Category: Marine Corps Stories

MCRD San Diego 1969 PLT 1066 Reunion

The Marines of MCRD San Diego 1969 Platoon 1066 held our 4th annual reunion in Branson, MO this past weekend.  It was a great success.  What made it especially memorable was the generous donation of merchandise from SGT GRIT.  Your USMC goodies were the highlight of our banquet and the reunion.  Everyone got T-Shirts, pens, magnetic decals, catalogues, etc.   We even put together a 50 question "boot camp" quiz for the guys to take that Sgt. Grit himself would have been proud of (he may want to take it too).  The top two scorers were awarded the books you provided.  Two of our former Drill Instructors attended and one of them, Tony Gatling, had the highest score.  But I guess that makes sense – he taught us the stuff 43 years ago.  Our other DI, Eddie Alley was there with his new bride, Edna.  As a former Marine herself, she loved the "Woman Marine" T-shirt you included.   On behalf of all of the Marines of PLT 1066 we want to say THANK YOU SGT GRIT for again contributing to the great success of our reunion.   Semper Fi, Bob

Just Plain Lethal

Sgt Grit,

Attached are three pictures that I just came across yesterday while looking through old photos. The top photo is of me marching as the guide next to Sgt Mazenko on graduation day (Oct 27, 1981 – Platoon 2063 Parris Island).

Back then for graduation we marched in Columns of two with the SDI out in front and the "junior" DI's each marching in front of a section of the platoon, but not sure how it is done today. I was a squad leader at times during boot-camp (got fired several times, by Sgt Ishmail and always reinstated by Mazenko, but that is a story for another time), but never served as guide, so when Mazenko selected me as his guide for Graduation Day, I was all filled up with extra pride. My dad took the photo, but I did not know he took it – must have zoomed in, because he never got that close to the parade deck as far as I know. read more

Information on Married couple through Marine Corps Boot Camp

Hello,
I was looking up some information to see if I can find my parents pics and I found this article that I have the link for here:
https://www.grunt.com/corps/scuttlebutt/marine-corps-stories/chandler-ok-couple/

I just wanted to let you know that this has happened before, to my parents. My father, Stephen Dale (14 year Gunny) and my mother, Linda Dale, were married and went through boot camp together back in the mid 70's. I have all the documentation and local papers and still have the press photo shoot with the headline "Marines spend second honeymoon at Parris Island" read more

Marine past and present

I served in the Army for 6 years with the 2nd Infantry Division received my Honorable Discharge then signed up for the Corps which I also received my Honorable Discharge. As a veteran who served in both services to compare the Army to the Corps there's no compairson Corps comes out on top all the time. Once a Marine always a Marine. read more

Leaving Vietnam

Our squadron, HMM-165, left Ky Ha in increments up to Danang for the flight to Okinawa. This was in Sept. 1967. We assembled around the little terminal waiting for our civilian plane to pick us up for the 'Grand Flight." It was late. And it was getting later and later, like about midnight. Then we really started to get anxious, as that was around the traditional time that Danang Airbase would have the rocket attacks. We had had our fill of many attacks during our tour and just wanted to get out of there in the worst way. We had been lying around on the concrete, and then as the time passed we started to get up and walk around getting even more anxious as the time passed 0100.   Then about 0130 our 'freedom bird" arrived. The plane unloaded the new arrivals, from all the services; they were dressed in Class A uniform and looked kind of funny, but clean. We were in jungle utilities, somewhat dirty and needing a shave. They couldn't get off that aircraft fast enough to suit us. They walked down the ramp wide eyed and excited about arriving in Vietnam. We started to crowd around the boarding ramp, must have looked a little like an uncontrolled mob. We just knew that even with being close enough to almost touch our "chariot to heaven" that the VC was going to ruin everything by a damn rocket attack.   But it didn't happen. Thank God! We climbed aboard the plane and shortly we lifted off and were on the first leg home. Some cheered but I mostly remember an enormous feeling of relief…that it was over. We processed at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, for only a couple of days. I don't remember going ashore at all. There was a 24-hour "O" club bar next to the BOQ's and that’s where we went to unwind.   We flew by Air Force transport directly to MCAS El Toro where our families waited. I remember how quiet it was on the aircraft as we started our descent into El Toro after the long flight. The seemingly endless approach finally ended with the thump of the wheels on the runway, and then the cheers started! Lots of excited talk, babbling really, as we tried to look out the tiny windows for a glimpse of our families as the aircraft taxied to the small base terminal.   My wife Bente was there, looking as beautiful as she did when I saw her the last time, 13 months before. In those days people still dressed up for special occasions. One small thing I will never forget. There were lots of happy families milling around chattering and hugging, and as Bente and I were leaving, through the crowd I saw the wife of one of our Marines that had been KIA. I don't know why she was there, but I can only imagine the loneliness and pain she must have felt at that moment.   Captain Thomas Mix USMC Retired

