Sgt. Grit Community

From May 2-6, the Battery K, 4th Battalion 13th Marines Reunion association held our third reunion at Wilmington/Camp Lejeune, NC.

On 3 May we visited Camp Lejeune and the 10th Marines where we were hosted by the Regimental Commander, Col Hall, the Regimental Sergeant Major, Sergeant Major Zhorne, the Regimental Artillery Chief, Master Gunnery Sergeant Martin, and a number of Marines from the Regiment. The 10th Marines put on a static display of current Marine Artillery at the Legacy Artillery Park, including the M777 155MM howitzer, and the 120MM Expeditionary Fire Support System. After lunch at Ball Hall, we visited the Camp Lejeune War Memorial.   On 4 May, we visited MCAS New River, where we were hosted by VMMT-204, the V-22 Osprey training squadron. We were given a through tour and briefing of the capabilities of the Osprey. In the afternoon, we visited the battleship USS North Carolina in Wilmington.   After our banquet and raffle on 5 May, we all headed home. Planning is already in the works for a reunion at Ft. Sill, OK in 2014.   Battery K, 4th Battalion 13th Marines was a 155MM Sell-propelled Howitzer Battery, and was activated in 1966 as part of the 5th Marine Division, at Camp Pendleton, CA. The battery went to Okinawa, and then into the Republic of Viet Nam and provided artillery fire support for both the 1st, and 3rd Marine Divisions from the DMZ to Southern I Corps. In addition, the battery served with 1st Field Artillery Group, where it provided fire support for units of the U. S. Army, in particular the 1st Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division. The battery was de-activated in 1970 as part of the Viet Nam drawdown. The reunion association is made up of those Marines who served with the battery during its time in before and while in Viet Nam and their families.   Semper Fi, Tom Gafford

MSgt. Thomas A. Gafford USMC (Ret.)