February 1945, photo courtesy of Norman Baker. Baker, who was then an 18-year-old Seabee with the 4th Marine Division, sits with a machine gun on Motoyama No. 2 airfield, Iwo Jima. Assigned to a security detachment protecting units clearing the two airfields.
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John Ratomski​
Category: Marine Corps Stories
Protest In Baghdadi
I wanted to submit two pictures for you from my time in Iraq. The first is a banner that we found between two houses in Al Baghdadi in early April 2004. At this time we were guarding a former Iraqi ASP between Al Asad and the train station. There was a protest in Baghdadi over the cordon being set up around Fallujah for the first operation to clear the city. This was just a few days after the contractors were burned and hung from the bridge. On the day of this picture some civilian contractors were in the wrong place at the wrong time and drove into the protest. One of the vehicles got stuck in the crowd and we left ASP Flea to try and rescue the contractors. When we arrived one of the contractors had been executed and was lying in the road. We cleared the immediate area, loaded the body, and began to clear some nearby houses we believed the insurgents had gone into. During the house clearing we found the banner. It roughly says they are protesting the surrounding of Fallujah, the city of "heroes and martyrs". From left to right is LCpl Bishop, Cpl Turner, LCpl Street, and me.
Little Grunt
My son Oliver recently received a "dress blues" outfit from Sgt Grit. I must admit, I think he is the cutest little Marine I have ever seen! Thankfully I have a few years before I have to see him off to boot camp if he decides to follow in his grandfather and great-grandfather's foot steps. Oliver's grandfather, Paul Lucien Cote served in the 1980's and was stationed in Okinawa. Oliver's great-grandfather, Paul Louis Cote served in the 6th Marine Division during WWII. I am very proud of my Marines. Semper Fi!
Boot Camp
First and foremost I want to make it clear that this is not my story, it is a story that my cousin told me when he got home from bootcamp. He has told me just about all his stories, because he knows I will be enlisting. So here it goes, while on line, I'm not sure what exactly he was told to do, but the DI told him to do something and he didn't understand what he said, my cousin for some reason, snapped back into civilian mode and said "what?" And at that moment, he knew he was f-cked. The DI pushed him into his rack, instead of him hitting the rack, the back of his head found the front sight post of his rifle. Now my cousin is on the ground bleeding out the back of his head with a DI in his face, and sure as sh-t here comes the SDI freakin out askin what the hell just happened tellin him to clean it up. My cousin never made that mistake again.
Semper Fi Marine
Today I stopped at Woodman's Grocery Store, here in Rockford, IL, to restock the pantry shelves. I had just finished checking out and was heading towards the door when I noticed a gentleman wearing a Marine Corps jacket. With my ice cream melting, I waited for him to finish his own check out and gave him my standard "Semper Fi Marine". I asked when he was in and if he got his jacket at Sgt Grits and he gave me dates in the late '90s/early 2000s (my memory sucks), then said he did get the jacket at Sgt Grits. This is the jacket he had on. It's pretty spectacular in person.
Unbroken
One of my custom coin customers visited Louis Zamperini before his passing. This is a picture of them all together. Louis Silvie "Louie" Zamperini was an American prisoner of war survivor in World War II, a Christian inspirational speaker, and an Olympic distance runner. Zamperini is the subject of two biographies and the 2014 film "Unbroken".
The Sleep Thief
He came again last night. He came creeping into his thought's. He hasn't came as often as he used to but he still makes his presents known. In the middle of the night for no apparent reason he is there. The thief steals his sleep but leaves memories. Memories so vivid that it seems like yesterday not 46 years ago. Memories of a youth in a far away land. Of friends some living and some gone far to soon. It's funny that the names of some of the living escape him. But not the dead. Never the dead.
Marine Corps Birthday
Rembering Marine Corps Birthday at NTA 1962 H/29 chicken bearel detail, Gunny Saxton in charge, anyone rember?
Doc Hanson
1st Annual SgtMaj “Hashmark” Johnson Charity Motorcycle Ride
This is the first ride of what will become an annual Event. We are honoring Sergeant Major "Hashmark" Johnson and the Montford Point Marines who dedicated their lives to the defense of our Nation. Hashmark was one of the First African Americans to join the Corps and one of the First African American Marine Corps Drill Instructors. Your Participation will support our building and scholarship fund. Share this with your friends and every rider you know. Semper Fi!
Marine Recruit: Tears In The Sand
"Marine Recruit: Tears in the Sand" is an epic novel of Marine Corps boot camp (San Diego). A compelling unabridged account of recruit training as told by the Drill Instructor.
Author of Chronicles of a Marine Rifleman, Retired 1st Sergeant Herb Brewer, USMC, now brings to life this outstanding all-encompassing witty honest, caringly brutal, human, and timeless narrative. Combining two stories into one, he takes you all the way from the grueling view of the recruit to the panoramic mission and perspective of the Drill Instructor.