Category: Marine Corps Stories

Treasured Addition To My Office

Late in 2013, my son, James Wolter Jr. (Jimmy) had started a project with the help of Sgt. Grit to create a shadow box of medals for my birthday in April 2014. I had no idea what he was doing, but with my wife's help, he was able to get pictures of my medals and other USMC item that I display in my office along with those of both my sons. read more

Roi Namur, WWII

Many times things didn't go as planned during Invasions of the Islands in the South Pacific for the Marines. One such incident was at Roi Namur in the Kwajalein Island group. Roi Namur was the target of the 4th Marine Division in the Battle for Kwajalein. There isn't many references to this so you'll just have to rely on the memory of an Old Marine who got the story from one of the Marines who landed on Roi Namur, later information of this was given reference to in articles and stories of the Invasion. read more

Visiting Camp Lejeune

What a pleasure it was to meet the Marines of Camp Lejeune N.C. as I attended the Marine South Expo. I had always been west with my husband so this was my first time experiencing the East Coast and I have to say I loved it! Here are a few pics of some of the people I met. read more

Thumping

After reading the stories about thumping in boot camp I had to tell of my experience with this, I was in plt 3047, 1979 San Diego, and we had a DI who when it was his night to have the duty he would punch each recruit in the chest after he was done inspecting him durring hygiene inspection to knock him back onto his foot locker, we all expected it and no one ever said anything about it, that is until he ruptured one recruit's intestines, it happened because this recruit refused to fall back onto his foot locker, we called him our little wobble, he would wobble but would not fall down. Well one night when the DI punched him in the chest he went back but as usual he started to pop pack up and when he was on his way back to the position of attention the DI under cut him in the guts, later that night he was taken to sick bay and a couple hours later the DI was taken by the MP's, we were told that we were not to talk about it outside our platoon, then we all were interviewed and the recruits that had seen it happen were held on legal hold after we graduated. I want to thank my DI's SSgt Snow, Sgt Thames, Sgt King, I will not mention the name of the DI whom was relieved of duty, for helping to shape my life. What we thought of as sadistic back then, we laugh at now. read more

Back to Bootcamp

I recently discovered that the Marine Corps sponsors an event called the Bootcamp Challenge.  Civilians are invited to participate in a 3 mile obstacle course that current recruits train with.  Over 60 drill instructors are positioned throughout the course to give civilians a flavor of what it is like to be trained like a Marine for a day.  Over 4,000 people participated in last year's event.  This year, the event is held on September 27th, which is the the 40th anniversary of when I first joined Marine boot camp, TO THE DAY.  I am making the trip as a 58 year old Marine Veteran, who is going to give Marine Corps basic training one more go around.  I am making the trip from Wisconsin, as the special date of the 2014 Bootcamp Challenge was a calling, that only a Marine would understand. read more

Reunion of Hollywood, Plt 2118, June ’69 – Sept ’69, MCRD San Diego

Would like to hear from the Marines of Platoon 2118, MCRD San Diego , summer of '69… also from my fellow A6'ers stationed in Iwakuni and DaNang '70 – '71 , VMA 225 and VMA 242… my contact: scarygary7777@aol.com… served '69 – '73…  read more

Marine Corps Engineer Monument Dedication

On May 14, 2014, active duty, former, reserve and retired Marines will gather at Semper Fidelis Memorial Park at the National Museum of the Marine Corps (NMMC), located just south of the main gate to Marine Corps Base, Quantico on US 1. Their mission will be to dedicate a monument that will serve as a tribute and memorial for all past and present USMC engineers and related occupational specialties. It is fitting to dedicate the monument because Marine Corps engineers have been serving for over 100 years since establishing our first organization, Company H, 1st Regiment, 1st Advance Base Brigade, formed in 1913. Marine engineers have served well and faithfully from then, up to and including recent service in Iraq, Afghanistan and recent disaster relief operations in the Philippines. read more