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To:  Members and Friends of Island MCB 7 at Large

From:  John Blaisdell, Secretary/Treasurer, Island MCB 7 at Large

Subject:  National Conventions and MCB 7 Reunions

The Memorial Day weekend was suddenly here and I have been asleep at the switch.  I have thought of putting out some sort of newsletter for months but I am afraid I have been negligent. My feeble excuse is that I have been busy with personal matters and have not taken time to let you know what is happening.   My wife suggested that I have been remiss because I failed to attend either the National Convention or the Seven Reunion last year.  That put me sufficiently out of touch with everyone that I have been reluctant to get back to doing my job.   I sometimes wonder if aging has much to do with my inability to keep up anymore.  Here are some things I should have told you previously:

Age doesn’t always bring wisdom.  Sometimes it comes alone.

The computer and e-mail have been very good for finding additional former members of MCB 7.  I have heard from Patrick J “PJ” Brown, BU2, 56-59, Ronald Carpenter, CE3, 63-68, James E Greene, BU3, 56-60, Robert F Gribben, 58, UT2,  Paul Hill, 64-68,  James L Huff, 66-68, James Mitchell, CE 57-59, Jose O Morales, MD, Medical Corps, 60-62, Don Phillips, 55-59, just to name a few.  And I now have a way to print the MCB 7 roster by selecting the years served so that I don’t have to mail the whole bundle.

Time may be a great healer but it is also a lousy beautician

I have good news and bad news for some of you.  The bad news is those of you who are annual dues paying members will see attached a membership application to join the Island.  I would like this signed and returned to me with a check made out to Island MCB 7 at Large in the amount of $17.00.  This is for fiscal year July 2000 thru June 2001.  The good news is the rates haven’t gone up.  Be glad it isn’t gasoline.  If you should desire, I will also accept checks for Life Memberships.  It is a real bargain in today’s economy.  If there is no application form, you are paid up or a life member.

Life not only begins at forty, it begins to show.

The National Convention and Reunion will be held in Buffalo, New York, July 26-30, 2000.  Here is a chance to take your bride to see the famous falls.  I plan to attend and will probably need about six persons to serve as delegates to the convention.  I will accept volunteers.  You can respond by USPS, email, or phone.  I have attended several meetings of Minnesota Island x-2 and have volunteered to assist them with the 2001 National Convention and Reunion.  That will he held in St Cloud, Minnesota, on August 14-19, 2001.  You can mark your calendars.

I came into this world with nothing.   I have most of it left.

The 1999 MCB 7 Reunion in Oakland was successful and everyone seemed to enjoy the visits to the wine country and the scenic Bay Area.  I heard a few complaints about the weather but we have no control over that.  It can’t have been any cooler than the reunion in Minnesota.

If it is true we are here to help others, then what exactly are the others here for.

The MCB 7 Reunion will be held August 30 to September 3, 2000, in Bedford, New Hampshire, near Manchester.  John Dever, EOC (RET), is our host.  Our new secretary/treasurer of MCB 7 Reunion, Inc., is Nick Mastrocola.  (325 East Eight Avenue, Conshohocken, PA, 19428)  He will be issuing invitations and instructions in the very near future.   Nick has had a difficult time with the first reunion notice as there were nearly a hundred bad addresses.  Please, if you move, notify Nick of the change of address.  There has been a proposal to hold the 2002 reunion in Toledo, Ohio.  The board will discuss this at the reunion.  We are still seeking a site for 2001.

A bus station is where a bus stops.  A train station is where a train stops.  On my desk I have a work station.

On March 3, 2000, the University of Minnesota celebrated the 58th birthday of the Seabees by having eleven former Seabees and three Marines, to protect our perimeter,  share pizza and cake.  The new vice president for Facilities is a former CEC Captain, Dan Hambrock.  Capt Hambrock served with MCB 1, MCB 133, was CO of MCB 10, and Base Commander at Port Hueneme, among other assignments.   He came to us from Naval Facilities Engineering Command where he was Deputy Director.   Along this line, my new student assistant is the son of a retired Builder Chief.  Just trying to keep it in the family, so to speak.

We are supposedly put on earth to do certain things.  If this is true, I am so far behind right now that I should live forever.

Anyone knowing the current address of Albert LeLand, CDR, 61-63, please inform Dr, Morales as the Dr would like to contact CDR LeLand.  Thank you.  Anyone knowing the current address of Raymond H Hardesty, BU3, 56-59, please inform him of the death of Joe Daquilante, BU3, 57-60, in June of last year.  Joe was the original secretary/treasurer of Island MCB 7 at Large.

I am currently in pretty good health.  I am still working at the University of Minnesota and will for another 15 months.  My bride of 39 years will retire July 7, this year.  Keep in touch.

Yours in the Can-Do spirit.

John Blaisdell