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Brown Water Sailors Rededicate Monument
Story Number: NNS060727-02
Release Date: 7/27/2006 8:41:00 AM

By Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Matthew D. Leistikow, Fleet Public Affairs Center Atlantic

NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- Members of Naval Special Warfare Group (NSWG) 4 attended The Game Wardens of Vietnam Association, Inc.'s (GWVN) rededication of a monument and refurbished patrol boat in memory of their fallen shipmates at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, July 21.

"It's always good to take time to reflect on our past Sailors who served and certainly paid the ultimate sacrifice," said Commander, Riverine Group 1, Capt. Michael L. Jordon.

The obelisk, along with a West Coast copy, bears 290 names of fallen Sailors who gave their lives patrolling rivers, canals and the waters of the Mekong Delta during the Vietnam war.

The monument had been stored during construction of the NSWG 4 boathouse and was rededicated in front of the new boathouse.

“It was the most significant experience I had in the 40 years I was in the Navy,” said Tom W. Glickman, Task Force 116 staff operations officer in 1967.

“It’s one of the small things that we could give to those that made the supreme sacrifice,” added Jerry Gandy, vice president of the mid-Atlantic chapter of GMVN.

GMVN discovered the Patrol River Boat (PBR) in 2001. The Naval Historical Center purchased the boat and made it available as a static display at NSWG 4 at Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, Va.

“It’s an immediately recognizable symbol,” said Larry Weatherall, president of GWVN’s mid-Atlantic chapter. “For anyone who looks at this boat, it’s immediately recognizable for what era it was.”

The monument stands in its fifth and final location since its original dedication in August 1980.

Hi Everyone!

Hopefully it's already on your calendars but if not, please remember that the next meeting of the GWVN Mid Atlantic Chapter will take place this coming Saturday, November 18th, from 1:00 to 4:00 pm and will again be held at the VFW Post 392 located at 2408 Bowland PKWY, Virginia Beach, VA.

The following directions are provided courtesy of Clarence Cooper:

On Hwy I-264, take Lynnhaven Parkway South Exit. Turn left on Potters Rd. at the first light.

Go about two miles & turn right on London Bridge Rd.

Go about a mile & turn right on Bowland Parkway (look for the VFW sign).

The VFW will be on your right and parking is in front and along the East side.

These are the agenda items that we'll be covering:

1. Mid Atlantic Chapter Treasures report.

2. East Coast MK I PBR Maintenance Committee.

3. Manufacture & Installation of a plaque of statistics near the MK I at Little Creek.

4."Thank You" letters to those who assisted during the rededication ceremony.

5. Timing and Location for next "out of area" meeting:

So far, we have (2) votes for Hertford, NC and (1) vote for D.C. (area) .

We'll do a show of hands vote at the meeting among the four choices and make the call.

You'll recall that the choices were Richmond (area), Hertford, NC, Washington DC (area) and Charlottesville, VA.

6. Feedback on the USS JE Williams "Gamewardens of Vietnam Leadership Excellence Award": CMDCM Burnett will be at the meeting and will bring us up to speed on what is going on with this and how their deployment went.

7. Feedback on the newly proposed RIVGRU ONE "Gamewardens of Vietnam Leadership Excellence Award": CMDCM Giroux will also be at the meeting and will bring us up to speed on how RIVGRU ONE would like to administer their award.

8. New business: If any of you have special projects, items or activities that you'd like to see the Chapter involved in, please either bring the info to the meeting or send me an email with the details so I can put it on the agenda. Remember, this is YOUR Chapter and only exists to the extent that the membership sees the need for it to continue to do so.

From my last note, "Coop has provided some information about the 3/4 scale Dignity Memorial "Moving Wall' coming to our area between Nov. 15th and Nov. 20th. There are several events planned around it's arrival at Mt. Trashmore in Virginia Beach on Wednesday, Nov. 15th and more details can be found at "www.dignitymemorial.com" If any of you would like to get more information or volunteer to assist with any of the events or security details, call 757-671-1717. Many of us will probably join up and go down to pay our respects after the meeting on the 18th. "

Best regards,

Larry Weatherall

President, GWVN Mid Atlantic Chapter

lweatherall@cox.net