Student

December 9, 2008

Al Moulton – – – Suffers fatal heart attack!

February 15, 2005: I received a call this morning from Chong, Al’s wife, informing me of his death. Until the end, Al continued to post on these forums. His last email to me was February 2nd:

The latest news isn’t so good, George. Actually considering the alternative, maybe it is. A week ago Thursday I was rushed to the hospital with chest pains ala 911. Spent the weekend there. Beat the Grim Reaper again. Today, received results of the tests. I have permanent damage to the ole ticker. I guess dieting and exercise sometimes don’t make any difference. I’m going out for Pork Ribs and beer tonight, . . .l.

cya.

Allen

Al was a very proud person. He didn’t complain, even though he lived his last twenty years of his life (following a serious accident) in constant pain. He was a tireless advocate for Uechi-ryu and participated in as many activities, tournaments and classes as possible.

Al is best known for writing a number of excellent Uechi-ryu text books and for his contributions to these forums.

Because of his illness, Al was unable to work for the past year. They didn’t have insurance and his health problems drained all savings. Although she didn’t ask, I believe she would appreciate any financial help the Uechi community could provide.

Please send any donations to:

Chong Moulton
45830 High Way to Heaven Lane
Great Mills, Maryland 20634

[Please visit the Special Needs Forum for comments from his friends.]

Permanent link to this article: http://uechi-ryu.com/memorial-post-ii-5/

Dec 09 2008

Carmine DiRamio

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December 9, 2008

QUINCY – Carmine A. DiRamio, 77, of Mystic, Conn., formerly of Quincy and Braintree, a retired Quincy police officer, died April 10 at a hospital in Mystic from complication of diabetes. Carmine DiRamio, was a Quincy Police Officer, union president, boxing champ

Mr. DiRamio was a Quincy police officer for 40 years and former president of the police officers’ union. He retired in 1991.

In 1955, former Chief William Ferrazzi commended him for excellent work whenhe caught three teenagers driving a stolen car. The group was later linked to several car thefts.

A martial arts enthusiast, Mr. DiRamio was a certified self-defense instructor for 25 years. He studied under George Mattson at Mattson Academy .

He was director and co-owner of the Institute of Okinawan Karate , previously located in Braintree and Quincy . He was a second-degree black belt and was recognized by Black Belt magazine in 1966 for his work in demonstrating the value of karate in law enforcement work.

He was a Navy veteran of World War II and served aboard the Quincy built destroyer – USS Boyle.

Mr. DiRamio held the Massachusetts middleweight boxing title from 1949 to 1951.

Husband of the late Helen V. (Keating) DiRamio and the late Barbara Ann (Young) DiRamio, he is survived by a son, Robert DiRamio of Duxbury; two daughters, Joan Curtin of Randolph and Betty Greenberg – DiRamio of Sandwich; two stepsons, Thomas Postell of Quincy and Joseph Postell of Braintree; two brothers, Alfonso DiRamio of Clearwater, Fla., and Edward DiRamio of Quincy; two sisters, Grace Fitzgerald of Bedford and Frances Salvatori of Quincy; seven grandchildren, four step-grandchildren and a great-granddaughter; and many nieces and nephews.

Permanent link to this article: http://uechi-ryu.com/memorial-post-ii-4/

Dec 09 2008

Ernest Howland

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December 9, 2008

Ernest L. Howland (Ernie) , died August 20, 2005 at his home in Brockton after a lengthy illness. Born in Braintree, son of the late John P. and Mary A. (Sullivan) Howland, he was raised in Brockton and was a graduate of Brockton High School. After high school, he entered the United States Air Force and served with the Air Force for four years. Following his years with the Air Force he received his Associates Degree in Engineering from Northeastern University in 1971 and his Bachelor of Science Degree in Education from Fitchburg State College in 1980. He taught drafting at Bristol Plymouth Vocational High School.

