REUNION PICTURES |
TO ORDER YOUR T-SHIRT EMAIL MIKE SCHUDDER WITH YOU NAME, SIZE, COLOR PREFERENCE, STYLE AND QUANTITY. |
The Reunion is over for this year. It was attended by approximately 26 former Officers and Enlistedmen who served in the USMC Antitank Units. Oh, and one 'Grunt' Mike Scudder, but he was the one who owned the toys. "Mike was a good Lad and played nice and shared his toys" HERE IS ONE OF THE FIRST REUNION PHOTOS. BELOW IS LT. COL. ALLEN W. HOOF, USMC RETIRED. ALLEN AS A LIEUTENANT BACK IN 1965 AND 1966 WAS A PLATOON COMMAND AND EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF CHARLIE COMPANY, 3rd ANTITANK BATTALION. ALLEN IS HOLDING A FLAG HE MADE BACK IN 1965. |
THE T-SHIRTS AVAILABLE IN VARIOUS SIZES AND COLORS. IF YOU'D LIKE TO ORDER ONE CONTACT MIKE SCUDDER. |
THERE ARE TWO STYLES AVAILABLE, YOU GUYS WHO ARE STILL HAPPY WHEN THE 'SMOKING LAMP' IS LIT WILL LIKE THE ONES WITH THE POCKETS....LOL |
TO ORDER YOUR T-SHIRT EMAIL MIKE SCHUDDER WITH YOU NAME, SIZE, COLOR PREFERENCE, STYLE AND QUANTITY. |
It is the day after the second day of the Ontos reunion and most of the crewmen are now in transit home. Twenty-six men from Ontos units attended and nine wives accompanied their husbands. Four of the twenty-six were former officers. Almost all of the attendees were from the Third AT Battalion. One grunt got in (me) and they had to let me stay because I brought the Ontos. I enjoyed myself and would not hesitate to host another reunion. I think many would have liked to have made it a three-day gathering. I know that I did not have enough time to look at half the photos that were brought. I had planned to set up a slide projector as some guys had brought slides, but time got away from us. Any future reunion should have some sort of commercial scanner to process all the photos that are brought to the gathering. Ralph Beck showed us some computer-enhanced photos that he processed from old faded color photos. Very impressive. He brought out detail that was not seen in the photos when they were new. Many people got into Houston on Thursday May 3rd. About half stayed in the Holiday Inn near the airport and half stayed in Tomball nearer my home. Friday saw about 10 men visit my place during the afternoon. We traveled to Tom's Kitchen at 5:30pm and set up a few photo boards along with some gifts that Ralph Beck had brought back from his recent trips to Vietnam and Allen Hoof's unit flag (the most impressive unit flag I have ever seen). Ben Weaver and I made some remarks and Gunther Dohse made a reading and then dinner began. Tom's Kitchen is a family restaurant with a walled off party section. We had room enough to be comfortable, but still be in an intimate setting. Dinner started at 7:20pm and most of us were gone at 10:00pm. Saturday brought threatening skies as storms passed just North and South of us. The result was relief from the hot sun and we had moderate temperatures, but muggy air. My place is on a seven-acre lake set to the rear of 30 acres of pasture. I had my mule parked near the food serving area at the edge of the lake and it held tea and ice containers. I parked my personnel carrier on the end of the barn that held the Ontos. The Ontos remained in the barn along with some picnic tables and chairs. Most of the discussions revolved around the photos carried to the reunion by the crewmen. Photos were taken on and in front of the Ontos as old fat men climbed over and in the machine. Several men claimed that I had shrunk the machine to a much smaller size. Terry McCracken handed out a coffee mug to each Ontos crewman as a gift. The mugs were yellow with a red Ontos image on one side and the words: THE THING on the other side. I think Terry will sell the remaining mugs if anyone that didn't attend would like some. I had my T-shits on display along with a sign up sheet for a new order. I will take some photos of the shirts, and if you want to place an order for some, you can provide me with some information. The shirts should cost between $20 to $25 depending on the size of the order. Eighteen shirts were ordered on Saturday. We really need about 40 shirts to make a good order. The rains held off until shortly after the crowd left at about 7:00pm. I was impressed with the quality of the people that attended. The reunion was not a male smoker, but a reunion for guys that had missed each other since leaving service. It was evident that all had made their lives productive and this was a special time to talk about old times and honor those of us that couldn't return. The Ontos commands were separate from the larger Marine Corps and the units had a special comradeship that was shown at this reunion. Many men later went to other commands, but they seem to hold their service with the Ontos units as a high point in their lives. I learned a lot from their discussions and I think I have a better feel for the Ontos Units. There is more to the service of the Ontos Battalions than the machines. Semper Fi from an old Grunt. Mike |
ONTOS REUNION RECAP By Mike Scudder |
THE LADS ON MIKE'S ONTOS. WHEN THEY TRIED TO CLIMB IN AND OUT OF THE HATCHS THEY ALL SWORE MIKE HAD SHRUNK HIS ONTOS, SURE GUYS. |
THE LADS LADIES... LOOKS MORE LIKE THOSE OLD FARTS BROUGHT THEIR DAUGHTERS...LOL! COL. HEFLIN IS SETTING OFF TO THE RIGHT SUPERVISING. FRONT TO BACK STANDING ON RIGHT SIDE OF THE ONTOS, DOTTIE SCUDDER, MISSY BERRY, SHARON SONATY, (IN THE DRIVER'S HATCH) LYNN BECK, (IN OC HATCH) SHARON RABY, STANDING L-R, BECKY SWANSON, LOUISE OLSON AND KATHY CANULETTE. |
THE LADS STANDING OUT FRONT ON LEFT IN PLAID SHIRT IS ED HIRSHMAN. 1st ROW L-R, TERRY McCRACKEN (ONTOS T-SHIRT), HOWARD RABY, LYNN TERRY, DEWEY HARPER, JOHN LAAKS, DAN SONATY, COL. BRUCE HEFLIN (RED CAP), JACK ARENA, GUNTHER DOHSE (WAIST POUCH). 2nd ROW L-R, WAYNE SWANSON (WHITE HAT), GARY OLSON (BLUE SHIRT), ROB LAMON (BEHIND LYNN TERRY), RAYMOND TATE, STEVE VALDEZ, DANIEL TAYLOR. 3rd ROW L-R, SCOTT BERRY (STANDING ON ONTOS), SPUD MILLER, JOHN WARDEN, RALPH BECK, JOHN WILLIAMS AND FRENCHY CANULETTE (RED CAP). |
"MIKE TOLD A FIB....THERE REALLY IS A BEN WEAVER!" |
BEN AND MIKE ORGANIZED THE REUNION AND THE LADS HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT PRAISE FOR BOTH OF THEM. THIS WEBSITE WAS BEN'S IDEA AND MIKE JUMPED ON THE IDEA LIKE A PIG ON STINK....THINK THAT'S CAUSE HE'S REBUILDING A 'PIG'.....LOL. |
REUNION PICTURES |
