Other Marine Corps BS Volume 15

A Marine You Should Know - Cpl Scherer

Cpl Christopher G. Scherer, USMC, KIA 21 July 2007, Operation Iraqi Freedom. My son is "A Marine You Should Know".

When Lieutenant Colonel Wayne Sinclair spoke at Chris’s funeral he said the following: “Chris’s platoon commander called him the most likable marine in the platoon, no one griped or had a bad day if Cpl Scherer had anything to say about it. Lieutenant Douglas Orr told me that though the living conditions in the field have been harsh over the past two months, and the marines have been working and fighting in 120 degree temperatures while wearing body armor and carrying ammunition, weapons, water, and equipment that typically weighs over 70 pounds for each marine, he never heard Chris complain or even question their circumstances - not once. NOT EVER.”

Lt Col Sinclair further stated: “Lt Orr also shared with me some of the unique traits that Chris' mates will forever remember him for. For starters, there was his sense of humor - paradoxically at its best when stress and privation were highest. Most notably, he had an uncanny ability to lift spirits with his voice impressions. He was a superb mimic of more actor’s voices and accents than anyone could count. One of his favorites was that from the movie Jaws… After seeing the size of the shark, Chief Brody says to Captain Quint. “You’re gonna need a bigger boat.” He would often say this when things got particularly rough.”

From Proud Marine Parents

Tim and Janet Scherer

When the Bee Stings

LCpl C.R. Dehn says it was personal pride that kept him standing at attention as a bee buzzed about his face during the birthday pageant. However, when Dehn opened his mouth to take a deep breath to blow the bee away he sucked it in instead. The bee stung the inside of Dehn’s mouth several times and then he swallowed it when an attempt to cough it up was to no avail. Dehn maintained his attention stance throughout it all commenting later, “I knew all my buddies at OCS were watching. “

Bringing Heroes Home, With Honor and Respect

In February 2009, I left my family and our new tropical island paradise home of Okinawa for the sand-swept landscape of Kuwait. My assignment was to serve as the mortuary and patient affairs chaplain for Marine Forces Central Command (MARCENT) in Kuwait. This 6 month Individual Augment (IA) assignment was unlike any other I had served during my 24 years in the military and a genuine learning experience. As always, amid the challenges of life, a Higher Power was at work.

This deployment was truly joint-service in nature. I was the only Sailor assigned to Abdullah Al Mubarak Air Base, assigned to a Marine command, working with airmen, Marines and soldiers nearly every day. I worked with Army mortuary teams, Air Force and Navy medical teams, lived and worked on a joint Kuwaiti and U.S. Air Force base, and was supported by Army chaplains. I have a new appreciation for my sister services and a genuine love for military personnel from all branches.

Every single fallen warrior and civilian was rendered honors as their remains came through our air base on their final flight back to their homeland. Australian, British, Latvian, Nepalese, Philippines, Polish, and Sri Lankans came through. No matter what day or hour, representatives from every branch of the military were present. The Air Force and Marine air crews and those on the flight line went above and beyond the call of duty to support the Army mortuary teams. Our civilian contractor personnel did a great job too. Today’s Marine Corps still produces warriors and wins battles. America is still a nation of patriots and our young people serving today are great!

As I pause in reflection, I realize 180 days can seem like a short deployment or an eternity, depending on circumstances. Being on call for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for 6 months has taught me to become more flexible: in scheduling, in sleeping, in eating, in physical training, and more prepared to deliver ministry at a moment’s notice. During this deployment, I ministered to 4 mortuary teams, ill and injured Marines, and an entire airbase, during tragedy, boredom and many light-hearted moments too. I have learned to love airmen and soldiers, in addition to Marines and sailors. I believe I have become a better person, and hopefully a better chaplain too.

LCDR Cliff Stuart is assigned to Marine Wing Support Group 17, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, Okinawa, Japan. He served as a Marine from 1985 to 2000, and was commissioned into the Navy Chaplain Corps in 2000.

Illinois License Plate

Sgt Grit!
My Illinois Purple Heart Plates!
Semper Fi and Welcome Home to All Veterans

Sgt. Rich Hoffman Chicago
9th Engineers 1st Marine Division
Vietnam 68-69

Yemassee S.C.

Sgt. Grit,

While traveling through South Carolina I was hit with a bit of Marine Corps Nostalgia. So I decided to go to Yemassee to see what I remembered of the receiving barracks. It was the first step for 500,000 recruits from 1914 to 1964, I had my turn in February, 1964, a few months before it was taken out of operation.

There were brick barracks, now what is left of them, and the wood barracks, now a fenced park, the only remaining object is the concrete walkway.

