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Purple Heart Hero Support™
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Team Marine Parents™
2013 Marine Corps Marathon
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Greetings!
If this is the first edition of the Marine Parents newsletter you have received, WELCOME! If you are a returning reader we are glad you have joined us and are thankful for your support. We begin this issue of our newsletter with a look at the 2013 version of one of our longest-running fundraising campaigns, the Dollar Campaign. Here at Marine Parents, we've been holding the Dollar Campaign annually since 2007. This year, for the first time, it will be held in support of Purple Heart Hero Support. The article below provides information on the campaign itself, along with how you, the Marine Parents family, can get involved. Since 1913, the Marine Corps Association & Foundation has been on a mission to support the Marine Corps community. Our second article provides information on the history and evolution of this great organization. Next Wednesday, August 21st, marks the 45th anniversary of a landmark moment in Marine Corps history--the presentation of the Medal of Honor to the first African-American Marine recipient. Read more about the life and heroic actions of Pfc. James Anderson Jr. in our third article. Finally, we take a look at this issue's Team Marine Parents Featured Participants--a father and son team training for the Marine Corps Marathon in October--John and Tyler Oimoen. God bless and Semper Fi!
 Tracy Della Vecchia Founder and Executive Director MarineParents.com, Inc.
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MCA&F 100th Anniversary
| | A Century of Support and Still Going Strong
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the "preeminent professional organization for all Marines," the Marine Corps Association & Foundation.
In 1913 at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, officers of the Second Provisional Marine Brigade came together to found an organization, "The purposes for which...are to disseminate knowledge of the military art and science among its members, and to provide for their professional advancement; to foster the spirit and preserve the traditions of the United States Marine Corps; to increase the efficiency thereof; and to further the interests of the military and naval services in all ways not inconsistent with the good of the general government" In the 100 years since, the Marine Corps Association and Foundation has gone through many ups and downs but, as is so often the case when speaking about anything Marine-related, has persevered and overcome these obstacles to advance its mission of "advancing professionalism in the Corps." What started as a group of 432 dedicated Marines has grown into an organization consisting of more than 79,000 members around the world. Today, the Marine Corps Association and Foundation carries on this proud legacy through a variety of programs, including military education, reading, and awards programs aimed to recognize excellence and advance leadership.
To learn more about the Marine Corps Association and Foundation, click here...
To learn more about the history of the Marine Corps Association and Foundation, please click here...
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PFC James Anderson Jr.
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Anniversary of a Marine Corps Milestone
 | | PFC James Anderson Jr. |
Background
Next Wednesday, August 21, marks the 45th anniversary of an important day in Marine Corps history -- the awarding of the first Medal of Honor to an African-American Marine, Private First Class James Anderson Jr.
PFC Anderson was born in 1947 in Los Angeles, California. After graduating from high school, PFC Anderson spent a year and a half at a Los Angeles-area junior college before enlisting in the Marines in early 1966.
After completing recruit training at MCRD San Diego, PFC Anderson was assigned to Camp Pendleton for further training before arriving in Viet Nam in December of 1966 to serve as a rifleman with the 2nd Platoon, Company F, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division.
Medal of Honor Action
On February 28, 1967, while on patrol outside of the village of Cam Lo, Quang Tri Province, PFC Anderson's platoon came under heavy enemy fire. During the ensuing firefight, an enemy grenade landed near PFC Anderson and a number of other Marines. PFC Anderson pulled the grenade to his chest, curled around it, and absorbed the majority of the blast with his body, heroically saving the lives of the Marines around him at the cost of his own.
Legacy
On August 21, 1968, Secretary of the Navy Paul R. Ignatius posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor to PFC James Anderson Jr. for heroism in Vietnam, the first time an African-American Marine received this medal (and one of only five African-American Marines to ever be awarded this medal). The award was received by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. James Anderson, Sr., at Marine Barracks 8th & I, in Washington D.C. This event was also notable in that it indicated the Marine Corps was evolving and that some of the long-standing prejudices within the Corps (namely those against minority Marines) were being eroded.
