This photo was taken in 1958 while serving with Kilo Btry. 4th Bn. 12th Marines during Operation Strongback in the Philippines….This little Rhesus Monkey showed up at my tent one evening and stayed with me until I left for Okinawa…I called him Monkey Buddy….He got to swiping anything he could carry from the other guys, he would steal Cigarettes, Zippos, Mess gear and bring it to me to my tent….The guys finally learned when something came up missing Monkey Buddy had paid them a visit…I never figured out if he was stealing for himself or for me….He liked to sleep curled up beside me at night and would wake up screaming mad if someone got to close to me….He loved to pick through my hair like he was searching for bugs, and at that time he probably found some, but he kept my hair clean….He came to be a good little Buddy and I hated to leave him behind when it came time to leave for Okinawa…I wanted to take him with me but it wasn’t possible….I enjoyed his company what time he was with me and think about him often….He was a good little Marine …Semper Fi Little Buddy
Monkey Buddy
Interesting story. I was amazed by how much information was available on-line about Operation Strongback or PhibLex-58M . One particular site from South Carolina University had a 13 minute video. At about 3:55 into the film, a 3/4 ton, 4X4 truck drives by pulling a trailer. There are 6 or 7 Marines sitting in the back bed and a driver & shotgun up front. But what caught my eye was what appears to be a 106mm(??) recoil-less rifle mounted in the front of the bed. I had never seen anything like that. As a communicator we used that 3/4 ton truck a lot, before and during Vietnam. It would be interesting to hear about it from some of you Korean War and in-between war guys. Semper Fi!!! Top Pro
I used to be a serious hunter and when it came to hunting ground hogs if one was able to get away it was as if it had killed me. Today I do not kill critters. There are a couple exceptions but I’ve learned all animals have capacity to think and have emotions just like us. They feel pain when they are wounded. They care for their young. Perhaps. I am soft hearted but that is ok.