Many of you OGR Forum members may remember our US NAVY Seabee train buddy - Lance. A few years ago RMT received a letter from a soldier (Lance) then in Iraq asking for some help to spread Christmas Cheer with his fellow soldiers. He asked for a few toy train items as his unit was having their tour extended and they would not be home for Christmas that year.

Well to make a long story short...Lance did get his train set that Christmas and the story was well documented in OGR magazine and there are photos online at the RMT website.

Many of us got the opportunity to meet Lance personally when he came to a York TCA Meet as my guest (he became a TCA member then too) and at the famous OGR Forum Thursday's at Fridays after hours get-together.

I have stayed in contact with Lance over the past few years and as some may already know, Lance is again 'in harm's way'. This time it is Afghanistan where his unit is deployed to build an airbase. To quote Lance from a recent letter..."Compared to Afghanistan, Iraq was a picnic!"

The facilities there are, at best, pretty crude. His office is in a metal shipping container and he writes to me by flashlight as there is no internet communications there. The weather is so windy that because of the dust it is even hard to see the surrounding mountains. Any news from home is hard to get and due, I guess, to atmospheric conditions, they can only get daily weather reports from either BBC in England or CBC in Canada! Even copies of the 'Stars & Stripes' magazine arrive at least a month old.

In the past few days I have personally contacted some other toy train companies and we are getting a new layout complete with trains, buildings, track, etc. and a Christmas tree-in-a-box that will shortly be enroute to Lance. Due to space limitations, the new AFGHANISTAN CENTRAL RR will only encompass a 30 inch x 48 inch area. But I know the enjoyment to our boys will be immense.

Now, I would like to ask a favor of my OGR Forum friends...as I mentioned, the train items are taken care of, but to any soldier in any post far from home ...mail is what matters alot. Could each of you send a Christmas card or a short Holiday note to Lance and his US NAVY Seabee buddies? This is my idea because space is at a premium for Lance and a Christmas card can also be shared with his fellow soldiers.

RMT will arrange to receive all your Christmas Cards for Lance and his US NAVY Seabees and send them, hopefully in many boxes, direct to US NAVY Seabee Lance in Afghanistan. If you can, please do send a card or note and pass this on to your train buddies too.

Send your Christmas cards (no packages please) to:

US NAVY Seabee Lance
c/o Ready Made Trains, LLC
P.O. Box 173
Bloomsbury, NJ 08804

Cut off date for your card to arrive at RMT's Bloomsbury, NJ address is no later than November 30, 2009. Then I'll pack them up unopened and send them off by Priority Mail to US NAVY Seabee Lance's Unit address in Afghanistan to arrive in time for Christmas. US Postal mail service to Afghanistan is a difficult and alot harder than normal compared to other military mail APO and FPO addresses.

Thanks in advance to all of you who can help. I'm sure Santa will take care of you at Christmas.

Sincerely and with the deepest gratitude to all our soldiers everywhere,

Walter M. Matuch
Ready Made Trains, LLC

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Walter Matuch,

Walter,


Thank you. This is a great story and a fantastic idea. You'll be getting a card from the Devlins in a short while.

This IS a great idea! Perhaps OGR could lock this thread at the top of the page for all to see without it getting knocked off the front page?

---Greg

Walter, my card will be on the way soon.

What is Lance's last name? I have a nephew who just retired from the Seabees and I'd like to ask him if he knows/ever worked with Lance.


I RECEIVED THE INFORMATION VIA EMAIL. THANKS ANYWAY, WALTER.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Bob Snyder,

quote:

Perhaps OGR could lock this thread at the top of the page for all to see without it getting knocked off the front page?

If Rich hasn't taken care of it before then, I'll send him an e-mail in the morning to request that he do so. He's away from the office for a few days, but still able to monitor the forum, of course.

The Stars and Stripes used to be a daily newspaper. Getting newspapers a month old really bites. Please let Lance know that there are a bunch of old soldiers here, thinking about him including this old retired Master Sergeant.

Is there any way you can post the address of Lance's unit. I know care packages are a welcome site for our troups there and would also be for Lance and his unit.

Tex

Cut and paste is a great thing. I just sent Walter's letter to a long list of my friends. That should generate a few cards as well as mine.

Excellent idea , Walter. I'll send one out soon. Take Care.

Great idea Walter, I will be sending a card off soon.

Paul

Have alerted postmaster at our little post office to expect Christmas mail for US NAVY Seabee Lance. They are ready to call in extra workers and schedule overtime! Keep those cards and letters coming.

Walter M. Matuch
Ready Made Trains, LLC

Walter,

Having done my time in a different war a long time ago I can say you are absolute dead on in trying to get some cards to the troops. Mail is about the most treasured thing you can receive when you are in uniform so far from home and in a hostile environment. I hope you get a ton of cards to forward.

Thanks,
Ed

Walter, Great idea. Having particated 2 years ago, I recieved a coin from Senior Chief. You will be getting alot of mail from down here.

John Stadelmann

walter expect me to be sending out a card,i would like to send a care package also, so will there be a unit address? life is a little better when you recieve good mail anytime you are in a combative area.
walt - usaf 1969-72 southeast asia.

Walter,

Just put my card in the mail.

I would think some railroad reading and reference material would be nice.

In the mail!

Walt, thanks for stepping up to the plate. Like Train Pop and other forum members I was also in a God for saken war that know one remembers on Christmas Day so I know how much this means. I'll be sending my card and I'd also like to send Lance a care package.

