In December of 1968 I was in welding school in Pittsburgh Pa.
I had orginaly planned on going to law school until my Dad got sick and seeing an add on the bus coming home from my window washing job I decided to find out what a welder did for a living. The class was only 300 bucks and promised I would become a AWS certified welder.(which I became).
Like many of us I was in love with my high school sweetheart and wanted to get married asap.
Shortly before the draft came into effect, I decided to go to the Peace Corps and teach welding in some far away land. My girl was going to follow me when she graduated and my future looked pretty good.
Before joining I went to my local draft board and to my surprise I learned that after a 2 year stint I would still not have any type of deferment.
I did find out the Marine Corps would only ask for a two year active commitment.
I was pretty sure with my welding training I would be drafted so I enlisted that day on the 120 day delayed entry program and on April 17th 1969 I got a 3 am introduction to Parris Island.
WOW what a wakeup call!
I was promoted to PFC out of boot camp and extended for a year as the Marines decided they wanted me to learn how to shoot planes out of the sky. My MOS was 5923 and I ended up in Huntsville Alabama at the Redstone Arsenal army base, met my wife of 52 years now and I am forever grateful that I joined the Marine corps and not the Peace Corps!
Great story, Joseph!! Didn’t MOS 5923 have something to do with the Hawk Anti Aircraft Missiles? Had a couple of friends who were located at Marble Mountain in Vietnam who worked on them. That was a long time ago, and my grey cells aren’t as sharp as they use to be. Semper Fi!!! Top Pro
You are right Top. It was the First LAAM Battalion on that mountain. During all the time they were there, they never fired a missile at a NVA plane.
Hey Skip – Thanks for confirming my guess. Did any North Vietnamese or ChiCom aircraft fly shouth of the DMZ? Damned if I know… Semper Fi!!! Top Pro
Your story, Joseph, brings to mind our Dad, who became a Marine in ’51. He was a Sergeant in FMF/ PAC , Camp Pendleton, 1st AAAAW (Anti Aircraft Artillery Automatic Weapons) Battalion, H & S Battery. Force Troops, FMF/PAC was activated March 10, 1952., and was comprised of the 3rd Marine Brigade. In reorganization; Force Troops and 3rd Marine Division were established as two separate but equal units. Practice firing was done at the ‘new’ 29 Palms Marine Corps Training Center.
Was there an assigned MOS for this position in his Battalion? or, is there anyone who would know what the arm patch logo would be? There is no reference we can find in the ‘Sgt Grit’ catalog, or on-line sites with regard to Marine Corps MOS’ of the 1950’s. Our Dad now 91yoa, reads these stories. Thanks!