* Have a title ALL CAPS

* Author  name and State

* Identification SCV Mechnized Cavalry, SCV or others..

* All reports or submissions should contain the following information : "Who", "What", "When" and "Where

* Pictures,  maximun 15 pics per report, If circumstances allow (WEBSPACE) will be expandable.

ALL submitted pictures must be in JPG or JPEG format include the names of each person

 appearing in the photo whenever possible.

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly :

* Same policy,  JPG or JPEG format

* Please provide photos and identify those pictured by first and last name, State ...

CRACKER is published monthly, the last Friday of each mont, rain or shine, don't wait until the last minute to send us the report,

 check out deadline.  I would like to thank all of our reporters from the Confederation for their contributions to the Cracker.

Editor's note : I send the Cracker to John one week before it is put on the website so my deadline is the next to last

weekend of the month.

Beeler, Steve / Burch, Buddy / Carter, Kirk / Craig, Matthew  D /Fisher, John /Frank, Wess /Hart, Calvin /Kalof, Greg /

King, David / Masters, Robert /Mayhew, Kathy /Mc Clure, Brian /Odell, James /Pilgrim, Tony /Pizzini, Joseph /Polk, Frank /

Polo, John /Rhoda, Stan /Shelley, Mickey /Shelton, Jamie /Smith, Paul F / Spears, Spike  /Starnes, Bill /Stone, Kevin /

Stover, Lenny / Walker, Billy E /Wynn, Barry.

Division Reunions are upon us, as members of the Mech. Cav. it is our duty to support the Division and local camps whenever we have the chance.

Don't forget to get your registrations in for the Annual in South Carolina; the guys have been working hard to make sure those who attend have a good time.

We will be having a meeting at the Florida Division Reunion after our business meeting on Sat. June 2nd. We will also be providing food for the attendees

on Friday night around 6PM if you can help it would be appreciated. Thanks.

April 28, 2018

It is with Heavy Hearts that the Brothers of Mechanized Cavalry 3-A

announce the passing of one of our own, Cpl. Samuel D. Tyson Jr..

May, 2th - 2018

Brad Spears. A Brother from 1A crossed the river last night.

   FLORIDA

Reported by James Odell

 So it begins the 23rd annual southeast coast Confederate Memorial Day motorcade

Commander Odell standing at de Vera Beach Monument

Elements of the 12th and 14th Brigade band together to honor 174 Confederate Veterans did not only survive the war but lived to come home and become

prominent members of society. 92 year old, Pvt. G. W. Thomas, camp namesake and oldest Confederate Veteran in St. Lucie County (Ft Pierce, Fl)

Men like John Enos Fultz, pioneer and first Clerk of the Court for St Lucie County. (Vero Beach. Fl),

Captain Edward Covair, the first sheriff for Palm Beach County. ( Martin County)

Pvt. William M.. Burdine, founder of Burdine’s Department store. (Miami, Fl), Just to name a few.

Camp 1595 Private George W Thomas, Fort Pierce Florida, and the First Florida special Cow Calvary Camp Vero Beach, Florida, begin the journey South making

stops in 9 cemeteries in 4 Counties to Honor 49 of the Pioneers, Soldiers, Which helped make Florida what it became.

North end serving the Treasure Coast and Okeechobee Counties.

The Gentleman Veterans are the 49 who are survivors of the Great War between the States. These men left from the farms many from Florida.

These men fought, marched, and laughed, cried, lost friends in the carnage of war. After this they came home to military districts. They managed to deal with the enemy,

 the Union Occupation of the lands they fought so valiantly for.

When you dishonor the Confederate Veteran you also dishonor the Union Soldiers that fought so valiantly against them and some that died in that carnage.

This event started in 1994, the brain child of then commander Mike Crane now of Georgia, in the 14th Brigade in Miami Florida and has grown to its present day

honoring 174 Veterans in one day.Our Combined effort keeps the history; there memory, the heritage, and the legacy of good men that did not just stand by

and do nothing trying to provide the blanket of freedom those ancestors gave us.

Every year in April around the 26th, which is when it was declared as Confederate Memorial Day, our band of Brothers and sisters

 (SCV, Mechanized Cavalry, UDC and OCR) in the combined cause attend to those that can no longer speak for themselves.

We are the only family left that has for the last 23 years comes out pay our respects and visit so briefly with the Forgotten.

