MARINE OF THE WEEK // “We got shot at every 500 meters after that. We pushed through”
Sgt. Robert Lopez
Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment
Aug 22-23, 2010
Sangin Province, Afghanistan
Award: Bronze Star W/ combat “V”
River Crossing
I was a corporal in mid 1970 and was an instructor in counter guerilla warfare at the Northern Training Area of Okinawa. I taught the class on water crossings. My favorite Marine’s in each water crossing class was those 5’7″ Marines. Someone always forgot to tell them they can’t do that. Especially those that really didn’t know how to swim. But one Marine, PFC Raul Ruiz was the radioman. When his squad was tasked to build a raft using their ponchos and grass he got involved. But said “He didn’t need no stinkin raft. ” I paraphrased so this would be clean if you know what I mean. But he couldn’t swim. And he did cross, but put his radio on the raft. And pulled the raft using his teeth. No KIDDIN. The other Marines in the squad assisted by holding on and paddling. Mission accomplished. PFC Raul Ruiz where ever you are, Semper Fi and God Bless.
Belated “Weather and food in RVN for Grunts”
I was a bit under the weather last week and did not get to respond to “Weather and food in RVN for Grunts,” so here’s my contribution:
Every Marine’s assignment, reception and duties are different and often depend on the rank, attitude and motivation of the individual at the time. My first tour in ’66-67, as a Pfc/LCpl with H&S 2/26, in Happy & Elephant Vallieys and later on Chinook and at Phu Bai was vastly different from my second tour in ’69-70 as a Sgt/SSgt with Comm Co 1st FSR/FLC and Provisional Rifle Co at Camp Books, Red Beach. With each I was a different rank, age & maturity, in different areas doing different jobs. Actually, I’ve always felt like I was in two different wars between ’66 and ’70 and have confirmed this with many other multiple tour Marines.
The Deadliest Recruit to Ever Step on Parris Island
Recruit Austin Farrell has been shooting, building and machining rifles all of his life, so when he arrived to Chosin Rifle Range aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, he felt right at home.
Farrell anticipated performing well on the range but never expected to walk away with the highest rifle score in the history of the depot. He would score a near perfect 248 out of 250 on Table One of the Department of Defense’s toughest basic marksmanship challenge, the Marine Corps rifle qualification test.
“I grew up with a rifle in my hand; from the time I was six I was shooting and building firearms with my dad, he was the one that introduced me to shooting, and when I got to Parris Island, what he taught me was the reason I shot like I did,” said Farrell.
The Marine Corps Table One rifle qualification includes shooting from the prone, kneeling and standing positions at distances of up to 500 yards with the M16A4 Service Rifle, using the Rifle Combat Optic.
“I would go out to a family friend’s range five days a week and practice shooting from distances of up to a mile, it’s a great pastime and teaches you lessons that stay with you past the range.”
When asked how he was able to break the Depot’s record, Ferrell responded: “Practice before I got here was definitely a big part of it, but getting into a relaxed state of mind is what helped me shoot… after I shot a 248 everyone was congratulating me, but when I got back to the squad bay my drill instructors gave me a hard time for dropping those two points,” said Ferrell with a laugh.
Recruits are introduced to a more relaxed environment on the rifle range, and taught basic heart rate control and breathing methods to improve their accuracy.
Ferrell’s father George Ferrell said that his son has always given his all into whatever he put his mind to, and that he knows Austin is going to have a promising career in the Marine Corps because of his dedication to success.
“I’m so proud of him, no matter what I’m proud of him but this is above what I expected,” said George. “I always told him to strive to be number one, and the fact that he was able to accomplish that is just a testament to his hard work.”
Ferrell is scheduled to graduate Sept. 4, 2020 with Kilo Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion.
Original Marine Corps Story
Story by Cpl. Shane Manson
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15TH MEU IDENTIFIES PERSONNEL KILLED IN AAV MISHAP
Officials with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, I Marine Expeditionary Force, identified on Aug. 2 the one Marine who was killed and seven Marines and one Sailor who are presumed dead after an amphibious assault vehicle mishap July 30.
Lance Cpl. Guillermo S. Perez, 20, of New Braunfels, Texas, was pronounced dead at the scene before being transported by helicopter to Scripps Memorial Hospital in San Diego. He was a rifleman with Bravo Company, Battalion Landing Team 1/4, 15th MEU.
MARINE OF THE WEEK:
MARINE OF THE WEEK:
Sgt. Matthew Parker (ret.)