In 1977 Ernie, as he was known to friends and students, opened the Brockton Karate club which he owned and operated until his death. Mr. Howland studied and taught Karate for 37 years, was well known and a respected member of the Martial Arts Community and attained a master rank of 6th degree black belt in Uechi Ryu. Through the martial arts he translated enduring life lessons to both youth and adults. He was an admired instructor and friend to his students. He leaves behind a grateful student body. For many years he enjoyed spending time at his summer home in Yarmouth and was a communicant of both Christ the King Parish in Brockton and St. Pius Church in Yarmouth. He was a member of Club National and enjoyed caring for his two cats.

Permanent link to this article: http://uechi-ryu.com/memorial-post-ii-3/

Dec 09 2008

Cory Diamond

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December 9, 2008

Cory Diamond

Teen killed, another hurt in bizarre police chase [Corey was a Brown Belt Uechi-ryu student of Chicago teacher, David Kahn.]

July 25, 2006

BY ANNIE SWEENEY Crime Reporter

The three teen friends playing poker on a slow Sunday summer evening went out for a two-minute errand — a quick visit to a nearby store for Coke and chips.

The northwest suburban high school pals — Corey Diamond, Elliot Cellini and Brandon Forshall — left Forshall’s Wheeling home about 8:20 p.m. They headed toward the intersection of Dundee and Schoenbeck roads.

There, they drove into the path of a rental truck that Buffalo Grove police were chasing. The truck careened into the intersection and slammed the 2001 Ford Taurus that Cellini was driving, police said.

Diamond, 16, a front-seat passenger, was killed. Cellini, 16, was critically injured. Forshall, 17, who sat in back, suffered minor injuries and was home on Monday, unable to remember much of what happened.

Friends of Corey Diamond, 16 (right), leave flowers Monday at the southeast corner of Schoenbeck and Dundee in Wheeling. Diamond was killed at the intersection Sunday night after a rental van struck the car he was riding in. (TOM CRUZE/ SUN-TIMES) “Physically he’s fine,” said Forshall’s mother, Dorothy Forshall. “Emotionally it’s going to be a while. We’re really praying for Elliot. And we’re praying for Corey’s family.”

Corey, who grew up in Arlington Heights, was an Eagle Scout, like his father and grandfather, said Howard Hirsch, his uncle. He played volleyball and trumpet and also loved fishing and camping. He was a good student and also had a brown belt in karate.

Permanent link to this article: http://uechi-ryu.com/memorial-post-ii-2/

Dec 09 2008

Al Kumian

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December 9, 2008

Alan E. Kunian

HOLLISTON – Alan E. Kunian, 75, of Holliston, died Friday, April 27, 2007, at UMass Medical Center in Worcester.

Al Kunian He was the husband of Marjorie E. (Doherty) Kunian, who died in April 2000.

Born in Lynn, he was the son of the late Hilda (Abrams) and Harry Kunian.

A graduate of Lynn High School and of Suffolk Law School, he worked as an attorney, specializing in real estate, in the Framingham area for more than 40 years. He served in the U.S. Army from Dec. 10, 1954, to Sept. 14, 1956.

Mr. Kunian had a passion for karate and had trained under George Mattson for many years and maintained his black belt status until a few years ago. He was a ham radio operator with the call name of KA1AL. He had a love of flying and was a licensed pilot. He also enjoyed automobiles and jazz music and had a great affection for dogs.

Mr. Kunian enjoyed spending time at his family home in York, Maine.

He leaves six daughters, Joan Kunian of Portland, Maine, Robin Murby of Manchester, N.H., Danna Porcella of Upton, Lynn Iarussi of Holliston, Laurie Marcinkiewicz of Medway, Lisa Matott of Harrisville, R.I.; two sons, David Shomphe of Farmington, N.H., and Bob Shomphe of Concord; 14 grandchildren, Amanda, Jessica, Meghan, Jamie, Alexandra, Courtney, Kurt, Taylor, Nicholas, Brett, Brooke, Christopher, Garrett and Madison; and one brother, Fran Langlands.

Permanent link to this article: http://uechi-ryu.com/memorial-post-ii/

Dec 09 2008

Bill Arch

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December 9, 2008

William Arch passed away Saturday, November 24, 2007.

