9th Infantry Division Long Range Patrol

December 15, 2013

Comrades, Friends and Ladies,

The holiday season is upon us and it is time for my annual guide to holiday giving.
With this in mind, I’d like us to embrace this year’s holiday gift giving theme:

People Helping People.
I know the needs are great. I also know that every journey begins by taking the first step. This letter is just one step forward. A list of creative gift giving ideas would be endless, especially if we think “out of the box”. However, my list has only three suggestions. They are:

75th Ranger Regiment Association’s Family Fund. If you have never given to the 75RRA Christmas Fund make 2013 the year you start. Each year the 75RRA donates about $4,000 to each of the three Ranger Battalions and $2,000 to the Regimental HQ. The money is donated by members and, in some cases, from outside sources. The funds enable the families of the junior enlisted men (E-5 & below) to get certificates for toys for the children and turkeys for Christmas dinner. For directions on donating to the Family Fund, please check the association’s web page at 75th Ranger Regiment Association.
Closer to home, we still have a great need in the Bellwood family. As you will recall, Joan Bellwood’s sister, Kathy Bellwood, is undergoing chemotherapy. Who is “Joan Bellwood”, you may ask. Joan’s brother, Richard is one of us. He died in January 1969 on a mission in the Mekong Delta while serving with E/75 Rangers. And, Joan - leading the way - took the initiative to convince the Hallmark Card Company to develop and print veteran’s day cards. So, around Veteran’s Day, when the cards become available for us to purchase and send a note of gratitude to a fellow veteran, remember it was Joan who stepped forward and got the job done. Joan is one of us. Checks to help with Kathy's medical expenses should be made out to Kathy Bellwood and sent to Joan at:

Joan Bellwood
3233 Fairmount Ave
Bronx, NY 10465-1447
Finally, I know many of you have probably seen Nhan’s message to Sal regarding Kiet. I have included it here. It is self explanatory. Nhan wrote, “Kiet's wife just called me, she said that, Kiet had stroke, now he being treated in Long An hospital. He was in a coma, unable to speak. Perhaps a few more days I would go to visit him. When you are in Vietnam, we would go visit him again. His family is very poor. In addition to the house that we had built for him. he had nothing. Help him if possible.” For more information about Kiet's situation, please check Sal's postings on our Facebook page at: 9th Infantry Division LRRP

On a personal note, when Smitty and I visited Vietnam several years ago, Kiet and his family hosted us at his home. His family welcomed us like family. He was very proud of the plaque on the wall in front of his home which reads:

“This house was built by FRIENDSHIP from LONG AGO and FAR AWAY.”

My heart goes out to him and his family.

Sal, as usual, is leading the way and asks anyone who wants to chip to help Kiet’s family can do so by sending a check to Sal. He will deliver the money to Kiet’s wife while he and Lan are in Vietnam later this month.
You can mail your checks to:

Sal DiSciascio
698 Prescott Rd
New Bern, NC 28560.

In the spirit of the season, I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a peaceful holiday season.

Duane L. Alire
"E" Company Unit Director

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