MARINE OF THE WEEK // He refused to leave a fallen Marine behind…

Sgt. Eubaldo Lovato
1st Battalion, 8th marines
November 11, 2004
Operation Phantom Fury, Fallujah, Iraq
Award: Silver Star (upgraded from Bronze Star)

During the second battle for Fallujah, then-Corporal Lovato and his squad was ordered to clear a house. What the Marines did not know is that insurgents had barricaded themselves behind sandbags in one room.
When a fire team entered the room, Cpl. Travis Desiato was killed ­immediately by a barrage of AK-47 fire and fell to the floor. The insurgents put up such a volume of fire that the other Marines could not retrieve their comrade. The Marines fired ­blindly, unable to see the enemy fighters behind their barricade.
Lovato and the others in his squad could see Desiato on the ground. They tried calling out to him but he didn’t answer. A group of five Marines including Lovato made several attempts to reach Desiato ’s body. They threw C4 plastic explosives into the room, but it ­generated so much smoke that the Marines could not see anything. Then one Marine attached part of a shattered mirror to a stick, which allowed him to see where the insurgents were.
Pinned by enemy fire, Lovato manuvered to retrieve more grenades, with bullets passing through his pants pockets and sling.
Eventually Lovato was able to crawl to reach his Marines and asked a tank to blast the back of the building. The Marines stormed the building and killed the enemy inside. Lovato retrieved Desiato’s body. read more

Gunny Claus

U.S. Marine Corps Headquarters has issued orders  to Master Gunnery Sergeant S. Claus, recalling him to active duty, with a RNLTD of 24 Dec 2021. MGySgt. Claus, known to use the alias “Saint Nicholas”, “Kris Kringle”, “Father Christmas”, or simply “Santa”, is a reserve Marine with 1,743 years of service. He specializes as a tactical operator of the next generation DEC-25B, Cargo Airborne Delivery (CAnDY) Carrier. The DEC-25B is contractor-modified and fully equipped with Cargo Antlered Navigation Equipment Sensors (CANES). It has also been retrofitted with eight high-powered, air-cooled Rangifer Tarandus carrot-fed generators. As a single seat cargo delivery platform, it is capable of vertical delivery of high-value items, take-off and landing without pilot controlled lighting (PCL). These unique specifications, coupled with the additional Public Affairs skill sets possessed by Master Gunny Claus, classify the entire deployable package as a low-density, high-demand (LD/HD) asset. Also recalled, were MSgts Dasher and Dancer, GySgts Prancer and Vixen, SSgts Comet and Cupid, Cpl. Donner, and PFC Blitzen (recently selected for LCpl.) PFC Rudolph is also authorized to report for duty; however, he must first successfully complete his Phase II SERE Training, which he has failed three times due to a medical condition related to his nose. Although the above Marines are on orders for only 24 hours, it is anticipated that they will submit a travel claim for 24,901 miles at .56/mile, using a POV. Suitable Government transportation is not available. As a special operations unit, each member is granted a high level of uniform flexibility, as well as relaxed grooming standards. Per diem has been modified to include large quantities of hot cocoa and cookies. Government travel card use has been authorized. Submit your own Story>>

Frozen Chosen/ Korean War

I was one of the last Marines to leave Vietnam in the Fall of Saigon in 1975. My father inspired me to become a Marine because of his service in the Corps. He was a in the Marine Reserves in Tucson Arizona in the early 1950’s when they were activated for the Korean War. His unit was one of the Frozen Chosen. What impressed me the most about them being activated to a war Zone was that he never complained once and did his job as a Marine. What is more impressive is that they never had a chance to go through Boot Camp before they sent him to The Korean War. He always sang the Marine Corps Hymn when I was growing up and always made sure everyone new that “ Once A Marine always “ was who he was. Semper Fi, Dad…!!!! read more

MARINE OF THE WEEK // “I heard screams that the enemy was advancing toward us”

Lance Cpl. Jeffery Cole III
Company “E”, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, RCT-1, 1st Marine Division.
August 17, 2010
Award: Silver Star

