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 was asked by the President of the WMA-HOTX5 group to send in these photos.
I am Cathleen Ursula (Barrientos) Gruetzner. Class of 1979 – MCRD Parris Island, SC. Women Marine Association-Heart of Texas Chapter 5 – Austin, Texas. Veterans of Foreign Wars-Post 4443 -Highland Hills/Oakhill, Texas. Fleet Marine Association-Branch 201 – Austin, Texas. Past Photo: May 1979, and Present Photo: November 2012.
29 April, 1983. Thirty years ago today, my life forever changed. I heard the words that I had spent the last three months striving towards. Three months…12 weeks.
I spent that time learning about people I didn’t know had ever existed. Guys like Lewis B. “Chesty” Puller, Dan Daley, Carlos Hathcock, and Manila John Basilone who actually bears a great resemblance to Dean Martin.
Sgt. Grit,
Here is a 1959 Zippo with the VMF-451 logo. The C-119 (Air Force designation) flying box car's proper nomenclature in the Marine Corps was R4Q when we used them in Korea, and later hauling supplies to Taiwan when we were stationed there. They were powered by those huge four row P&W 4360 engines.
This was how my USMC shooting career (Distinguished Pistol Shot etc.) started with a NJP! I was a boot PFC at Lejeune and had a 2nd LT for a CO (really). My MOS was 2311 (ammo tech) and us techs weren't being used as such; the war was winding down. They put me in the office cause I know my ABCs, but I was not happy. I had my request in for EOD, and was just waiting it out. One morning after formation, the Company 1stSgt came to me (I was typing something Hot!) and he told me, "PFC go in my office and make me some coffee." Well, f-ck that! I ignored him and was in a perpetual pissed off state, so I just kept on typing. He returned in a few minutes; same order (louder) and I continued to ignore him. Well, he was red-faced and full of bluster, and don't ya know, in just alittle bit, I was standing at attention in front of the 2nd LT for NJP. Failure to obey a lawful order, Art 92 I believe. After reading the charges the LT asked if I had anything to say. "Yes Sir. I don't drink coffee, and that coffee is just for the 1stSgt. So I won't make it; that's personal servitude, and if this is your Marine Corps then get me the f-ck out. I joined to be a Marine, not make the 1stSgt's coffee." The LT then asked me (eye to eye), "you don't drink coffee?" "No Sir." He then asked the 1stSgt, "He doesn't drink coffee?" 1stSgt just shrugged his shoulders. Then, that boot LT said, "you are right PFC, dismissed." 1stSgt shut the door, I need to speak with you. Well, HOT D-MN, how about that!
We drove down out of the hills to the main road there and pulled into the PX parking lot. For those unfamiliar with the Marine Air Wing and Crew Chiefs in particular… we did not wear normal Marine Corps sateen green utilities. We wore green Nomex Flight suites, no starch in our Covers (flammable), brown Leather Flight Jackets, black steel toed Flight Boots, no polish (flammable) and no blouse on the pant legs, and we had quite a bit of mud on us from four wheeling. For you East coast Marines San Onofre was part of MCRD Recruit Training and was used for (ITS) Infantry Training School.
I still have my trusty Zippo from down south and very proud of it. I have an old saying on it as follows. "When this Marine dies he will rot in the ground like any other f' ing animal." I broke the top off by accident and The Zippo Co. was nice enough to fix it and send it back to me. They're guarantee.
I was in the Wing from 1969 to 1971, that was after bootcamp, ITR and avionics schools. We did have quarterly PFTs (Physical Fitness Test) in the Wing. These included the 3-mile run, push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, etc., all for time. Your time bracket depended on your age and not rank. My fondest PFT memory was of a quarterly in 1970 at MCAS El Toro.
For you Old Corps Marines, you may remember, "The Marine Corps has two types of stories, one is a Fairy Tale, the other a Sea Story". The Fairy Tale starts out "Once upon a time" and ends "And they lived Happily ever after". The Sea Story starts out "You're not gonna believe this sh-t", and ends "I told you, you wouldn't believe this sh-t".
In early November of 1976, I was on a flight to Johannesburg, South Africa, by way of Rio on my way to countries farther to the North in Africa. It was supposed to have been a 747, but the passengers found themselves shoe-horned into a 707. At Rio, many of our passengers deplaned, so instead of every seat being filled, more than 1/3rd were empty. We took off on the long flight across the South Atlantic. I was on the aisle seat… a gentleman in his late 60s had the window seat. I suddenly realized that he was looking at me… more to the point, at the small Eagle, Globe, and anchor pin on the collar of my suit jacket. I was going to say something when I noticed his lapel pin. It was small, round, and had tiny white stars on a field of sky blue. I blurted out, "Excuse me sir, but is your lapel pin for the Medal of Honor?"
