry Kraft delivered an invocation, James Timmens led the “Pledge of Allegiance,” and everyone sang the “Dog Face Soldier.”After the door-prize drawing, Joe Ball called for approval of the summer meeting minutes; Jack Wold made the motion and the minutes were approved. Reports and recognition ceremonies followed.

Reports. Lynn Ball delivered the report which included the OP’s current membership status, a financial summary, and an overview of various other Society and OP programs, ending with a call for increased recruiting. Joe Ball gave short briefings about numerous items including a report on the reunion and on the
CB&L votes.

Audie Murphy Achievement Award given to Richard F. Sack. by Joe Ball

Recognition. Thomas W. Mason was recognized for his endowed support of the Scholarship Foundation Jerry Kraft and Gracie Potts were recognized for their gift in honor of Lou Schindler, three-time C.I.B. recipient. Joe Ball then presented two commemorative sent by Loud in appreciation of Jerry and Gracie’s honoring him. Richard F. Sack, who had not been able to attend the reunion, was presented with the Audie Murphy Achievement Award. Lula Coble, whose husband was one of the soldiers who served with Dick in WWII from Africa to Germany, commended him; and finally Joe also presented Dick with a commemorative WWII coin.

New Business. Among other issues, the OP discussed the 2008 “mail-in” ballot. It was also decided that the spring OP meeting would be held in central Texas, possibly San Antonio or Austin. The motion was postponed, and the officers will distribute meeting guidelines to OP members in those communities and will
work with the prospective host/hostess to determine the site, date and time.

Adjournment. The meeting ended at 2:15 p.m., and afterwards, many members attended some of several Veterans’ Day events being staged in Fredericksburg, including the “Reenactment of WW2” at the Chester A. Nimitz Museum.
—Lynn Ball, S-T

Submitted by Lynn Ball

Meeting. The OP’s Veterans Day Meeting was held on November 10th at the Brass Door Restaurant in San Ramon. President John Shirley and his son Steve and Secretary Ruth DeBord along with thirty-two other members and guest were present.

Minutes. John Shirley opened the meeting with welcoming remarks and introductions. Along with his son, John then made a presentation on Eastern Europe. Finally, Ruth DeBord delivered a financial report. Introductions were made by all and “welcome backs” were extended to two members who had been able
to attend in some time: WWII Vet Cy ___ who served in the 3rd Recon from North Africa to Anzio where he was captured on a bridge over the Mussolini Canal and Cold War Vet Michael McClintock who served in the 30th infantry in Germany just after the Berlin Wall went up in the early 1960’s. Eastern Europe. John and Steve Shirley showed photos of their trip, with emphasis on four significant WWII locations : Auschwitz, Birkenau, Leningrad, and Warsaw. Afterwards, Secretary/Treasurer Ruth DeBord reported that the OP has 140 members, all bills are paid, and there is money in the checking account, and finally, short reports on membership, recruiting, and Troop Support were given.

New Business. The meeting was characterized by a celebration and effective discussions about donations, the OP scholarship project, and the next meeting.
The OP voted to send $192 to Rich Heller for eight two-year gift memberships to complete the OP goal of ten membership gifts. A motion was made and carried to send $100 to Troop Support Committee Chair Cath Bacon for Wounded Warrior Support. Josiane Selvage matched that gift, so $200 has been donated for Troop Support. The OP celebrated the 3rd ID’s 90th Birthday.

Four 90s for the 3rd’s 90th
L-R Mel Cotton, 30thINF, 91; Henry Ferraris, 41st FA, 97; Pete Nepote, 10th FA91; and Jack Lewis, 3rd Med Bn, 91.

There were four special Marne Vets in attendance, all 90 years old or older. The OP also celebrated the 60th anniversary of the chartering of OP 54. The first meeting of the organizing veterans of the OP met in Mel Cotton’s home in 1947. In 1954, the OP hosted the first national reunion west of the Mississippi and elected Jerry Sapiro as National President, the first president from west of the Mississippi. The business discussion concluded with plans for the Memorial Day meeting to be held sometime in April-May, synchronous with high school schedules so that student scholarship recipients can attend. The decision was postponed, and officers will coordinate and communicate the date, time, and location.

