100 Harrison St. & Battle Jackets

Right on about no bad lookers among the WMs at Harrison St. I was there for a few months with the Escort Detail in 1951. Maj.Gen. Noble was CG. San Francisco was a first class liberty town back then.

Gunny Rousseau:
Exactly right about the changes to the rank structure. When I reported to my first duty at MB Portsmouth, NH in ‘46, the SNCOs had both types of chevrons. We differ on the Battle Jacket. I thought it looked sloppy. It was comfortable though and the bloused bulge was convenient for stashing cigarettes and other goodies such as half or full pints of refreshments. This picture was taken at the Portsmouth train station in 1947. Two of us were leaving for Pendleton. I’m the ‘Feather Merchant’ on the left. Notice my belt buckle, we no longer had the leather belts. It was a sad day when we lost them.
On a personal level. Were you in 6th Mar. at Pendleton between 1947 and 1949? read more

Women Marine Drill Instructors & Battery Creek Photos

Sgt Grit,

I was reading the comments about the Women Marines having male Drill Instructors in recent Newsletters and I am here to say "I was One".

After putting thru 14 platoons at MCRD PI in January 1971 to March 1973, I was  transferred  to OCS Quantico for the  summer programs but as luck would have it The  Printing Shop at Quantico was civilianized that summer so i had to spend the rest of my tour as an Instructor at OCS and also at the SNCO Academy. I  was the NCOIC of Casual Plt for some time. After SNCO Academy and as my last duty before receiving orders back to my MOS, I was sent  to the OCS Women Marines Company where I taught  drill to the last Company of Women Marines before they were to begin training with the male Marines or so I was told. read more

THANKSGIVING SITTING IN AN AIRPORT…..From 2002 Newsletter

THANKSGIVING SITTING IN AN AIRPORT

Last week we lost a brother.  Cpl Thurman was assigned to a new post after a long battle with leukemia.  Cpl Thurman was assigned to HMX-1 Security and was retired from the Corps after spending months in Walter Reed receiving Kemo therapy.  Cpl Thurman went back to Tuscan Arizona to receive more treatment and to be with his family.  Last Tuesday I received word that he had passed.  I caught a flight and met up with another Marine from HMX-1, a
fellow Sgt and a good friend.  Also with us were the Chaplin and Medical Officer from HMX-1.   Last Wednesday the day before Thanksgiving we all spent time with his family, squaring away his dress blues and talking about how much he loved the Corps.  We said goodbye that night in the funeral home and went back to our hotel to pack.  We all spent the next day in the airport, waiting for our flights back to D.C..  I got back to D.C. around 1900, my girlfriend picked me up and we drove home.  This year I really
didn't think I would be spending thanksgiving sitting in an airport.  I didn't think that I would have to help with the burial of a fellow Marine and brother.  But we didn't complain, we were there for Cpl Thurman, his family and each other.  That is why we are Marines, and that is how I know Cpl Thurman is now standing post at Heaven's gates. Semper Fi
Sgt MPA read more