Category: Other USMC

The Woman Marine Pilot

The Woman Marine Pilot…

  The teacher gave her fifth grade class an assignment: Get their parents to tell them a story with a moral at the end of it. The next day, the kids came back and, one by one, began to tell their stories.   There were all the regular types of stuff: Spilled milk and pennies saved. But then the teacher realized, much to her dismay, that only Janie was left.   "Janie, do you have a story to share?" "Yes ma'am. My daddy told me a story about my Mummy. She was a Marine pilot and her plane got hit. She had to bail out over enemy territory, and all she had was a flask of whiskey, a pistol, and a survival knife. She drank the whiskey on the way down so the bottle wouldn't break, and then her parachute landed her right in the middle of 20 Iraqi troops. She shot 15 of them with the pistol, until she ran out of bullets, killed four more with the knife, till the blade broke, and then she killed the last Iraqi with her bare hands."   "Good Heavens," said the horrified teacher. What did your Daddy tell you was the moral to this horrible story?"   "Don't f–k with Mummy when she's been drinking."

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. read more

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. read more

Mom’s Cookies Almost Took Out the Tail Rotor

I have a U.S. Mail story that is a bit unique.  I was assigned to HMX-1 which is the Marine Corps squadron that supports “Marine One” the helicopter that transports the President of the United States. 

My mother use to ship me cookies about once a month.  Since the hangar where I worked was a high security area you had to open up any box so the guards could inspect the contents before you could take it into the hangar.  read more

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. read more