Category: Marine Corps Stories

APA 38–USS Chilton

Made a Med Cruise with K-3-2-2 on the Chilton in 61-62. It was an old tub but the Captain made sure ALL Marines worked and the CPO sent me to the barber shop. Never cut hair before that day and the swabbys on that ship hated me with a passion because they all looked liked jarheads. The CPO in charge gave me two extra days of liberty for doing a "great job" L/Cpl. T.R. Pemberton read more

The UNKNOWN

So.. As a Military parent, you have alot of questions, you want alot of answers. You want to know whats going to happen to your daughter or son. The UNKNOWN can be a very dangerous thing or it can be one of the most miraculous. But when you hear the voice of your child telling you that he or she is ok.. just for 30 seconds, you will be given a sense of peace that you have never felt before.The different emotions.. The excitement of that first letter, the hope of knowing to see them again, the HONOR to hold as a parent, can all be very wonderful. I hope and pray that you will feel all the amazing emotions of watching your child become a Marine.. read more

A/1/1 Caroll Ralph Bassett passes away at 83

Carroll Ralph Bassett, 83, of Perico Island, FL, passed away on October 28, 2011.  Ralph was born and raised in Johnston, Iowa.  He served in the U.S. Marine Corps during WWII and Korea.  He was wounded in Korea and received the Purple Heart and several other decorations.  After his service in Korea, he returned to and graduated from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.  Ralph then pursued his first career in radio and television broadcasting in Iowa.  A few years later, he embarked on his second career in insurance and employee benefits in the Detroit area where he and his wife, Meridee, lived for 40 years until retirement brought them to Bradenton, FL, in 1997.  Ralph’s retirement was very active and he continued to golf several times each week and devoted his volunteer energies to the Kiwanis Club of Anna Maria Island.  With Kiwanis, he participated in many programs including the Easter Sunrise Service, foster grandparent program at Anna Maria Elementary, and coordinated the Salvation Army holiday bell ringing at the Publix store on the Island.  Ralph was a member of the Marine Corps League and greatly enjoyed attending Marine Corps reunions. We found a recording of Ralph that was done in 1999 that we would like to share, it is from his birth til marriage, but most of the recording is of his service in Korea.  The link to his oral history is https://www.sugarsync.com/pf/D420351_7573651_928507 read more

America the Beautiful!

Happy Birthday Sgt Grit!

Today, 11 of us Marines had lunch at a restaurant in Novato, CA to celebrate the 236th birthday of our beloved Corps.  At the end of lunch, when it was time to get our bill, the waitress came in and announced that our bill had been paid in full by a local, who asked her to tell us "Thank you."  We were stunned.  Eight of the eleven served during the Vietnam War, a time when America had a lot of things to say to us, but "thank you" wasn't one of them.  To learn that an anonymous person had paid our bill, which wasn't an insignificant amount, and said "Thank you", was a very humbling experience.  Maybe, just maybe, you CAN go home again.  Semper Fi!  And God bless America! read more

