While practing for the final PFT with Plt 2019 San Diego April '71, I got into an argument with another recruit over a rake used to rake the sand pit after each recruit would jump for the broad jump. Our D.I. came over & commented about how much I seemed to like the rake. For the next 2 days the rake never left my side. It slept with me, showered with me ect. Had to put deoderant on it after showering. Nothing like hearing Right Shoulder Arms followed by Right Shoulder Rake. Still have a visual of marching on the parade deck 2 days before graduation with my rake. Most embarrassing then, but a fond memory now. Semper Rake
Category: Proud to be a Marine
60MM Mortar Squad
Christmas Day 1969 at Liberty Bridge, Quang Tri Province, RVN, 60MM mortar squad, Lima Co., 3/5/1. We decorated our gun withChristmas tree balls.
Front row: Harvey and Sanchez
Back row: Cannon, McDonald, Acton, Martinez and Bruce
David Acton (E-1/E-5)
USMC 1968 – 1970
RVN 1969 – 1970
Ann Margret
Bob Gordon
1958 – 1969
Since you were at Da Nang during Christmas of 1965, you may remember Sir Charles blowing the bridge over the Han River just before Christmas. Little bast-rds cheated us out of getting to go to the Bob Hope Christmas show. We were on Monkey Mountain and scheduled to go to the show, but that bridge was our only link with Da Nang so we were scr-wed. We were resupplied by helicopter (picture attached) until the bridge was rebuilt, and ate a lot of C-Rats during that period. Getting to go see Ann Margret (picture attached), a few months later in the spring of '66, kind of made up for it. It's a rough life when you're attached to the Wing.
Eyes Of A Gunnery Sergeant
"The Gunny"
When I first went into the Marine Corps my DI was a Platoon Sergeant, he was something akin to a God, Officers were beyond that because we only saw them once or twice. Then when we went to the Rifle Range at Camp Matthews and were snapping in with our M1 rifles. I'm afraid I still had some of that softness remaining from civilian life (from just a few weeks before) and fell asleep while snapping-in in the Prone position. I was awakened by being picked up by collar and seat to a great height and dropped. I landed atop my M1, my chin hurt, my chest hurt and I believe my knees hurt somewhat also. I looked up into the flaming eyes of a Gunnery Sergeant who had to be something between a God and the Devil, if I read those eyes right and the flow of language, I felt I was near Death. He then picked me up off the ground and set me to doing Off Hand with him watching my every move. When the rifle muzzle dipped I got a whack and I got madder, another whack and I got so d-mn mad I was going to lower my rifle and slug him.
Army PC
The rain in Hawaii can be very intense; maybe that's why everything is so green. We invaded the island of Maui in '62, the first time the Marines had been there since WWII. Maui was in the middle of a drought (well by Hawaiian standards) but the day we landed it started to pour and kept on raining for the next two weeks we were there. The locals were happy, but we were miserable and soggy.
World Record
Regarding the story Hollywood Marine, I had a similar experience. The day before heading to P.I, (3/10/58) my Dad took me to a luncheon for the then senator John Kennedy (see enclosed photo). My Dad was a state senator in Mass. and knew JFK from earlier campaigns. We went over to meet him and shook hands. He asked me, "What are you doing now?" I said, "I'm leaving for The Marines in the morning." His face changed and he looked "hard" at me and said, exact quote, "You watch your azs with those people." End quote.
You’re Not A Marine
I dropped off the donations this evening at the Baltimore Station and as last year the Marines living at the station were grateful and full of "oohrahhs" to you. Funny story – while passing out the tems the Marine in the picture wearing one of the gray hoodies you donated grabbed the last hoodie for another Marine who was not yet there. At that moment a resident who is a Navy vet walked over and said, "man if that guy don't come by soon I'll take that last hoodie." The Marine in the green hoodie said, "you're not a Marine." The Navy vet replied, I'm Navy and that's close enough." The Marine in the gray hoodie replied, "not unless you were a Corpsman it ain't!"
You’re Not A Marine
I dropped off the donations this evening at the Baltimore Station and as last year the Marines living at the station were grateful and full of "oohrahhs" to you. Funny story – while passing out the tems the Marine in the picture wearing one of the gray hoodies you donated grabbed the last hoodie for another Marine who was not yet there. At that moment a resident who is a Navy vet walked over and said, "man if that guy don't come by soon I'll take that last hoodie." The Marine in the green hoodie said, "you're not a Marine." The Navy vet replied, I'm Navy and that's close enough." The Marine in the gray hoodie replied, "not unless you were a Corpsman it ain't!"
3rd Generation Marine
On November 27, 2013 we journeyed to Parris Island, SC, to see Private J. R. Allen graduate from boot camp and become the 3rd generation Marine in our family. Needless to say, the dad and grandpa had their chests sticking out and strutting. The attached photo is a portrait that we had made (I don't think that I will be around for the 4th generation) in our customized GRIT gear. Thanks to your staff for their valuable assistance and advice in ordering the shirts. In the photo from left:
Marine Corps Birthday Party
My daughter and her fiance at the Marine Corps Birthday Party in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Hi Dad, believe me, we learned all about the Marine Corps on Saturday at the ball! I realized I had never been to one with you, Dad! You will have to come to Addis next year for the party here. It was quite the production.