Sgt. Grit,
I was a Vietnam Marine and served at Camp Books, FLC, from 1970-1971.
My son, Matt, served with 2nd Battalion, 6th Marines, from 2006 to 2010, and was deployed to Fallujah, his first time out. The battalion was assigned a float on the second deployment.
My father served with "M" Company, 3rd Bn., 8th Marines, in World War II. "M" Company was the battalion weapons company. I've attached a photograph that was taken, of "M" company, in June 1943, when they were at Camp Paekakariki, New Zealand, some months before the assault at Tarawa.
What prompted me to send this photo, was that I was watching the HBO series "The Pacific". In the final disc, there is a profile of the Marines who were depicted. The first is of John Basilone. There are several photos of "Manila" John, wearing his winter service greens after his return to the states in 1943.
Sergeant Basilone wears the rank insignia of a WW2 Platoon Sergeant, one service stripe, and the 1st Marine Division shoulder patch on the left sleeve of his blouse. There is no rank insignia on the right sleeve.
After seeing that, I noticed that the same is in the attached photo, although the Marines are wearing combat jackets.
I do recall that World War 2 Marines wore rank insignia on both sleeves. My father's uniform certainly did. I guess that I'll have to give him a holler, and see what he says.
Feel free to post that photo.
Semper Fidelis,
Jim O'Brien
Sergeant, USMC 1969-1972