Sgt Grit Newsletter
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14 AUG 2008
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Mrs. Wilson, no one - even those with the very best of intentions - can ever provide you with words that will ease the ache in your soul and the void in your heart resulting from your loss of Ivan.
But, please be assured of this: Ivan did not die in BadSand. He simply picked up a new set of orders, and moved to his new Duty Station. If you read the proper version of The Bible, you will find the proof in Genesis: "On the 7th day, God rested, and the Marines overran His perimeter and have been guarding The Zone ever since." When you close your eyes to pray, take a look at that solid line of Proud Marines standing tall at the Gates of Heaven, and know that Ivan - now a member of this most elite of Details - is looking on his Mom and his family with pride, saying (under his breath, of course: no talking in the ranks!), "I'll see you soon!" Ms. Wilson, you have sacrificed beyond measure, and this fossilized 'Nam Vet thanks you, madam, and sends to you a sincere and emphatic, "Semper Fi."

Bob Connely

Here In The Sandbox
Sgt Grit,
Today reading the newsletter here in the sandbox, I came across Cindy Peckam's letter. It reminded me of what our country stands for. Even though we feel insulted by uninformed people saying horrid things to us, it is their first amendment right.

I've figured out a great way to make them feel like a heel, but keep my dignity intact. I just say "Thank you! When you say things like that, it reminds me I'm protecting your first amendment rights!"

Parents/family members can change it to say "my Marine is protecting your freedom of speech."
Semper Fi,

SSgt G. L. Guthrie

It Sure Was Fun
I went through PI in 1960. (Platoon 128) We were issued M-1's. I never saw an M14 until Feb. 1962. We were on the Med cruise from Sept 61 until Feb. 62. Just before we left the Med to return to LeJeune, we had a joint exercise with the guys who were replacing us in the Med. They had M14's and M60's, etc. I was a machine gunner and we had the 1919A1. I recall all our guys mocking the M60, asking if it was made by Mattel, because of all the plastic, etc. The 1919A1 was a solid block of steel and practically indestructible. We didn't think the M60 looked as sturdy. It sure was fun firing it from the hip though!

JDHannum
1960-1964

Who is your favorite Marine?
Its time to pick your favorite....
Here's are the choices:

LtGen Lewis B. (Chesty) Puller
GySgt (Manila) John Basilone
Gen A. M. Gray
BGen Smedley Butler
BGen John A. Lejeune
Maj Gregory (Pappy) Boyington
SgtMaj Daniel Daly
MGySgt Leland (Lou) Diamond
Gen Alexander A. Vanderift
LtGen Holland (Howlin Mad) Smith
LtGen Victor H. Krulak
MGen Roy Geiger
GySgt Carlos Hathcock
LtGen Carol Mutter
SgtMaj Brad Kasal


Vote Now

never Say never
Hello to all the old Jar Heads out yonder.
I just had to answer the e-mail from Doug Scrivner of the July 31, 2008 He had said there is not a Marine alive that does not remember his DI's! Well Doug I'm am just the one that does not remember his DI's. And one reason was that I was In 3 different platoons In boot camp, well not 3 but two with three sets of DI's. I'm going back to the early 50s. At that time after 15 days we had to go to Elliote's beach and on the return from the beach our platoon area was up side down, we had 4 Nealson huts plus one DI hut and all the bunks were turned over and the locker boxes turned on end and for the first time for all of us we saw a Marine Officer! A Capt. And he started screaming at us something about us having a free ride with a Head DI that didn't know how to do his job, so with that we got a new set of DI's to deal with and I could not tell to this day what was wrong with the first set. Well to set # 3 We just got to the rifle range and into our new set of Nealson huts when the DI came to me asking me just why I requested to see the Chaplain? I told him I did not and he In turn told me that he wanted to see me, I was told by the Chaplain that My Mother had passed away and I was sent home on leave. When I returned to boot camp after 6 days ( I had a ten day leave, but came back in 6 ) my platoon had moved ahead so that I would not miss out on any training I was put into a HQ Co. To answer the phone for a week I was then put Into a new platoon just coming to the range which gave me my third set of DI's and I don't remember one of the total of nine DI's that I had. At that time we had 3 DI's for each platoon, what they do now I don't know, So Doug, never say never, because you never know!

