Sgt Grit is a place where Marines can come and meet other Marines, share tattoos and stories, keep up with Marine Corps news, or shop for USMC gear.
Sgt Robert Hougher USMC Ret.
POB 1270
Fairfield, IA 52556
24July2018
Dear General Dunford
I am a Viet Nam era Marine. I was in Nam all of 1970. I enlisted at age 17. I had received a couple of meritorious promotions and was a Sergeant shortly before I turned 19. I was hit by friendly fire in late December 1970. There needs to be a different definition for friendly fire. It wasn’t friendly to me.
I HAVE BEEN A FULL-TIME VOLUNTEER (MOS# 0000), SINCE 2012, TO THE MEMBERSHIP OF “THE SEMPER FI SOCIETY OF THE BRAZOS VALLEY”, IN SEALY, TX. I BECAME AN HONORARY E-1 & BEGAN PAYING YEARLY MEMBERSHIP DUES IN 2014 & IN MAY 2015, MY YEARS OF SERVICE, WAS RECOGNIZED BY THE GOV. OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY & RECEIVED MY COMMISSION AS A “COLONEL, HONORABLE ORDER OF KENTUCKY COLONELS”. ATTACHED IS A PIC OF THE CEREMONY & A FEW OF THE MARINES I HONORABLY SERVE. WHEN I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET LT. GEN. JOE WEBER, USMC (RET) I TOLD HIM: SIR, I NEVER OFFICIALLY SERVED IN THE USMC, BUT NOW THAT I AM RETIRED, I SERVE THOSE WHO TRULY DID SERVE IN THE CORPS. NEVER PRESENTED WITH AN “EGA” PIN, BUT MINE IS TATTOOED ON MY HEART”. HE SMILED, GAVE ME A BIG HUG, LOOKED ME IN THE EYES & SAID—“WELCOME TO THE FAMILY, JARHEAD !!!!!”. TEARS BEGAN TO SLOWLY ROLL DOWN MY FACE—WOW !!!!! AFTER 6 YEARS OF FAITHFUL SERVICE, I HAVE BEEN NOMINATED TO RECEIVE A RANK PROMOTION TO “PFC-VOL.” AND WHETHER OR NOT THIS EVER OCCURS, I AM STILL A VERY BLESSED & CONTENTED SR. CITIZEN, TO BE AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THIS GROUP OF “USMC SPARTANS” —–SEMPER FI, OOORAH, & GOD BLESS THE USA !!!!!!
In March of 1958 I measured in at 5’7” when I joined the Corps. In the intervening 60 years I’ve lost an inch of height but not the ability to get in a friendly jab at our brothers and sisters in our nation’s other fine military branches. My wife and I were recently at a local eating establishment that serves great sandwiches and soups. One has to order at the cash register, pay and then give your name so they can find your table. We were waiting at our table for our food to be ready when I walked back up to the register counter to pick up some extra napkins. As I approached, the cute young thing on the register was taking the order of a soldier, standing about 6’2”, 210 lbs or so and wearing utilities – or whatever they’re called these days – with a “U.S. ARMY” patch proudly showing over the left breast pocket. I heard her saying “I’m sorry. You’re in here practically every day but I can’t think of your name.” I walked back to our table and was about to sit down when I noticed him walking over to the self-serve soft drink fountain. Without a thought of what this big bruiser might be capable of doing to me I quickly sidled over to him and said “You know, if that patch there on your jacket said “USMC” instead of “U.S. ARMY” she would have remembered your name.” I reached up, patted him on the shoulder and walked back to my table while he just stood there shaking his head.
Of course, as we left I went by his table and thanked him for his service.
I have an 18 yr. old grandson who is a good guy, but with character flaw. He’s is a slob. His facial hair
is coming in black, not real heavy, but vary noticeable. He shaves every 3 or 4 days. It looks like crap.
I tried to explain that he needed to have some self pride. And he should shave every day, if not every day at least every other day. This went in one ear and out his a$$. Still a slob.
My enlistment date was March 6, 1958. 11 months later I was still a buck-ass private. After boot camp and ITR the Corps, in its infinite wisdom had decided that I would be sent to electronics school at Treasure Island and then down to MCRD San Diego to the radio repair school. I was neither well suited nor inspired by the prospect, having just dropped out of high school to become a Marine grunt. One of my boot camp platoon mates was an Army Korean war vet with combat experience in tanks, which he had asked for. The Corps made him a cook. But I digress. At Treasure Island I struggled with the class work – electronic theory and application – but I hung on while other guys flunked out. As soon as a guy was dropped from the program he would be reassigned and shipped out. However, before departing for his new duty station he would be given his PFC stripe if his record was clean. Meanwhile, I was told that if I improved my grades I, too, would be raised to the exalted level of E-2. I continued to struggle, but I finally passed the course and was reassigned to MCRD for the next phase – but without that stripe. I continued to struggle with the course and continued to be told that if I magically improved my grade that stripe was out there waiting for me. That caveat had become like a boil on my butt and I was getting pretty p-ssed off watching dropouts getting promoted ahead of me. Then, one day, before the Gunny-instructor started class he made a routine, required, announcement. He said the Inspector General was coming to the base and that any Marine had the right to request to speak to him about anything and wasn’t required to divulge the subject. With hardly a pause he started to go on with the day’s instruction when he noticed I had raised my hand. “What do you need, Private Barber?” He wasn’t used to being interrupted. When I told him I was requesting permission to speak to the I.G. his mouth dropped and every head in the room turned to me. “What for?” he asked but I answered that he had just said I didn’t have to divulge the reason. “Well, maybe I could help without you bothering the I.G.” I told him I didn’t think so because it had been a problem for a while. Class was a little strained that day but then an organized effort was launched to find out what my gripe was. I think every noncom in the school approached me before I was called in to see the Top Sergeant. I explained that I was a little upset that the Corps didn’t see the irony in refusing to give me my stripe because of low grades while passing them out to every man that flunked out. At the next day’s morning formation before class I was called front and center and promoted to PFC. It still makes me smile to think of the sh-t storm that I had stirred up. When I got to class that morning though, the Gunny just looked at me, grinned, shook his head and started class.
