Sgt Grit,
This was taken in April 1969 on operation "Oklahoma Hills" we had been in the bush for 60+ days. I was with Hotel Co. 2/7 somewhere in north I Corps area.
CID-397707
William T. Dake
Category: Marine Corps Stories
All Women are created equal then some become Marines
I sent you a picture on your phone of my neighbors front door. I gave her the USMC mat and last week she added the bumper sticker to her door saying all women are created equal then some become Marines. She is 85 and served in WW2.
A Very Special Gift
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I am a nursing student and part time jeweler, and the daughter of a Vietnam vet (US Army), and the granddaughter of one WWII vet (US Army) and one WWII/Korean War vet (US Navy). My boyfriend Cpl. Carl Cochrane served our country from 2003-2007 as a United States Marine (3rd Marine Airwing Service & Support Battalion, Military Police detachment – they provided EOD security in Iraq). On Nov. 30, 2005 he was severely injured outside Fallujah when a bomber crashed his truck into the humvee Carl was the turret gunner in. He was thrown from the humvee and hurt very badly. He lost most of the use of his left arm due to shattered bones and severed/damaged nerves, broke his leg, and had a severe head injury and now has a plate replacing almost half his skull. Two others in the vehicle were injured as well, and one was killed. Unfortunately, none of the men who were wounded were awarded Purple Hearts. Carl appealed this later and was told "No." To me it seemed like a very important thing for them to have, and I was outraged that he and the others injured didn't get one. I decided that if his government wouldn't give him what he deserved, then as a jeweler I could and would, so I set out working with a talented jeweler friend at work (I work for a major jeweler supply company) to design a very special Purple Heart just for Carl. It looks the same as the real medal, except instead of George Washington it has the USMC eagle globe and anchor. My friend at work did a wonderful job creating a CAD design and milling a wax model for me, and then I made molds and created the medal in bronze. I filled it with colored epoxy resins and had an absolutely beautiful piece to give to Carl on Valentine's Day this year. He was very, very touched by it and it meant the world to him, and to me to be able to give him that validation for what happened to him. I thought I would share this story with you along with some photos of the medal I made for my beloved Marine.
Semper Fidelis,
Jaimie Verlander
Albuquerque, NM
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Old Liberty Cards
Michael, I have an "OLD" Liberty card dated 12 Feb 52
Issued at Camp Lejeune, NC, 4.2 Mortar Co. 8th Marines.
Semper Fi,
Ken Meier
memories
Went in the reserves at Phila navy base in 1955 and went regular in June 1956 platoon 197, My platoon were all from Philadelphia,PA and was sponsered by a radio station, you can imagine what a joyous time we had in the heat and all of our DI's were from the south.
Simmering
Simmering
By Edwin Arce, Jr.
We, Marines, simmer. We wait. For the fight. Lick our chops and jump at the sight and smell of blood. Caked on a sandy floor or glazed on a jungle vine.
Swearing, sweat drips in our eyes and stings. We let it fall because we enjoy the pain of the fight.
W J WILSON
FIRST MARINE BRIGADE KANEOHE BAY , IT WAS GOOD TO READ AND SEE SOME PHOTOS FROM LONG AGO. MY FIRST STOP THERE 39 YEARS AGO. I LOVED GOING TO THE BEACH AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY WITH BROTHERS IN LIFE AND DEATH, THE F4s SCREAMING OFF INTO THE BLUE, AMPHIPIOUS RECON JUMPING FROM SEAKNIGHTS INTO THE SEA BEYOND THE CORAL AND THE BREAKERS. IT IS GOOD TO REMEMBER THE FACES AND SMILES, OF THOSE I CHERISHED SO MUCH AND OWE MY LIFE TO.
Wounded Warriors lounge at Balboa
Kristy,
They are in reverse order, but you can see the before "Sgt Grit-ification" and after at the lounge for the Wounded Warriors at Balboa.
Thanks for the assist.
Sláinte !
Michael / "Doc"
M. G. LaMar, MD, USN-Ret. (HC)
Support Operation Caregiver
Liberty Cards of the past
Well, Sgt. Grit, we've had a couple of candidates for old liberty cards. That prompted me to dig into my strong box for mine. It was issued in 1954 at HQFMFPAC, Pearl Harbor. Anybody got an older one?
–Semper Fi,
Michael O'Connell, USMC/USMCR 1953-1961
VMA332
In response to Cpl. C.E. Walters 6441, I was in VMA332 first time around in 1968 when we flew the A-4’s. In July of ‘68 we started the transition to the A-6 and became VMA(AW)332. Please enjoy the photo of the last known squadron picture of VMA332 and the photo of the Avionics Shop. After attending A-6 schools either at Oceana, VA, or Whidbey Island,Wa, most of us ended up with VMA(AW)533 at Chu Lai in early ‘69, Then on to Iwakuni, Japan in late “69-‘70. We are having a reunion of 533 Marines this May 20-22 in Vegas.