Largo Florida Military Museum Has "Family Funfest" for Memorial Day?

There are certain words that should never go together. Homeless and Veterans at the top of my list, but then again, Memorial Day and "Fundfest" are just as bad.

Military museum distributes veteran photos, introduces new exhibits
Tampa Bay Online
Howard Altman
May 12, 2015

JAY CONNER/STAFF U.S. Rep David Jolly holds a reptile from Croc Encounters at the Armed Forces History Museum in Largo. They were there to unveil new exhibits at the museum. The critter was there to promote the upcoming 7th annual Memorial Day Family Funfest on May 25.

One by one, the veterans or in some cases family members came to the front of the indoor Quonset hut at the Armed Forces History Museum and accepted black and white portraits.

Tampa photographer Ryan Joseph, who took the portraits in November, said his project was designed to “expose my generation and the generations that come after me to these heroes who came before us.”

There were three copies of each portrait, said U.S. Rep. David Jolly, the keynote speaker at an event to present not just the photographs, but also eight new exhibits at the already packed Largo museum.

One copy of each will hang in the Quonset hut. One will hang in Jolly’s Washington office and the veterans, and in some case their families, will also receive copies. Since the portraits were taken, two of the veterans — Bill Allen, an Army sergeant who was taken prisoner during the Korean War and Irving Zeider, an Army corporal who earned two Purple Heart medals during World War II — have since died.

Their families picked up their portraits. Gary Littrell, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroics during the Vietnam War, said he doesn’t buy into the narrative of the woebegone Vietnam veteran. read more here

Florida loses another soldier in Afghanistan

Family says Florida soldier killed Afghanistan
The Associated Press
Published: Saturday, Aug. 4, 2012

LARGO, Fla. -- Family members say a Tampa Bay-area soldier has been killed in Afghanistan.

The family of Staff Sgt. Matthew Steven Sitton says Army officials told them Thursday that the 26-year-old died this week after stepping on an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan.
read more here

Marine from Florida killed in Afghanistan

NC-based Marine from Florida killed in Afghanistan
The Associated Press
CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -- A North Carolina-based Marine from Florida has been killed in combat in Afghanistan.

The Defense Department said Tuesday that 26-year-old Cpl. Jonathan D. Porto of Largo, Fla., died March 14 in Helmand province, Afghanistan.

Porto was a small arms repair technician.

Porto was assigned to 1st Battalion 6th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Lejeune.

He joined the Marine Corps in March 2008 and was promoted to corporal last December 1. He deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in December 2009.
Marine from Florida killed in Afghanistan