Sgt Grit is a place where Marines can come and meet other Marines, share tattoos and stories, keep up with Marine Corps news, or shop for USMC gear.
It’s 10 a.m. and sirens are blaring throughout the country of South Korea reminding its citizens to take a moment to pray for, mourn and honor the fallen service members who gave the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country.
This moment of silence happens every year on June 6 in honor of South Korea’s Memorial Day.
MARINE OF THE WEEK // “We got shot at every 500 meters after that. We pushed through”
Sgt. Robert Lopez
Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment
Aug 22-23, 2010
Sangin Province, Afghanistan
Award: Bronze Star W/ combat “V”
I am the wife of a hero! First let me say how wonderful and touching these stories are that you post. I’m sure there are tons of them! My husband – Lance Corporal Duane Wood knew he was going to be drafted in 1969 so he enlisted because he wanted to be a Marine. His older brother’s wife was expecting their first child so my husband volunteered to go to Vietnam so his brother could come home. I know they don’t give medals for things like this but in our eyes he is a hero!
As I was sitting here having my first cup of coffee in my new “This is what an old salty Marine looks like” mug, I realized that Sgt Grit has to be a leftie !!!! Since I already know that I am a salty old Marine, I wanted to share this fact with others but because I am a rightie, I am unfortunately the only one who gets to read it on my mug (coffee mug that is) while I drink my coffee. I believe it is estimated that only approximately 10% of the world population is left handed. what does everybody else think ? Leftie or rightie ?
MARINE OF THE WEEK // Under fire, carried an injured Marine 400 meters to safety
1st Lt. James Salka
1st Battalion, 9th Marines
Operation Enduring Freedom, Helmand Province, Afghanistan
Award: Bronze Star w/ Combat “V”
While deployed to Afghanistan in 2013, 1st Lt. Salka’s platoon was tasked with defending against insurgent weapon trafficking across a vast desert stretching more than 100 miles. In most cases, Salka’s unit was the only deterrence against insurgent attacks.
Eight weeks into their deployment, Salka’s platoon conducted a helicopter raid into the Taliban stronghold of Now Zad. Upon landing under fire, the Marines found themselves encircled by enemy fighters. During this fight, Salka exposed himself to enemy machine gun fire to resupply his Marines while working to identify a new extraction point.
During the extraction, Lance Cpl. Johnathan Burns fell to the ground from an injury sustained earlier in the fight. Salka picked him up without hesitation and ran a quarter mile to the helicopter, saving that Marine’s life.
Harvey P. Pratt’s Warriors’ Circle of Honor design was selected to be constructed next to the Smithsonian NMAI.
Pratt, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, is a Southern Cheyenne chief for the Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma.
“I can’t believe it will be one of the 12 national memorials in Washington, D.C.,” said Pratt.
During June’s Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Month the Behavioral Health Section staff is taking the opportunity to remind military personnel and civilians of the wide variety of support options available aboard Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, Calif.
Why did I join the Marines- Honor? Integrity? Feelings? We all enlisted for different reasons. I was in the thick of things during high school – living in Florida- the Cuban Missile Crises- some adults feared this time as they lived through World War 11- and saw ships torpedoed of Miami Beach – planes overhead day and night. Also, we as kids grew up with a lot of war movies on TV and the Movies as well. After my time in high school – was undecided as what I wanted to do = or where I was headed? Decided to join the Marines – one of my friends had a brother who was a Marine and came to visit his family. He was a little guy- but very confident and carried himself with a head held high- and approached a bully among us- and the guy was a big guy- and got in his face and told him to back off and stop pushing others around. The guy backed off as with all bullies – they do not want someone to challenge them. The Marines gave me confidence- and integrity- and taught me to work with others- and be compassionate too. Help those who need help- and be there for your comrades. Teamwork or Gung Ho! was important- and pick up the slack in a joint effort to overcome an obstacle. You are one out of many- but if one or two take the lead the others will follow- and you accomplish the mission or job at hand. I realize that as an athlete you are faced with a huge payday- but I would not take a knee- so to speak- I think it is disrespecting the FLAG and what it stands for!!! I understand that some take a knee to protest the police and in some instances racial inequality- but I feel this is the wrong forum to express your discontent this way in this manner. I also think our President is not correct in his manner of addressing this issue. We follow our leaders, but at what cost. Everything is not black and white either. I am a Marine from 1963- old timer and times change – weapons change- theaters of operations change- the enemy changes his way of fighting too! We are Marines and we adjust as always. Never thought of who I am or what I would be without being a Marine- Semper Fi! and God bless Our Marine Corps and our Country.
Are you a Marine or Navy corpsman who was with Battalion Landing Team 2/26 in the DMZ in Vietnam in September and October 1968?
Were you on LZ Margo?
Are you a friend or family member of such a Marine or corpsman? Or a family member of one of our brothers who we lost in the DMZ?
I would absolutely go back in The Corps., if given the opportunity, with no hesitation whatsoever — or, in a ‘heartbeat,’ as the previous Marine proudly proclaimed. I stopped watching anything NFL long before the present-day activism we are seeing now. Only back then, I’d began seeing certain political positions the NFL (now the NBA it seems) were taking off the field, which I didn’t agree with, but now it’s bleeding over into the games themselves — out of control, in my opinion. A former (always) Marine, I served from ’81 to ’87. I was part of the ‘Reagan Buildup’ of the military during the Cold War. I had eagerly enlisted right out of high school. Only then, we viewed it as ‘uncertain times,’ what with Iran (after the American hostage release) on the move, and with Russia massively building up it’s military during the Carter years (President Carter). So I do see a certain parallel with today’s world climate. I knew I wanted to be a Marine as a little kid growing up in the late ’60s/early ’70s, because at that time, my uncle was a Recon Marine. He was KIA in Vietnam in ’68. My oldest brother had gone off to bootcamp that same year, and later went to Vietnam to serve two tours. He received two purple hearts and later came home in ’75. During the time I was in, I was a special operator (8151) in El Salvador and Nicaragua. However, my hats off are always to the Maines of WWII and Vietnam..! So yes, I’d definitely serve again for my Country..!!
