In 1979 on Sept 27 a good friend of mine died in a car crash and I was seeing if you had the news of it.Her name was Margaret Kilroy. She went by Margy..I think it was in your paper on the 28th.

I was in the us army during the Cuban Missile Crisis and was sent with a Hawk missile outfit to a location somewhere in the Perrine/Naranja area. This was in 1962 and since the 50th anniversary is coming up next year, I was wondering if your paper might be doing something for that anniversary. If so, please let me know as I would be interested in anything you might pull out of your archives and publish. thanks Manly Brown

Ted


I am going to ask you to do me a favor. When I was with D Btry back in 1966 four of us went fishing one night out into Biscayne Bay and then on the other side of the Mangroves off of Homestead. As you remember Gales blow up out of no where. A lot of wind, rain, etc. Well that night one came up. We were on the outside and headed back to the Mangroves just in time. We rode it out there. We were not catching much so we decided to head in.


On the way across the bay back to the landing, I spotted a light off to the right in the bay. I told Al Meana (our 1st Sgt and owner of the boat) that it looked like an SOS, so we decided to check it out. The light was very low in the water. As we got closer we heard cries for help. We pulled up and found 5 people (3 men, 2 woman) in the water hanging on to a capsize boat. Their boat had turned over in the Gale throwing them out. They were in pretty bad shape. We got them aboard our boat and gave them clothes and towels trying to get them warm. One man had no clothes. One woman had her hands bleeding from trying to hold onto the boat. She said she just about to give up when we came along. Other boats had just pasted them bye.


I took a rope and jumped in the water and tied it under their boat so we could upright it. After getting turned over and baling some water we pulled in into the launching dock. Their car was there but they had lost the keys. Luckily it was a convertible and I was able to unlock the doors. One of the guys knew how to start it by hot wiring it. We got their boat loaded and after many thanks they were on their way.


It was now early Sunday morning so we went of back to the Battery and then home. We didn't think any more about it. Monday morning we were called in by the Btry Commander and was confronted with our actions. We were told that both the Miami Herald and the Homestead News Leader were on the way to take pictures and to hear our story. All four of us were a little embarrassed about the hold thing thinking it was nothing to go on about. The BN Commander showed up also. A few days later a General from NORAD or RAD-COM (I don't remember which) came and presented us with certificates. He said that all four of us would receive the Soldiers Medal. I received mine later that year while in Korea.


Over the years I have lost the write ups from the papers and I would like for you to check with the Homestead News Leader if they have anything in their archives. If so please make copies and send to me. We were written up for two days. It was good pub for the Army back then.


I asked the NIKE Historian Society if they new anything about it but never received a reply. I would be good to have on file there also.


THE PEOPLE FISHING FROM D-2-52


Al Meana
Frank Miller
Terry Green
(I can't remember the fourths name) I think it was Cook.


Thanks and let me know what you find out. If it cost anything let me know.


SSGT Charles Carter and Ryan Meyer (Everglades National Park) are the driving force for the Nike Veterans Reunion is scheduled for Saturday October 20th 2012 on Miami Beach. A 50th Anniversary Ceremony of the Cuban Missile Crisis will be on Sunday, October 21st. at A Battery in Everglades National Park.

Sirs:
My grandmother, Della Fleming, made classic Raggedy Anne dolls. There was a rather long article in a 1972 News-Leader issue about her. It includedn a photo of her with several dolls, her on the beach in Daytona as a younger lady, and the article mentioned my mother, Helen Fleming, A.L. Lewis school, and Dr. Robert Douglas. Could someone find the article and send me a copy with photos.
John Fleming