FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – November 9, 2015
Contact: Bill O’Sullivan, 832-704-0925, bjosulliv@aol.com
MARINES CELEBRATE THEIR 240TH BIRTHDAY IN TOWN GREEN PARK IN THE WOODLANDS
(The Woodlands, TX) - On Tuesday November 10th the United States Marine Corps celebrates its 240th Birthday. As has become the local custom, there will be a memorial ceremony and birthday observance at Town Green Park in The Woodlands. The Park is across Lake Robbins Drive from the HEB at Market Street between the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion and the Library. It will be held at the Texas Marines Medal of Honor Memorial located in the Park. The Ceremony will start at 4 PM. All are invited.
This year, the Texas Marines Medal of Honor Fund, who conducts the ceremony, will honor the two Marines from the Battle of Tarawa who are honored on the Monument. Their Medal of Honor Citations will be read as part of the Ceremony. There are seventeen Texas born or enlisted Medal of Honor recipients on the Monument. Sixteen are Marines and one is a Navy Corpsman who Marines consider one of their own.
The Guest of Honor will be Tom Early of The Woodlands who is one of the driving forces in constructing the Monument and a Marine. Tarawa is significant to Tom because Tom attributes saving his brother, Cleland Early, a Silver Star recipient and hero of Guadalcanal, to the heroism exhibited by Hawkins and others on Red Beach on the first day.
The Guest Speaker will be Russ Shoup. Russ is the Senior Vice Commandant of the Eastex Detachment 779 Marine Corps League. Russ is a Marine Officer and a descendant of David M. Shoup who also was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at Tarawa. Colonel Shoup’s leadership and fearlessness on Beach Red Two saved the Landing and led to the ultimate Victory. Russ will relate his story. Colonel Shoup eventually became the Commandant of the Marine Corps.
Following the Memorial ceremony, the Marine Corps Birthday will be observed. The Birthday Ceremony will follow the guidelines used by Marines around the World. The cake will be cut and served in the prescribed manner to those attending.
The Eastex Detachment #779 of The Marine Corps League will be a major participant in the ceremony. State Representative Steve Toth has agreed to do the invocation. Congressman Kevin Brady has been invited to introduce his friend, Tom Early. The Event will be emceed by Bill O’Sullivan of The Woodlands, a Marine Viet Nam Veteran.
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