One of the benefits of being old and retired is that you can take trips and see new things anytime you want to. The wife and I took a day trip across the valley to go see the new Harley Davidson dealer in Scottsdale. When we walked in the door, there were five motorcycles on display which were representative of the five branches of U.S. armed services.
Category: Marine Corps Stories
Please Bring Back C-Rats
The essential value of C-Rats… C-Rats vs MRE… The essential value of C-Rats is a list I will share with you… because C-Rats are canned… they are FRESH… because of the various size cans… You have the choice of the following… you can make a heat tab stove… you can have a vessel to boil water… you can make a booby trap… using a can to hold an M-67 frag… you can add a couple drops of zippo fluid to the peanut butter… light it up… instant light AND heat… you can hang the empty cans on concertina wire…
Chow Hound
All the talk about C-rations made me drag out this old photo from my first tour–a L/Cpl sitting on an ammo can in some ville enjoying my C’s. Except for maybe the Ham and Slimers, I never complained about the C-Rats.
Semper Fidelis,
Gary Harlan
Sergeant of Marines/Chow Hound
My Father Would Say
Reference Mr. Paul Jones' BAM story, my Mother was also a WWII "BAM", stationed with my Father at MCAS El Toro with Air Base Group 2 performing depot level maintenance on F4Us. She made it quite clear to us as we grew up that BAM stood for Beautiful American Marine while my Father would take us on the side and say it stood for Broad Axled Marines. It wasn't until I entered Boot Camp that I learned that "axled" wasn't quite the correct word. Take note that hanging on the Brass WWII marker next to her gravestone is a F4U in all its glory.
Moved To Heaven’s Gates
I am sorry for the lateness of this obit for WW2 Marine Robert Dowdy. I only found out about his passing recently myself when I had attempted to call him for New Years Day.
Cpl. Dowdy and I had met each other during a Veterans Day Parade back in 2012. The parade was hosted by American Legion Post 238 of Teague, Texas of which I was a member. I say that I was a member as now the post has disbanded recently.
The Island Of Iwo Jima
An American Marine aiming his M1 Garand rifle, whilst perched on Japanese ammunition crates on the Island of Iwo Jima, circa February/March 1945.
(Colourised by Royston Leonard from the UK)
Itchy Tropicals
While on the drill field ('63-'65 and '67-'70) I wore trops during the summer. I ran, jumped, excersized and marched proudly every day. Never an itch. After being cleaned and pressed a few times, they held a much better crease especially in the trousers after having to sit at a desk for an hour doing paper work.
Taps For 1stSgt Dick Petterson
Taps were held on Saturday, Dec. 19th for 1stSgt Dick Petterson, USMC Retired. Attached picture: (L-R) Maj Rich Risner, SSgt P.T. Cong, 1stSgt Dick Petterson and me. We served together in Chu Lai in 1968 where he earned a Bronze Star with Combat "V" and a Purple Heart. You can read about him in my book, "Civic Action". His career spanned over 20 years beginning in 1955 as a machine gunner then retiring as a 1stSgt in 1978. He joins our former boss, Maj Rich Risner who passed in 2005 – "then there was one." Semper Fidelis Rich and Dick.
Marine Corps Vietnam Ring
I am the Store Manager of Walmart in Flowood, MS and one of cart pushers found this on the parking lot trying to find the owner of this ring! I am sure it is important to them!
Allen Patterson
Battle Of Peleliu
United States Marines climbing down the nets into landing craft during the Battle of Peleliu, September-November 1944.
(Photographer: Griffin Image courtesy of the United States Marine Corps History Division, Peleliu 117058. Colorized and researched by Benjamin Thomas from Australia)