I was at the Island June of 1962 and out posted Sep 13, 1962… I was in Plt 238… our series was 236-237-238 and 239. I was able to find 150 Marines from this series in the last couple of years. About 20 of them have passed away. I worked with 2 other Marine Brothers and we pulled off a reunion at the Island this past April. I would suggest not waiting like we did to do this. This was one of best things that has happened to us in a long time. We had a ball… We spent two days on P.I. and the last day saw a graduation from the other side of the parade deck next to the reviewing stands. The Marines at the Island treated us so good and couldn't do enough for us. It was just great. It had been about 50 years since we had seen each other and we bonded right away. It was one of the best times we could have ask for . We had 27 Marines and and 17 spouses that attented. As you can see we are wearing covers that I brought for our group from Sgt Grit. We bought 37 covers and they did a very nice job on the wording we had done on the back of the covers and treated up right . Thanks to Sgt Grit for all your help. By the way, there are 7 more Marines that missed this group picture due to being at Colors.
Category: Marine Corps Stories
Old Glory – Forever Shall She Wave
The Red – the White and the Blue are the true colors
of Peace in the world – Her glorious colors have been
defended by many lives – in many far off lands so our
freedom might live on – and on – and on
Old Glory is at Her best with the wind blowing sharply
and when you hear Her snapping in the wind – She’s
unfurling Her colors for all the world to see – She is the
sign of Freedom wherever She flies
Home Again
It'd been 7 months since I'd seen my fiance. Now, seeing the faint lights in the distance, and wondering if it was them! I had a million butterflies all doing summersaults in my stomach. It was 3 in the morning when their buses drove up, led by tons of motorcycles reving their engines in celebration and to sound to the families that they had arrived! You cant imagine the joy and nerves until you've been there,"my man is home, my man is home"… is all you feel. I was alone with the crowd of strangers, all of us each looking for our loved one.The beating of my chest was going faster now even more than the day I first met Eric as I looked for him among the throngs of people in the darkness. It was like I was holding my breath. Inside me felt somewhat frantic, but on the outside I was calmy looking, walking, and peering through the dark and past the hats that shielded so many faces. I walked one way and turned around fearing he was getting off the bus behind me, so I'd stop and wait and search each face from a distance… I swear I was holding my breath until I saw him. I prayed, "help me find him, help me find him, God." He saw me first, he had been blocked about 20 to 30 people away from me. When I saw him, it was like adrenaline… after all this time I was seeing him again in the flesh. God had brought him home to me! I was not dreaming. Eric, pushed/manuevered his way past dudes and got to me. He found me. We hugged so tightly and again it is the most surreal and amazing experience to be holding my guy again, and feel his chest against me. A lady from the USO snagged this photo of us as soon as he got me. No one needs to be seen, but him. He is my hero, my best friend, and now my husband. I got to wait for him and don't you forget he waited just as long for me! My birthday is tomorrow and the only thing I wish is that I could've been there for his last year… but thats the sacrifice the other half makes. He is selfless and kind, and also tough as nails when he wants to be. But, he is perfect, and I am so glad to have him home again. Thanks for the best birthday and making my wish come true and coming home to me. I love you eternally.
Yellow Footprints
I reported aboard MCRD San Diego, CA on July 20, 1956. We spent three weeks in the receiving barracks prior to starting our 12 week training cycle. The yellow footprints were there and a lot of time was spent standing on them between working parties, etc.
Chaplain
Reunion time, is just around the corner.
I served as an Marine '66-'72, reaching the rank of SGT. This week I will gather with my fellow Marines from Vietnam. I haven't seen most of them since 1967-1968 when we served in HMM-364, Purple Foxes, a CH 46D Squadron out of MCAF, Tustin in Santa Ana, California.
Camp Hannah
Regarding Gene Lang's story "Fired on the Hucks". I too served in H&S, 1/12, 3rd MarDiv in Okinawa from July 1957 to Sep 1958 and I remember well Operation Strongback and Camp Hannah. I have a few photos of the place. We had an area called "Jack's Bar" set up with San Miguel beer sold for 10 cents a bottle. I also remember encountering a small band of "Negritos" and trading whatever gear we could spare for their hand made weapons. What stands out in my mind is how we got from Okinawa to the Philippines. In Dec 1957 we were mobilized and set sail to the South China Sea. My unit was on an LST. We sailed around in circles, never seeing land, for about a month on water rations, food rations and salt water showers. It was a miserable trip. The ocean was as calm as glass and it was hotter than hell. We spent the 1957-8 holidays aboard that ship before finally putting in to Subic Bay where we were housed in a compound in Olongopo which I believe was an old Japanese POW camp. At the time I had no idea why we were deployed to the South China Sea, but many years later I learned that it was a plan by Pres Eisenhower and Sec of State John Foster Dulles to assist in the 1958 Rebellion in Indonesia. The plan was to send “one cruiser one destroyer division all U.S. amphibious forces available in the Philippine area with embarked Marines plus necessary logistic forces” in the direction of Indonesia, staying “out of sight of land if at all practical.”
Fighting Huks
Enjoyed the story of fighting the HUKS. I too remember the time well. Was with MAG-16 (Helicopter Support Detachment) that provided transportation support to the fighting GRUNTS. We were home based in the middle of Clark Air Base field between runways in a tent camp. I was a SSgt at the time with Logistics Support with MAG-16 Group Supply at Oppama, Japan. 1956 – 1957.
Recruiter’s Day
On 3 May 2013, Bismarck, ND area Marines held their 3rd Annual Recruiter's Day. This was coincidental with Military Appreciation Month. This was started three years ago to show some support for the recruiters. As most recruiters are not stationed near their home of record much less a Marine installation of any sort. So they are really stuck somewhere between Stick and Stump. The closest military installation is Minot Air Force Base. Once again, this was a Marine instituted, hosted, and dominated event.
GySgt Rigor Mortis
It was with great USMC pride that I learned our Senior Drill Instructor GYSGT Charles "Rigor" Mortis became SGT MAJOR later in his career. He exemplified everything that defined the term United States Marine. For all the Marines who knew him, we are also greatly saddened to learn of his final orders given February 11, 2011.
Fired On The Hucks
Ref: Newsletter 5/23/13 "Cold War" by Donald J Patterson. I too served in the Cold War era. Knowing my Marine brothers, I feel that few, if any, think lesser of those who served in the Cold War era.
I'm 76 years of age and still have vivid memories of the men I served with and the jobs we did. "Operation Strong Back" was a Cold War operation at the behest of the Philippine government. The 12th Marines went into the field and fired on the HUCKS (commies) up in the mountains. You will not find any written matter about it, but it did happen.