1st Recon Battalion Association

1st Recon Battalion Association

Thanks for your service.

Part 26

2024

October 2nd Half

1st Reconnaissance Battalion
Missions / Patrol Reports

Are you looking for your Old Patrol Reports? Check out this page on my website:

http://www.weststpaulantiques.com/reconmissions.html

Too close to whisper...
...one click for "yes", two for "no"...
"Brothers of the Bush"

----------------------------
Recon...their name is
their honor...and nothing more
need be said...Recon

Floyd Ruggles

Check Out New Messages/Newsletter

...

All Companies

Photo Gallery

The Memory Remains Not All Wounds Are Visible.

"A Brotherhood Forged In Combat"

1st Reconnaissance Battalion Index

2014

Message Board Links

Part 1 - 2018-2019 

Part 2 - 2019-2020 

Part 3 - 2020 

Part 4 - 2020 

Part 5  - 2020

Past Message Board

Past Newsletters 

Part 1 - 2017-2018 

Part 2 - 2018 

Part 3 - 2018 

Part 4 - 2018-2019 

Past Reunions 

Past Stories 

Send in your photos

Part 6  - 2020

Past Photos Galleries 

Part 7  - 2020

Part 8  - 2020

Bobby Bare

 

 

Photo Gallery

Part 10  - 2021

Click a photo to link to a page on our  website or Facebook. Links are found on nearly all Web pages. Links allow users to click their way from page to page. You will find thousands of links on the 1st recon battalion association website.

In Remembrance of our brother Reconnaissance Marines & Corpsmen killed in action or otherwise while on duty.

Look at it as your Time Capsule. This website won't stand long after we are all gone.

 

Daniel M Turpin

1st Recon Battalion Association

Part 11  - 2021

1st Reconnaissance Battalion
Missions / Patrol Reports

Too close to whisper...
...one click for "yes", two for "no"...
"Brothers of the Bush"

----------------------------
Recon...their name is
their honor...and nothing more
need be said...Recon
------------------------

YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN

Bravo Company 1968-1969

Part 12  - 2021

Meet some of our members of our association.

To all Association Members,

Please reply and update or confirm your Information.
Your 1st Recon Battalion Association Website Information
can be found at: 1streconbn.org/members.html

Hope to hear from you soon.
Thanks for all your help.

My email address is floyd@weststpaulantiques.com.
Please keep your information up to date.

This will allow the Association to send messages out from time to time by email or by mail.

Semper Fi,
Floyd Ruggles
Membership Director & Webmaster

1st Recon Battalion Association

New Members to the Association of the Natural Warrior

2023

Part 13  - 2021-2022

Part 14  - 2022

Part 15  - 2022

Part 16  - 2023

Get involved send in your messages, photos, stories share what you think about our website. I will post them on this page.

Get involved send in your messages, photos, stories share what you think about our website. I will post them on this page.

Get involved send in your messages, photos, stories share what you think about our website. I will post them on this page.

Get involved send in your messages, photos, stories share what you think about our website. I will post them on this page.

Get involved send in your messages, photos, stories share what you think about our website. I will post them on this page.

Get involved send in your messages, photos, stories share what you think about our website. I will post them on this page.

Get involved send in your messages, photos, stories share what you think about our website. I will post them on this page.

Get involved send in your messages, photos, stories share what you think about our website. I will post them on this page.

Get involved send in your messages, photos, stories share what you think about our website. I will post them on this page.

Get involved send in your messages, photos, stories share what you think about our website. I will post them on this page.

Get involved send in your messages, photos, stories share what you think about our website. I will post them on this page.

Get involved send in your messages, photos, stories share what you think about our website. I will post them on this page.

1st Recon Battalion Association

Message Board will be our newsletter going forward. 

It's ongoing and you can be a part of it, each month through out the year.

1st Recon Battalion Association

Message Board will be our newsletter going forward. 

It's ongoing and you can be a part of it, each month through out the year.

1st Recon Battalion Association

Message Board will be our newsletter going forward. 

It's ongoing and you can be a part of it, each month through out the year.

Click a photo to link to a page on our website. Links are found on nearly all Web pages.
Links allow users to click their way from page to page.

Navigator is at the top of each page.

