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ASP 1
CampMonahan
Danang, S. Viet Nam
April 27, 1969
I was in the ammo dump on that Sunday morning in April when it all began. Out by the road at the far end of the dump by the “grade 3” area some Vietnamese were burning trash. A 5 year old kid supposedly lit a piece of paper on fire and stuck it under the fence and started a field of dry grass burning which eventually reached a pallet of 105 WP (white phosphorous or “willy peter”) rounds.
The novel coronavirus pandemic has claimed another big event for runners.
Marine Corps Marathon officials announced July 20 that the traditional fall race will be canceled for the first time in its 45-year history.
The 2020 in-person Marine Corps Marathon events scheduled to take place in and around Washington, D.C., from Oct. 23 to Oct. 25 will now go entirely virtual. Rick Nealis, the Marine Corps Marathon Organization’s director, said the decision was made after several meetings with local government and public health officials.
I served in Vietnam in 1970 with 3rd. Platoon , Golf Company, 2 Battalion, 5th. Marine Regiment. There are two weathers in Vietnam—rain that comes down so hard, it can wash away your heart, your happiness, and your spirit. It causes mud that will raise higher than your boots. And it will hold on you and weight you down so bad that it almost hurt to move. Your clothes are always wet and would start to fall apart (anyways, mine did–once). Your gear is always wet. Your weapon and rounds are always wet. Your personal things,, that were so important to you that you would carry the extra weight in the bush, are always wet. And because I also hump a radio that had to stay dry, I was always wet. It would rain like a cow peeing on a flat rock (hard).
MARINE OF THE WEEK // BADASS BASILONE:
GySgt. John Basilone
1st Battalion, 7th Marines
Guadalcanal, Oct. 24-25, 1942
Award: Medal of Honor
“While the enemy was hammering at the Marines’ defensive positions, Sgt. Basilone, in charge of 2 sections of heavy machineguns, fought valiantly to check the savage and determined assault. In a fierce frontal attack with the Japanese blasting his guns with grenades and mortar fire, one of Sgt. Basilone’s sections, with its gun crews, was put out of action, leaving only two men able to carry on. Moving an extra gun into position, he placed it in action, then, under continual fire, repaired another and personally manned it, gallantly holding his line until replacements arrived. A little later, with ammunition critically low and the supply lines cut off, Sgt. Basilone, at great risk of his life and in the face of continued enemy attack, battled his way through hostile lines with urgently needed shells for his gunners, thereby contributing in large measure to the virtual annihilation of a Japanese regiment.” (Illustration by Cpl. Elize McKelvey)
I remember one JOB in particular. It was in the wooden Barracks at MCAS El Toro Santa Ana. This was in 1969, it seems as though you were either coming from, or going to RVN. There were many old salts waiting to go home. Some of which had only a pair of utilities, and a new set of greens, receiving early outs to go home for Christmas. The majority were coming from 3rd Marine Division. PFC Kenneth Rexford Brown, formerly Sgt. Brown showed me how to pull your blankets tighter from underneath the rack, by using the springs. Of course we learned that in recruit training but KR had a trick that made the blanket tighter still and even remained that way. I believe KR got out and went to WalaWala Washington. I remember that many of the Marines were “cut a huss” for not having the proper uniforms. I can remember the inspecting Colonel coming closer and approaching a Marine that was obviously not prepared for inspection. He would ask where are coming from Marine? The Marine would reply something almost incoherent, and definitely a different language. The Colonel only said “well done Marine” and continued his inspection. That was definitely one of those days when I knew I had been in the presence of heroes. That evening we celebrated by putting a poncho liner inside a footlocker filling that with ice and beer, and listening to Johnny Cash and Luther played the boogy woogy. The party was great until the OD made us take our shindig outside the barracks. After paying for the beer, ice, and a battery operated record player the only record we could afford was albums on sale in the PX. Johnny sold for .99 and a pack of Camels for .27 cents. I remember Friday morning formation, when Captain Wade, Mustanger and one of the greatest Marines to put on a uniform would read off the names of Marines shipping out WESPAK. I remember Sgt Joe Dunlap our Platoon Sgt. in El Toro. I saw him again in Hawaii as GySgt Dunlap and I was a SSGT. We were mounting up for Operation Frequent Wind. I remember being “gigged” while on embassy duty in Chile for having dust on my wall locker display. Even with that “gig” we won the detachment of the year award. 3 Years Running. I mean RUNNING our NCOIC SSGT Turnbow had been a Physical Fitness Instructor prior to coming on MSG. That guy made us run like Forrest Gump. Like Forrest, my running days are over. Our memories and Junk on the Bunk are what make us ALWAYS A MARINE. Semper Fi D. Womack
At the age of 17 I left High School in my senior year to join the Marine Corps. I enlisted with my neighborhood friends. I was the only one to make it back and every day I thank God and my Drill Instructor Gysgt. Williams for making it back. If it weren’t for him and the Marine Corps I wouldn’t be what I am today. My whole life, focus, discipline and honor are based on what I was taught in Boot Camp. I thank God every day that I am a Marine and I will die a Marine. I served from 1969-1972.
