A hero returns home after an absence of 33 years 9 months and 28 days when a gift from the 2/4 Association is presented to the Battalion in Camp Pendleton, California.
14 June 1999
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| Ed Garr, Capt USMC Ret and 2/4 CO LtCol Paul Hand. My health would not allow me to travel to California for the presentation, Capt. Garr substituted for me. | Jim Scott, Roy Casteel, Ed Garr, Juan Moreno & George Galven. These are a few of the Marines that served with and returned L/Cpl J.C. Paul back to his beloved 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines. |
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14
February 1999 My Dear Friends and Former Members of 2/4--- As many of you know, and for those of you that do not know, when USS Paul, FF 1080, a ship of the United States Navy was decommissioned in Mayport Florida on August 14, 1992 the Executive Officer placed the bronze commissioning plaque in the back of my van.
Because of Navy regulations, within 48 hours this plaque was requested to be returned and was placed back aboard USS Paul. When the final decision was made as to the disposition of the USS Paul, the plaque was returned to me and I have cherished it since. As you can read in the attached letter to LtCol. Paul Hand who is presently the Battalion Commander of Second Battalion, 4th Marines, I have made a decision as to the final resting place for not only the commissioning plaque but also for my memories of Joe Calvin Paul. The actual transfer of the plaque to the Battalion will be in the very near future. I assure each and every one of you that this is not a presentation from Jim Mazy but from JC's friends. I
am asking those of you that would like too to write a note, a letter, a
book if you want too about JC and mail it to me at the address listed
below. These papers will be included with the plaque at the presentation
to LtCol Hand. Semper
Fi--- Jim Mazy Second
Battalion, 4th Marines--- The Best in the Corps' 6122
Shasta Street, Englewood, FL 34224 941-474-9431
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Speech read at the Presentation 6/14/99 "I
am presenting this plaque to you with the hope that all
Marines...present and future, will remember, remember a Marine, a young
man that gave his life so that others could live. Since
having possession of this piece of history, I have never tried to clean
away the fingerprints, or the residue of the polish that was used to
make it shine.
I have chosen to leave them there as a reminder of the many men
and women that have had contact with JC over the years since his death. The
fingerprints that are arrayed upon the metal are those of the Officers
and Crew that placed the plaque into my van, the last crew of USS Paul. Due
to regulations, the plaque had to be returned to the US Navy until a
decision was reached as to the fate of FF-1080.
As she lay in berth in Philadelphia, and for as long as the
plaque was still aboard, a friend, Dan, another former Marine, would
place a single rose on her quarterdeck on the 23rd of April,
Joe's birthday.
My friend Dan's prints are also visible, as he is also the one
that returned the plaque to me. Mine
appear frequently... as I would touch it almost every time I passed it
while this plaque has been in my home... Those
of my wife and children also come into view, for if it were not for Joe
Paul, my marriage, my children would probably not exist today... Finally,
the prints of this presentation crew will appear, as I realize the urge
is to reach out and touch something that is so much a part of our old
friend.
Each has probably caressed this piece of metal as they walked
past, as if in tribute to JC. It
will be up to the present and future Commanding Officers and Sergeants
Majors of the Magnificent Bastards of Two-Four as to whether or not
these prints will be removed... for like every other person in this
Battalion---Joe Paul is a Marine and must pass inspection Today,
after an absence of 33 years 9 months and 28 days, Lance Corporal Joe
Calvin Paul is home... home where he belongs…home with his Marines…
the Marines and Corpsman of Two-Four... Semper
Fi--- Jim Mazy Second
Battalion, 4th Marines--- The Best in the Corps' |