LZ Kevin

LZ Kevin   It’s 21:00 on May 21st, 1969. Scuttlebutt says tonight is our last night on LZ Kevin. We’re all glad it’s over. Way too close to the “D” for our comfort. We know Charlie’s got us dialed in with his mortar tubes. Rockets are expected any time. Hell, as close as we are, we should be getting artillery from across the “D”. Quiet night so far and plenty of stars. That means good visibility while standing lines. Something just don’t feel right.   22:00. Night patrol going out through the wire. Good luck, Marines. Don’t bring anybody back with you. Let us get some rest tonight. Tomorrow we hump back to some hot chow.   23:00. What in the HELL was that? Another freakin’ Beacon Op. Some Marine Phantom leaves Da Nang, sets his course, flies real high, radio signal drops the 500lb bomb, we never hear the plane and then, BOOM, right beside us. Try going back to sleep after that one.   04:00. Night patrol coming back in. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, they all made it back. Didn’t bring any extras back with them. Good job, Marines. Now they say they saw a lot of sign. Looks like large troop movement just North of us. Gee thanks, any more good news?   06:00. Eatin’ the last of my C-rats. Word just came down from Gunny and Gunny never lies. We got choppers coming in to get us any time now. Get your gear packed, fill those fightin’ holes, bury your trash and get ready to ride. No humpin’ today. Thank you, Jesus.   08:00. Ok, where’s those choppers? Yea right, the general used them to go to the PX. I knew it was too good to be true. INCOMING!!! Hit the dirt!!! I heard the tubes pop. Sounded like three on the way! OK, move over Rodriguez; two of us have to fit in this hole. Well, I guess they just had to mess with us before we left. INCOMING!!! Three more on the way! Dig deep; I just heard the guns across the “D”. This ain’t good, ladies. BOOM, BOOM, BOOM. That was artillery! Here come the mortars again! Somebody get up there and get a fix on those pops! Look for the f**kin’ flash and count to the pop. Give the 81’s some dope so they can fire a mission. BOOM, BOOM, BOOM. Damn, that was close. Corpsman Up!!! Hurry up, check him out! How bad is it? Come on, answer up back there! Mad Dog six, Mad Dog six this is Cougar six, DO YOU COPY? BOOM, BOOM, BOOM. Now those were rockets! Have we got a fix on their tubes yet? I want to see your ass up there between rounds and you better find me a flash!! I don’t care if you have to run all the way to f**kin’ Hanoi, I want to know where this shit is coming from. Mad Dog six, Mad Dog six, this IS Cougar six, Do you copy, Say again, Do You Copy?   Go Cougar six, we copy.   Where are those damn choppers? We’re gettin’ our ass kicked here. We’re takin’ rockets, mortars and arty from across the “D”.   Stand by Cougar six. BOOM, BOOM, BOOM. Cougar six, Cougar six, this is Mad Dog six.   Go Mad Dog six.   Choppers have been delayed. Call in location of tubes and we’ll run a fire mission. You copy, Cougar six? BOOM, BOOM, BOOM.     We copy, Mad Dog six.   Skipper, we got a fix on the tubes! From Burma Shave, add 600, left 200.   Good job, Marine, now get your ass in a hole. Mad Dog six, this is Cougar six, do you copy? BOOM, BOOM, BOOM.   Go Cougar six, you got a fix for us?   Damn skippy, Mad Dog. From Burma Shave, add 600, left 200. One Willie Peter.   OK Cougar six, shot over.   Shot out.   Talk to me Cougar six. Was it close?   Hell yes, Mad Dog, right 50 and fire for effect.   Roger that Cougar, right 50 and fire for effect. Shot Over.   Shot out. Ok Marines, hug some dirt. Our Arty’s coming in.   BOOM, BOOM, BOOM. boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom.   Did you see that? I think I saw the tube go up on that last one. Get Some, Arty!!!   BOOM, BOOM, BOOM. It ain’t over yet. The guns at Dong Ha Mountain ain’t gonna reach across the “D” to silence their guns. Sgt. Reid, how many we lost?   We got four KIA’s and three WIA’s, Skipper. Had two direct hits in two holes.   Well, let’s get the KIA’s up to the LZ. Pass the word, we’re moving out in five Mikes. I want the squad leaders on me now!   Yes Sir, Skipper.   BOOM, BOOM, BOOM.   Ok Marines, gather round and stay low. I don’t want any more KIA’s. We’re gonna’ walk off of this hill and down that ravine over there. Tell the men not to bunch up and keep their eyes open. The night patrol saw signs of large troop movements to our North. Now get’em movin’.   BOOM, BOOM, BOOM.   Aye, Aye, Skipper.   First Squad! Saddle up! On me, now! Stay low.   Second Squad! Get your gear and get movin’.   Third Squad! You better not be f**kin’ last! Get your gear and start movin’!   BOOM, BOOM, BOOM.   Cougar six, Cougar six, this is Mad Dog six, do you copy?   Go Mad Dog, this is Cougar six.   Cougar six, be advised, those choppers are inbound. ETA 15 Mikes. You copy?   Roger that Mad Dog, ETA 15 Mikes. New LZ, Mad Dog six, you ready to copy?   Roger Cougar six, send new LZ.   