Category: Marine Corps Stories

A WWII Vet

I just wanted to tell you all about the best thing I ever heard a man tell his ex-wife. This man was a WWII vet that was captured at the battle of the bulge and even though forty or so years seperated us, we struck up a friendship that was close to father and son. Well he and his ex- still owned a restaraunt together and Clyde and I would meet there every morning around six and drink coffee and just talk about whatever. Well one morning his ex- must have been in a bad mood because when she came in she walked up to the table and said why don't you two get to work and stop drinking my coffee. Well Clyde was an easy going man but he must have had enough of her crap. He looked up at her and calmly said "You know the Germans treated me better as a POW then you ever did in twenty years as a husband." Well that shut her up fast and she stormed away. I had to bite my lip to keep from busting my gut. Well, we continued to meet every morning before we went to work and she never bothered us again about drinking her coffee. read more

Stranger In A Strange Land

OK, Sorry folks no photo.

In July 3, I graduated from Basic at MCRD San Diego.  July 4th, my father, and Air Force MSgt  (flying one at that) and a WWII, Korea vet, had just graduated USAF 1st Sgt School and came down for a visit.   My Drill Instructors were in awe and recruits and newly minted Marines did not know what to kae of him.  read more

Brand New M-14s

Picture of me in front of a banyan tree across the street from my barracks at Kaneohe Bay around the end of 1962 or early '63. I had just returned from the first PRT that was required by the Commandant for all Marines. My squadron, VMA 212 were issued the brand new M-14s to run the course. You can see that it still had a plastic protector over the bore. I recall a rumor going around at the time that the new 7.62 ammo for the M-14 was not powerful enough to even make a hole in the targets at 200 yards. I had a problem with my 14 on qualification day when the flash suppressor set screws came loose. My rounds were all over the target before the armorer figured it out by pointing to the brass streaks the rounds made as they left the barrel. Never had that problem with my M-1. With a clip and two rounds, watch your target, TARGET! BAM,BAM, clink; re-load with a full eight rounds and put all ten in the black at 500 yards. Nothing to worry about coming loose and the .30 caliber always made a hole. read more

The Old Breed

These are pictures of my El Camino in our local parade. Got the emblems from you. Last week I had a 50 cal. machine gun mounted on the front fender. At a gun show last week a Marine
from Calif. had to have it, so I sold it to him. Wish he could have waited l week. I am in the lst MAR AIRWING and the Old Breed. read more

Feeling Of Shame

My friend Wayne and myself enlisted in the Corp in mid Aug 1970.  I was born with a partial paralysis of my left foot but played football baseball and was above average in sports.  When we took the physical to get in notes and discussions were made and was decided that I was physically fit.  After arriving at Parris Island on the second day had another physical As we all did.  Was picked up a couple of days later by our D.I.'s after a week maybe, had to go see a Navy orthopaedic doc who suggested I may not be fit for duty. read more

Christmas 1970

Viet Nam, 1970

I was assigned to MASS-3 towards the end of 1970, specifically at FSB Birmingham. We were a small detachment (13 men) operating a radar system in support of the US Army 101st Airborne. On Dec 22, we received a radio message that I was to pack my seabag and prepare for transport to our squadron headquarters in DaNang. A CH-46 was already enroute to pick me up.  I reported to the 1st Sgt when I got back, and asked what I was there for. He told me not to get too comfortable, as I was scheduled on the next C-130 departing for Okinawa. read more