Skull with EGA and sword
Author: SgtGrit
Eagle, Globe, and Anchor skull
War stories
Our Corpsman was killed back when I was still in the Corps, he was the funniest squid you would ever meet. To this day, I'll never forget the man. He was one of us, well as close as a sailor can get anyways. R.I.P. Petty officer Brian.
UA Smoking
As I remember it, it was a beautiful sunny day at MCRD San Diego 1977 when all hell broke loose! I was called front and center and all I could think, what now, what now. You see I went in on a buddy plan with my brother and cousin. My brother and I were in 2039 while my cousin was in 2040, but he was supposed to be in 2039 with us. He raised enough stink, that he got his wish and was moved into 2039. Note: never ever stir up the bees! Well these two jokers smoked, I didn't just never did like it. Well on that beautiful sunny day my blood thought they could get away with grabbing a smoke while doing some laundry and were caught. I was called to the front of the squad bay to do push ups until my DI got tired, which he was sitting in his office with his feet up on the desk. I never thought I could do so many push ups and had a pool of sweat around me. I turned 54 three days ago and I still do 30 push ups a day, most people think that I am a lot younger than what I look and it all comes back to that beautiful sunny day in MCRD San Diego. Semper Fi
Chow at Kadena AFB
Some of the stories about bad Marine chow brought back memories. I was with 1/1 3rd Mar Div in 1983 for a 6 month tour on Okinawa. After being on "the rock" for two weeks and eating less than stellar chow at the camp Hanson chow hall, I couldn't wait to go out to Kinville and get some chicken fried rice….no onions on most evenings. Anyway I was with H&S Company Supply and had to go to Kadena AFB to pick up some equipment. I grabbed a guy from Motor T with a jeep license and off we went. I picked up the equipment and since it was almost noon the Motor T L/Cpl asks me if I'm hungry. Hell yes I said. When aren't Marines hungry? He said he had eaten at the Kadena chow hall & the food was damn good. So off we go to the chow hall. I could not believe my eyes. You had more than ONE choice of entrees. WTF? As a matter of fact there were FOUR main entree choices. The dessert choices seemed endless!!! After filling my plate, I turn around to get a seat at a table and low and behold…..There are actual TABLECLOTHS on each table with salt & pepper shakers and napkins on each table. (I think I died and went to chow hall heaven). But that's not all. I was told that you could go and get SECONDS if you were still hungry. Well, being a good Marine, I had to test that rumor and found out it was TRUE. Needless to say I tried to get to Kadena AFB as often as possible. Man those fly boys had it good. I often wondered if the Marine Corps chow was so bad to keep us Devil Dogs pissed off and ready to kick some azz. Just a theory.
Marine Mickey
Mickey Mouse in Dress Blues
Busted In Boot Camp!
How it was I got busted in boot camp!
Introduction: I was in Platoon 113, 3rd Battalion, Parris Island, April thru July 1956. DI's were Sgt. Cagla, Cpl. Davis, and SDI TSgt Smith. Cpl. Davis was the harshest, and was the DI who busted me! Our platoon was being formed during our first week, first week of April, they called it "Casual Company" which was anything but casual. So while being formed we wound up in the old wooden barracks on the rifle range before being shuffled into 3rd Battalion Quonset huts. While we were in the Rifle Range barracks, we were located on the opposite end of the wooden barracks from SSgt Mckeon's platoon #117 the evening he marched his platoon into the "Rose Garden" (puff mud of Ribbon Creek) tidal basin. During those months our platoon made many visits to our own "Rose Garden" the tidal marsh behind 3rd Battalion.
Honoring his grandfather
This is a picture of PFC Dalton Welsh (24th Marines), United States Marine Corps, presenting the U.S. Flag at his grandfather’s (Lonnie Welsh) funeral to his great grandfather (Homer Welsh), a World War II veteran of the U.S. Army. PFC Welsh’s grandfather, a Vietnam era veteran of the U.S. Army, passed away unexpectedly on December 12, 2011.
Shadow Box
Sgt. Grit,
You might remember that 2 or 3 weeks ago I sent in a story about Andy Goddard, retired Marine Gunny SDI pt’ing a fat-body recruit in the “Rose Garden” at Parris Island?
One of things I said was that “you oughta see his shadow box”. In case you’re still interested, here it is.
I guess it is done
Hey Grit: I ordered all my stickers last fall but my License plate just got here a couple weeks ago. What do ya think. I didn't want there to be any confusion about what is important in my life. In Wisconsin you have to send a copy of your 214 to get these issued to weed out the posers. Nice job Wisconsin. No one knows what the Navy Marine Corps Medal means out here but I sure do see a lot of people looking at the back of my truck. And there sure are a lot of people that blow their horn and some that even salute when they pass me.