First Composite Radio Company
Fleet Marine Force Pacific
2012 Reunion
Pensacola, Florida
May 16 to May 20
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Some asked how our Marine Corps reunion was last week. It wasn't a Marine Corps reunion. It was a 1st Radio Co. reunion in which we celebrated 50 years since our Company became the first Marine boots on the ground in South Vietnam in 1962. Following is the summary of our reunion.
In 1559 Trans De Luna established a short-lived settlement at Pensacola Bay which became one of the first European-established settlements in what is now the continental United States. It was however, soon abandoned. In the late 17th century the Spanish returned to the area to find, in what is now the modern Pensacola, as an outpost to defend their claims to their Florida possession. Pensacola's strategic but isolated position led to it changing hands among different Western powers a number of times. Interestingly, many of the earlier follow-on settlement were very large due mainly to such landings as in August 15, 1559, led by Don Tritan de Luna Arellano with over 1400 people from eleven ships which sailed from Vera Cruz, Mexico. Weeks later the colony was decimated by a hurricane on September 19, 1559, which killed hundreds, sank 5 ships, grounded and ruined supplies. The 1,000 survivors decided to relocate and re-supply a new settlement. With the continuous attacks and famine this effort was abandoned in 1561. About 240 people sailed to Santa Alina. Today its name is Parris Island, South Carolina.
At different times Pensacola was held by the Spanish, the French, the British, the United States, and the Confederate States of America. Pensacola, the original capitol of Florida, is where General Andrew Jackson exchanged flags with General Jose' Collava, bringing West Florida under the United States. From May 16 through May 20, 2012 it was First Radio Battalion's to explore and to enjoy.
All hands of 1st Radio were quartered in the Crown Plaza Hotel. The hotel actually stands on the same property once the home of the Pensacola train station from which some of us disembarked and who were destined for training at Corry Field, launching many of us into interesting lives and careers. Attending were:
Attending were:
Our host and hostess Gordon and Anita Hagan
Nickie Campbell and Granddaughter Morgan
Ted and Janet Dudley
Darrell and Judy Haines
Vernon McMakin
Joe and Carmen Stearns
Gary Bryson and Marianne Bricker
Jack and Sandy Williams
Apolinar "Poncho" Campos
Harvey and Margaret Rosenfeld
Most everyone attending the 1st Radio Company's reunion took part in exploring Pensacola. First and foremost we all took advantage of the hospitality of the Crown Plaza. It is a beautiful hotel situated very well, having easy access to highways, beaches and some of the better eating establishment in Pensacola. A shout out must be given to the management and employees of this hotel and to Gordon and Anita for their reconnaissance and coordination with Crown Plaza that, in this writer's experience, was outstanding. The
help and attention given to our mission was first class allowing all to complete the four day stay happily and successfully. Hotel employees were very helpful in guiding us to the various venues around town. Pensacola has changed quite a bit since the early 60's. The only thing that remained familiar were the beaches themselves. That doesn't include the bridges to and from, the massive high-rises along the 
beach and the number and quality of eating establishments available. Ask Peggy to share her story and pictures of her "Key-lime Pie" and ask those who attended the reunion dinner at Hemingway's. For most, getting around town seemed easy. Others couldn't have done it without a GPS; and even with it there was some difficulty finding certain points of interest.
I believe other than the beaches and the hotel pool, the Naval Air Museum was the most visited venue. The museum is situated at the Naval Air Station. Easy in and out; that is if you don't have a smart-alecky GPS voice who sends you the wrong way then turns hostile and eventually directs you to a dead end road.
There were other venues visited however. The Crab House was such a place. Note the theme of these reunions. A lot of caloric intake. The Crab House served great food with special attention to crabs. Those who visited the Crab House were Gordon and Anita, Joe, Carmen, Darryl, Judy, Gary, Marianne, Nickie and Morgan. Joe, Gordon and Darrell threw back dozens of oyster at the disgust of Cpl Bryson. Joe then attended the crab races and was rumored to have knocked down several small children to get to the front. According to the taste testers, the oysters passed with flying colors.
There was one other site that got a lot of our attention that was visited by several who attended the reunion. Just a stone's throw away from our hotel, there is a memorial park honoring World War I, World
War II, Korean and Vietnam wars. It isn't on the scale of those war memorials one finds in our nation's capital, but they are beautifully laid out in a circle and are well groomed. The Vietnam Wall is a small replica of the Wall in Washington, D.C. Poncho was asked to find a name on the Vietnam Wall in Pensacola for Ted Dudley. So, Mac, Peggy, Poncho and I made plans to visit the site. The name was Steven O. Perlewitz, a sniper who was killed in 1967. We looked for the computer that held the directory only to find it unserviceable. Each of us, therefore stretched out along the expanse of the wall and began the difficult search to find one name among over 50,000 names. About at the 30 to 40 minute search timeframe it was getting warm. There was no shade, no water, and many more panels to scan for Steven's name. I looked skyward an said a little prayer; "dear Lord, help me find this name". Back to the panel I turned when my cell phone rang. No, I didn't think it was God. It was a very valuable part of our group, Karen Stocks, who attends our web site. She wasn't inquiring about our task at hand. Being Karen she called wanting to know how 
the reunion was proceeding and to inform us another brother was seeking to join our small but growing band of 1st Radio Company brothers. Not even remembering my recent prayer, I asked Karen if she was at her computer to please look for Steven Perlewitz on the Pensacola wall web site. She found it. We found the name, and I, for a moment, had still not remembered my prayer to God. In our jubilation and verification I overlooked what I asked God to do as we etched Steve's name on the paper. Then it hit me. We know how we feel, that rush, that tingling feeling when something special happens out of the ordinary. That same tingling, warm feeling hit me like a shockwave. There we were getting help from our Lord, as requested, when He reminded me who truly found the name of Steven Perlewitz on the panel I was about to search. I now have no doubt that Steve is among so many other Marines who now guard the gates of Heaven.
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