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Manley Notes Reach Out And Feel The Pride Page 4 support of Marine units, and to their families, to help defray expenses in-curred during hospitalization, rehabili-tation, and recovery. Take a second to visit the website of the IMSFF at www.semperfifund.org to learn more about this much needed at the right time organization. When making your charitable dona-tions, remember them and send your check to: Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund 825 College Blvd, Suite 102 PMB 609 Oceanside, CA 92057 It is not what the politician may say; it is what the people hear. It is not the act of the politician but the perception of the people toward that act. Prez Retires After Eight Years At Helm It began in 1998 when I raised my hand during the closing minutes of the Virginia Beach reunion. My act of volunteerism was limited to the job of “assisting” but by the time we arrived in Baton Rouge in 1999, I discovered I had the “con.” After staging four more reunions and acting as your leader for nearly eight years, time has arrived to pass command off to a much younger “volunteer” to steer this little -- but great -- organization. Not only is it time to renew batteries, but a fresh imagination and perspective will do wonders to take our progress several more steps further. When you graduated from high school in ‘52, did you ever want to attend a reunion for the class of ‘72? Of course not and I understand why. Unlike any other group or branch of service, and even unlike other Navy reunions, the Manley Association has been successful in erasing the lines that separate crews. We have become a crew of our own and it was never more evident than in Norfolk. Shipmates have become closer shipmates; friends have become dear friends. I never knew Joe Bolden or Doug Mateja or Tom Young or Bill Ryan or many of you before the Manley Association, we never served together; yet, Shirley and I have been invited to so many towns and into so many homes that we could not accept all of the invitations in our lifetime. That really gets to us. I cannot express sufficiently Shirley’s and my gratitude to Priscilla Ryan for the beautiful quilt she created over eighteen months of pure labor. It has been assigned a place of honor in our home. When I walked into the banquet on Sunday evening after a my unplanned but brief hospital stay, I was greeted with a standing ovation. That will stay with me for a very, very long time. As I said then, I repeat now: right back at you! The success of any organization depends primarily on the people who make up the organization. Your importance cannot be diminished by the acts of one or two individuals who guide the ship. It wasn’t the commanding officer who made Manley; it was the crew. Leadership plays a role, an important one, but the enthusiasm and energy comes from the people and makes the mission doable. I give thanks to quite a number of people who worked very hard to make The Homecoming Reunion a success and they will understand when they are not listed here because the list is too long. Suffice it to say that my appreciation has been appropriately expressed. Because of my medical evacuation to the hospital Sunday morning and the circumstances, the business meeting planned for that afternoon was canceled. Now we need to carry on in the fairest and most practical mode to achieve an election of officers and select a slate of cities to be considered for the next reunion in ’09. It is considered impractical to ask for nominations from the “floor” because the “floor” now extends from Maine to Texas and from California to New Jersey. Quilt presented by Priscilla Ryan to the Dennisons
Manley Notes
Reach Out And Feel The Pride
Page 5
Hoaxes Are Not Joaxes
I welcome your e-mails when they address topics relevant to the USS Man-
ley Association or are just good reading.  But I continually get some that
have nothing to do with the Association or are not even funny.  I try to re-
spond to every legitimate e-mail I receive but I don’t need or want junk,
prayer wheels, or chain letters.  So, keep them to yourself.  Here are a few I
have received that are pure fabrications and why would you want to perpetu-
ate them.
E-mail:  Actor Lee Marvin and Bob “Captain Kangaroo” Keeshan were both
awarded the Navy Cross for heroism at Iwo Jima.  Marvin supposedly told
the story on the Johnny Carson Show.
Truth:  Lee Marvin was wounded at Saipan, not at Iwo Jima and was never
awarded the Navy Cross.  Bob Keeshan enlisted in the Marines toward the
end of WWII and never saw combat.
E-mail:  Nine-eleven terrorist Mohammed Atta was arrested and imprisoned
by Israel in 1986 for a bus bombing.  He was released at the insistence of
the U.S. in 1992.  He “thanked the U.S. by flying an airplane into the World
Trade Center.
Truth:  A Palestinian man named Mahmoud Abed Atta was arrested and
convicted for the 1986 bus bombing.  Terrorist Mohammed Atta was an
Egyptian and 17 years younger than the man arrested in 1986.  Starting to
see the problems with the story?  Similar names, two different people; typical
BS being spread around the Internet.
E-mail:  During testimony before a congressional committee in 1987, Oliver
North said he needed a home security system because his family was
threatened by a terrorist named Osama bin Laden.
Truth:  Oliver North named Abu Nidal as the terrorist who had made threats
against him.  He made no mention of Osama bin Laden.  “I want you to know
that I’d be more than willing...to meet Abu Nidal on equal terms anywhere in
the world.  There’s an even deal for him.  OK?  But I am not willing to have
my wife and my four children meet Abu Nidal or his organization on his
terms.”
E-mail:  During Jane Fonda’s infamous visit to Hanoi in 1972, POWs gave
her slips of paper with their Social Security numbers on them.  She gave
those to the North Vietnamese guards who then beat several POWs to
death.
Truth:  Hanoi Jane did some very bad things but this story is total rubbish. 
Never happened.  The real POWs named in the story deny it.
E-mail:  The haunting melody we know as “Taps” was found in the pocket of
a dying Confederate soldier by a Union officer who happened to be the sol-
dier’s father.
Truth:  Taps was actually composed by Union Brigadier General Daniel
Butterfield, probably basing it on a French melody called “Tattoo.” 
For accurate information, you can visit
www.snopes.com for both truthful and
fabricated stories.
More than at any other time in our
brief history is the choice being
handed to you.  The job can be long
hours and much tender loving care
or it can be whatever you want to
give it; but success will come with
the former before the latter.
The plan is to hold an election of
officers before June 1.  The
following positions are open:
President, Vice-president,
Secretary, and Treasurer.  The term
of office is usually from business
meeting to business meeting
normally conducted during a
reunion.  The elections will be
conducted within the following
guidelines:
Step 1: only active members (dues
paid for the current year - 2007) will
be eligible to participate;
Step 2: active members will be
solicited by regular mail to volunteer
for a single position or as many
positions as they desire; 
Step 3: a ballot of “nominees” with a
brief biography and synopsis of
qualifications will be returned to the
active membership by e-mail or
mail as appropriate and, if by e-
mail, receipt verification will be
obtained;
Step 4: the active membership will
mark their selection and return the
ballot to the current secretary by e-
mail or regular mail;
Step 5: the secretary will make the
count and mail all of the ballots to
the president who will verify the
count and make the announcement.
Of course, much depends solely
upon the response of the
membership but we need to be real. 
People must step up to the altar
and say “I do!”  As much as it
distresses me, I am not here on a
permanent basis, but I will be
available to provide all the
consultation and guidance
necessary for as long as I am.
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