Category: Marine Corps Stories

My ” New York Marine” automobile plate

Sgt. Grit   I have been a PA resident for nearly 15 years. When You offered the Marine State plates I jumped at the chance to get one. When I joined the Corps in Jan 1955 I was a NY resident so I wanted to honor my Marine Corps heritage  with the NY plate rather than one from PA. I get many comments about the plate… not always flattering. But I proudly say “F— em’ if they can’t take a joke.” I love PA but I’m a native born New Yorker and proud of it. Thanks for the opportunity to flaunt my Marine Corps heritage. Several people ask me how to get one of these plates. Perhaps you could offer them again.   Attached is a photo of my plate.   Many thanks Marine.   Cpl. Fred Finch USMC Jan 1955 – Jan 1959

PFC Bolowskie and his fellow Marines

Sgt. Grit,   I wanted to share that my son graduated and has now joined the ranks of the Marine Corps.  His mother and I are both Marines and in 92 we were issued 1 OD green child.  PFC Bolowskie graduated last month on Good Friday and it was the best Friday I have ever had, I cannot remember a day I was more proud. It had been 23 years, 2 months and 17 days since I had graduated on that same parade deck in San Diego. I noticed some things had changed, a couple more buildings, trees are a lot taller but the Marines that graduated are still as lean and mean and Gung Ho as any that have before him. He now stands a lot taller and has that great cocky attitude we all get from knowing we are serving in the greatest branch in the world. He's currently at MCT and sent me a pic with his new brothers that I wanted to share.   Semper Fi and God Bless!

A visit from my Dad

I was at MCRD San Diego from March 1982 to June 1982…..Golf Co. 2nd Platoon, Platoon 2026. We were in the squad bay one late afternoon, when I heard my drill instructor yell from the duty hut, "Stillwell get in here!" I jumped up from whatever it was I was doing and made a dash toward the duty hut," Sir, Private Stillwell reporting as ordered sir!" He looked up at me, and it that DI tone, says, "is your Daddy a Navy commander!" I replied, "he was sir, he retired in 1974!" "Well, he's here to visit ya, go get yourself squared away, and go over to the regimental office". With a quick "Aye aye sir", I took a quick look at myself in the mirror, donned my cammie cover, and made my way across what seemed like a ten mile long parade ground to the regimental office building. Upon my arrival, I was greeted by a less then cheerful corporal who wanted to know what the "fudge" I wanted. I tried to explain to him while standing at attention that my Dad was on his way to pay me a visit. His reply was something like, "well, are'nt we fudgin special, your dad is a fudgin squid huh?" read more

Why I Fight

Why I Fight

One day as I was coming home to visit my family after my last deployment, I Decided to stop at a locale restaurant to eat. When I walked into the restaurant I was still in my Marine dress uniform.  The hostess looked at me.  She was going to move me in front of the line of waiting people, so I said to her “ No Ma’am, I can wait.  No need for me to go first.”  As the line went down I finally got to sit and order my food. When I was waiting for my food to come out the people that were leaving came up to me and said, “ Thank you”.  So, after an hour I finish my food and paid and was walking back to my rental car when this young mother with four kids came up to me and asked, “Son why do you fight”?  I then looked at her and said, “Well Ma’am, I am a US Marine.  I have stormed beaches and freed countries.  I have defended the weak and defeated the strong. I have been courageous and have shown compassion. I have raised our flag and raised our hope. Some call me Leatherneck, My Enemy’s call me Devil Dog.  But you can call me a Marine.  It’s not the money, the glory, the women or to kill that I fight, but it’s for my brothers and sisters in arms and for you. I fight for you and I’ll do it again too.  To protect you is my honor so that’s why I fight.  But now may I ask you, “ What can you do to help?  Please support our military”!     read more

1950’s Marines

Sgt. Grit.

  I recently read two stories about two Marines that were in before 1959, one said he was a lance cpl. and the other said he was a cpl. E- 4 I try to study as much as I can about Marine Corps history and the rank of lance cpl. did not exist in 1959.  And the rank E-4 was a staff sergeant. I mean no offense to anyone, this is only a statement of interest. read more

Brewster Devices at 29 Palms

Been a while since I heard of Bearmat, but I remember it well.  I was a platoon commander and later XO in C Co, 3d Tank Bn, at Stumps from 79-83.  We were equipped with the M60A1 Rise-Passive Tank.  The M60 had the M-68 main gun, 105 mm.  My Plt. Sgt, Gy Sgt Mike Gratton, and the the other Tankers, informed me that when we went out on CAX's (Combined Arms Exercises) the cheapest round we fired  was HEP (High Explosive-Plastic) and it cost approximately $700-800.  Firing HEAT (High Explosive Anti-Tank) or SABOT was off the scale.  Therefore the Brewster Device.   It was a reworked 105 mm shell casing, with a single shot 22 installed in the casing, boresighted to fire down the main gun tube.  Our platoons could go to a scaled-down firing range, with scaled down targets, and practice engagements.  The device would fire 22 calibre ammunition (hence having to get clearance from "Bearmat"), the crew would get practice at crew drills and target engagements, and the Corps saved a lot of money on ammo and fuel. read more

Platoon 231, 2nd Battalion San Diego 1958 & Ike jacket

Sometime I think Marines are horders, but then When I was going through my mothers closets, I found my MCRD booklet with this picture attached and my wool Ike jacket and trousers, (Marines do not wear pants) how skinny we all were in 1958.  She had even had my boondockers (gone now) .  Its not the Marines that kept the items, it was a parent, girl friend or wife.  SSGT J. I. Lathen was the Platoon leader and a Korean Vet and old yea, Hill was the Platoon Guide, from Texas.  One other comment, we had Franklin M. Ramos from Hawaii who on had hair down to the middle of his back when he arrived at the yellow footprints.It was the longest hair this Nebraska boy had seen on a man. read more

Master Gunnery Sergeant Gaines B. “Dude” Gilbert – IYAOYAS!

Master Gunnery Sergeant Gaines B. "Dude" Gilbert was a Marine Aviation Ordnanceman. Tough as nails, but as compassionate as a child. Stories about the Dude are many. My last memory was sitting beside his death bed in 1985-86, he was lying there looking at his Dress Blues hanging in his closet. With all his strength, he uttered to me as he nodded toward his blues "I'm gonna get that 10th one". Dude passed away just weeks shy of getting his 10th service stripe. read more