Sgt Mom thanks you Sgt Grit! She absolutely loves her bumper sticker. She said, "oh, cute. That's cute!" One of the reasons mom has such a huge smile here is because she can actually see the bumper sticker and read it for herself. Her vision is poor but the bumper sticker being so vivid she can actually see it. So she got all excited.
Category: Marine Corps Stories
Mr. John Wood
I just wanted to send along our sincerest appreciation for all the AWESOME Sgt. Grit items you donated to our benefit auction. We were absolutely blown away by the items you sent, especially the Marine t-shirts that depicted the state of KY. All the items were a big hit. We have raised in excess of $10,000 for our Textbooks For Troops program from the auction. Every dime of that money will go to buy textbooks for our military students and their family members attending classes at WKU. Thank you for making a huge difference in the lives of our students.
Leggings In 1951
This is a photo of me with my leggings in 1951. The high top boon dockers were not issued until 1953.
Rudolph Kunzelman
Because He Was A Marine
In the Jan. 8, Sgt. Grit, Gunny Rousseau's letter concerning leggings prompted me to submit this old photo. The photo is of my Uncle Henry Billert, as a young Marine at Quantico from 1935, wearing his greens and leggings. Talk about one squared away Marine! I wasn't born when the photo was taken. The only time I ever met him he was already out of the Corps, having served around 8 years. He traveled from Rockford, IL to Boston to visit his sister (my Mother) back in the fifties. I was around 12 or 13 at the time. I always looked up to him because he was a Marine, the same as John Wayne, Randolph Scott and others, who portrayed hard charging Marines on the big screen. What kid back then at that age did not eat up all those movies about WWII?
Joining The Marines
This is me at age 2, 1968, and me at 23, 1989. I never thought of joining the Marines until 1983 when I signed early for delayed entry. I left for Boot Camp on the Island two days after graduating from High School. Best 8 yrs. of my life!
C. L. Still
1984-1991
Rifle Salute
While in USMC attending Sea School, in 1958, at MCRD, in San Diego, CA, we all took chow at the Drill Instructor’s Mess. We were marched in formation to the covered passageway, outside the Mess' hatch; where we stood "at ease," prior to entry.
Don’t Disrespect the Dress Blue Uniform
About a year ago (Jan 2013) I stop at a truck stop in northern Illinois and was having dinnerwith a few other truckers. Two fellows came in and sat down to get some dinner. (they were not truckers). One was dressed in the Army’s dress green coat and the chevrons were placed upside down. The other was wearing the Marine Corps Dress Blue Coat and his Sgt chevron’s were also on upside down. I was wearing my Marine Corps Ball cap and a few others were wearing their colors. I asked the fellow with the Dress Blue Coat if he was a Marine? He replied no but my brother was. I asked the other fellow if he had been in the Army? He said “no I got this from a Military Surplus Store”. As I got up from my seat and started toward those two I told them that they were going to have to remove those jackets. We don’t play that kind of sh!t here. I told them that “I’m a proud Veteran of the Marine Corps and You’re disrespecting and that's offending me… now you can take off that Coat or I’ll do it for you.” A few of the other truckers stood up too along with both of the boys. The one with the Dress Blue Coat got right in my face and said I’m not taking it off and you better not touch me or you’re going to jail.. As he started to turn toward the door he lost his balance I caught his fall by grabbing the leather neck collar he was wearing and the side of the coat. He spun around as he continued to fall and his arm came out of the coat. I pulled a little harder to try to help him regain his balance and the other arm came out. Thus I had the coat in my hand and his asz was on the floor. I tossed the coat to a chair nearby and then turned and looked at the boy with the Army Coat on. I paused and just looked at him; it didn’t take 2 seconds for him to get that coat off. The fellow behind him said to the boys “I think it’s time for you two to go before this gets ugly”. Now that’s what we all told the police when they arrived. The Coats got misplaced somehow because they were missing. After the two boys left the cops stood there for a few seconds and reminded us that regardless of our intensions they had the right to wear those coats if they choose. I told the cop just because it’s legal don’t make it right. He stood there for awhile until those boys were gone. Look at me smiled and said “Semper fi!” shook my hand and then left. If we as Marines don’t make a stand when disrespected then we were never Marines to start with. But make sure you CYA.
A Great Marine
I came across a picture of me taken 1 Sept 1967 at S-2, 2/5, An Hoa SVN. The S-2 tent is in the background and I believe it is MGYSGT Bill Wolf in the doorway. He was the 1st Marines S-2 Chief and we and the 5th Marines were involved in Operation Union. I was assigned to S-2 Hq Co, 1st Marines and worked for Top Wolf. I rotated about 29 Sept 1967 and Top Wolf stayed on for the move to Hue.
I Forgot To Thank Her
In reference to Sgt. John Clary's post about the Bob Hope show, here's a picture of Ann-Margret leaving the venue after the show.
As you can see Sarge, I got pretty close to her. A few years ago, I got even closer. She did a show at the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino where I was a Security Officer. It was my pleasure to be her escort after the show; taking her through the back hallways to the service elevators and up to her room. Let me assure you that she was just as beautiful and sexy as ever and as nice as can be. My only regret is that I was so busy doing my job; guiding her around hazards and spills and making sure she wasn't accosted, that I forgot to thank her for Da Nang.
Being The Oldest Marine
I served from June of 1956 through September 1959. I had the distinct pleasure of serving directly for Commandant General Randolph McCall Pate. My office was directly across from the Commandant's and four doors down from the first Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Wilbur Bestwick. I have an album that contains many pictures, letters, and Christmas cards from Generals, Colonels, etc. What a duty for a Corporal! I would have reenlisted and been a career Marine, but unfortunately my wife and I had a son that the good Lord decided to take home two days after his birth 28 days before my discharge date.