Welcome Aboard

Members of the First Armored Battalion have long sought out those that served together. After the first reunion most "lost" members were found by word of mouth. After the establishment of Company representatives the individual Companies sought their members.The publishing of our book, Hitting the Beaches, with a listing of First Armored members was helpful. CDs with published listings of Vital Records of the Social Security Index were helpful finding deceased members.

Our web site has been most helpful in finding those members still living. Many young families have found the First Armored Amphibian Battalion for their older relatives.

8/28/07

Karen Price found the First Armored by use of our website. She is the daughter of deceased D Company Marine, John Sweeney. We were able to get her in communication with D Company Marines, Robert Wilson, Joe Baumbach and Mike McGann. Mike was her father's tank commander and was wounded by the same shell as John Sweeney was on Okinawa. Karen was able to purchase three of our books for her family. She has expressed interest in attending our upcoming reunion. We will be very pleased to meet her. We welcome the children of our deceased Marines to our reunions and are gratified they want to meet us.

7/21/06

Hi, Just signing in with the 1st. Armored Amphibian Batt.I was the field music in H&S Co.on April 1st.Easter Sunday 1945 on Okinawa Shima.I would like to keep in touch with members of the old outfit.
Francis L. Adams Gy. Sgt.USMC Ret.
E-Mail: fadams80@comcast.net

7/11/06

Addresses for Marines in A Company, First Armored Amphibian Battalion from the Korean War:

Elliot Chassey, 15 Lothrop St., Plymouth, MA 02360
John Studley, 173 Channing Ave., Brockton, MA 02301-6317
Gerald R. Barendt, 8323 62nd St., N.E., Webster, ND 58382-9644
John K. Shannahan, 8006 Raven Oaks Drive, Omaha, NE 68152
Charles M. Kahl, 302 6th ST. W, West Fargo, ND 58078-1534

(List from Don (Frenchie) Ferchau, A Company Representative
We welcome these Marines and invite them to join us at our reunion.)

4/14/06

Sir
In the narrative by DALE BARKER, he stated that the LVT-A's were not used in any amphibious assault in Korea, but only used as artillery. I take exception to that as I was a gunner on an LVTA-5 used in an Amphibious assault in April of 1951. A platoon of "A" company 1st Armored Amphibian Battalion, LVTA-5's accompanied the 41st Commando Regmnt, British Royal Marines on an amphibious raid on the North Korean coast to blow the rail road tracks supplying their troops to the south. We operaterd from an LSD ship, the "Fort Marion" Now you have the rest of the story. Thank you

Georg J. Seper
Cpl. USMC, Korea 1950 - 51

We appreciate hearing from our Korea 1st Armored Marines. Semper Fi!

12/05

We have had the pleasure of having several First Armored Amphibian Battalion Marines from the Korean war join us at our reunions. Recently we received the following e-mail from Mike Sheehan:

"Just a line to let you know I was in Baker / 1st ArmdAmph in Korea - after capture of Seoul the 1stMarDiv loaded out for Wonsan, North Korea. Baker was the only Company that went forward the rest went back to Kobe Japan. Capt Lew Bolts was CO"

Thank you for writing us, we would love to hear more from our Korean battle brethren.

Members found living since the establishment of our web site and our 26th reunion:

Joni Schiada, daughter of D company Marine, Harold L. Roberts, informs us that her father is receiving radiation for none smokers lung cancer. He is upbeat and hopes to attend next years reunion. We pray for his recovery.
Temple Ferchau, brother of A Company Marine Donald Ferchau, with his sister Frankie Ferchau, visited the 2004 reunion
Kevin Carlson, 18 year old grandson of B Company Marine Stewart Carlson, will accompany his grandfather to our reunion in Oklahoma City
Clyde Lentz (Company A) 4775 North Sherman St, Unit # 24, Mt. Wolf, PA 17347
Russell (Rusty) Buckner (son of deceased B Company Marine - Irwin Ronald Buckner) P.O. Box 13171, Austin, Texas 78711 512-444-1900 redbrangus@sbcglobal.net
Jack M. Gilchrist (C Company Marine) 1271 Walden Circle, Mississauga, ON L5J 4R4 905-823-0587 gyrene@look.ca
Jack L. Tracy, C Company Marine, who just found our web site. His e-mail address is jlt1926@cox.net and he lives Escondido, CA.
05/01/04 Linda Spoerle of Buffalo, NY daughter of recent deceased B company Marine Gottlieb (Bud) Spoerle. We consider the children of our Marines part of our battalion family. Welcome aboard, Linda.
Elvin R. Sorensen (3218 S. Landi Ln, Apt#322 - Milwaukee, WI 53227. May be contacted through his son-- at GSoren1974@aol.com)
Harold Lloyd Roberts, D Company (will be attending the 2003 reunion with daughter Joni)
Kathleen Dale, (daughter of deceased A Company Marine Walter Scott)
Beauford Galien, C Company found. To attend upcoming reunion (2003)
Tim Curtis (son of D Company Marine, Milton Curtis)
Clark Curtis (grandson of D Company Marine Milton Curtis)
Nelson Bousman - son of deceased Company A Marine Freeman Bousman
Tom Manson, Company A- attended reunion
Milton Curtis, Company D- attended reunion
John R. Clendenen, H&S Company -bought book
Houston L. Turner, Company A - bought book
Lee Stephens, Company B - bought book
William Burrum, Company D- bought book

The following attended the 2004 reunion as guests:

Alan and Kathleen Dale. Kathleen is the daughter of deceased A company Marine Walter Scott.
Jeannie Iacozili Magri, daughter of Gus and Mary Iacozili, attended the reunion with her parents.
Kathy Rees and Teresa Johnson daughters of George and Lola Trembaly attended the reunion with their parents.
Michael Perkins attended the reunion with his grandparents Charles and Minnie Perkins.
Rusty Buckner, son of deceased B Company Marine Irwin Buckner, attend the reunion with his wife Kathy.
Terry Thompson attended the reunion with his father Jerry Thompson.