Returning home from a combat zone can be a very joyous occasion for most military personnel, but for those who were in actual combat, the experience of homecoming can be quite different. This was especially the case for Vietnam veterans, who returned home alone after a couple of days upon completion of their tour of duty. I’m sure many Vietnam veterans experienced a homecoming similar to the one which follows.
Category: Marine Corps Stories
CAMP PENDLETON ARTIFACTS OF HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE MOVE TO THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE MARINE CORPS
During the Korean War, Marine Corps prisoners of war (POW) in captivity spent time devising ways to let the outside world know their status and situation, but it proved a difficult task to relay information from their imprisonment. As Marines, each had to be creative.
MARINES SAVE AIRMAN’S LIFE IN OKINAWA
Seven United States Marines played a vital role in saving the life of a U.S. Airman with 353rd Special Operations Maintenance Squadron in Okinawa, Japan Dec. 31.
The airman, whose name is being withheld out of respect for the family’s privacy, was involved in a motor cycle accident along Japan National Route 331. A group of Marines witnessed the accident and rushed to the scene as first responders.
DEPLOYED MARINE CAPTAIN TRAINS FOR RACE IN MEMORY OF DAUGHTER
U.S. Marine Capt. John Watkins has to get creative when it comes to training for the Santa Rosa Ironman while deployed at-sea with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, but he pushes through long runs on the treadmill and hours on the stationary bike because of the support from his family back home and the memory of his daughter, Amelia “Millie” Mae Watkins.
Remembering Uncle Alf
I recently read a story that reminded me of my favorite uncle,Uncle Alf(Alfred) My Dad,Harry Sr.,came from a family of 4 siblings my Dad,my Uncles Alfred and Howard and Aunt Helen. My Dad and Uncle Howard were drafted in the spring of 1943.My Dad went to the Medical Corps and served as a Combat Medic in France and then later as a Medic in a POW hospital treating wounded German prisoners Uncle Howard was drafted into the Army Air Corps as an Engineer and helped construct and maintain an airstrip somewhere in France My Uncle Alf,however,enlisted in the Marine Corps in late 1942 and after training was assigned to the 2nd Division as a Jeep Ambulance Driver and was involved in the invasion of Saipan. During the battle and, on the way back from the front with some wounded Marines he got lost and, started driving back towards the battle and right into the shelling.He was hit with some fragments in his left arm and leg but eventually found his way back to the Field Hospital with the wounded Marines For his action he was awarded a Silver Star and Purple Heart all because he got lost.The story does not end there.Uncle Alf took some razing for this incident, even though heroic, was given the handle of “Wrong Way ” so after the war when someone would ask about his service he tended to,lets just say overstate his heroics or, as my Dad would say “Tell a Whopper” One time he was a Marine “Raider” sometimes he was even a member of a “Special Demolition Team” that would sneak behind enemy lines. My Dad and Uncle Howard knew the truth but that never stopped Uncle Alf. I loved hearing his stories.Our weekend fishing trips were always fun. Finally when I was about 14 years old my Dad told me the true story but he was still a hero to me and,part of the reason I enlisted in the “Corps” My Uncle Alf did not live to witness this. He was killed in a mining accident in late 1965. He was a good man and we all loved him even if he told “Whoppers”. SEMPER FI UNCLE!! Harry
STAR OF DAVID
It was explained to me that the six-pointed star on the Marine NCO Sword is the Star of Damascus, not the Star of David. Apparently, Damascus swords had a reputation of very high quality. Later, sword manufacturers simply
started placing this same star on their swords; thus the original meaning has been obscured over time.
Semper Fi,
Steve Wilke, SGT, USMC (’74-’80)
QUITE A CREDIT TO HIS SERVICE
On the evening of 10 September a business trip found me in Atlanta Airport. With a long wait for my flight, I had ample opportunity to watch passengers come and go. I first spotted a young sailor fresh out of basic. The Navy enlisted uniform has never been my cup of tea, but he looked really squared away in his crisp, clean whites. I then saw an airman. Typically, his Air Force trousers were about two inches too short, but otherwise he looked good too. I thought, “another fine representative of our military.”
Some time later, I noticed two Marine privates, obviously fresh out of boot camp, most likely on their first leave home. I went over to them and exchanged a brief handshake and “Semper Fi,” and then left them on their way. Still later, I spotted an Army E-3. High and tight, clean well-pressed uniform and solid bearing. Quite a credit to his service.
CHIP AWAY THE STUFF
My oldest friend (since 1950), Mike Silverman, joined the Corps about one month before me in 1966. He was in Platoon 2027 at Parris Island while I was in 2037. Coincidentally, we both won our Platoon’s dress blue uniform award. Mike went to Vietnam almost a year prior to me and was in the same platoon with Ron Kovacs. Mike was wounded in Dec. 67. Before leaving the country in Jan, of 68′, he found his way to where I was near the DMZ (New York street smarts at work). Several months ago, a member of Platoon 2027, Jay Solis, attempted to find all those remaining and effect a reunion. He did a hell of a job and was pleasantly surprised to find that they had not lost a man in combat, which was truly remarkable given the time period. What remained for them was to locate their old drill instructor, Sergeant Albright. They took a reunion picture and e-mailed it to someone they thought was the right man.
The Christmas Platoon
I have written a book called “The Christmas Platoon”. Available at Amazon, it is the true story of Platoon 1133 which was formed at San Diego Marine Corps Recruit Depot just before Christmas 1971. I was 4th Squad Leader and having grown up on a dairy farm in Southwest Oklahoma, even boot camp was like a vacation from milking 100 head of dairy cows twice a day and feeding and herding them. This book offers humorous descriptions of what many civilians will no doubt see as outrageous events and psychological explanations of how Marine boot camp training historically has so thoroughly molded Marines for life! Marines will laugh out loud as they read it and civilians may gasp and shake their heads, but that is no surprise for Marines! I am Bruce C. Fisher and was trained at Quantico as a computer operator back when they were the size of a refrigerator. The first one was an IBM 1401 with a whopping 17K RAM.
Home Sweet Home for Thanksgiving
During the late summer & fall of 1966 Parris Island was my “Home away from Home”. Platoon “3090” was nearing the end of our boot camp training! PRT,rifle range,Elliott Beach were in the rear view mirror. We still had some major inspections ,the grinder….. It was getting close to Thanksgiving but no leave yet,we still had ITR at Lejuene. To say most of us were a little homesick, especially near Thanksgiving might have been an understatement! Then practicing on the grinder one day,our DI that day gave us a great and unexpected surprise. He halted us about half way through drill practice for some reason( I’m sure it was to praise us),then asked us if we wanted to call home for Thanksgiving. Aye Aye,Sir. We were like 8th & I the rest of drill.As we were finishing, I think the DI was Sgt. Stearns,said to us,” Are you ready to call home now”. AYE AYE, Sir. He proceeded to say to us,”Well face the direction of your home and call.Sgt. Stearns never changed always the “Ball Buster”