In response to Mike Benfield's statement that Dress Blues are too ostentatious, I guess to some that may be true. Personally, I've always thought Blues are snazzier than any uniform in existence, even when you see Army and Navy personnel in their dress uni's with a chest full of medals they got for things like cleaning the head, completing a course in Underwater Basket-weaving, etc. Dress Greens look good, as does any uniform a Marine wears because they are always squared away. But, if you show anyone in the world a picture of a U.S. Marine in Greens or Cammies, chances are they'll think it's a Dogface. If you show them an individual wearing Dress Blues, they know it's a United States Marine. It is the one uniform that sets us apart from armies all over the world.
Category: Marine Corps Stories
Almost Always Had Good Chow
In my Marine Corps I almost always had good Chow. Now here's the facts, There's Officers Mess, Staff NCO Mess, NCO Mess, and the Mess Hall where we went to eat CHOW, call it what you want, it was Chow. I have to admit I grew up during the Depression and my Mother couldn't afford great lunches, but going into the Corps didn't enlightened my life by finally getting better food.
Marine Way
Re: GySgt Rousseau letter on leggings. The Marines of WWII and Korea were not issued leggings to be worn with utilities. That's what made us Leathernecks different vs Army boots which took time to tuck in and lace up and could be deadly, as GySgt Rousseau pointed out.
What is a Hero
What is a Hero?
I would like to take a minute of your time, and just throw in my two-cents in here concerning an issue on one of the other groups here.
I spent twenty-years of my life serving the United States Marine Corps, (1974-1994); there has been nothing in my life of 58 years that can come close to even matching that day on the Parade Deck of MCRD San Diego on a November day in 1974, when I earned the title Marine!
Blues Continued
Sgt. Grit,
I was in the Cr-tch from '59 to '63 and never had Dress Blues and never wanted any. I think they're gaudy and ostentatious. Dress Greens make a Marine look like a Marine. Just my opinion.
Take a look at the picture of Marines in Afghanistan. Do you think they give a cr-p about Dress Blues? I doubt it.
Vietnamese Side of China Beach
Sgt. Grit,
Here's a couple pictures your Vietnam Vets might like. First picture is Top Barker, he was 1st Sgt. "A" company, 1st Recon. He, I and a LT. used to go to the Vietnamese side of China Beach and eat fabulous sea food cooked by the Viet mom's there (one tried to get us to take her son back to the US)… I don't remember which OP this other picture is, but someone is likely to remember. This picture of Dong Den might make someone home sick. Top Barker returned to the states after a long time away, died shortly after returning and was buried with Honors.
viet nam knife
sgt. grit,can you tell me how to get my hands on one of these,and the price.thanks and semper fi
clutch
Plt 239
I was in Plt. 239, June of 1963. I was a member of the "Boston" Platoon. I have lost my Plt. book. If anyone has one, I would be grateful to pay for a copy of it. Apparently they are long out of print and unavailable from the publisher. Semper Fi to all of my brothers and sisters. I am proud to say that two of my sons served in the Marine Corps as well (1986-1990, 2005-2011)
Still Wounded
My brother Ernie and I served in Vietnam as Grunts in 1966-67. Ernie served in the Dong Ha area while I was in the Cam Lo area when we were able to get together. Both of us were wounded several times but survived. We also had another brother Bill that served in 1968-69 as a "Man in the Door" out of Marble Mountain.
Bob Hope Show 1967
I caught the Bob Hope Show in Da Nang 1967.
Michael Lopez