Category: Marine Corps Stories

CALLSIGN “DEADLY”SNAKES IN THE ATTACK
A Personal Account of an AH-1W Pilot During the War with Iraq

Author’s NoteThis personal account of the war in Iraq was written to convey to my family and friends just what I went through during the war. Therefore, it is not an official history of what my unit accomplished or participated in, but rather a “Rated PG-13” and unclassified version of what I experienced. My concern is that this journal is forwarded in e-mails to others outside of my circle… and I want to ensure that when this falls into a stranger’s hands, that what I’ve written is taken in context with the how and why I composed this piece. These observations and opinions are mine alone. They don’t represent my command, or the United States Marine Corps. JLC read more

RADIO’S SAVE LIVES
Terrorists Attack US Consulate Jeddah
6 December 2004 11:00 local time
Written by Lester M. Brayshaw IPO Jeddah 12 Dec 2004.

Staff was just getting up from a Management meeting when suddenly a heavy metallic crash was heard outside. This was followed by a loud explosion and rapid automatic fire coming from the direction of Bravo gate. The American consulate was under attack and terrorists were advancing on the chancery at a lighting speed! We had to reach the IPC Safehaven. I was in the IPO and folks would be depending on me to let them in! Within seconds, I made it into the CAA hallway just as duck and cover alarms went off. I could hear more machine gun fire near the chancery. My heart was pounding as I saw our Security officers running for their weapons. read more

I have not been able to figure out if LtCol Smith should be the Battalion Commander or the Battalion Chaplain. In looking back into the “Dark Ages” when I served, I guess both skills were required for someone in a position of authority. read more

Heroic last stand
By: Steven G. Xiarhos

Opening by Lance Cpl. Casey Jones, Regimental Combat Team 1

RAMADI, IRAQ (April 29, 2008)
It was a typical quiet morning on April 22, with the temperature intensifying as a bright orange sun emerged high from the horizon.

Lance Cpl. Jordan Haerter, a rifleman with 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, Regimental Combat Team 1, and Cpl. Jonathan T. Yale, a rifleman with 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, RCT-1, were standing post, just as they’ve done numerous times before. During a standard length watch in a small checkpoint protected by concrete barriers where they overlooked the small gravel road, lined with palm trees leading to their entry control point. read more

Sgt Grit,

Hello from the holy land in the desert. Man it sucks here but we are making the best of a bad situation. Food is good and water is plentiful. No booze though unless you really have a hankering for some near beer.

Just wanted to send you some pictures of a couple of dedicated Marine along with a story. We had just taken over for the preceding MALS and the preceding unit had been flying the Marine Corps colors everyday. Well to say the least, one of our gunny’s noticed they were not out there. So being the inquisitive one he asked where they were. Well these old colors were well worn from all the wind and dust in this place. read more

Send in the doggone Marines
By: P.T. Brent of Starbulletin.com

CChyna, bred by the corps and tattooed Delta-043, is the pride of the expanding Marine Corps dog tracker and security units. She’s an MWD, Marine War Dog. Perhaps named after the legendary Fourth Marines of Shanghai fame, she is the close working pal of Marine Sgt. Dan Wheeler. A Belgian Malau born Sept. 12, 1999, CChyna is trained to go ahead of Marines and sniff out explosives and hidden snipers or terrorists. read more

Why we are different than Saddam
By: GS12 Michael M xxxx

03APR04
Thank you all for your continued support of me (even though I don’t usually write back) and my patriotic family at home. I am healthy and looking forward to a couple weeks with Cherise and the boys in a safe foreign country sometime next month. read more

A Sunday Drive
Sent in by: Garrison Gigg

Typical pictures of armored HMMWVs, these were some shots of my trip prepping for a different convoy run returning from Anaconda. Yep, these vehicles are not A/C’d and all that metal acts like a big oven, but you don’t think about the heat?your total attention is on your surroundings looking for ambushes and traps. Pretty interesting ride when you convoy with your M-16 sticking out the window, operating a radio and sitting square to the window (twist your torso so that your body armor is facing the open window, most protection, it’s awkward and uncomfortable but you rather be uncomfortable for a short period or have a hole in you?). I was very proud of the way my gunners conducted themselves, standing tall and aggressively directing traffic away from the convoy in their gun turrets (very exposed). read more

Summary of Award Submission

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1STLT
BATES, JOSHUA R.
BV
20030321-20030412
Completed
Tyshon T Barfield on 01/31/2004 04:02:06 PM
HQMC Military Awards Branch on 01/31/2004
BV
01/31/2004 04:01:39 PM
James T. Conway, LtGen, Comanding General, I MEF read more

Another Bridge
A Personal Account during the War with Iraq

The water came to a rolling boil in the aluminum canteen cup as the sergeant began pouring coffee, sugar, powered cream and cocoa beverage powder into it. The sergeant snickered through the shadow of a three-day beard. 115 degrees and I’m drinking fucking coffee. After much practice he had mastered the balance of instant coffee and the other ingredients to make the perfect caf?-mocha. He removed the drink from a small camp stove that had been rigged to run on diesel fuel and took a sip. A smile graced his lips. Damn, it was good. read more