Category: Marine Corps Stories

“Momma BAM”, Chesty, and Me

My Mother was a WWII "BAM", that's Beautiful American Marine as she always said.  She and my Father both served in ABG-2 overhauling F4Us.  I served '73-'77.  Took her to 8th & I to fullfill a bucket-list wish and we had to good fortune to run into Chesty and his escort.  Once in a lifetime photo opportunity.  Semper Fi, Mom. read more

Camp Hauge

Was on the rock from April '61 to April '62 with as short time in the Philippines, Hong Kong and the East China Sea. B/1/12 105mm Howitizers.  It's amazing how unusual things can happen I far-a-way places.  My second month at Camp Hauge, I ran into an old high school friend that I hadn't seen in about 3 years and about a month later came across one of my D. I.'s.  The DI was a completely different person away from boot camp.  You would have thought that we were lifelong friends. read more

Military Appreciation Day

On Saturday, February 8th. I attended the Monster Energy Super Cross in San Diego. It was Military Appreciation Day, so there were lots of Marines and other service members there.

Just prior to the qualification races, the big stars were introduced, and they each did a practice lap. In front of the start line there was a squad of Marines. After Chad Reed #22 did his lap, he rode by the Marines and held out his hand to slap their hands, a few of the Marines did likewise. When Ryan Vilopoto #1 did his lap, he stopped in front of the Marines, and shook each of their hands individually. It was a touch of class, and it made me happy to see there are young people like him out there, who appreciate what the Military is all about. read more

Get The Jacket

I should have sent this long ago, but it has been quite hectic.

My father is a WWII Marine Veteran who served in four invasions on Kwajalein Atoll, Tinian, Saipan and Iwo Jima. He actually was assigned to duties stateside and stowed aboard a ship when the rest of his unit was deployed for combat. He didn’t want to be left behind. read more

Looking At Daddy’s Stuff

This is my 4 year old daughter Lilly. Lilly picked up our latest edition of Sgt Grit today. As she was looking through the magazine she said "look daddy stuff". You see my little Lilly never got the chance to meet her Marine Daddy. He deployed 2 weeks before she was born. On April 1st our Hero Sgt Frank World was KIA in Afghanistan. Our daughter Lilly was only 3 months old… our son was just 3. Just thought I would share with you a cute photo of a Gold Star child looking through Sgt Grit… or as my daughter says looking at daddy stuff. read more

El Toro Marine School

As I was setting here reading some of the stories, and went to into my memory log about my oldest son who now is 24 yrs old. He was only 4 yrs old when he went to El toro Marine School and he was born on November 10, 1990. He is always proud to know that his birthday falls on the same day as the Marine Corps Birthday. Sometimes nowadays when we sit around the campfire and tell our stories, he would always talk about the Marines that would be there to keep an eye on them when they went to school and out of school as roadguards. Once when we got back home a few years later we were in Tulsa and school was letting out, he said 'Dad' what are those, I replied, those are crossing guards for the school children, he looked at me with a smile, and said we never had those kind, we had MARINES. Now when I see a crossing guard, I just smile think of the Marines at the El Toro Marine School when I lived on base housing at the back gate by the baseball field. Thank you Marines for watching out for our future. Semper Fi!  read more