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By Ed Evans If you haven't heard, it is with a heavy heart I share the news that LtGen. "Mick" Trainor passed away June 2, 2018 . Mick was a legendary Marine who served as a Platoon Commander in Korea and a Recon Battalion Commander in Vietnam. He was one of the best military minds in the Marine Corps. A friend and mentor to many. Quick story. LtGen. Trainer was CO of Recon in 1970 when Leatherneck Magazine sent me to Vietnam for coverage. I was with Trainor's Marines w

By Don Knight My platoon-sized, MAG 32 ground defense and guard unit stationed at MAS El Taro got the word: get our tails down to Pendleton for five weeks of combat training. Bring our rifles, helmets and extra clothing. To begin: long hikes at night, including a seven mile climb over "old rocky", part of the terrain on this vast hunk of southern California. Then two mock invasions of the California coast. From a training vessel we pushed off in rubber rafts, five or six

The first winner of the newly launched 2nd Marine Division CommStrat Photo of the Month competition depicts a drummer in the 2nd MarDiv Band, playing "Colors" during the post and relief ceremony for the 2nd MarDiv Sergeant Major, SgtMaj Michael P. Woods . This image was made by LCpl Elijah J. Abernathy , a Combat Mass Communicator (4531). Abernathy has worked as a photographer for 2nd MarDiv for a year and works with a Canon IDX . He's become skilled on the Canon Mark III

Tom Graves writes: The Joe Rosenthal Chapter has an opportunity to man a USS Joe Rosenthal ( www.USSJoe.org ) table at the California DAV State Convention next week (June 7-8) in Orange County (near Anaheim), Calif. Unfortunately, the dates directly conflict with the California VFW Convention where we will be hosting a table and where I will briefly address the veterans about Joe Rosenthal . Is there a (retired) CC in Orange County who might like to represent us at the

Jessica Rambo , a Combat Camera veteran tells us she is associated with Semper K9 , an organization which rescues dogs from shelters and trains them to be service dogs at no cost for disabled service members. Semper K9 is proud to announce the acceptance of service dog in training Perkins into our Service Dogs for Veterans program. Perkins, an 8-week old shepherd lab mix, is named in memory of USMC Combat Photographer Corporal William T. Perkins Jr. and comes to us from

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.

Melanie Cunningham is producing a biographical documentary about the American economist Thomas Sowell, to be broadcast on public television. Dr. Sowell was drafted into the US Marine Corps during the Korean War. He was stationed at Camp Lejeune ('52-'53), where he was part of the Combat Camera unit. Corporal Sowell was part of the first wave of graduates from Pensacola Naval Air Station photography school to be stationed at Camp Lejeune and I believe he was mustered out on

When nominations for the 2018-19 USMCCCA national slate closed at midnight May 15, a trio of fresh faces emerged unopposed for vacant board positions. " Jason Huffine , Melanie Snarr and Paul Mancuso stepped up," said nominating chair Mike Frank, "This gives the Association a good mix and some fresh blood during this season of change," he said. "Among other strengths they bring to the table, all three could be 'posters' for the 4500 merger. They have proven themselves co

Dear Readers, For the last several years, Paul G. Bayes has sent the obituary of his younger brother, Thomas, into the Leatherneck office, hoping we will publish it in the magazine. Private First Class Thomas J. Bayes was killed in Vietnam while serving with 2nd Battalion, 26th Marines 50 years ago. And his brother, himself a Navy veteran, remembers. Several of the thousands of awards the Marine Corps Association & Foundation presents each year are namesake awards, pr