While conducting a partnered patrol in the F4 sector of Marjah, then-Lance Corporal Cole’s squad came under heavy and accurate machinegun and small arms fire from two enemy positions. The initial burst wounded four members of the squad. When another Marine was wounded and could no longer operate the M240B medium machine gun, without orders or regard for his own safety, Lance Corporal Cole took control of the machine gun and began suppressing the enemy positions with effective fire. Though shot in the left arm and despite heavy arterial bleeding, he continued engaging the enemy as a fellow Marine applied a tourniquet and pressure bandage to his arm. Despite his painful wound, he continued to provide suppressive fire until all of his wounded squad mates were moved to a covered position. He was then struck by additional enemy fire in his front small arms protective insert plate but still continued to return accurate fire with his M240B. Only after confirming that all wounded personnel were safely behind cover did he cease his fires and join the remainder of the squad. His actions directly enabled his fellow squad members to maneuver the wounded personnel to safety. By his extraordinary guidance, zealous initiative, and total dedication to duty, Lance Corporal Cole reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service. read more

Set-back

MCRD Parris Island August 1975. About a week into boot camp my left foot swelled up one night after taking my boots off. DI sent me off to sick bay the following day and I was told that I had cellulitis. Wound up in the hospital for about a week or so till the swelling went down. Transferred out to another platoon. No issues with the transfer other than feeling out of place with the new group. A few weeks went by and my foot started acting up again, and again I back to the hospital for recovery. Spent a few weeks there healing and was again transferred to another platoon. Same as the previous one, no issues with the transfer other than feeling out of place. The pain in my foot returned. It was a really sharp pain and hurt worse every time I took a step. I did close order drill, PT and everything else in boot camp but it hurt like a s.o.b. Pain got so bad that I had to go back to sick bay. Got a young doctor to look over the x-rays of my foot. He came over to me and showed me the x-ray and said “see those lines across the bones of your foot? those are cracks in the bones!” By this time I was in 3rd phase and the doctor put me on light duty – no PT or drill. I continued on with training but no PT or drill. With about a week left before graduation my Senior DI threatened to send me back to day 1 because I could not do the final PT because of my light duty status. I was able to get permission to return to sick bay and convinced the doctor to take me off of light duty status so that I could complete final inspection and the PT test. Doc didn’t want to, but I told him I’ve been on this dam island for almost 4 months and I suffered through a lot of training with a bum foot, I think I can handled one week. He took me off and I was back to regular status. Came time for the final PT and I ran the 3 miles in 21 flat. DI started screaming at that if I hadn’t wimped out with a bum foot I probably would have run faster. read more

Who knew

Who knew is all I can say.
My father was a WW2 Marine as was my three older brothers in the fifties and early sixties. I was born in 47 and no one told me about Marine Corp boot camp. None the less I followed family tradition and volunteered entering MCRD San Diego October 1966. Platoon 3343. Of course we were competing with other platoons and at one point I failed the PT score and was summarily PTd to death only to find out that my score was messed up. So I was back in good form. We did make Honor Platoon and upon graduation I made PFC. I had also made expert with the M1.
During IT I made the mistake of going to the clinic due to bad blisters when our instructor cought me and chewed me out. No sympathy. During IT I qualified expert in the M14, M16 and the 45 pistol. Subsequently I went to Sniper School and qualified expert in the Remington 700 BDL. This was the 2nd class near Camp Pendleton. I arrived in Vietnam June 1967. I was assigned to C Company 1/7 as a 0311 grunt and was never used as a sniper. Go figure.
C Company as I soon found out was famous from WW2 and Korea known as Suicide Charlie. The NVA and the Vietcong feared us for good reason. Operating mostly in Quang Nam Province until 1974. Of course I managed to survive and returned to the states in September 1968. Where I was transferred to the Marine Barracks NWS at Goose Creek, SC as Sgt. Of the Guard E-5. Polaris Missile Facility. My enlistment time was up in 1970. So I enlisted in the Air Force and retired in 1988. Returning to Charleston SC I ended back at the same base at Goose Creek and became a policeman. Who knew? read more

Korean era

William James “Bill” Inman was in Korea from 1948-1951. Bill got his final roll call yesterday, December 6. He was 90 years old. He talked about his experiences at Inchon Landing and how cold he was all the time. We tried many times to find more survivors from his boot camp experience at Parris Island. His platoon graduated June 1948.
Again he got his final roll call December 6, 2021. He always told my son, stationed at MCAS Mirimar, Simper Fi. read more

