Just a Simple Tale of Marines Helping

Just a Simple Tale of Marines Helping

Hey Sgt. Grit Bunch:

I am a Marine Corps Mom and very proud of that status…over the past couple of years my active duty Gunny Sgt. son has served very proudly on foreign soil quite frequently…when he has not been deployed it has seemed that he was in pre-deployment training or restricted to a limited set of miles for visitation–all the while racing from East Coast to West Coast through reassignment and/or training. Unfortunately, I live in Texas and he (now) in North Carolina…therefore, between the in-laws and out-laws, work and the usual family crises we haven’t spent very much time together since his 1999 (?) deployment with his MEU through East Timor which resulted in response to the USS Cole disaster. So, I have not had much time to gather interesting tales of battle and experience. Over the years I have grown a little bit greyer…and bit more educated in the Marine Corps experience and prouder through every step.

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  • Due to fate, I traveled to North Carolina last Muther’s Day to assist with family matters in and around the Camp Lejeune area in my son’s absence [in Iraq but one more time–number three–currently preparing for trip number four]. I secured a job at a Camp Lejeune Teen-Youth Pavilion while there and enjoyed everyday interaction with such brave little Marines and Sailor dependents left in our care each day. They were quite an inspiration and tribute to our Marine Corps and youthful tenacity.

    While there, when the time came close to my son’s unit’s return from Iraq, his girl purchased a large bar-b-q grill for his birthday, which was succinct with his return. I offered to pick it up at the Lowe’s Building and they moved it out…loaded it on the truck and I strapped it down with some rope I found in the back seat. For several days, I drove around in the truck with the grill aboard. As the day grew closer, I began to worry that I would have to pick him up with the grill attached to present it…and have returning Marines unload it to enjoy the surprise?

    Finally, the day before he returned I siphoned off $20 from my budget for labor compensation and drove down the road in Jacksonville looking for a healthy lad or lass that might assist by following me to the house and doing the off-loading deed. Just a couple of blocks from the house, I passed a able lad toting a load of PCV pipe to his truck. I stopped and requested his assistance, offering my small bit of compensation as incentive. He asked that I wait until he got off work, I gave him the address and he advised that he and his father-in-law would come help. [I had scheduled to detail the truck, prior to my son’s Sgt’s return in honor of him allowing me to use the truck in his absence for that evening.] As the time flew past…all the liquor, beer and sodas were bought & iced down, the hamburger fixin’s prepared for the festivities, WELCOME HOME sheets painted and hung on the front of the house & the fence outside LeJeune … I even ironed my jeans to accompany my homemade “WELCOME HOME–JOB WELL DONE-SEMPER FI” t-shirt for the next day. Still no help had arrived.

    Just as I was about to give up and lay down in the front yard in tears…up drove the young man to assist. As he exited his truck with his father-in-law I noticed his leg tattooed with USMC and his father-in-law’s bicep revealed a familiar bull-dawg mark…they made short work of the pit (quite heavy) from the truck to back concrete area…shook my hand…called me Ma’am…told me thank you and requested that I thank my son for his service and proceeded to get in their truck to leave. I raced after them and pleaded for them to please accept my token funds.

    The kiddo said…nope I served until last year and my father-in-law was in Vietnam…this was my duty. He thanked me for the honor. I invited them to the festivities the next day…but never saw them again…never got his name or unit…but he acted like it was a thing you do for a brother and a very helpless MOM. It is a family…and Marines do look after each other.

    I share this story…simple as it is…not only to share the generosity of fellow Marines, but in hopes that he or a friend might read it and let him know…that he, with my son and his fellow Marines…are my heroes and fine folk. Thank You Marines so for my freedom, through your courage, resolve, sacrfices and valor.

    I have attached a picture to share of my son from his Marine Corps Ball 2007…I am very, very proud of him.

    As Always, cathy l. holm, (now back home) in Huntsville, Texas
    ALWAYS A MARINE CORPS SUPPORTER!