Southeastern Regional Pistol Matches
Jacksonville, Florida

Pistol Classic Starts Today

Southeastern Regional Tests Set at Police Club's Range
By RAY CRAWFORD

Many top pistol experts will compete for honors at the annual Southeastern Regional Pistol Championship gets under way at the Jacksonville Police Pistol Club's firing range at 9 o'clock this morning.

Teams and individual entries from Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Louisiana, North and South Carolina, Mississippi and Florida are scheduled to fire in the event. A total of 200 entries is listed.

The main purpose of the regional championship shoots is to qualify shooters for the National Championships held throughout the United States.

Entries are limited to National Rifle Association affiliated clubs, police and law enforcement agencies, regular service, National Guard and Reserve units.

Some of the top shooters entered are Major T. E. Barrier, USMC, the defending regional champion; Jerry Fontanella, Miami Beach, a former champion; Lt. Col. W. R. Walsh, USMC, Washington, D.C., Capt. J. M. Jagoda, USMC, Quantico, Va., and L. M. Rizzolla, CPO, USN, Anacostia, D. C., winner of the Eastern Regional championship.

Probably the top shooter entered however, is Master Sergeant Huelet Joe Benner, the present national pistol champion and generally recognized as the world's pistol champion.

Sgt. Benner, stationed at Fort Knox, Kentucky, will lead a team of 11 of the Army's best shooters. The team is sponsored by General Mark W. Clark's Army Field Forces.

Today shooters will fire the .45 caliber pistol 20 shots slow fire at 50 yards, 20 shots timed fire at 25 yards, 20 shots rapid fire at 25 yards, and National Match Course.

Florida Times-Union, Friday, August 17, 1951

Marines Snare Pistol Events

Gunners Switch to .38 Competition Today at Local Club
By RAY CRAWFORD

Marine Corps shooters dominated firing yesterday as the Great Southeastern Regional Pistol Championship opened at the Jacksonville Police Club's Pistol range.

All firing yesterday was with the .45 caliber pistol.

Capt. J. M. Jagoda, Sgt. William McMillan and Warrant Officer Mark W. Billing, all of Quantico Marine Base, Va., were the three top shooters of the day. Jagoda had the high aggregate total with 860 points out of a possible 900. McMillan was runner-up with an aggregate score of 857 and Billing was third with 856 points.

The Marine team of Jagoda, Billings, McMillan and Maj. Thurman Barrier of Washington won the .45 caliber team championship.

Army Master Sgt. H. L. Joe Benner, the National Champion who will defend his title next month at the National shoot in California, was fourth behind the three Marine shooters in the aggregate shooting.

Jagoda's perfect score of 200 in the timed fire match was the outstanding shooting exhibition of the day.

Today's matches list 20 shots slow fire at 50 yards, 20 shots timed fire at 20 yards, 20 shots rapid fire at 25 yards, and National Match Course. The .38 caliber pistol will be used.

Florida Times-Union, Saturday, August 18, 1951

Marines Claim Shoot Laurels

Dominate Southeastern Regional Event for Second Day
By RAY CRAWFORD

For the second day in a row Marine gunners walked off top honors at the Southeastern Regional Pistol Championship at the Jacksonville Pistol Club.

Col. Walter Walsh of Quantico Marine Base, Va., yesterday posted the top aggregate score with 868 out of a possible 900 score. Marine Major Thurman Barrier, Washington, D.C., was runner-up with 866.

The Marine Corps Team of Capt. J. M. Jagoda, Sgt. William McMillan, Warrant Officer Mark W. Billing and Barrier won the team shooting match for the second day in succession.

Following Barrier in the individual aggregate scores was Master Sgt. H. L. Joe Benner, the National pistol champion. His total was 862.

Lieut. Jim Thomas was the outstanding shooter for the Jacksonville Pistol Club. He placed third in the expert class with a mark of 840.

CPO L. M. Rizzola, Anacostia, D. C., fired the only perfect round yesterday. He posted a 200x200 in the Timed Fire match.

All shooting was with the .38 caliber pistol.

Today's firing will be with the .22 caliber pistol or revolver. Matches slated are 20 shots slow fire at 50 yards, 20 shots timed fire at 25 yards, 20 shots rapid fire at 25 yards, and the national match course.

Florida Times-Union, Sunday, August 19, 1951

Marine Major Barrier Posts 2,573 to Win Southeastern Regional Pistol Laurels

Marine Major Thurman E. Barrier of Washington, D.C., won the Southeastern Regional Pistol championship for the second year in a row as the shoot concluded its three-day running at the Jacksonville Police Pistol Club yesterday.

Barrier posted a three-day aggregate score of 2,573 out of a possible 2,700. He receives a trip to the 1951 National Championship in San Francisco next month for winning.

Three other national championship trips were awarded to winners in the expert, sharpshooter and marksman divisions. James L. Wade of Fayetteville, Tenn., captured the expert title with a score of 2512. Sgt. John A. Crosby of Seattle, Wash., was first in the sharpshooter division with 2,418. T. Little of Key West, took top spot in the marksman class with 2,402.

Master Sgt. Joe Benner of Ft. Knox, Ky., the national champion, captured honors in yesterday's shooting with a total of 880x900. He was not eligible for this region's title. Only entries from the Southeastern states were eligible to win the meet.

Lucile Chamblis of Winter Haven won the High Lady award with a score of 2,476.

Florida Times-Union, Monday, August 20, 1951

Barrier Takes Pistol Honors

JACKSONVILLE - Maj. Thurman E. Barrier of the U.S. Marine Corps won the Southeastern Regional Pistol Shoot for the second straight year.

He finished the three-day event, ending here Sunday, with a score of 2,573 in 2,700 tries.

Barrier, of Washington, D.C., will compete in the national pistol shoot at San Francisco next month.

National Champion Master Sgt. Joe Benner of Ft. Knox, Ky., who did not compete for the regional title, was high in Sunday's final shoot with 880x900.

Lucile Chamblis of Winter Haven was high among women entrants with 2,476 for three days.

Panama City News-Herald, Monday, August 20, 1951