Category: Main

Rifle Inspection

During rifle inspection, which included grilling of the recruits about general orders, command chain, etc. The Lt and Gunny came before Pvt Renfro: “Pvt! What is your first general order! Reply, I don’t know sir: Pvt who is the Commandant of the Marine Corps? Don’t know sir! Pvt what is your 3rd general order? Don’t know sir! Pvt! Do you know anything?! Yes sir! Well Pvt what do you know? (pause)…Don’t know sir! At which point, the Lt (mustang from Univ of Tenn) threw Pvt Renfro’s M-14 50 yards in the air and into a muddy puddle. It took everything the DI’s had to keep us from laughing. Pvt Renfro, “was counseled” later in the barracks. read more

47 Years Later

MIKE 4/11 1st Marine Division. You can not make this stuff up, you only access, adapt & over come. I once responded to a article that appeared in Sgt Grit from a person that I served with in An Hoa Vietnam, 1969. Have left my email in the sponge box, I received a phone call from Sgt Grit that a marine known as Mike Paul was trying to contact me. The years have clouded my memory but what the hell, I gave the go ahead to call me. At first I did not remember Mike because we used nicknames until he said they called me Top because his father was a Top in the Corps. That name hit the right bell in my head. After a long talk the past 46 years seemed as if they never happened, we were back there as 18 – 19 years olds covering any fears with a laugh. Well we decided to meet in Sanibel, Florida 4/2016. I have to say we didn’t look the same, the apprehension that was felt left as soon as our eyes locked our hands shook and a rather tight hug. The feeling between two Marines from serving in combat never changes, that bond is not breakable. The day and a 1/2 that we were together was something that gets written about, the wives shared their own stories about their Marine. We departed by saying let’s not wait another 47 years. read more