New LZ is from Burma Shave drop 200, right 100. You copy, Mad Dog?   Roger that Cougar six, New LZ from Burma Shave drop 200, right 100. You gonna’ be there in 15 Mikes?   You just have those choppers there, Mad Dog, and we’ll be there! Over?   Roger Cougar six, over and out.   BOOM, BOOM, BOOM.   Ok Marines, get your ass off of my hill!!   BOOM, BOOM, BOOM.   Ok, keep it quiet. We don’t want Charlie to know he ain’t got a target till we’re half way back to Con Thien. Pass it back, keep five paces between you and keep your eyes open.   Skipper, Gunny says we got company. They’re looking for us.   Ok, keep the noise down and keep’em movin’. Another five Mikes and we’ll be at the new LZ. Tell’em to keep on the South side of that hill. When we get there tell them to get the WIA’s near the top of the hill, but stay down. Got it?   Aye, Aye Skipper. Will do.   11:00. Skipper, the choppers are coming down the valley.   Ok, get those WIA’s ready to load and the first three loads get ready. The faster we get these three birds out of here, the sooner they’ll be back for the rest of us.   Damn, why didn’t they leave low like they came in? What are they trying to do, tell them where we are? OK, Marines, dig in. It may not stay this quiet. You can bet your ass they’re looking for us right now. Don’t make it easy for’em. Keep your asses down.   11:25. OK, next three loads get ready. Oh shit, they found us. Incoming! Get on those choppers fast!   BOOM, BOOM, BOOM.   They’re gettin’ closer, keep movin’.   Now the time seemed to stop. Just when I started to step onto the ramp of the last CH-46 to leave this No-Name LZ, a round hit close to the front of the chopper. The pilot figured he’d had enough and he pulled up just as my foot was about to come down on the ramp. My foot slipped off the ramp and I fell with my arms stretched out across the ramp. Before I knew it, we were sliding down the side of the hill about 15 feet off the ground. It was all I could do to hang on. I finally dared to look down. Now we’re about 1000 feet in the air over the floor of the valley below and climbing. Now we’re at 1500 and I’m screaming at the top of my lungs. The Marines in the chopper seem miles away. They are just settling in on the side seats and checking each other for wounds. I can’t seem to make them hear me and I’m losing my grip on the ramp. Only my elbows are over the ramp now. One Marine finally looks back at me and grabs the crew chief’s arm, pointing frantically at me. The crew chief says something into his headset. Now the ramp begins to come up. If this ramp closes with me hanging on like this, all that will be left of me to send home will be my arms from the elbow down. The crew chief sees this and shouts into the headset again. Oh great, now the ramp is being lowered. Now they won’t even have any arms to send home. I look down again. Oh no, no rice paddy below, as if that would cushion my fall from 1500 feet at 40 knots. Finally two Marines jump up and come back to grab my arms. They pull me in and all is well. I guess I will live to eat C-rats one more day.   The After-Op report on LZ Kevin says that there were 500 North Vietnamese Regulars surrounding our hill as we were arriving at our new LZ to be extracted. They were just five minutes too late. That would have been some battle. Five hundred North Vietnamese Army soldiers against eighty-five U. S. Marines. Of course, I’m sure some of them would have lived but we would have kicked their ass. After all, we’re Marines and that’s what Marines do. Semper Fi.   In loving memory of Ralford Jackson and Paul Speaks.   KIA May 22, 1969 LZ Kevin, Northern I Corps, Republic of Vietnam

grin and bear it

I joined back in 1975 right after the pull out and was in for four years.  I was stationed most of my time in at Courthouse Bay in Camp Lejuene N.C.. Well one of the things that I'll never forget happened right before morning formation.  Being in AMTRACs and being in HDQT platoon in Alpha Co.  We dealt with a rather rough bunch of Jarheads.  Anyway right before the CO. Gunny came out the incident happened.  The rumor was going around that so and so was going to have an accident.  Well 1st Platoon had a problem child at the time and the guy just wouldn't get it together and 1st was getting fed up with the guy.  Anyway long story short problem child had his shoulder dislocated right there in formation and being right next to 1st platoon all of our little HDQT platton heard it plain as day.  Kind of felt sick to my stomach actually.  Anyway after formation problem child was led away to sickbay by the two guys that did the dirty deed and I over heard them saying "not a damn word or you'll get worse." Old corps yah I was in the old corps and proud of it.  Grin and bare it.  Problem child didn't say a word and got his shit together and the culprits never got foundout.  Yah maybe it was a little like jailhouse justice but that's what it was like at times.  Oorah! read more