Category: Marine Corps Stories

Kuwait Oil Fires

To those who are veterans of Desert Shield/Storm, this may be a sight you may remember.  I've had it in my dreams for over 20 yrs and needed to "exercise it out of me", or at least make an attempt to paint what I remember.  I feel like I succeeded in that it has become a great focal point for me to just sit back and get lost in it.  2'x4' Acryclic on MDF. read more

D.U.K.W.

Dear Sgt. Grit

I was a between the wars Marine and served from 10/55 to 10/58 with 5 years inactive reserve. My first and best duty station,  following P.I. (Platoon 164) and I.T.R. at Pendleton, was at  Camp McGill Japan. Camp McGill was a former Japanese naval base and my draft wound up in the 1st Amphibian Truck Co., 2nd AMTRAC Batt. 3rd Marines. The company was soon downsized to platoon strength and became the 3rd D.U.K.W. Platoon with Capt. Dave Dichter commanding. read more

General John w. Antonelli was the BEST

He smiled with a smile that said it all; a warm and loving face that could give you the world; but wanted back what he asked for in his family. He was the Captain of his ship, the gaurdian and the teacher. We still miss him and love him. He was a Marine that I remembered as a little girl and I use to cry every time he left to go away. I would get sick with my father not there. Dad in uniform; but he carried it with absence of self for it was proclaimed in his duty and how it was carried out with his men. Trust and the Marine Corps shows all that there are men, willing servents for the country and so I saw this with my father as he delt with others. Dad was a Marine, a defender, in the wars and as he cared for a family in need; a country, I love him still. read more

SATS RUNWAY

My name is Michael Butler and my dad was in the Marine Corp from 63 to 67 he was in vma 214 black sheep and he was part of the first group to ever use the sats runway in chu lai vietnam in fact his co sent a letter to his parents telling them about chu lai and sats runway and if you search the web it says mag 12 or mag 11 used the runway first i just wanted to set the record straight my dads name is Lance Corpral George R Butler he was in Vietnam from May of 65 to June of 66 when my dad can get the letter i'll try to remember to post it.  read more

Taliban Vs Marine

A large group of Taliban soldiers are moving down a road when they heard a voice call from behind a sand-dune say, "One Marine is better than ten Taliban." The Taliban commander quickly sent 10 of his best soldiers over the dune whereupon a gun-battle broke out and continued for a few minutes, then silence. The voice then called out, "One Marine is better than a hundred Taliban soldiers." Furious,… the Taliban commander sent his next best 100 troops over the dune and instantly a huge gun fight commenced. After 10 minutes of battle, again silence. The Marine voice called out again, "One Marine is better than one thousand Taliban." The enraged Taliban commander mustered a thousand fighters and sent them over the dune. Cannon, rocket, and machine gun fire rang out as a huge battle is fought. Then silence. Finally one wounded Taliban fighter crawled back over the dune and with his dying words told his commander, "Don't send any more men, it's a trap. There are two Marines." read more

DI at PI

When I returned from Korea, still in one piece, I was assigned to DI School at San Diego. So after 13 months in Korea I am going on 24 months of Training Recruits. So as DI School progressed and we were getting ready for Graduation and all Korean Vets were to report to Sick Bay. We were given a poison to kill the internal bugs common to Korea. I took the Poison as directed (who is going to tell the people that kept you alive in War…NO!} so On Graduation day, I passed out as did a couple others. We were hauled to Sick Bay then to Balboa Naval Hospital, we were dying of the Poison given us to keep us from getting sick. In the Hospital I was given my DI Diploma and later lost it!!! Fortunately mu Enlistment was up and so I asked for Recruiters School, what could be easier. (by the way in those days you were paid $360 for 6 year Enlistment, YOU HAD TO WANT TO BE A MARINE). read more

USMC Weapons Carriers – M37 Dodge

In a recent news letter T Stewart talked about USMC Weapons Carriers or Personnel Carriers as they were later called. He said when he tried to Google the term all he got was pictures of late model vehicles. I would suggest he Google M37 Dodge and he will find the vehicle he is looking for. I am in the process of doing a frame up restoration on one built in 1953 which I hope to complete by the fall of this year. I have also enclosed a couple of pictures of my project. read more