Larry Magilligan - Frank Dunne

Attached is a letter from Frank Dunne - then a LT(jg) USN.

Frank was my Uncle - married to my God Mother Grace - whom he courted during WWII.

He graduated from the Merchant Marine Academy on LI - was commissioned in the Navy and was first assigned on a Merchant Vessel carrying war materiel to England.

His Ship was torpedoed and sunk by a German U Boat - The British rather quickly rescued  him and brought him into Belfast, NI.

Frank then was assigned to The USS Callaghan DD 792 (San Diego) and served in the Pacific. That duty took him to Iwo Jima, Saipan, and Okinawa to name a few.

When participating in the Amphibious Operation for Okinawa, the Callaghan was attacked by a canvas winged Kamikaze and sunk. Frank survived.

The Callaghan was the last US Navy combatant sunk by the Japanese in WWII.

Frank told Grace - "Graced your picture is at the bottom of the Atlantic and bottom of the Pacific.

The attached letter was written to his parents in Brooklyn prior to the Okinawa Operation.

This letter was sent to me recently by Frank's son - my cousin - Frank Dunne.

Larry Magilligan

Colonel of Marines, Retired

Click to view another letter from Frank

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1UK4IYoIx-372LSgcIXcJLtmiturAOx6X

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Callaghan_(DD-792)

Read the great story of a Kamikazi pilot who was shot down by the USS Callaghan and then later attended the reunions of the Callaghan crew.



http://www.kamikazeimages.net/stories/hasegawa/index.htm

Det 4 Virtual Zoom Drill 1500 on Wednesday, 29 April 2020

Det 4 Virtual Zoom Drill 1500 on Wednesday, 29 April 2020

Det 4 Marines

In these unprecedented times, I hope you're all well and staying productive during the lockdown. Still, we Marines are tough and it will take more than a virus to bring us down.

Under the heading of taking care of each other, keeping alive our Det 4 esprit and beginning a discussion on the September reunion in Annapolis, let's report aboard Zoom for a virtual drill at 1500 EDT.(That's 6 bells in the afternoon watch for squids, 3 pm Eastern time for those who've forgotten military time, or for us time-challenged Marines, Mickey's little hand is on the 3.)

By now, most of you will probably have done a Zoom meeting. But, if you haven't it's very easy. 

Step 1: Download the Zoom app on your PC, Mac, iPad or whatever screen you want to use that has a camera and microphone built in. If you're on a Mac, go to the app stoer and download for free ZOOM Cloud meetings.  The icon is blue with a white video camera in it. If you have a PC, go to zoom.us/download. 

Step 2. After downloading the app, click on it. You'll get the meeting screen where you can test your camera and microphone.  This is recommended in advance of our Zoom drill so that we don't have a flail-ex.

Step 3. In advance of the drill, next Monday you'll get another email that will be an invitation to the Zoom drill. On Tuesday at 1500 EDT click on the link to go to the meeting. Your face will pop up in the screen, then you'll be joined to the meeting.  (No need to open the Zoom app. It's in the software background. Clicking on the meeting link automatically launches it.). Make sure that your video is on, your computer microphone is enabled and your mute is off.  In the upper right corner you'll see two views, speaker or gallery.  Click on Gallery view.  That will allow you to see all the Det 4 Zoomers. 

That's all there is to it. Reply to this email to let us know it you'll be on it or if you need an excused absence (which will require you to do 10 bends-and-thrusts on your honor.)

See you next Wednesday at 1500

Semper Fi,

Drew Davis

--

Andrew B. Davis

Major General USMC (Ret

April 1, 2020

New program helps retiring colonels decide which Civil War battle to study

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by Whiskey Fueled Tirade1 hour ago12 hours ago

FORT BELVOIR, Va. – A new transition assistance initiative unveiled this week will help retiring colonels decide which Civil War battle they should study to ease the sting of being passed over for brigadier general, and to fill the void of no longer working 80 hours a week.

The program, dubbed Colonel for Life, individually matches retiring senior field-grade officers with a specific Civil War battle based on their interests, background, and how they treated subordinates over the course of their careers.

 “I thought for sure I would make the [brigadier general] list,” said retired Army Col. Jack Moore, who was staring at a battle map from 1862 and clearly holding back tears. “I mean, I did everything you are supposed to – I attended the War College, I commanded a brigade, and my subordinates never once left the office before 1900. Oh, my results are in.”




April Fool!  How many Marines did we suck in on this one?