Headed to Bootcamp

Our Grandson Stephen Watt graduated from Champlin Park High School June 7th, 2009, he becomes 18 years old on Aug. 1st and will leave for Marine Boot Camp on Aug. 10th. Stephen has wanted to be a Marine for a long time and during the last year of school he committed to the Marines and his desire to serve his country with the support of his family. On July 12th we hosted a big party for friends and family to give Stephen a big OOH-RAH send-off. He gave his special family members pins to "wear for him" and rubber-band bracelets to his brothers, sisters and friends. Stephen was captain of his high school wrestling team, played hockey and enjoys sailing, a wonderful young man who will be a valuable addition to the security of America!

Joy

July 4th 2009

Hey grit,

Here's how I spent my 4th. How much grit stuff can you find? By kissing the Blarney stone you get the gift of eloquence. Not that I needed it, but you never know.

Tom Flynn
USMC 1969-the end
ARVN 69-70.

Old Meets New

FOR ALL OF you that have helped me through the last four years, even some, that never met me and my son face to face and the countless other Marines that you gave care packages and Christmas to, of all the shoots that been taken of Justin this one will stay in my heart forever.

When Justin finally got out two weeks ago, I asked the notorious, gracious, patriotic, self sacrificing group of people I have ever met to welcome him home. The PGR riders, known as the Patriot Guard Riders, those men and woman on their bikes, cages that attend funerals of our fallen heroes when asked to, and welcome home the ordinary Corporal that was a hero in the truest sense of the word. I am putting together a video, that thanks all of you of my journey of the last four years. But it has not ended for me completely because every night, mothers cry themselves to sleep over a deployed son or daughter, every father, has that tight feeling in his gut over his son or daughter that is deployed, I consider them all my sons, and I will continue to do Christmas and send care packages until the last one is out of danger.

You have not been forgotten, I have saved every email, gesture from all of you and I have had a lot going on and with Justin home he does have many medical issues and getting on his feet. And being a mother of 8 one of them always has an issue. I have told them two of you have to share a day as there are only 7 days in a week and 8 of you!

SO about this photo. My son that is a doctor, Justin's oldest brother, lives across the street from a retired army gal. Her husband is a Marine, retired, and her son is a 20 year Marine just retiring. When they heard the patriot guard was coming through the block where we were going to have his party, they lined their lawns with flags and people we never met came over with hand made signs with their kids. Patty and Bud Marine hubby and Army wife, went next door to get their neighbor.

So here you have the youngest Iraqi war veteran, hand to hand with a WWII veteran that served in Europe, shouting out 1941-1945 "until we had all those %!$!@ under control" 94 years old and my son, 21. If ever, ever I was proud of my son, it was in this moment standing next to my son.

Men that went to war and their parents and families didn't know where they were for months at a time or even what country they were in. There was no moto mail, there was no priority shipping in ten days with canned food, letters that took months to arrive, often letters were received and loved ones were deceased. There were no laptops or webcams, no body protecting armor just helmets, there were no microwaves or video cameras in packages, no Christmas trees, no Thanksgiving dinners - just fox holes and guts. It is only now, that Justin appreciates and understands what these men have gone through. You know what makes my son my hero? He doesn't think of himself as one. He had a job to do and he served his country and they owe him nothing and that is his attitude in a nutshell.

God bless you all
Pray for our troops
Proud Marine Mom of LCpl Justin Carman
3rd BN 2nd Mar Div
Kilo Company 2nd Platoon
Once a Marine Always a Marine
Once a Marine Mom, Always a Marine Mom

Remembering Eddie

Sgt Grit:

Sadly but proudly, I have to announce the passing of an old Marine buddy, Eddie Vice. Another good Marine pal I also served with in the Marine Barracks at Atsugi NAS Japan in the mid sixties, Bob Griffin, chased him down and relayed the news from Eddie's son. Eddie succumbed to prostrate cancer in 1969.

