Category: Marine Corps Stories

Sea Bee treatment of Marines in Vietnam .

I have to disagree that the Air Force treated Marine bad in the Nam.  Case in point , after 6 weeks in the A Shau Valley , and having no more than a GI Bath for that time , myself and others from ou platoon tried to enter the mess hall at the Sea Bee compund on Monkey Mountain and were told that we were to smelly and dirty to eat there.  We proceeded to travel don the mountain to the Da Nang Air Base , as we were told that they had great food at their mess hall , piped in music and air condtioning.  We walked right in , and were welcomed by the fly boys . However , we did have to sit in an area by ourselves , and none of the Airmen would come near us.    read more

We have not yet recovered the war Bush started.

I have been watching  T.V. and the Sectary of  defence wants all Marines to return home but Obama Says no. while he's holding you guy's back he's paying those bastard's to bear arm's an such, All I can say is Stop this Insainty before we all die! I will never get the President or congress but I will remain a Marine till God call's me home. I'm no longer in the Marine's but that don't mean a thing. I am proud of my paltoon for doing there job and for those who are new to the Marines do what your told an don't ask questions.    I will be watching at home and wating till all Marine's return safe. To the Men an women that lost loved ones: I will always remamber my tours in Iraq an will never forget them, I will remamber your loved one's  for I am A Marine S.S.G. and I will never forget a fallen Marine no will I ever leave one behind for that is our motto and our loalty to all that come to the Marine's.  We are the Few , The Proud, We are Marines togther and forever.    Semperfi. Sincerly, F.M.R. Marine S.S.G. Bobby Biggs. read more

Liberty Card

Gy Mac asked "how many Marines have an original Armed Forces Liberty Pass." At least one. Me. After my first and ONLY liberty in Da Nang in September of 1965, I have no clue why I never turned this in, nor why I was never asked for it. It was a surprise find as I went through an old wallet, many years later. It's signed by Lt. Henry "Mark" Hartzog who is now a lawyer down in Nashville TN. read more

Air Force Treatment of Marines

I have to agree the the Marine who told about the poor treatment of Marines.  I was at Khe Sanh during the TET offensive. Water was in short supply on the base. With the base being shelled all the time one hardly wanted to get caught in the shower with nothing on. A GI bath was the order of the day. We had to fly in and out of the base to Danang. We went into a AF mess hall and tried to get something to eat. Now a reminder we had been eat C rations twice a day for two months and wanted some real food. When we tried to get something to eat we were told that because we looked and smelled so  that we had to leave now. So no fresh food for us. So yes the AF did treat us like crap. Hope others got better treatment than we did. read more

Hawks at Hill 327

In response to Sgt, Frank Thompson’s post pertaining to Hawk Missiles in Vietnam “About 1968”.  Hawks were deployed on Hill 327, overlooking the Danang Airfield, in 1965. My bunker was on the back side of Hill 327 in 1966, just behind the missile site looking down on the valley.  One of the pictures in the second attached web site is one of the Hooch’s occupied by 1st Radio Bn Marines.   A sapper attack took out the Hawks sometime after October 1966. I have seen a picture of the Hawks laying on the ground after the attack, but can not locate it now. I’m sure there are other marines who were up there at the time, and I just wanted to get the dates straight for the record. read more

Marine Corps Motorhomes

Hello Sgt Grit;
 
Everyone else is showing their Marine Corps pride. I thought I's show mine. My wife and I live full time in a motorhome. I recently found a small Marine Corps Seal decal. I thought it would look cool on the back of my rig. enclosed is the picture. I hope you can include it in a future issue. In case you are wondering the decal is 40 inches in diameter..Semper fi.
 
Sincerely
 
Jerry R. Hattox
GySgt USMC (Ret)
1954-1978 TID read more

MCRD 1913

Sergeant Grit,

I was reading the 21 April newsletter and you have a story about the "Old MCRD San Diego".  Old for Hollyweird Marines but let's think of our beloved Corps.

Before MCRD Paris Island (later Parris Island) and before MCRD San Diego, there was MCRD Norfolk VA.  Want proof?  See attached.  As a Marine it is my duty to collect USMC memorabilia and this is one of my prized pieces.  Just look at the military bearing of all those tents lined up with precision as if they were proud that future Marines are sleeping under them. read more

Operation Strongback

Greetings Sgt. Grit

While serving with the 12th marines in 1958 during " Operation Strongback "  there were Pygmy's living in the jungles of the Philippines…They were a tiny people called Nigaritos who lived a very simple and secretive life style….I remember the first time I saw one of them several of us guys were bathing in this small fast flowing river, all of a sudden we look up and here comes this tiny dark skinned little man straddling a log and riding it down the rapids with only a loin cloth covering him….He didn't acknowledge us or even glance our way as he passed by….In our C Rations we had small bars of soap and anytime we'd find a river or stream we'd strip off and jump in for a good bath, it was much better than bathing out of our helmets….When we finished we'd just leave the small pieces of soap lying on the bank….We soon realized the Pygmy's were slipping down out of the jungle at night and gathering up all the small pieces we left….We always felt like they were watching us, but they were very seldom seen…..I just found out recently some of them were working underground with the Military forces helping to defend their country…..Being an 18 year old kid from Indiana it was quite a culture shock to see these things……It was a great education. read more