Category: Old Corps
Seagoing Marines
Of all the Marines and Marine Divisions represented in these many stories posted, I don't know why I don't ever find anything about the seagoing Marines. I know our old draft-dodging president Bill Clinton did away with the seagoing detachments, but there are a lot of us old salts still standing post on the top side of the grass. We may be getting old, but we aren't dead yet. Let's hear from some seagoing Marine detachment members.
Not a Swamp Rat
When I enlisted in the Corps pretty much everyone west of the Mississippi went to MCRD San Diego and everyone east went to MCRD Parris Island. I don't remember there being a choice. While I would love to perpetuate the myth that those of us who attended the prestigious west coast institution of higher learning wore sunglasses all day while tanning in our free time, this was not the case. In 1969 we had more sand than PI. In fact ALL sand. Sand to do pushups in , sand to get in our boots, pants , socks and everything else. Unfortunately we couldn't really see any beach, unless you consider a mop bucket with a dripping mop, the beach. As for a tan, I only remember my ears turning to bacon from marching on the tarmac, not a tree in sight. All you swamp rats can put the myth of us Hollywood Marines to rest, and those of us from Diego will surely rest easier after all that water from PI runs out of your ears and allows you to think more clearly. Semper Fi and we still love you even if the sweat and fleas did mess up your sleep patterns.
Gummed Up!
I joined the Corps after my Brothers return from service with the Army from VN. My Mom decided to cheer me up by sending chewing gum hidden in a letter. If you were in the Marines you know what happened next Mail Call, my DI calls my name, I run up to get my mail and he is feeling it, smelling it. He said open the letter so we can all see what you got. Mom taped 5 pieces of juicy fruit to the 3 page letter. Since there is only 5 pieces you can't share with the rest of us. So eat the letter and don't forget the gum, no need to remove the wrapper. Don't swallow it until I tell you to. Well training continued and for 3 days I had this ball of paper and gum and foil in my cheek. On day 3 we are having a PT contest with other companies. Myself and another recruit were told by our DI to cheat on the rope climb by climbing for the fat bodies. Gunny who was the referee caught us and pulled us out of line. He said something like What in Chesty Pullers name happened to your Face? What? I can't understand you recruit. The private got a letter Sir ! He said which DI told you to do this? I told him it was my own idea. He told me to get rid of it before I choke to death.
Ain’t No Hollywood Marine
Sgt Grit,
This is my friend GySgt A. L. Goddard. Twenty years in the Crotch, a Bronze Star with V for Valor, and 3 Purple Hearts. He was also a Senior DI at PI and as you can tell, he ain't no Hollywood Marine.
You might also enjoy seeing his shed.
All Done By My Hands
This Ka-Bar holder I made for retired Major Larry Carmon. Who was a DI in Diego when I was in, which was back in '78. The two of us went
to high school together, and we were also in ROTC in school. The EGA is hand carved… well it is all done by my hands, down to the tree I cut down.
Reunited After 48 Years
Sgt Grit,
Seven members of MCRD San Diego's Platoon 142 (known as the W-tBack Platoon) from the summer of 1960 Reunited after 48 years on the summer of 2008.
Respectfully,
Celestino Mora Jr.
Honor Man of Plt. 142
Cpl. 1960 – 1964
Monkey Mountain Moments 69-70 MACS-4 “Vice Squad ch-77, mode-3 code 23, Echo-Charlie 214 your pigeon
I got to DaNang via staging in Pendleton and through Okinawa. With a history of pneumonia already from the tear gas chamber at ITR in '67, my '69 arrival in Vietnam after the staging area training's own tear gas choral emsemble had my lungs blowing dark green chunkies. The Corpsman at the 2 day transition/gear storage shenanigans on Okinawa shrugged, handed me two 1000 mg Bayer aspirin, and quipped, "Can't help you here, kiddo. Go die in Danang… NEXT Marine!" I actually laughed. You had to be there to see the insanity and chaos… revisited on the way home 2 tours later. The Navy really is way-cool. My uncle was a Sailor in WWII. Besides, they're actually our mom. We're fed, clothed, taken to "after school games" and church. "She" also pimp-slaps our butts when naughty. If you were REALLY crazy, you were "grounded" in your room… at Portsmouth Naval Prison, NH. When I got to my unit after a day in the Danang runway transit barracks, with the self-cleaning and debugging screens from insects compliments to the chameleons skittering about all night, the MACS-4 "Doc" up on Monkey Mountain (Son Tra) scowled at the minute flecks of blood in my green chunked sputum sample, and hissed, "He said WHAT?" Our unit "limo," a '48 canvas topped weapons carrier, tossed me into the DaNang Navy Hospital down by Marble Mountain.
Looking for Sgt Clinton from the story about “BABE” the dog
I read the story about Babe on this site. I remember "BABE" & Sgt Clinton. I am Cpl. Clarence Mann who in Vietnam I served with Sgt. Clinton who saved my life during an attack on Dong Ha. I was the Marine that drove Sgt Clinton in to town one night where he jumped off the back of the truck. If you read this please contact me at email:
M14
This isn't as much a story as a request. Why don't y'all have more merchandise with the M14 on it? A t-shirt or something. I know that today everyone loves the M16. I trained with the M14 at Parris Island, carried it on a Med Cruise, fired it in the Dominican Republic, and staked my life on it in Nam. When I was in Nam you couldn't give me an M16. Far as I was concerned, back then they were a p.o.s. My 14 never failed to fire and would punch through almost anything. I know that they were, and are, being used in the "sand box", or at least the firing mechanism. The barrel and gas plug profile is unmistakeable. At five hundred yards, with iron sights I could put one in your chest 9 out of 10 times. And I 'm not the best shooter around. It never seemed too heavy while I was shooting at the Cong or the rebels in Dominican Republic.