Category: Marine Corps Stories

WWII Vets

With the Death of Senator Frank Lautenberg, the last WWII Veteran serving in the Senate and only two left serving in the Congress, and the so-called data that WWII Vets are dying at an average of 2,000 a day, I figured this old Hat is pushing calculations. When I retired in 1969 with 26 years, I figured the best days were ahead and they were until I turned 65 years of age… then I went on Medicare. I had to choose a Doctor and found one who immediately demanded I have a bunch of tests and shots. So I told him for too many years I had to put up with some of the most humiliating, undignified, and embarrassing medical examinations.  read more

Discipline And Leadership

In last week's newsletter, SGT Dave Charbonneau left a remembrance to his Senior Drill Instructor, GYSGT C.D. Mortis. A real tribute to a Marine's Marine. But, if I could be so bold, since I did not know the GYSGT, but I do know the Marine to his left in the Platoon photo, Assistant Drill Instructor SGT J.C. Pleasants. Platoon 353 was Pleasants last at MCRD PI. Joe Pleasants passed on to me the 7 platoon books that he helped train at PI, to research the names of the new Marines for possible KIA's in Viet Nam. For the research I do, trying to find photos of Marine KIA's, this was a 'gold mine'. read more

Haven’t Used It Since Vietnam

There have been many articles through the years on the "Zippo" lighters that Vietnam Vets used for various things besides lighting cigarettes. I bought my Zippo in September 1965 about 10 miles south of DaNang from Vietnamese women villagers that sold us "Vietnam" berets, elephant soap, and other memorabilia. My Zippo was one of the very few things I came back with. I still have it in my drawer, but haven't used it since Vietnam. read more

Giant Amphibious Lizard

The stories on pinning stripes brought back memories. Not so much of being so honored myself or doing the honors. I think I made Corporal in 1963 and per tradition, I took some shots in the Chevrons from the resident "Old Corps" NCOs, but in H&S Company it wasn't strongly rooted. It brought to mind a somewhat related story about unit mascots. At the time I was in 2nd Amtracs in Camp Lejeune. And, at times we did do organized grab azs training maneuvers in the boonies of Lejeune. read more

Something Of An Anomaly

Gunny McCallum's letter allowed me to look back to when I had a Spec Number of 521, Basic Marine, later it became a 745 Rifleman Spec Number when I earned it. Then in 1946 we went from Spec Numbers to MOS and I became an 0311. Through my years of Service I have been A Rifleman, a Photographer, A Sentry, Prison Chaser at a Naval Prison, Chief Night Cook on a Troop Ship returning home, Recruiter, Weapons Tester, Recon, Small Arms Repair, Rifle Team Armorer, even a Nuclear Weapons Specialist, and even doing duty as Rifleman at Burials (when they returned the bodies at the end of WWII). I've always looked at my Career as something special because I was able to do what I was called on to do (not always to my liking). read more