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AmericanCourage #226     13 MAY 2010
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Nearing graduation from Boot Camp back in 71, our Drill Instructors emphasized that any display of public affection in uniform was a greater violation than warm beer and c-rats. They promised any one of us caught disobeying this regulation would meet a fate worse than Sherman's March to the Sea.

The day finally arrived. The ceremony nearly over, we stood proud, covered and aligned facing the Grinder in front of the base theater. I caught sight of my mom standing near the front of gathered spectators. She had never traveled by air, but she set a record that fine, hot, summer day by flying down to see her son for the first time in many weeks, a newly minted Marine. I could see she was as anxious as bull in a shoot to charge and wrap her arms around me. I actually began to panic inside. All I could think of was warm beer, c-rats and Sherman.

Staff Sergeant Nunery made his about face and gave the command, Platoon 1060, dismissed! Cold pricklies overwhelmed me. There I was the vulnerable rodeo clown and my mom, the raging bull headed straight for me. Her arms spread out like a pair Texas long horns.

Fused to the meager ground I held, I snuck a pathetic peek at my DIs who obviously knew I was compromised. My perimeter was about to be breached. There was no FPF...no call for fire. The DIs looked on like a trio of great vultures awaiting the imminent impact. Then at the very last moment my Sr Drill Instructor discreetly gave me a slight wink, pivoted and walked away, slowly shaking his head. Mom squeezed the b'jesus out of me. God bless her soul. That's a day I'll never forget. A great day!

Steve, USMC (Ret)

In This Issue...

If your read nothing else please read the last story in this section of the newsletter. It is continued on our website because of its length. It is a letter from a Gunny on recruiting duty. Makes me proud to be a Marine. Very well written, thoughtful and patriotic.

Get ready, here I go. Other stories include money management, first salute, walking Surabachi, The Commandant steps in, two twin stories and Old Corps tattoo removal.

Fair winds and following seas.
Sgt Grit

Sgt Grit Blog - Sgt Grit Facebook

Just thought I would show ya'll another finished box and say thanks for the supplies.

SSGT Harris

Artist: Justin Kopec, Fat Ram's Pumpkin Head Tattoo, Boston, MA.

Matt Malone
1/25 1stMarDiv
1991 Persian Gulf War

And I Quote...

"Panic sweeps my men when they face the American Marines."
--[captured North Korean major, Korea 1951]

Sgt. Grit:

In answer to Andy Anderson's question as to why the Korean "war" was called a "conflict" ("or police action").

Our Constitution clearly states that only Congress can declare war. The last time that requirement was complied with was back in WWII when FDR went before congress to declare war on Japan and then Germany.

So much for this part of our Constitution being complied with for Korea, Viet Nam, Somalia, Afghanistan and Iraq. In short, it wasn't!

Additionally, the oath taken by incoming elected president states that he must swear to "defend and protect" the Constitution.

Thank about that!

Richard J Mullin, USMC
Platoon 39, 3rd Bn, 1956-1958

Semper Fi!

With memorial day coming thought I would send pic of the memorial I have made to honor the 9 men from Delta !/7 '65-'66 who made the ultimate sacrifice.



Cpl Charles A. Parola
Delta 1/7 Wpns
'65-'66

I just wanted it on the record that I myself was not a boozer although I did partake of the grape once in a while. $67 every two weeks meant you had $33.50 a week to spend. Stateside in training we had to have starched utilities which meant a new pair every two days. As I recall it cost me about $3 a week at the dry cleaners and another $3-4 for laundry. Add a couple of movies with cokes and popcorn at the base theatre for about $5 and that $33.50 is now down to $21.50. There were other expenses such a bus and cab fare, post cards, stamps, and such. I tried to save $10 a week so I could have plane fare home in case I got leave. My point was that just like $15 did not go far in 1953 $67 did not go in 1970.

