Stories of Brotherhood

Every member of the 1/9 community has a story. Stories of courage, sacrifice, and brotherhood that define who we are. These are the voices of the 1/9 – the moments that stay with us, the memories that shape us, and the bonds that never fade.

Our Stories

  • "what this organization did was bring healing to our family...we got to hear the stories... we got to have a new family"

    Ron Reyes spent his life trying to know the father he never knew, a Marine killed in Vietnam. Through the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines Association, he found the men who served beside his father – the brothers who shared his last moments – and discovered a family that would connect him to his father’s legacy forever.

  • “There’s power in being around people who have lived something that you’ve lived as well.”

    As a White Star wife, Abby Que found connection and understanding in the 1/9 Association after losing her husband, Kevin Schranz – an OEF veteran – following his transition out of the military.

  • “He was able to hear from the other Marines all about his dad and how what a great man he was.”

    Jack Couz invited the son of his best friend – a Marine who died in Vietnam before ever holding his newborn baby – to a 1/9 reunion. There, the son heard the stories of his father from the men who served beside him, finding a connection to the legacy of a man he never had the chance to know.

  • “This is the best medicine there is… having the camaraderie of being with your brothers.”

    After years apart, the simple act of reconnecting with those who understand your journey can be the best medicine. For Eddie Valenzuela, being with his brothers is a reminder that the bonds forged in service never truly fade.

  • “... within hours, 1/9 Marines were at my door. That brotherhood helped me pick myself up and move forward.”

    James Vierstra lost his home in a devastating fire on Thanksgiving Day 2014, losing nearly everything he owned. In his darkest moment, it was the brotherhood of the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines that gave him a second chance, rallying around his family and ultimately guiding his son toward the Marine Corps.

  • “I searched for 53 years to find his son. Three years ago I found his son in Los Angeles. Tomorrow night at our dinner, his son and his father’s sister will be with us.”

    Sylvester McKintosh kept a promise he made in Vietnam, searching for the family of his fallen friend, John Avilla, for over 50 years. In 2024, he reunited with John’s son and sister at the 1/9 reunion – a moment decades in the making.