Category: Marine Corps Stories

South Dakota Vietnam War Memorial Dedication

My name is Ron Nelson. I served time in the Marine Corps from 1973-74. I’ve been a photographer for 37 years and belong to the American Legion and just recently the VVA Chapter in Watertown, SD.

The photograph was put together after attending the South Dakota Vietnam War Memorial Dedication in 2006. I came home with many images of the event. Not a single image really told the story of what happened those three days in Pierre, SD. When I got home on monday, I sat down and looked at the images I had taken. My inspiration was to create something that all Veterans of this era could remember from that weekend of healing. The image was published in many newspapers around South Dakota after I had finished it. The calls and letters from Veterans and family members wanting to have a copy of the print was overwhelming. read more

Major Times Three

Here goes…

I was commissioned thru the Regular NROTC program at the U. of Minnesota in 1963 and, of course, joined the Marines. (I decided to be a Marine when I was 8 years old.) I was the SupO for the 2d Radio Bn, then served 2 "wonderful" years of sea duty aboard the USS Wright, CC-2 (C.O. of the Marine Detachment). Then my wife "convinced" me to leave the regulars, and so I went right into the active reserves (Supply Management Officer for the 4th Marine Division; and finally as a Major, Company Commander, India Co, 3d Bn., 24th Marines. (Never went to Vietnam – 2 sets of orders to WestPac (Viet Nam); both cancelled.) I had an NSG top secret clearance, and the Navy NSG did not want to risk Marine junior officers getting captured… which did happen in 1965 …bummer). And LBJ would not call up the Reserve 4th Marine Division. (15 years). read more

Back For A Visit

I had to chuckle when I read Gunny Rouseau's comments about going back to Vietnam… I spent several tours in-country, as well as a tour with TF Delta in Nam Phong, Thailand at the tail end of the war… I've been back to Vietnam almost a dozen times over the past 7 years or so, landing the first time at Noi Bai Airport on the north side of the Red River outside of Hanoi… The Gunny mentioned BaNa and 1st Recon Bn, so I'm wondering if he may remember a friend of mine who was a platoon/patrol leader with 1st Force Recon Company back about that same time — Ric Miller… Ric was a mustang and a former Vietnamese interpreter on his first tour. read more

Motivated Sgt Grit Customer

This is what a Sgt Grit customer looks like… POW bracelet, watch, t-shirt, cover and a cane. Outstanding Marine! The pictured Marine is Marine Vietnam Veteran Gary Pogue, Sgt. '72-'78, Motor T.

Semper Fi!

Kristy 

Get the USMC Cover and POW Bracelet that Sgt Pogue is wearing at: read more

Who is that guy?

Fifty years ago this month (March, '65) I was stationed with 8TH.Comm.Bn.at Camp Lejuene N.C. If I remember correctly, every Wed. afternoon was a sports day. We were playing football on the grass field next to the Battalion barracks. There was this one Marine playing defense who was running backwards faster than guys running forward. Someone said who is that guy? Turns out he was Erich Barnes, all pro safety for the New York Giants. He was a 30 day reservist. Instead of one weekend a month and two weeks in the summer, you did one month active duty a year. I think Tug McGraw and Larry Bernarth, pitchers for the N.Y. Mets were there at the same time. Great memories!   read more

Cool Kids And Salty

The green field scarf was part of our uniform issue at MCRD San Diego in the summer of 1962. We were never instructed on what to wear it with, how to wear it or when to wear it. I remember it being kind of silky. Is that my Alzheimer's starting to kick in? Still had it until several years ago or maybe I still do. I recall being shocked that we were required to pay for our sea bag issue and our bucket issue. Sure put a hole in my meager paycheck.  read more

Authorized To Wear A Mustache

Graduating Boot Camp at MCRD San Diego in 1961 we were issued Khaki's, Summer Tropical and the Winter Green uniforms. Summer Tropicals were the favorites back then, but we often wore the Khaki's. Floating around the South China Sea in the Spring of 1964 in 2/9, we had to make ourselves presentable for Liberty, in the Khaki Uniform. Keeping them presentable with only a sea bag to stow our gear was a problem, but we did survive. We got into Hong Kong on several occasions and one of our destinations was the top of Victoria Peak for lunch and drinks. I had made Corporal the previous fall, just after JFK was killed, and was now "authorized" to wear a mustache… haven't shaved it in the intervening 50 years.  read more

Blue And White Dress

The last word re: Blue and white dress blue covers – The white is/was summer, the blue was winter. A number of uniforms are no longer available: (Officer) Dress whites, mess dress are two. Now in place of the dress whites (see attached for my wedding picture with my mother) the dress blue blouse is worn with white trousers for summer. read more

House Mouse

I'm a little late on this story but I just wanted to put my two cents in about K Bars. If memory sets me right I got mine graduation day Oct-31-1966 platoon 2207 MCRDSD for making thru boot camp as a House Mouse (a whole other story). As a house mouse we saw and endured a lot of other things from our beloved DI's that the regular boots did not. read more