January, 20, 2014
Master Anthony "Tony" Barnes Returns to Southern California
Visits Grandmaster Jon Wiedenman
Training, Organizing Chang Moo Kwan, Catching Up
San Pedro, California
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Master Anthony Barnes and his wife Ro stayed with Grandmaster Jon Wiedenman at his home in San Pedro nearby where they both trained with Supreme Grandmaster Nam Suk Lee at the San Pedro YMCA. Master Barnes retired from the LAPD and moved back East to Tennessee several years back.
Master Barnes and Grandmaster Wiedenman have been best friends for several decades and both trained extensively under Grandmaster Dae Woong Chung of Pomona for several decades. Grandamster Chung was a student of Sun Koo Kim, one of Supreme Grandmaster Nam Suk Lee's closest friends.
Master Barnes and his wife Ro started out their California adventure with a tour of San Pedro, the first stop is the Korean Freindship Bell. Newly refurbished, is shone like a jewel on its seaside bluff. From there, Point Fermin Lighthouse and Cabrillo Beach were definite stops. (See Section on San Pedro for more information on these landmarks)
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In honor of Master Barnes Visit we had an advanced Black Belt meeting and photo op, Here Grandmaster Jon Wiedenman, Master Tony Barnes, Master George Fullerton, and Master David Johns gather for a photo in Grandmaster Wiedenman's home dojo in his San Pedro residence. This was the first time in several years all four of Supreme Grandmaster Nam Suk Lee's highest students were in the same place at the same time.
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In honor of the late Master Gene Hahn, Grandmaster Jon Wiedenman, Master Tony Barnes, Master George Fullerton, and Master David Johns gather for a photo in Grandmaster Wiedenman's home dojo in his San Pedro residence holding Master Haven's portrait. There was reflection and discussion about Master Gene Hahn's life and his contributions to Chang Moo Kwan development and promotion. Master Gene Hahn was Grandmaster Jon Wiedenman's oldest Chang Moo Kwan training partner and friend.
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In honor of the late Master Gene Hahn, Grandmaster Jon Wiedenman, Master Tony Barnes, Master George Fullerton, and Master David Johns gather for a photo in Grandmaster Wiedenman's home dojo in his San Pedro residence holding Master Haven's portrait. There was reflection and discussion about Master Gene Hahn's life and his contributions to Chang Moo Kwan development and promotion. Master Gene Hahn was Grandmaster Jon Wiedenman's oldest Chang Moo Kwan training partner and friend.
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Grandmaster Jon Wiedenman, Master Tony Barnes, Master George Fullerton, and Master David Johns in Grandmaster Wiedenman's home in the great room upstairs. This is a large area overlooking the Los Angeles Harbor and Pacific Ocean where students and instructors often train with Grandmaster Wiedenman.
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Grandmaster Jon Wiedenman, Master Tony Barnes, Master George Fullerton, and Master David Johns gather for a photo in Grandmaster Wiedenman's entry where a exotic art piece of the "White Tiger" is found. The logo is the one approved by Supreme Grandmaster Nam Suk Lee by an appointment to the Chang Moo Kwan Seminary. Joe Hernandez, a senior instructor for some 30 years, joins in the group.
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Grandmaster Jon Wiedenman, Master Tony Barnes, Master George Fullerton, and Master David Johns gather for a photo in Grandmaster Wiedenman's entry way. The group, is joined by Dr. David Hseih, a long time Chang Moo Kwan friend and instructor. Dr. Hsieh is in all black.
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Let the party begin! The extended Chang Moo Kwan family got together to spend some quality time with each other. Grandmaster Jon Wiedenman hosted the gathering and a local Mexican Restaurant catered. Special guests were of course Master Tony Barnes and his wife Ro, Master Fullerton and fiancee Barbara, Dr. David Hsieh and his wife Linda, Joe Hernandez, and Jamie Smith. The view was incredible and the curise ships leaving and wonderful sunset complimented the 80 degree warm January "winter" in Southern California.
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Master Barnes and Grandmaster Wiedenman spent some time exploring California and that included stopping by his Long Beach State Farm Office for have lunch with Yolanda and Vanessa two of Grandmaster Wiedenman's team members. Once again it was Mexican Food...a common food type at "the office."
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Training time is a must when the senior Chang Moo Kwan instructors get together, Master Barnes and Grandmaster Wiedenman spent several hours reviewing both the traditional Grandmaster Sun Koo Kim forms and Supreme Grandmaster Nam Suk Lee forms. The weather was so nice they practiced in the Great Room upstairs with a cool ocean breeze passing through. "It is and interesting paradox when time both stands still and flys at the same time, but that is it is when I am with Master Barnes...it has always been that way!" Grandmaster Jon Wiedenman commented about the training.
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For Grandmaster Jon Wiedenman a very special moment with Master Tony Barnes was when they both paid respects to American Veterans past and present and in particular the Airborne Divisions which Tony and Grandmaster Wiedenman's dad, Harold "Hack" Wiedenman were a part. He noted:
"Master Tony Barnes first met my father at my mom's funeral in 2000. Tony and I had been friends for many years, but somehow dad and he never met. Tony has always been a great listener. He remembered dad served in the 503 Airborne Paratrooper Division and Tony struck up a conversation with dad. Instantly, they were brothers, and you could not have hammered a wedge between them that day. They had a spiritual bridge spanning any differences in age, race, and background. Tony was the son of a school teacher from Mississippi; dad was the son a corn farmer in Iroquois South Dakota. Tony served during the Vietnam War; Dad was destined for the World War II battlefields of North Africa. Both jumped out of airplanes."
"I often think about what my dad and Master Barnes and all our military service personnel stood for. I thought about their willingness to jump into danger for our freedom. I thought about the level which they both could communicate and bond...one which I could never truly understand completely. I was humbled."
"One of the biggest honors of my life was when Master Barnes asked if we could take a photo holding dads photo. We were going to do our forms together so we went to my home dojo and Tony put on his 82nd Airborne had and held dad picture. After training and at dinner we spent some time talking about the moment. Tony had taken some time to read a very rare book written by Col Raff in 1942 talking about the 503 Airborne and their heroism. I was even more honored."
This truly was a “bridge of significance” for all of us.
Another truly significant bridge between past and future was engineered and constructed between Supreme Grandmaster Nam Suk Lee and his last students in San Pedro at the YMCA. It was in the true spirit of martial arts most important, inseparable, and simple components..."honor and tradition..." between teacher and students, patriots and country between a man with a message and a messenger willing to bear its weight.
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Grandmaster Jon Wiedenman and Master Tony Barnes have a "killer" burger at "The Counter" in El Segundo. I think Master Barnes was a bit overwhelmed. It disappeared however.
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Master Barnes' visit to Southern California would not have been complete without a trip to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Training facility Downtown Los Angeles. This is where Master Barnes went through his 'basic training' and qualifying as a proud member of the Los Angeles Police Force. Grandmaster Wiedenman was able to share Master Barnes' memories on what was new, the same, and changed. "Master Barnes has certainly served his community continually as an police officer and as a many who has supported our troops as a veteran and our youth as a role model."
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