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St. Agnes Alumni WebNews |
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Please click here to  toward
support of our alumni website.. |
My
Flag:  I am the flag of the United
States of America. My name is Old Glory. |
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Photos: St. Agnes Alumni 2004 Reunion: All photos by Gerald F. Merna
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Letter: Ed Falterman to Peter Feliciano: St. Agnes Home and School for
Boys. |
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Story: Donald Francis Antonacci: A "Houses Kid", A Patriot, and A Hero
(1937 - 1990). by Gerald F. Merna, Mustang 1stLt USMC (Ret.) A gutsy story about a former St. Agnes resident that, together with his four brothers, was raised at St. Agnes and at age 17 joined the Navy during the Vietnam War era. His "career" almost immediately got off on the wrong foot as he "challenged" the system and its rules but somehow managed to survive that first enlistment to go on to a career of 22 years, but one in which he not only made his family and friends proud of him, but the Navy especially, as he would retire as both a Chief Petty Officer and authentic Navy Hero. Learn how this amazing young man successfully completed highly technical service schools, and served two tours in Vietnam. Between tours he mastered the 35 week long Vietnamese language course, returning to Vietnam to serve as the only American on what stretches the imagination of being called a "seaworthy" Vietnamese river boat on which he would cook the spaghetti his mom sent him for his boat mates. Read about and see the many personal medals and citations he earned, including the Purple Heart and Bronze Star Medal with combat "V." A victim of Agent Orange, he succumbed to this most grievous injury at age 53. Lot's of interesting background information about St. Agnes included in the story. |
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Story: Extreme Marine Leadership at Parris Island: Ten tough Marines
(5 male, 5 female), injure themselves during "The Crucible," the Marine's
boot camp test of 57 hours of grueling training at Parris Island which must
be satisfactorilly completed in order to graduate. This comes after 10 previous
weeks of other arduous training. It takes a lot of guts to hide those injuries
from everyone for two more weeks of training so they can graduate without.going
back to do all 12 weeks over again, even if it means aggravating the earlier
injuries. How does the Corps handle this, especially in the person of a
strong and dedicated Marine Corps Colonel. A real Semper Fidelis story: By 1st Lt Gerald F. Merna USMC (Ret).,("Houses Kid" 1944-1946) |
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Piermont News: forwarded from Jerry Merna (as received from Bob Samuels):
Worker demolishing landmark funeral home building |
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Letter: Jerry Merna to John Antonacci: Brother Joseph |
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Letter: Joseph Stanaitis to Jerry Merna: 50th Alumni Assoc. Reunion
at St. Agnes Home For Boys By Richard Gooden (Extension of Remarks - September 27, 1996) |
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Letter: Bernard S. Neville to David Feliciano: Memory
Letter: Bernard S. Neville to Rob Wilson: Memory |
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