Most guys blew their money the first week and were always scrounging for money, borrowing from other Marines, or begging from their parents. I made it a point not to loan money after I got burnt for $5 once and yes $5 was a lot of money to me in 1970. I am proud to say that among other things the Marine Corps taught me was that I had to manage my funds and plan my expenses. I still do to this day.

Jim

Poll: Confederate Flag Tattoos

Aspiring Marines are being denied enlistment into the Marine Corps because of confederate flag tattoos. Where do you stand?

-Having a Confederate Flag is offensive and should be banned.
-It's historical, it should be allowed.
-It's the Marine Corps bowing to Political Correctness
-The Marine should be allowed an explanation.
-What's a Confederate Flag?

Read more info on this controversy and post your views at the Sgt Grit blog

And I Quote...

"There are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations."
--James Madison

Dear Sgt Grit:

My son, K M Brown, became an ensign in the US Navy on the 1st of May. In honor of the occasion, I whipped myself back into enough of an amphibious green monster that I was able to fit well into my Dress Blue Alpha Uniform. That my son bet me $250 I couldn't do it may have also played a part in my motivation. I let him off the hook, though, I had to have my blues altered a bit.

There was a very moving ceremony at the Maine Maritime Academy which accompanied administering the Oath of Office by the ROTC's Commanding Officer, Capt Butterbaugh, USN. This was a ceremonial rite of passage involving the "first salute". Capt. Butterbaugh explained the rite's origin as the honorarium a young subaltern would pay his enlisted mentor at the end of his indoctrination. One could imagine Lt. Gonville Bromhead of Rourke's Drift fame giving such an honorarium to Colour Sergeant Bourne.

During the ceremony, another parent noted that Kenny was standing proud like a Marine. He got a big Bravo Zulu for that from the GySgt Griggs.

My wife and I pinned on his shoulder boards, and I returned the first salute he rendered as an Ensign; His Sergeant Instructor, The Gunny, rendered him his first salute from an enlisted man. I told The Gunny later that he appeared to be a popular man. He told me how he marks all his silver dollars with a date and the Ensign's or 2nd Lt.'s name and he keeps them as mementos. there's a Marine for you.

Later, we had a reception at The Manor, in Castine, which was attended by both the CO, and the Engineering Department Chair, Dr. Wladkowski. Both expressed their admiration for the 'Corps. Both Capt Butterbaugh and Dr. Wladkowski, of course, are avid historians, and we had a grand time discussing "The Pacific", the Eastern Front, the WWII Italian Campaign, assault rifles, and one of the few intact Stuka dive bombers in existence: at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. Capt Butterbaugh told me he could tell that Maryann and I weren't "helicopter parents" who hover over all their children's' activities. That Kenny achieved all his academic and military accolades on his own is a continuing source of pride.

Well, to quote John Kennedy, the torch has been passed to a new generation. God bless all such newly appointed officers who intend sailing into harm's way.

KB

"Ah! The good old time--the good old time. Youth and the sea. Glamour and the sea! The good, strong sea, the salt, bitter sea, that could whisper to you and roar at you and knock your breath out of you."

Joseph Conrad, "Youth".

And I Quote...

"The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave."
--Patrick Henry

"For there is no greater love than for a man to give his life for his friends"
John 15:13

Where is America

Where is America? Has anyone seen her? I know she is here because I saw her about 9 years ago when she was knocked down. We all helped pick her up, dusted her off and showed her that we cared. We flew her flag everywhere, from houses and cars to bridges and mountains. But now I don't see her. I only hear about her briefly. What happened to the days when we sacrificed for her? Did she see how empty and selfish we have become and leave? The flags are not as common as they used to be, the support for our country is fading and I am afraid that if we don't find it she may never come back.

