Category: Marine Corps Stories

Base Brig Camp Pendleton, CA

This is for all current and former Marines who served as guards at H&S Company, Corrections Battalion MCB Camp Pendleton, CA. I served there from December 1979 to July 1983. I have a lot of fond memories of that place. Some of which were: January 1980 through June 1980 – Murderers row (8 in cell block), IDIOT forms, gate silencers, signing the 509 forms, Master Control, Victor, Victor!, Section Leader SSgt Arroyo, Sgt. Reyes, Sgt. Lee (both), Sgt. Saia, Corporal Catbagan, Section Leader SSgt Helmel, Bn Commander Maj. G. A. Miller, CWO Jackson and his morning snooping (entering through the dorm rear hatch trying to catch any sleeping guard while on duty), Capt. Collins, Lt Ciamacca (WM), coyotes howling up in the hills, 100 rabbits on the front lawn, rattlesnakes, Minimum Annex, Work Annex, squirrels chewing through newly glued targets at the Work Annex because they liked the wheat paste, having Environmental Services remove a 6 foot rattle snake from the Work Annex, LCpl Bowman, relaxing in the barracks TV room, Sgt. Gade, the weasel that wasn’t afraid of walking through an open door and visiting occupied rooms, annual rifle qualification, Field Day formation, morning PT Formation, Company Formation, going up to ‘The Hill’ for duty, Duty Belts, Uniform of the Day, ‘do we call them confinees or prisoners today?’, Guard Mount, Post 4 duty, turning the flood lights on by climbing the guard towers, finding two owls in Tower 2, (one broke out a window), Rec Call, Reveille, Reveille, Reveille!, Mail Call, Code 6. We were Firm, Fair, and Professional in all our duties. We were the gate keepers to prepare Marines to be returned to duty or to be summarily discharged. You were invaluable to the Corps in which we all served. SEMPER FI! read more

Inspired By The Yellow Sweatshirts

Inspired by the Yellow Sweatshirt we wore during bootcamp in 1962, I designed and had made this Yellow T-Shirt for the surviving members of my boot camp platoon. Twenty-two members of Platoon 145 ordered thirty-two shirts. They shipped on Tuesday, February 16th and should be in the hands of the platoon members by Thursday February 18th or Friday February 19th. read more

3rd Battalion Barracks At PI

I would like to send a photo and brief description of the old 3rd Bat. barracks at Parris Island that are being torn down. I was there two weeks ago, they are partially demolished, the bricks are being preserved and sold by the base museum to raise funds. The barracks were used from 1960/61 until three years ago. A new Bat. area is located a short distance away. I took some pictures of the shells of these buildings while standing on the old parade deck, many memories came to me there in the silence. Thought many old 3rd Bat. Marines would like to see what has happened to the barracks. I was there in 1961, they were brand new, and jokingly referred to as Disneyland by the 1st and 2nd Bats. read more

Loved Running That Fence Line

I had to smile when I saw the shot posted of running next to the active commercial runway along the fence line at MCRDSD. I can’t say how many miles I put in running that very same fence as a young 2nd and 1st LT stationed there from 1973 to 1976. It was just five miles from base HQ building, out past the Naval base, back along the airport runway, through RTR and back up the breezeway to Sea School. I loved running then and still do, though now I spend more time on a bike than pounding the pavement. Thanks for the memories. read more

2 of a Kind

While serving in Vietnam with 3/1/1 in 1968, I acquired a little friend. My last name being Mongar, I was given the nickname, “Mongoose”. Seems that the kids in a local ville that we tromped through occasionally, heard me being called, “Mongoose”, and next time through, they presented my with this very young mongoose. After my first day of carrying this little critter around, it never left my side. The little thing met it’s Waterloo during a mortar and rocket attack in Elephant Valley, in June or July of 1968. It was an experience I will never forget, one of those things that happened in Vietnam that can never be repeated. read more