3rd Battalion, 2nd Marines
Musa Qala, Afghanistan, 2011
Award: Silver Star
On May 21, 2011, Sgt. Parker and his platoon were attacked by insurgents using rifles, machine guns, anti-tank weapons and grenade launchers. When the Marines’ platoon commander and a squad leader were injured in the attack, Parker boldly assumed control as the ground force commander of two rifle squads, a combined anti-armor team section, a vehicle mobile element and a sniper team. Under enemy fire, he coordinated the platoon’s maneuvers until they were able to strike the enemy from three directions. When the insurgents responded with machine gun and recoilless rifle fire, Parker calmly and precisely coordinated close-air support and high-mobility artillery rocket system strikes that destroyed two enemy machine gun positions. Parker seized the opportunity to guide supporting fires while continuing to direct his Marines, forcing the enemy to withdraw. He then helped evacuate the wounded Marines, despite continued sporadic fire from the insurgents and, finally, led the Marines to the safety of a nearby patrol base. Semper Fi, Marine. (U.S. Marine Corps photos by Sgt. Kirstin Merrimarahajara and Pvt. Brian Woodruff)
Sgt Maj Spencer
I was in 9th Mar Hq Co Tow Plt back in ’86, ’87 and Sgt. Maj. Spencer and the Regt CO used to take the plt out in CTA on hikes. Which was no big deal except the little hikes happened to be on Saturday morning. Hung over and disgruntled young Marines don’t feel much like sounding off, which one morning pissed off the Sgt. Maj. and he said something I’ve never forgot. He was chewing everybody out and he said “Be somebody, get involved”
I just read the article titled Sergeant about the mobs and riots in some of our cities and how pathetic it is. And all the responses to the article basically were the same – a lot of shit talking but no suggestions for any actual action.
How about forming local veterans groups to stand up to those antifa communists? There already are base groups like The Marine Corps League, The Legion, The VFW to name a few. I read about a Marine Corps veteran being harassed by those scumbags in Portland and a squid vet who tried to help him get a good beating, I just wonder what the hell is wrong with us? Apparently politicians and law enforcement in some spots in our country are unwilling or unable to uphold and defend the constitution against domestic enemies, maybe it’s time for us vets to stop talking trash and get ourselves organized, get involved and do something.
Start a chain of communication (and command) of vets within your own community and then communicate with other cities etc.. You senior NCO’s can communicate within your own veterans groups.
Or we can sit back and whine about how things are and what should be done and talk trash until Portland or Seattle comes to your town. Then it may be too late.
0302, RVN 5/67-2/69
Enjoyed your story, Robert, and I’m surprised to see only two comments. Here are mine on this Monday morning: Actually there is a third season–COLD! Well, it’s really a part of the wet you mentioned. In I Corps, the monsoon season was in the winter and I remember so well the Tet Offensive and how COLD it was. The other comment is the fact that you mentioned lima beans and pork and, so far, no one has corrected you to call them what everyone who opened a can of ham and mf’s! Semper fidelis!
Making a river crossing
Making a river crossing
Talking about drown proofing, I remember the training about crossing a river. I
know how it should be done even after all these years, however; it seems like in
Viet Nam we got across as fast as possible. Which always made sense with all
those “things” in the water. I recall one time when we were getting ready to go
into the river. We lined up with me behind the Marine carrying the M-79 (the
blooper—the sound it made when fired) and that heavy bag of rounds. We called
this Marine Barney (Rubble) after the character on The Flintstones because
that’s who he looks like to us. He was one of the smallest men (about 5’6″) in
the platoon and was built like a square block of wood with a great easy laugh.
Anyways, Barney jumps into the river with his weapon and ammo bag over his head.
All anyone could see of him was his helmet going across the water like a turtle.
He made to the other side just in time to breath again. He explain that he
couldn’t actually touch the river bottom so he had to tiptoe his way across. We
all had a laugh at the sight of watching that helmet going through the water.
Barney was laughing the loudest of us all after we explain what he looked like.
Thankfully, he didn’t head in the wrong direction once he got into river
otherwise we
might not have seen him again due to how muddy the water was. I can’t wait until
Marines learn how to walk on water. That should make the process of river
crossings easier for those Marines who stand closer to Mother Earth.
ASP 1 Camp Monahan, Danang, S. Viet Nam 1969
ASP 1
CampMonahan
Danang, S. Viet Nam
April 27, 1969
I was in the ammo dump on that Sunday morning in April when it all began. Out by the road at the far end of the dump by the “grade 3” area some Vietnamese were burning trash. A 5 year old kid supposedly lit a piece of paper on fire and stuck it under the fence and started a field of dry grass burning which eventually reached a pallet of 105 WP (white phosphorous or “willy peter”) rounds.