Just a note of Marines training to go ashore the Marine way, 1953. Going over the side with full packs, helmet and rifle was always tricky and dangerous. And, sometimes you had to wade for a long way to shore… Good Old Days…
Semper Fi,
Sgt. Bob Holmes
1359XXX, Plt. 16
Sgt. Bob Holmes
1359XXX, Plt. 16
when going down the ropes,watch where you put your hands. I learned the hard way.
As Sgt. Holmes states,it was dangerous-guys did fall off the ropes
arnold
1902……..
SF
Hands on the vertical, feet on the horizontal, and don’t look up!
Falling helmets were a danger also!
And don’t step off that cargo net until both boots are on the steel! You may step off when you think that the papa boat is inches away–and all of a sudden, you are ten feet from that deck. If the seas aren’t calm, you could break a leg!
Ditto on “don’t step off the net until both boots are on the steel”. Was able ‘train’ several times off the George Clymer with Hotel 2-5 off I believe White Beach, Okinawa in early ’66 prior to our deployment to Chu Lai, VN. Not sure if climbing down the nets into the the PAPAs for the beach landing was any worse than having to climb back up into the ship upon return!!! Either way, with fairly decent swells, it was a challenge and God forbid if anyone froze either going down or climbing back up as all had to stay in a line!!!! Yup, falling rifles or helmets were hazardous down in the landing craft boats!!!!..Semper Fi…. Pete C. (H-2-5 then E-2-1 in 66-67 then H-2-5 in 69).
Those were the days!!
Thanks for the memories, although I will never forget going over the side into landing craft.
Heck, if you didn’t carry a muzzle-loading musket with a spike bayonet and wear a tricorn hat, riding in a longboat powered by oars, you were still considered a Boot to my old Gunny.
Somewhere I have pictures of Onslow Beach and the older tracs (P-3’s) from 1953 when I was young and Dad was the Marine.