Semper Fi to all.

Now one of the old Corps.
Hank De

Robert Mitchum
Dear Sgt.Grit
Im sending this picture of me and Robert Mitchum. This was taken in dongha in 1967.

Semper Fi.
Robert Hubbard
Cpl. of Marines

Thousands Of Degrees
Counter Insurgency Training at Camp Las Pulgas, Camp Pendleton in the mid sixties. We were housed in Quonset Huts. The head and showers also in Quonset hut. Upon arrival I was in my hut stowing my gear and one of the young Marines (first FMF tour) came busting in and stated "Sarge, I am not going to shower while we're here!" I asked him why and he stated that "When you flush, the urine in the urinals comes out in the showers!" Under standing that we were housed in an old facility in the middle of nowhere, I grabbed him and my cover and headed for the head. When we arrived in the head, he immediately pointed to the very obvious sign over the urinals that stated, "Sound off before flushing when people are in the shower." God love em... I was born older than this young lad!

Chu Lai, RVN, mid sixties. "Burning the sh!#ters" and my weekly malaria pill dilemma. I knew a week had passed when Doc came around and enforced ingestion of the malaria pill. For whatever reason, the pill caused severe digestive distress for me. Once taken I had a pretty solid time frame in which I had get to a "sh!#ter". Well, took my pill, followed my time frame, and headed for the sh!#ter. Arrived there a little late of schedule, in severe distress, and was informed by the young Marine assigned that lovely detail that he had just burned the barrel and I had to wait till it cooled down. I informed him that I did not care if it was still blazing and plopped myself down. I am here to inform you that, regardless of the urgency, you cannot accomplish the mission when your butt is hanging over smoldering waste at temps that had to be in the thousands of degrees! Terrible experience. Might add that the youngster got quite a kick out of my situation.

God Bless and watch over our Warriors in harm's way. never forget how it was.

Semper Fi,
The Gunner, USMC, Retired

Tattoo
Tattoo I got from the cover of your summer 2008 issue

KOSTURA

I Convinced One
While stationed at MCAS Futema in Okinawa as the Training Sergeant for MALS 36, I was ordered by my MSgt to go and get him 200 yards of flight line. Not having been a rookie to this game, I immediately set out on the new mission with a plan to deliver and get the rest of the day off. The Japanese Nationals were constructing the new cryogenics pad just up the road from MALS 36 HQ. I convinced one of the cement truck drivers to play along with me. He backed the truck up near the Top's car while I went into the Top's office. Top said, "I thought I told you to go get 200 yards of flight line?" I replied, "that there was a Foreign National in the parking lot that wanted to speak to him." As the top and I walked out the hatch to the parking lot, the truck driver yelled, " Hey Mac, where you want this load of Flight Line?" Needles to say, Top never sent me on a FNG Mission again and I got the rest of the day off, although I did pay for that quick thinking at Mess Night.

Semper FI
GySgt RT. Gold
USMC Retired 1980-2001

About Half Way
Back in 85' I was on my first deployment to Oki with C Co. 1/3 and on one particular night getting ready to head out to Kinville, I signed out at the Duty desk and was told by the SOG to check and make sure the windows were rolled up in the Jeeps! Well, I got just about half way there then it hit me... there are no windows on these d*mn things! Yea, they got me! I had a laugh about it knowing they were also laughing their a$ses off!

L/CPL T. Hawes 84-88
Charlie 1/3, Weapons Plt
MCAS, Kaneohe Bay, HI

Misses It In His Heart
Sgt Grit,
I was looking at the tattoo section and wanted to email you and add my husband if you don't mind. My husband always said he would never get a tattoo. That was until about 5 months before retirement. He came home and said I have a design and I am going to get a tattoo. I almost fell over for he said he would never get one. So I wanted to share it on your site if possible.

He served proudly from 1983-2003. He misses the USMC on certain things. But most of all he misses it in his heart. Like they say "Once A Marine Always A Marine". If you look closely you will see the EGA in the grips of the eagle claw along with the American Flag. This tattoo has a lot of memories only he can tell. I am so proud of my Marine Husband.

