FRIENDS OF THE LATE COLONEL MARTIN J. "STORMY" SEXTON (1918-1999) WILL GATHER ON FRIDAY, 18 OCTOBER, 2002 TO DEDICATE A STUDY ALCOVE IN HIS NAME AT THE GENERAL ALFRED M. GRAY MARINE CORPS RESEARCH CENTER ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES, MARINE CORPS BASE, QUANTICO, VA. A CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST WILL BE SERVED BEGINNING AT 9:00 A.M. IN THE GENERAL GRAVES B. ERSKINE LOBBY. DEDICATION CEREMONIES ARE AT 11:00 A.M. IN THE MAJGEN MATTHEW C. HORNER AUDITORIUM. A PANEL OF DISTINGUISHED MARINES, INCLUDING GENERAL RAYMOND G. DAVIS, SR., WILL HIGHLIGHT A COMMEMORATIVE PROGRAM ON THE CHARACTER AND CAREER OF STORMY SEXTON. A BUFFET LUNCHEON FOR INVITED GUESTS WILL BE SERVED FOLLOWING THE PROGRAM. THE "COLONEL MARTIN J. 'STORMY' SEXTON STUDY ALCOVE", LOCATED ON THE 2ND FLOOR (EAST) OF THE RESEARCH CENTER, IS A RESULT OF THE COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS OF MARINE CORPS UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION CEO MAJGEN DONALD R. GARDNER, USMC (RET) AND A COMMITTEE OF FORMER MARINES WHO SERVED WITH COL. SEXTON LED BY COL. WILLIAM S. DANIELS, USMC (RET). THE FEATURES DISPLAYED IN THE ALCOVE HAVE BEEN SELECTED TO PORTRAY HIS LASTING INFLUENCE AND IMPACT ON SO MANY INDIVIDUALS TAUGHT, LED, COACHED AND INSPIRED BY HIM-- A PORTRAIT; A BIOGRAPHICAL NARRATIVE; MEDALS, RIBBONS AND BADGES; OTHER PARTICULAR ITEMS OF MEMORABILIA; AND ORGANIZATIONAL GROUP PHOTOGRAPHS DEMONSTRATING HIS RANGE OF LEADERSHIP-- FROM INTERCOLLEGIATE LACROSSE, THROUGHOUT THE MARINE CORPS IN PEACE AND WAR, TO INTERSCHOLASTISIC TEAMS. WHILE ATTENDING THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND ON A FOUR-YEAR LACROSSE SCHOLARSHIP, THE BALTIMORE NATIVE PLAYED ON TWO NATIONAL COLLEGIATE CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS AND WAS PERSONALLY DISTINGUISHED WITH ALL-AMERICA HONORS IN 1941.STORMY SEXTON ENLISTED IN THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS ON 23 AUGUST, 1941. WHEN WAR BROKE OUT HE WAS A CORPORAL ON DUTY AS A DRILL INSTRUCTOR AT PARRIS ISLAND. HE WAS COMMISSIONED A SECOND LIEUTENANT LESS THAN ONE YEAR LATER.HE WAS A VETERAN OF THREE WARS. HE COMMANDED UNITS FROM PLATOON TO REGIMENTAL SIZE. HIS MANY PERSONAL COMBAT DECORATIONS INCLUDE THE SILVER STAR, LEGION OF MERIT, THREE BRONZE STARS AND A PURPLE HEART. DURING WW II HE SERVED WITH THE 3D MARINE RAIDER BATTALION FIGHTING IN THE RUSSELL ISLANDS AND BOUGAINVILLE CAMPAIGNS. WHILE PARTICIPATING IN THE RECAPTURE OF GUAM, MARIANA ISLANDS, HE WAS AWARDED THE SILVER STAR MEDAL. LATER, HE FOUGHT IN THE BATTLE FOR OKINAWA WHERE HE COMMANDED "K" COMPANY, 4TH MARINES.IN KOREA, STORMY SEXTON WAS AIDE-DE-CAMP TO THE COMMANDING GENERAL, 1ST MARINE DIVISION, MAJGEN OLIVER P. SMITH, USMC, THROUGH THE INCHON-SEOUL, HAGARU-RI AND CENTRAL KOREA OPERATIONS.PEACETIME TOURS IN THE FMF INCLUDED COMMAND OF THE 3D RECONNAISANCE COMPANY; THE 1ST BATTALION, 3D MARINES; THE 1ST ANTITANK BATTALION; AND THE 3D BATTALION, 3D MARINES (TRANSPLACEMENT PROGRAM).HE ATTENDED THE RESIDENT COURSE AT THE ARMY WAR COLLEGE IN CARLISLE, PENNSYLVANIA, FOLLOWED BY THREE YEARS ON THE STAFF OF THE NATO SOUTHERN COMMAND IN NAPLES, ITALY, PRECEDING COMBAT ASSIGNMENT TO VIETNAM.IN VIETNAM, STORMY SEXTON COMMANDED THE 4TH MARINE REGIMENT AND WAS CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE 3D MARINE DIVISION.FOLLOWING RETIREMENT IN 1970, STORMY COACHED SEVERAL CHAMPIONSHIP HIGH SCHOOL TENNIS TEAMS AND EARNED A PLACE IN THE OCEANSIDE, CALIFORNIA HALL OF FAME. SEXTON-COACHED TEAMS WON MORE THAN 500 MATCHES IN 17 SEASONS. HE ALSO SERVED AS MARINE CORPS JUNIOR ROTC INSTRUCTOR FOR NINE YEARS IN THE OCEANSIDE SCHOOL DISTRICT."ABOVE ALL, COLONEL SEXTON WAS A TEACHER WHO HELPED SHAPE THE LIVES OF COUNTLESS MARINES AND STUDENTS OVER HIS ENTIRE ADULT LIFE," SAID COL. DANIELS. WE ARE INDEBTED TO MAJGEN GARDNER AND THE MARINE CORPS UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION FOR THEIR SUPPORT, AND TO THE GENEROSITY OF HUNDREDS OF INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTORS FOR MAKING THIS TRIBUTE TO STORMY SEXTON A REALITY. "THIS STUDY AREA SHALL SERVE AS A LEGACY TO MOTIVATE ALL USERS IN THEIR PURSUIT OF PROFESSIONALISM AS LEADERS OF OUR CORPS AND COUNTRY." COLONEL SEXTON WAS THE AUTHOR OF NUMEROUS ARTICLES FOR MILITARY PUBLICATIONS. HE WAS ALSO CO-AUTHOR OF OUR KIND OF WAR, A PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN HISTORICAL FOUNDATION ABOUT THE FAMOUS MARINE RAIDER BATTALIONS.CONTACT: Col. Roger Holtzapple, USMCR (Ret).Tel. Work (570) 224-7267, Home (570) 524-7424. E-mail: vhford@ptdprolog.net