The toughest time in my life was after getting out of the Corps as an E-5 with disability. An ongoing battle fighting to get the right help from the VA. I loved the time I was in the Corps and brotherhood is like no other. Between the contaminated LST’s and the tainted water at Camp Lejeune I face an enemy hard to defeat. I am currently fighting Lung Cancer for the 3rd time. All of these are new cancers not repeats. Both kinds of lung caner Small Cell and Non Small Cell. One of each in the right lung and Small cell in the left lung. I quit smoking along time ago, this is NOT from smoking 20 years ago. There is no other case like mine. For me to get treatment through the VA I would have to travel 130 miles to a VA center capable of treating me. But the VA clinic that is 20 miles away disqualifies me from getting Non VA local healthcare. Even tho they can not treat me it counts under the 40 mile clause. Imagine traveling 130 miles while sick as a dog 4 times a month for 4 months. The only saving grace was/is private health care insurance and now just Medicare. I have battling this now for 9 years. Semper Fi.
Category: Marine Corps Stories
Looking for two lost buddies
I’m looking for two lost buddies, Peter Platte and, James E. Riley III. We served in H&S 1/5, 57-59 at Camp Margarita, Camp Pendleton.
Montford Point Marine Receives Congressional Gold Medal
Known more professionally for his work involving the eradication of fruit flies, Dr. Ernest James Harris, Jr. received the highest civilian award in the United States for his contributions as a Marine.
U.S. Marine Brig. Gen. Brian W. Cavanaugh, deputy commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, presented Dr. Harris with his Congressional Gold Medal at Washington Place in Honolulu, Nov. 12, 2016.
First Casualty of Dillingham
In October of 1962, MAG-13 went on maneuvers up at Dillingham Air Force Base. Dillingham was an old Air Force base on the North end of Oahu. There was no infrastructure to speak of besides the runway. It was basically out in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by hills and jungle on one side and ocean on the other. It was a perfect spot to simulate a forward combat base.
Meet Lucca: The First American Dog Awarded a British Military Honor
A retired U.S. Marine dog was honored today with the PDSA Dickin Medal, the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross, which is the highest British military decoration awarded for valor.
Lucca, a German shepherd, received the award after completing 400 missions in six years of active service with allied troops in Afghanistan and Iraq and losing a leg on the battlefield.
Additional Awards
This story may be of interest to some, maybe not so much to others. The best way to start,I guess, is from the beginning.Last Sept my close friend J.J.(Viet-Vet 101st Abn. 69-70) invited me to go along with him to a Veterans reunion in Kokomo Indiana I reluctantly accepted knowing I would be hanging around with a bunch of Army guys but it turned out OK (There was a group of “Walking Dead” 9th Marines campsite not to far away so I had backup if I needed) Maybe there are some of you out there that have been to this reunion,It is huge!! I could tell a lot of stories about this place but, not this time. During the weekend I heard a conversation concerning one of the vets getting his discharge upgraded from general to honorable but what really caught my attention was the fact that when he received his DD-215 granting him the request (He said it took almost a year and half ) there were additional awards listed that he did not know that he had earned.On a hunch,this past Spring I submitted a DD-149 to the Medals and Awards Branch HQ USMC they in turn forwarded it to NPRC in ST.Louis.All I ask for was a search to see if I or my unit earned any additional awards.I received my answer today It took 8 months but I received a copy of a DD-215 . In short it states the following. Delete:Vietnam Service Medal(w1star) Add: Vietnam Service Medal With 4 Bronze Service Stars /Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon/Meritorious Unit Citation Ribbon/ Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation (Civil Action Color with Palm and Frame ) Ribbon Bar. Might not sound like that big of a deal but, it is what it is !! Harry.
Summer of 1957
In the summer of “57” I was in A Company 2nd Shore Party Bn. And we were training Midshipman in Amphibious Operations. There was some kind of NATO bash and all the ships were dressed out and we were standing at attention on the 02 deck of the Donner LSD14 The Blue Angels did their own review! When they did their fly by we were able to look down into the cockpits! They were leaving a wake! As with most of the stories that are posted here much of this one is true!
Veterans Stand down
Sgt Grit continues to make generous product donations year round to other Marine Corps organizations, groups, and causes in order to assist them with raising funds to help and boost the morale of our Marine brothers and sisters. But, it is through the generosity of our customers that Sgt Grit has been able to give monetary donations to such organizations as Semper Fi Fund, Fisher House Foundation, and many more. Last week we attended Oklahoma’s Veterans Stand Down at the Cox Convention Center hosted by the VA in collaboration with the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma to help raise awareness of our homeless Veterans and help provide services and show our thanks, love, and appreciation to our Veterans for what they have done for this country. Local vendors were out in full force to contribute and offer numerous kinds of services for various Veteran’s needs. We were proud to once again be able to help and be a part of our local community. Veterans were able to come in and receive wellness checks, flu shots, haircuts, and behavioral health services, all the way to giving out Danner boots, clothing, gloves, and of course Sgt Grit swag all at no cost to the Veteran! Food was catered in by Swadley’s to make sure each Veteran left with a full belly. Thank you for your service and Welcome Home Marines!
The wave
I can’t remember if this took place in late 67 or early 68 . I was walking point on a road sweep headed towards Liberty Bridge .We had just left 4 corners from Hill 37 I was with H&S Co 3/7 Ammo tech. We were about half way to the Bridge. As I remember to the south of the road the tree line was about a hundred meters. On the left side the tree line seemed to be about 400 to 500 meters. The terrain was all flat ,old rice paddies. Sweeps can go pretty slow because the Engineers were always finding something. We had stopped and as I was standing there I noticed to to the north (left side of road ) all theses animals were coming out of the tree line .My first reaction was. Hey! something is causing this that shouldn’t be. Then I saw something I’ll never forget. Of course, I couldn’t tell right off . This took place within a minute. A line of water about 2 to 3 ft high came out of the tree line doing about 5 knots give or take a few and seemed to take up the whole horizon . The road we were on was about 20 meters high. Within a minute the wave had hit the road with such force it splashed up on me. In the mean time it’s like a chinese fire drill trying to get back to the hill. Within an hour the the whole hill is surrounded by water. The old bridge at the village of Dai Loc, the river ran at least 30 meters under the the span . After this happen the river was just a few meters under the bridge. For three days we couldn’t get off the hill until the water subsided. Nobody had ever seen or heard of this happening. Years later I was looking at an old Leatherneck magazine and there was an article about what took place. This phenomena takes place about ever 4 to 5 years .The waters from the snow , rain accumulate in the mountains then all of a sudden runs down into the valley. It was a sight to see .Did anybody else remember this. Semper Fi my friends. Sid Crews 3/7 November 66 thru July 68
THE “CAT” TEAM DANANG 1967,68
Reading one of the story’s about Da Nang and MPC’s Exchange reminded me of a similar experience.
I had a buddy named Dave Hill while stationed with the 1st MAW at Da Nang. Dave was a member of a group called the “CAT” which stood for civil affairs team. It was a position you wish you had.