Saipan And Okinawa

Those of us who attended the birthday luncheon this week got to meet Adam Pizzutti who I met on the Honor Flight in May. Some of us took him to lunch later and invited him to this year's birthday lunch.

Yesterday I received three photos of him taken during WWII aboard ship and in Japan. The photos were accompanied with this note: read more

Ham And MoFos

Ham & MoFos were beyond nasty. Some guys tried to doctor them with hot sauce and/or C-ration cheese. Absolutely nothing could help them other than when they became landfill.

I have seen the first photo many – many times. I have never gazed upon that second photo… and from now on, I will grab the eye bleach before making another sighting. read more

Underdogs

In his 2012 book, Underdogs: The Making of the Modern Marine Corps, which in my opinion is very well-written, Aaron B. McConnell talks about Marines:

"Perhaps more than any other group in America, the Marines have always been culture warriors, open and unapologetic about advertising their identity, preserving and sustaining it, and policing the boundaries that separate them from the uninitiated. They seem almost addicted to their paraphernalia: wherever a Marine appears, Marine hats, sweatshirts and jackets are never far behind. Marine Corps flags fly outside their homes; the eagle, globe and anchor emblem adorns cars, boats, backpacks and biceps. Few military organizations think of their culture as a form of power; the Marines do so explicitly, protect it zealously and deploy it offensively. It is almost a type of weapon or armor – an armored personhood carrier that protects them in both war and peace. While other services may sport similar trappings of identity and community, many Marines do so obsessively. Aaron Sorkin's 1992 film, A Few Good Men, summed it up well: to a certain degree, Marines are fanatical about being Marines." read more

Life Changing Event

I am a former SGT/USMC and spent 8 years on Active Duty. I deployed for OEF and OIF. I came back home with issues that were not always visible. My life was coming to abrupt end if it was not for this one organization I found. I wanted to make you aware of an organization that has changed my life completely. Dogs 4 Warriors, Inc has provided me with a life-changing Service Dog to assist with combating my PTSD, for free. My Service-Dog Samson mitigates all the symptoms of PTSD and comforts me when I am in an unfamilar environment. Dogs 4 Warriors has paired 55 Service Dogs with Disabled Combat Veterans suffering from PTSD and/or TBI within the past 2 years. D4W can not continue to do these life changing things without the support of organizations around the country. Please take a few minutes to check out their website at www.dogs4warriors.org and read my, and other Veterans, testimonials. I have also attached a brochure that includes a bit more detailed information. I have loved your magazines for years. While I do not have the funds to order much I do enjoy looking through them all. Thank you again for all you do to support the USMC and veterans world-wide. read more

Oldest And Youngest Marine

On 10 November 2015, Sgt Grit presented KA-BARs to the oldest and youngest Marine present at our Marine Corps Birthday event. The oldest Marine was MSgt. William Sherry who is 88 and served from 1945 to 1975. The youngest Marine was LCpl Greg Ufford who is 35 and served from 2001 to 2004. Semper Fi Marines! read more