I am the wife of a hero! First let me say how wonderful and touching these stories are that you post. I’m sure there are tons of them! My husband – Lance Corporal Duane Wood knew he was going to be drafted in 1969 so he enlisted because he wanted to be a Marine. His older brother’s wife was expecting their first child so my husband volunteered to go to Vietnam so his brother could come home. I know they don’t give medals for things like this but in our eyes he is a hero!
As I was sitting here having my first cup of coffee in my new “This is what an old salty Marine looks like” mug, I realized that Sgt Grit has to be a leftie !!!! Since I already know that I am a salty old Marine, I wanted to share this fact with others but because I am a rightie, I am unfortunately the only one who gets to read it on my mug (coffee mug that is) while I drink my coffee. I believe it is estimated that only approximately 10% of the world population is left handed. what does everybody else think ? Leftie or rightie ?
Why did I join the Marines- Honor? Integrity? Feelings? We all enlisted for different reasons. I was in the thick of things during high school – living in Florida- the Cuban Missile Crises- some adults feared this time as they lived through World War 11- and saw ships torpedoed of Miami Beach – planes overhead day and night. Also, we as kids grew up with a lot of war movies on TV and the Movies as well. After my time in high school – was undecided as what I wanted to do = or where I was headed? Decided to join the Marines – one of my friends had a brother who was a Marine and came to visit his family. He was a little guy- but very confident and carried himself with a head held high- and approached a bully among us- and the guy was a big guy- and got in his face and told him to back off and stop pushing others around. The guy backed off as with all bullies – they do not want someone to challenge them. The Marines gave me confidence- and integrity- and taught me to work with others- and be compassionate too. Help those who need help- and be there for your comrades. Teamwork or Gung Ho! was important- and pick up the slack in a joint effort to overcome an obstacle. You are one out of many- but if one or two take the lead the others will follow- and you accomplish the mission or job at hand. I realize that as an athlete you are faced with a huge payday- but I would not take a knee- so to speak- I think it is disrespecting the FLAG and what it stands for!!! I understand that some take a knee to protest the police and in some instances racial inequality- but I feel this is the wrong forum to express your discontent this way in this manner. I also think our President is not correct in his manner of addressing this issue. We follow our leaders, but at what cost. Everything is not black and white either. I am a Marine from 1963- old timer and times change – weapons change- theaters of operations change- the enemy changes his way of fighting too! We are Marines and we adjust as always. Never thought of who I am or what I would be without being a Marine- Semper Fi! and God bless Our Marine Corps and our Country.
Are you a Marine or Navy corpsman who was with Battalion Landing Team 2/26 in the DMZ in Vietnam in September and October 1968?
Were you on LZ Margo?
Are you a friend or family member of such a Marine or corpsman? Or a family member of one of our brothers who we lost in the DMZ?
I would absolutely go back in The Corps., if given the opportunity, with no hesitation whatsoever — or, in a ‘heartbeat,’ as the previous Marine proudly proclaimed. I stopped watching anything NFL long before the present-day activism we are seeing now. Only back then, I’d began seeing certain political positions the NFL (now the NBA it seems) were taking off the field, which I didn’t agree with, but now it’s bleeding over into the games themselves — out of control, in my opinion. A former (always) Marine, I served from ’81 to ’87. I was part of the ‘Reagan Buildup’ of the military during the Cold War. I had eagerly enlisted right out of high school. Only then, we viewed it as ‘uncertain times,’ what with Iran (after the American hostage release) on the move, and with Russia massively building up it’s military during the Carter years (President Carter). So I do see a certain parallel with today’s world climate. I knew I wanted to be a Marine as a little kid growing up in the late ’60s/early ’70s, because at that time, my uncle was a Recon Marine. He was KIA in Vietnam in ’68. My oldest brother had gone off to bootcamp that same year, and later went to Vietnam to serve two tours. He received two purple hearts and later came home in ’75. During the time I was in, I was a special operator (8151) in El Salvador and Nicaragua. However, my hats off are always to the Maines of WWII and Vietnam..! So yes, I’d definitely serve again for my Country..!!