**WELCOME to FIRST RECON'S WEBSITE** 2009-2023 

Don't be fooled by the warning signs it's a safe website, it's just an old platfrom. Just hit advance, you will enjoy this website, it's my personal website.

1st Recon Battalion Association

Message Board will be our newsletter going forward. 

It's ongoing and you can be a part of it, each month through out the year.

Association Purpose

Our mission is to help locate former Recon Marines and their families, and to recognize those who paid the ultimate price through the 1st Recon Memorial Fund which has established and will help maintain the permanent memorial at the Marine Corps Historical Museum at Camp Quantico Virginia.

Message from webmaster!

October 2024 - 2nd Half Newsletter

Part 17  - 2023

Part 18  - 2023

Part 19  - 2023

Part 20  - 2023

Part 21  - 2023

Part 22  - 2024

Member of 1st Recon Battalion Association

1st Recon Bn KIA Vietnam War

..

War Story

.....

Rest in Peace

The Jim Southall Story, Over 200 1st Recon Battalion Marines involved in this story. The story is a work in progress over the next year. Over 100 Patrol Reports.

Some Give It All

Vietnam 1968-1969

Thoughts of that Day

Doug Wolfe's Story

Patrol Report #349-68

98 hours on Charlie Ridge

Index by dates & names

Patrol Report #359-68

This patrol covered a period of 119 hours with contact with an estimated 40 or more VC/NVA that resulted in 8 USMC KIA, 7 USMC WIA on Hill 200 June 3rd, 1968.

Sergeant Jim Southall - Hill 200 1969

Are Message Board is now our new newsletter.

1968

1969

Membership Director & Webmaster

2016-2026

Email:

Thank you Marine for your service


THE WALL

 

Standing here in front of the Wall
silently reading your name
Solemnly I thank you one and all
Each of you different, yet the same

The list seems forever endless
but I remember your faces
You made the supreme sacrifice, I confess
as I walk slowly with measured paces

Each one of you answered the call
Willingly or not, you gave your lives
Rest easy, my Brothers - heroes all
The Nation still survives

"War drew us from our homeland

In the sunlit springtime of our youth.

Those who did not come back alive remain

** in perpetual springtime -- forever young --**

And a part of them is with us always."

--- Author Unknown ---

God Bless you Marine

Floyd

Last night I awoke to the sounds of thunder. I was recalling a small part of a day a long time ago. As if it was yesterday...

Today is a particularly dreary, rainy day. Lookout Mountain is socked in good. It is not unusual for it to be socked in. Hell they fought the Battle Above the Clouds there during the Civil War.

However, today it put me in mind of another dreary, socked in ridge I was on for around 2 hours on 3 June, 1968. Known only to me as Hill 200, it was a desolate, indefensible place that somebody in the 1st Mardiv G3 shop picked off the map to insert my platoon on as an observation post & radio relay.

Stories from Members

Some Give It All

THE DAY THE CRAP WENT UP IN FLAMES
By Gary Graves, HM3

5 Minutes ‘Til Forever

Hoover Dam Changed America

Part 27

Applicants

1st RECONNAISSANCE BATTALION ASSOCIATION

CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS

ARTICLE II – MEMBERSHIP

SECTION 4. DUES. Association members have no mandatory dues. However, Members and Associate Members are encouraged to make donations, annually, to help defray the Association’s operating expenses. An annual donation of $10.00 is suggested.

“Mission Impossible”
in Vietnam 

How Many Recon Marines
Does It Take to Put an
NVA Regiment to Flight?

Team: Chili Pepper

To the Gates of Hell

LCpl James Howard Jones

A Navy Corpsman will go to the gates of hell to help a wounded Marine.

Sgt.Glen Hicks, 20

PFC Scott Gary Smith

PFC THEODORE JAY WHITLOCK

Semper Fi, Floyd Ruggles

Membership Director & Webmaster

Echo Company

Flaky Snow  July 1968

Patrol Report 564-68

I heard it through the grapevine

Sgt Gerald L Poppa

1st Recon Battalion Association

Welcome to our New Members Page

1st Recon Battalion Association

Next Page

Previous Page

Some of the 1st Marines into Afghanistan in the aftermath of 9/11

For Membership in 1st Recon Battalion Association

Alpha Company

Parallel Bars September 1969

Patrol Report 837-69

Patrol Report

#564-68

Patrol Report

#837-69

All Units
March 1966 - May 1971

This link is to my old website It's a safe website on a old plarform follow instructions to the webpage. 

