Author: SgtGrit

I volunteered

I enlisted in the Marines in 1968 out of high school on a delayed entry program…arrived in San Diego in October…went through infantry training…set foot in Nam in Arpil ’69…..assigned to Delta Co 1 / 4 3rd Marine Div in I Corp…after a few months our radio man rotated to the world…I volunteered to carry it…..I did not know the life expectancy of a radioman was about 3 seconds…I was given a codebook, map, and compass…. that was my training….having to negotiate the bush by compass and map greatly improved my hunting skills I now use in northern Wisconsin woods. read more

on Bob Hope

Thought I'd weigh in. From posts so far looks like 1964 will be  earlier than Hope encounters mentioned so far. I've attached  coverage from the Triad USMC 3rd Mar Div paper on the show too.  And some of the photos I took.   (PS: I note with interest the paper's reference to the Marines  as "Troops". I don't think it was in your newsletters but I  think in a LinkedIn USMC group a Marine took umbrage at  referring to Marines as troops, maintaining we don't call  ourselves as "troops". Looks like we do.)   In December of 1964 I was sent from Iwakuna based 1st MAW to  Okinawa for some language training (that's the source of a  couple of other stories). The school was held in a small Army  base (the name escapes me at the moment) and we were billeted  there.    It so happens that I ran across a friend from our mutual unit,  2nd Amtracs in Lejeune and he showed me around a bit As luck  would have it on Dec 20th 1964, Bob Hope made a stop in Okinawa  and put on a show at Camp Courtney. There were a lot of Marines  on Okinawa (the Rock) back in those days, and I think about all  of them showed up. I think I was nearby as I don't recall any  great trek to get there I got there early enough to get right up  to the stage, but in the right hand corner so I didn't have a  front view, but it still was pretty good. I'm a keeper, and in  my archive I found a copy of the 3rd MarDiv's newspaper (the  Triad. .Voice of the 3rd Marine Division) which covered the  show. So rather than try and recreate the show from memory I'll  share the Triad's article and photos. Also, I've included some  photos of mine. The only thing to add is I remember Jill St John  stopping in front of me leaning over and shaking my hand and  thanking me for my service.    Photos: Hope arrival at HQ and moving on to the show Marines assembling the Audience close up  Hope of course Anita Bryant introducing Jill St John It was interesting to see that there wasn't much ad lib, and  there was an assistant timing the show, bit by bit.   Don Harkness

Guarding the Streets of Gold

Sgt. Joseph B. VanderLaan, January 2, 1971-December 17, 2011   United States Marine Corp Scout Sniper,   Radio Operator & Primary Marksmanship Instructor.   Served 8 years, 3 tours in Iraq, Operation Eager Mace in Kuwait, Operation Nautical Mantis in Saudi Arabia, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Desert Stay, U.N. Transport of Pakistani Forces in Somalia, Operation Fiery Vigil in The Republic of the Philippines, 1 float on U.S.S. Schenectady, Earned Combat Action Ribbon, Good Conduct Medal, Southwest Asia Service Medal with 2 stars, Meritorious Unit Citation, 2 letters of appreciation, Sea Service Deployment Medal, Over Seas Medal, Naval Unit Commendation Medal.   J.B. was a quiet and unassuming man who took pride in being a Marine, a Son, and a Brother.  He kept to himself mostly, making sure to attend to his Father's needs with little regard for himself in the process. Those that new J.B. or served with him saw past his quiet reserve and knew the true nature of his heart. J.B. suffered a brain seizure along with other complications, passing in peace in the arms of his Father, Michael Vanderlaan.   J.B.'s brother, Ted Vanderlaan (also a former Marine), quietly posted the following statement about his brother:   " It just disappeared without any warning or a word. Today I lost one of the few things in this cesspool of a world that even made being on this planet even partially tolerable. One of the only people I’ve ever had touched my life in such a way. Today I lost my baby brother. Most have never known him; he was a shy and quite unassuming man. He lived his life in obscurity, living with my parents and not venturing far from home. He spent every day worrying about them, taking care of them, and living a quiet life that few, if any, can understand or appreciate. He was a true angel. Maybe some people are blessed with many, and maybe some will never have the opportunity to know a single one….but for me, I’ve been blessed with far more than anyone ever deserves. The only other angle in my life was my grandmother on my mother’s side, not an angel not in waiting, but someone who touched everyone in her life and made everyone’s life a little better just by coming in contact with her. The other, my brother and the person I’ve worried about and fretted over my entire life. The only person that looked up to me his entire life, but who I could never help. He was a true patriot’ that loved this country as much as I did and risked his life in the service of this country in the Marine Corps. He, like so many of our fallen brothers, believed that everything this country stand for is worth dying for, even if it is to protect those that live here and hate everything about us. He was unique among those I’ve know in my life. I‘ve never experienced him being mean, cruel, or even temporarily self-serving. He was a beautiful human being of the like which we can only strive for in this world. "   Wishing my friend and brother in arms a peaceful rest, and peaceful hearts and minds to his family and friends. Until we meet again J.B…..Semper Fidelis   LCpl T.L. Palmer   7th ESB, 1st BF Co. – FMF PAC   USMC

Our Marine is coming home.

SGT.Grit.                                                                              About two years ago you printed the story of how our son became a Marine.Well he is coming back to the states in 14 days,not the 2 to 3 months we though it would be.Don't get me wrong he did his time in Afgan.,and I believe he did so in true Marine fashion.Having not seen him for close to two years ,we can hardly wait.         We are very proud of him and the service he has given our country.We don't know yet if he is going to renlist or not .He and his grand father are the only two people directly related to me that have served during and in a war position for our country. I served bot it was in between Vetnamn and Desert Storm.To young for one to old for the other.I'm sure this sounds like a o hum letter ,but to us antone who serves during a war is everything but that.CPL.Hayden is his name and he is the first true Marine in our family,that alone would make his mother and I beyond proud,but being the only other member of my family to enlist and serve during war time. Please don't just toss this aside we believe he deserve our thanks.His father.

Vietnam Christmas 1965

Sgt Gritt, had one more picture to show you of a greeting we made for all the Marines to see in the DaNang Airbase area where 5th CommBn was living in the great tents and mud. By the way we did sit up the sound system for the Bob Hope Show that year and I do have some old picturs of Jody Heatherton, and a couple others while working behind the scene's. read more

Was with 1st Lt. Sekardi at LZ Baldy

I was with Wiskey 3/11 on hill 55 in August '69 and moved to Lz Baldy later that year. Lt. Sekardi was right, we did have to "borrow" a few items from the Army as we had nothing.

At one time we were sent to hill 953 which was so far out that we had to use mirrors with another postion two mountain ranges away to site our mortors in. I ended up being a section chief on both the 4-duece and the 155 at the same time. read more