What a pleasure it is to know MSgt Burris and really his entire family. When MSgt gets a visit from his granddaughter, Amanda, we are sure to see him here at Sgt Grit. He knows his way around our store. He goes right to the products he wants to see, he stops and visits the desks of the employees that he has not seen since his last visit and he is sure to stop in and line out Sgt Grit for a moment. There is nothing like watching two Marines rib each other all in good fun and camaraderie. We are missing MSgt Burris already and we count the days until he visits us again. A big Semper Fi to you MSgt Burris! Come see us.
Category: Old Corps
Unbroken
One of my custom coin customers visited Louis Zamperini before his passing. This is a picture of them all together. Louis Silvie "Louie" Zamperini was an American prisoner of war survivor in World War II, a Christian inspirational speaker, and an Olympic distance runner. Zamperini is the subject of two biographies and the 2014 film "Unbroken".
1922… Now This Is Old Corps
I served with VMFA-314 from Nov. '67 to Dec. '68 in Chu Lai. In a past posting, I had mentioned Operation Military Embrace, and the Watermelon Run For The Fallen in Hempstead, TX, where I had reunited with some of my Vietnam brothers last August. This time, I'm sending some pictures of my father, Harry W. Kiehnle, who enlisted in 1922. He was a seagoing Marine and a bugler, who was stationed on the Battleship Utah for the Friendship tour of South America that sent General John J. Pershing to meet with South American heads of state, as he was still highly respected after having served as General of the Armies in WW I.
I Wandered Around For A While
BOY! Do these photos bring back MEMORIES!
Too bad the few remaining huts have fallen into such disrepair. I went to the USMC Scout Sniper Association reunion a few years ago in San Diego and we as a group attended a recruit graduation. Things have really changed since I went thru MCRD in '64. For one thing, on that grad day the recruits did not march in review like we did back then. They were marched out by platoons, lined up in front of the reviewing stand and just stood there while a Colonel gave a congratulation speech. Then they were dismissed and that was it. (R. Lee Ermey showed up and visited with some of the officers and DIs, then left without even a nod to us).
70th Anniversary of the Flag Raising on Iwo Jima parade
70th Anniversary of the Flag Raising on Iwo Jima parade. Held in Sacaton, Arizona.
See more photos at 2015 70th Anniversary of the Flag Raising on Iwo Jima parade.
Semper Fi
Frank V. Aiello
Old WWI Vet
Some years ago I was visiting an Old WWI Vet. We talked about our wars and he said, one of the biggest problems of WWI was the "COOTIE's" which were lice. He showed me the outfit he made to help remove cooties which was much like the one I have shown here, the date on this cartridge head is 1917. When they were relieved from the front lines and moved to the rear area they started big fires and got great pots of water boiling. They took their clothes off and dropped them in the boiling water, while the clothes were boiling they bathed usually like I did in my three wars, in a small basin (helmet) of water. The clothes were taken out dried and put on again free of "Cooties". The VFW even had a "COOTIE" Club after the war for the guys that served in the trenches and suffered "COOTIE's". The club was phased out after some of the other wars we had to fight. I would imagine that Iran and Iraq have some dandy bugs.
70th Anniversary Iwo Jima Flag Raising Parade
To all Veterans & friends,
On Saturday February 21st at 0830, the annual parade in Sacaton, Arizona to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the Flag Raising on Iwo Jima, will begin with a flyover of a B-17G Bomber (Sentimental Journey) accompanied by Marine Corps V-22 Ospey & Marine Corps AH-1Z Super Cobra (not yet confirmed).
Korea Prisoner Exchange
I thought you might like to see a couple of old pictures that I took in Korea. This was the prisoners exchange. I was there and want everyone to know that they took off all their clothes do to thier shorts and threw them at us. They did not want to go back looking like they were taken care of. This was a long time ago…
1956 Business Card
Thought you might like this hymn that was printed on the back of a business card of Calvert Studio, Ocean Side, CA in 1956.
The New Marines' Hymn
In answer to President Truman's Speech of 5 September 50
From the Halls of Montezuma
To the shores of Tripoli
We'll police our G-d D-mn Navy
As long as they're at sea.
The Voyage
About the the second day out on the USS Clymer I began feeling more than a little seasick and fed the fish until there was nothing left. I thought that would be the end of it, if there was nothing down there to throw up, you wouldn't have to hang over the rail anymore, WRONG! A couple more days of dry heaves and I seriously thought about letting go of the rail and just get it over with. Some wise old salt told me if you keep your belly full so the juice doesn't slosh around, you won't get sick. I made a record fast trip to ship stores and bought 2 huge boxes of soda crackers and ate till I thought I would pop. MAGIC, I started feeling a lot better right away and actually enjoyed the last couple days of the trip.