Master Sergeant Merna

Master Sergeant Merna

Sgt Grit:

I’m very pleased you enabled your readers to see the numerous photos provided by Sgt J. Cris Yarborough, USMC, 1979-1983, (“Thumbnails,” SgtGrit Newsletter, 24Apr08). I looked at every one of them and they are terrific.

Though my Corps’ time (1947-1968) was a bit before Sgt.Yarborough’s, I nonetheless chuckled at many of his pictures of barracks life, time aboard ship, on liberty, etc., and enjoyed the humor in a lot of them. I particularly appreciated his numerous pictures of the LVT’s and especially the LST he served aboard and for a very good reason. My oldest Brother, Signalman Second Class George Charles Merna, USN, was serving aboard the LST-577 returning from the Leyte Invasion with an Army crew and their vehicles. On 11Feb45 Japanese submarine RO-50 commanded by LT.CMR Kimura unloaded a couple of torpedoes and sunk it, taking my 19-year old Brother to the bottom of the Pacific where his remains are to this day. Attached is a picture of LST-577 after it was cut in two and one half sunk, taken by other LST’s in that convoy–the casualties were drastic.

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  • Sgt. Yarborough’s several pictures of Courthouse Bay brought back other memories as well. I also had a tour at Court House Bay, Camp Lejeune, as the Legal Chief for Force Troops, FMF Atlantic (Feb60-May62). A brand new Brigadier General reported in for his first tour as a CG and quickly made a name for himself with his strict inspections and no-nonsense approach to having all of us be, act as and look like Marines at all times. His name? BGen. Leonard F. Chapman, Jr., who of course later became the 24th Commandant of our Corps (1968-1972). (After he retired President Nixon appointed him Commissioner of the Immigration and Naturalization Service (1973-1976) taking on the problems of illegal immigration that was then costing the U.S. billions of dollars each year. Boy, could we ever use him today)! I believe it was during his Force Troop tour that Gen. Chapman earned another nickname that later became “officially” associated with his name, the “Spit and Polish Commandant.”

    One of the “unofficial nicknames” we (privately of course) associated with then BGen Chapman was “Button-hole Chapman” because of what he did within a few days of his arrival. He had the troops fall out for inspection, and as usual would “inspect” the Officers first. Approaching one unfortunate Lt. he stared intensely at the Lt’s. Blouse, then backed up a step and in a voice that many heard, said “Lieutenant, you have loose threads hanging from your buttonholes. Obviously you are not ready for inspection, and if you’re not ready, then neither are your troops, so dismiss them and let me know when you are ready,” or words to that effect. I would not have wanted to be that Lt.! In his barracks inspections, the General didn’t miss a beat either, meticulously inspecting everything from lockers, to the deck, to the heads, and to the bulkheads!

    A much more pleasant memory I recall of the General was when I won the Corps-wide Technique of Instruction Contest for Force Troops competing against the 2nd Marine Div, Cherry Point, and other units, giving this new General in his first command “bragging rights” with the CG’s of the other units. He was so very pleased and gave me a “Commanding General’s Meritorious Mast” as it was called in those days. (Attached are a couple of pictures-I’m the one with closed eyes, which happens more than I like to admit).

    So thank you, SgtGrit for sharing and Sgt. Yarborough for providing so many excellent pictures for a memorable trip down “memory lane.”

    Semper Fi,
    Gerald F. Merna