Category: Vietnam

Marine Brothers

I am Sgt. Robert McCallum. I served during the Vietnam War from 1962 thru 1966. I really have 4 brothers of my own and my younger brother Daniel McCallum was also a Marine who served in Vietnam as a Machine Gunner, nickname (Tubby Guns) I served in Washington, D.C. in the Arlington Annex, attached to "A" Company, HQBN, Headquarters Marine Corps. I had a boring job although I did see & speak with the Commandant of the Marine 'Corps several times. My brother Dan, was shipped to Vietnam and always said it was always meant for him to go so I did not have to. I always felt bad hearing that. I felt even worse when I had a message delivered to me that he had been wounded in a skirmesh with overwhelming odds. His machine gun M-60 was shot out from under him, sharpnel went through his forearm, yet he picked up the weapon, and ran through the line of VC attacking them, killing many and leading his platoon out of harms way. Dan was awarded a SILVER STAR, and did not accept it until 24 years later. He proclaimed he was not a hero, only wanted to save he & his brothers. I wish I could have been there to back him up. You can't imagine how many times I wished that. Dan made it home alive, thank God, & his Marine brothers & his training. My blood brother had issues for years and passed away at an early age from a massive heart attack. I still think of him often, like the good times of us fishing and camping, and being in the boy scouts, becoming Eagle scouts together. He was a great man, a really great brother & Marine. He is sure missed, by his real BROTHER Bob! read more

Back On The Island

Hey Marines 🙂

After almost 50 yrs my feet were back on the Island! MasterSgt Taylor "wanted" pics with me for his blackberry. My church, St. Michaels, bought me a new uniform – one I could fit in! Ya'll ever get the chance, go back for a visit. These young Marines (just look at them) are ALL ABOUT having the chance to live the Corps with us old guys. You will be treated with so much respect you won't believe it! Ya can see they got a ton of "I been there" ribbons. read more

Kadena Airman’s Club Lighter

Sgt. Grit,

Enclosed are a couple of my lighters from the days on Okinawa. The Kadena Airmans Club lighter was given when you paid two dollar dues for a month. They would give you something. You can wind it up and it plays China Night. I have had it 54 years! The other lighter is my zippo. I had it engraved with places we had been. I also had that lighter for 54 years. The zippo lit a lot of Camels and Pall Mall. A carton of Camels costed 80 cents a carton on the rock in 1960. 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

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

2nd ITR

At Camp Pendleton during my 2nd ITR, Old Smokey was the hill of all hills.  Made no difference why one would have to climb Old Smokey, the reason, because it was there.  Best punishment in the world.  If you went to a class on a hill some where, Old Smokey was the first hill you would hit.  When you got to the top of Old Smoky with all of your equipment, you knew you did something.  I wonder if the song "On Top of Old Smokey" was written by a US Marine. read more

Taps

Hi, my name is Emma and I am the granddaughter of a Marine/ Vietnam Veteran. My grandpa was an incredible man, and instilled in all of us the wisdom and courage of the Marine Corps. It has been a big part of what shaped my grandfather as a man and made him the amazing man that he was. The Marine Corps and the rest of us lost a wonderful man on March 3, 2013 named Jerry Logan Young. RIP Grandpa   Emma C. Granddaughter of a Proud US Marine