What happened to the days when we believed in what America did regardless of what our personal thoughts were? Are the troops the only ones who still think that way? Why is it that we rush home to see the chaos and turmoil on our TVs but won't attend a flag raising ceremony or a veteran's parade? Why is it more important to know what movie star is dating what movie star than what our troops have accomplished on the war front. Why is military service looked at as a last chance escape for troubled youth? Why does it always have to be someone else's responsibility to fix a problem or serve in the military? Why do we have to get approval to be patriotic in our neighborhoods or work places? Why are there so many organizations against the military and our country and only a handful for them? Why do the media organizations only report that negative aspects of the war and not the positive?

How come in 1943 Americans worked 24 hours a day to rebuild our Naval Fleet now it takes five years just to develop a single test vehicle? Is it money or technology that has slowed it down? The World War II generation is known as the greatest generation, yet if you ask Americans from that generation what made them great they will probably tell you nothing. They just did what Americans had always done. Were they great because of the heroism they showed or was it their undying devotion that they showed to their country? How come today we care more about ourselves than each other? Does anyone remember the words John F. Kennedy spoke? "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country."

I still believe in this country because I have seen that compassion and love we are known for. We ban together to rebuild and restore other countries when they are in need, yet while helping others while simultaneously ignoring our own. When other countries fall on hard times America is there to help in any way we can. We do it because we are America and that's what we do. When our country was devastated by September 11th and Hurricane Katrina, we did not expect any help from anyone else, because we our America and we take care of ourselves. Why does it take a catastrophic event for us to show we care?

I constantly hear how messed up our country is. If we are so messed up why do people still immigrate here? If we are such a selfish and ruthless country why do so many still come here looking for a better life? Maybe it's because they believe in America more than we do. Maybe that's why some of the other countries hate us so much, because we take our own country for granted. In my short time on earth I have seen this country do some amazing things and show more compassion than I ever thought was humanly possible. We go further and further into debt yet will not stop rendering aid and money to those less fortunate than we are. We have stepped up and defended the weak and abused of this world. We have shed blood on foreign soils all for the greater good of other countries as well as our own.

I understand war is an ugly thing, as do most members of the military. It takes the lives of our loved ones before we are ready to let them go. However, war is a sad reality of life due to the fact that there are individuals out there that have an obsession with power rather than an obsession with love. I believe in peace and think that world peace would be a wonderful thing, but in order to have that peace we must stand in front of the Sword of war and fight it until it is beaten. That can only be done if we all stand together for a greater cause and not our own individual cause.

Look around you and see how much of America you see and then think about how much you could see if we stopped worrying about trivial things that have no impact on our country. America is missing because she is out looking for Americans! Will she find you? I along with my fellow service members serve everyday knowing that it is my responsibility to protect this great country and her people at any cost. Reading this should not make you rush out and get a flag to hang up or a sticker to put on your car; it should make you proud to know that you are an American. It isn't just that sticker or flag that makes you a Proud American; it is how you show it.

Remember this, great people step up every day to serve this country and sacrifice their lives and their dreams so that we don't have to. Are you that person? Regardless of what your political affiliation is, what your beliefs are, or what you might call your greater being support your country, support your military, and love America for it is truly the land of the free and the home of the brave.

How American are you? Answer these questions and see if you are guilty of being American.

What would you be willing to sacrifice so that our troops could have more?

Would you take the bus instead of driving so that the fuel you use could be used for the troops?

Would you take a pay cut so that the extra money could be put into saving the lives of Americas troops?

What would you think if your child told you they wanted to serve in the military?

There are lots of right and wrong answers. What do your answers say about you as an American and us as a country?

GySgt Micheal D. Travers
RSS Eugene, Oregon

And I Quote...

"One man with courage makes a majority."
-- Andrew Jackson

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."
-- Franklin D. Roosevelt

"The buck stops here."
-- Harry S. Truman

"Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."
-- John F. Kennedy

OPERATION HELMET provides helmet upgrade kits free of charge to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as to those ordered to deploy in the near future. http://www.operation-helmet.org/

Bill McLean
S/F

I noticed in your letters, references to the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) portrayed in the series "The Pacific". The ground is used for Cricket in the summer and Australian Rules Football throughout the winter (not Soccer). It was occupied by the 1st Marine Div initially in WW2. The Division also was based at the Balcombe Camp on the Mornington Peninsular, South East of Melbourne.

