Category: Sgt Grit’s Page

11th Marines, Hqt Battery, Comm Plt Reunion, at "The Wall" in Washington DC, summer 1998. From L-R: SSgt Dan "Hunts" Huntsinger, Sgt Don "Grit" Whitton, Cpl John "Goog" Gugliotta, Sgt Dick "Dirty Dick" Leyden read more

Here's a photo of Sgt Grit with his staff and a few of his vendors taken on his 11th anniversary party on October 17th. Where's Sgt Grit? Get out your magnifying glass. See that flash of red? He's the tall dude standing in the shade at the very back. (But that's OK. That's where we like to keep him. We get more work done that way.) read more

August 1969, the morning after we successfully repelled 'gooks' in the wire. This is a rocket crater, photo taken from the back door of our hootch. From left to right: Cpl John "Goog" Gugliotta, next three ??? LCpl. Wenny Pas in helmet and Sgt Lou Kurzmiller read more

Radio School VR-17

MCRD SanDiego
Oct – Dec 1968

This is at staging back at Pendleton. Don't ask me how this picture got with the rest.

I got to Vietnam in March 1969 as a 19 year old PFC. It is obviously monsoon season, you can see the pools of water and gray skies. Yes, that is my humble abode in the background and the perimeter farther back.

Don Whitton (Sgt Grit)

Sands of Mexico

If you get my newsletter, you've heard me preach about getting together with your Buddies. It is more than fun, more than great, it is hard to describe. Find your Buddies, it will be one of the best things you ever do.

Reunion July 2002 11th Marine Comm. Plt. Danang, Vietnam 69-70 read more

It was illegal for E5 and below to be in DaNang without a permit. LCpl Huntsinger and I did not have a permit. Hunt's was and is very "resourceful". We hitched a ride in a three wheeled motorized buggy owned and driven by an AP or UPI reporter. He asked if we had a permit, when we said no, he said get down, hide in the back of the vehicle. He was known by the MP's at the DaNang gate, so they just waved him through. Once through the gate the MP's noticed Hunt's and me crouched in the rear, the chase was on. After a spirited hide and seek race through DaNang the reporter takes us to his apartment. Says he has an appointment and to help our selves to a beer in the fridge, lay low for about 30 minutes, then hit the town, he leaves us in his apartment. read more

11th Marines Hqt Btty Early 1969. Sgt Lou Alston, PFC Dan Huntsinger, PFC Doug Norman 

Sunset from the top of the 28 Bunker. 

Water buffalo every morning and every afternoon. 

Being lead and rode by tiny kids. Ever present kids.

I spent some time on some of the remote OP hills. I spent some time on some of the remote OP hills. I don't remember the names to any. CRS disease???
I think the lake on the one picture was called Alligator Lake

The first impression I gave getting out of the helicopter was funny. A little history. A 1st Lt was using the radio during a violent thunder storm, lightning struck the antenna traveled down the line to the hand set and fried him like bacon. To help prevent this from happening again I was elected to visit all these hills and ground the antennas and radios. I get my personal gear, weapon, helmet, flak jacket, etc… I look like a regular Marine, but then you add dozens of six foot copper rods, bags of salt, copper wiring, dozens of #c pencils in my pocket and copper fittings. The Lt's in charge of each hill initially looked at me like the Marine geek from hell. What has Regimental HQ sent him now?? Once I explained what the gear was for, and that I would stay a while longer and help with watches and provide a bit of radio training I was always taken right in. Most were very small hills with 8 to 12 Marines, so even one extra hand was welcomed. read more