Category: Marine Corps Stories

NC Visit

Sgt Grit   A few weeks ago my wife and I vacationed at Emerald Isle, NC. While there I was given the opportunity to visit both Camp Lejeune and the Beirut/Vietnam Memorial in Jacksonville. I was stationed at Camp Lejeune back in the 70’s and this was the first time since I left to visit the base. I couldn’t believe how much it changed.   I’m attaching pictures of the Memorials so everyone can see what a beautiful job that was done for our Vet’s.    The Vietnam Memorial is made of Glass and the names are embossed on the glass.    As the sun shines through the glass it puts the names on the ground. It’s really something to see.    The Beirut Memorial is well made and also something to see. I was in the Marines in 1983 and was very interested as I knew some of the Marines on that wall.    There is also a steel beam from the World trade center located there. What made that really stand out was the news paper I saw posted on that steel beam. It’s also a must see. So here’s my pictures, enjoy…   Thanks to all who made those and all the Memorials possible.    Semper fi to all my Marine Brother’s and Sister’s out their past and present.    Michael P. England SSGT USMC 0369/8412/5811 1974-1985 G 2/3, I 3/3, B 1/2, G 2/2, C 1/1,  MP Co MCB Camp Lejeune,  RSS Gastonia, NC.  HQ 9th Mar. &  H&HS Station MCAS Cherry Point, NC.

Once a Marine, Always a Marine. A Marine Comes Home.

Few earn the title United States Marine. Once earned, the rest of their life they are a marine. A marine on Active Duty, A marine reserve, A retired marine, or as is most common a marine who served his country and returned to civilian life as a marine on-demand, whose skills if needed are always ready. read more

Talk about being proud

Gung Ho Sarge;   This is a photo of a bunch of future Marine officers just completing their second training tour of Platoon Leaders Class at Quantico, in August of 1954.  Take a look at our faces and you can see the pride instilled in us by Senior Drill Instructor Wakefield and his henchmen.  The emotions we shared were those of brotherhood, trust and ready for the challenge.  I wonder if any of my fellow candidates will see this photo and get in touch with me.  If so I am Bob Morris,  second on left, front row and am at poppi66@live.com.  Maybe we can recollect the identities of these former skinheads.  Thanks for all you do for the Corps and God Bless our brothers in harms way.   read more

Side by side with the Seabees on Iwo Jima

In regards to other people wearing the "Eagle Globe & Anchor. In my opinion, other than Corpsmen, the unit I feel that "may" have been able to rate the "Eagle Globe & Anchor" are the Seabee battalions assigned "directly" to Marine Corps Engineer regiments (17th,18th,19th & 20th) during WW2. After Navy boot, these men were issued Marine uniforms, trained with Marines, and subject to Marine Corps rules and regulations, being directly absorbed into the Engineer Regiments. They were integral parts of the Marine assault shore-party landing and fighting operations in the Pacific. As one WW2 Marine told me. read more

Who says the Marine Corps has no humor?

Sgt. Grit – With the recent publication of “Last Men Out: The True Story of America’s Heroic Final Hours in Vietnam” (Copyright © 2011 by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin) I was browsing through some old files and ran across the orders we received following the evacuation of the embassy in Saigon (Operation Frequent Wind).  Marines know that you must have orders for every transfer and movement so attached is the text from the ones received by members of the Marine Security Guard Detachment formerly assigned at the U. S. Embassy in Saigon – who says the Marine Corps has no humor? Here we were bouncing around the South China Sea fresh off of a CH-46 from the roof of the embassy and receive a set of orders (see attached). I especially like Items 2 and 4.: “3. You are authorized per diem and travel chargeable to appropriation 19501113- allot 4320” and “4. No delay enroute is authorized in the execution of these orders.” read more