" SEMPER FI "

Thanks,
Wife of Retired GySgt Cooper ( Coop Dawg )
1983-2003

I received Word
Dear Sgt. Grit,
I am a Former Marine, from back in the sixties. Last year my daughter joined the army. After giving her a really bad time, I asked her why the army? Without batting an eye, she looked at me and said, "because the Marines wouldn't take me, I'm too old". This last week I received word that my daughter was killed in Iraq. I wish I could take back some of that harassment. Those kids are brave too.

Rick Mahanay, OR

Noise Like Little Man
Sergeant Grit,

I was an aircraft comm/nav systems technician (6212) with HMM-365 when it was still part of MAG-26 at MCAS(H) New River. I haven't seen too many wing-wiper tales, so I thought I'd try to fill that gap. In aircraft maintenance there are safety checklists to be followed when working on the flight line. Short cuts can produce startling results. Two cases in point:

Working on aircraft communication equipment requires starting the APP (auxiliary power plant) - which in a CH-46F helicopter requires checking a whole series of cockpit switch settings, pumping a hydraulic reservoir up to 3000 psi in the aft section, then returning to the cockpit to engage the battery switch and press the start button. If you suddenly hear the sirens of the base crash crew coming your way, it means that the pilot left the Fuel Jettison Switch engaged and the battery powered pumps were dumping jet fuel on the tarmac.

If you are dispatched to check out a faulty Radar Altimeter, you would start the APP, power up the equipment, and press the Push To Test button on the face of the device. A test circuit generates a reading of 75 feet - which indicates the device is working properly. However, if the CH-53 is already powered up with the crew chief doing a rotor blade tracking (main engines cranking with rotors whirling) and the first mechanic is sitting in the pilot's seat, if you don't notice that Altitude Hold is engaged on the Automatic Flight Control System you may find your self suddenly 75 feet off the ground looking at the controllers in the tower atop the hangar.

One rigid rule that maintenance people were required to follow was, whatever the pilots wrote on the "yellow sheet" (that part of the aircraft logbook set aside for aircraft gripes) had to be transcribed to the Maintenance Action Form word for word - sometimes with amusing results. When the gripes are a bit weird, the temptation to respond in kind can be a source of trouble. Here are two of those.
v When the front rotor head and rear rotor head are slightly out of sync there can be a vibration indicating blade tracking is required. One yellow sheet said "Rotor heads need alignment - making noise like little man beating on fuselage with little hammer." The first mechanic just could not resist signing off the MAF with a description that said "Tracked rotor blades and took little hammer away from little man."

My favorite, which got the technician involved summoned to the Maintenance Officer's shack, was when a boot second lieutenant wrote a gripe about the radio direction finding equipment, saying " The UHF/ADF system fails to operate properly with the ON/OFF switch in the OFF position." This was a classic A-799 MAF. "A" meaning no defect and 799 being the code for No Action Taken. However a description was mandatory, but discretion was optional when the description submitted read "Adjusted vacuum between pilot's earphones."

If anyone reading this served with HMM-365 on the Caribbean cruise that became the Peruvian Earthquake relief mission, I would love to hear from you, especially if you remember the attached CH-53 that got to wear the 'NARF 365' insignia.

Semper Fi
Hank Merritt 2322046
Sergeant of Marines
1968-1972

Motor-T
Sgt. Grit
I was assigned to the 1st Marine Division, 11th Motor Transport Battalion "Bravo" Company from Feb 1969 to March 1970. My company had many vehicles in its Motor Pool. The standard truck in the Battalion was the reliable five-ton. We also had a couple of the twelve-ton Tractor Trailers for hauling the "big stuff." We also had a tracked vehicle which was called a "Huskey". Sorry, I can't remember the military name for the vehicle. These vehicles were sent into the field and were attached to units operating out in the bush. They were capable of hauling a platoon of Marines through rice paddies and rivers. I trained on them, but was assigned to drive the fuel tankers (lucky me) when they were needed.

If you had the morning job of collecting and burning "you know what," then I was the guy who filled the diesel tanks. I also drove the Mo-Gas tanker which was not fun; thankfully, I didn't have to drive it very much. The main vehicle that I drove was the five-ton, which gave me the opportunity to see most of the area around Da Nang. We hauled everything to the various bases, food, ammo, beer, sodas, etc. I always went out of my way to stop at intersections and pickup up Marines hitchhiking along the road, but nobody would ride with me when I drove the fuel tankers.