OPERATION STARLITE August 18th 1965 Chu Lai Vietnam USMC

In the year 1965 my father then SSGT Jack Marino Jr. was an Amtractor Crewman, he volunteered for Vietnam, twice, having served in WW2 During the battle for Okinawa, Japan he was with the 6th MAR DIV., and agin during Korea, His first tour in Vietanam was 1965, he was SSGT with 1st Amtrator Bn 3/3 and landed in Da Nang, His mission was to re-supply a Rifle Co, India Co. this was on the Van Toung Penisula, India Co, was in bad need of ammo and other supplies, the US Marines were the first US Forces to engage in a Battle with NVA and Viet Cong gurella Fighter's, It was the 1st VC Regiment, a well seasoned battle hardened outfit, these VC fighters had already seen battle with the french during the the early 1950's, that day the Re-supply column was Column 21 , later dubbed "Lost Column 21" the 2nd LT Robert F. Cochran was the the the Plt  leader, from my fathers account of what happened that morning. The Amtractor Coulmn loaded with supplies headed out to locate and supply India Co. this Column I'm told consisted of several Amtracs, and it was escorted by two FLame-Tank's  M-48 Tanks I believe them to be, as the column went inland the column was halted, and the belief was that they had somehow went too far in, and my father and the 24 year old 2nd LT. Robert F. Cochran werte outside the Amtracs looking over a map of the area, my father expressed his opinion that they had either went too far, and need to turn the column around, which wasn't an easy task, after this discussion, it was agreed they were lost, and from what my father told me, about the time they were going to mount and continue, all "Hell Broke loose" Mortar were dropping everywhere the red dirt drom explosions hindered my fathers eye sight and the the Heavy Weapons and small arms fire began, it was apparent they had found them selves surrounded and Ambushed by the 1st VC Regiment, the battle lasted from 11am until about 11am the next morning, during the battle LT Cochran lost his life ontop of an Amtrac, his bodied riddled by the VC, all Amtracs were demobilized from the rocket fire and direct hit's only one flame tank was partially able to use it's Flame throwing ability, my fathers Amtrac was the only one still partially functionable, it was outfitted with only the Browning Belt fed .30 Cal Machine Gun mounted on a turrit an operational from inside the Trac, my father said the heat was 130 inside atleast, they were poring water over their heads, they had plenty of water and ammo, he said one Marine was loading clips these Marines were firing from atop and through the hatches with their M-14's, one Marine named read more

Known USMC Rank’s that had insignia past and present

1. Musician Marine Band
2. Trumpeter  
3. Drummer
4. Assistant Cook
5. Trumpeter First Class
6. Drummer First Class
7. Private First Class
8. Mess Corporal or Field Cook
9. Trumpet Corporal
10. Drum Corporal
11. Corporal
12. Mess Sergeant or Chief Cook
13. Trumpet Sergeant
14. Drum Sergeant
15. Sergeant
 16. Platoon Sergeant
17. Staff Sergeant (Mess)
18. Staff Sergeant
19. Technical Sergeant (Mess)
20. Technical Sergeant
21. Drum Major
22. Supply Sergeant
23. Gunnery Sergeant **
24. First Sergeant
25. Master Gunnery Sergeant
26. Paymaster Sergeant
27. Master Technical Sergeant (Mess)
28. Master Technical Sergeant
29. Quartermaster Sergeant
30. Sergeant Major
Rank description – "Private" has no rank insignia read more

If you try and please Everyone then!

