Grandma’s Cookies

My Oldest (of my 3) Marines wrote to me one day about a recruit in his Platoon in Bootcamp. One day this young recruit was with the rest of the recruits in his Platoon for Mail Call. He was handed a BOX! (All of the recruits knew this could possibly mean trouble for him. So they leaned in to observe intently – anxious for him.) The return address was from the boy's grandmother. With the entire platoon watching and the DI standing there with a scowl and arms folded, he slowly peeled back the tape, opened the flaps, and lifted the bubble wrap aside. Inside were 2 dozen peanut butter cookies! It was now time for the Platoon to PT. The Drill instructor sent the Squad leader with another DI away quietly. They returned quickly with a GALLON of milk. The recruit was instructed to sit down and eat and drink until EVERY cookie and ALL of the milk was gone. Meanwhile PT commenced for the Platoon. The recruit ate and drank & ate and drank more… Bless his heart, he finished the task. THEN he was ordered to complete every exercise and rep that the Platoon had completed while he was eating his Grandmother's present. (That's when the wonderful cookies decided to make a 2nd appearance & Grandma's package gifted him twice!) read more

M14

At the 500 yard line, the gas cylinder on my M14 would build up with carbon rendering the rifle useless. Whenever I fired a round, you could see dirt kick up in front of me.  My Drill Instructor saw what was happening and fired the rifle himself.  His solution was to clean out the carbon after each round.  He said that if you were in combat that's what you would have to do or die trying.  Not only was I under time restraints to qualify, now I had to clean the gas cylinder everey time I fired a round.  To make matters worse, there was fog drifting across the target.  In spite of the problems that I had to deal with, I became an expert that day.  Thank God, I didn't have to take that rifle into combat.  When I went to Sea Duty, I was issued an M1.  What a relief.  Instead of a gas cylinder, there was a spring.  Front and rear sights were the same.  Kept my Expert Badge. read more

Bob Hope – All American

I have to agree with all the great comments about the Bob Hope USO Christmas shows.  I had the honor to see his show aboard the flight deck of the USS Shangri-La (CVA 38) in 1963.  We were anchored in the bay of Naples, Italy.  I celebrated my 21st birthday that year on the flight deck standing guard duty on the "Ready Bombers".  The Crusaders had nukes strapped to their bellies and I got to spend the night of my birthday looking across the bay at Naples.  I didn't get to go ashore for my birthday, but I did get ashore the next evening, Christmas day, 1963… Old memories. read more