Bert Hubble

Bert Hubble's

THE BOW-WOW REPORT

March 2002

promoting

Friendship - Communication - Understanding

Distributed Quarterly: March - June - September - December
To Former Platoon Members of the 47th & 59th Infantry Platoons (Scout Dog)

Butch

  47th Scout Dog Platoon
http://www.47ipsd.us
 
59th Scout Dog Platoon
http://www.geocities.com/ipsd59th/main.htm
VDHA Unit Director: Bertram Hubble, bhubble@attglobal.net  Bertram Hubble, bhubble@attglobal.net
Webmaster: Jonathan Wahl, 47ipsd@47ipsd.us  Dean P. Harrison, harr197@attglobal.net
Historian: Bertram Hubble, bhubble@attglobal.net  William Whitehouse, w.w.whitehouse@worldnet.att.n
Membership Director: Bertram Hubble, bhubble@attglobal.net  Bertram Hubble, bhubble@attglobal.net

Fellow Platoon Members:

47th/59th Columbus/Fort Benning Reunion May 10th-12th 2002:

War Dog Memorial By the time you receive this, the Columbus/Fort Benning Reunion will be about 6 weeks away. This will be the largest gathering of platoon members from our units since Vietnam. Members will be present who served in 1968, 1969, 1970, and 1971. This may not happen again, ever. We have made plans for a very special and memorable event. It will be one of a kind and something you will not want to miss.

There is still time for you to make arrangements to attend. We will be accepting reservations up to the last possible moment. Advance payment of $41.00 per person to pay for costs associated with the reunion is important since we do not have a budget other than what you send. The Columbus Hilton has offered us free Hospitality and Banquet rooms if we book sufficient numbers of rooms and prepaid dinner attendees. Thus it is very important that you book your hotel room now and send me your check for the prepaid items (see below). Prepaid costs will cover bus transportation to and from Fort Benning on Saturday May 11th, a box lunch and the Dinner Banquet at the hotel Saturday evening. We plan to cover other expenses from the proceeds of a raffle to be held Saturday night at the dinner. You are urged to buy as many raffle tickets as you can. Any excess funds received will be donated to Jesse Mendez for the Memorial Pedestal fund. We have many fine gifts to raffle off so I know you will want to participate.

May 11th 2002 has been proclaimed as “Honor War Dogs Day” by the Fort Benning Post Commanding General. The May 10th issue of the post newspaper “The Bayonet” will make special note of this. Governor Roy Barnes of Georgia in a signing ceremony on April 11th 2:00 PM will designate May 11th as “Military Dog Handler Day” in Georgia. This designation by Governor Barnes is due to the efforts of Dixie Whitman of the German Shepherd Club of Atlanta who will be representing us at the signing along with Ann Wilkerson, Jesse Mendez, and first 47th Platoon Commander Stan Stockdale.

Our reunion is a family oriented event and guests are welcome. Make your room reservations today if you have not already done so and start planning your travel arrangements as follows:

Group Name: Scout Dog Reunion
Dates: May 10th - 12th 2002
Place: Historic Columbus Hilton, Columbus GA
Reservation: Toll Free 800-524-4020, or 706-324-1800
Room Rate: $82.00 per night ($87.00 including tax)
Dinner Banquet: $24.00 per person, Paid in advance*
Bus Transportation: $12.00 per person, Paid in advance*
Bag Lunch: $5.00 per person, Paid in advance*
*Your prepaid costs of $41.00 per person should be made payable to Bertram Hubble, 143 S. San Jose Drive Glendora, CA 91741-3731. I am reachable by telephone at 626-335-0428 (H) or 310-335-9499 (W)

You can check out our up-to-date listing of committed attendees on the 47th web site anytime at http://www.47ipsd.us/47reun.htm .

Fort Benning War Dog Memorial (Pedestals)

Our donations are mounting and I would like to give special recognition in random order to new contributors as follows:

Tommy Corsello, Lynda Otto Howell, Michael Yalango, William Eberle, Richard Hong, Steve Culler, George Bowers, Ronald Bullock, Tom Masch, and the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 274 Cheboygan MI. We have also received several anonymous contributions for Russell Erickson, Marvin Pearce, Gary Detrick, Tim Newell, Rafael Diaz, and James Selix.
Your combined contributions to date total a significant $2,335.00 for the Pedestal Project at Fort Benning. Although the Vietnam Scout Dog Pedestal is in place and will be dedicated by us on May 11th, additional funds are needed to complete the project. The plan is to completely encircle the War Dog Memorial with pedestals honoring K-9 teams and units that served in combat. Additional pedestals are planned for the US Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, Marines, KIA Handlers, KIA K-9's as well as more recent conflicts where K-9 units have served.

If you have not yet sent us a check please consider doing so. Your remittance should be made payable to the Columbus Monument Company and sent to me addressed Bertram Hubble 143 S. San Jose Drive Glendora CA 91741-3731.

New VDHA Members

Congratulations to new regular and supporting VDHA members as follows:

David Snyder, Wayne Funderburk, and Lynda Otto Howell for the 59th IPSD and Paul D Kraay, Tom Masch, Jerry & Dixie Whitman for the 47th IPSD. Delvin Randolph who was the head Veterinarian in I Corps has also joined. DogMan mentions one other member: David Malkus of the 59th. I have not been in contact with him and will try to get more information.

In Memorium:

I am saddened to report the passing of two 59th Scout Dog Platoon members as follows:

Lt. Stephen J. Misajon died on September 11th 2000 from a suicide death - details not known. Prior to his death, Stephen is reported to have returned to Vietnam for a visit. Stephen was the first Platoon Commander of the 59th IPSD. Lt. Misajon took the unit to Vietnam in May 1968 with his Platoon Sergeant Romaine Otto.

Robert B. Nagel died on September 11th 2001 on duty at the WTC with the NYFD . Robert served in the unit 1969-70. The December 2001 issue of DogMan has a front page story of Robert Nagel's life and career. Cornell Horne, another 59th IPSD member, is also employed by the NYFD and was rotating home from Vietnam when Robert joined the unit. He and Robert remained friends and partners throughout the years.

Jack Rogers from the World War II 47th Scout Dog Platoon class that graduated on August 18, 1945 at Fort Robinson Nebraska passed away on October 20, 2001. That original class platoon was broken up and its members were used as replacement CBI (i.e., serving in China, Burma & India) handlers.

Bert's Commentary:

We are supposed to be a nation of law and justice for all. A government that serves the interests and desires of the majority. We live in a time when money controls everything. The largest companies in America have PAC's (Political Action Committees) that contribute money to both the Democrats and the Republicans on a fairly even basis. They do not care who wins. They are not political in that sense. They will always win. They are firmly entrenched in both parties. Thus what transpires at the highest levels of government and in Congress is meant to further the goals of the large national and multi-national corporations to make profit. This is exactly why nothing ever seems to change. Exploding the military budget to $400 billion has little to do with national defense and more to do with transferring the money from your pocket to the pocket of large defense contractors who contributed heavily for the benefits they expect and will receive. You will not feel safer only poorer for this waste of money.

Take care of yourselves and I am looking forward to seeing you in Columbus,

Bert
Bert


Author: Bertram M. Hubble
Editor/Publisher: Jonathan D. Wahl
© 2002 Bertram M. Hubble