MARINE OF THE WEEK:

Capt. Ademola Fabayo
Marine Embedded Training Team 2-8
Kunar, Afghanistan, Sept. 8, 2009
Award: Navy Cross

In late 2009, then-1stLt. Fabayo was serving as a member of Marine Embedded Training Team 2-8 in Kunar Province, Afghanistan. 1stLt. Fabayo and other members of his team led two platoons of Afghan National Security Forces into Ganjgal Village for a pre-dawn meeting with village elders when the dismounted patrol was ambushed by roughly 50 enemy fighters in fortified positions. With four fellow team members cut off, he pushed forward on foot into the kill zone in an attempt to regain contact, effectively engaging the enemy at close range with his M-4 rifle. When a U.S. Army Advisor was severely wounded, he moved from a covered position under heavy fire to assist in his recovery, helping carry him across several hundred meters of fire-swept ground. He drove back into the kill zone with another U.S. Army Advisor in an unarmored truck, despite enemy rounds impacting the vehicle, in an attempt to reach the separated team members. After treating and evacuating several wounded Afghan Forces, he took the gunner’s position on a gun-truck with three other U.S. personnel as they again drove into the kill zone to recover the bodies of the four fallen team members, providing effective suppressive fires with the vehicle mounted machine guns. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Christopher Zahn) read more

Almost Always Had Good Chow

In my Marine Corps I almost always had good Chow. Now here’s the facts, There’s Officers Mess, Staff NCO Mess, NCO Mess, and the Mess Hall where we went to eat CHOW, call it what you want, it was Chow. I have to admit I grew up during the Depression and my Mother couldn’t afford great lunches, but going into the Corps didn’t enlightened my life by finally getting better food. read more

Clutching An Ammo Can

Comment on Amphibious Landing Problems.

Ken Schweim’s comments on going down the nets for an amphibious landing are pretty much the way I remember it. It looked easy in the movies, but very tricky in rough seas. I am surprised more Marines did not get hurt just getting off the ship. But those who suffered from sea sickness did not care… they just wanted to get off the ship and on dry land. I will also add that going from the landing craft to board ship was just as bad. Grab the net when the landing craft was high… then before you could get your feet in the net you were dangling in the air. Grab the net when it was low… the net is bunched at your feet. Climbing up the net with all your gear was a bit harder than going down. read more

Christmas 1970

Viet Nam, 1970

I was assigned to MASS-3 towards the end of 1970, specifically at FSB Birmingham. We were a small detachment (13 men) operating a radar system in support of the US Army 101st Airborne. On Dec 22, we received a radio message that I was to pack my seabag and prepare for transport to our squadron headquarters in DaNang. A CH-46 was already enroute to pick me up.  I reported to the 1st Sgt when I got back, and asked what I was there for. He told me not to get too comfortable, as I was scheduled on the next C-130 departing for Okinawa. read more

A Marine Christmas Song

JUNGLE BELLS, MORTAR SHELLS VC IN THE GRASS TAKE YOUR LITTLE CHRISTMAS TREE AND SHOVE IT UP

AS YOU WERE. DARN, I CAN’T SAY THE NEXT PART IN AN EMAIL, THE PC FILTER POLICE WILL TAG ME. ANYWAY, YOU GET THE DRIFT. YOU WILL HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS OR YOU CAN DROP AND KISS THE DECK GIVING ME 25 BIG ONES!

Dear Grit:Thanks for all you and the staff do there at Sgt. Grit. Your support for our Marines overseas as well as all past, present, and future Marines is greatly appreciated more than you will ever know. May you and yours receive continued blessings from God. read more

Winter Green Jacket

In 1948 at MCRD San Diego I was issued 1ea Coat Winter Green and 1ea Jacket Winter Green. That was the desingation as listed on a hand out for laying-out “Junk-on- the Bunk” while I was stationed at Marine Barracks NAS San Diego, CA. I wore said “Jacket”for the next 18 years untill the curent Uniform became avilalbe. The “Jacket” was a betterfit than the long “Coat” . I never in 20+ years on active duty heard it refered to as an “Ike”. Some did refer to the short Jacket as a so called “Battle Jacket”. Check with the “Uniforam Branck” HQMC for correct termonolagdely cir 1940s to 1960s
William F Beasley
GySgt USMC (ret)
One of the “Chosin Few” read more

“Ike” Jackets versus “Battle” Jackets

Daniel Flynn indicated that the term “Battle” Jacket was utilized by Marines, and soldiers wore “Ike” Jackets.

I obtained my Marine “Ike” jacket sometime in late 1953 and being somewhere near 80, I do not remember exactly how I came to own it.  The only name on the inside of the upper right sleeve is mine.  I have photos where I am wearing it as a PFC; Cpl; and Sergeant (E-4)  Since the jacket has the stripes of a Sergeant (E-4), I must have stopped wearing it by the time I was promoted to Sergeant E-5) in March of 1961.  I remember how proud I was to earn Sergeant (E-5) and if that jacket could still be worn, it would have had Sergeant (E-5) stripes sewn on. read more

Littlest Marine

Being short was never a big concern for me because I had never considered it as a disadvantage. I had always been husky and solidly built in my youth and able to handle any physical confrontations that arose. That didn’t change when I entered the military. In fact, I flourished in that environment. Prior to joining the Marines I had spent a short hitch in the Army and dazzled my drill sergeants with high scores on their boot camp physical fitness tests. I did the same in the Marines. However, Marine Corps training differed from the Army. It was more intense and disciplined. read more