My Old Corps father [PFC John CdeBaca] has been on duty guarding St Peter's gates for 40 years. On April 1, 1945, he landed on Okinawa in the 1st wave at the age of 17 years old and survived unscratched until after the 1st took Shuri Castle. On June 13th, he took a spent round through his left hip existing right near his jewels. Some say it was a sniper but others say it was &%^$#^ friendly fire. If it had got his jewels, I never would've been born to join the Devil Pups in "62 [yeah, we climbed Mt. Mother%$#^@#] or serve active duty from '72-'74 including TAD with IMAF in '74. Yeah, my step grandfather [Sgt Frank Brazil] was in the 1st on Guadalcanal in '42-'43. Enough family [Jerry Brazil '65-'68 & Dennis Trambley '68-'70] and too many San Diego school friends served the Corps in Vietnam including John BACA –posthumous Medal of Honor in Vietnam.
Old Corps & Old Farts say Semper Fi to the vets of Bagdad and Kabul–they honor the Corps!!!