The three of us were stationed outside of Atsugi at a small and now defunct Naval Security Group Activity, which is a mouthful for 'VERY classified' in Kamiseya, about 30 km from Atsugi. The Marine Guard at Kamiseya had some legendary moments. On the 24th of Sept, 1965, building 25 burned to the ground and took the lives of 10 naval personnel and two Marines. Several of us were involved in pulling people out of that fire, and my close friend Paul Arcand labored unsuccessfully to save the life of a Marine SSgt (Paul C. Rodrigues). I managed to burn the celia out of my bronchial tubes and severely overheat my utes earning myself a repremand and meritorious commendation all at once for leaving my post to go into that fire. (Two major fires have followed me in my life.) The story of this tragedy is detailed in the copy of the base paper, "The Kamiseyan" preserved for history online: http://www.navycthistory.com/forbes_kamiseyan.html

As something of a poet, I exchanged my work with the base Chaplain R.E. Jenkins, who chose to read one of them at the memorial service and it was published on the back of the Kamiseyan: http://www.navycthistory.com/forbes_kamiseyan_8.html

Eddie was always the life of the party, a profound humorist and pianist easily winning the base talent contest at the EM cracking us all up with his rendition of a popular cajun humorist in his home state of Louisiana. Eddie was vital to our rescue efforts that dark September night and in this capture of his memory, I shall remember him.

RIP Eddie.

Semper Fi !

Kent M. Yates
1989310 USMC

Honest Abe

July 4th idea

Sgt Grit
MY son, Brian is stationed in Afghanastan and is setting up the new base there. He has asked for us to send chewing tabacco because the kind he likes is hard to come by. His uncle was kind enough to buy the chew and since it's so cloce to the 4th of july I thought I would wrap the rolls up for him to make him feel a little bit more at home. Attached is a photo of my fire crackers. I call them Polish fire crackers (no offence to anyone Polish it's a local expression). I thought maybe someone else would like a new idea to cheer up the troops, anything round will work. Maybe you could pass this on for me and also mention that I have found vaccume sealing cookies and brownies (which I heard they use in porker games sometimes) helps keep them fresher.

Sue Behselich
Pittsville , WI

Lance Corporal Torres

Hello Sgt Grit... I just wanted to give a big orah to my son Lance Corpral Torres with the 3rd Battalion 1st Marine Division

Older to Old

When I sit and have breakfast once a week with a group of 30 old men, I start to wonder where these men came from and what have they done in their lives. The majority of the group were veterans of all our military branches. Of the group, five were Marine Corp veterans. When I questioned them further about their experiences in the Corp, I began to realize that this was a very diversified group of men. The oldest was a WWII vet who was bayoneted on Saipan at 16 years old. The secondest oldest was with the 1st Marine Div at the Chosen Frozen, Korea and walked out with Chesty Puller's group of tough marines. The third oldest spent two years in Viet Nam from 1965-1967, with three different units, A 1/4, M 3/26, and Third Force Recon. The fourth was Bob Jakucs, who spent 24 years in the Corp Regular and Reserve, obtained the rank of Colonel and went thru three wars, Viet Nam, Desert Storm and Iraq. I was the youngest and yes, proud of it. You might wonder why all these crusty old veterans were having breakfast together? They went on to serve the citizens of Los Angeles for 30 plus years as street cops, detectives and Sergeants. Our past president, "Ronald Regan", said it best Some people wonder what they've done in their lives, Marines don't have to worry about that. I feel this group of men are truly the image of what this great and beautiful country is all about.

Fritz (MAC) McDowell, Sgt, # 2349865
Older but still ready to fight.
Viet Nam, 1968-1970

C/Attached photos;
Single phote, Maruice Rainey, WWII, # 548890 2nd Marine Div
Group photo; L/R- Bob Kosier, Korea, # 1034894, 1st Amphiban Tractor Bn., 1st Marine Div.
Bob Jakucs,#0116954, Colonel, 3 Wars, Fritz McDowell, Joe Getherall # 2092339.

Ahh, That Sweet Smell of Days Gone By

Marine Corps Week in Chicago 2009

Sgt. Grit, I’d like to send out a thank you to all of the Marines who were working at Marine Corps Week in Chicago, May 11th – 17th, 2009 at Arlington Park Racetrack and Navy Pier. At Arlington Park, I got a little emotional when my hand found the grip and trigger of an M16 on display, just a little feeling overcoming me of great nostalgia and a little sadness, but it went away fairly soon. The rest of the time, I talked with some 03 Marines, great guys, sharing our stories, ribbing each other, laughing our tails off, etc. I was asking all the questions about how things have changed, and they had all the questions about how the Corps was 20 years ago. One Marine, a new Private First Class, was BORN a couple months before I went to Boot camp! I’m 37 years of age. That’s when I realized that you don’t have to be old to be old.

So I couldn't believe the changes in the Corps since my day. They don't iron their cammies anymore, because they have wrinkle-free fabric!!! Only one issue of Combat Boot, which is the tan suade, so there is no more spit shining boots!!! No more black combat boots, no more green jungle boots!

