Original Camp Hansen

One of my claims to fame was that I was stationed at the original Camp Hansen. Anti-tank Co., 9th Marines, 3rd Marine Division, in 1956 in Okinawa. We had a Tank Co. and an Ontos Co.

Pictured is our Chapel, which we put back together after every typhoon. The slop chute, mess hall and Co. offices, and of course a motley crew of tankers and mechanics. Thought I was doing good being from the original "Hansen" 'til I met a man at a MCL Convention from Zephyr Hills, FL, that helped
build "Hansen" one year before me. read more

Cold Hands

When I reported for training at OCS, Quantico we had a very large group reporting at the same time.  It took a long time to receive out issue of clothins, boots, etc.  This did not slow the training a bit, we marched, ran and did exercises in our civilian clothes.  Also they made us pay for our arrival hair cuts.  Two months into our training (November) it was getting cold and one morning I was almost asleep on my feet.  Very early in the morning I was first out of the mass hall and standing on our painted foot steps.  It was still dark and very cold.  I thought I was alone and put my hands in my trouser pockets for warmth.  I did not see the DI in the darkness and he started hitting my hands with a big stick and shouting to get them out of my pockets.  When we finished and got our commission in mid December my hands were still sore.  I never put my hands in my pockets again for the next 20 years.  My class received our commissions in December 1957 and I left the Corps in October 1977.  Bennie Parks USMC Retired read more

Marsline phone calls back to the World

Hay SGT.

I havent heard anything about Mars Line Calls back home!!

The only one I was able to do was late 1969. We had to get on a list that took 3 months and they gave you a time of the day and you gave them the phone you would use. You had three rings and you had better be there to answer the ring. Well I was useing the line shach phone at VMGR 152 flight line in Denang and the time was ofcourse 0330. I was sitting there and it rang. The process was a phone from me to a radio opperator to the States, the opperator in the States,  called home on th phone so it was , I would say "I Love You –Over" and then my wife could talk then "over". Very old school compaired to today. Well that was the start — then the sirens started as the 122 mm rockets started hitting as I said "over" the only thing I heard from the wife (with the entire family listeing) was "what the hell is that sound !! "over" Well a, Well a — We are getting hit sweetheart "over", WHAT!  "over" and more boom, boom, boom right along the taxie way out front. I looked up and all I saw was the screen door swinging —- everyone was in the bunker. I had waited 3 months and no way in hell I was leaving that phone !! All that we talked about, was her telling me to get down and I wanted to talk. Go figure. Well I only had 10 min. for the call and by that time we had an all clear and everyone had returned from the bunker. Well the next morning the SGTMJ. got wind of what I did, He asked if I enjoyed my call. I said yes thanks! He said that my extra duty was scrubing off the stains on the E-Club stone walls. That took a week of extra duty. I got my call !!! read more