Author: SgtGrit

Operation Utah

In March, 1966, the Marine Corps lost a good man, a family lost one of their favorite sons and a bunch of fighter-writers lost a best friend.  On March 4-5, LtCol. Leon Utter, the Battalion Commander of the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, was ordered into in the village of Chau Ngai in the Quang Ngai Province of Vietnam.  The mission: to engage the NVA.  It was called Operation Utah.  With Utter's battalion was Cpl. Lester Wesighan, a Marine Corps combat correspondent and Cpl. Ken Henderson, a Marine Corps combat photographer/a fighter/writer/photographer team. read more

Hand Painted EGA

I know Sgt Grit has a tattoo page and I indeed have my 'Corps' in, but I though y'all would like to see the 'tattoo' I put on my MC tank (BTW, I just rode it cross country). This is not a decal, it was hand painted by a motorcycle guy in Alabama (note the bulldog above the ega, that came from you too.  Thanks again for all your help. read more

Blue Blades

Dear Sgt Grit,

As a reader of your outstanding newsletter for the last few years I have read a few articles that reference Gillette blue blade razors, sometimes used dry under a bucket while double timing or other such motivating activity. Being a young devil dog (only seeing those yellow footprints in 1983) I did not have the pleasure of using these razors, just the newfangled disposable ones (shave once down, once up).   While on business in Nanjing, China, recently I ran out of juice on my electric razor and had to go to the local convenience store to buy a razor. Imagine my surprise when I saw a brand new Gillette Blue Blade razor for sale for about $1.50. I bought it, but also bought a Mach 3 and shaving cream as I had no intention of disfiguring myself with the blue blade. It is indeed a small world. (Also went to Shanghai and visited Soochow Creek while there).    Best regards, Mike Winnie Corporal of Marines 1983-1988 USMCR B/1/24

The old and the new Beirut/Med. float jacket ’83.

I am a Marine Corps Beirut vet: Feb.-May '83 & Oct.-Nov.'83. When I started going to the Beirut memorial here in Boston,Mass.,my son had asked me why I didn't wear my Beirut Med. cruise float jacket. I had told him that it was now a FEW sizes to small (ok,yuk it up jarheads.lol). Well,after that,my wife and 2 kids started asking me all the places I had been while in the corps and the dates. I thought that they were just humoring this old jarhead again. On X-mas 2008,they had given me my new Beirut/Med.cruise float jacket. I was absolutely blown away. They even incorporated the 9 gold stars around the '241' which represent,of the 241"brave peacekeepers" killed that day,9 of them were marines from my homestate of Mass. I am definitely one blessed husband,father and marine. I would like to thank my beautiful wife of 25yrs. Denise,my daughter Bianca,my son D.J.II for all of the love,effort,time and dedication that was put into the design of this beautiful jacket. And most definitely a big shout-out to my extended Marine Corps family "Sgt.Grit". Every single patch on my new float jacket is from Sgt.Grit. Beirut veterans' motto: "The first duty is to remember". To ALL of my 'Beirut brothers'…you will never be forgotten. Semper fi and Godbless. read more

Oliver North

In 2006, while on R&R in Ecuador, I found this artist who hand carves the pictured artwork. I liked his artwork so much I started having him do stuff I thought was cool. I had him make the Marine logo, and I had my wife pick it up on a later date. I took in Camp Leatherneck to find a deserving Marine to give it to. I just so happened to run across Oliver North while at Leatherneck and I presented it to him for being a lifelong stand up Marine. Here is a photo of me and him. read more