This was funny. For those readers who were never or are not yet Marines, an M249 SAW (Squad Automatic Weapon) is a small machine gun. I saw a huge SAW, and I asked them what that big SAW on steroids was, and they said it's the M240 medium machine gun. So I said, well then where's your M60 medium machine gun, and they all looked around at each other, then busted up laughing, and I mean REALLY laughing hard. There is no more M60 in the Corps, they explained! The M240 replaced it. Hasn't been an M60 for many years. I said, 'Darn, I'm old.'

NOW READ THIS. So this really built, fit young Marine complains of his back hurting. I said 'What did you do, injure it?' He says no, it just from Iraq. All of these infantry Marines were involved in the initial wave into Baghdad. I didn't understand what he meant by 'just from Iraq', though. So he grabs the E-SAPI (Enhanced Small Arms Protection Insert) combat vests, and I put it on. It's about 30 pounds without the S-SAPI plates inserted that protect your sides! So the group starts telling me everything they carried around every day all day. You and I put on our clothes to go to work today, but these guys were wearing between 80 and 130 pounds of gear at all times, depending on their particular job and mission!!! THEY ALL HAD CHRONIC BACK AND NECK PAIN. They went around the group, each telling what ailment they've been diagnosed with, and it was three lumbar disc herniations here, degenerative disk disease there, etc.! All of them! Now get this next part!!!

According to every Marine I spoke with that weekend, Arlington or Navy Pier, the Corps measured and recorded EVERY Marine's height prior to deploying for Iraq, then re-measured and recorded upon return. They found an AVERAGE of 3/4 of an inch shrinkage across the board, from all that additional weight compressing the disks for 14-16 hours a day for months at a time! It most likely also exaggerated the lordotic curves of the lumbar and cervical spine AND the kephotic curves of the thoracic spine and possibly even sacrum. One very young Lance Corporal was measured at 6'1" deploying, and 5'11" upon return. He said 6 months of physical therapy helped him gain an inch of that back. I couldn't believe it. One squared-away young Marine just factually said, 'Every (bleep) one of us is young and strong, so we live with it -- but when we get older, we're all in trouble." That's not even including the terrorist or combat environment -- it's just going to work every day! Gotta say, that really bothered me. It still is bothering me. Wow. I’m telling everyone I know that story.

So I went to Navy Pier the next day. One of the large displays there was a Nuclear Biological Chemical Defense display. I used to teach that stuff in Okinawa as a 5711, so I walked up and just about hit the floor. I did not recognize a single piece of equipment. Absolutely everything from my time has been replaced, in some cases two or three times! These guys didn't even go to the same military base as I did for NBC school. My base Ft. McClellan, AL, was closed in 1999, so these guys went to Ft. Leonard Wood in Missouri. Our old MOPP gear used to be like a super thick (2" thick?) snowsuit, with powdered charcoal as the barrier/filter that turned you all black when you took it off. The new standard stuff is like a front-zip sweatshirt thickness. Unbelievable. The FOX NBC recon vehicle that was brand spanking new in my day is being retired now. The protective field gas mask that I used and taught with (M17A2) has been replaced now three times already, with the addition of the new M50 Mask! And every change is for the better, of course, but it still stung a little. Some of the staples from my Marine Corps are long gone. As they say, you can never go home again.

A great few days overall. I learned a great deal that I didn't know about the changes in the Corps, and it was really first-hand research for the book I'm working on about my first nine or so months in the Corps. I’d like to thank those Marines for bringing the Marine Corps to Chicago, for the companionship and the laughs. Semper Fi, Marines!

Patrick D. Clifford
LCpl / Medically Retired (that’s a story for another issue – maybe)

PS – Next week, I’m headed to old Ft. McClellan, AL, where I went to NBC School. It is now used by the Dept. of Homeland Security as a training facility for first responders to potential weapons of mass destruction attacks (NBC). They still use the live nerve gas chamber that I trained in for four hours one day in full MOPP. If the trip is interesting enough, I might share it some time. I’ll have to see.

Thank you

No real story, I just wanted to say thank you to ALL military veterans and active duty men and women. Im only 17 so of course I wasn't much concerned about the war and such, until I met my fiance.. He is in the Marines stationed at Camp Lejeune. He will be leaving again in February of 2010 for Iraq or Afghanistan. I never knew how hard it would be with the deployments and being 4 hours away from each other during the weeks. I feel myself to have a very important job now, taking care of my Marine and hoping for a safe trip home. Thank you again :D

Dixie Roberts

Marine and Army Presence at Wedding

After losing Diane, my wife of over 27 years to cancer, over the past few years, I was able to find and marry a wonderful woman, my new bride Elizabeth. For the wedding, I had my two sons as the Best Men. The younger of the two is my son Corporal Paul Skulas, out of MCAS Cherry Point, NC. We both wore our blues for the wedding and reception. Attached is a picture of us with his beautiful wife Gillian, and another of our covers and sabers on the baby grand piano at the reception.

