MANCHIN REPORT:Calling all Marines to Get Involved with National Museum
By Gov. Joe Manchin
Charleston, WV (HNN)--Recently, I announced that I would be joining other governors across the nation and the National Marines Heritage Foundation to try and locate every man and woman who is presently serving or has served in the United States Marine Corps. This educational campaign aims to inform Marines and their families of the new National Museum of the Marine Corps and to involve them in shaping the museum and telling the history of the corps.
The National Museum of the Marine Corps will be dedicated in Quantico, Virginia this November. This museum will tell the story of the Marine Corps "through the eyes of Marines" - bringing visitors to the front lines with combat simulators, historic footage and authentic articles, such as firearms and uniforms.
To become involved in this important endeavor, I am urging all active and former United States Marines to go online at www.wvgov.org , click the West Virginia Marine Corp info icon and register. In two weeks, my office has received more than 100 Marines’ contact information and their stories. Every soldier has a story, and it is truly amazing to read some of these descriptive accounts of what happened to our fellow West Virginians during their service.
If you do not have internet access and would like to register, feel free to contact the West Virginia liaison to the National Museum, Lieutenant Colonel Joe E. Miller (USMC, Ret) of Hurricane at 304-562-6998. I appointed Joe to help with this venture, and he is truly working hard with the museum and with his fellow West Virginians to make this effort a success. Joe has organized a committee made up of Marines from across the state, including: Woody Williams, Cabell County; Sam Baldwin, Wood County; Randall Bare, Jackson County; Fred Karnes, Cabell County; D.J. Turley, Wayne County; Bill Nelson, Randolph County; Scottie King, Cabell County; Eugene Ashe, Raleigh County; Dorothy Alderman, Kanawha County; Ron Wroblewski, Wayne County; Gareth Smith, Jackson County; Miles Epling, Jackson County; Frank Armentrout, Kanawha County; Al “Rick” Given, Kanawha County; Roger Ware, Randolph County; and, Mike McLain, Wood County. I thank all of these Marines for giving their time and energy to this noble cause.
This museum will be special not only for Marines and their families, but for all Americans. Not to mention that West Virginia has historically had one of the nation’s highest military service rates per capita, so this project has particular significance in the Mountain State.
The National Museum of the Marine Corps is a public-private venture between the United States Marine Corps and the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation. The information that Marines and their families are so kind enough to share is also forwarded to the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation for use in the development of the national museum. Please visit the foundation’s Web site at www.usmcmuseum.org for further information.