Bill was born September 23, 1936 in Hillsdale, Michigan to the Honorable Judge Charles and Lily in (Haynes) arch. From October of 1967 through September of 1969, Bill served in the US Army until honorably discharged. He was married to Janet Davis on August 18, 1962. She survives him.

He had a love of, and was very devoted to the martial arts, specifically the Okinawan Uechi-ryu style.he achieved the rank of seventh degree black belt and he shared his passion as an instructor at the Maple Street YMCA for many years.

From an interview conducted by Jim Gemmell

Bill was a relatively soft-spoken, gentle man with a great sense of humor, and an even greater heart. For the past several years, he taught Monday and Wednesday night karate classes at the Kalamazoo YMCA on Maple Street, about a quarter-mile west of Sensei Jim Thompson’s Okinawan Karate Academy.

Bill began taking Uechi-ryu classes on Aug. 8, 1966. His original sensei was Al Horton, then Bill Keith, Bob Harding and Ron Everett. Arch also studied under Sensei Steve Fuller, who now lives in Three Rivers, Michigan, and has a dojo attached to his house.

In a March 6, 2005, interview for a future documentary on Uechi-ryu’s history in Michigan, Bill Arch told Jim Gemmell that he began training at Sensei Al Horton’s dojo on East Main Street in 1966.

“”Morning class was small, six to eight. Al Horton worked swing shift at paper mill, most of my training was around Al Horton, until I got onto another shift and did night classes,” Arch said.

Bill Keith was an instructor, as well. “Advanced students were up front and junior students were in back”, said Arch. “They kept them separate; they always kept junior students turned around so they didn’t see what the advanced students were doing. You didn’t show junior students advanced material, either. They had an open stairway that came up through the center of the floor in the main part of the dojo. It was pretty strict training. Mr. Horton really held the iron to us.”

Arch recalled when Grandmaster Kanei Uechi and Master Ryukyu Tomyose first visited Kalamazoo, Michigan, in 1967. They stayed at the home of Bill and Kathy Keith. “I can still picture (Uechi) on stage at the fairgrounds giving a demonstration,” he said. “And even at the old dojo when he was looking at some of the ikkyus at the time, and Tomoyose was testing them. I was a green belt at the time.

“I still remember Master Uechi doing Sanseiryu across the stage, and I can still here his feet across the stage to this day, because they always said he’d never do a high-level kata when he demonstrated. He used to do Kanshiwa. This was the first time he ever did a high-level kata in a demonstration.”

Arch had a special place in his heart for Sensei Thompson. “He’s really been a big influence on my life. With Sensei (Thompson), you can take up any book, and look up the word ‘sensei’, and he’s the one.”

Arch also credited Dr. Doug Wunderly, a chief of heart surgery at Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo, and who has been in Uechi-ryu since 1971, for saving his life three times on the operating table. “He diagnosed a blockage I had in ’93, put two stints in ’98 and another stint in ’01.”

Services will be Thursday at 1 p.m., in Langeland Funeral Home, 3926 S. 9th St., Kalamazoo, MI 49009

Bill Arch's 60yh birthday party

Bill’s Rank History

Student	William E. Arch (8/8/66)
*First Sensei* *Dojo Address*	Allen J. Horton Kalamazoo Oriental Club 2103 E. Main Street Kalamazoo, MI
*Shodan*	June 14, 1971
Sensei	Uechi Kanei
Association	Uechi-Ryu Karate-do
Certificate #	581
*Nidan*	March 22, 1975
Sensei	Uechi Kanei
Association	Uechi -Ryu Karate-do
Certificate #	247
Sandan	October 21, 1979
Sensei	Uechi Kanei
Association	Uechi-Ryu Karate-do
Certificate #	202
Yondan	May 15, 1983
Sensei	Uechi Kanei
Association	Uechi-Ryu Karate-do
Certificate #	160
Godan	August 1, 1989
Sensei	James Thompson
Association	Okinawa Karate-do
Certificate #	168
Rokkudan	July 9, 1995
Sensei	James Thompson
Association	Okinawa Karate-do
Certificate #	80
Nanadan	September 9, 2002
Sensei	James Thompson
Association	Okinawa Karate-do
Certificate #	04

