Sgt Grit is a place where Marines can come and meet other Marines, share tattoos and stories, keep up with Marine Corps news, or shop for USMC gear.
Dateline: Grapevine, Texas
On November 10, 2021 in Grapevine, Texas we are having our 30th Celebration (give or take a year) at the Tap in Grill, 120 S. Main St. Grapevine, Texas 76051, aka TUN TAVERN (for the evening). Any MARINE in the area that wants to join us for the Commandants message and “possibly meet one of the last IWO JIMA MARINES left on this earth”, is invited to celebrate with us.
My Great-Uncle Elmer O. Schmanke also served in this unit in the Azores islands in World War 1 and his younger brother (my other Great-Uncle) William T. Schmanke served in 2nd Marine Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment (2/5) in France and fought in Belleau Wood and Sissions in World War 1 and was W.I.A on 10 April 1918.
March 23rd, 2021 marked the 76th anniversary of the end of the battle for Iwo Jima. In 2018 my wife and I made a tour of some of the WWII Pacific War islands – Guam, Saipan, Tinian, Iwo Jima and Peleliu. I share the photo collection of that tour with anyone who is interested. One of the old jarheads that bought my book responded to the photo collection with a small set of his own. His dad, Sgt. Arvel Dinwiddie, was a tank gunner during the Iwo invasion and had his personal camera (probably an old Kodak box type) with him when they went ashore. With the birthday of the Corps and Veterans Day at hand, I thought this was a good time to present these photos, some of which I’m sure have never been published. Sgt Dinwiddie’s photos are time worn and faded, best viewed on a large screen. The rest of the photos are more professional, combat photographer grade, and have stayed sharp. I have added my own photo taken from what looks to be the same approximate area of the Dinwiddie photo of the battle debris with Mt. Suribachi in the background (I attended the 73rd Reunion of Honor on Iwo). The picture of the “invasion fleet” is obviously taken after the battle and after the heavy hitters have departed for their next battle. Also, one of my photos, I’m sure, is of the same Japanese bunker in one of the Dinwiddie photos. All the Dinwiddie photos were taken in the aftermath of the battle, seeing as how he was pretty busy beforehand. Enjoy.
Semper Fi
Our Birthday is coming up soon. Do any of you guys have cool plans? Reunions or anything like that?
Sgt. Grit – Talk about the ‘Old Corps’! This is a picture of the 1st Aeronautics Company stationed in the Azores Islands in World War I. It was the first US Military Aviation company to serve outside the continental US. They hunted for, but did not find, German submarines. The Commanding Officer was Major Evans. He flew the sea plane in a loop, a feat thought impossible at the time and he received a Congressional Medal. The Executive Officer was Major Brewster (Brewster Buffalo fame). My dad was a mechanic who signed up “for the duration of the war” in Philadelphia, PA in 1917. Major Evans’ medal and the original photograph reside in the US Marine Corps Museum in Quantico, VA.
This Week in 1915, while conducting a six-day reconnaissance operation in support of the peacekeeping campaign in Haiti, GySgt Daniel Joseph Daly was serving as the senior NCO with the 15th Company of Marines (Mounted), 2nd Marine Regiment.
After dark on the evening of 24 October, while crossing the river in a deep ravine, the detachment was suddenly fired upon from three sides by about 400 member of a Haitian guerrilla group who were concealed in the surrounding bushes. The Marine detachment fought its way forward to a good position, which it maintained during the night. However, they were subjected to continuous fire from the guerillas. At daybreak, the Marines, in three squads, advanced in three different directions. This surprised and scattered the enemy in all directions. GySgt Daly fought with exceptional gallantry against heavy odds throughout this action.
GySgt Daly was awarded his second Medal of Honor for his extraordinary heroism for his actions. GySgt Daly is one of two Marines to receive two Medal of Honors in separate occasions throughout his career.
GySgt Daly was born November 11 in Glen Cove, Long Island, New York.
A complete list of his medals and decorations include: Medal of Honor, Navy Cross, Distinguished Service Cross, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, China Relief Expedition Medal, Philippine Campaign Medal, Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal, Mexican Service Medal, Haitian Campaign Medal, World War I Victory Medal, Medaille Militaire, World War II Croix de Guerre.
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MARINE OF THE WEEK // THE CIGAR MARINE:
GySgt. Nick Popaditch
1st Tank Battalion, Iraq, April 2004
Award: Silver Star
On April 6-7, 2004, Gunnery Sgt. Popaditch was serving as a Tank Platoon Sergeant in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in Fallujah, Iraq. The Marines of Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines came under heavy enemy fire and without hesitation, GySgt. Popaditch surged his two tanks into the city to support the Marines under fire, drawing enemy fire away from the beleaguered Marines and enabling Fox Company to evacuate a critically wounded Marine. For several hours, enemy forces engaged his tank section with withering rocket-propelled grenade fire until they were destroyed by accurate machine gun fire. Acting as the forward observer for a AC-130 gunship, GySgt. Popaditch directed fire onto enemy targets, effecting their annihilation. With complete disregard for his personal safety, he moved his tank forward to draw the enemy from their covered and concealed positions and allowing the AC-130 to engage them. On the morning of April 7, GySgt. Popaditch was severely wounded by an enemy rocket-propelled grenade blast. Blinded and deafened by the blast, he remained calm and ordered his crew to a medical evacuation site. By his bold leadership, wise judgment, and complete dedication to duty, GySgt. Popaditch was awarded the Marine Corps’ third highest award for valor, the Silver Star.
Sgt. Clifford M. Wooldridge
3rd Battalion, 7th Marines
Helmand, Afghanistan, June 18, 2010
Award: Navy Cross
While deployed to Afghanistan’s Helmand province, then-Cpl.
Wooldridge’s mounted patrol came under intense enemy fire. Cpl.
Wooldridge and his squad dismounted and maneuvered on the suspected enemy location. Spotting a group of fifteen enemy fighters preparing an ambush, Cpl. Wooldridge led one of his fire teams across open ground to flank the enemy, killing or wounding at least eight and
forcing the rest to scatter. As he held security alone to cover his
fire team’s withdrawal, he heard voices from behind an adjacent wall.
Boldly rushing around the corner, he came face-to-face with two enemy
fighters at close range, killing both of them with his M-249 Squad
Automatic Weapon. As he crouched back behind the wall to reload, he
saw the barrel of an enemy machine gun appear from around the wall.
Without hesitation, he dropped his empty weapon and seized the machine gun barrel. He overwhelmed the enemy fighter in hand-to-hand combat, killing him with several blows to the head with the enemy’s own machine gun. His audacious and fearless actions thwarted the enemy attack on his platoon. (U.S. Marine Corps photos by Cpl. Sarah Anderson)
