USAMU 52nd anniversary with special donation

[USAMU]

UNCLASSIFIED////


National Infantry Museum donation ceremony to take place during USAMU 52nd anniversary

By Paula J. Randall
U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, Accessions Support Brigade

FORT BENNING, Ga. - The new National Infantry Museum will receive a very special contribution from the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit at a ceremony to be conducted Oct. 18.

Former Fort Benning Commanding General retired Maj. Gen. Jerry White, president of the National Infantry Association and chairman of the National Infantry Foundation, which is overseeing the construction of the new National Infantry Museum, will participate in a ceremony at the Pool International Shooting Complex in which he will accept a donation of Korean battlefield soil from the USAMU.

USAMU three-time Olympian Sgt. 1st Class Daryl L. Szarenski, son of Sgt. Frank Szarenski who served during the Korean War as a forward observer, will lead the USAMU Honor Guard in the Battlefield Soil Presentation Ceremony and present the Korean battlefield soil to White for the new museum. The USAMU honor guard will consist of Distinguished Service Cross sniper retired Master Sgt. William E. Krilling, Silver Star sniper retired Master Sgt. Burl Branham, Olympic Bronze Medalist Sgt. 1st Class James Todd Graves and Purple Heart recipient Staff Sgt.
Joshua J. Olson.

The soil was collected from various Korean battlefields by Soldiers of the USAMU on behalf of all U.S. Army Infantry Soldiers.
Both Krilling and Branham were veterans of the Korean War and Graves and Olson patrolled the Korean demilitarized zone.

More than 300 Soldiers, civilians and family members, past and present, of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit will gather together to celebrate the USAMU's 52nd birthday Oct. 16 to 18 at the USAMU Headquarters and ranges. The Military Marksmanship Association will conduct a reunion in honor of the 52nd anniversary of the founding of the Army Marksmanship Unit.

The Army Marksmanship Unit is the only organization of its kind in the Army today. Formed in 1956 by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, the unit produces America's best competitive shooters and the Army's greatest custom gunsmiths.
The MMA is the alumni association of the Army Marksmanship Unit. The biennial reunion affords USAMU alumni a chance to reminisce with fellow former shooters and gunsmiths and meet the new USAMU Soldiers and personnel.

"We plan to have range activities each day with displays, demonstrations, and fun competitions," said MMA President retired Col.
Robert I. Hoidahl Jr., a former USAMU commander.

The schedule of events is as follows:

Oct. 16: Registration at Phillips Range and Open House at all ranges from 1 to 3 p.m.; and MMA dinner with USAMU Soldiers starting at
6 p.m.

Oct. 17: Sharpe Hall Open House from 9 to 11 a.m.; Round Robin range firing at Pool, Phillips and Hook ranges from 1 to 3 p.m.; and general membership meeting, MMA election of officers and MMA picnic at Phillips Range from 3 to 6 p.m.

Oct. 18: USAMU Support and Section Halls of Fame Induction Ceremony from 10 a.m. to noon at Sharpe Hall; shotgun and action shooting demonstrations at Hook Range from 1 to 2 p.m.; National Infantry Museum Korean Battlefield Soil Presentation Ceremony and USAMU Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at Pool Range from 2:30 to 4 p.m.; and barbecue at Pool Range from 4 to 6 p.m.

Four personnel will be inducted into the USAMU Support Hall of Fame and six into their respective shooting section halls of fame.
Inductees are: Marvin O. Aldrich, Support Hall of Fame; retired Sgt.
Maj. Max Barrington, Service Pistol Hall of Fame; Sgt. 1st Class Shawn C. Dulohery, Shotgun Hall of Fame; retired Sgt. 1st Class Lance S.
Hopper, Service Rifle Hall of Fame; retired Sgt. Maj. Laurence "Red"
Mosely, Support Hall of Fame; retired Sgt. 1st Class Bill Reitz, Support Hall of Fame; retired Maj. Ed Suarez, International Pistol Hall of Fame; the late retired Sgt. 1st Class Robert Walsh Sr., Support Hall of Fame; and Graves, Shotgun Hall of Fame; and Szarenski, International Pistol Hall of Fame.
Former Fort Benning Commanding General retired Maj. Gen. Jerry White, the president of the National Infantry Foundation, is scheduled to be the guest speaker at the USAMU Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and will participate in the Battlefield Soil Ceremony.

The three inductees to the 2008 U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit Hall of Fame are: Retired Lt. Col. Sally Carroll, former International Pistol shooter; retired Capt. Glen A. Dubis, former International Rifle shooter; and Branham, former Shotgun Team Coach.

Since 1956, members of the Army Marksmanship Unit have won hundreds of individual and team national titles with more than 40 World Championships and 23 Olympic Medals including two Gold Medals from the
2008 Olympics in Beijing, China.

"The Marksmanship Unit has gained worldwide recognition and respect for its shooting accomplishments," said Robert Aylward, USAMU deputy commander. "These accomplishments are why the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit is called the Home of Champions."

(For more information on the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, contact the Public Affairs Office at (706) 545-5436 or Paula.Randall@usaac.army.mil or visit www.USAMU.com. For more information on the Military Marksmanship Association contact President@militarymarksmanship.org or visit
www.militarymarksmanship.org