Lucky Red Lions HMM-363

The Gathering Newsletter

To our Red Lion Friends,

I want to thank all of you for your support and contributions in making the Lucky Red Lions’ Gathering at Pensacola such a great success. Standing together, I’m sure it will continue. I like to think Marine Corps history in the making. Anyone attending one of our Gatherings will surely see the love and camaraderie that you Vietnam Veterans of HMM-363 respectfully share with each other. This Gathering did not happen overnight, I attempted to start this around 1998 and could not get anywhere with it until my good friend Hank Amparan stepped up and said he would help. The guy wore out an ear and two telephones trying to track everyone down. Joe Clark and our wonderful friend, Dennis Duffy, joined us and The Gathering was born. Now it is up to you to keep it going.
As of February 1, 2010, I have relinquished the duties of Coordinator of the Gathering over to Mike “Tripper” Tripp. All remaining funds have been transferred to Mike’s care for future Gathering use. There should be no doubt in anyone’s mind that Mike will do a great job, as he has had the experience of taking care of us for many years at the Pop-A-Smoke reunions.
Our next Gathering has been scheduled for the weekend of May 20, 2011 at the same hotel at Pensacola Beach.
They have done a great job for us in the past. For those of you that didn’t know, the hotel donated the large banquet room that we use along with the free ice and coffee and many other things, for our past two Gatherings. They are a great bunch of people.
Before stepping down, an advisory committee has been put in place, not for the purpose of telling anyone what to do, but to help Tripper should he need it.
I want to take this moment to pat myself on the back for having such a great, great partner, my wife Sheila. She has worked tirelessly, updating the roster, bookkeeping, and typist. Being an old tired GySgt retired, I couldn’t have done it without her help.
Our Advisory Committee consists of: Hank Amparan, Garret Hatcher, Joe Clark, Rich English, Tim O’Toole, Mike Tripp, and Dick Haley, which are all volunteers to help keep the Gathering intact and continuing.

Keep your turns up and your feet dry.

Respectfully,
Larry “Pops” Powell

SEE YA IN 2011