While stationed at Camp Hansen 1963-1964 I drove for the CO of the 9th Marines, Col. Early. He was even tempered most of the time except when we passed a Marine who didn’t salute. Regardless of rank, they were in for a major ass-chewing. In 1964 I drove for Lt.General Victor Krulak while on his tour of bases in Okinawa. He also became enraged when military did not salute, regardless of the rank or service. He was even more vicious than Col Early was.
My comment from last week stands. It’s just dumb to salute an automobile, but we all did. Semper Fi!! Top Pro
Like I said, “When in doubt,salute” better safe than sorry. Harry
I don’t know how you can remember all those details! I did 7 years from 77-84 and I only remember a few names and those are from WTBn MCDEC Quantico…our CO Ltcol Dave Willis, Sgtmaj Melvin Bray, and Gysgt Carlos Hathcock. The rest is all a blur…”Mel and Dave shoot’em up”!
GySgt Carlos Hathcock: Just one of three names mentioned. Although most Sgt Grit readers are more than just familiar with this name, for those few who do not recognize him, you may want to do a little homework. You will be more than impressed!
Semper fidelis
As previously mentioned I also have problems with names, i.e., remembering them. But one thing I do remember was my time at N.A.S. Memphis, Tenn. during training there in 1968. We had an over abundance of officers that were training in the electronics of aircraft that seemed to be everywhere. As is proper we were required to salute or request permission to pass, this was usually met with several odd exchanges from said officer/s. Mostly the lower ranked officers just literally waved at us or said something along the lines of yeah yeah. It perturbed me as a young Marine to render honors and receive such a response. Looking back I’m uncertain if I should be mad or just find the whole thing humorous. I spent (4) years in our Corps and this was the only time I encountered these actions. Semper Fi
This is an US Army comment. so don’t be too hard on me.
I was stationed at Fort Ord California in 1968, after having served a year in Viet Nam. I was trained as an single engine air craft mechanic, but I was stationed at CDEC Command at Fort Ord . This was a large experimental unit that did all sorts of secret stuff out in an area several miles from Fort Ord.
I was assigned to G23 portion of CDEC and since they had no airplanes that I was trained on, they made me a G3 Clerk and driver,
The Command Sargent Major of The Army was visiting CDEC and I was assigned to drive him in an OD Green Chevrolet Staff vehicle. The vehicle had two flags on the front bumper with huge white stars on them.
I remember that we were going through an area used for Basic Training, and driving the slow speed limit. A group pf 4 or 5 trainees were walking together as we began to pass them. They sort of stopped and stared in confusion and one or two saluted. It was obvious they had no idea who the Sargent Major
was but some, the ones who saluted, did not want chance it. In the Army it is not necessary to salute enlisted ranks.
The SGT Major asked me to stop, and I did. We got out of the car and he approached the group, who by now were at rigid attention and shaking in their boots and all saluting.
This good man who had over 30 years in the service told the men to be at ease and talked to them in a kindly way, telling them who he was and thanking them for their salutes. He asked each man his name and where he was from. As he was through talking, he saluted them and they returned his salute. He told them that saluting was a form of respect for their ranks from him and visa versa.
I firmly believe in salutes and understand what it means. Even though, at the time, I was an E5 and had been to to The Viet Nam conflict, I was still only 24 years old, but I learned from this good high ranking enlisted man about proper respect. Specialist 5, US Army 1966-1969
I can believe what was said about Gen. Krulak. I read his biography “Brute”. It was said about “Brute” Krulak that if you were a squared-away Marine, you could find no better friend; if you weren’t, you could find no worse enemy.
Semper Fi to that brave And highly respected General. I met him in Vietnam and will always remember how squared he was. If you were squared away you were his best friend. If not you took the blunt of a very great Marine. ????????
BLT 2/7 had just moved into defense outside Qui Nhon and we had just the clothes on our backs, eating C rats from 1948. Gen Krulak took a helo from town to visit us in the jungle. He screamed at our C.O. because the helo didn’t have a VIP package. Seemed excessive to this PFC, when we walked everywhere….