I remember one time we needed metal plates for the construction of a new bunker on my company's section of the perimeter. Since we are Marines we were always short of everything, so we went out on a scrounge run. We weren't having much luck until my Sgt. spotted a U.S. Army Heavy Lifter Helicopter taking off from its landing pad. As we watched the helicopter fly away, the Sgt. shouted out "Lets Go," and we raced down to the landing pads and started to dismantle the nearest landing pad. We were able to get seven sheets of the metal pad into the truck when we spotted the helicopter coming back. He must have radioed back because at that moment some Army guys came running out of a hooch at the other end of the field. We drove off laughing and waving to the helicopter pilot and the Army guys. Of course the serial number of the truck was covered so the only thing they saw was the yellow "USMC".

Of course it wasn't always fun and games. Several trucks were shot up and drivers were wounded. Being Marines first we also had to pull guard duty and go out on patrols and ambush patrols just like other outfits. When the 1st Division Headquarters was attacked during TET, our battalion sent a reactionary force to help defend it. Unfortunately they were ambushed before they got there and several of my buddies were wounded.

I have enclosed a couple of pictures of my time in Vietnam.

I also wanted to add that when I went through Boot Camp at Parris Island in 1968, we were issued M-14s. I never saw an M-16 until I went to Camp Pendleton. I was wondering when M-16s became standard issue in Boot Camp.

Semper Fi
L/CPL Michael Smith, 3531
USMC 1968 -70

Sgt. Grit; Having spent a tour with 1st motors, I became an expert at the ''barter'' or ''hustle'' from the deep water docks at Danang,to a scary place called the Mudflats that afternoon. I was a resupply driver, hauling c-rations, Ammo, Marines, Pulling a Water Bew (Buffalo) I had been shot at, by NVA,VC,and once Marines, who were returning fire from the bed of the truck, missing me by inches, He took out the windshield, having fired through the cab South of Danang,Trucks forward, and behind, have been "blown'' by undetectable ''box mines", Danang (zone 3) was the most heavily mined area during that period. I had (gunner's) Mechanics who rode the gun on ''Rough Riders''(large Resupply Convoys) going into "Indian Contry''Shot off my Ring Mount. During the Battle for Hue 1968 We were used as Med Evacs,Some of the Drivers having been wounded, Grunts became "Gear Grinders''..Mostly we were (TAD) to the "Grunts" for months, usually sleeping in, or under the trucks. If you have ever seen a truck with its hood up along the road, and asked the driver what was wrong? He usually lied saying he was waiting for a wreaker, what he was actually doing was waiting for the" Grunts'' to return from the ''Scivy House'' The new (multi fuel) Trucks were very Dependable.During the Vietnam War, those who kept count, say 285 Marines with Motor Transport were Killed in Vietnam, But for the most part, We had it pretty good!

Ray Earley

One phrase that is said often is "First to go, last to know." That is in great part to the short term notice we receive before supply runs, maintenance runs, etc... As for stories, I am a little short. I am a Motor Transport Mechanic so during my deployment to Iraq I was mainly inside the wire in Al Qaim, and Al Asad.

CPL Dustin "Beaker" Coble
MWSS 473 Motor T

Sgt.

When I was station at M.T.M. Co.1st FSR/FLC we had a large wooden board in our garage area that read.

MOTOR T.
We may not be the pride of the MARINE CORPS but without us the pride doesn't ride with pride.

Stay safe younger brother BROTHERS and SISTERS and I always tell anyone that I know that is headed to the sand box (Kevlar on, weapon clean and knife sharp)

L/CPL
M.C. Parks

Ruffrider means a combat convoy we used this in the Nam Gun Truck is a truck with a 50 cal on a ring on the top of the truck or some other type of weapons on it. Water buffalo is a water tank trailer, a duce and a half is a 2 1/2 ton cargo truck. A Mighty Mite not sure if I spelled it correctly was a smaller version of the jeep. I was Motor T in the first Persian Excursion ... re-fueler ... one of the "Diesel Weasels" ... I was on a fuel call one time and the Marine whose truck I was filling asked "What would happen if I threw a match in the back of your truck ... I said "Gee, I don't know ... let's find out", and jumped up on top, lit a match and threw it in. After months of burning this stuff for cooking fires, I knew d*mn well it would go out, but the guy I was fueling dove under his truck and was calling me every name in the book while I just laughed at him.