When my father came back from Gurney Field, Milne Bay in New Guinea, late in 1944 he was sent to the MCG, as it was occupied by the RAAF and used as a personnel depot. The same sports ground was used for the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne. The actual sports ground shown in the series was not the MCG, but another old time Australian Rules ground at Victoria Park.

The MCG is now nothing like it was in the 1940's, as it has been renovated and refurbished several times. There are plaques at the old Balcombe Camp to indicate the 1st Marine Div and the Australian Army were there, and at the MCG for the USMC and the RAAF in WW2.

Peter Raymant, 1OSU RAAF Vung Tau SVN 70-71

Sgt. Grit, I was fortunate to be able to travel with Military Historical Tours for the 65th Anniversary Battle of Iwo Jima Tour from 25 Feb to 5 March, 2010 and meet some of the heroes of that battle. Walking up Mt. Surabachi and viewing the landing beaches from the site of the flag raising was truly memorable. I put together a booklet of the tour which can be viewed at this website for those interested.
http://www.martinauctioneers.com/links.html
Semper Fi.
Vernon Martin '64-'67
Sergeant of Marines

And I Quote...

"The [U.S.] Constitution is a limitation on the government, not on private individuals ... it does not prescribe the conduct of private individuals, only the conduct of the government ... it is not a charter for government power, but a charter of the citizen's protection against the government."
-- Ayn Rand

We go places where Navy and Marines fought during the Civil War. We educate people on the C.S. Marines and try to describe what it was like for Marines and sailors during the Civil War. We set up displays with the weapons that Marines used during the war and we also show them the leather neck strap that the name Leathernecks came from.



We also do living histories for schools and we also do what Marines do best Fight, we can provide sniper cover for advancing troops or we level any one on the quarterdeck of a warship, we also man artillery pieces on aboard ship and land. Amphibious landings deploy as skirmishers and boarding parties we are also the ship's Captain's personal guard and escort while aboard ship. We basically do the same thing that Marines do today. Here are some of the pictures that I do have already downloaded to my computer.

Best Regards
J. Morgan

Reunion of 1BLT 12Th Marines. 3/3 of 1977-79

Gunny Cusack Raiders of Charlie Battery. (105mm Howitzer)
** 1st BLT 12Th Marines 3rd Marine Div. **

I'm one of Gunny Cusack Raiders of Charlie Battery, Gun #3 section chief, Cpl, Vasquez 1977-79.

( This is our 3rd Reunion for 1/12 - 3/3 Div, will be held on July, 31. 2010 ) in Livingston CA. ( 25 miles south of Modesto ca, and 8 miles North of Atwater ca. ) At Livingston high School park.

for more Info. contact: ** Danny Vasquez at 209-595-3859 or
usmc_dannymac@yahoo.com

*** All Marines are welcome**
SEMPER-FI

I am writing to let you know that my newest book, "New Dawn," will be available in May, 2010. I will be holding the book's roll out at Camp Pendleton on Friday May 14th with a full day of events. In the morning, I will be speaking to Marines and then I will be available at the Exchange to sign books throughout lunchtime. At 1700 we will be screening the award-winning documentary film, Perfect Valor.

Then, On Saturday, I will be at Miramar and Twenty-nine Palms on Monday, May 17.

My book tour will continue on May 25th with a book signing at Henderson Hall in DC

May 26 - MCX Quantico
May 27 - The Marine Store, Quantico
May 29 - The Museum of the Marine Corps
June 4 - PME at the Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk.
June 4 - Book signing MARFORCOM, Norfolk
June 10 - Cherry Point, NC
June 11 - MCA Bookstore, Camp Lejeune, NC
June 12 - MCX Camp Lejeune

Can you help me get the word out?