Part 24  - 2024

Part 25  - 2024

Part 9  - 2020

1st Recon Battalion

Association of the Natural Warrior

October 2024 - 2nd Half Newsletter

Ralph Witkin Photo Gallery

90 years ago May 2025, Newsletter will feature the entire 1935 May The Leather Neck Magazine/Booklet

Stay Tuned

2024 Reunion Booklet

Que Son Mountains Vietnam

Part 27  - 2024

Click a photo to link to a page on our website. Links are found on nearly all Web pages.Links allow users to click their way from page to page. You will find thousands of links on this website.

Members of Echo Company - 1st Recon Battalion Association

Mr. Robert Thornton passed away on Tuesday, May 24, 2016 at McLaren Hospital in Lansing, Michigan at the age of 70 years. Robert was born on May 21, 1946 in Demopolis, Alabama to the late Jacques Smith and Martha Thornton-Washington.
Robert spent the first eight years of his life being raised by his late grandmother, Tilly Thornton, living on the familys sharecropping farm in Coffeeville, Alabama before reuniting with his mother and moving to Detroit, Michigan. Life was not easy for Robert as a child; he often shared his stories of living, sleeping, and eating on the streets of Detroit. Two Detroit Police officers found him and arranged temporary shelter for him at St. Dominics Catholic Church and ultimately, the Wayne County Youth Home.

Ronald Overton <overtonrv@gmail.com> 4:53 PM 2024 Reunion Minutes (DRAFT) To  Charlie Kershaw,   Creg Howland   and 11 others

Email from:

Hi folks,

I apologize for these DRAFT minutes being late. Also, I am sending them to the entire board of directors. Please add or amend anything I've missed or gotten incorrect.

News:
1. The decision was made at the division membership meeting to have the reunion next year in the DC/Northern Virginia area. This simplifies things and will make it easier for us to make plans and get the word out. According to Ralph, we had 5 members present and the vote was 19 to 18 to have it in the DC area.

2. We will have to make the decision soon if we wish to have a tribute on the 55th anniversary of Team Rush Act. As I recall, Charlie felt this was the best location to generate the greatest attendance and participation. As mentioned at our meeting, the actual date is November 18. That's very close to our Birthday. One other possibility, if we don't have it at the reunion or on the actual date, would be to have it on Memorial Day at our annual Wreath Laying ceremony.

3. With regard to replacing Floyd as our Webmaster, I would like to suggest we explore hiring it out to a web service firm. Floyd has put in thousands for hours on this and doesn't get paid. Finding someone to replace him 'gratis' is going to be hard if not impossible. If we switched, there would never be a succession issue - like we're having now and like we had when Cayenne passed. Floyd would know best regarding this possibility.

Semper Fi,

ron

1st Reconnaissance Battalion Association
2024 Reunion San Antonio
Friday August 23-24
Membership Meeting Minute

Call to Order:
Pledge of Allegiance:
Blessing: Chaplain Dave Backer gave the blessing
Approval of 2023 Minutes: 2023 Minutes were read and approved by unanimous
vote.


Reports:

President – Charlie talked about the ongoing problem with membership –
so many on the books and so few active, aging and trying to recruit younger
Marines.


Treasurer – The Association has $20,252 according to Creg. The Association
has no dues. Our monies come from our Fundraising Auction and donations.

Secretary – Overton asked about posting our minutes online.

Membership Director/Webmaster – We have 1923 members in the
directory, but have 119 confirmed deceased leaving a net 1804 members. A major
problem with tracking the membership is that the verification process is by Email.
We used to use U.S. mail but the cost is prohibitive for this many. My estimate is
that there are probably over 300 more deceased brothers of which we are not
aware. Two suggestions are first: get the word out on next year’s reunion soonest
so that folks can make plans and second try to incorporate Zoom for our
membership meeting next year. Lastly, I will be retiring after our 2025 reunion.
It’s been 10 years. That will allow me to finish the project that I’ve been working
on. I’ve been taking the stories submitted by our brothers and matching them to
the actual patrol reports.

