Category: Marine Corps Stories

MARINE OF THE WEEK // “It was probably one of the hardest things I ever did.”

Staff Sgt. Timothy Williams
Reconnaissance Section Assistant Team Leader, RCT-6, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF).
July 10, 2012
Award: Silver Star

While a member of a 15 man joint Afghan National Army and Marine force, the patrol came under intense and accurate fire from a numerically superior force. Throughout the following 10 hour engagement Staff Sergeant Williams took direct action to counter the ambush and repeatedly displayed superior leadership while directing his team under heavy small arms fire from fixed Taliban positions. Upon discovering his team leader was seriously wounded, Staff Sergeant Williams sprinted across 60 meters of open terrain, exposing himself to accurate enemy fire in order to aid and evacuate the wounded Marine. Staff Sergeant Williams exposed himself to accurate enemy fire yet again when he carried the wounded Marine over 300 meters of uneven terrain to the medical evacuation platform. He then took charge of the joint element and continued the assault on the enemy, personally killing 5 enemy fighters, while moving the team more than 2600 meters toward a trapped Quick Reaction Force and establishing firm defensive positions repelling the enemy. Through his sound tactical and technical proficiencies, he led his element to effectively neutralize numerous Taliban positions and an estimated 20 Taliban fighters across 3,000 meters of arduous terrain. By his bold leadership, extraordinary initiative, and undaunted courage, Staff Sergeant Williams reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United Stated Naval Service. read more

This week in Marine History: PFC James Anderson Jr.

August 21 marks an important day in Marine Corps history—the awarding of the first Medal of Honor to an African-American Marine, Private First Class James Anderson Jr.

PFC Anderson was born in 1947 in Los Angeles, California. After graduating from high school, PFC Anderson spent a year and a half at a Los Angeles-area junior college before enlisting in the Marines in early 1966. read more

6TH ANGLICO MARINES AND GEORGIAN SOLDIERS PREPARE FOR DEPLOYMENT IN SUPPORT OF OPERATION FREEDOM’S SENTINEL

U.S. Marines with 6th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, Force Headquarters Group, Marine Forces Reserve, and soldiers with the 31st Georgian Light Infantry Battalion, conducted a Mission Rehearsal Exercise as part of the Georgia Deployment Program- Resolute Support Mission aboard the Joint Multinational Readiness Center, Hohenfels, Germany, Aug. 16-22, 2017. read more

KheSanh Air Support

While stationed at KheSanh during the siege , We were not able to get much air support mostly because of enemy fire or cloudy weather. The C-130s tried to land they were called mortor magnets and would slow down and incoming Marines aboard would shove the supplies out and jump out and run for the nearest fox hole while the planes would hit full throttle and take off. The B52s would fly over us from Okinowa, you couldn’t see them but you could feel the ground shake when the bombs landed. The one thing I’ll never forget is that on one clear day the jets were flying close to us and bombing the hell out of the ,Nva’s , then one of the jets flew down low over the air field and tipped his right wing to us which we took as a salute. When we finally left KheSanh by convoy you could see the craters that the B52s left and some of them you could see some dead gooks laying in them read more

I almost got there.

I was a Corpsman, E-4, stationed at Portsmouth, Virginia, in 1968, looking forward to completing Pharmacists Mate School, when the word came down that “volunteers” were needed. The 28 students all put a dog tag into the bowl, and lucky me, I was the first name pulled. Next stop: FMF training, Camp Pendleton, Ca. . After training, I was assigned to Hotel 2/27. Just before receiving orders to Viet Nam, I suffered a severe right leg injury. Next step: Medical Discharge. This year marks my 50th HS reunion, and I think back to the many members of my class that went to Nam. Many of them did not make it back alive. Of the Corpsmen I trained with, many of them gave their lived. If it hadn’t been for the injury, I would have been there with my friends, instead of sitting safe at home. I miss them all greatly and have, over the years, prayed for them and their families. read more

Definitely A Different Language

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 read more

MARINE OF THE WEEK // “I looked down, and a lot of my right leg wasn’t there.”

MARINE OF THE WEEK // “I looked down, and a lot of my right leg wasn’t there.”