For those of you that have asked for US NAVY Seabee Lance's address, please be patient.

I have sent a letter to Seabee Lance specifically asking if it would be possible to receive multiple packages at his unit's FPO address and for a suggestion as to whatever items would be useful to the Seabees. As I indicated from the original post...conditions in Afghanistan are very primitive and space for living quarters is at a premium. The main overland supply route through a mountain pass will close in a day or so due to weather conditions and then it is only 'supply by air'...again based upon favorable flying weather.

Any updated information I receive will be posted to the Forum for all to read.

Thank you again for your support of this special project.

Sincerely,

Walter M. Matuch
Ready Made Trains, LLC

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Walter Matuch,

Walter

I copied and pasted the original story line to about forty people on my email address book last night. I have already goten some responses saying cards are enroute to you.

If you do get Lance's direct mail address fo9r care packages please put in a different thread so everyone will know there is new information.. Thank you.

John
USMC 1969-1973

Just returned from post office and mail is already arriving for US NAVY Seabee Lance. Wow that is a quick response!

Remember November 30, 2009 is cut-off date for mail to arrive at RMT in Bloomsbury, NJ. Here is the mailing address...

US NAVY Seabee Lance
c/o Ready Made Trains, LLC
P.O. Box 173
Bloomsbury, NJ 08804 USA

Thanks to those who are sending mail for the Seabees.

Walter M. Matuch
Ready Made Trains, LLC

Walter,

Wonderful idea. You've come to the right place. Will send asap.

I have contacted my local G, HO and O scale model railroad clubs and passed the word to send cards also.

Tex

For those needing to purchase train themed Christmas cards here is a link to the National Railroad Museum cards.

Walter:

Several Ameri-Towne kits are on their way to you. Perhaps some will send glue, paints, brushes, and other such stuff so Lance can spend some off-duty time (what little there probably is) customizing the things.

Is there still time to send cards to you? I'll get one signed by the entire office staff and forward it to you early next week.

Allan:

Thanks for getting those kits to me. As soon as they arrive here, I'll get them off to Lance in Afghanistan. Some glue and paint will be included for the kits.

Today is a busy day here at our house...Susie is baking her special cherry drop cookies a bit early this year so Lance and his buddies will be getting them in time for Christmas.

I'm packing up the rest of the RMT train items for the Afghanistan Central RR layout...they'll ship on Monday/Tuesday with the cookies.

Christmas cards and Holiday notes need to arrive at RMT no later than November 30th. Use this address...

US NAVY Seabee Lance
c/o RMT
P.O. Box 173
Bloomsbury, NJ 08804

I'll be looking forward to the OGR staff card. By the way, Christmas cards for Lance are coming in each day. Thanks to all who are sending.

Regards,

Walter M. Matuch
Ready Made Trains, LLC

Although we could not make the 30th cut-off date I could have attendees write / sign cards at our November Holiday Meet.

If you like the idea let me know and get me his FPO Address.

My card to Seabee Lance went out last week. God bless out military folks who are in harms way.

This morning I received a handwritten letter from our US NAVY Seabee Lance in Afghanistan.

Certain portions I would like to share with you, perhaps very fitting as we approach Veteran's Day...

" Things have been a little rough here (in Afghanistan). It has not been like Irag at all. In our Regiment we have an Army Engineering Battalion and an Air Force Unit with my unit, a Seabee Battalion. All the units have construction as their main purpose. The Army Unit lost nine since we've been here. Our Flag flys at half-mast more often here than in Iraq. We've had at least one major fire-fight just outside our 'wire' and also some rocket attacks."
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The Christmas Card project is going well and I receive more mail to the RMT mailbox each day. There is still time to send those Christmas Cards and Holiday notes to our Seabee at the following address to arrive at RMT no later than November 30th...

US NAVY Seabee Lance
c/o RMT
P.O. Box 173
Bloomsbury, NJ 08804

With my sincerest thanks to all our Veterans...

Walter M. Matuch
Ready Made Trains, LLC

Still have (and always will) the military "challange coin" that Lance sent me back in 2006 as a thank you. Cards and notes to Lance and "any soldier" are going out; today's Veteran's Day celebration strengthened the bond.

This morning I received a letter from our US NAVY Seabee Lance in Afghanistan. Certain portions I would like to share with all of you...

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From Lance..."I've been real busy. Seabees are going 'outside the wire' into hot zones and we are all hoping for their safe return. Some of the guys that were also with me last time in Iraq have asked about a train. I assured them that there will be a layout for Christmas."

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The Christmnas card project is moving along. Already a very big box of Christmas cards is ready to ship out to US NAVY Seabee Lance. At this weekend's Allentown Train Show, there were 20 cards alone that were written by breakfast attendees.

Looking at the number of 'views' (over 1300) of this OGR Forum thread, I would hope that each of you can send a Christmas card for our train buddy Lance and his Seabees. To the OGR Forum members who are veterans, you know how much a Christmas card or note means when you are away from home. To all OGR Fiorum members, please pass along this project to your train clubs and train friends.

Christmas cards need to arrive at RMT no later than November 30th for combining unopened into package(s) for Lance. Send the Christmas cards to...

US NAVY Seabee Lance
c/o RMT
P.O. Box 173
Bloomsbury, NJ 08804

With sincere gratitude to all our fighting men and women,

Walter M. Matuch