Category: Marine Corps Stories

I went through boot camp in 1962, just after the PURGE at PI, and experienced and witnessed abuse almost daily. The first time was when a recruit, the DIs called a porker, was striped to the pull-up bar with web belts and left hanging there, it seemed like a half an hour. The second was more personal. I was under 18 when I went to boot and my birthday came up at the rife range. The senior drill instructor called me to the duty tent. When I reported there he said he had a birthday present for me. His and the two other DIs give me three slugs in the goodie locker. read more

The combat boots pictured on your “Salty old Marine” tee shirt reminds me of my experience with an Army Surgeon, a full bird colonel.
In 1958 the Corps was issuing recruits 2 pairs of boots for field wear – the venerable “boondocker” low cut boot (just above the ankle), and the full combat boot. Both were made of rough, unfinished leather because (it was said) they “breathed better” on the feet. Regardless of design purpose, this was not acceptable –unofficially I’m sure – to the Corps. Our DIs immediately informed us that these boots would be worked on until they could carry a spit-shine like a patent leather shoe! And we did. And after weeks of labor – using shoe polish which we melted into the leather with matches or lighters, smooth, rounded bottles to press the polish and leather firmly down and smooth, and elbow grease by the hour – we lovingly produced a shine you could shave by. Those boots were worn at every inspection held in utilities for the next four years.
Advance the story a little over 2 years. Wearing my prized combat boots, I had boarded the APA USS Navarro in a harbor on Okinawa at the very beginning of the largest exercise by the Corps to that day – Operation Blue Star – and the battalion was still loading. By a freak accident I was knocked into an open hatch on the mess deck and fell a couple of decks to the hold, landing in a sitting position, feet hitting first, then butt and slamming backward to bounce my head off the steel. As a side note, I vividly remember the actual fall and had no fear – just an overwhelming anger telling myself what a dumbass I must be to be in that situation. It didn’t knock me out but did knock every ounce of air out of my lungs. The corpsmen, not knowing how severely I might be injured, got me on a stretcher and I was raised by rope to the deck, put on a motor launch and rushed ashore to be taken to the emergency room at the Army hospital. I was conscious the whole time but obviously in a little shock.
Great care had been taken to try to not move my spine for fear it was shattered and might kill me. They got me on a table in the emergency room and a minute or two later the head surgeon of the hospital arrived to check me out. The first thing he told the nurses, male and female, was to cut my clothes off so there would be no reason to move me unnecessarily. No problem. I could buy another set of utilities and skivvies. But when the guy with the scissors moved to my feet I spoke up. “Don’t cut my boots.”
He stopped and looked at the Doc who snapped “Cut ‘em off.”
Again, the guy goes for my boot and I said, a little irritated, “I said, don’t cut my boots!”
The Doc is now agitated that his order is being contradicted by an E-3, f**king 19 year old Marine. “You cannot be moved until I can examine you to see if your back is broken!” and to the nurse “Now cut the damned boots off!”
The guy goes for the boot. I start trying to sit up and, in a very loud, disrespectful tone, “I said don’t cut my f**king boots!”
The Doc, afraid he’s about to lose a patient says “Okay! Okay!” and I relax as he tells the nurse “Just cut the damned laces and see if you can ease them off without killing him.” He turns to the others and, shrugging his shoulders like “What can I do?!!” he mutters “F**king Marines”. He was one highly pissed bird colonel but I still had my prized boots. read more

Assigned to the security element while other members of his team led two platoons of Afghan National Security Forces into Ganjgal Village for a pre-dawn meeting with village elders. Then-Staff Sergeant Rodriguez-Chavez heard over the radio that the dismounted patrol was ambushed by roughly fifty enemy fighters in fortified positions. With four members of his team in immediate danger of being surrounded, he drove a gun-truck, with one other Marine as his gunner, forward into the kill zone of a well prepared ambush. With only the machine gun fires of his gunner to suppress the enemy, he ignored heavy enemy fires and drove the vehicle into the kill zone three times to cover the withdrawal of the combined force and evacuate two dozen members of the Afghan National Security Forces. With complete disregard for his own personal safety, he made a fourth trip into the deepest point of the kill zone in another gun-truck with three other U.S. personnel to recover the bodies of the fallen team members. He positioned his vehicle to shield the U.S. members from the intense enemy fire as they dismounted to recover their bodies. By his decisive actions, bold initiative, and selfless dedication to duty, Staff Sergeant Rodriguez-Chavez reflected great credit upon himself and the Marine Corps and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. read more

“Uncommon valor is a common virtue” has always been a representation of the way U.S. Marines interact in their day to day lives. The Marine Corps is held to a higher standard because of the profound actions performed by Marines not only on duty, but off. read more

I have told myself to visit the WALL many times – never went – was supposed to go with Army friend who we bantered with each other for over 30 years – families were friends – kids played together too! Well, my buddy Jerome – had issues after he came home from Vietnam – had medical issues and demon issues too! He is no longer with us and I still intend to visit wall eventually- to see others as well who never made it back either. May their souls rest in eternal peace- AMEN read more

On this 4th of July Americans should pause in their usual celebrations to appreciate the full import of what this holiday really stands means to them personally. They should consider that millions of people around the world would gladly change places with any one of us – even those who are considered to live in poverty. They see our country as a shining example of freedom, not only in law, but freedom in opportunity to excel personally.
We should also pause to appreciate, not just those Sons of Liberty, who won the struggle to give us our independence, but those who have served, fought, suffered, and died to keep it. “Well, of course,” you might say. Yet there are prominent examples of those who show, not only a lack of appreciation, but a total disrespect for people who have worn our country’s uniform. read more

DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. – In 1982, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall was built and dedicated to those who served and died in the Vietnam War. While attending the dedication in 1982, a group of artists felt the positive power of The Wall and felt it should be shared not only in Washington D.C., but across the country. Sitting at about half the size of the actual Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, the two replicas began their journey in Tyler, Texas in 1984. Today, the walls travel across the country from April to November, to pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice.   The city of Desert Hot Springs hosted The Moving Wall at their local Mission Springs Park from June 22 to June 26, 2017.  During the Vietnam War more than 58,000 service members, both men and women, were either killed or deemed missing in action. The Wall has the names of those men and women etched onto a reflective stone, so visitors can not only see the names, but see themselves, reflecting on the lives of the people who fought and died to keep them safe.    At the commencement of the program, Headquarters Battalion Color Guard posted their colors at the Moving Wall opening program and, the keynote speaker, retired Sgt. Frank Orzio, pastor, Wounded Warrior Ministry Project, addressed those in attendance.    “In this time of remembrance we must hold close to our hearts our fallen warriors, keep in our mind our prisoners of war and missing in action service members who have become a shadow of a memory,” Orzio said. “We see these men and women and realize, once again, how much we owe them and how much they have given.”    Following the program, local community members were able to visit the wall and pay their respects. Also local Vietnam veterans attended to honor their fallen comrades, and pass knowledge to the younger generations at hand.    On June 26, Desert Hot Springs hosted the closing ceremony for the Moving Wall. It will now move onto a different location to spread the same spirit of positivity; the same feeling of gratitude and respect that those artists felt from the dedication of the original wall in 1982.    “We wanted the Moving Wall here in Desert Hot Springs to give our veterans the chance to pay homage to those who lost their lives in the Vietnam War,” said Requita Grant, event coordinator, Community and Cultural Affairs. read more