CPL Martin
USMCR '87-'91

I was a truck mech for 12yr's and you didn't always have the tool's you might need at the time so you would have come up with something to fix it. So their was a saying. I don't know where it came from but here it is. I've done so much with so little for so long I can do anything with nothing. I've thought of myself as grease monkey because you're hanging on to the under side of a vehicle all full of grease.

Robert Allan

As far as Motor-T goes....

one thing we used to joke about on convoys in Iraq was "from rumble strip to rumble strip".... the phrase came about as when you drive for long distances on the paved highways (Iraqi & CONUS), oftentimes the asphalt is 'scored' just outside the painted lane markings in the event should the vehicle operator start to drift off the roadway, the movement of the tires over the 'scoring' produces a loud noise intending to wake the operator before the vehicle hits a guard rail or runs off the pavement. The 'scoring' can be found on both sides of the pavement.

and if you have been on a convoy that lasts FOREVER... this rang true as you would see other operators drifting "from rumble strip to rumble strip"

(here is the exact meaning of a rumble strip that I found on the Federal Highway Administration's website) (Rumble Strips - Noise and vibration produced by shoulder rumble strips are effective alarms for drivers who are leaving the roadway. They are also helpful in areas where motorists battle rain, fog, snow, or dust. Rumble strips also help reduce highway hypnosis-a condition where white lines and yellow stripes on long, monotonous stretches of straight freeway can mesmerize and wreak havoc with a driver's concentration.)

We used to refer to our MOS (3531) as 35drive

Ft. Leonardwood, MO where Motor-T school is conducted is referred to as: Ft. Lost in the Woods

Sgt.Grit; I spent 67-68 with Bravo Co. (T2) 1st. motor Transport Bn. Keith William Nolan Authored "Battle for Hue" Tet 1968,this writer tells how Charlie Co. 1st Motors (T3) operated During The Battle for Hue. That 1st morning it was a little convoy haulin Grunts into the Macv Compound who were ambushed at the Shell traffic circle, The NVA occupied S. Hue as well as the Citidel,This little Convoy With A short Co. Of 1/1 Grunts were trying to reach The Macv Compound, on the south side of the Perfume River, directly opposite the Citidel.It was the only building in Hue still held by American Forces, They were surrounded by a couple of Regiments of NVA,so in typical Marine Response Less than a co. of Marines Alpha co. 1/1 were sent into Hue. Nolan also reports how a "Quad 50'' Army Guntruck would go to the Aid of Golf Co. 2/5 crossing The Perfume, on the Hguyen Hoang,laying down Fire, helping to evacuate Wounded Marines, Its Commander Army Sgt. Robert Lauver is now a guest at Golf Co.s Reunions. The Silver Star Bridge aka The Nguyen Hoang,where Pfc Nolan J. LaLa Charlie Co 1st Motors would earn his Silver Star.Anyhow read the Book. Battle For Hue tet 1968.... "ROUGH RIDER'' Large Marine convoy, Headset what was put on the Browning 50 calibers when the Barrels were screwed into the Receiver.Multi Fuel new engine that replaced the gas engines, by 1967 we were driving these dependable engines,Duece n a half 21/2 ton truck.Ridin gun, Gunners were usually Mechs who would ride the Ring mounted 50s, They were usually the first to be Hit, Command detonated Road mines set off by a babysahn or woman with d cell flashlight batteries hooked to the mine by com wire. Suds Run haulin beer and coke, Usually around Danang.Marines didn't haul Beer above Hai Vanh Pass,We left that to the Army. Mount Up get your a-- in the vehicle. 1st MOTORS got the Pres Unit Citation and The Combat Action Ribbon(had to be in HUE) It was retro (1969)

RAY EARLEY

Sgt Grit,
"Motor T, Nothing moves with out me!" and there is another saying around the motor pool, but really wouldn't make for a gr8 Tshirt. The ol' "If you can't Truck it, #uck it" I think you get the idea. lol. Thanks so much for the great store that you have supporting ALL our brothers and sisters. I really enjoy reading the letters you post also.