Permanent link to this article: http://uechi-ryu.com/memorial-post/

Dec 09 2008

John-VanderLaar

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December 9, 2008

John VanderLaar Dead at 48
Word of longtime Uechi-ryu practitioner John VandeLaar’s passing has saddened the martial-arts community in Michigan. A Battle Creek resident, VandeLaar, 47, began studying Uechi-ryu in June 1979 under Sensei Bill Keith, and shortly thereafter became a student of Sensei Jim Thompson’s during the transitional period in which Thompson bought the Okinawa Karate Academy in Kalamazoo from Keith. In later years, VandeLaar dabbled in Goju-ryu, Shotokan, Kobudo (under sensei’s Estrada and Nagazato), Kendo and aikido.
At his home in July 2005, John told Jim Gemmell in an interview for a future documentary on Uechi-ryu in Michigan that he was “one of the smaller guys in the (Kalamazoo) dojo” when he began. He said longtime student Doug Wunderly “took me under his wing a little bit and helped me along. I also did a lot of classes with Mark Stewart, a kickboxer, and Don Joyner.”

VandeLaar recalled the hard-core traditional training and testing regimen at Thompson’s school in the early 1980s. “For example, for the Sanchin test, you had one person in front of you and one person behind you, and you had a complete test, as far as the strikes, on every thrust.”

John was grateful for the great martial-arts heritage in Michigan, in terms of both the high-quality instructors and the competitors in various styles, as well as his students. He said Al Doorlag got him involved in the AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) tournament competitions in the late 1980’s, which VandeLaar continued to be involved with up until the time of his death. John was also active in training students for the Junior Olympics, and Project Action, in which he helped raise funds to allow at-risk kids to pay for karate classes.

John ran a small dojo in the basement of his home for several years, and headed a karate program at a local gym.

Thanks to Al Bennett for the picture of John.

Permanent link to this article: http://uechi-ryu.com/memoria-post/

Dec 09 2008

Eric Bishop

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December 9, 2008

Eric Bishop

He died suddenly, on November 26, 2008, of an aortic dissection, following emergency surgery.

Eric was buried with military honors at Fort Custer Military Cemetery, Battle Creek Michigan on Dec. 5, 2008.

Sensei Eric Bishop began his Uechi-ryu training in Kalamazoo in 1973, and was the first person known to have introduced Uechi-ryu to Germany, in the late 1970’s. Eric died of a heart ailment in late November. In a video interview for a future documentary, Eric told me the following in Kalamazoo on Oct. 28, 2005:

(While Eric was teaching Uechi-ryu in Badkissigen, Germany), “The only Europeans that we could track down that had any Uechi experience were the guys in England, who were very helpful communicative-wise. There was supposedly a guy in Czechoslovakia. And, of course, the Iron Curtain was up, so we had no access to him. And there was supposed to be a gentleman in France, who I believe was actually an Okinawan, but we could never locate him.”

Bishop started in Uechi-ryu in the summer of 1973. “It was because my best friend at the time, Doug Wunderly, had just gotten his Shodan during one of the first visits of the Okinawans. In fact, I still have one of the boards that he chopped in half, and they autographed it for me. At the ‘Y’ (Kalamazoo YMCA), anyway, the policy was that once you got your Shodan, you helped teach. So, he (Doug) was teaching his first class

that summer. And the big Bruce Lee fad was going on, and I thought, “Well, I ought to go see what this chop suey stuff that he does is. And I went and took his first class; and, of course, it was surprisingly demanding and difficult. And I wasn’t sure I was going to pass my first belt test.

“Bill Arch was the main instructor. We always called him ‘Master Poe’ – that was our nickname for him. And I believe that Steve Fuller was teaching. A brown belt, Don Kinch, was very involved. Don Joyner didn’t come down to the Y often, but he was involved. Larry Mahar was involved.