  It is a great tribute to remember our precious warriors that gave so much.

South end Miami to West Palm Beach

Reported by Greg Kalof

The motorcade this year was poorly represented but we did have the participation of three Mechanized Cavalry members, myself (Gregory Kalof (#300),

Mike Mitchell, and Larry Powel #61). I attached a picture of Larry (#61) on his new 'scoot' so that you'll be able to put it in the “Florida Cracker.”

I believe Larry and Becky met us at the WPB cemetery along with the contingent of the North and the South. There were about a total of 28 people.

Of course I played taps and we had a decent show of arms for the ceremony. Some of the Union soldiers dropped out after we did Broward County.

Mechanized Cavalry trooper Larry Powell #61, on his new scooter at Wood Lawn Cemetery West Palm Beach, Fl.

Some of ya’ll may remember Greg Kalof’s trip back into the past with his Vespa, as he rode in the Olustee Parade.

 VIRGINIA

Reported by Kathy Mayhew

Scott D. Myers was sworn into the Major General Thomas L. Rosser Order of Confederate Rose Chapter #13 on Saturday, May 5, 2018.

Pictured is Kathy Mayhew, Chapter President and Scott D. Myers.

The Major General Thomas L. Rosser Order of Confederate Rose Chapter 13

 has their new Adopt A Highway sign installed on Hwy 43 in Campbell County, VA .

The Virginia Society Order of Confederate Rose held their yearly state meeting on Saturday, April 21, 2018

 at the Holiday Inn Valley View, Roanoke, VA.

New state officers were elected for 2018-2020 and are as follows: Kathy Mayhew, President; Frannie Kellison, Vice-President;

 Barry Isenhour, Secretary; Linda Bennett, Treasurer; Reba McDaniel, Chaplin and Rhonda Worley, Aide-to-Camp.

After the meeting, Order of Confederate Rose members joined the Virginia Division

 Sons of Confederate Veterans at the Jubal Early Homeplace for lunch.

Kathy Mayhew, President of the Virginia Society Order of Confederate Rose presented the newest lifetime member, JackieW. Dennison,

with her Order of Confederate Rose Lifetime Member Certificate on Satuday, April 21, 2018.

  TEXAS

Reported by Paul F. Smith Sr.

April and May has been a busy time for SCVMC 1C .
At the last week of April through out the the Lone Star State , we have been busy Honoring our Confederate Ancestors in various different ways.

 From cleaning cemeteries and headstones, flagging grave sites, to parades, rides, and dedications. Always honoring them where ever we may go.

Confederate Memorial Day Celebration at Alvin,Texas, Confederate Cemetery .

Grave dedication hosted by Lamar Fontaine Chapter 33 United Daughters of The Confederacy .

Honoring a Real Daughter of The a Confederacy , Minnie Thomas Franks Sunday Maringa.

Major Fank Dietz 1st. Battalion, Captain Frank Polk 1C, Trooper Tim Pettigrew, Sgt. Randal Tennison,

 Corporal Greg Lambeth and Trooper Tug Grumbles.

Trooper Tim Pettigrew( Hey Tim) Major Frank Dietz, Trooper Tug Grumbles, Captain Frank Polk, Trooper Todd Long,

 Sgt. Randall Tennisin, Trooper Aaron Tennison, and Corporal Greg Lambeth of 1st. Plt., 1st.Squad.

Brother Tug with some of the UDC ladies at the Confederate Cemetery in Alvin, Texas.

Major Dietz and Trooper Tim Pettigrew going over the game plan.

Major Frank and the UDC ladies.

Major Dietz , Corporal Greg Lambeth and two othe unidentified men on the cannon at The Confederate Cemetery.

The grave site of the Last Daughter of the Confederacy at Confederate Cemetery in Alvin, Texas.

Real Daughter, Minnie Thomas Franks Sunday Maringa.

Battery at the ready. Confederate Cemetery.

Captain Frank Polk 1C at the Confederate Cemetery in Alvin , Texas.

These 5 members of the 2nd Plt. 2nd squad received the prestigious President Jefferson Finis Davis award from Dallas 6 United Daughters of the Confederacy.

Left to right are Lt. Buddy Burch #878, Sgt. Major Paul Mattoon #1052, Plt. Sgt. Rusty Maynard #2511, Pvt. Bill Neil 31018,

 Pvt. John Rogers #678. At Bent Tree Country Club, Dallas, Texas.