As many of you may know, I have taken over the Jerry Clarke Memorial Buddy Fund.

For those that don't know what the Buddy Fund is I will explain.

The money that is donated to this fund is used to send for flowers to members of the Vietnam Tankers Association and family members who are sick, hospitalized or who have gone before us to "The Great Tank Park in the Sky."  Marines (especially Marine tankers) take care of their own.

  This is our contribution to those that that go on before us to the Great Tank Park in the sky and to those immediate family members who are hospitalized. 

If you know of a member or the member's family that is sick or may have
passed away, please let me know as soon as you can.  Let's keep the memory
alive of Jerry Clarke's dedication to the Association and his desire to help
others.

Donations are always needed to keep this Fund going, so don't be bashful about sending a check.

Make checks payable to: "The Buddy Fund"

Send all donations to:

USMC VTA Buddy Fund
c/o Jim Guffey
2405 Carriage Creek Rd.
Midlothian, VA 23112-4025

And please note on the memo line: "The Buddy Fund."

Semper Fidelis,  My Friends and Brothers

WE TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN...EVERYONE COMES HOME
Remember it is the "Eagle, Globe, and Anchor" not the "EGA"
Semper Fi,

Jim Guffey

There is also a Last Man Standing fine bottle of Brandy  in a nice oak box. The bottle is screwed in to prevent someone taking the bottle out. The idea is that the last man in possession of the bottle will take the bottle out and give a toast to all those that have went to the great tank park in the sky, then replace the bottle and give it to the Marine Corps Heritage Museum to be put on display there as the last of an era (Vietnam Tankers).

Thanks for thinking of the Buddy Fund. It is in desperate need of donations by all the members who will benefit from it. The membership money from the Last Man Standing will also go to the Buddy Fund to help keep it alive but the members will get a membership card, like a business card. The Bottle and box are to be displayed at each Reunion and when the person in possession of it is unable to come, it will be sent to the Board of Directors to be given to a person of their choice to be the custodian of the item.

Semper Fi My Friends and Brothers

WE TAKE CARE OF OUR OWN...EVERYONE COMES HOME
 

Plaque Slogan

THE LAST MAN STANDING
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
VIETNAM TANKERS

BE IT KNOWN THAT THE LAST SURVIVING
U.S. MARINE CORPS VIETNAM TANKER
WILL TAKE THE BOTTLE FROM THE BOX
AND TOAST THE ONES THAT HAVE
GONE ON TO THE GREAT TANK PARK
BEFORE HIM

THE BOX AND BOTTLE WILL THEN
BE GIVEN TO THE U.S. MARINE CORPS
HERITAGE MUSEUM FOR DISPLAY
TO SIGNIFY THE LAST OF AN ERA