“I was commissioned as Second Lieutenant in the Army, and headed off to Germany, where I was stationed for two back-to-back assignments. So I was there eight years. And I was an Ikkyu at the time I left for that.

“If there was any significance to my being in Uechi (ryu), it was that in ’81, when I was in (Badkissigen, two hours east of Frankurt) Germany, there was a thing called the Kontact Programme – find any way to get Germans and Americans doing things together. And there was a local sport club – they had aikido and judo – sort of like a mini-YMCA. They asked if someone would teach karate down there, and they said, ‘Yeah, we want you to teach.’ And I told them I can’t teach. And they said, ‘Sure, you can.’ And I said, ‘No, you don’t understand, I can’t teach it…I’m an Ikkyu, not a Shodan, I’m not allowed to teach…they couldn’t understand, it wasn’t there kind of authority thing. And I was talking to Doug about it, I believe, and he talked to Bill Arch and Jim Thompson, and got back ahold of me and said, ‘Yeah, they said it’s okay. Go ahead and start teaching.’

And I didn’t really think it would go much anywhere. Showed up for the first class, and there was like 25 young Germans in gi’s, in seiza, ready to start training. It was really an interesting experience. About a year into that, I came back for a friend’s wedding, so by chance it was timed right, they were doing Dan testing, and so I tested for my Shodan at that time.

In ’84, just before I came back for my first return for a school, I had Doug and Stuart Eddy come over to run a training seminar, and hopefully to test my top two or three students, to see where they should be…we decided to make it an annual thing. In that second year, Kris and Steve (Fuller) came over. I don’t think that was a Thompson year yet, I don’t think he was there (Kalamazoo) until the third year. By the third year, they (students) had gotten Shodans….they were pretty much running it (German program) on their own. I believe they still actually train there.”

Anything you’d want to say to anybody, Eric? “I’d just thank Bill Arch, especially, the Master Poe, the efforts he put in. He was very patient with me. I’d be there for three months, out for three months…he was always just 100% there. And, of course, Doug and Stuart for being such good friends, even outside of the Uechi thing. And what they helped me do in Germany. And Master Thompson’s trust in me was really flattering. It’s a great thing and it’ll always be a part of my life, whether I ever teach again or not, doesn’t really matter to me.”

Eric brought enthusiasm to everything he undertook, then magnified it through his willingness to share his interests with others. I knew him while he was stationed in Germany with the U.S. Army, where I saw this in three special ways.

Whatever his job, Eric strove to do it well. In Germany, he was an excellent officer, well trained, focused on his mission and blessed with a gift for leadership. His unit performed its missions well and Eric was involved in many extra activities that kept relations with their West German partners strong.

Eric was also keenly interested in the world around him. In Germany, that brought him a rich life outside the military community. He was thrilled to visit the cities and towns around him, with their history, culture and wonderful scenery. His outgoing nature led to friends in many places, from the house next door to the corner pub to the local motorcycle shop. He was deeply grateful to those people for the many ways they added to his experiences, and they gained from knowing him.

And finally, Eric’s ability to share opened a new world to a group of young people interested in the martial arts. Eric had trained in Okinawan karate before being commissioned, and when he got to Germany, he looked for an opportunity to continue training. Finding none, he volunteered to teach at a local recreation hall and led classes regularly for several years. His most dedicated students from those early days still practice and many now teach their own classes. All would tell you that Eric was a close friend and that they are deeply grateful to him for opening the door to an important part of their lives.

I, too, am grateful for Eric’s friendship. In small ways, the interests he shared enriched my life. In much bigger ways, his approach to life as a whole made him a valuable role model.