Regards,
Richard S. Lowry
author of Marines in the Garden of Eden
407.929.4991
www.fallujahbook.com
"A must-read..." Newt Gingrich

And I Quote...

"Retrieving wounded comrades from the field of fire is a Marine Corps tradition more sacred than life."
--[Robert Pisor, The End of the Line, 1982]

Hi Sgt. Grit,
I don't know if you heard about LZ LAMBEAU! It's going to be at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, WI. They are having a welcome home to all Vietnam Vet's. It's going to be on May 21st.-22ond.-and 23rd. All Vietnam Veterans get one complimentary ticket. I have mine already. Would you spread the word about this. Any Vietnam or Vietnam Era Veteran can attend. And if you bring a family member, it will only cost you ten dollars. The big gala is on the 22nd. of May. Everything else is free. They are having Vietnam displays, and all the different weapons we used in Nam. It's 40 years late, but, what the h&ll, It's about time don't you think. Maybe you can make an effort to attend. That's going to be one h&ll of a party. Just one thing, there's no tailgating, no drinking. But, it will be fun. So, Spread the word to all your E-mail friends and hope to see you there.

"SEMPER FI BROTHER"
Anthony (SKI) Packowski

Dear Sgt Grit,

I would like to pass on this information to all Vets May 20th thru MAY 23 Green Bay Wisc will be hosting the First Annual Welcome Home Vietnam Vets in the State of Wisc. The main event on Sat May 22 is at Lambeau Field Home of the Green Bay Packers. Log onto LZLAMBEAU for more information. To date they are expecting over 30,000 Vets plus friends and family members Seating for the 7:30 Sat night event is by ticket. Free to Vets $10.00 to others You can order on line. The Moving Wall will be there, bike riders parade, various entertainment groups Documentary films, military vehicles and former Green Bay Quarter Back Bart Starr.

I am flying in from Fla in support of my Best Friend, Best Man at my wedding forty years ago fellow Nam FMF Navy Corpsman and of course a lifelong Packer Fan who are a large contributor to this event "Welcome Home"

Frank Morelli

I just read about the funeral of L/Cpl Jacob Ross, and I noticed that it was mentioned that there were a lot of Marines - in and out of uniform - and the Patriot Guard Riders were present. You also mentioned that it was very cold. You also mentioned that there were no disruptions (Good for L/Cpl Ross). So I was wondering if it was the weather (the cold) that kept the disrupters away, I guess they are just fair weather disrupters, can't take a little bad weather, thank GOD the people like you are NOT fair weather patriots. I would also hope that that part of our country breeds a better brand of citizen. I want to call them PU55Y'S, but even an old cat has some redeeming value.

Bob Reiesck Cpl of Marines 1960-1963
OOOHRAAA and SEMPER FI

Sgt Grit,

Sometime in 2005 I came across a Photo of a Marine Corps Boot Camp graduation photo from 1942 at a local antique fair in Alameda California. The photo was still in its original cardboard presentation frame with the signatures of twenty-two Marines signed on the back of the frame.

I scanned the photo and the signatures and posted the story on Grunt.com's B.S. pages in the section WWII Vol 3, you can read the whole story there

In the five years or so that the photo has been posted I have received maybe two or three emails, one dude, not a Marine, tracked down my phone number and called me!

None of the inquiries actually had any connection to Platoon 1110 from 1942. Until this last winter. I received and email from a woman named Jan who believed that her father was in the photo and that I had misspelled his name.

It took me a bit to track down the photo as it was packed in storage but I found the original and a disk of the scanned copy and she was correct I had misread the name of one of the Marines, her father Guy "J" DeHoet.

I emailed her a copy of the photo and enlarged the image of the man she believed to be her father and the same for the signature.

It took a while for her to get back to me, all the while I was nervous that she actually had a connection to the photo. She eventually emailed back to me apologizing for the delay as she had to track down her family members to see if they could verify the man in the photo and the signature. They positively identified the signature, down to the quotation marks around the J in the middle name. She told me that her father did that as he didn't have a middle name and it was his way of marking that.