Lance Cpl. Brady A. Gustafson
2d Battalion, 7th Marines – HAVOC, Marine Corps Forces, Central Command
July 21, 2008

In the village of Shewan, Afghanistan, Lance Corporal Gustafson’s squad was ambushed from multiple positions by enemy insurgents with rocket-propelled grenades and medium machine gun fire. The attack was initiated by a rocket-propelled grenade that pierced the hull of his Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle and struck him, resulting in severe traumatic injury to his right leg. Despite bleeding profusely, Lance Corporal Gustafson quickly identified enemy positions and engaged them with accurate fire from his M-240B machine gun while a tourniquet was applied to his leg. When the vehicle to their rear was disabled by further rocket-propelled grenade fire, he directed his driver to push the vehicle out of the enemy’s kill zone, and shortly thereafter the vehicle was engulfed in flames. Although medium machine gun fire continued to impact around him, Lance Corporal Gustafson remained steadfast, returning concentrated fire on the enemy. His effective suppression allowed the Marines behind him to safely dismount and exit their burning vehicle. Lance Corporal Gustafson braved the effects of shock and reloaded his weapon twice, firing more than 400 rounds, before he allowed himself to be pulled from the turret and receive medical treatment. By his bold actions, daring initiative, and total devotion to duty, Lance Corporal Gustafson reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service. read more

MARINE RETURNS JAPANESE WWII FLAG TO ORIGINAL FAMILY

Deep within the mountains of Gifu Prefecture, in a small farming village hidden away from the fast-paced city life, the family of a fallen Japanese soldier eagerly waited for the return of a precious heirloom. For the first time in 73 years, the Yasue family can finally receive closure for the brother that never came home from war. read more

The night I became a RadioMan

In 1970, I served with Golf Co., 2nd. Bn. 5th. Marine Regiment out of An Hoa. The company was attached to another outfit as a blocking force in a weep operation around Liberty Bridge. At night, we were moved in to position on an old railroad bed and placed on line. The 3rd. Plt Lt. sent three men out on an LP per S.O.P. and, in about an hour, one of the men radio back that there was movement to they front. Well, the weep had not started yet so the Lt. was wondering what might be going on. He ordered the LP to move forward in order to determine what or who was out there and how many. No respond! After while, the young Marine radioed back that they took a vote and decided not to move. The men were ordered to return to the company’s line—NOW!. The Lt. questioned each of the men and learned that the person on the radio was on first watch. The other two had no idea what was happening or why they had been called back. I happen to be next to the Lt. when he took the radio away from this young Marine and informed me that I would be the squad radio operator henceforth. I can not recall the name of the equipment that was used by the C.O. to send secured messages to our rear area but I do know it was heavy and the guilty Marine hump that thing the whole time I was there. On the up side, he was never sent on rovers, sting sites, o.p. or l.p.. He never went outside the C.P. once we were settle in a place. Maybe the Lt. understood what this Marine was experiencing out there in the dark and gave him a way to save face. I’m
certain that no one else wanted to hump that thing or considered him lucky ! read more

A Run For the head

Private Capps had to be the shortest guy in our platoon. Our drill Instructor placed him in the rear of first squad. Capps had a tough time in the beginning trying to keep up his pace up with everyone else. After a few weeks though he was able to keep in step and in stride with the rest of us. Until then, it was a hoot to see him just walking around with his short stride. He didn’t look a day over 9 years old. Put that together with the utilities we had to wear in first phase. Remember? Nothing fit right- all clothing items had only two sizes: Too small or too big. His “too big” cover had a clownish appearance. And those damned yellow sweatshirts- I had a tough time keeping my laughter inside when, standing in formation, I caught sight of another recruit with little yellow fuzz balls clinging to his recently shaved melon. Humor was everywhere.
Into our 3rd week at MCRD San Diego in August of 1964, I drew midnight fire watch one night. While “…walking my post in a military manner…”, I had just completed the first circuit at our platoon’s Quonset Hut when I caught sight of a flash exiting the hut headed for the company head. The flash was PVT Capps who had awoken with a sudden case of the green apple two-step, probably from the pork and beans we had that night for evening chow. Anyway, there he was sprinting for his life with one hand holding his cover in place, while the other had a death grip on his baggy, white, skivvies-clad butt running hell bent for the head.
It was all I could do to keep walking my post at right shoulder arms and stifling a laugh with the vision of Capps running around with a firm grip on his stern end. Lucky for me, the OOD didn’t show up with a surprise visit.
Capps must have answered the call that night- I didn’t see him return but, he was standing tall, so to speak, in morning formation. read more