– Stuart Eddy

December 7, 2008

Eric was my first Troop Commander as a First Sergeant (Lima Leads was our motto). Captain Bishop was full of life and was a soldiers soldier. He truly kept the soldiers at the forefront of his charge and never waivered from that key responsibility. His trusty sword always traveled with him on all field exercises most notably on all Graf Gunnery deployments. As with your first teacher, your first drill instructor, your first mentor, I will remember “T” as my first Commander during a critical time during the “Cold War” in the Fulda Gap. I know your are reading this Captain Bishop….See you at Fiddlers Green. God Bless and keep you until then……Leadhorse 7 (Ernie Ford)
Ernie Ford (North Pole, AK)
________________________________________
December 7, 2008

The entire Blackhorse family offer our condolences. We will miss this wonderful soldier and member of the Blackhorse family. President, The Blackhorse Association 2008-2009
John Sherman Crow (Thibodaux, LA)
________________________________________
December 7, 2008

I will always remember a young Captain T. Eric Bishop, a fine young commander, who was an outstanding leader. His death comes as a major surprise; he died much too young. Our sincere best wishes to his family.
Ned Devereaux (Portland, OR)

Permanent link to this article: http://uechi-ryu.com/memorial-to-him/

Dec 09 2008

Marine Corps Birthday Ball Speech

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Newsflash

December 9, 2008

Marine Corps Birthday Ball Speech

My friend, Brigadier General David Heinz sent me this very moving speech, which was given by MajGen Dave Richwine, USMC (Ret) at the Marine Corps Ball in Kansas City. G. E. Mattson

The Commandant, in his message, reminds us that: Only a few Americans choose the dangerous, but necessary, work of fighting our Nation’s enemies. When our chapter of history is written, it will be a saga of a selfless generation of Marines who were willing to stand up and fight for our Nation; to defend those who could not defend themselves; to thrive on the hardship and sacrifice expected of an elite warrior class; to march to the sound of the guns; and to ably shoulder the legacy of those Marines who have gone before.

On our 233rd birthday, first remember those who have served and those ‘angels’ who have fallen – our reputation was built on their sacrifices.

Earlier this year, our Commandant gave us a recent example of how that legacy is observed, followed and embellished today. Let me take you for a moment to Anbar Province in Iraq where two Marine Corps units were in the midst of “turn over” activities in which members of the outgoing and incoming units spend about a week together so that the “local knowledge” gained by the outgoing unit can be imparted to the incoming Marines.

As it happened, about 50 Marines were gathered in a small building. Outside the buiding, Lance Cpl. Jordan Haerter, 19, of Sag Harbor, N.Y., and Cpl. Jonathan Yale, 21, of Burkeville, Va., were standing guard on April 22 when a truck filled with 2,000 pounds of explosives barreled toward the outpost’s main gate. Suspecting an impending Beirut barracks-like bombing event and seizing the initiative they directed well-aimed rifle fire into the cab of the truck.

While this was happening, the nearby Iraqi soldiers ran for cover. The truck did not slow appreciably, so well-aimed machine gun fire was directed into the cab of the truck. The driver was apparently wired with a dead-man switch, and when he died, it ignited approximately 2000 pounds of high explosive material which exploded about 10 yards from where the two Marines had stood guard and blew a crater five feet deep and twenty feet across in the road. The two Marines – still firing their weapons — were killed instantly.

After the event, the Iraqi commander returned and questioned the Marine leader, asking why his men had not run to save themselves as his men had done, and indicating the Marines were crazy for standing their ground.

The Marine leader’s response was simple and principle-centered: The Marines knew if they did not do their job and hold their ground that 35-40 of their fellow Marines would die. They made the ultimate sacrifice for their teammates. In the past weeks we have lost several Marines–three of whom I consider good friends and the fourth, whom I have met several times, is in a class all by himself. All of these Marines were superb people and wonderful role models in all aspects of their lives.

They are: Major Lonnie Poling. . .F4 RIO, leader, motivator, expert in his field, and revered by those with whom he served;

Colonel Keith Sefton, a wonderful human being, fine Marine, and JAG officer who always looked for a way to help his commander to “get it done” and stay out of jail rather than telling him what he could not do;

John Ripley a genuine American hero whose exploits at the bridge at Dong Ha are chronicled in a book by John Miller, and . . .

General Bob Barrow, our 27th Commandant, a distinguished leader in combat during three wars. He is also the architect of our current personnel policy-the one that ensures we attract quality young Americans and transform them into high quality Marines who, when their active service is complete, eventually return to our communities as responsible citizens.

