MERRY CHRISTMAS - HAPPY HANUKKAH - HAPPY KWANZAA

HERE IS WISHING EACH AND EVERYONE

A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY SEASON

A WONDERFUL 2007

AND MOST OF ALL A WONDERFUL LIFE!!!

Thanks
Dave Guerra
BerlinBrigade.com

SFC Jonathan Tessar (Berlin Vet)

Sgt. 1st Class Jonathan Tessar, 36, most recently stationed at Fort Campbell, Ky., was killed in action in Iraq, Monday, Oct. 31, 2005, by an improvised explosive device while serving while serving his country with the U.S. Army.

Jonathan was raised in Simi Valley and from the time he was a little boy, he dreamed of joining the Army and becoming, as he said it, "a Special Forces ranger with tattoos." He had a flat-top when flat-tops weren't fashionable. In almost 19 years of service to his county, he fulfilled his dreams. He was with the 101st Airborne Division and served in the Berlin Brigade and Desert Storm before joining the Special Forces. He served with the 10th Special Forces Group in Germany and Bosnia, the 96th Civil Affairs and at the JFK Special Warfare School as an instructor. In July 2004, he rejoined the Infantry that he loved. He looked forward to personally training soldiers and knew that they would be well-trained when he fought beside them in war. He had been serving as the first sergeant of Alpha Company "Gators," 2-502 Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Divison, and was well-respected by his soldiers and peers.

He was very brave and ready and willing to do anything for his country. He died with honor alongside his men.

He was a very dedicated and proud father to his three children, Jonathan Jr., Shanna and Mackenzie, and a supportive and loving husband to his wife, Nancy. Anyone who knew him knew how important his family was to him and he talked about them all the time. Jon was a very selfless person and would do anything to help anyone who needed it. He was known for his love of NASCAR and politics, and was always ready for a good debate with anyone who would oblige him.

Jonathan was preceded in death by his parents, Albert and Marcia Tessar.

In addition to his wife and children, he is survived by his brother and sister-in-law William and Carla and their children, Brando, Kennedy and Dallas; brother and sister-in-law Steve and Marty Gallegos and their children, Joey and Nicole; aunt and uncle Tais and Arthur Chleborowitz; and uncle and aunt Joseph and Marian Tessar.

A service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 11, at St. Peters Claver Church, at Cochran and Stow streets in Simi Valley. A final service and burial will be held at 9:30 a.m. Monday, Nov. 14, at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Tessar Children College Fund, 2535 Townsgate Road, Suite 305, Westlake Village, CA 91362, attn: American Financial Network -- Keith Ellen.

The family was assisted by Reardon Simi Valley Funeral Home, 2636 Sycamore Drive, Simi Valley; www.caringfuneralservice.com.
Published in the Ventura County Star from 11/10/2005 - 11/13/2005.
ONLINE @ http://www.legacy.com/VenturaCountyStar/LegacySubPage2.asp?Page=Lifestory&PersonId=15656389

Brigade Unit Gear (More Stuff)

That's right there is more unit gear online now. Check out the 4th BN 502nd INF, 5th BN 502nd INF, and 6th BN 502nd INF gear as well as Berlin Brigade gear:

• Berlin Brigade gear at: http://www.cafepress.com/berlinbrigade
• 4/502 Inf gear at: http://www.cafepress.com/4th502nd
• 5/502 Inf gear at: http://www.cafepress.com/5th502nd
• 6/502 Inf gear at: http://www.cafepress.com/6th502nd
  

More units coming online over the next few days.

Berlin Brigade Gear

Just in time for the holidays...Berlin Brigade gear is now available. Get your Shirts, Clocks, BBQ Aprons, and License Plate frames. Through our new partnership with Cafepress, we can now bring you BerlinBrigade.com gear straight to you. Click on the link below to check out the entire line of gear.



Our product line will be updated constantly so if you don't see something you like, either drop us a note at info@berlinbrigade.com or keep checking back. Thanks and Happy Holidays.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

I want to each and everyone a Wonderful and Happy Thanksgiving and a Joyous start to the Holiday Season.

Most of all to all the troops (no matter where you are) you are all truly in all our hearts and I wish you an AWESOME THANKSGIVING.

-Dave

Registry Updated

The Registry has been updated for the month of November 2005

Veteran's Day 2005

To everyone that came before us, everyone that was with us, and everyone that will come after us.

THANK YOU!!!

THE CRUSADES: CRESCENT & THE CROSS

THE CRUSADES: CRESCENT & THE CROSS

What Would You Be Willing To Give Up For Something You Believe In?

This November, The History Channel travels back in time for a historical, vivid and clear-eyed look at the first three Crusades, the battle between the Crescent and the Cross, which still shapes the Middle East and relations between the two great religions in our present-day world. These important events are reexamined in the global special presentation THE CRUSADES: CRESCENT & THE CROSS, a world premiere on The History Channel on Sunday, November 6th at 9-11 p.m. ET/PT and Monday, November 7 at 9-11 p.m. ET/PT.

