GENERAL FULLER, DIVISION BAND UNDER FINAL AREA SPOTLIGHT
Assistant Division Commander Rotates
Dong Ha (BBP) Staunchly disregarding
the chair set out for him, Brigadier General Reagan Fuller last night
stood along side his comrades in arm through a program played in his
honor at Dong Ha Combat Base by the Third Marine Division Band.
The program of largely British marches began directly after evening colors, during which General Fuller arrived by helicopter, and evolved into a dinner and cocktail party. Marching drums, bugles and a fife played during the dinner, also in the rotating General's honor who began his 30 odd years of service as a Marine Drum and Bugle Corps enlisted man at Parris Island, South Carolina.
It was also the Band's last official Quang Tri area appearance before leaving for Okinawa.
Fuller, believed by informed sources to be the the true band officer, was also known to local dwellers, including birds, livestock, sharks and porpoises who had been surprised participants in numerous helicopter games. The helicopter in which he often transported himself and breakfast, hair cuts and red cross girls to troops in the field was known among other things as "Fuller's Flying Feed Bag," and in many types of operations carried the General over 165,000 combat zone miles during his tour.
Fuller's absence will be keenly felt by the crack General Security Force and its wonder dog, Lia, who were periodically entertained and inspired by the General's recorded British military pageantry. Also affected are the hospital ships Sanctuary and Repose, where there is a movement to half-mast the flags for 77 hours, and the import of gin and vermouth into the Quang Tri area has fallen off sharply.
Through General Fuller expects to retire around February 1, it is rumored that he is seeking a campaign manager to help him run for the Mayorship of 29 Palms.
The program of largely British marches began directly after evening colors, during which General Fuller arrived by helicopter, and evolved into a dinner and cocktail party. Marching drums, bugles and a fife played during the dinner, also in the rotating General's honor who began his 30 odd years of service as a Marine Drum and Bugle Corps enlisted man at Parris Island, South Carolina.
It was also the Band's last official Quang Tri area appearance before leaving for Okinawa.
Fuller, believed by informed sources to be the the true band officer, was also known to local dwellers, including birds, livestock, sharks and porpoises who had been surprised participants in numerous helicopter games. The helicopter in which he often transported himself and breakfast, hair cuts and red cross girls to troops in the field was known among other things as "Fuller's Flying Feed Bag," and in many types of operations carried the General over 165,000 combat zone miles during his tour.
Fuller's absence will be keenly felt by the crack General Security Force and its wonder dog, Lia, who were periodically entertained and inspired by the General's recorded British military pageantry. Also affected are the hospital ships Sanctuary and Repose, where there is a movement to half-mast the flags for 77 hours, and the import of gin and vermouth into the Quang Tri area has fallen off sharply.
Through General Fuller expects to retire around February 1, it is rumored that he is seeking a campaign manager to help him run for the Mayorship of 29 Palms.
SCORCHED EARTH POLICY WITH UNIT WITHDRAWAL
Bandsmen Leave Nothing to be Desired
Bandsmen Leave Nothing to be Desired
Quang
Tri (BBP) - Preparing to leave Quang Tri for Okinawa via Danang, the
3rd Marine Division Band is employing a scorched earth policy to
prepare its living area for the next occupants.
Throwing away lamps, fans, furniture, field gear, uniforms, and cares, they are leaving the hootches, virtually undamaged except for wear and tear since the day they were constructed.
Throwing away lamps, fans, furniture, field gear, uniforms, and cares, they are leaving the hootches, virtually undamaged except for wear and tear since the day they were constructed.
EXTENSION IMFO FOUND LACKING BY EXTRA TOUR VETS
Involuntary Hold Stirs Unrest
Quang
Tri (BBP) - Four cases of involuntary extension in the Third Marine
Division Band Saturday inflamed earlier charges of withheld overseas
externsion information.
