Sgt Grit is a place where Marines can come and meet other Marines, share tattoos and stories, keep up with Marine Corps news, or shop for USMC gear.
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.
The Ka-Bar (1219C2 MK-II Knife, Fighting and Utility) was designed and first issued during the early portion of WWII. The MK-II was manufactured by several cutlery companies which in addition to Ka-Bar (Union Cutlery Co.) included Camillus Cutlery, Pal Cutlery and Case to name a few. Regardless of the brand name, they became consistently referred to as the "Ka-Bar" (similar to Kleenex).
After reading this story: "Marine comes in for brace and wants to know if he can have T-Shirt art work put on the brace." I wanted to share this.
I asked the guys at The James A. Haley VA Hospital Prosthetic Dept. in Tampa, FL., if they could take my black T-Shirt with The Marine Corps Emblem and The "Walking Dead" 1st BN. 9th Marines logo, and put it on my new left leg. I was in Vietnam in early '69 with the 1/9.
Here's a Marine standing guard, next to a brick wall that had been hit by some sort of explosion, in what appears to be a dress blue uniform. The year was 1911 in Peking, China.
LeRoy A. Townsend
RVN '66-'67
2nd Bn, 3rd Marines
After seeing the photo of the plane over MCRDSD, I got to digging in my photos and found one I shot while I was as going through BES/RFS/Ground Radio Repair. I was in C&E Schools Bn. when I took the photo. We were at the north end of MCRD close to the runway. On foggy mornings we would watch for recruits trying to go AWOL across the runway.
I appreciated GySgt Rousseau's discussion about the merits of several rifles used by Marines, and that all weapons are just an extension of the proud Marine using them. I have fired most of the small arms used by Marines in the early 70's, including the M16. I have also used the M1 and M14. My opinion as to their relative merits: it depends on the situation. All three are fine rifles. For long work, greater than 300 yards, the M1 or M14 would be my preference. I really did not see much difference in accuracy between the two. One thousand yard shots could be made with confidence. For shorter distances and humping through the boonies, the M16 would be my preference. The lighter weight of the rifle, magazines, and ammo; and shear fire power are obvious advantages.
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.
Speaking of leggings. These are the leggings and dungaree cap I wore in Korea (1950-51). They're still folded down. Some of us folded them down for comfort, and when the weather permitted, unbloused our trousers. When we went into action as the 1stProvMarBrig, the North Koreans called us 'The Yellow-Legs'. Except for the 'USMC' on our pocket, from a distance they couldn't distinguish us from the Army. We had been ordered to remove our helmet camouflage covers. Surprised the heck out of them.
I would just like to weigh in on the dress blues conversation currently going on. If it was not for dress blues, I may have never joined our beloved Corps. You see, when I was a young lad of 17 my Dad took me to see the recruiters as I was interested in military service. The first recruiter he took me to was the Navy. We went in and discussed things a while and I took a preliminary ASVAB test in the office. I did well on the test and so the recruiter started telling me about the nuclear submarine program. He was pushing it hard. Being 6'1" I had no desire to be cooped up inside of a submarine underwater for months at a time. Incidentally, I have met a number of submariners in my life since that time and I have the greatest of respect for them. One of my regrets in life is that I probably never will be able to bust up through the polar ice cap and walk up at the North pole like most of them end up doing. That has to be one of the coolest things to do.
We had a Marine come in to our clinic for a brace to help him walk (he'd had a few strokes and needs one to walk). He brought us one of your t-shirts and asked us if we could build it into his brace. I thought you'd get a kick out of it and also wanted to give you props for such a cool design.
