I was in the Corps from 91-98, and in ’03 I joined the Army Reserve, and in ’05, I went active duty Army and got shipped off to Korea. Well, I’m out of the Army now due to a torn up knee, but I really miss the “good ol’ days.” They didn’t have digital cameras when I was in Okinawa, but I didn’t blow my chance when I got to Korea. I knew the tight relationship and history between the USMC and the ROK Marine Corps, and when our KATUSA’s (Korean Augmentation To U. S. Army) learned that I had served in the Corps, I got a lot of attention. I learned that even though the Korean people are peace-minded and tend to shy away from military actions, they have an intense pride in the ROK Marines. There’s ROKMC souvenir stores everywhere, and every one I visited had ROKMC veterans hanging around swapping stories. Sound familiar?
Anyway, I went on a DMZ tour and toured the Korean War Museum while I was there, and I have probably over a thousnd pics on my computer from my year there. Here’s three that I like a lot. The first one is at OP Dora, overlooking the DMZ and into North Korea. The other two are in the Korean War Museum in the ROKMC Memorial Room.
Just as a bit of info, military service in South Korea is mandatory, but they have a choice as to where they want to go. Most young men just want to do their two years in the ROK Army and go back to college. But service in the ROK Marine Corps is strictly voluntary, and their boot camp is as tough as Parris Island (only 5 times colder in the winter). Another thing: ROK Marines consider US Marines their brothers…they also celebrate November 10th. Must be a Marine thing…
Robert Johns Jr.
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Did a west-pac in ’79 with a stop in Pusan and a operation with the ROK (rock) Marines. Later on Liberty meet up with a few for “drinks” LOL. They are without a doubt the real deal.
Hey JT, did you know any guys in weapons 3/3? I used run around a little bit with 3 guys named Jim Hendricks, Jeff Koch (pronounced come), and Brett Moore.
Damn near ran into ROK ambush in VietNam. They had the high ground and would have been ugly!
served about 6 months with the 3rd Bn blue dragon Brigade 68 69 at hoi An Vietnam. They were a tough bunch. Ran a Radio Relay site for them.
Going through ITR at San Onofre in 1962 we had ROK’s in our battalion. They certainly impressed me as the real deal at the time – dead serious.
1966 South of Dong Ha- going through ROK lines, they knew we were coming, had radio contact and our Point still got shot. ROK left our TAOR at daylight. Point man survived.
Served about 5 months with Hq. Company, 2nd ROK Marine Brigade (Blue Dragon) 1967-1968, south of Chu Lai then moved north to beach just north of Hoi An. Saved my ass during Tet 68. About a third of the engineer section back at 7th Communications Bn. killed on QRF during Tet. ROK Marines were and are tough. Local VC knew better than to mix it up with ROK’s. VC and local citizens were scared of ROK’s. Hq perimeter only mortared once during my time with them. Discipline was very strict. Saw a ROK Marine major beat the crap out of PFC, about dropped my teeth. Staff NCO’s were next to god. VC POW’s got the shit beat out of them, including women. They did have a tendency to have sticking fingers. Had to watch our grear. Glad to have served with the Blue Dragons! Mustang Captain, Steve Eklund, USMC (Ret.)
I don’t know if it was just a rumor or simply common knowledge in Vietnam that if ROK Marines took a sniper round from a ‘ville they would go into it and kill everybody and everything – men, women, children, dogs, cats, pigs, chickens…… Insects would be about the only living things left when they left. They certainly had a fearsome reputation.
I was in Vietnam ’66-’67 and have heard this also.
While in Schools Battalion at Quantico, I had the pleasure of watching a young ROK hand five swabbies their buttz. The sawbbies ONLY mistake was making fun of his uniform. Respect earned.
We, 9th Engineers, built a floating bridge for the ROK Marines a few miles north of Chu Lai in 1967. They were tough. A rumor I heard was if one was found asleep on guard duty, he didn’t wake up.
Hey Jim,I was with Bridge Co. 7th Engrs. We had a ferry crossing just north of Hoi-An we had ROC’s as a security detail at the ferry. They always seemed happiest when they had to fight. Harry
Also heard the same stories about ROK Marines in RVN. Plus, there were no booby traps outside the hamlets in their TAOR or that was the end of that hamlet!
Met a few ROK Marines during my assignments into SEA during 1960. Did I get some wierd looks from them. What was a Japanese American doing in the USMC? Had to explain that any American can join any branch of the military of their choice. They protected my back and I protected their back on patrol later. Pretty good friends.
MARINES ARE THE SAME,ALL OVER THE GLOBE ! I was deployed with BLT 3/2 in 1964, to the Carribean, we reinforced the Marine Barracks at GITMO, ( the only Marine Barracks with tank platoon attached). We stood guard duty on the fence to reinforce the GITMO Marines. On one Liberty port in Aruba,which was a colony of the Netherlands , we were welcomed by the local detachment of Dutch Marines. They were just like our Brothers, hard working, tough, and gave us one hell of a Mess night , and a hard night of drinking. They were so proud to be Marines, they said in the Netherlands,if you wanted to be with the best, you joined the Marines. By the time we left, many of us were “out of uniform ” as we traded our covers and EGA ‘s with our Dutch Brothers, even the officers got into it. This proves that there is a commradery among all Marines. This was reinforced years later when in the USMCR ,our unit hosted a Royal Marine Detachment that arrived in Providence,RI aboard the British Mine Sweeper HMS Eskimo, more Marines with the same mindset, OORAH! GYSGT Dan Marso
Have “lifted a few” with Royal Marines in Jacksonville, FL & Brazilian Marines in Roosevelt Roads. Brothers for sure. Semper fidelis
I served in Viet Nam ’66-’67 with 1/5 and when on patrol or on an operation, after taking sniper fire and returning fire we would exercise the proper “police action” and go into the village to seek “Charlie”, usually with little success. When we would move out we would often receive the same welcome from the next village. On one particular joint operation we witnessed the ROK Marines take fire from a village and after returning fire they responded by burning the entire village. I can’t speak to the killing of any villagers as mentioned before but guess what – they didn’t get shot at from the next village!
ROKs would come into our area (tents) for R&R from the bush….they would trade their camo shirts for our K bars..they were very sincere about getting a Kbar..we had no camo…a very large “man in charge” (did not know his rank, full black beard & long hair), ( not Korean to me) walked in started to sit down… there was no chair he just was on his way to the ground and a stool was placed under him with out a thought…no words just done….impressive in their karate practice….the camo shirts did not fit anybody. Gus,Cpl VMA-121…66-67
In 1972 I was with PLT 3064 which was made up of the special platoons recruits from Moto, PCP, CCP, Physical Conditioning and Medical and the ROK Marine commandant inspected us and reviewed our structure. I do not know if they ever copied us that was above our pay grade.