The Bandsmen, who had as little as one day left in Quang Tri, were extended at the request of the Band Officer, Captain Harry Bentley, to Third Division Headquarters. The Band will move to Okinawa on November 7, to where the four held over will rotate following the Marine Corps Birthday ceremonies on the 10th. Captain Bentley apparently feels that the men are needed to perform in the ceremonies.
In the wake of this action came charges that Division Bandsmen on six month overseas extensions had been left unaware of alternatives to be chosen created by the Band's pullout from Vietnam. These included the choice to (a) finish their tour in Vietnam, as per contract, though with a different unit, (b) terminate their overseas tour on arrival in Okiinawa, or (c) finish their overseas tour in Okinawa.
Several extra tour Viet Vets were not aware of their rotation dates having been moved up one month.
ALWAYS RELATE
By RAS
"the intelligent don't speak, they sleep"
The Bandsmen, who had as little as one day left in Quang Tri, were extended at the request of the Band Officer, Captain Harry Bentley, to Third Division Headquarters. The Band will move to Okinawa on November 7, to where the four held over will rotate following the Marine Corps Birthday ceremonies on the 10th. Captain Bentley apparently feels that the men are needed to perform in the ceremonies.
In the wake of this action came charges that Division Bandsmen on six month overseas extensions had been left unaware of alternatives to be chosen created by the Band's pullout from Vietnam. These included the choice to (a) finish their tour in Vietnam, as per contract, though with a different unit, (b) terminate their overseas tour on arrival in Okiinawa, or (c) finish their overseas tour in Okinawa.
Several extra tour Viet Vets were not aware of their rotation dates having been moved up one month.
ALWAYS RELATE
By RAS
"the intelligent don't speak, they sleep"
For those of you who are below average,
stop! For those of you that are average, read this column twice. And
for the rest of you, hi there! Yes, I'm RAS and now enough of my
vainess and away we go with all sorts of relations.
Just this morning I was strolling along watching the clouds through my shades when I happened to run into a couple of Bandsmen. Actually, they ran into me. I was walking. They immediately brought up the subject of a unionized military, deciding to call it the "Klein-Leighty Collective Bargaining System." Much to my surprise, they started raving and ranting about it being time to revolutionize. They expressed particular points to ponder, such as eight hour work days, overtime compensation, civilian labor and management arbitrators, and the right of organized protest without undue pressures from "higher ups."
As I departed them, sounds not of silence but of frustration could be heard. First, Leighty commented, "Servicemen of all nations unite," and then singing out above the "higher ups" static, Klein said, "Why should a man have to be a peon when he has a mind?"
Despite this, they both left in hight spirits and after a few well played with thoughts I was left looking through my shades really differently.
(My note: The referenced Bandsmen were Cpl J.A., Klein, saxaphone, and Cpl G.F. Leighty, trumpet. Never let it be said that Bandsmen were not souls of controversy!! They, of course, were not III MAF Bandsmen, but Third Marine Division Bandsmen. )
Just this morning I was strolling along watching the clouds through my shades when I happened to run into a couple of Bandsmen. Actually, they ran into me. I was walking. They immediately brought up the subject of a unionized military, deciding to call it the "Klein-Leighty Collective Bargaining System." Much to my surprise, they started raving and ranting about it being time to revolutionize. They expressed particular points to ponder, such as eight hour work days, overtime compensation, civilian labor and management arbitrators, and the right of organized protest without undue pressures from "higher ups."
As I departed them, sounds not of silence but of frustration could be heard. First, Leighty commented, "Servicemen of all nations unite," and then singing out above the "higher ups" static, Klein said, "Why should a man have to be a peon when he has a mind?"
Despite this, they both left in hight spirits and after a few well played with thoughts I was left looking through my shades really differently.
(My note: The referenced Bandsmen were Cpl J.A., Klein, saxaphone, and Cpl G.F. Leighty, trumpet. Never let it be said that Bandsmen were not souls of controversy!! They, of course, were not III MAF Bandsmen, but Third Marine Division Bandsmen. )
