This is a photo of me with my leggings in 1951. The high top boon dockers were not issued until 1953.
Rudolph Kunzelman
Author: SgtGrit
Mr. John Wood
I just wanted to send along our sincerest appreciation for all the AWESOME Sgt. Grit items you donated to our benefit auction. We were absolutely blown away by the items you sent, especially the Marine t-shirts that depicted the state of KY. All the items were a big hit. We have raised in excess of $10,000 for our Textbooks For Troops program from the auction. Every dime of that money will go to buy textbooks for our military students and their family members attending classes at WKU. Thank you for making a huge difference in the lives of our students.
Sgt. Mom
Sgt Mom thanks you Sgt Grit! She absolutely loves her bumper sticker. She said, "oh, cute. That's cute!" One of the reasons mom has such a huge smile here is because she can actually see the bumper sticker and read it for herself. Her vision is poor but the bumper sticker being so vivid she can actually see it. So she got all excited.
Brother You Have One Now
I was touched by Henry Hisel's story. He like I, was a reservist 1962–1968. I wonder what boot camp he was in? I was in 1st BN, Plt. 118, MCRD SD.
The thing I wanted to tell was, during a recent static display of uniforms and memorabilia from our time in duty, I set up a clothes rack with my Dress Blues blouse and EGA NCO Guard Belt along with some other items with my Marine buddy Steve Goodman (we were in boot camp together back then…) anyway we have a senior (older than us LOL) Marine who was a corporal (buck Sgt.) in the 6th Marines who was in the fight on several islands of the Pacific in WWII, and one of them was Okinawa. In his collection was a Samurai Sword he took off a Japanese Soldier who when I asked our friend about it, I was told "well, he didn't need it anymore". Jack is about 5'6" tall and weighs about that much, but he is the "real deal" and is a great friend.
3rd Plt, Bravo Co, 1st Tank Bn, 1st Marine Division Reunion
The 1st Marine Division, 1st Tank Battalion, Bravo Company, 3rd Platoon, will gather once again for their reunion, May 14th in ST. Charles, MO. This is the 3rd time the Viet Nam Vets have met as a
group since 1967. The first time they had seen or heard from each other was in 2009. That was the first time any of them knew who was still alive, or where they were all located. Cpl. Ronald Davidson said, "we have lost a few brothers along the way, and still have a few "strays" to locate".
Rifle Salute
While in USMC attending Sea School, in 1958, at MCRD, in San Diego, CA, we all took chow at the Drill Instructor’s Mess. We were marched in formation to the covered passageway, outside the Mess' hatch; where we stood "at ease," prior to entry.
DEVIL DOG
Devil Dog with the Eagle Globe & Anchor back
Come See Sgt Grit’s Hall of Motivation
If you are a Marine that has “been there, done that” we are pretty sure that when it comes to Marine Corps collector items there are some things that you have not “seen them, saw that”.
When you visit the Sgt Grit headquarters take some time to view Sgt Grit's Personal Collection. Over 25 years of gifts and collectibles are prominently displayed along the bulkheads down the Hall of Motivation. Such items as the first product ever offered by Sgt Grit, a black t-shirt with printed Marine terms and jargon used during the Vietnam War era, a framed color photo of Marine Sniper GySgt Carlos Hathcock (White Feather) at a National Long Range match in August of 1965, and a framed letter from the 31st Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. Charles C. Krulak… just to name a few.
Don’t Disrespect the Dress Blue Uniform
About a year ago (Jan 2013) I stop at a truck stop in northern Illinois and was having dinnerwith a few other truckers. Two fellows came in and sat down to get some dinner. (they were not truckers). One was dressed in the Army’s dress green coat and the chevrons were placed upside down. The other was wearing the Marine Corps Dress Blue Coat and his Sgt chevron’s were also on upside down. I was wearing my Marine Corps Ball cap and a few others were wearing their colors. I asked the fellow with the Dress Blue Coat if he was a Marine? He replied no but my brother was. I asked the other fellow if he had been in the Army? He said “no I got this from a Military Surplus Store”. As I got up from my seat and started toward those two I told them that they were going to have to remove those jackets. We don’t play that kind of sh!t here. I told them that “I’m a proud Veteran of the Marine Corps and You’re disrespecting and that's offending me… now you can take off that Coat or I’ll do it for you.” A few of the other truckers stood up too along with both of the boys. The one with the Dress Blue Coat got right in my face and said I’m not taking it off and you better not touch me or you’re going to jail.. As he started to turn toward the door he lost his balance I caught his fall by grabbing the leather neck collar he was wearing and the side of the coat. He spun around as he continued to fall and his arm came out of the coat. I pulled a little harder to try to help him regain his balance and the other arm came out. Thus I had the coat in my hand and his asz was on the floor. I tossed the coat to a chair nearby and then turned and looked at the boy with the Army Coat on. I paused and just looked at him; it didn’t take 2 seconds for him to get that coat off. The fellow behind him said to the boys “I think it’s time for you two to go before this gets ugly”. Now that’s what we all told the police when they arrived. The Coats got misplaced somehow because they were missing. After the two boys left the cops stood there for a few seconds and reminded us that regardless of our intensions they had the right to wear those coats if they choose. I told the cop just because it’s legal don’t make it right. He stood there for awhile until those boys were gone. Look at me smiled and said “Semper fi!” shook my hand and then left. If we as Marines don’t make a stand when disrespected then we were never Marines to start with. But make sure you CYA.
Get your personalized USMC gear at Sgt Grit
Add a personal touch to your Marine Corps apparel, decals, coins, and much more. We carry a large selection of USMC products that you can personalize with your own message. Whether it’s personalizing text on a t-shirt, embroidering your ribbons and years of service on a cover, engraving your information on a canteen cup, or adding a salty message to your own bumper sticker or vinyl decal, you can do it at Sgt Grit.