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USNS PFC James Anderson Jr.
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In 1983, the United States Navy acquired the Danish merchant ship Emma Maersk under a long-term charter. The ship was placed in service under the direction of the Military Sealift Command and renamed USNS PFC James Anderson Jr in honor of PFC Anderson. USNS PFC James Anderson Jr. was subsequently based at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean and carried equipment to support a Marine expeditionary brigade until 2009, when it was sold for scrapping.
In addition to the Medal of Honor, PFC Anderson's medals and decorations include: the Purple Heart, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with one bronze star, the Vietnamese Military Merit Medal, the Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.
To visit MarineParents.com's PFC James Anderson Jr. page, please click here...
To read the full Medal of Honor citation of PFC James Anderson Jr., please click here...
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Get to Know the Team
| | TMP Featured Participants: Father & Son Team Oimoen
Team Marine Parents™ is a group of individuals, generally parents, family, and friends of Marines, who participate in athletic events nationwide to support our troops. The mission is to raise funds and awareness of the organization's outreach programs. Currently, there are over 50 members of Team Marine Parents™ around the country.
This month's TMP featured participants are a father and son team from Wisconsin with (very) strong ties to the Marine Corps--TMP members John Oimoen and Tyler Oimoen--who will run together at the Marine Corps Marathon in October.
 | | Marine Corps veteran and father of a Marine, John |
John served in the Marine Corps from 1982-1986 in 2nd Force Reconnaissance Company, Camp Lejeune,
N.C.
His son, Tyler, recently graduated from high school this past June. In the fall, Tyler will be attending the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee where he is looking forward to enrolling in the ROTC program at UW-Milwaukee.
John and Tyler are running in the Marine Corps Marathon in honor of John's eldest son (and Tyler's older brother), who is currently serving in 1st Force Reconnaissance Company, Camp
Pendleton, Ca. and just returned from an eight month
deployment.
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TMP member and brother of a Marine, Tyler
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This will be Tyler's first marathon, and he is looking forward to overcoming the challenge of completing it. John has a little more experience in this arena and has previously participated in the Marine Corps Marathon in 2005 (as well as competing in a couple other marathons along with two Wisconsin Ironman triathlons).
When asked where his motivation for competing in this year's Marine Corps Marathon comes from, John had this to say:
"Those events [past races] I did for myself. This marathon I am doing for all of my Marines! I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of "Team Marine Parents"!
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We hope this week's edition of our email newsletter has been useful for you and your family. If there are topics you would like us to address, or if you have other suggestions for the newsletter, please contact us.
Banner Photo--TOWNSHEND ISLAND, Queensland, Australia - A UH-1Y Venom helicopter from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265 (Reinforced), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, completes a close air support mission during a four-day, live-fire exercise following the conclusion of Talisman Saber 13 here, Aug 3. The live-fire exercise included the coordination of fire-support assets from the 31st MEU; the USS Chung-Hoon, an Arleigh Burke-class AEGIS destroyer; the HMAS Perth III, an ANZAC Class frigate; and the Australian Army. The exercise provided effective and intense training to ensure U.S. and Australian forces are capable, interoperable, deployable on short notice and combat ready. The 31st MEU is the Marine Corps' force in readiness for the Asia Pacific region and the only continuously forward-deployed MEU. (Photo By: Sgt. Paul Robbins Jr.)
MarineParents.com, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) public charity. MarineParents.com, Inc., was founded in January 2003 in response to parents' needs to find information and to have "a place to connect and share"® with one another during their Marine's career. Our free online services and connections have expanded to support and educate Marine moms and dads, spouses, families and friends. We've helped 400,000 Marine and recruit families during boot camp, training, active duty and deployments. We've shipped more than 34,000 care packages overseas to our Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan, sent 60,000 prayers and letters to injured Marines and served thousands of meals to wounded heroes and their families on the East and West coasts. You've found "a place to connect and share."®
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