From: Gerald F. Merna
Sent: Wednesday, September
06, 2006 12:12 AM
Subject: Re: Hennessey and
Delarosa
Hi Greg:
While I certainly remember both Jack Hennessey and Jap
Delarosa very well, I have no idea where they are to this day. I will
forward this to a couple of others who might. Some of our guys are really
great at tracking down former Alumni on the internet. It's also possible
that Art Kingsley may have their names on his Newsletter list.
Below are a couple of photos from the late 1940's of Jack
Hennessy taken in NYC when he was in the St. Agnes Band. While I was there also (second shot
"peeking over the head" between Martin and Louis Kee) I don't
remember who the two are in the picture with him, though I'd bet a month's
salary the young kid (a brother? and maybe the young lady, a sister?) is
also a House's Kid judging by that hat and coat he's wearing? These pictures
were taken in late 1946 or early 1947, as I "ran away" in 1946 and
joined the Marines in April 1947. I
heard "rumors" Jack may have also enlisted in the Marine Corps, but
have never been able to verify that. (Both of the Kee Brothers, David and Louis, made a career of the
Marines, Lou for 20 and David for 30!
I met David at the 60th
There was also a Frank Hennessy in my class who was
one of the "Three Musketeers" (as we called ourselves) consisting of
Frank, Hugh McAvinue, and me. Hugh and I joined the Corps while Frank died
early after leaving St. Agnes; he was the brother of Donald Hennessy, also
a former Marine.
Jack Hennessey in
Band Uniform Jack Hennessey,
Marine Alpin Rodriguez,
Walt Rooney, Martin, Jerry Merna,
Louis
Kee (All ladies unknown)
Hope all is well with you and
your Dad (I spoke with him at the reunion in August).
Best,
Jerry
Gerald
F. (Jerry) Merna
gfmerna-usmc@verizon.net
________________________________________________________________________________
From: Gerald F. Merna
Sent: Monday, November 24, 2008 2:45 AM
Subject: Re: Hennessey and DeLarosa
You will note I originally wrote email above two years ago
TODAY to the Son of one of our fellow
Since I wrote this, and you are using old pictures of
Houses' Kids, some mentioned below, I came across additional pictures (a
couple I got from Red Rooney before he died,) of Cpl. “Jap” DeLarosa,
and Louis Kee with DeSantis (both Marine Sgts.), and others. And speaking of Red, there’s also a
picture of him and I by his old Willys' car taken in
1949 when I came up from Quantico.
Best,
Jerry Merna
Cpl. DeLarosa Jerry Merna with Red Rooney and his 1932 Willys' (1949)
Marine Sgts. Louie Kee and DeSantis “Up on (the St. Agnes)
Roof,” 3 future Marines,
DeSantis, Jerry Merna, Hugh McAvinue
(1945)
(L
:) 4 Marine Houses’ Kids at
(R) 3 House’s
Kids in