Just a note of Marines training to go ashore the Marine way, 1953. Going over the side with full packs, helmet and rifle was always tricky and dangerous. And, sometimes you had to wade for a long way to shore… Good Old Days…
Semper Fi,
Sgt. Bob Holmes
1359XXX, Plt. 16
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Death from below: 2nd LAAD practices what they preach
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — For the last decade Marines have fought against terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan with battles primarily fought on the ground. So why do squads continue to carry the PL-87 Stinger missile and other anti-aircraft weapons with them during convoys?
MARINES TRIUMPH THROUGH 5TH ANNUAL HITT CHAMPIONSHIP
Marines from all across the Marine Corps completed the 5th annual High Intensity Tactical Training (HITT) Championship aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va. Sept. 12, 2019.
The first place male and female winners of the competition were Sgt. Kevin Fisch, representing Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif. and Cpl. Alexandra Martin, representing Marine Corps Base Camp Butler, Okinawa. Fisch won first place for the second year in a row, and also competed on season 11 of the television show American Ninja Warrior, which is an obstacle course competition series.
A Marine as seen by…
A Marine as seen by…
Himself:
A handsome, buff, highly trained professional killer and female idol who carries a finely honed K-Bar, wears a crisp 8-point cammie cover and is always on time due to the absolute reliability of his Seiko digital watch.
His Wife:
A stinking, gross, foul mouthed lovable bum who arrives back at home every few months with a seabag full of dirty utilities, a huge Seiko watch, an oversized knife, a filthy hat and hornier then hell.
American Spartans
They stormed the shores of Tripoli in 1804 and the beaches at Tarawa in 1943 and Iwo Jima in ’45.
They fought America’s foes house by house in Hue in 1968 and in Fallujah in 2004.
They died at Belleau Wood, halting Germany’s last great offensive in World War I. Every day, they fight to stem the tide of Taliban resurgence in Afghanistan.
In Honor of the Fallen Seven
On June 21, 2019, seven riders lost their lives: Michael Ferazzi, 62; Albert Mazza, 49; Daniel Pereira, 58; Jo-Ann and Edward Corr, both 58 years old; Desma Oakes, 42; and Aaron Perry, 45.
In honor of the Jarheads Fallen Seven, all net proceeds from the sales of this mug and T-Shirt will be donated to the Jarheads MC 501C.
First Night of Tet In the MACV Tower
MACV Tower Account (with Frank Doezema Jr, Bob Robertson, Bobby Hull).
This is an eyewitness account used with permission from our friend Bob Robertson from the night of January 31st, 1968 the first night of The Battle of Hue…
Michael and I were assigned to Marine Security Detachment MACV Advisory Team #3 in Hue RVN. Though we had seen both Frank and Bobby Hull around the Compound on numerous occasions we had never been formally introduced nor spoken at length with either one until we were brought together to go through what would prove to be a life changing ordeal for everyone involved. We had no way of knowing at the time but we were only going to know Frank for six hours of his life, but I cannot think of any other type of situation one could go through where it would be possible to learn more quickly the make up of a mans character or what’s in his heart than what the four of us would go through in the six hours to come. As a result I think there are probably things the four of us know about each other that many lifelong friends wouldn’t know.
Shore Party Beach Matting
While surfing Marine sites on the web I came across this picture of Marines from Co. C, 3rd Shore Party Bn. taken in Okinawa in 1971. I served with Co. A, 3rd Shore Party at Dong Ha, among other locations in Vietnam 1966/1967. When I left Okinawa in August, 1967, Co. C and Co. A were side by side in the same area.
Note the rolls of beach matting on top of a 5-ton truck. They appear to be made of a type of composite fiberglass material. Before the fiberglass matting was used Shore Party used a “chain link” type matting that folded and fit into the back of a 5-ton truck accordion style. The truck was equipped with a frame that came over the cab and down in front of the front bumper. When landing on a sandy beach enough of the matting was pulled down over the frame to allow the front wheel to roll onto the matting. When the truck was driven across the beach it laid down the matting to create a makeshift roadway for other vehicles to drive across without making ruts or getting bogged down in the sand.
