Tracks of the StoneBear Copyright MCMLXIII Uncle Hargus ALL Rights reserved
ROF= Ring of fire Odyssey MEF-H = Marine Expeditionary Force- Hargus
USMC Journey Birmingham MCL Marine Corps League annual picnic 2016
Tannehill State Park, McCalla, Alabama 35111
Saturday May 14, 2016
Crossroads of the Marine Corps League meets "THE HUMP"
"The Hump" comes to town
This post is a little longer than usual, see it through to the end.
This post is a little longer than usual, see it through to the end.
Once you've run with The Marines you're just never the same again. The Few, The Proud... Once a Marine, Always a Marine... ALL the sayings are true. They hold true through a lifetime. Count on it.
The Marine Corps motto "Semper Fidelis" meaning always faithful, always loyal and able to count on your fellow Marines - while in the Marine Corps and for a lifetime comes front and center today.
Door prize raffle bags are ready.
In the South May is a good time to have our annual picnic. Cool morning, 53* today, high of 77, low humidity now. We've held our annual picnic at Tannehill State Park, the Roberts pavillion for 8 to 9 years.
Most of our Birmingham Marine Corps League members are Viet Nam Marines, a precious few of our senior WWII and Korea Marines; our venerated living heros.
Iwo Jima Marine Chuck Beveridge.
We have members that were at Iwo Jima, The Chosin Reserviour, Khe Sahn, Gulf War, OEF/ OIF Afghanistan and Iraq... too many battles to list here.
Capt Metzler flew with VMF-214, the famed "Black Sheep" Squadron with Pappy Boyington.
Several FMF- Fleet Marine Force Navy Corpsman "Doc"s, Sailors, Soldiers, Airmen members; Veterans Welcome Here!
Most of our Birmingham Marine Corps League members are Viet Nam Marines, a precious few of our senior WWII and Korea Marines; our venerated living heros.
We have members that were at Iwo Jima, The Chosin Reserviour, Khe Sahn, Gulf War, OEF/ OIF Afghanistan and Iraq... too many battles to list here.
Capt Metzler flew with VMF-214, the famed "Black Sheep" Squadron with Pappy Boyington.
Several FMF- Fleet Marine Force Navy Corpsman "Doc"s, Sailors, Soldiers, Airmen members; Veterans Welcome Here!
Marine families look after each other. We know the families, their kids, their hopes, their plans, their obstacles, their triumphs,and their tenacity.
A LOT of smiles, a lot of handshakes, and a lot of hugs.
From the door prize/ raffle, this hand made knife is 1st class!
A LOT of smiles, a lot of handshakes, and a lot of hugs.
From the door prize/ raffle, this hand made knife is 1st class!
We're knee deep in a Marine Corps family picnic. Marines are talking with each other, telling jokes. Telling about jokes played on each other. kidding each other. Telling Marine Corps sea stories, horsing around and general grab ass. This... was planned.
Kids are throwing frisbee, playing apples to apples and throwing rocks in the nearby creek while exploring. Families at a picnic in The South.
It's The South, so we're eating Bar-B-Que. Alabama BBQ, cole slaw, potato salad, baked beans. ... and the ladies have a table full of desserts.
Chaplins blessing, and let's eat. Chow! Marines love good chow!
Marines would kill for some of Evelyns blueberry pie.
And don't get stingy with the lard.
We're in full picnic mode and I notice Colonel Jim talking with a couple of hikers with a backpack that just happened by probably camping in the State Park.
Later "Doc" Baldwin was talking with them. Go over and meet Larry Hinkle, ex- jarhead Marine as he's saying; "I heard y'all were over here and wanted to come by and meet everybody".
Later "Doc" Baldwin was talking with them. Go over and meet Larry Hinkle, ex- jarhead Marine as he's saying; "I heard y'all were over here and wanted to come by and meet everybody".
Turns out,... it was the guys from "The Hump". We didn't know until we met them that they were on a mission to hike across America.
These guys are Marines, Soldiers, Veterans hiking across the US,... from Camp LeJeune, North Carolina to Camp Pendelton, California: to meet every Veteran they can on this journey to honor, advocate, make contact with Veterans and help out any way possible, assist homeless Veterans to find shelters and help networks,
raise awareness of Veterans issues at/ with the VA,
visit Veterans in VA medical hospitals along their route...
stop and meet Veterans at local VFWs, American Legions, nursing homes on the route,...
to honor all Veterans by making a promise carry Veterans issues to the front, all while hiking across America to make that point.
We plan events and do the best to make them good. Here at Tracks of the StoneBear we know from experience that it's the things/ events that were NOT planned that turn out to be especially good and unique.
These guys... I say guys. Jocelyn is/was an Army combat decorated medic making The Hump. Crossing paths with a MCL picnic today.... some things are beyond coincedence. We were supposed to cross paths today for a reason.
For a couple hours (Left to Right): Daniel, Jocelyn, and Larry were our honored guests; They are family!
And musician Daniel Foster is the main support team for The Hump doing advance lead work, route planning, staging, RV repair maintenence... and also playing music for the Veterans all along the route.
Daniel played "The Marines Hymn" at our MCL picnic Bob Dylan style with acoustic guitar, sang, and played harmonica neck rack and of course, got the crowd to stand at attention with a well deserved uhhh- raaaahhhh at the end.
Over on the side of the pavillion for a few minutes, The Hump team met with our gold Star parents... talked, hugged, and said a prayer. There is a reason these paths crossed today; I can't explain it...
"The Hump" with our Gold Star family Mom and Dads.
I don't do commercials on this blog but I want you MCL guys, Marines, Sailors, Soldiers, Airmen, Coasties, Guard, and Reserve Veterans... ALL Veterans to listen up. They have set up http://www.phaseline.org/ for funding and support. You want to help these young lions get down the road... then go to their website and chip in some bucks 'cause they need it to make this hump. We Veterans look out for each other! ... especially these young Veterans on "The Hump".
Larry, Jocelyn, and Daniel... Godspeed. Uuuuhhh- Raaaahhhhh !
You never drink twice from the same stream.
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I don't do commercials or ads on this blog but occasionally we highlight and make note of exceptional artists, craftsmen, and unique people of character. No money or royalties are paid to the blog, or me. These photos and short clips of art, music, and craftmanship are intended to be a gratis highlight of exceptional talent and a thank you to the artists.
