Category: Proud to be a Marine

IOD Sites

Here is your intrepid editor standing watch at one of the IOD sites 40+ years ago. I don't remember which one. Actually I don't remember the names of any of them. I visited all of them over a 4 week period to help with comm issues. Does anyone remember the names of these hills with the IODs. There would be 8-10 grunts, a Sgt or SSgt and a Lt. Usually a couple of 60's and a .50 Cal., that was it. read more

Deep Sixed

Ddick: Once again Ddick has become my Muse regarding Amtrack operations off an LST. The one part of the launch he doesn't mention (because it's not apparent to those riding inside is the "deep six" portion which involves the tractor accelerating down the ramp and actually going 5 or 6 feet under water before bobbing to the surface (hopefully) and heading for the rendezvous circle. This is a little intimidating the first couple of times its done, but being Marines we would see how deep we could go. I think I've related this story before but here it is again. A second LT. platoon leader pulled me aside and asked where the driest place was inside when we launched because the cargo doors on top of the tractor weren't water tight and became a torrent while getting off the ship. I assured him that the driest place would be sitting on the machine gun platform in the front. Just above the platform was the machine gun turret with the gun taken out, it was rotated to the rear and a redwood plug was inserted where the barrel went. I told my crewman to rotate the turret to the front and remove the plug. As we "deep sixed" off the ramp a solid stream of cold seawater shot from the hole into the chest of the 2nd. LT. I kept my eyes glued to my vision block but snuck a peep to see how it went. He was staring at me with fire in his eyes but I'm sure he never asked to be kept dry while part of his platoon was getting wet. Ya gotta love 'em! read more

Newest Marine Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient

On 19 June 2014, Cpl William Kyle Carpenter, USMC (Ret.) was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his actions on 21 November 2010 while serving as an Automatic Rifleman with F Co, 2d Bn, 9th Marines, Regimental Combat Team 1, 1st MarDiv (fwd), I MEF (fwd), in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. read more

In Re: Korean Dog Tags

Just Thought I would send in a picture of my Dog Tags, issued in July 1951. When I went to Korea in Sept 52 they went with me. I was not issued different Tags in Korea. As you can see they are different in appearance than the ones GunnyRousseau showed in the last Newsletter. I guess Gunny being in the Old Corps, his would not be the same as a Boot like me. Thanks for your service to our Country and the great stories you submit to this Newsletter Gunny. SEMPER FI read more

Operation DeckHouse I, 1966

My good friend Ken, seated on the mine plow of an LVT E-1, which was the engineer version of the LVT P-5 family.  This one was sited on a bluff as a museum piece at 21 Area, also known as Del Mar area at Camp Pendleton. Ken and I had gone there for a 1st Marine Division Anniversary observation… probably 2005.  This is most likely the tractor that Ken was assigned to when in 5th Amphibian Tractor Bn, circa 1969.  Even though it is ahhh… 'secured'? we were able to somehow (and we ain't telling how) get inside the thing… bits and pieces have disappeared over the years, including the driver's 'joystick'… most likely to have been made into a plaque for some old salt's retirement.  The mine plow is folded in the picture… there are 'wings' on each flank that fold out for plowing up mines on the beach.  From memory, this thing has a fuel-injected, twin supercharger, liquid-cooled gasoline V-12, 1,790 cubic inches… 1,080 HP at the flywheel.  Crew used to snuggle down on top of the line charges ('bout a ton of C-4, linked on a rope) to catch some Zs…   Ddick

1stLt. Presley N. O’Bannon USMC

Fred S. Stoki standing by the location marker signifying that just north of the marker is the birthplace of 1stLt. Presley N. O'Bannon. 1stLt. O'Bannon was the first American to command U.S. forces on foreign soil and the first to raise the American flag over a fortress in the Old World. His success at the Battle of Derne, Tripoli (present day Libya), on 27 April 1805, ended a four-year war against the Tripoli pirates and inspired the phrase "to the shores of Tripoli" in the Marines' Hymn.  read more

Ended Up On Ulithi Islands

"What did you do during the War?" This was a title for a movie, books and stories that always come with an answer.

Let me tell you a story of something that happened to me during WWII. Because I was only seventeen and looked much younger I was often transferred. For some reason I ended up on Ulithi Islands awaiting transfer to somewhere else. There was an ship with smoke coming from it and people took off afraid the ammo aboard might explode. Now on the Ulithi Island of Mog Mog, you couldn't go very far. Due to my innocence or gullibility or what, my friend and I went to the ship, there were two men working on it and they were leaving. One was working in the hold loading ammo boxes on an elevator and sending them up. The other guy took the boxes from the elevator and then he removed the boxes so they could be placed on barge next to the ship. The smoke was coming from the opposite side of the ship where the ammo was so I went aboard with my friend and went down in the hold and started loading ammo into the elevator and sending it up to my friend on the deck. read more

The Reunion And A Wedding

The Marines of 1969 MCRD San Diego, Platoon 1066 met in Branson, MO once again for our sixth annual reunion on 4-8 June 2014. We were again joined by our two Drill Instructors and their lovely wives. In addition to excellent shows and camaraderie, the highlight of our five days together was my marriage to Denise on 6 June at the Stonegate Glass Chapel. At our wedding banquet on Saturday night all of the great items so generously donated by SGT GRIT were distributed to the attendees to everyone's delight. read more