With the Death of Senator Frank Lautenberg, the last WWII Veteran serving in the Senate and only two left serving in the Congress, and the so-called data that WWII Vets are dying at an average of 2,000 a day, I figured this old Hat is pushing calculations. When I retired in 1969 with 26 years, I figured the best days were ahead and they were until I turned 65 years of age… then I went on Medicare. I had to choose a Doctor and found one who immediately demanded I have a bunch of tests and shots. So I told him for too many years I had to put up with some of the most humiliating, undignified, and embarrassing medical examinations.
(The picture here shows a Marine at Guadalcanal with Jungle rot having the Corpsman putting Permanganate on it, by the way this picture is in the 1st MarDiv Book) If he didn't want to test my blood and urine, and decide about my physical status I would find another Doctor. His examinations came twice a year and lasted 5 minutes and I saw him for the next 12 years, then found another who did as I required.
In my years, I served at bases long closed, Treasure Island Naval Base, Yerba Buena Island Naval Brig, San Pedro Naval Prison, Mare Island Rifle Range, Hunters Point Naval Base, and a couple places in Oahu with Hawaiian names I still can't pronounce.
So my time will come one day, and when it does I'll go either to St. Peter and lie to him, or go to the River Styx and wait for the Ferryman Charon and see what he has lined up.
It's been a blast, and I ain't ready to give up the ghost yet. We'll let Grit know from time to time what happened when and why.
GySgt. F. L. Rousseau,
USMC Retired