Author: SgtGrit

Sgt Grit Newsletter September 8 , 2011

Grit – The Mighty Mite that you are referring to. I once had one of our supply guys searching for the stock # of a radiator for the air-cooled Mighty Mite – he spent two hours on it – boy, was he mad.
R. Moen 2059141

 

My Salute

The decommissioning of Navy Hospital ship USS Sanctuary and being towed for its imminent demise to a scrap heap to me is just plain sad. When serving as a grunt with L3/7, 69-70, I had two medivacs onto the Sanctuary, once being treated for jungle rot infection and later for immersion foot. From the surgical staff to the nurses I along with my fellow Marines received the best of care! My salute to the Navy docs and nurses and especially all the bush Corpsman who without them … Ooorah! Semper Fi read more

Ontos = “The Thing” = Pigs

They were doomed from the onset. The Army dumped them on the
Corps around 1957. Tow's were well into development and the Army
preferred them. Little did they know what a fine fighting
platform Ontos were. Anti personnel rounds were developed and
used with great effectiveness in V.N. and no enemy tanks until
Tet of 68 I was schooled at Camp Delmar Track Schools Bn.s in
1965. I served in 1st- 2nd- 3rd Bn.s and Div.'s They saw service
in at least two other Theaters of Operation then unceremoniously
sold off to third world countries. read more

Flattened Tires

One of my favorite photos from the National Museum of the Marine
Corps in Triangle / Quantico Virginia. Also, a 105mm howitzer
staged in the Vietnam display area at the museum. (The flattened
tires, by incoming shrapnel, were just at it happened at Khe
Sanh). I tried without much success to have the gun decaled with
the shield of Battery I, 3rd Battalion, 12th Marines with whom I
was privileged to serve in 1963-1965 coming out of 1st Marine
Brigade at Kaneohe Bay to Phu Bai, RVN.
 
Best regards, and Semper Fi
Joe Featherston read more

Near Dogpatch

Sgt Grit,
You mentioned Mighty Mites. Here's a couple of pictures of two
of our Mighty Mites in the 3rd Mar Div, Headquarters Battalion,
MP unit. I'm sitting in one with a South Vietnamese QC officer
waiting to go on patrol near Dogpatch by the Danang Air Base in
August, 1966. The other picture is of our Gunny as we're waiting
to depart from the POW compound on the south flank of Hill 327
for our new assignment in Dong Ha in October, 1966. read more

Con Thien

Sgt. Grit
When Jim Barr – SNCO of Marines (Vietnam Vet 62-73) mentioned
the Mighty Mite, in your Newsletter of Sept. 01, it brought back
some memories of my time in RVN ('67 and '68).  I've enclosed
the only picture I have of one of those little beasties.
 
This particular vehicle was assigned to Capt. Edwards (RVN '67)
who was the C.O. of C/1/4 during that time. [Note: He was one h-
ll of an officer and I'll never forget him.] Anyway, his company
driver – "Sid" (in the passenger's seat) and Company Radio
Operator – "Porky" (in the back, with the mail sack), used to
hunt me up and we'd make runs into Hue (months B4 Tet). I've
often wondered how we managed to survive those afternoon jaunts
– and have tried to re-collect exactly WHY we went on those
little trips anyway.  [At my age, my memory is rather foggy.] Likely "to get beer" was the logical reason.
 
With respect to USMC  "non armored" vehicles, MY personal
favorite was "the Mule". I've also enclosed a picture of one of
those little beasties. Those little suckers could sure haul the
Ammo & C-Rats, etc. read more