This photo displays six Civil War Era Marines standing with fixed bayonets.
This photo is provided courtesy of the Library of Congress.
Category: Events and Memorials
Blue Cover Used For Burial Detail 1957
In reference to Gunny Santiago's email and picture of the blue cover and belts. I am enclosing a picture of a burial detail I was in, back in 1957 when I was on I&I duty in my home town of Atlantic City, NJ. I am second from the right. We must not have had the blue belt at that time or I'm sure we would have worn them. This is the only time I ever wore the blue cover.
Thanks,
Former Drill Instructor, Parris Island 1967-1969, Semper Fi!
Gunny Jack Bolton
The FLIGHT LINE
Submitted by: MARINE Jim McCallum (the ole gunny)
(Spec. Issue #2), (23 Feb., 2014)
Iwo Jima Flag Raising Commemoration
Not many of you will remember this date, but you'll remember hearing about this event from your fellow MARINES and also from your Drill Instructors. Plus, it was normally discussed during some of the history lessons that used to be taught in school. It is the image of six (6) men raising raising the American Flag during the battle for the island of Iwo Jima in the South Pacific during the Second World War. The actual date of the Flag Raising on the Island was 23 February 1945, four day's after the actual battle began. Now, Iwo Jima is a volcanic Island shaped like a trapezoid with Mt. Suribachi, being the only mountain on the Island. At 546 ft. high, it is at it's southernmost tip, thereby over looking the rest of the Island to the North. At the time of the Island's invasion it was a part of the prefecture of Japan and was heavily fortified, hence the high causality count sustained by the MARINES that landed there. In 1945.
Military Appreciation Day
On Saturday, February 8th. I attended the Monster Energy Super Cross in San Diego. It was Military Appreciation Day, so there were lots of Marines and other service members there.
Just prior to the qualification races, the big stars were introduced, and they each did a practice lap. In front of the start line there was a squad of Marines. After Chad Reed #22 did his lap, he rode by the Marines and held out his hand to slap their hands, a few of the Marines did likewise. When Ryan Vilopoto #1 did his lap, he stopped in front of the Marines, and shook each of their hands individually. It was a touch of class, and it made me happy to see there are young people like him out there, who appreciate what the Military is all about.
Chesty Puller Remembered
The first time I remember hearing about Chesty Puller was when I was 15. I was 15 in 1971 when He passed away. At that time my father managed a 7-11 in northern Virginia. Dad had a young Marine that worked for him part time. It turned out that this Marine was assigned as a pallbearer for Marine funerals. It just so happened he was assigned as one of the pallbearers for General Pullers funeral. He was the one who told me who Chesty Puller was and it was 13 years before I became a Navy Corpsman that went to the green side and has never regretted it.
Semper Fi #1
I would like to add a few words about the Dress Blues issue that has been discussed in the last few newsletters.
I belong to a group called Semper Fi #1. We are committed to rendering military honors for veterans and their families at Riverside National Cemetery here in Riverside, Ca. We have approximately 60+ members and have done thousands of services in our 16 years of existence. We are at the cemetery 3 times a month and do about 20-25 services each month.
In The Dress
Thought you would get a kick out of this. The guy in the dress is me, the guy in flight gear is my son, LtCol. Jeffries C.O. VMFA-112. The occasion is 112's return from a six month west PAC deployment.
Mike Jefferies
Iwo 1956
In Feb 1956 the 3rd Mar Div went and played war games on Iwo Jima. I was with Hq Co Anglico Plt. We went ashore set up radio nets. I was in a radio jeep remoted to the CP. I don't remember it before we played war games, but the pics are Mt Suribachi from below, then from on top looking at the shore line. The last pic is of the monument on top. I was a Pfc. then, was honorably discharged a Cpl Sept. 1957.
Distributed To Veterans and Needy Families
On December 21st, 2013, Central Wisconsin Detachment 350 met at Trigs Grocery in Stevens Point, WI to load and distribute Food Baskets For Needy Veterans and Families. More than 40 food baskets were purchased to carry out our mission. Needed items were distributed to Veterans, Operation Boot Strap and needy families in Central Wisconsin. Marines assisting with food baskets for the Needy Mission included L-R front: Dan Johnson, Bob Wnuk, Rollie Johnson, Hank Hughlett, Julian /Sonnentag,Back: Ron Borski, Stan Potocki, Stan Olejniczak, Jim Olejniczak, Tom Lepkowski, Bob Pallen, and Store Director Randy Roosa Semper Fi, Det. Adjutant Rollie Johnson
World Record
Regarding the story Hollywood Marine, I had a similar experience. The day before heading to P.I, (3/10/58) my Dad took me to a luncheon for the then senator John Kennedy (see enclosed photo). My Dad was a state senator in Mass. and knew JFK from earlier campaigns. We went over to meet him and shook hands. He asked me, "What are you doing now?" I said, "I'm leaving for The Marines in the morning." His face changed and he looked "hard" at me and said, exact quote, "You watch your azs with those people." End quote.