FRED'S LAST NOTE
By Andy Weddington
Friday, 02 July 2021
There is no possession more valuable than a good and faithful friend. - Socrates
Fred wrote me for about 12 years. Not in reply to every commentary but to most that dealt with military history (especially USMC history).
He forwarded all commentary to an extensive list of friends. And he told me he kept all of them in a folder with direction his grandchildren and great grandchildren one day read them. [He encouraged me to put the commentary in a series of books. I replied with a laugh and sentiment they'd not sell. He disagreed. There's not a book.]
He always used upper case. I believe I know why but will not speculate.
Commentary - Courage vs Corruption, Cash, Conformity, and Cowardice - published on the morning of 09 June meant something to Fred.
That short commentary focused on an incredible Amazon Prime documentary from 2019 titled 'D-Day at Pointe-du-Hoc.'
Fred's last note arrived Wednesday, 09 June 2021 at 1902 ...
ANDY,
WHEN I WAS THE MARINE OSO FOR SOUTH TEXAS I MET EARL RUDDER AT TEXAS A&M, ONE OF MY
COLLEGES TO RECRUIT FROM. WE BECAME FRIENDS AND HE ALWAY BACKED ME WHEN PROBLEMS
WITH THE ARMY AND AIR FORCE ROTC COLONELS AND I WAS JUST A MARINE CAPTAIN.. HE WAS A RETIRED GENERAL AND HAD A LOT OF RESPECT FOR MARINES.
WHEN I WAS THE OPERATIONS OFFICER FOR THE U.S. JOINT TASK FORCE DIVISION (A TRUE JOINT
STAFF SECTION IN EUCOM J-3 I HAD A CHANCE TO SPEND ABOUT A WEEK AT NORMANDY. MY THREE
YOUNG SONS HAD A MAGNIFICENT TIME THERE. WE CLIMBED POINTE DU HOC. WHAT A TASK.
WHEN WE GOT TO THE TOP WE SAW GERMAN CONCRETE BUNKERS. AS A MARINE INFANTRY
COMBAT VETERANS IT WAS SO HARD IMAGINING WHAT WAS HAPPENING ON D-DAY.
WHEN WE GOT BACK TO OUR QUARTERS AT STUTTGART I CALLED GEN. RUDDER AND TOLD HIM
THAT MY BOYS AND I HAD CLIMBED THE POINTE DU HOC CLIFF AND THAT WHEN WE GOT TO THE
TOP I WAS TOTALLY SHOCKED BY WHAT YOUR RANGERS HAD DONE. HE STARTED LAUGHING MOST
VIGOROUSLY. I EXCLAIMED—GENERAL WHAT THE HELL IS SO FUNNY????? HE REPLIED “
“FRED YOU ARE A MARINE AND YOU SHOULD KNOW AND REMEMBER—NAVAL GUNFIRE CAN HELP
YOU OVERCOME MANY THINGS. WE SHELLED THE HELL OUT OF THE TOP OF IT AND MANY
GERMANS HAD BUGGED OUT BY THE TIME WE GOT TO THE TOP.
EARL RUDDER WAS A TRUE GENTLEMAN AND WARRIOR.
SEMPER FI,
FRED
Last evening at 1854 from a stranger named Mr. Dobie arrived a two sentence email ...
"Don't know if you are aware, but your former CO and my good friend Col Fred Tolleson passed away on June 10. He had been our friend for the past 30 plus years and we will miss him."
Colonel Fred Tolleson, USMC was my regimental commander 40 years ago. Commanding Officer of the 6th Marines 2d Marine Division I did not meet him the day I reported for duty as a new second lieutenant rifle platoon commander. He was out of the office. His executive officer (the late Colonel Don Myers) welcomed me to 6th Marines and told me the CO decided I was to report to 2d Battalion 6th Marines. And so that happened. I recall seeing and interacting with Colonel Tolleson but a handful of times. There was not reason for him to remember me.
I did not see nor speak to Colonel Tolleson after I departed the 2d Marine Division. He retired shortly thereafter.
Then a year or so after starting this forum the name Tolleson showed up on an email. Not Fred. An unusual surname I wrote back asking if kin. Brothers. So Fred was informed by his brother that one of his lieutenants was writing something he may find interesting and that is how we reconnected not quite 30 years later.
He wrote me a nice note. And through the years often responded to commentary that struck a chord. The links we shared to fellow Marines too many to detail but sometimes eerie. He knew his Marine Corps history.
Every note signed, "SEMPER FI, FRED".
More than once he insisted, since we're both retired colonels, I address him as "Fred."
That did not happen. Notes to him opened, "Sir" or "Colonel."
I had been thinking about him earlier yesterday realizing I'd not heard from him in a few weeks. Not too unusual but concerning.
After reading Mr. Dobie's note I reviewed email to confirm 09 June; evening of.
The next day he died.
Perhaps in sleep. I do not know.
Colonel Frederic Leroy Tolleson, USMC - 29 October 1932-10 June 2021.
Semper Fi, Colonel Tolleson.
Respectfully,
Andy
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