Category: Proud to be a Marine

Airwingers

1974 While stationed at Camp Pendleton’s Airfield Flight line as Aircrew on “E” model Hueys, I was sent to get my license to drive a jeep. After the classroom portion, we went to do the practical exam by going four wheeling up in the mountains there on base. Rough job but somebody had to do it, anyway it was getting to be about lunch time and we found ourselves up in the San Onofre area of the base.

We drove down out of the hills to the main road there and pulled into the PX parking lot. For those unfamiliar with the Marine Air Wing and Crew Chiefs in particular… we did not wear normal Marine Corps sateen green utilities. We wore green Nomex Flight suites, no starch in our Covers (flammable), brown Leather Flight Jackets, black steel toed Flight Boots, no polish (flammable) and no blouse on the pant legs, and we had quite a bit of mud on us from four wheeling. For you East coast Marines San Onofre was part of MCRD Recruit Training and was used for (ITS) Infantry Training School. read more

Memorable Air Wing PFT

I was in the Wing from 1969 to 1971, that was after bootcamp, ITR and avionics schools.  We did have quarterly PFTs (Physical Fitness Test) in the Wing.  These included the 3-mile run, push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, etc., all for time.  Your time bracket depended on your age and not rank.  My fondest PFT memory was of a quarterly in 1970 at MCAS El Toro.  read more

Sea Story

For you Old Corps Marines, you may remember, "The Marine Corps has two types of stories, one is a Fairy Tale, the other a Sea Story". The Fairy Tale starts out "Once upon a time" and ends "And they lived Happily ever after". The Sea Story starts out "You're not gonna believe this sh-t", and ends "I told you, you wouldn't believe this sh-t". read more

Flight To Remember

In early November of 1976, I was on a flight to Johannesburg, South Africa, by way of Rio on my way to countries farther to the North in Africa. It was supposed to have been a 747, but the passengers found themselves shoe-horned into a 707. At Rio, many of our passengers deplaned, so instead of every seat being filled, more than 1/3rd were empty. We took off on the long flight across the South Atlantic. I was on the aisle seat… a gentleman in his late 60s had the window seat. I suddenly realized that he was looking at me… more to the point, at the small Eagle, Globe, and anchor pin on the collar of my suit jacket. I was going to say something when I noticed his lapel pin. It was small, round, and had tiny white stars on a field of sky blue. I blurted out, "Excuse me sir, but is your lapel pin for the Medal of Honor?" read more

He Wants To Be A Marine

Hey Sgt. Grit Team! I ran across this picture and I realized that I never sent it to you. This was taken a few years back when I had my first child. His name is Gavin. All the items came from your store. I
can't believe that he's going to be six this year. He says he wants to be a Marine like his Mommy and Granddaddy! LOL. read more

Zippo Art

In your latest newsletter, Jerry Nealey Sr. asked about Zippo art. Here is the lighter Charlie Battery 1/13 had designed while we were in Vietnam. I believe it was designed by Lt. Eberhardt (Deceased).

I have seen another one like this with a different date on it, but this is the original one. I do not have a picture of the back, but on that side the lid had: read more

Motivation

I went to MCRD San Diego in Oct 1967. Platoon 2092 and Honor Platoon. After training began there wasn't a day gone by that we didn't get "motivated" by one or all the DIs.This usually meant standing at attention, arms down to your side while you were "motivated". You knew you were in trouble when the DI called you in the "duty hut" and he puts on his black gloves so he wouldn't leave any marks. One recruit wasn't holding his m-14 right and the DI shoved the barrel into his face splitting his lip. They sent him to sick bay and told him to tell them he "tripped over his footlocker". Things like this went on daily for eight weeks. Did all the "motivations" make us better Marines? I don't know. I went to Vietnam and came back in one piece. I will say this of all the training I received boot camp had the biggest impact on me. When we got to ITR and BITS all the "motivations" stopped. I guess because we had access to live rounds and the troop leaders were afraid of getting shot.(ha). I have no ill feelings toward my DIs now. But at the time those three guys had to be the meanest and cruelest the Marine Corps had to offer. If you are planning on joining the Marine corps remember these three things. One, keep a low profile. Two, don't draw attention to yourself and three be in the very best shape of your life before going in. Football two a days aren't anything like you are about to experience in bootcamp. Other than that its a piece of cake. read more

Hill 881 S

In memory of 2 LT. Joesph [ Bussy ] Mitchell, who was Plt. leader of 3rd. Plt. M-3-3  and  was KIA on Sunday morning April 30, 1967 while leading assualt on VC and NVA positions on the hill. Bussy was born to be a Marine and gave it all he had. He was my friend, classmate and fellow Marine. RIP Bussy {some called him Buzzy} and Semper Fi In memory of all Marines that were lost on 881 and 881 S. read more