I am Mark C.L. Manley, and like Mike, I will always be a U.S. Marine. By luck, Mike and I were assigned to the same Basic Training platoon at Parris Island, South Carolina. This platoon has come to be known as the StonerPlatoon, due to the Stoner 63 Rifle the Marine Corps decided to let us test for them. We are still a platoon although we have been away from that life now nearly 45 years. That said, we are still the Stoner Platoon. Me and Mike and the rest of the men. Some of the men have gone on ahead. We lost one within months, others in Vietnam. All to many in the years since, and now Mike. I reguard these as the “Point Men.” Point men go ahead of the rest, to let us know it is safe ahead, and that we will be all right. They know that I and the rest of the platoon will follow, and we are thankful for the Point Men, and we also know that the point is the most trusted position in the platoon. I say to you, my condolences, and I say to Mike, ” It,s nice knowing you, brother, Semper Fi!.”Mark Manley, Sgt. USMC veteran##imported-begin##Mark C.L. Manley##imported-end##