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It is with great sadness we learn that our national vice-president, Bob Mergle , died April 23, 2021 resulting from complications related to two strokes. He is survived by his wife, Jane Mergle; his sister, Linda Lewiston and his youngest sister, Susan Scheiderich. Born and raised in Buffalo, NY, he was a 1963 graduate of Seneca High School; and later a 1987 graduate of Columbia College, Missouri. He served on active duty in the US Marine Corps as a ground combat photograph

Robert David Flores , 72 of Stafford passed away at Mary Washington Hospital on Friday, May 7, 2021. Aside from his family, Robert's greatest devotion was to the United States Marine Corps. He retired as a Master Gunnery Sergeant serving as a Combat Photographer and Digital Media Specialist for 30 years. After graduating high school, he reported to MCRD San Diego. After completing boot camp and Sea School, he reported to the USS Kearsarge (CVN-33) where he deployed to the Gu

Colonel Frederick C. Peck died on February 20, 2021, at Cambridge Senior Living in Rice Lake, WI, after battling Parkinson’s Disease and Lewy Body Dementia. Fred was a remarkable and gifted man – a “Renaissance Man.” Athlete, scholar, intellectual, author, sportsman, humorist and great storyteller, and loving father, brother, and husband. He mentored and inspired others to be the very best they could be. Many Marines, friends and family have remarked that he was one of

Services for life member and former USMCCCA Historian Frank Burke , 88, were held at 2 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020, at Erath Gardens of Memory Cemetery with Rev. Mike Hannah officiating with full military honors. Frank and his wife, Melissa, attended First Baptist Church of Stephenville. He was a member of several clubs and organizations including DAV, VFW, United States Marine Corps Combat Correspondent Association, Marine Corps Recruiter Association, and he was on the b

It is with great sadness that we learned that longtime USMCCCA life member, Hartman Slate passed away this morning in a hospital in Georgia. No further information is known. We will update as info comes in.

Robert "Bob" Lee Bowen passed away on November 25, 2020, after a long struggle with COPD. He was born January 12, 1941 in Huntington, W. VA. He enlisted in 1960 and served tours at Quantico, the Armed Forces Radio and Television Station on Okinawa and Leatherneck Magazine . While at Leatherneck, he served three tours as a combat correspondent in Vietnam. He was selected to attend a special graduate-level, two-semester program (1967-68) in photojournalism at Syracuse Univers

Lieutenant General Anthony Lukeman , USMC (Ret), 87, of Gainesville, VA died November 11, 2020. He was born March 24,1933 in Jamaica, NY to the late Gerald Lukeman and Marjorie Rice Lukeman. He was the former executive director of the Marine Corps Association (MCA) from December 1988 to August 1998. The MCA publishes The Gazette and Leatherneck Magazine of the Marines . From the MCA website : ..."LtGen Lukeman computerized the MCA and kept the business side going, but he

Bob Bowen writes: The retired ranks of the Marine Corps and the combat correspondents have lost a fighter. GySgt Steve Stibbens hung up his award-winning camera on Sept 19. His heart gave out on him after 83 years. Steve was the first Marine Combat Correspondent to cover the Vietnam War. He was assigned to the Pacific Stars & Stripes then. The daily serviceman’s newspaper began carrying Steve’s bylined reports from Vietnam in 1963. Col Donald Dickson , Editor-Publisher of

We were told that active life member, Tom "Ace" Peters passed away this morning. More info to come.

USMCCCA Headquarters was informed earlier today that James "Red" Carpenter passed away last night. His wife Ann (who is in hospice care) and family were there. Tracy Barry (his daughter) read him all the letters, emails and posts from fellow CC's in the past week, and said he would smile. More details will be posted as we receive them. RIP Red. We will miss you!

From Issabelle Bugda, daughter. Just after midnight on May 21, my father, SgtMaj Richard A. Bugda USMC passed away after a two year battle with cancer. He was fiercely devoted to my mom, Mary . She is and has always been the center of his universe. He was his happiest when she was next to him. He loved loving her. I know more than anything else, she was what he fought for most. To my brother and I, he was the quintessential guiding force of a father. He was firm, fair, lo

Jim Lehrer , famed journalist and former 2007 BrigGen. Robert L. Denig Sr. Memorial Distinguished Service Award recipient died at his home Jan. 23, 2020. He was nominated by former USMCCCA Executive Director Jack Paxton who served with Lehrer at Parris Island. He was an infantry officer on Okinawa, edited a camp newspaper at the Parris Island Marine training center in South Carolina and was discharged as a captain in 1959. For more please go here.

David Richard Zorn of Novi, Michigan died at the age of 73 on July 30 of cancer. Viewing will be held Friday August 3, 2018 from 4-7 pm at O'Brien Sullivan Funeral Home 41555 Grand River Ave Novi, MI 48375, followed by a funeral service at 7 pm. Dave was born in Lebanon, Missouri on November 22, 1944, and was a 1962 graduate of West Phoenix High School, and attended Phoenix College before serving in the Marine Corps from 1964-67 including a year in Vietnam from 1965-66, ac

The Joe Rosenthal Chapter has lost its former longtime Secretary. GySgt Norbert Malecki passed away May 5, 2018, at his home in Benicia, Calif., just weeks after his 90th birthday.

By: Chas Henry and US Naval Institute Staff Frank Praytor , the U.S. Marine who gained a level of fame after being photographed nursing a kitten during the Korean War, died on January 10, 2018 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He was 90 years old and had been in poor health for several years. The widely distributed photo of Praytor with the kitten would prove to be more that just an endearing moment of humanity captured in the midst of a brutal war, it would later save him from b

William “Bill" Wasson was a photographer and Senior NCO for the Marine Corps in San Francisco during WWII. After the war, he was a photographer for many years for Kaiser Aluminum and ran his own photography business. He did so much aerial photography he learned to fly a helicopter by observing the pilots—but never flew himself.

Grant F. Wolfkill former combat cinematographer USMCR in Pacific Theater WW II died June 14, 2017 at age 94. Grant was born November 29, 1922.

Bob was a very proud United States Marine. He enlisted in 1946 at age 17 and retired as a 2ndLt in 1967. Following retirement, Bob was a Sales Manager for United Media for another 20 years, retiring as a VP of Sales in 1978. Bob served as President of the U.S. Marine Corps Correspondents Association in 1971, 1997 and 1998, served as Mayor of Indian Shores, FL, from 1990-2000 and was Commissioner of the Pinellas Suncoast Fire District from 2000-2008.

Norman Hatch of Alexandria, VA, died April 22, 2017. Maj. Hatch was born March 2, 1921 in Boston, Massachusetts. He was the son of Irving Norman Hatch and Ruth Frances Colby. He grew up in Gloucester, Mass. and graduated from Gloucester High School. After graduation he joined the Marine Corps in 1939, becoming a combat cinematographer and photographic officer for the 2nd and 5th Marine divisions on Tarawa and Iwo Jima respectively.

BERNICE RUTH STAVISKY (Age 95). On April 10, 2017. Beloved wife of the late Samuel E. Stavisky; devoted mother of Robin D. Stavisky of Palo Alto CA and Judy S. Stavisky (husband Alan Schiff) of Wyncote PA, and grandson Evan (wife Marina Oliveira) of London, beloved friend and ardent Francophile and teacher passed quietly away. Funeral services and interment at Arlington National Cemetery will be privately held. In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family is asking that donations