Graduating Boot Camp at MCRD San Diego in 1961 we were issued Khaki's, Summer Tropical and the Winter Green uniforms. Summer Tropicals were the favorites back then, but we often wore the Khaki's. Floating around the South China Sea in the Spring of 1964 in 2/9, we had to make ourselves presentable for Liberty, in the Khaki Uniform. Keeping them presentable with only a sea bag to stow our gear was a problem, but we did survive. We got into Hong Kong on several occasions and one of our destinations was the top of Victoria Peak for lunch and drinks. I had made Corporal the previous fall, just after JFK was killed, and was now "authorized" to wear a mustache… haven't shaved it in the intervening 50 years.
Category: Proud to be a Marine
Blue And White Dress
The last word re: Blue and white dress blue covers – The white is/was summer, the blue was winter. A number of uniforms are no longer available: (Officer) Dress whites, mess dress are two. Now in place of the dress whites (see attached for my wedding picture with my mother) the dress blue blouse is worn with white trousers for summer.
House Mouse
I'm a little late on this story but I just wanted to put my two cents in about K Bars. If memory sets me right I got mine graduation day Oct-31-1966 platoon 2207 MCRDSD for making thru boot camp as a House Mouse (a whole other story). As a house mouse we saw and endured a lot of other things from our beloved DI's that the regular boots did not.
Camp Hauge
The town of Chibana was the first town outside the gate at Hauge. It was only a few bars surrounded by rice patties. Anyone serving in the 4th Battalion 12th in the time period of the late 50's and mid 60's should reconize the Marine on the far left.
Helmand, Afghanistan 2009
Sept. 29th 2009 is the date this story takes place. To begin I served as a Weapons Co. Heavy Machine-Gunner (0331 2/8 wpns co.) Our plt. pushed out from FOB Delhi early that afternoon to patrol some new area's of the western desert we had not yet visited. EOD accompanied us as the area we were headed was known to be riddled with IED's. My section establised a VCP by the "main" road, While section one began clearing the ridge we intended to establish support by fire positions on.
KC 130s Fatenma
I was just back from Nam and the monsoons were in full swing at Fatenma! Three of the Electric shop and me were sent out to work on the vertical stabilizer with the wind and rain going great guns!! Well we needed a check stand so I grabed one half on and half off the pad. I went to jurk it back on the pad, I just grabbed and I got hold of the tow tung not the legs and pulled!! The stand didn't move but the tung did. I went over on my back holding the tung and the eyelet hit me square in the face! Knocked me cold on the spot on my back lying in the rain. All rest of the team were standing around me busting a gut. They laughed so hard they just left me there!! I ended up with a black and blue ring on my face for a good week! Everyone would look a bust up because the whole squadron heard about it!!
Camp Pendleton Mounted Color Guard
I had the distinct honor of having served as a Corporal of Marines and a Right Guard Rider on the Camp Pendleton Mounted Color Guard 1978-1979 while serving with the 2nd Bn, 5th Marines and HQ Co, 5th Marines (Col Anthony Lukeman was CO). I saw a picture of the color guard here, but can't seem to find a "category" to go with it. Seeing pictures of El Noche, Echo Bar and Columbian (aka: Fat Man) brought back so many proud memories of the parades and ceremonies we had the honor of participating in. Not since the 1900's can many Marines say they were "Horse Marines"!
INSO Information on the individuals in this photo
Came across this on facebook:
www.facebook.com/ken.benner
Maybe one of you are in this photo or know someone in it.
This picture was taken the summer of 72.
DaNang AB, Vietnam (Bomb Loaders)
Early Days Of Korean War
This letter tells what the early days were like in Korea from 1950 to 1951.
Sgt. Ben Gabijan Gunner of Baker 33 and Tank Commander of Baker 31
A Bougainville Hunting Knife
I still have a "hunting knife" my father fashioned from a cut down 1905 bayonet with an interesting story attached.
While on Bougainville in November, 1943, my father was with the 3rd Special Weapons Battalion, 9th Regiment, 3rd Marines. When they were dug in, a Japanese plane (I don't remember him saying what type) flew over low and fast. The word was passed to not fire as it was probably a recon plane and they didn't want to give away their positions. The plane flew over the second time, slower and lower. No one fired. On the third pass, the plane flew over very slow and low. Dad said one could almost hear the camera whirring away, filming the Marine positions. At that moment two P-39 Bell Airacobras appeared and came in a vertical dive from above and opened fire on the Japanese plane with their 37MM cannons. Dad said the Japanese plane exploded and came down in "little-bitty pieces". Later, Dad retrieved some small pieces of the fuselage and fastened them onto an old K-Bar knife sheath. For a knife, he cut down an M1905 bayonet so it fit. Along with an EGA on the tip, he engraved "Eugene Wise", "Bougainville" and a small engraved palm tree. As you see from the photo, it is not a work of art, but a project no doubt borne of boredom when not in combat.