Read the offical press release

MUG UPDATE

Everything piece of equipment is now working.
We start running the mugs on Tuesday 10/25/2005.

Thank you for your patience.

September Registry Update Info

The September entries for the Unit Registry have been updated.

MATT McINTOSH & JEFFERY W. PARKS (UPDATE 09/20)

ATTENTION: MATT McINTOSH & JEFFERY W. PARKS

The CQ Desk reports that Matt has checked in.

He reports that him, Jeff, and Billy (bayoubilly) are doing fine. They are safe even though Matt & Billy suffered damage to their homes. Jeff is working in Texas.

Matt has been asked to post more information as soon as he can.

1SG reports that Matt, Jeff, & Billy are accounted for and NOT AWOL.

Hurricane Katrina Pt. Duex

Hurricane Katrina, part II made it ashore again. This storm brought its fury on the Gulf Coast after giving us a little foretaste of what was to come, in Florida. As it starts to slow down in intensity and starts moving deeper inland, the human drama begins to unfold.

Over the next few days and weeks, tales of heroes will be made known. The stories of how people weathered the storm will start making their way to our eyes and ears. This is the time when the stuff that makes people of the United States the best people on the planet will come out. This is not limited to the great people of Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi but to all the citizens of the USA.

You and your organization can answer the call…the Call that is going out to all Heroes. This is the time that the American Red Cross is going to need all the support it can get.

That’s why it is calling its heroes. Please answer the call, I did.

This link will take you to the American Red Cross website and tell them that BerlinBrigade.com sent you.

A Quick Note (8/26/05)

Greetings all,
Just a quick note to let you know what's going on up around here.

Coming in September 2005:
• T-SHIRTS...that's right we will start off with 6/502nd Infantry T-Shirts. Those of you that served with the 4-5-6 Battalions might remember them. They were Blue with the 502nd shield in yellow. Our first run is ready to come from the printer and those lucky few from the former 6th Battalion 502nd Infantry that pre-ordered, your shirts will finally be on the way.

The 4th & 5th Battalion Shirts will be coming online about once every other month so by the first of the year (2006) the Infantry units will be covered.


• Registry Database updates will be done before the Labor Day weekend so keep an eye out for that.

• Lastly, if you want to read an awesome book about Berlin, set just after the end of World War II the you need to check out "The Good German" by Joseph Kanon. This book is currently in production to be a Warner Bros. Motion Picture with George Clooney as the lead. If you have seen the early preview clips of the movie it will be shot in Black and White. It should definitely add to the effect of the period and "hopefully" stay as close to the book as possible. Please check it out if you get a chance.

Well that's about it for now.
Dave

It was 44 years ago today

In the mid-August morning back in 1961 the citizens of Berlin woke up to a divided city. The world was never the same. At the time, the wall that was to follow became the front line of what was the Cold War. The battles between the East and the West were fought here. Though there was never any formal declaration of war, the Allies and their resolve to preserve the rights of the citizens of Berlin, fought this war everyday until the ultimate victory when the wall came down in November of 1989. When the 1961 "goal of German unity" commitment by then Chancellor, Konrad Adenauer, was ultimately realized in 1991.

Members of the Berlin Brigade were there every step of the way. To have been afforded the opportunity to be a member of the Berlin Brigade at some point in its honored hostory is the highest honor that I can carry with me for the remaining days of my life. I am equally honored to have worked with a group of Professionals that have never been equalled since I left the Brigade. I know that I never will get a chance to be part of such a group in the future.

Speaking as a citizen of the world, member of the Brigade, as a free man, and as a citizen of Berlin, I thank everyone for not letting down the people of West and East Berlin especially in their time of need. As a member of the Allies, I thank the citizens of Berlin for their patience but most of all for their support, understanding, and commitment to us as we committed to them.

Now as we look to the future is the wishes of everyone that experienced the wall, that a wall such as this one never be erected. May the world never again know the division it experienced in the 20th century.

Registry Database Updated

The Registry Database has been updated. Entries are up to date for submissions posted up to Sunday August 7 2005 at 12:00pm CDT.

Thanks

Looking for

Just received an email for anyone with information on the whereabouts of

US Army Officer JOHN PHILLIPS from New York State

a Berliner is looking for him, wants to reunite with an old friend.

If you are him or know how to get ahold of him please drop me a note so I can put you intouch at info@berlinbrigade.com

Thanks

7-7-05

Today a group of determined radicals took on a nation on their soil. The radicals, in the name of a jihad, bombed several subway trains in London.

Though the war on terror was brought to the heart of another major power, the citizens of London stood tall and displayed great calm and decorum in dealing with the horrors of today. Led by Prime Minister Tony Blair, who dropped the matters of the world to attend to his country, his neighbors, his people.

With leaders stepping up at the first sign of trouble, only great things can happen. Remember, Rudy Giuliani on 9-11!

Watch out world, the sleeping lion that is England has been awaken.

Kudos and Condolences to the Great People of England.