New Business:

1. Reporting membership deaths. We need to notify Dave Backer
whenever we hear of a member passing.

2. Team Rush Act tribute. Next year will be the 55 anniversary of the
tragedy which occurred November 18, 1970. Due to Covid, we were not
able to do anything at the 50th anniversary. Charlie proposed several
options. – Tribute at our Reunion if it’s in DC/Northern Virginia; Tribute
on the date November 18; Tribute on our Birthday. Things are simplified
because the decision was made that the reunion will be in DC/Norther
Virginia area. That said, we need to decide so that plans can be made.

3. Floyd informed us of his retirement so we need to seek a replacement.

4. There was a brief discussion of bricks at our memorial.

Adjourn:

2024 San Antonio, Texas Reunion photos 10 parts/pages.

Message from the 1st Recon Battalion Association Webmaster

To keep this website under 1500 pages, I'm going to start enlarging web pages with more contents. That will require you to use your F5 key one or two times per visit. F5 will completely refresh the web page and clear the cache.

1st Recon Battalion Association

Message Board will be our newsletter going forward. 

It's ongoing and you can be a part of it. Each month through out the year.

Sorry for the inconvenience but we just surpassed 1175 web pages on the Association website and using the F5 key will make it load faster and give you a better experience.

Sometimes, a website does not behave as expected or seems stuck showing outdated information. To fix this, it’s easy to force your browser to completely reload its local copy of the page (cache) using a simple keyboard shortcut using your F5 key from time to time.

Sgt. Dennis Ulstad

Click a photo to link to a page on our website. Links are found on nearly all Web pages. Links allow users to click their way from page to page.

Click a photo to link to a page on our website. Links are found on nearly all Web pages.Links allow users to click their way from page to page.

Click a photo to link to a page on our website. Links are found on nearly all Web pages.Links allow users to click their way from page to page.

Click a photo to link to a page on our website. Links are found on nearly all Web pages.Links allow users to click their way from page to page.

Garry Kline <garry.kline@gmail.com> 9/9/2024 8:59 AM Re: Alpha Company, 1st Recon 2024 reunion, San Antonio, Texas Update To  floyd

New Emails:

Just replying to let you know I’m still kicking.

Garry

Thanks for the update..

S/F
Floyd

New Emails:

Name: Jesse S Lyons
Email: jlyons@ka-order.org
Phone number: 5404631865
Subject: King Dixon Photos
Message: Hello, King Dixon was a member of our fraternity, Kappa Alpha Order. We are honoring him in our next national magazine. Is it possible to obtain high res versions of the head shot and the bar scene shot of King Dixon? I'll credit your website/association. Thank you so much for your service.

Jesse Lyons

Albert King Dixon II, Company Commander Passed Away 7/6/2020

Jesse,

Thanks for the interest in Albert King Dixon the 2nd, about photos, you're welcome to use what you see on oue website. We honoring Company Commander King Dixon II back in 2020 with the memorial page to our website. Unfortunately it is not possible to obtain high res versions shot from us. We do not keep the original photos they're usually sent back to the senders. Good luck in your projeck. Albert King Dixon II, was Company Commandernd of 1st Force & Bravo Companies of 1st Recon Battalion September 1966 through August 1967 https://1streconbn.org/king-dixon.html Lots of our members still remember him.

Thank you so much for your email. I'll post the email in our next newsletter.

Semper Fi,
Floyd Ruggles
Membership Director & Webmaster

Email to: Jesse S Lyons  jlyons@ka-order.org
Phone number: (540) 463-1865
Subject: King Dixon Photos

It is as easy as one two three😜
Delta Co team 2-1 1st Recon Bn
1st Marine Division
Corpsman up!
SF 8404 USN

Eric Schwartz

I am very happy to send out the link of our own Al Bierlein being interviewed this morning by Bud Gibson on his YouTube channel. Al and I trained together in 5th Force at Pendleton in 67. Here is the link:

Interview with 5th FORCE and 3rd FORCE RECON TEAM LEADER vet-Al Bierline

Lou Kern, 3rd Force Recon Co. 65-70

Pfc Gary Alexander USMC on a LRRP spring 1970 Delta Co 1st Recon bn 1st Marine Division Eric "Doc" Schwartz photographer.
Alexander and Doc Cleaned up after a safe return from the bush. Lets party down because who knows what tomorrow will bring. SF
eksarchives

Umm the ice cream was good but a cold glass of Turkey set the evening just right

Bill Handewith
SEMPER FI. Let me know when happy hour starts. I’ll be there lol

JD Kite

Terrific story. I was at the Siege. It was beyond imagination and it is a wonder how many of us lived through it!