You see in 1962 I wanted to join the Marines but was too young and needed my father to sign for me. So being very creative I got my original Birth Certificate which was written in fountain pen ink. I bought some ink eradicator from Scranton’s on Main St. and removed the 5 in my birth year. I then took some blue and black inks and tested the mixes until the shade of blue/black was identical and changed the year to 1944.   Now when you have three sisters the chances of getting away with this are slim and none. One of them told my father and he came to me and inquired about it and told me. If you want to enlist that bad then I will sign for you, but I had to agree to finish High School while I was in. Which I did and scored high enough for the New York State Regents requirements to be awarded an equivalency diploma.   I was only successful in this matter because of a lesson I was taught by my Grandfather Philip (Fillippo) Viavatteni who was born in Sicily in 1886. I told him of my problem of doing what I wanted and what my family wanted. He said that he knew how I felt because he faced the same thing when he was a young man and wanted to go to the United States and all his family tried to talk him out of it. He left Sicily in 1906 with just him and his three younger brother’s (who were refused entry to the US and settled in Argentina) his youngest brother’s Franco and Antonio stayed in Sicily (Franco was killed in WWI and Antonio came to the US in 1921 at the age of 17). When my Grandfather came to the USA and settled in Rochester,  NY and  fathered 2 son’s Joseph and John  now their children had many children and if you look on Facebook you can get an idea of just how many.   He told me that he had learned about pleasing people when he was a little boy growing up in the mountainous Provence of Etna (near Mt Etna) in Sicily. Every day he and his Father Joseph had to go and work in a small town several miles away and pick olives. They had a donkey (which he called an Ass) and my grandfather would ride on it while my great grandfather walked besides him. Now on a particular day it was raining very hard and as they passed through a small town they could hear the people saying "look at that young man riding that Ass while the older man has to walk". When they reached the end of town my great Grandfather said tom my grandfather "did you hear what the Town's people were saying"? My grandfather acknowledged that fact and they agreed to switch places. About an hour later they went through another Town and the people started saying "look at that grown man ridding that Ass while that poor little boy had to walk" When they got to the end of the Town they discussed what the Town's People said and they both decided that they would both ride on the  Ass.   With all the rain that had been falling the bridge they had to cross to get to the Olive Orchard was almost awash with the flow of the river. They had to get across in order for my great Grandfather to work so they proceeded to the other side. When they were about half way there the weight of the Ass, my great grandfather and my grandfather was too much and the bridge collapsed and they were spilled into the raging river. As providence would have it my grandfather and my great grandfather made it to the opposite shore, cold and wet but safe none the less. The donkey or Ass didn't make it and drowned in the heavy current.   My great grandfather now turned to my grandfather and said Filippo there is a lesson to be learned here. My grandfather looked at his Dad and said what is it Papa, what is the lesson? My Great Grandfather tells my Grandfather this "If you try and please everybody you’re going to lose your ASS!   So I joined the United States Marine Corps and the rest is history.   “For those who FOUGHT for it Freedom Has a Flavor the Protected Will Never Know”

How to make S.O.S!

Recipe for "Marine Breakfast"

(Serves 8 or two hungry Marines) 1/2 lb. Ground Beef (ground chuck for flavor) 1 tbs. Bacon fat (lard/Crisco or butter) 3 tbs. Flour 2 cups Whole milk (add more milk if you want it thinner) 1/8 tsp. Salt Pepper (to taste) 8 slices of dry toast Using a large skillet (12"-14"), crumble and brown the ground beef with the fat and salt, remove the pan from the heat and let cool slightly. Mix in the flour until all of the meat is covered, using all of the flour. Replace the skillet on the heat and stir in the milk, keep stirring until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens (boil a minimum of 1 minute). Serve over the toast. Salt & pepper to taste. "Semper fi"