PI 144 in 1965

I enlisted in April 1965 while 17. I would go to PI after I graduated from high school as I would be 18, before the Marine Corps decided to draft recruits in August. I joined on the buddy plan. My buddy and I never saw each other after the train ride to New York City until months later.
The eighty guys with me were from New York and New Jersey who flew with me to Charleston, SC. My buddy took the train with a mess of guys from the NY metro area to Beaufort, SC. Each of our times in receiving was short.
The next day we got our gear and haircuts under the purview of drill instructors who greeted us the night before. Now the big change after our noon chow, 4 DI‘s came in. We 80 were their responsibility. They clearly informed us that we were to form 4 columns randomly with our new gear carried, not set on the ground. I was mid ranks and was looking forward to a summer takings orders.
Well, a DI grabbed my shoulder and told me I was first squad leader. I went to the head of the line. Not a good omen. We marched across the grinder looking like a caterpillar. At the barracks, I was told to enter the squad bay at a brisk pace. I asked no questions and lumbered forward with the newly received gear.
Wham, half way down and looking at the screen door I would tumble out if I had not been instructed by my DI to stop at the rack he wanted me to stop at. All others came in. And so training proceeded and continued until Mess week.
Sunday morning and 3 squads went to 1st Bn Mess Hall. One squad went to 4th Bn. We went to 1st Bn Mess Hall. It was hard work but the squad who went to 4th Bn seemed to enjoy beating us to the squad bay every day.
Our squad had half the mess hall. Another squad had the other half. The third was in the back of the kitchen out of sight.
Lunch mess call on Tuesday, I’m first to serve the meat and others serve the remainder of potatoes, vegetables, gravy, ice cream, bread, etc. A bunch of new recruits show up as a platoon. We serve them one after the other.
A new recruit presents his tray to me. I hit his tray with an empty spoon, no meat. He does not look at me and moves to the next station. That next future Marine sees this and hits his tray with an empty spoon. Everybody did not give him any chow.
Now the DI explosion: A DI watches what recruits get at the end of the chow line. While we continued to serve others, the DI sees his one recruit got nothing. He runs up to me and berates me. No worry on my part, this is not my DI. We then served the recruit a normal serving, but I hope the recruit learned about situational awareness.
The mess week finally ended Saturday night. read more

MCRD San Diego

I enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve in 1958 and went to recruit training in July of 1959.My reserve unit at the time was the 13th Rifle Company later to become Alpha 1-23. The unit ran a semi boot training for about the first 3 months, at that time we went to meeting 1 night a week. By the time I went to MCRD San Diego in July I thought I was squared away. I had been on the wrestling team and was in good shape and didn’t think I would have any problem with the physical training. About the 5th or 7th week on schedule our senior DI Gunnery Sergeant Bill Covey ran ;us over to the pull bar, No problem. When my turn came I jumped up on the bar and did 12 pull ups, little did I know my DI was not watching me , but watching a plane take off from the runway next to the depot, I dropped to the ground only to hear “Lets see what you can do”. Needless to say I could not do one single pull up. my enraged DI ordered me to pack my sea bag , I was being sent to STP (special training platoon), and report to the company commander. There an enrage Captain standing about 5 foot 7 inches tall screaming in my face to me to get my sorry ass out to the chin up bar outside his hut and do some pull ups. I did 12 pull ups and when I dropped down it got very quiet. I was sent back to my platoon . I don’t think my DI ever forgave me for making him look bad in front of the Captain. YOU JUST DID NOT WANT TO BE SET BACK read more

Set back again.

My experience in boot camp was similar(but different) to the Set back story. I, like he, also was issued boots of the wrong size. Mine were too short because i have a high instep and shorter foot. As in his case, my boots also caused a blister that caused by foot to swell up two sizes. I don’t remember having the blister at all. The swelled up foot was discovered the night before first drill. My DI, Plt. 113, asked me if i could drill the next day before going to sick bay. Of course i didn’t say no. I did the drill then was immediately sent to the hospital first then to casual plt. after the swelling went down. This was about a 2 week period.
I was with that Plt.(forget the number) until we arrived at rifle range Camp at Camp Pendleton. When we arrived at our barracks we were given time to chose our bunk and then told to take a shower before evening chow. While in the shower, as i remember it, another recruit saw me and went to get our DI. When he saw me, i think he was going to have a heart attack. I had red spots all over. There had, in the not too distant past, cases of spinal meningitis, which may have crossed his mind. Fortunately, i didn’t have that but instead Reubella (German measles). So off to the hospital i went for quarantine. Two others, i don’t believe from my Plt. joined me. Needless to say, i was there a while from initial quarantine through healing.
Then i was sent to my third Plt. 133 with which i did training at the rifle range and completed my boot camp. This happened between Jan. ’66 to April ’66 at MCRD San Diego. SEMPER FI to all who served before me, with me and after me. read more