Viet Nam Air Crew Marines, our bunch is between 70 and 73 now.
We live all over the country and our politics is all over the board.
Other than my wife, the Marines of our bunch are my closest friends.
I hike with one of our bunch every week. We hike like Marines.
We keep in touch and check in on one another.
Looking forward to post-covid reunions with those of our bunch.
Marines and Docs…Semper Fi.
As Regimental Combat Team 2 attacked north towards An Nasiriyah, Iraq on March 23-24, 2003, lead elements of the battalion came under heavy enemy fire. When a beleaguered U.S. Army 507th Maintenance Company convoy was spotted in the distance, then-Gunnery Sgt. Lehew and his crew were dispatched to rescue the soldiers. Under constant enemy fire, he led the rescue team to the soldiers. With total disregard for his own welfare, Lehew assisted the evacuation effort of four soldiers, two of whom were critically wounded. While still receiving enemy fire, he climbed back into his vehicle and immediately began suppressing enemy infantry. During the subsequent company attack on the eastern bridge over the Euphrates River, Lehew continuously exposed himself to withering enemy fire during the three-hour urban firefight. His courageous battlefield presence inspired his Marines to fight a determined foe and allowed him to position his platoon’s heavy machine guns to repel numerous waves of attackers. In the midst of the battle, an Amphibious Assault Vehicle was destroyed, killing or wounding all its occupants. Lehew immediately moved to recover the nine Marines. He again exposed himself to a barrage of fire as he worked for nearly an hour recovering casualties from the wreckage. (U.S. Marine Corps photos courtesy of SgtMaj. Justin Lehew)
I was in Vietnam from 4/66 to 4/67. I was D-2-12 attached to 1/9, The Walking Dead.
We knew then that politicians were screwing up the war with all this crap about don’t shoot here,
you can’t go there etc. Basically not letting us do what we were trained to do. The politicians
lost that war, not us.
Now the politicians are tellin the cops to stand down, don’t arrest, don’t engage, don’t make the rioters angry. The cops can’t do what they were trained to do. So now entire cities are being lost.
And the cops are getting blamed for being cops. God help this country.
Semper Fi.
“Consistently outnumbered throughout successive hazardous flights over heavily defended hostile territory, Major Boyington struck at the enemy with daring and courageous persistence, leading his squadron into combat with devastating results to Japanese shipping, shore installations and aerial forces. Resolute in his efforts to inflict crippling damage on the enemy, Major Boyington led a formation of twenty-four fighters over Kahili on October 17, and, persistently circling the airdrome where 60 hostile aircraft were grounded, boldly challenged the Japanese to send up planes. Under his brilliant command, fighters shot down 20 enemy craft in the ensuing action without the loss of a single ship … Major Boyington personally destroyed 26 of the many Japanese planes shot down by his squadron…”
