Sgt Grit is a place where Marines can come and meet other Marines, share tattoos and stories, keep up with Marine Corps news, or shop for USMC gear.
When I was a US Navy Hospital Corpsman assigned to the Marine Corps in Khe Sanh, Viet Nam, I herd many of stores about their Boot Camp experience from the guys in my Platoon.
Last year I had the honor of doing the Boot Camp Challenge obstacle course race, at MCRD San Diego, and had the time of my life. There were 60 of the base DI's to motivate us the through the 3 mile course. OOH RAH!
Being too d-mn old to cut my toe nails any more I have a pedicure whenever needed. The gal that does the Pedicure is Vietnamese, I asked where she was from and she told me DaNang and I mentioned I had been in 1st Recon. She told me about going home again for the first time some years ago and going home again just a few months ago. She told me to go to, DaNang on Vietnam.com and take a look at how it is now. I mentioned BaNa and she said go to BaNa, DaNang, Vietnam.com and see how it turned out, China Beach, DaNang, Vietnam.com. I went home and was swept away with what I saw. Now I ain't one to go visiting places I had been where I had to carry a weapon even to the head, and in all the years since I left the Marine Corps the only place I happened to visit since I retired was Guam. I was returning to the states after a visit to Japan for business reasons and the plane stopped in Guam and I had a couple hours to look about. Christ what had been a barren beach with all the palms reduced to splinters was now a spot for Japanese Honeymooners and the hotel was fabulous looking. The pictures show Guam during WWII and the sad looking beaches, the other picture shows me, Top and the Lieutenant having a beer at a hootch on Vietnamese side of China Beach in 1968 or so. The mama-san tried to give us her baby to bring back to the states, I guess she already knew how the d-mn war would end.
I drive this during the "Good Weather".
Driving it to two reunions this coming summer.
If you see me on the road, give a toot.
Everyone that knows me knows that I dedicate this to all my brothers and sisters on THE WALL.
Living the life THEY IMAGINED!!!
I think this was south-west of Hue. We were with 2nd. Provisional 155 Howitzer, Tango Battery, 3/12.
Looking back, been a long time.
Who would have ever imagined John Wayne as the author of a thoughtful, even touching, poem?
Semper Fi
George Sheesley
Now Available – IN GARRISON by J. H. Hardin – A Service Memoir
J. H. Hardin is a "service mutt". He's an Air Force brat who spent his early childhood on military bases. In high school he joined the Army JROTC unit and spent each summer and many weekends at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. In 1978 he entered the Marine Corps where he served for 6 years. During that time, he spent 7 months deployed to an Army post, and 3 years aboard a Naval Base. He hadhis fingers in all the Armed Services.
My Man Cave/Office is where I spend most of my time during the day, I have an on-line marketing business that I am working on.
All of the items that I have collected, I try to keep as original as I can. For example my Dress Blues in the glass Display case, the field phone I have on my wall is the same as the phone I used in Vietnam in a village we patrolled when we were not attached out on assignment. One day myself and another Marine were surrounded in the village at Chu-Lai, and still don't know today why they just turned around and walked away. We had the phone set up in front of their Buddhist temple and I called headquarters and they sent 3 truckloads of Marines, we searched the huts, but they were all gone. That is the story on the phone.
I've read many stories about the death a Marine and recounting how they had influenced thier troops by thier examples, deeds etc. At those times I've often thought how much better it might be to let them know how much they are respected while they are still with us. My older brother, Master Gunnery Sgt. Thomas F. O'Donnell ( aka " OD ") is one of those Marines. OD enlisted in the Corps in 1950 and served in the Korean War. He served in many posts and I served under him when he was the Chief Instuctor at radio school Camp Lejuene, and I was a brand new Marine serving with 2ND Tnk Bn. He later served several tours in Nam and during that conflict he became a victim of Agent Orange. He's developed many of the illnesses associated with that chemical. OD is legally blind, suffers from diabetes, heart problems and was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer of the lungs and liver. I know he'd love to hear from any of his old buddies and would be glad to exchange old war stories. He can be contacted at tel.# 252-727-5090. Call him up and make the Gunny's last days a little more enjoyable.
I saw R. Boyer's letter about the 175 long toms. That was ok for scaring someone but when you care enough to send the best 8" M110 200lbs round 17 KM on target… The most accurate round at the time, '73-'77.
Iron Mike 3/12, 1st 8" Plt, Thunder of the Far East.
I spent 10 hours trapped in a grave with 3 other Marines. Artillery from North Vietnam hit the ammo dump at 1600 on 20 June 1968. Is anyone else out there? I was with Maintenance Company, Engineer Platoon, FLSG Bravo. A 2nd Lt and a volunteer crew rescued us about 8 or 10 hours later, I have connected with one other individual. If you are out ther, pop smoke.
The year was 1972, I was asked by a friend of mine to go with him to his brother's house in a small town called Hermosa Beach in northern California. Didn't really want to go at the time. He was a re-enlistee. A Viet nam Vet we called him the old man because he was 32yrs old. It was a hot August day then. I thought I would have a good time that day and get away for a while. I remember he had something that he had to do so I went to the American Legion Post. I was sitting there talking to the other Vets at the bar, they let me drink because they knew I was on Active Duty, so they let me drink there. I remenber an old soldier asked me so you are in the service and I replied yes sir, he asked me what branch, I replied being a Marine with pride "yes sir I am a Marine. We started talking and then things started changing. There was an older woman who looked over at me and said yea big bad ass Marine your damn war doesn't mean a thing. Our war meant something. You guys kill women and children real bad ass aren't you. I remenber telling her, "lady no one wants to go to war and kill another human being. I am only doing as my country asks of me just like your country asked of you during World War II. Things went on like this for awhile, I don't remenber everything I said to her but I do remember the bar tender looking at me and saying John take it easy on her. I looked at the bar tender and said how can you let her talk to me like this, in a place like this. Not one Vet in the whole place ever came to my defense. I am turning into an old man now and I ponder over that day so many years ago. The young Vets nowadays are given the respect they deserve not like the Vets of Viet nam who served or didn't serve. Thank God things have changed. I just started going to the Memorial Day parades, and as I stand there I look over the horizon and I see over 58,000 soldiers looking back at me and waving some with tears in their eyes. Others cheering and saying thanks for remembering us. I walk away with a tear or two in my eyes wondering what those guys might of become in their lives had they lived. I hear them telling me to thank our young men and women in service to our country. I always make it a point to shake the hands of our service men and women, and to the fellas over the horizon a wink comes and says a job well done. Thank God for the USMC. A former Sgt 2/5, 1st Marine Division and GOD BLESS AMERICA.