Lou Kern, 3rd Force Recon Co. 65-70

U.S. Marine Corporal Ernie Delgado at Khe Sanh, Vietnam, February 1968.
His M1 helmet has his “short timer” calendar on it, showing he has nearly completed his 13-month tour. He also has D.E.A 5685, which is likely his initials followed by the last four digit's of his service number. This has been referred to as a medevac number or a “meat tag” by some veterans.

He also has the slogan "Can you dig it" along with his blood type. Sgt. Delgado served with the 3rd Battalion, 26th Marines and completed his service in May, 1968.
This photo of Delgado ran in Life Magazine that same year. Curated by HELL AND EARTH

When no one else can understand me
When everything I do is wrong
You give me hope and consolation
You give me strength to carry on
And you're always there
To lend a hand in everything I do

And when you smile, the world is brighter
You touch my hand, and I'm a Queen
Your kiss to me is worth a fortune
Your love for me is everything

I guess I'll never know
The reason why
You love me as you do
That's the wonder
The wonder of you

Duane "Dude" Torvend

2013

2011

Camp Reasoner, 1st Recon, LZ 401 waiting to be inserted 1969, where has the time gone??

Left to right: DePaulo, Kite, Coons, Schilling, Bayne. Bottom left to right: Henri, Torvend, Wholman.

Duane Torvend
Have no idea where we were going, so why did you let me walk point

2013 Plaza Hotel. Las Vegas, Nevada

USMC Force Design on point

Name: Thomas L Jensen
Email: tljensen60@att.net
Phone number: 920-452-6810
Subject: Store
Message: I would like to purchase items from the pass. Is there a site I can go to other than Sgt. Grit ?

I'am looking for an old Viet Nam AO map 1968 era. DANang area.

1st Recon Battalion Association

<form-1streconbn.org@apps.registeredsite.com> 7/30/2024 10:39 AM Message Board To  floyd@weststpaulantiques.com   Reply To  tljensen60@att.net

New Mailing Address for HQ 1st Marine Division Association

Building 33421, Camp Margarita, Camp Pendleton, California

Dear Marine Family,

The UPS Store aboard Camp Pendleton has housed our P.O. Box. That store is closing, so we have a new mailing address:


1st Marine Division Association

3784 Mission Ave Suite 148/608

Oceanside, California 92058

Our membership applications have our old address. We will update them with a sticker. If you have any applications, please contact HQ, and tell how many stickers you need. If you do not have any membership applications, please contact HQ for a supply. The future of this Association depends on recruiting new members. Our best recruiter is you. New members may also apply on our website: www.1stMarineDivisionAssociation.org


HQ remains located in Building 33421, Camp Margarita, Camp Pendleton.

We welcome visits by members, but please call ahead.

God bless the United States Marine Corps.


Semper Fi


William S. Godfrey

President, 1st Marine Division Association

wsgsr9454@aol.com

(505)554-9635

Name: Paul f Lerma
Email: plerma69@yahoo.com
Phone number: 5745819388
Subject: served bwith tommy worrell
Message: i rotated a week or 2 when i recieved word tommy did the unthinkableand went down under fire ,his parents contacted my co in the mps and requested i bring him home ,as we lived 90 miles apart in indiana,it was the hardest thing i ever did ,we laid him to rest that day,thank u tommy for being my friend in vietnam

THOMAS DUANE WORREL

DATE OF CASUALTY

4/23/1970

THOMAS DUANE WORRE

CASUALTY PROVINCE QUANG NAM

04/23/1970

Thomas Earl Nelson

Fort Snelling National Cemetery

Thomas Earl Nelson, age 75, of New Brighton, Minnesota died peacefully at home on September 23, 2024, after a seven year battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease).

1ST RECON BN - KIA TRIBUTE

Our Teammates may be gone, but they will never be forgotten!

Part 1 of 9

Rest in Peace My Brother. Go in peace and remember you are not forgotten while I am still on patrol.