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.
Larry Pate’s letter and his picture of Platoon 315 (PI Sept. 54) brought back plenty of memories. So much so that I retreated to my picture album and came up with this family collage. From left to right, me at PI as I graduated on October 13th, 1954 with Platoon 383, my father John graduating PI in October 1943, and my brother Bob who graduated PI in 1951 (date of picture unknown).
In memory of Sgt Laudell Raper
Sgt Grit:
Arlington National Cemetery can be a very lonesome place after a huge Washington, DC snowstorm. My friend Michael Bailey and I decided we would pay a visit to Arlington on Feb. 19th to visit four special gravesite’s; unfortunately, due to the heavy snow blanketing the ground, we could not find the graves of two of the four. Of the two we found, one was my brother George’s Memorial Site; he was a WWII LST-577 Navy Signalman killed on 11Feb45 when his ship was sunk by a Japanese submarine (see: https://www.grunt.com/scuttlebutt/marine-corps-bs/others9.asp).
Submitted by John Ratomski
BIVOUAC
….that improved the chow situationand the first loaf of bread from the bakery was fondly re-named “angel food cake.” Our heavy old helmet that we wanted to throwaway many times took on a new importance. It was better than an entrenching tool for digging a foxhole, it was our cooking pot, wash basin, laundry tub and bathtub and it was indespensable in the foxholes at night as a deluxe bedpan when you took your life in your hands if you stuck your head above ground.
Recently, I returned from a visit to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Attached are three picture – the first is the USS Arizona Memorial listing the Marines that died during 07 Dec 1941 – the second is of Puller Hall which is located on the Naval Base, the building is currently occupied but the exterior cannot be changed – the third is a Marine on duty at the entrance to the USS Arizona Memorial.
R.J. Emerton
Here are a couple pictures to add to the BS pages of what the Marines of the Grunt.com BB did for our Iwo Vet Gene Gustad
Kilo1
Randy Todriff
I have written to Sgt. Grit several times before and appreciate you adding a couple of them to the newsletter. I would like to add somewhat of a post script to one of my previous submissions. I wrote about Peter Kakadelis , who served with the 4th Division in WW2 and saw action on Roi Namur, Saipan, Tinian, and Iwo Jima. He was a grunt in the first three campaigns but was transferred to the 14th Marines for Iwo. That transfer probably spared him from being killed or wounded on Iwo as the grunts took the brunt of the casualties. And while his 155 was hit and killed several of his buddies, he walked off unscathed…..that was quite a miracle in itself, walking off Iwo without a scratch. You may recall that in my previous story, Peter was the one who made doughnuts on Iwo and the CO had to post guards around him……Peter was a wonderful man, a stand up Marine, and an inspiration to me and many others. Peter passed away last year and we all miss him terribly.
I made my third trip to Iwo Jima this past March and with the blessing of Peter’s wife and two sons, I buried some of his ashes on the beach where he came in that chaotic morning of February 19,1945. I felt his spirit with me on the beach that day and as I looked up at Mt. Suribachi, I also felt the spirit of all the Marines who made the ultimate sacrifice during that pivotal battle. Peter came as close to death that day as he rushed to the terraces on the beach as the fifth wave rumbled in. In the heat of the moment, Peter left his pack on a jeep that was also in the landing craft. He took two steps to retrieve the pack when a Japanese round hit the boat and completely destroyed it, killing a number of Marines and sailors. As I stepped back from the memorial I had left on the beach for Peter, I found five .30 caliber rounds setting in the sand……hard to believe that after 60 years, they were still there. I wondered…..were these Peter’s……each relic has it’s own story and I couldn’t help but wonder what had caused those rounds to be dropped or lost. I was honored to bring back Peter to Iwo to be with many of his buddies and am grateful to his wonderful family for allowing me that honor.
I have just finshed another issue of your outstanding newsletter. I have to say that I, a soon to be 70 year old Marine (1953-1957) am very impressed with today’s crop of Jarheads. As others have said, they are as good ,if not better Marines than we were.
I shot this pix, and more to follow, of your company’s Iwo Jima KaBars at the Marine Corps League 5K run. The KaBars were given to four Iwo Jima veterans, three Marines and one Corpsman. I thought you would like to see what became of what you sent for the run.
Dub
In 1941, before the attack on Pearl Harbor, the New Testament was distributed to the Armed Forces by the Government. This bible, not only has the New Testament, but also the National Anthem, Gospel songs, the Lord’s Prayer, and Jesus’ teachings on 50 of life’s problems.