I am a proud and happy dad and new husband, and very pleased that I could team up with my favorite Marine in the whole wide world for the festivities.

Semper Fi.

Ron Skulas
MAJ, Field Artillery
US Army (Retired)

An Encounter with my Former SDI

Acting SSgt William H. Lewis was our Senior Drill Instructor in Platoon 264 at MCRD San Diego. I was Platoon Guide (sometimes Right Guide but usually Left Guide) from shortly after we left Receiving Barracks in late August 1959 to graduation just before Thanksgiving 1959. As a result, I spent more time in the duty hut than other recruits. I should add that most of that time was spent in the "thinking position" doing penance for our platoon's transgressions on any given day. Ten years later, in 1969, when I was a Captain and the S-3 for 1st Recruit Training Battalion (1stRTBn), I got a call from the Regimental Adjutant, Capt Frank Waters (an LDO, later as a LtCol to become Admin Officer to CMCs Wilson and Barrow). He asked me if I had anything to keep some former 8511s (DIs) busy for a while. There were some SNCOs in his office that had been sent down from Balboa Naval Hospital where they were recuperating from wounds or other injuries/maladies, were bored to death, and needed something to do to occupy their time. Since they were 8511s they came to the Recruit Training Regiment (RTR). I asked my Ops Chief if he had any special projects that he needed to have done. He said he had one but he would only need one man. I told Frank we could use one, to have him report to me, and I hung up the phone.

Several minutes later I heard foot steps on the deck of the old wooden WWII-era building that was the 1stRTBn's headquarters (our building, the other two battalion's headquarters and DI School were situated on the four corners of that block with the Centralized Recruit Administrative Center and the RTR armory filling in the east and west flanks). The foot steps became louder as they got closer to my office. In an instant I heard the sound of heels snapping together and a deep husky voice announcing, "Sir, Gunnery Sergeant @#%&$ reporting to the Captain as ordered, Sir." I didn't catch the name due to the sound of a jet airliner taking off from Lindbergh Field next door but there are a couple of things a Marine never forgets: his service number and the voice of his senior drill instructor. I looked up to see Gunnery Sergeant Lewis standing at rigid attention, head and eyes fixed straight ahead at the bulkhead above and behind me. I asked, "Gunny, do the numbers 2, 6 and 4 mean anything to you?" He paused for a few seconds with a quizzical look on his face and then responded, "Sir, no Sir". I then asked, "How about Platoon 264"? After a second or two the Gunny glanced down at me and then at the name plate on the front edge of my desk. His head and eyes snapped abruptly up and straight ahead again. I then heard him softly exclaim, "Oh s_ _ t, Sir". In His wisdom, God had seen to it that our roles were reversed. I was now the senior and there was justice in this world after all.

I didn't have time to talk with him just then as the Battalion Commander and I had a meeting to attend at Regiment. I turned the Gunny over to my Ops Chief, MSgt Schlecht, and joined LtCol Dallas R. Walker for our walk across the street. When I returned an hour or so later, the Gunny was gone. He'd completed whatever task my Ops Chief had given him and that was the last time I ever saw Gunnery Sergeant Lewis.

Several years after my retirement I got a call from a MGySgt acquaintance who had access to the newly computerized personnel system. He asked for my Senior Drill Instructor's name and after a brief search he gave me GySgt Lewis' mailing address. Now maybe it's just a coincidence but every holiday season after that phone call Gunny Lewis got an anonymous Christmas card just to let him know that someone was thinking about him. About the time the card sender (whoever that person might have been) was ready to "fess up", he learned that the Gunny had died a few months earlier. His family told me he looked forward to the cards and suspected, correctly, that they came from one of his former recruits. The family would later invite me to his grandson's commissioning ceremony and post-ceremony celebration cocktail/dinner party. The young man had just graduated from San Diego State University (unfortunately it was the Air Force that got him). He's now a senior Captain at Nellis AFB, an experienced F-16 instructor pilot and combat veteran.

We only get to San Diego about once a year now but every time my wife and I go we stop by Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery out on Point Loma to visit some friends. Among the graves we visit is that of Gunny Lewis (Section A-F, Site C-27D). It's fitting that his grave is located where it is, high toward the southwest end of the cemetery overlooking San Diego Bay. On a clear day you can see MCRD from there and I'm sure he's keeping an eye on things making sure we're still making Marines like he used to.

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