As General Carl Mundy notes, from his earliest days in the Corps, he gained the firm, and oft articulated belief that it is people who make the difference. Tanks, ships, airplanes and rifles are all important tools; but without the right people, they’re useless. Even numbers didn’t count with him. A favorite saying was, “In battle, it’s not how many show up . . . it’s who they are.”

John Ripley was one of those with General Barrow’s “right stuff”. He exemplified the unique culture of the Marine Corps in every assignment that he took on. Maj. W. Thomas Smith, USMC (Ret.), vividly described what happened when young Ripley and his small band of about 20 ARVN were ordered to “hold and die” in the face of 200 tanks approaching the Ben Hai river during the North Vietnamese Army’s Easter Offensive in April 1972. Wrote Smith:

“Dying would be easy. But the only way to hold was to blow the bridge spanning the Dong Ha River”. And, as Ripley said, he was “the Marine there to do it.”

Then a 33-year-old captain, Ripley accomplished his task [over the course of a couple of hours] by dangling from the bridge’s I-beams, climbing along the length of the bridge hand-over-hand, his body weighted down with explosives [as he made repeated trips to emplace about 500 pounds of it], the enemy shooting at him, desperately trying to kill the lone Marine hanging beneath the bridge.

In a June 2008 interview for Marine Corps Times, Ripley said, “I had to swing like a trapeze artist in a circus and leap over the other I-beam. . . . I would work myself into the steel. I used my teeth to crimp the detonator and thus pinch it into place on the fuse. I crimped it with my teeth while the detonator was halfway down my throat.”

Ripley set the charges and moved back to the friendly side of the river, all the while under heavy fire. When the timed-fuses detonated, Ripley – running for his life on the road leading away from the bridge – was literally blown through the air by the massive shockwave he had engineered. The next thing he remembered, he was lying on his back as huge pieces of the bridge were hurtling and cartwheeling across the sky above him. He had accomplished his mission. . .and had lived to tell about it.

These Marines, like the rest of us are part of an organization that retired Marine Corps Lieutenant General Victor “Brute” Krulak treated in his book First to Fight. In that book, he remarks that America doesn’t have a Marine Corps because it needs one, but because it wants one. One might wonder why.

I believe America wants a Marine Corps because we embody the fundamental values all Americans hold dear. . . the kinds of things that help us make the right decisions and hopefully avoid some mistakes. I call them, First Principles. And I have found them in the writings of our forefathers who conceived, argued over and penned our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution.

There’s a reason we take an oath each time we are promoted. It is to remind us that we do not swear to support and defend the Commander in Chief, or the Congress, or any operational commander, or any person at all. Instead, we swear to support and defend the fundamental law of the land, our Constitution.

Taking the oath of office causes us to reflect on the values, ideals and principles upon which this great Nation was founded. Those in turn should guide us in our daily living and decision making. There is remarkable wisdom in those documents if we would but read and review them. I charge you to do that from time to time. Doing so helps keep us grounded and on the right path.

As stated in its Preamble, our Founding Fathers wrote the Constitution “. . .in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity. . .”

Years before that, in the Declaration of Independence, they indicated the kinds of values and beliefs that drove them to declare themselves and the Colonies to be free and independent states. Everyone recalls the first line of the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. We have morphed the definition of Happiness as it was understood by our forefathers. . .And it seems that we want to focus on the individual rights. . .often to the exclusion of the responsibilities that go with them.

Few today seem to recall the last paragraph of that same Declaration. It follows the list of grievances held against the British Crown and it includes some very powerful concepts.

“We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by the Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.“

Note particularly:

the reference to a higher power–a moral authority beyond mankind’s laws–that provides us a spiritual reference which both undergirds our religious beliefs and guides us in our temporal existence, guides us in determining right from wrong, and provides a frame of reference for our relationships with others. Our character stems from our relationship with our Higher Power, our God as we understand Him;
the concept of honor, a portion of our character, which demands we do the proper thing when no one is looking, and that we give 110% when the going gets tough; and
the notion of self-sacrifice for the common good.