Now for my interest in the picture. When I came back from Vietnam in the summer of 1967, I was assigned to Co. C, 2nd Shore Party Bn at Camp Lejeune, NC. One morning I was called to the Company Office and told that we had a section of a fiberglass type beach matting that the Marine Corps wanted to test because they were considering replacing the older close woven chain link type matting. Another Marine and I hauled the test section, approximately 20 to 30 feet long and a little wider than a 6X, out to Onslow Beach. We were directed to lay the beach matting on the sandy beach and drive over it for the rest of the day and record how many passed we made. For an entire day, I drove the 6X back and forth over the matting while the other Marine recorded each pass we made. I treated it pretty ruff, slamming on the brake several times while on the matting. I would drive across it, make a tight circle and drive back across it. I don’t remember how many passes we made but we were out there all day running back and forth over the beach matting.
At the end of the day we took the matting back to the 2nd Shore Party Bn office along with the report of how many passes were made across it. I never did know what the results of the test were or what the decision was made until I ran across this picture. So, I take it from the picture that the fiberglass beach matting was procured to replace the heavy cumbersome metal matting.
Cpl Bob Mauney (1381)
Vietnam, 1966/1967
SMP HOSTS ARAHA BEACH CLEANUP
The members of the military community volunteered for the cleanup hosted by the Camp Foster Single Marine Program on Aug. 31.
“Anybody who wants to volunteer can, so we can give back to the community,” said U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Michael Sautter, an SMP Representative for Marine Wing Communication Squadron 18.
Definitely A Different Language
I remember one JOB in particular. It was in the wooden Barracks at MCAS El Toro Santa Ana. This was in 1969, it seems as though you were either coming from, or going to RVN. There were many old salts waiting to go home. Some of which had only a pair of utilities, and a new set of greens, receiving early outs to go home for Christmas. The majority were coming from 3rd Marine Division. PFC Kenneth Rexford Brown, formerly Sgt. Brown showed me how to pull your blankets tighter from underneath the rack, by using the springs. Of course we learned that in recruit training but KR had a trick that made the blanket tighter still and even remained that way. I believe KR got out and went to WalaWala Washington. I remember that many of the Marines were “cut a huss” for not having the proper uniforms. I can remember the inspecting Colonel coming closer and approaching a Marine that was obviously not prepared for inspection. He would ask where are coming from Marine? The Marine would reply something almost incoherent, and definitely a different language. The Colonel only said “well done Marine” and continued his inspection. That was definitely one of those days when I knew I had been in the presence of heroes. That evening we celebrated by putting a poncho liner inside a footlocker filling that with ice and beer, and listening to Johnny Cash and Luther played the boogy woogy. The party was great until the OD made us take our shindig outside the barracks. After paying for the beer, ice, and a battery operated record player the only record we could afford was albums on sale in the PX. Johnny sold for .99 and a pack of Camels for .27 cents. I remember Friday morning formation, when Captain Wade, Mustanger and one of the greatest Marines to put on a uniform would read off the names of Marines shipping out WESPAK. I remember Sgt Joe Dunlap our Platoon Sgt. in El Toro. I saw him again in Hawaii as GySgt Dunlap and I was a SSGT. We were mounting up for Operation Frequent Wind. I remember being “gigged” while on embassy duty in Chile for having dust on my wall locker display. Even with that “gig” we won the detachment of the year award. 3 Years Running. I mean RUNNING our NCOIC SSGT Turnbow had been a Physical Fitness Instructor prior to coming on MSG. That guy made us run like Forrest Gump. Like Forrest, my running days are over. Our memories and Junk on the Bunk are what make us ALWAYS A MARINE. Semper Fi D. Womack