Semper Fi and God Speed,
Sgt Nathan L Pruitt/3533
2nd FSSG, 2nd TSB
2001-2005

Sgt. Grit:
As a Sgt(E4), I was stationed at Troop Training Unit, NAB, Coronado, from October 1953 to March 1956. SgtMaj Kirkendall had me to get a license to drive one of the Navy jeeps to pick up mail; up until then I had no reason to drive, let alone a standard transmission. I got used to driving, and a little cocky also.

One day, I had to take the jeep to the detachment motor pool for an oil and filter change. The ramp I had to drive up seemed to be about 45 degrees to me. So, I put the jeep in low gear and floored the thing to get up the ramp. Only problem, when I hit the top of the ramp, the left front wheel came off the ramp and the jeep almost made an unplanned dive into the pit. Fortunately, the jeep hung up and didn't completely make it into the pit.

Two Marines in the pit, there to change the oil, made a quick, panic exit. I was told to get out, and they would get the jeep back on the ramp. I, also was told never to drive onto the ramp again.

Semper Fi,
James R. McMahon, 1043043/0141/0121
GySgt of Marines (1949-1970)

Everybody in the Marines always makes fun of the motor-t drivers. "Yea that Marine was so dumb motor-t is the only job he could do." "How hard can it be? All you have to do is drive." All motor-t drivers suffer in either the horrid freezing winter or the miserable muggy summer at the most dull place in the world (Fort Leonard Wood) for their MOS school. However when motor-t drivers enter the fleet they become a much more versatile Marine. Even though your motor-t, guess what? whatever unit you go to, you are about to get OJT. You become a grunt, combat engineer, mechanic, dozer operator, etc. Overseas every base in Iraq depends on you. Without you there is no chow, no mail, no red bulls, no gatorades, no ammo, no fuel, no water, no toilet paper, no dvds at the px, nothing. You work countless hours and drive forever, sleep whenever you get a chance. Motor-t guys are the best at making things happen. We will make special convoys or trips, just to get a free satellite hook-up for our room, or maybe some free near beers from supply. It is what the Marine Corps is all about. Without motor-t the Marine Corps shuts down, and that is why motor-t is the heart of the Corps.

Corporal Jeff Lloyd

Sgt. Grit---I was the Motor-T Officer for the 2nd Battalion, 26th Marines in Vietnam during 66-67. By far the most common slogan (written on make-shift signs or stated verbally) was the title of the hit song (at the time!) by Nancy Sinatra "Those boots were made for walking....". I think most Marines who served in Vietnam will identify with that song, r.e. availability of any request for "wheels". I hope this helps.

Brian Moriarty, former Captain, USMCR, 1965-1968

I was stationed at Cherry Point as a heavy equipment mechanic where I befriended an MT driver, Johnny Frye. He had an embarrassing event happen one day on base. He was assigned to drive gasoline truck around base to refuel various pieces. Yes, you guessed it. He run out of gas. He finally got back to his duty post around 1600. It took him awhile to figure out why the CO was taking such a giant chunk. It was not until after the CO was finished that he realized he had been driving a gasoline truck. The engine tank ran out of gas. He still had hundreds of gallons is the refueller. He walked back to his vehicle. Did what he should have done and returned to post. There was no liberty for a few weeks. I later worked with him at Da Nang(VMFA 115). He was never bothered by the event. He just considered it another ripple while sliding down the razor blade of life.

Sgt J. T. Brien USMC 63-66

Good Morning,

Here's a Motor-T saying that may not be "PC" enough to make it on a T-shirt, "If you can't truck it, F*@K IT!" Or try; "Motor-T! (Unless you want to hump that M-198)"

And a story:

