Mess Duty

I was on mess duty at Matthews in October 63 and yes the DT’S was going around there one night ad yes I remember Little Agony and Big Agony on to well with the duck walking..That alone probably messed up more knee’s than anything…One memory was when we pulled butt’s for the Navy and you would have been safer in front of the butt’s rather than behind…Ha…I was an Old 6413 Air Winger.. read more

MARINE CORPS OBSERVES AFRICAN AMERICAN / BLACK HISTORY MONTH

The Marine Corps celebrates the nationwide observance of African American/Black History Month throughout February.

MARADMIN 033/20 encourages commanders to hold observance events within their commands and local communities to recognize and celebrate the service and contributions of military, veteran and civilian African Americans. read more

BOOT CAMP MESS HALL

WHILE AT THE RIFLE RANGE (CAMP MATHEW), I WAS HAND PICKED FOR MESS DUTY…
THE 2ND DAY ON DUTY I WAS ASSIGNED TO THE TRAYS CONVEYER WASH…SOME OF US DECIDED TO SKIP THE SECOND HOT WATER SOAK AND INSTED GO OUTSIDE FOR A BREAK…
DAMN NEAR THE WHOLE PLATOON CAME UP WITH THE DT’S… NOT ENOUGH HEADS TO GO AROUND SO SOME HADE TO IMPROVISE…WE KEPT QUIET ABOUT THAT BUT THE DI KNEW..
WHO WAS AT FAULT….BOY WERE THEY PISSED….(WILLY 258). read more

Sergeant

Although not as bad but after I came back from Vietnam I was drinking in the Tun Tavern down in downtown Jacksonville and a young lady I knew sat down at my table. I being a gentleman ordered two beers . We were speaking when I put my two fingers on my beer to pick it up. Well the glass beer bottle shot out between my fingers and landed up against the young lady’s dress drench her in Budweiser from head to foot. I felt like a heel and of course very embarrassed. She said don’t worry about, but I did and payed to have her dress cleaned. We remained friends for along time. Until I got out and left for home in 1969. read more

3rd FSR

Okinawa, 3rd FSR, 1969.
Time for requalification at the rifle range. They bussed us there and dropped us off. As the day wore on, we were informed that when it was over, we were to walk a few miles to a given location where we would be picked up.
As we clomped along, no formation, no cadence, just clomping, guy next to me and I started shooting the bull. For some reason we remembered that movie: Bridge over the River Kwai. So we were trying to remember that whisted song. One of us came up with it so we both started whistling it. Then a couple other guys joined in. Then more and more and eventually, we all fell into formation, whistling that song. You remember when ya had it right how it felt like two gigantic boots marching?
Yeah, it was that. Plus 30 or 40 guys whistling that song. People we passed stopped and looked and a few even saluted. (We had no officers with us). Cool experience. And by the way, I shot Sharp Shooter that day… read more

Following up on your story about military working dogs:

Following up on your story about military working dogs:
Marine Scout Dogs In Support of the Combined Action Platoons During the Vietnam War, John Denecke served as a Scout Dog Handler with his dog, Rex5A31, with the 3rd Combined Action Group in 1969. He wrote: “A Scout Dog Team was a big advantage to these (Combined Action Platoon) small units because of the dog’s ability to detect and search out the enemy much quicker than a human could. The handler was only as good as the dog and the most important asset was the handler’s ability to read his dog’s alert and act upon it.” Denecke continued that too many dogs have similar training, but no two dogs are the same. He further explained that it was vitally important for the handler to really know his dog and learn what every move means; it was the only way the dog could communicate with the handler:
The most important effect Rex had when working in the villages was the psychological one. Since the enemy worked in small numbers when trying to penetrate a village, they would avoid one where they thought a dog team was working, because they knew the dog’s capabilities for early detection and also the dog’s eagerness to attack if the handler thought it was needed. Never staying in one village for a long period of time was also an advantage because the enemy was never sure where you were and the dog worked best in strange areas. Most of our experiences with these small units were night ambushes and daytime search and destroy missions. Once Rex had his work collar on and we started moving out, he knew what to do. We usually walked about 20 meters out in front of the column so that if Rex did alert on anything, I could react and protect him because his job was done. The rest was up to the squad. Often we ended up ambushing the enemy who had intended to ambush us because of Rex’s outstanding sense of smell and danger. A day does not go by in my life that I don’t think of Rex and wish he could have come home with me. I’ll never forget him as long as I live. He is the reason I am still living. Semper Fi, Rex, John J. Denecke, January, 1970.
From former Combined Action Platoon Marine Tim Duffie: “John J. Denecke died in June of 1998, shortly after he submitted this story to the Combined Action Platoon website I created. I received an email from his family telling me how pleased he was to know Rex will continue to be honored on the website.” Excerpt from Combined Action by Gene Hays, available at Amazon.com. read more

Response to Boot Camp Stories

For some reason I got picked to work at the range mess hall during the rifle range. I was changing out the milk in the milk machine and there was a DI next to me in nicely pressed bravos. The clip came off the fresh container of milk and milk spewed everywhere. The DI was covered in milk. He was so pissed off, all he could manage was “Get out of my sight” through clenched teeth. So I did just that. – Robert Haynes read more

DIEGO AND YENKIE: THE FUTURE OF DOD LAW ENFORCEMENT

Across the Department of Defense, military working dogs serve many purposes. K-9’s are utilized to subdue suspects, find specific items, and people. Most are only capable of one or two of these functions; Diego and Yenkie, residents of the Marine Corps Base Hawaii Provost Marshal’s Office kennels, are a bit different. read more