Adjournment. Just before adjournment, the OP Raffle was conducted resulting in $220 income. Raffle income is used to support the OP scholarship program to outstanding JROTC students in the San Francisco and Oakland areas as well as other OP projects.
—John Shirley, P

Folks in picture; L - R Col Wayne Grigsby, Jr. Commander of the Third BCT - Third Infantry Division, Bob Bailey Secretary-Treasurer OP 60, ret. Maj. John Burke, OP 60 member, and CSM Jesse Andrews, Jr. Third BCT CSM.
Bob Bailey receives the Audie Murphy Achievement Award at his Outpost Veterans Day ceremony and meeting.

Outpost 60 along with the Sledgehammer Soldiers of the Third BCT had a very impressive Veterans Day ceremony. Col. Wayne Grigsby, Jr. opened the ceremony by extending a big welcome to the members of the Society of the Third Infantry Division and all the veterans, their families and their guest. He also gave a very impressive report on the activities of the Third BCT from the past right up to today and what we could expect from the Sledgehammer soldiers in the future. Col. Grigsby then introduced the guest speaker ret CSM James McDonough OP 60 member. When Jim finished his remarks, he was given a standing ovation Jim is also a past President of OP 60. The placing of the wreaths followed Jim's remarks, the wreaths were put in place next to the Sledgehammer Memorial by Col. Wayne Grigsby and ret Maj John Burke.

Following the ceremony, everyone had a great time looking over the fire power that was captured from Iraq and set on display by the memorial. The Brigade also had several tanks, troop carriers, guns, etc on display for all to look at and in some cases a few of the guest got an inside view. Everyone seemed to have a great time. We had 125 - 150 in attendance for the ceremony. There were no strangers at this ceremony. following this little adventure of sightseeing, lunch was being served at the Gibson Dining Hall.

Following lunch, ( we had around 60-70 Outpost 60 members, their families, guest and several sledgehammer soldiers in attendance for lunch) the Outpost was recognized by receiving a certificate from National on their being the top Outpost in the recruitment for this past year. Jon Ready Outpost 60 President received the award on behalf of the membership of Outpost 60 from John Burke. Another member who had already received his award is John Burke. John received the Society Service Award at the National Reunion in Sept.. John received this award for his outstanding and dedicated service not only to the Society at National level, but at the local level and to the Sledgehammer Soldiers and their families. John has also been a big help in assisting in various ways to the OP Secretary - Treasurer also.

The last award given out was to Bob Bailey, the Society's Audie Murphy Achievement Award. Bailey has proven his qualifications for the Audie Murphy Award by his dedication of service not only to the Society of the Third Infantry Division, but to the active duty Sledgehammer Soldiers of the Third BCT ( where he serves as the BCT liaison), and their families. He has assisted in family day programs while the troops were deployed.

Bob currently serves the Society as its Nomination - Elections Chairman, Eastern Region Executive Committeeman, Secretary - Treasurer of Outpost 60 for the past 13 years. bob is a Life Member of OP 60

Submitted by Bob Bailey
OP 60 Secretary/Treasurer

He served with the Third Division throughout WWII in the European Theater and was awarded the Purple Heart. Discharged in 1945, he made his home in the Tacoma, WA, area, becoming both the Command Sergeant Major of the Washington National Guard and Fire Chief of Ft. Lewis.

In the Guard he was the Adjutant General’s chief advisor on enlisted men’s affairs. He cherished his Third Division associations and received many awards for his contributions, including most recently the placement of a 15th Infantry plaque at the entrance to Ft. Lewis. He was the motivating force in the development of a full-scale fire department on Anderson Island, his home of many years. The station is named for him.

His wife of 64 years, Ruth, resides in an Adult Family Home. Attending the Independence Day service were his daughter Virginia Frost, her husband, a grandson and great-grandson, and
members and friends of Outpost 63. Morris leaves his immediate family, four grandchildren, three great grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Submitted by Virginia Frost.