2012 Letter to the Livermore-Pleasanton Chapter of MDF

Tonight MDF Livermore-Pleasanton is conducting its 20th banquet. Quite a few of the original 194 who attended the first banquet, 20 years ago, are here tonight and that includes all of the five committee members that put together that original banquet – Rob Fletcher, Ralph Laughlin, Gary Pacheco, Terry Ludlow and myself. Three of us have been on [...]

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PHOT Saturday BBQ

Ranchers, guides, hunters and volunteers took a break from deer hunting Saturday to eat some venison and break some clay targets. Before heading to the trap range to play a few rounds of Annie Oakley, the group posed for a photo under the 2011 banner which displays logos and names of the many supporters of [...]

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Purple Heart Outdoor Tour Update – Matt Bags His Buck

Mathew Jackson found the buck he was after on Friday afternoon at the Patterson Ranch. Come on out to the Livermore Pleasanton Rod and Gun club at noon today and hear about it and shoot some trap. Everybody will be arriving about noon and the trap shooting will continue for a few hours. Bring your [...]

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2011 Purple Heart Outdoor Tour Motorcade Arrives at Opening Ceremony

On August 18th four Army Rangers, one NYC Fireman and Dan Hammack, founder of the Purple Heart Outdoor Tour arrived in Livermore for the 2011 blacktail deer hunt. This video shows the group arriving at Rao Ranch for the opening ceremony. The motorcade was organized and carried our by a Bay Area VFW group called [...]

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2011 Purple Heart Tour Blacktail Deer Hunt Participants

SSG Matthew Jackson Jackson bio and photo To view Jackson bio and photo, click on link. Microsoft word necessary. SSG (P) Arnold Fletcher SSG Fletcher was born and raised in Elk City Oklahoma.  He  enlisted in the Army and joined the 75th Ranger Regiment on Oct 25th 2003 at the age of 33 y/o. He [...]

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Date Set for 2011 Purple Heart Outdoor Tour Blacktail Hunt

Opening festivities will begin on Thursday August 18, 2011 with a motorcade through Pleasanton-Livermore and a barbecue at the Rao Ranch. The hunters will go afield starting on Friday August 19th. Other events to follow. Six local ranchers will participate this year. See brochure.PURPLE HEART BROCHURE AND MAP[1]

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Joshua Bags His Blacktail

The weather has been a little tough on the Purple Heart Outdoor Tour hunters, but on the Banke Ranch action was pretty good with the hunters counting 79 deer during the day leading up  to a small gathering for dinner with Kathy Banke providing some tasty BBQ tri-tips. After dinner the hunting crew prepared for the [...]

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Here’s the Scoop on Our Fifth Purple Heart Outdoor Tour Blacktail Hunter

Got this info in an email from LTC Hammack this morning. My Name is Joshua Olson. I was born August 21, 1979 in Spokane Washington. I graduated from high school in 1997 and enlisted straight into the Army. I went to basic training and AIT at Fort Benning, Ga. My first duty station was at [...]

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Our NYC Fireman

Here’s some sketchy information on our FDNY participant. We’ll learn more on August 26th. I expect it will be quite emotional hearing first-hand accounts of 911. Paul Johnsen, New York City Fire Department: 14 years of service. The last nine years proudly assigned to Squad Company 1, “The Squad”, Special Operations Command (SOC). Stationed in [...]

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Navy Seal Matthew Alves Joins the Purple Heart Outdoors Tour

Received the following message from Navy Seal, Matthew Alves another serviceman who will be participating in the Livermore Purple Heart Outdoors Tour Blacktail Hunt on August 26th. Matthew Alves will join his brother Danial in Livermore on August 26th.  My name is Matthew Alves and I have been a navy SEAL for 8 years. I [...]

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