Here is your intrepid editor standing watch at one of the IOD sites 40+ years ago. I don't remember which one. Actually I don't remember the names of any of them. I visited all of them over a 4 week period to help with comm issues. Does anyone remember the names of these hills with the IODs. There would be 8-10 grunts, a Sgt or SSgt and a Lt. Usually a couple of 60's and a .50 Cal., that was it.
Author: SgtGrit
In Re: Korean Dog Tags
Just Thought I would send in a picture of my Dog Tags, issued in July 1951. When I went to Korea in Sept 52 they went with me. I was not issued different Tags in Korea. As you can see they are different in appearance than the ones GunnyRousseau showed in the last Newsletter. I guess Gunny being in the Old Corps, his would not be the same as a Boot like me. Thanks for your service to our Country and the great stories you submit to this Newsletter Gunny. SEMPER FI
Marine Corps Caboose
10 years ago I built the caboose as a yard ornament. Badly weathered it was time to be rebuilt. I decided to make it honor the Marine Corps. People seem to like the change from the former R.R. motif. I served in the Corps from 1946-1952.
Semper Fi!
Leon Hooper
Dog Tag Of The Korean War
In a recent letter, one lad asked about Dog Tags. But in the old, old days one of the Sergeants or Officers went back over the battle field to identify the Dead, or the Dead were just buried without concern for the identity. During the "Cold Harbor Battle" of the Civil War, men on both sides sewed their name and address on their coats so they could be identified and the family informed of their Death. I'm sure it happened more often than not.
The Gunny Gives Nothing But 110%
If anyone knew or knows my fiance, they know to tread lightly and speak openly and honestly. His 2 tours in the Marines as a DI Instructor will have you speaking the truth within 5 seconds of even attempting to speak sideways (trust me I've tried and it doesn't work… LOL). Look at those eyes… he has been trained with the best of the best and gives nothing but 110% of himself in whatever he does… he does it to perfection! I'm not in the military, but he's taught me some great values and how to distinguish them within a person, and I can spot a Marine a mile away.
The Reunion And A Wedding
The Marines of 1969 MCRD San Diego, Platoon 1066 met in Branson, MO once again for our sixth annual reunion on 4-8 June 2014. We were again joined by our two Drill Instructors and their lovely wives. In addition to excellent shows and camaraderie, the highlight of our five days together was my marriage to Denise on 6 June at the Stonegate Glass Chapel. At our wedding banquet on Saturday night all of the great items so generously donated by SGT GRIT were distributed to the attendees to everyone's delight.
USS Texas
I'm always up for military history in my travels. Several years ago on vacation with the family we found the USS Texas, now a museum ship.
Attached are a couple of photos about the formation of the 1st MarDiv. The 1st MarDiv. guys probably already know this and have been there but for the rest of us… a little more history.
Ended Up On Ulithi Islands
"What did you do during the War?" This was a title for a movie, books and stories that always come with an answer.
Let me tell you a story of something that happened to me during WWII. Because I was only seventeen and looked much younger I was often transferred. For some reason I ended up on Ulithi Islands awaiting transfer to somewhere else. There was an ship with smoke coming from it and people took off afraid the ammo aboard might explode. Now on the Ulithi Island of Mog Mog, you couldn't go very far. Due to my innocence or gullibility or what, my friend and I went to the ship, there were two men working on it and they were leaving. One was working in the hold loading ammo boxes on an elevator and sending them up. The other guy took the boxes from the elevator and then he removed the boxes so they could be placed on barge next to the ship. The smoke was coming from the opposite side of the ship where the ammo was so I went aboard with my friend and went down in the hold and started loading ammo into the elevator and sending it up to my friend on the deck.
Future Marines
Jones Beach Marines putting the Poolee recruits through the paces… 6/7/14.
1stLt. Presley N. O’Bannon USMC
Fred S. Stoki standing by the location marker signifying that just north of the marker is the birthplace of 1stLt. Presley N. O'Bannon. 1stLt. O'Bannon was the first American to command U.S. forces on foreign soil and the first to raise the American flag over a fortress in the Old World. His success at the Battle of Derne, Tripoli (present day Libya), on 27 April 1805, ended a four-year war against the Tripoli pirates and inspired the phrase "to the shores of Tripoli" in the Marines' Hymn.