But the Marine they thought was their dad wasn't. It actually turned out to be her Uncle, Bob DeHoet! They were also able to locate their father in the photo. The incredible part is that there is a third brother in the photo Leonard. All three brothers served in the same platoon in Boot Camp. Leonard has yet to be identified in the photo and hopefully they will be able to find him at some point.

The DeHoet Marines are originally from Iowa and in WWII their parents moved to Washington State for war work, leaving the older brothers in charge of the sixteen year old Bob. It is my understanding that Guy signed for his brother Bob to enlist in the Marines at the young age.

Once the identity of the brothers was established I sent the photo to them along with a digital copy of the photo and digital enlargements of Guy and Bob.

The photo finally got home to where it belongs. I felt like a small part in this photo's journey. I asked for nothing from the DeHoet's and they gave me more than adequate thanks. The thing was that this photo didn't need to be languishing in some antique stand, it belonged to the Marines and I as a former Marine felt like a caretaker for this photo.

The photo spoke to me on many levels. Such as understanding a bit of the journey to become a Marine like the ones in the photo, and the idea that 68 years ago a young Marine asked his buddies to sign the back of the photo for him meant a lot to me. I too remember the guys that I befriended in boot camp just about twenty years ago graduating Platoon 3041 August 17, 1990.

I'd like to thank Jan for taking the chance and emailing me about the photo and I'd like to thank Sgt Grit for having the website to post the photo. We can only thank the Marines that served in small ways and hopefully getting this photo home is one of those ways.

The last question remaining for me in all of this, who was the young Marine who had the photo originally?

Semper Fidelis
Matt McDonell

Sgt. Grit,

Please add me to your list of those Veterans who received a free meal from a caring citizen.

As I was attending my Marine Embassy Guard Association, (MEGA), Reunion in St. Louis, the week of April 16th, I was standing in line at a Chinese restaurant waiting to order lunch. I was discussing the menu with a gentleman, and his lady friend, who had dined at said establishment before.

I was wearing my Vietnam Veteran's T-shirt, and my Embassy Marine cover.

When it came time for me to pay for my meal, the gentlemen said: "Your lunch is on me. You guys didn't get the respect you should have, when you came home".

It took me a "wet" awhile before I could thank him..

Semper Fi,

s/Dennis D. Krause

Cpl. 1st. Comm Support Danang, South Vietnam "64 - "65.
Sgt. American Embassy Paris, France "65 - "68

Hi I'm a long-time Marine Mom. I belong to Mothers of Marines Support group! My son, Cpl Kevin, Jr. is a "Boots" instructor @ 29 Palms, Ca.

He's been to Iraq x2 Tours, infantry; 3RD LAR! He recently returned from a MEU Japan, Philippines, & Korea.(w/navy) He is a devoted Marine, & likes it! Of course, I cried not only when he joined, but, when he also re-enlisted! He has a wife (2nd marriage) w/a baby boy now - Caspian, who looks just like him!

Every time Kevin has come home from another country; always new tattoos! He has scripture, his son's name, as well as tribal, & skulls: "Death before Dishonor' (one of my favs! besides scripture & tribal)) I'm waiting for him to still, pay for one for me as a gift! (Marine MOM in a heart & Marine symbol in the background! His name in the center)

Let us celebrate this month, Memorial Day, and remember all who have lived & fallen w/all our wars! Truly our Veterans deserve recognition & more! Here's to all our Veterans active & retired! Here's to my son, Cpl Kevin, JR. USMC> "The Few, The Proud, The Marines!" We thank God each time our son was brought home to us alive & well!

SEMPER Fi! & PEACE to all our troops & ALL! Mary K. Markert Gallmeier

Sgt Grit Newsletter:

I'm a Vietnam Marine dealing with Agent Orange associated illnesses. My son was to report to Parris Island, SC in March. The Marines are overwhelmed with recruits. They are pushing back recruit training to July and later for many of them. The recruiting sergeant was trying to get him in earlier so I could see him graduate but after a month I got frustrated.

