They will be talking about Purple Foxes for a long time at MACG-48  and at the dining hall at Great Lakes Naval Training Center. 

At  the  formal  parade  ceremony,  where  all  the  Navy  were  in whites and the Marines  were  in  Delta's  (White  frame  covers,  khaki blouses, and dress blues trousers),   Pat Donovan  was  in  a  business  suit  with   his  Purple  Fox  Cover proudly and prominently donned.

After  the  formal  Graduation  and  Pass in  Review on  9/12/02  with  the  Navy Recruits,  the honor recruits  and their family,  friends,  and guardians  were  re- ceived  in  a  special   Naval  setting  where  all  had  a  chance  to  talk a bit.   In addition to Pat Donovan,  there  was also present  the  Reviewing Officer,  Capt. Nichols  (Naval Academy '78),  C.O. of  the USS  Philippines, a  Guided  Missile Frigate  that "gave him back what he gave to us" and  by  that  he explained that his ship  was on  station  for months  in the  Persian Gulf  and  daily fired volley after volley of "Tomahawk" Missiles into Afghanistan.

At a  luncheon,  sponsored by  Marine Air Control Group 48  (MACG-48)  after everyone  had  a chance  to eat  first (this  was a  work day  for  the  15  Marines present, mind you),  Pat Donovan was introduced.  Pat's  first  remarks to  those gathered was to introduce his  neighbor and  friend,  Dr. Joe Franger,  USN who was a  medical doctor  at LZ Vandergrift  ('67-'68)  (LZ Stud)  during  The Siege at Khe Sahn  and he talked about  how carefully each  Marine  cared about  each other Marine from  his direct first  hand observations of  I Corps combat opera- tions.  It was simply quite moving.

After Dr. Franger's presentation,  the portable microphone conked out but,  this did not deter Pat.  He proceeded to bellow out  his talk, many of you may  recall he can  "bellow" quite well,  over  the noise of  a crowd  nearby  from  what  was later learned  to be a special  network TV taping session in process. 

Pat, with  fifteen  Purple Fox hats in hand,  proceeded around the lengthy lunch- eon table to present, on behalf of  Colonel Brady and all "Purple Foxes" one  to each Marine present.  Pat asked each to stand up  speak his/her name and where he/she  was from.   As each  Marine  introduced  themselves  the crescendo  grew louder, each trying to outdo the previous.  The fifteenth Marine to make the self introduction was Major Amy Boardam USMC, she stood up, assessed her height compared  to others,  stood upon on  her chair  and, drawing  herself  up  to her newly  assumed  height  was  heard   throughout  the  Naval  Center  Dining Hall (supposedly the largest dining facility in the military).

Upon returning to the head of the table, Pat Donovan told them all a little about the Purple Foxes,  who they are, what they are about and why it as so important  to know about  them.  He  reminded  each and  every one  that  every  time  they look at that cover,  he wanted  them to think  about the  58 Purple Foxes  whose names appear on the Vietnam Memorial Wall...and  "Don't you ever  let anyone forget that!"

The  place went up for grabs, and guess what?   It was Oprah Winfrey  who, with all her stage-hands,  was  trying to  capture another moment of  military  signifi- cance by taping her special event program just across the barrier from where Pat and his group were holding forth in the Staff Chow Hall area.

Now "Oprah" knows who the hell  The Purple Foxes are!!   But don't expect  her to acknowledge us.  She did not get a Purple Fox cover.