Category: Marine Corps Stories

The Michels Family Flag 2015

At 12:00 p.m. on Memorial Day I was at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Hillside, IL. We had a dedication of a new headstone at my father's, First Iwo Jima flag raiser Pfc James Michels, grave. Also, a fellow U.S. Marine, Donald Richard Farnham, who served with my father on Iwo Jima was there. Mr. Farnham went on an Honor Flight to Iwo Jima in February and raised an American flag for my dad and the Michels Family! He was one of the speakers at the dedication and he presented this flag to our family. The location of my father's grave is: Section 36, Lot 32, Block 32, Grave 3. read more

1st Medical Battalion – Da Nang

I was one of 10 6×6 trucks from Motor-T, 1st Med Bn. We were the first at the blast to remove military and civilian personnel from the blast. The blast was so severe it almost blew our trucks over. I made many trips from there to 1st Med on the other side of Freedom Hill.  Everything was leveled to the ground. PX at Freedom Hill…Sea bees base gone… driving back and forth.  Ordnance was blowing onto the road… some of which exploded… there for 36 hours… one hell of a time. read more

Schooled At 8th and I

My wife of 32 years attended the first parade of this year at 8th and I.  As always it was a top notch show.  While we were sitting in the front row, 3 young ladies were behind us commenting as to why the official Marine Corps mascot was named "Chesty".  My wife turned around and "schooled" them about how the English Bulldog was so named in honor of "Chesty Puller".  Later when the Marines Hymn was played, I was quick to stand.  My wife had to tell the youngsters to sit down, that only Marines should be standing.  Red faced and "schooled" again they sat down.  Of course I was proud to be wearing my red "Semper Fi" hat that my wife bought from your fine store! read more

I Got It In Beirut

I took the liberty of adding a few devices to the ribbons on your Vietnam cap. Before anyone gives me a ration of cr-p about the star on the Combat Action Ribbon, I got it in Beirut. The second photo is in response to your last posting with the young Marines performing the same detail in Iraq. I am on the right of that photo. This would be in Vietnam about May/June '68. read more

Round Dog Tags

I read the postings on round dog tags and wanted to send along a photo of my dad's army dog tags. He died in 1993 and my older brother (a squid) and I split his military belongings. I got his dog tags, good conduct medal and what I believe might be an 8th Field Artillery lapel pin, but not sure if it was a part of his dress uniform or something he got when he was discharged. Anyway, Below see two pictures of my dad's dog tags. On the front is his name and USA and on the six is his service number or at that time his SSN. But I can't make out any finger prints. As a kid I think I recall him saying that a greenish ribbon wove through the two holes of each tag but not sure about that. My dad was a cannon cocker and stationed at Scofield Barracks and enlisted in 1939, so maybe the finger prints were post 1939? read more