Author: SgtGrit

PRIDE AND PASSION: HOW ONE MARINE FOUGHT THROUGH HARDSHIPS AND IMPACTED HIS COMMUNITY

Marine, fitness instructor and community leader – These are just a few of the titles used to describe a Wyomissing, Pennsylvanian, resident who has dedicated his life to serving. 

The past 12 years of Christopher T. Kaag’s life have been a journey of discovery in which he has overcome his own personal challenges in hopes of supporting others to do the same. It has been a path marked by tragedy, pain, challenges and the euphoria of overcoming all of them to achieve a dream. It was a dream that took root when he was a young boy with a desire to grow in the footsteps of his father as a U.S. Marine. read more

MARINE OF THE WEEK:

Sgt. William W. Rollins
2d Battalion, 7th Marines – HAVOC, Marine Corps Forces, Central Command
Balkh Province, Afghanistan
June 19, 2008
Award: Silver Star

Enemy fighters ambushed Sergeant Rollins’ squad with a high volume of machine gun and rocket propelled grenade fire from multiple prepared positions. With the majority of his squad pinned down by the accurate enemy fires, Sergeant Rollins rushed to within 30 meters of the enemy positions, in the face of almost certain death, and provided suppressive fire which allowed his men to escape the immediate ambush area. Once his Marines withdrew, Sergeant Rollins courageously maneuvered through enemy fire to rejoin his squad where he continued to attack the enemy while the wounded Marines were extracted. Then, with enemy fire still impacting around him, Sergeant Rollins dragged a Marine casualty to safety. Sergeant Rollins aggressive actions in the face of the enemy drew fire onto his own position and provided his squad the reprieve they needed to maneuver to safety. Sergeant Rollins bold leadership, wise judgment, and complete dedication to duty, reflected great credit upon him and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.
(Photo by Lance Cpl. Sarah Anderson)
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MARINE OF THE WEEK: Gunnery Sgt. Juan J. Rodriguez-Chavez

Assigned to the security element while other members of his team led two platoons of Afghan National Security Forces into Ganjgal Village for a pre-dawn meeting with village elders. Then-Staff Sergeant Rodriguez-Chavez heard over the radio that the dismounted patrol was ambushed by roughly fifty enemy fighters in fortified positions. With four members of his team in immediate danger of being surrounded, he drove a gun-truck, with one other Marine as his gunner, forward into the kill zone of a well prepared ambush. With only the machine gun fires of his gunner to suppress the enemy, he ignored heavy enemy fires and drove the vehicle into the kill zone three times to cover the withdrawal of the combined force and evacuate two dozen members of the Afghan National Security Forces. With complete disregard for his own personal safety, he made a fourth trip into the deepest point of the kill zone in another gun-truck with three other U.S. personnel to recover the bodies of the fallen team members. He positioned his vehicle to shield the U.S. members from the intense enemy fire as they dismounted to recover their bodies. By his decisive actions, bold initiative, and selfless dedication to duty, Staff Sergeant Rodriguez-Chavez reflected great credit upon himself and the Marine Corps and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. read more

MARINE CORPS AIRCRAFT CRASHES, KILLING 16

The Marine aircraft that crashed Monday evening was a KC-130T from Marine Aerial Refueling and Transport Squadron (VMGR) 452, Marine Air Group-49, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Forces Reserve.   The flight originated from Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., as the squadron was supporting a requirement to transport personnel and equipment from there to Naval Air Field El Centro, Calif.   read more

Veterans’ tattoos symbolize loss, service and patriotism

The American flag, when borne on the shoulder patch of an active-duty soldier, is supposed to be reversed, says Timothy Mangolds.