I wrote the Commandant of the Marine Corps asking him to have one of his staff make a phone call. Instead the Commandant, General James T Conroy called and made it happen. My son is now at Parris Island! He also followed it up with a personal note telling me to, "hang tough". This note is getting framed of course. For him, to take out of running the war and the Corps, to help an ole grunt - is very humbling. All I can say is the Corps is in good hands with this Commandant.

Tom Fearns
RVN 1970
3rd Battalion 7th Marines

My daughters went to school with a couple of young men (twins) who went into the Marines and we found out that both had been sent Iraq. We later found out that one had been killed, LCpl Christopher Ebert, whom I had met before and after Marines got to him, he was a good man, so is the brother, but he was killed in action doing what he and every Marine and other service members signed up to do: fight to preserve our freedom and to ensure the safety of our men and women in this country. They also are giving others a chance to have the same rights that we have.

If more young people were to do this, then they could see what I, and others before them, went through before they were born. I was never in The Corps. but I respected them and others in the military, for I was serving too. I was stationed in Germany, met many Marines whom kept up the reputation of being tough, but they were loyal to their friends, I salute them and pray for them to come home safe and sound. God Bless Our Troops!

And I Quote...

"I'd give a million dollars to be a US Marine."
--[former heavyweight boxing champ of the world Riddick Bowe who completed only 11 days of USMC boot camp at Parris Island before dropping out, The Detroit News, 16 April 200]

Was visiting my twin grandsons the other day and one of them asked me to help fix his quad. Got any parts I asked? No. Got any tools? No. So we overcame improvised and adapted. Soon the quad was blasting down the nearest trail.

My son in law(coast guard) and my other grandson said how did you ever get that thing going with no parts or tools. Then the words popped into my head from back in Nam from Gunny Eldridge:

"I've been doing so much with so little for so long, I am now able to do anything with nothing!"

Don't know who first came up with that one but it sure blew away my coasty son in law. I wonder if he knows the coast guard is in the department of transportation?
Semper Fi Brothers, Cpl. Z 3/9 68-69

May an old "Doc" relate his experience with tattoos?

I was BLT 1/4's dental officer in 1975 for the Vietnam/Cambo/Mayaguez ops. After Vietnam and Cambodia we spent most of the summer in the Mau Camp at Subic Bay. Our BAS was a Quonset hut like in McHale's Navy. I had my dental unit set up in the back. Medical and Dental were one big family. I would be restoring teeth and next to me would be a long line of Marines receiving antibiotic injections in their "hips." The most frequent request I heard from the older Marines; the staff and gunnery sergeants, was for tattoo removal.

The Battalion Surgeon had no sophisticated plastic surgery instruments such as a dermatome. He would anesthetize the segment of skin that had the tattoo and dissect away the top layer of skin by freehand with a Bard-Parker #15 scalpel. The wound was then covered with the red antiseptic gel then popular and covered with a layer of sterilized parachute silk. Postop recovery was long, but there was no shortage of Marines requesting this procedure.

The Battalion Surgeon at one point wanted to borrow my high speed dental drill at try to abrade away the outer layers of skin. However, even with diamond abrasive burs (drill bits), the instruments were not big enough or controllable enough to do the job, so he went back to his scalpel.

Griffin T. Murphey, D.D.S., LT(DC)USNR
Fort Worth, Texas

As you can see the chrome EMBLEM and the SEMPER FI. Makes the car complete.

Can anyone talk to the people who make the Emblem to make them in pairs.

SEMPER FI.
Robert Scalingi

Key to My Heart Pin









My SON is a Marine Bumper Sticker

God Bless America!
Semper Fi
Sgt Grit

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Sgt Grit Marine Specialties
7100 SW 44th Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73179
866-776-2607

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