The name of the exercise has changed from ‘CAX’ (Combined Arms Exercise) to ‘Mojave Viper’ (If I’m up to date on that… no guarantees), but it involves infantry battalions, plus attachments and re-enforcements, moving to the Air-Ground Combat Training Center… or whatever they call that particular chunk of California Mojave desert… more commonly known as ’29 Palms’ or, ‘The Stumps’. There might be as many as ten of these exercises in a year, and were about half and half First and Second Division evolutions.
Author: SgtGrit
Eagles On His Shoulders
I was in Japan on a train headed for a camp that had belonged the Japanese during WW2. I was trying to open a bottle of Japanese whiskey and who comes walking through the train, Col. Puller. He looked right at me struggling with a cork, I thought “Oh sh-t”. Nothing happened.
Act On Instinct
I recall one day at PISC, we were lunging into the hanging dummy with fixed bayonet. The 2nd Lt did not like the way I growled so after the third time he had the platoon form a circle around him and then he called me into the center with him and growled at me saying he was going to show me how to do that. Then he came at me with the rifle and bayonet aimed at me. I do not remember what I did but I took the weapon away from him and had him on the ground while bouncing the rifle butt into his groin.
Marine Math
The Korean War, in which the Marine Corps fought and won some of its most brutal battles, was not without its gallows of humor.
During one such conflict a ROK (Republic of Korea) commander, whose unit was fighting along with the Marines, called legendary Marine General Chesty Puller to report a major Chinese attack in his sector. “How many Chinese are attacking you?” asked Puller. “Many, many Chinese!” replied the excited Korean officer.
MARINE OF THE WEEK // Only minutes after that photo was taken:
MARINE OF THE WEEK // Only minutes after that photo was taken:
1st Lt. Baldomero López
1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division
Inchon, Korea
September 15, 1950
Award: Medal of Honor
With his platoon 1st Lt. Lopez was engaged in the reduction of immediate enemy beach defenses after landing with the assault waves. Exposing himself to hostile fire, he moved forward alongside a bunker and prepared to throw a hand grenade into the next pillbox whose fire was pinning down that sector of the beach. Taken under fire by an enemy automatic weapon and hit in the right shoulder and chest as he lifted his arm to throw, he fell backward and dropped the deadly missile. After a moment, he turned and dragged his body forward in an effort to retrieve the grenade and throw it. In critical condition from pain and loss of blood, and unable to grasp the hand grenade firmly enough to hurl it, he chose to sacrifice himself rather than endanger the lives of his men and, with a sweeping motion of his wounded right arm, cradled the grenade under him and absorbed the full impact of the explosion. His exceptional courage, fortitude, and devotion to duty reflect the highest credit upon 1st Lt. Lopez and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
MARSOC MARINE RETAINS TITLE AS ULTIMATE TACTICAL ATHLETE
Sgt. Ethan Mawhinney, a Pittsburgh native and a Marine Air Ground Task Force planner with U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command, successfully defended his championship title at the Marine Corps’ third annual HITT Tactical Athlete Competition at Camp Pendleton, Calif., Aug. 28th through 31st, 2017.
SEPTEMBER IS SUICIDE PREVENTION MONTH
The suicide rate among Active Duty and Reserve Marine Corps personnel has fluctuated during the past five years, even while more emphasis has been placed on recognizing the signs and symptoms to aid in the prevention of suicide.
Marine Administrative Message 486/17 was issued this month urging:
“… Marines (and) Sailors attached to Marine Corps units, and their family members (should make themselves aware) of available support networks, suicide prevention, and behavioral health resources. Throughout the month, we encourage leadership to use online and in-person opportunities to provide information and emphasize the important role that every Marine plays in suicide prevention.”
Marine of the week
#MARINE OF THE WEEK // “I understand that this places me in a category of Marines that I would have never imagined to be a part of.”
Upgraded from the Silver Star to the Navy Cross Sept. 14, 2017:
Staff Sgt. Eric Smith
2d Battalion 4th Marines, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF)
Operation Iraqi Freedom
April 6, 2004
LASTING LEGACY: MARINES UNVEIL MURAL AT MARINE WEEK DETROIT
A group of Marines with the Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Detroit unveiled the mural they’ve been painting for Marine Week Detroit on Sept. 9, 2017.
The mural was painted on the side of the Marine Corps League, Montford Point Detachment 158 building in Detroit, Mich. Five Marines put over a hundred hours of work into the completion of the mural. The mural depicts the history and accomplishments of the Montford Point Marines, who fought in a segregated Marine Corps from 1942 through 1949.
MARINE SAVES VIETNAM VETERAN AFTER MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT
About a month ago, Staff Sgt. Dustin Gill’s life changed forever. His day started off as planned; him and his wife Cynthia packed their luggage and hit the road for their honeymoon cruise. It was a predictable drive on Interstate 26, until the couple hit dead stop traffic.