“It’s supposed to commemorate (that) you’re always running toward battle” with the flag appearing as if it’s flowing behind you, explains the 27-year old who served in the Army from 2009 to 2012. read more

MARINE OF THE WEEK // TOOK THE GRENADE BLAST AND KEPT FIGHTING:

Cpl. Richard Weinmaster
2d Battalion, 7th Marines, Marine Corps Forces, Central Command (Forward)
Sangin District, Helmand Province, Afghanistan
July 8, 2008
Award: Navy Cross

Then-Private First Class Weinmaster’s squad was conducting a dismounted patrol down a narrow side street when enemy forces ambushed the squad with machine gun fire and hand grenades. Upon contact, Private First Class Weinmaster immediately began engaging the enemy positions with his squad automatic weapon. As he delivered suppressive fire and assaulted the enemy, encountering a withering volume of fire that passed within meters of his position, Private First Class Weinmaster saw two hand grenades tossed over a wall land in the middle of his patrol. Noting where one of the grenades landed, he quickly placed himself between the grenade and his fire team leader, using his body to shield both his team leader and several other Marines from the blast, which occurred immediately. Private first Class Weinmaster was seriously injured when the grenade detonated, but his valorous actions prevented his fire team leader from receiving any shrapnel. Although he was critically wounded, Private First Class Weinmaster continued to carry on the attack, engaging enemy forces with accurate automatic weapons fire and forcing them to break contact, until he collapsed from the gravity of his wounds. By his outstanding display of decisive action, unlimited courage in the face of extreme danger, and total dedication to duty, Private First Class Weinmaster reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service. read more

MOVING VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL WALL MAKES WAY TO DESERT HOT SPRINGS

DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. – In 1982, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall was built and dedicated to those who served and died in the Vietnam War. While attending the dedication in 1982, a group of artists felt the positive power of The Wall and felt it should be shared not only in Washington D.C., but across the country. Sitting at about half the size of the actual Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, the two replicas began their journey in Tyler, Texas in 1984. Today, the walls travel across the country from April to November, to pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice.   The city of Desert Hot Springs hosted The Moving Wall at their local Mission Springs Park from June 22 to June 26, 2017.  During the Vietnam War more than 58,000 service members, both men and women, were either killed or deemed missing in action. The Wall has the names of those men and women etched onto a reflective stone, so visitors can not only see the names, but see themselves, reflecting on the lives of the people who fought and died to keep them safe.    At the commencement of the program, Headquarters Battalion Color Guard posted their colors at the Moving Wall opening program and, the keynote speaker, retired Sgt. Frank Orzio, pastor, Wounded Warrior Ministry Project, addressed those in attendance.    “In this time of remembrance we must hold close to our hearts our fallen warriors, keep in our mind our prisoners of war and missing in action service members who have become a shadow of a memory,” Orzio said. “We see these men and women and realize, once again, how much we owe them and how much they have given.”    Following the program, local community members were able to visit the wall and pay their respects. Also local Vietnam veterans attended to honor their fallen comrades, and pass knowledge to the younger generations at hand.    On June 26, Desert Hot Springs hosted the closing ceremony for the Moving Wall. It will now move onto a different location to spread the same spirit of positivity; the same feeling of gratitude and respect that those artists felt from the dedication of the original wall in 1982.    “We wanted the Moving Wall here in Desert Hot Springs to give our veterans the chance to pay homage to those who lost their lives in the Vietnam War,” said Requita Grant, event coordinator, Community and Cultural Affairs. read more

IWO JIMA

What started as a quick, violent attack on February 19, 1945, turned into 36 days of some of the fiercest and bloodiest fighting the Marines would ever encounter. The amphibious assault on Iwo Jima was considered to be the “ultimate storm landing,” with a striking force of 74,000 Marines. The US sent more Marines to Iwo than to any other battle, 110,000 Marines in 880 Ships. The U.S. Marine 4th and 5th Divisions led the invasion, with the 3rd Division in reserve. The first day saw more then 2,400 American casualties but, during the battle U.S. Marines, killed an estimated 20,000 Japanese and captured over 1,000 prisoners. read more

TO BE A MARINE

Some people think we came from hell, other think we should all go there. Then there are the wise ones who are glad we are around.

So what does it take to be a Marine? I admit, you have to be a bit foolish, a little daring, somewhat adventurous, looking for a challenge and according to most parents-crazy. Why? Because we are special. We train differently, we act differently, we think like no others, we take chances where others never would, we do more with less,We are overflowing with pride. read more