Category: Afghanistan

Hello Sgt. Grit

My name is Emily Whalen, I am happily and proudly married to Sgt. Skyler Whalen. We get alot of things from your very nice online store you have put together. He is home for about 10 more days and then he is going back to afgan I couldnt live without your store I could build a dog house from all the nik-naks I got. I had an old marine salute me yesterday he saw me emlem on every window of my truck and it just made me feel like shouting out to you were getting Skyler a Marine Corps Saddle made for christmas his 2 most loved things n one i will send you an image of what it looks like you might get a kick out of it. read more

Just want to give a big shout out to our son LCPL Joshua Townsend of the 1/3 who has just completed a 7 month deployment in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. We would also like to acknowledge all our military personnel and we really appreciate all their efforts and sacrifices especially our Marines. We wish and pray all have a quick tour and safe return. Attached is a photo of Josh and fellow Afghan soldier. read more

This picture shows all the Sacrifices made by our Marine Families!!!! SSGT. Bernard J. Coyne and his wife Kathryn Coyne SSGT Coyne's MOS is EOD, and he is stationed at Camp Lejune, NC. Kathryn lives in Jacksonville, NC with their three children, Julianna, 9, Cadence,3, Bernard III, one year old SSGT. Coyne left Jan 19th aboard the Mesa-Verde. diverted to Haiti, on it's way to the Middle East. read more

The family of Marine Staff Sgt. Matt Ingham comfort one another as his casket arrives at the Altoona-Blair County Airport in Martinsburg. on Monday, Jan. 18. Sgt. Ingham, 25, Altoona, was killed in action in Afghanistan.

Hey Grit,

July, 1969, An Hoa Combat Base, I CORP, 3rd 8 inch How. Btry (SP) Capt. Hudiberg was our CO……I'm a FNG 0811 learning the A gunner job on gun 1. During a fire mission one night, after loading a round and powder charge, I had closed and locked the breechblock, was leaning down and inserting a primer when we had a rocket hit just outside the gun pit (charles was returning fire). Not sure if the concussion from the explosion or him just ducking down, but the gunner accidently depressed the hydraulic lever that operated the ramming chain at the precise moment that my hand was down in front of the breech block. Result: squashed hand…several broken bones and a puncture wound.(no purple heart, heh). Medivaced to 1st MED in Danang and got it wrapped and set, to return a week later with a NO DUTY CHIT. In typical Marine Corps fashion, the powers that be decided that I was of no use to the gun platoon, so I was transferred back to the Northern Artillery Contonement (HQ Btry) to be the S-3 Admin. as a typist…..go figger. Hunt and Peck for 3 months before the wrapping and cast removed from left hand. All my whining to no avail….never did get sent back to the guns. Ended up on the Battery REACT squad. read more