Category: Marine Corps Stories

Khe Sanh 1968

i was glad to see the response to letter about how DI's treated some recruits. I was not saying it never happened it just did not happen in our platoon. My time in the Corps is something that I will never forget. Wanted to included some photos taken at Khe Sanh , Viet Nam. There is a Khe Sanh Veteras Reunion in Rochester Mn nest July. go to www.khesanh.org for more detail. read more

11th Marines

When the fire mission came down we advised FDC that completion of the mission would overshoot our tube and our radioman advised them to give the mission to another gun. FDC had a different round count for our gun and insisted (ordered) we complete the fire mission. If memory serves correctly, we overshot the tube by about 13 rounds before the explosion occurred. We (the gun crew) were never allowed to talk with the investigators so I have no idea what the official version of events was. I was blown off the gun into the ammo bunker and a large piece of shrapnel from the tube imbedded itself into the bunker wall about 6 inches from my head. Here is a picture of me holding the shrapnel while squatting next to a piece of the tube (laying on the ground) taken the next morning after digging the shrapnel out of the bunker. I brought that piece of shrapnel home with me and still have it to this day. read more

Old Corps and New Corps – 1967 ITR San Onofire, Camp Pendleton, Calif.

On the right is 1st Sgt McDonald with a chest of medals nearing retirement. On the left is a very "boot" Second Lieutenant with a National Defense Medal. We all thought the boot 2nd Lt was very cool because he drove a new Porshe sports car. Unfortunately I have forgotten his name. This would have been around 06/67 to 01/68. If anyone recognizes him please contact me using my name @Gmail. Thanks. read more

Marine Bond Never Broken

Hi attached a photo of myself Rod Spinks on the left and Mike Wilson on right when we met up again last week after 42 yrs.The last time we were to-gether was in the Borneo Jungle serving in 40 Commando Royal Marines in 1962. We are now 64yrs old. The Marines bond will never be broken Regards Rod Royal Marines Commandos 1957 / 68.
PER MARE PER TERRAM read more

D-Day Museum in New Orleans

I just returned home from a ship's reunion in Mobile as I was stationed aboard the USS Navarro APA-215 (troop transport) from 1962-1964. I have three grandson's now in the Corps. One, LCPL Kane M. Funke, was killed in Falluja on August 134, 2004 as was in 2/7, Echo Co., WPNS PLTN: LCPL Justin Demaranville is also in Falluja and has been wounded once already is with 3/1 India Co., 3rd, PLTN and the third on is LCPL Rick Burke with the Marine Security Detachment at the Bangor Washington Trident Sub base. read more

Photos of our 45th Anniversary

Sgt. Grits and staff, these are photos taken at the 45th Anniversary of our boot cam platoon forming in August of 1964. We want to thank you for the box of "goodies" you gave us. We divided them up into 13 stacks and drew numbers, everyone was very plaesed.Our reunion was held at the place where it all started for us, Parris Island. In attendance were 10 of us "recruits" and 3 drill instructors. We were a pretty diverse group, I was the only one in the platoon that enlisted from the west side of the Mississippi. The total group size, with spouses, was 25. We toured the base, ate at 1st Battalion Mess Hall and visited the PX. We also spent a little time in the old brig which has been converted into a sports bar. We spent 3days reminiscing and reliving old things that happened to us in boot training. The photo -57_57 is the best one, I think. Once again, thanks for the goodies, I'm sure you'll get some patronage from our group. read more

VMFA-333 Reunion

  On behalf of VMFA-333 Association I would like to thank you and Sgt. Grit for your support of the heritage of Marine Fighter Attach Squadron VMFA-333. Sgt. Grit's sponsorship of our 2009 reunion was greatly appreciated by all.

As you know the reunion was held in Hawaii and we proudly wore the Sgt.Grit St. Patrick's Day t-shirts you provided us with. We also made sure the President and Vice President of The Friend's of St. Patrick Society were presented the t-shirts as well. Our unit patches which you also provided were proudly displayed on our hat bands and Hawaiian Kamp Shirts. We looked very sharp in deed going down the parade route during the Honolulu St. Patrick's Day Parade and spectators cheered us as we passed by. read more

Brothers Forever

Dear Sgt Grit,

I wanted to share a short story with you. From 1987-1990 I was stationed at MCAS Iwakuni, Japan. I was attached to H&HS OMD and what we did was maintain and fly the Search and Rescue CH-46’s on the base. I think there is a time in everyone’s career that they look back and say that a certain time or a certain duty station was the best in their career, and this was mine. Don’t get me wrong, I have served with many outstanding units and Marines but some places just click, you know what I mean? We were mechanics, hydraulics, sheet metal, avionics, pilots and admin, but we were all OMD. We had one Marine who was like the glue for the unit, MSgt Englert, and in 2007 he started gluing OMD back together for a 2008 reunion at Quantico, Va. Most were retired and some sadly couldn’t make it for health reasons but we came from as far away as Washington , California, Indiana and Georgia. All to attend a picnic in the woods and tip a few beers with friends. The conversations picked up like they were left off eighteen years before, and if just for a few hours, we were again OMD. Those for me were the best of times. Semper Fi. to my Marine Brothers and the ”glue” that brought us back together. (FYI, the orange shirts were our softball teams colors which was coincidentally named “Good Times”) read more