Hand Salute; Happy 80th Birthday and a hope for Fair Winds and Calm Seas for Gunnery Sergeant Robert L. Fitzwater USMC 1951 – 1976. The Gunny is a Combat Veteran of Korea and Vietnam, and rose from Buck Sergeant to Series Chief Gunny of 3rd Bn Parris Island.
Category: Proud to be a Marine
After Boot Camp
Danny and I finally completed MCRD, 3rd RTR, San Diego, 1975. Home and home-cooked meals. My mom asked what I wanted for my homecoming meal. No question needed to be asked. What else? Pork chops, homemade mashed potatoes and gravy, collard greens, garden-fresh corn-on-the-cob, homebrewed ice- tea, and momma's fresh-baked cathead-sized biscuits. Followed by apple pie and ice cream. What a feast!
Flying Proudly
Blue Cover Used For Burial Detail 1957
In reference to Gunny Santiago's email and picture of the blue cover and belts. I am enclosing a picture of a burial detail I was in, back in 1957 when I was on I&I duty in my home town of Atlantic City, NJ. I am second from the right. We must not have had the blue belt at that time or I'm sure we would have worn them. This is the only time I ever wore the blue cover.
Thanks,
Former Drill Instructor, Parris Island 1967-1969, Semper Fi!
Gunny Jack Bolton
Blue Cover used in 1957 by Silent Drill Team
The Blue Cover was still utilized in 1956-57 as this photo from 1957 attests. I was a member of the 3rd Silent drill Platoon at Marine Barracks, 8th and I St., Wash. DC. The photo was taken at San Diego Recruit Depot as we performed our drill.
Ralph E Reimers,
Sgt USMC 1955-59
Protected Me
Kristy,
I purchased a helmet from you a few months ago. I was wearing it when I had an accident last Thursday. It did its job. It got a little skinned up but it protected me as it should have. I'm working with the insurance company who will be replacing it, so I'll be ordering a new one in the next day or so, but wanted to send a picture of what I submitted to them.
Attached are the results of the accident. Mind you I was only going 25 mph. I slipped on black ice and came down on asphalt.
Stay safe out there and Semper Fi.
Respectfully,
Frederick C. Montney III
MSgt USMC Retired.
Get mentioned helmet at:
U.S. Marine Glossy Full-Face Motorcycle Helmet – DOT Approved
Ever Dump A Bowl of Soup Into a Drill Instructor’s Smokey Bear
There I was, a terrified recruit in Platoon 152, doing my best to survive in around the second week back in 1963.
One day we were in the mess hall, I'm standing next to the table waiting for the "SEATS" command when a drill instructor from another platoon, who was yelling at one of his recruits backed right into me… me standing there with my tray. Bang, the bowl of soup goes right into his Smokey Bear cover which was hanging off his first aid packet.
Without The Woman
The man cave don't mean nothing without the woman you shared 45yrs with. I go crazy time to time, sit in my chair, over medicate, reflect the two things I loved. The wife, the Corps. The bib is so I don't drool on myself. I get over it. Life goes on.
About A Dozen Push-ups
On graduation day, we wore trops with ties (field scarves) for the grand occasion. We were marched over to the parade field and as soon as we were on the blacktop, Sgt. McCollum ordered us to halt and get down for push-ups. Nobody had any idea why. The asphalt was rather hot and our ties dragged the ground with each pushup. My main concern was my spit-shined dress shoes, and I made sure to keep the toes from being scratched. We only had to do about a dozen pushups so it wasn't all that bad but it sure was a surprise.
Lost and Found Plt 327
Attached is a picture of Platoon 327, Parris Island SC. We started training April, 1963 and completed training at PI in July 1963. I would to get in touch with anyone from that Platoon. I am in the second row and third one in from the left side. Please email me at pba2352[at]gmail.com.