T R Fehrenbach has written a book entitled Greatness to Spare. It details the history of our Founding Fathers and particularly their experiences during the formative stages of our fledgling Nation. Those who signed the Declaration of Independence were hounded mercilessly by their opponents-both foreign and domestic.

Many lost their homes, some were imprisoned, some saw family members imprisoned and killed, most lost fortunes, livelihood and property. All were offered restitution if only they would but recant their allegiance to the United States of America and turn their allegiance to the Crown. None did.

They persevered. Their faith in a Higher Power, their trust in their fellow patriots, their sense of honor, their sense of duty their sense of responsibility and their dedication to the principles for which they stood guided them and sustained them in the worst of times. Their example is timeless, and it engendered and sustains our core values of Courage, Honor and Commitment.

I believe it is reflected in the lives of exemplary Marines like John Ripley, Robert Barrow, Keith Sefton, Lonnie Poling and countless others. The Marine Corps is what it is because of who you and I are. . .and we are who we are now, in no small part, because of the training and exposure the Marine Corps afforded us. So, as we celebrate our history, let’s reflect on what it is that bonds us all together, completes that circle?

I believe it is love. . .of our God as we know Him, of our Country, of our Family, of our Corps and of each other. When it gets down to brass tacks in a combat situation, we don’t fight for the flag or these higher principles that guide us, we fight for one another. . .the guys on our right and on our left. . .the guys with whom we face the imminent danger.

Submitted by Other Authors, The Uechi Community

Permanent link to this article: http://uechi-ryu.com/marine-corps-birthday-ball-speech/

Dec 04 2008

You’re a master? Sorry, I don’t think so

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December 4, 2008

Dear Sensei George,

How are you and the Family? I hope that you’re healthy and strong and practicing regularly. This article, for your site, is for those individuals who may seek another perspective on all the “Masters” floating around given the extreme commercialism today in the MA. Manny

You’re a master? Sorry, I don’t think so

By Manny Neves, 8^th Dan

A few weeks ago, I attended a Master Gushi Seminar at the Hartford Dojo. My student and I were a little late for the Saturday class, so as not to interrupt anyone, we sat in the back of the room and watched the instructions for a while. As I was sitting there, Mr Harriman, 7^th dan and promoter of the seminar turned around and asked me, “Why don’t you like to call people Masters when they’re 6^th dan or above?” I started to respond to him when my student said that Master Gushi wanted us to gi up and be part of the program. So I was never able to finish my conversation with Ernie. I’ll share my thoughts with you here, with the chance you may dislike me more than you already do for whatever reason.

To me there’s one underlying principle that should be followed for you to call yourself a “Master”. It’s what I refer to as “creating something from nothing”. Most practitioners are basically followers of someone or something. Albeit, some may be very youthful, powerful and earnest and have more energy than others, possibly displaying excellent technique, but they’re still followers.For instance, those of us, who seek depth to our training, by seeking the “meaning” of our kata are still “following” the path of the creator of the original kata. Also, there are those individuals who bastardize the original kata and create what they call “their” way of doing the kata and call themselves masters and may even promote themselves to high degrees.

I look at individuals who achieve the rank of 6^th dan and above as dedicated, generally older individuals who found a way to make their kata continually be effective even if they are 45, 50, 60 years old and possibly older. Those high ranks, as most of us know, are tied to character, age, time in grade and the ability to still do kata correctly. But are they Masters?

I believe they are not. What about the individuals who are or were great fighters, the one’s who, in the past, dedicated their youth to beating up all comers? The notion that you’re a master because you won a few matches, or even many matches, in a contest is absurd. Everyone and anyone can be beaten on a given day given the right circumstances. Also, the contrasting view applies. You can beat anyone in a contest on a given day with the right circumstances. Those of us who’ve competed know what those circumstances generally are.

That being said, my point is to be humble. Don’t call yourself a master to feed your dominant ego. Be earnest in your training so that you can open up to inspiration that may help you create “something from nothing”. One caveat, make sure that “something” has significant value and is time tested (at least 50 years or longer).