1963 Drill Team on Troop Walk
PltLdr is 1st Lt Bill Lee - Plt Sgt is GySgt Robert Elms



1963 Drill Team doing the 4-man exchange



1963 Drill Team doing 2-man exchange.
(l-r) Cpl Green; LCpl Lord, unk, unk, LCpl Payne



1963 Drill Team Cpl Gary Collins during the throw-back.
He made Sgt, and did the same in 1964, and then became NCOIC of
the newly formed CGC Training Section.



Two-company funeral escort (CO of CGC is Capt Lee, and
CO of MCI Co is Capt Curd). Plt on left is 1965 Drill Team
(1st Lt William Hargt is PltLdr)



Officers Center in 1964 Parade. Company Commanders are
Captains Lee (CGC) and Curd (MCI)
PltLdr's are (l-r) Lts. Hart, Murray and Reed of CGC; and Lts. LeFeve, Shaffer (KIA, RVN) and Landes of MCI.



1965 CGC Pass In Review (CO is Capt Bill Lee)

The First All-Marine Wreath Laying at Arlington National Cemetery



Above, the 1963 Drill Teams moves into position for a wreath-laying by the
Commandant of the Korean Marine Corps at the Tomb of the Unknowns.

Below, Lt Lee and the Drill Team conducting the ceremony. Note the
two all-Marine Color Guards, the SDT wreath bearer, and the drummer and bugler
from the USMC Drum and Bugle Corps.

Changing of the Guard at Fort Henry, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
(Overlooking the entance to Lake Ontario from the St. Lawrence Seaway)




The 1963 Drill Team waiting to enter Fort Henry. Note the gate is half-way open, and the lone Fort Henry sentry on the rampart above the gate.



Ready the enter ——Note the draw bridge is down and the gate
has been opened.



LCpl Robert Delossi being posted as sentry. Marines manned the post during the daylight hours in Blue Undress. Fort Henry Guard troops wore 1867 uniforms.



A spectacular finish! The Drill Team, Color Guard and Drum & Bugle Corps at a formal changing of the guard ceremony following which the Marines performed their silent drill, a D&B drilll and concert, and the Battle Color ceremony. The Fort Henry Guard then did a battle re-enactment, and all joined forces for a British-style "Tattoo" ceremony. The evening show was 4 hours long, and was viewed by 14,000, plus another 5,000 outside who couldn't see, but just listened.

Funeral Ceremonies for President John F. Kennedy



The 1963 Drill Team was notified at 0330 on November 23 to form an escort for the President's remains when they arrived at the White House. LCpl Lord led the detail from the Barracks to the White House, and at 0400 Lt Lee led the escort photographed above from the White House to the gate to meet the remains. The escort consisted of LCpl's and Pfc's Edward McCloskey, John Norris, Carl Port, Larry Ulrich, Niles Nowask, Ernest Murphy, Marty Martynski, John Cunningham, Dennis Lord and Woodley Timberlake.



Lt. Bill Lee on Death Watch in the East Room of the White House. Note the two priests in the left background (priest were present throughout).

NOTE: At the request of the Museum of the Texas Book Depository in Dallas, Bill Lee gave an oral history of the Drill Team's participation in the various activities related to President Kennedy's funeral. The Museum requested that Bill supply it with some of his JFK-related activities, which are now on display in that Museum. They can be viewed by clicking here.




Lt. Lee and Body Bearers Cpl's Cheek and Diamond following the presentation of their awards of the Army Commendation Medal for their participation in the funeral ceremonies.


(All items submitted by Bill Lee)

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