Category: Marine Corps Stories

Nice Big Red Helmet

This is in reference to the story from your Oct 4, 2012 issue (I think) from M/Sgt Howard J. Fuller.

I was in HMLA-269 Gun Runners New River, NC, from '83 – '86. We deployed on a NATO Med. cruise from Feb. 84 – Aug. 84, our final destination was to support and cover the final withdrawal from Beirut. At that time, there were no COMBAT AIRCREW wings but a few friends and I had thought there should be something for those flying missions that weren't actual aircrew and whom did not rate Aircrew Wings. read more

Signs Remained Up

Thank You for great products and a newsletter that I look forward to receiving weekly.

The attached photos were taken in March or April of '65 in downtown DaNang. The first photo of me was taken by Sgt Paul Nicklin my driver. I took the second shot with the USO building just visible on the right. The 8 March '65 landing was made up of BLT 1/3 by air and Blt 3/9 by sea. At the time of the landing I was the FDO of A-1-12 and later the XO. To the best of my knowledge the signs remained up for at least two months, maybe more. Once again thanks for a great newsletter. read more

Unlegal Invasion

Dear Sgt. Grit,   It's me, the Beer Runner!  I wrote to you last year after I found your website looking to replace the sword on a plaque given to my dad when he retired.  I am sending a picture of my mom with the sword and scabbard, back in its place of honor.  I'm also sending a picture of "Our Wall"; thanks to Sgt. Grit's store for some of the memorabilia.   When I was back in New York, I was able to go through a trunk that had a treasure trove of goodies my mom saved from 30 years of Marine Corps living!    The first thing I came across was a 493 page Guidebook for Marines.  What I found interesting was there is no date telling when it was published.  What I found even more interesting was a note my dad wrote on the last page and it read… "And on the seventh day the Lord rested… and Marines continued to fill sand bags."    I came across a newspaper article titled "Marines Teaching Dangers of Duds" at Camp Hansen, Okinawa.  The article was about a villager that set off a dud shell killing one and injuring the other.  Three Marine officers decided to come up with ways to prevent such accidents from happening again.  The three officers were Col. Mike Mosteller, Capt. Harry G. Hartley, and 2d Lt. David Luke.  My dad, Sgt. Patrick J. Kelly was in the photo holding up a "dud" shell.  I've also attached a copy of the article.   One of the most touching things I came across was a letter written to my mom on April 11, 1966 from Miss Margaret Jo Roach, USO Associate Director.  They originally spoke via the MARS station in Okinawa.  I've attached the letter; it's amazing in this day in age to see how our troops had to communicate with family "back in the day".   I also thought I'd share a letter written to my dad from a high school girl from Kwang in 1952.  She writes about the "unlegal invasion" of the North Korean Army and how our troops came to help.  It was simply written and her words do the Marine Corps proud.    I've also attached a couple pictures that were labeled on the back, "Defense Department Photo (Marine Corps)."  That's my dad pulling the lanyard of a 105mm howitzer sending a high explosive shell on the way to enemy positions.   And last but not least, in honor of the Marine Corps Birthday, I've attached a picture of my dad and my brother (age 3) at Parris Island November 10, 1968.  My dad served 30 years in the Marine Corps and I'm sad to say he died in 1985.  It seems like yesterday.  After 4 daughters, my parents had Patrick J. Kelly II and he was the pride and joy of our family!     My dad never got to see his son play pro football for the Denver Broncos or the NY Jets; he never saw him married and never got to see his grandson, Patrick J. Kelly III.  But dad was looking down and I believe had something to do with Patrick III being born on, you guessed it, November 10, 1999.  My brother died almost 10 years ago at age 37.  We do what many families do, keep memories alive through pictures, stories and in our case, Irish blarney!  That's the way they'd want it.   I would sincerely appreciate hearing from anyone that may remember GySgt. Patrick J. Kelly.   God Bless our Troops, God Bless our Veterans, Semper Fi!   Michelle Kelly Lewandowski   P.S. My dad would have loved your website and I know he would have had many stories to share!

Yellow Foot Prints

I entered MCRD San Diego on 24 Nov. 64 late at night.  We got off of the bus and stood on the yellow prints. If my memory serves me right, one of the foot prints kicked me in the ass after hearing a loud sound that seemed to come from something inhuman.  From that point on, my life changed forever.  Semper Fi to Plt. 1005, I remember all of you and will never forget you.  The Proud, The Brave, My Marines.  To those who didn't make it home, your always in my prayers. read more

Con Thien “Hill of the Angels”

Con Thien was a hill, 158 meters high! It was actually a cluster of three small hills. It was an ugly bare patch of mud! Local missionaries called it “The Hill of the Angels” due to the massive amount of casualties attributed to the hill. The hill was only large enough to accommodate a reinforced battalion. It was the northwest anchor of what we Marines called the “MacNamarra Line.” The “MacNamarra Line” was actually a 600-meter clearing constructed by the 11th Engineers as a buffer zone from the Laotian border to the South China Sea. The “Strip” was originally constructed for the placement of sensors to detect enemy troop movements, but the project was called off in favor of fortifying Khe Sahn.  read more

miss it all

man, I miss it all. I miss being an 18 year old buck fresh on the rock. I miss the morning 5am PT runs around Camp Schawb, I miss the force marches from Schawb to Hansen and back. The chow, I was one of those "son, you can go to jail or join the Marines" guys, I was use to bad chow in juvy so Marine Corps chow was a step up and SOS wasn't all that bad with eggs. Most of all I miss the floats to PI, man…I wore myself out on PI.Funny how much I hated it then, little did I know it was the time of my life.  H&S Co, 3/9, 3rdMarDiv 1975 – 1977 read more