Despite the heavy work load at 1/10 Motor-T, the horseplay never ceased. Someone had start this "good game" thing. They would come up behind someone and give them a "good game" smack, like a football player or something, except it kept escalating and everyone wanted to one up the last good game. I remember looking out the tool room window and seeing someone bent over the engine compartment of a HMMWV, then I saw someone go past the window carrying a huge board, a load SMACK, a lot of yelling. I'm surprised no one ever had to go to the hospital. There was always some new crazy horse play going on but, on a serious note, the work load was unbelievable at times and those Marines always kept the Battalion running. From Camp Lejeune to Kuwait, up through Iraq, back to Kuwait, and then back to NC, despite numerous stupidity attacks of the operating truck monkeys (aka operators), every truck rolled off the ship back onto US soil under it's own power! All we had were the parts we brought or were able to bum or "acquire" from other units. I have never seen a group of crazed, immature, horse-playing, knuckleheaded, Leathernecks perform so well! It was an honor to serve with these Marines. 1/10 Motor T "Got dat a$s!"

Now here are some good FNG missions:

"Go to the armory and check out an asbestos suit, you're going to be pulling butts on the flame thrower range". (flame throwers had LONG been out of service! LOL!)

Or how about the arty guys having the FNG "register a round"? When the FNG wanted to shoot the howitzer he had to register the round. Which meant lugging the round all over the pos. To FDC, to supply, back to FDC, over to motor-t, over to the ammo train, then to comm.. And then if he was lucky he got to shoot it.

Then there's always the "Hey go get a BA 1100N (pronounced, B A eleven-hundred November) with an ST ring attachment." Or "These tires are low, look up the NSN for air, and get some on order."

"Go to gun 7 and get 100 feet of gun line!" (there were only 6 guns in the battery)
"Go ask the armory for the BFA for the MK-19" (or for the M9, that one works either way)

Semper Fi!
Joel Extine

Can't Remember The Name
Sgt Grit,
After ITR at Pendleton in the fall of 1964 and a trip home on leave, I was assigned to Maintenance Company, 1st Battalion at Pendleton. A corporal in the company office was looking over my SRB commenting that I was over qualified to be a mechanic and asked how did I get assigned to that. I replied that they asked me (in Boot Camp, I think) if I could name the firing order of a six cylinder engine. I told them I never worked on a six, but I had been drag racing with a Chrysler V8 and named that firing order, so they assigned me the mechanic MOS. The corporal then asked me to write maintenance on a piece of paper without looking around to see how it's spelled. I did and he assigned me as the clerk in the shop to keep track of service schedules and maintenance histories. He also handed me a request for transfer and suggested I put in for electronics school, since he thought I could get in.

About the end of January 1965 the transfer came through and I took a short leave and reported to Basic Electronic School at MCRD, San Diego. I'm sad that I can't remember the name of that corporal because he basically helped set me on a course for the rest of my life. After discharge in 1967 I immediately got a job with IBM and went on to spend 33 years in the computer industry.
Thanks and Semper Fi, Corporal!

One guy I do remember in Maintenance Company was called Spanky and he would tell us new guys he had more time in the air jumping into the back of a six-by than we had in the entire f'ing Corps.

Dick Rudolph
Sergeant, Radar Technician
MACS8 Cherry Point
2106437 May64-May67

Discipline
Sgt Grit
As being a fellow "Hard Charger" I would like to extend the deepest gratitude for your site. I have really enjoyed the stories shared from my fellow Marines & supporting family members. Your weekly newsletter is like a breath of fresh air. With that said I would like to share a story of my own...

"DISCIPLINE" care of Drill Instructor Sergeant Sands MCRD San Diego, 1st Battalion, Delta Company, Platoon 1055, June - July 1991 (was WIA second phase due to broken foot, 1st Bn. did not mess around. Dropped to MPR for four week - graduated 2nd Bn. October of that year.)

It did not matter what was going on in the squad bay. The names were called. "Aye sir, aye recruits." You got your as$ to the classroom area of the squad bay as fast as you could. Covers on the deck up against the bulkhead spilling over from all the content that were in your pockets. Then it begins - Running (thunder), flying, sitting, leg lifts - 15, 45, 90, 25 swimming. Bend & thrust. When pushing came, with all its varieties, it was always accompanied by DISCIPLINE! "The instant willing obedience to order. Respect for authority, and self-reliance. It's a way of life sir!" Reciting this little definition, one of the foundations of recruit training & the Corps, kept the recruits of platoon 1055 in the classroom indefinitely at the mercy of Drill Instructor Sergeant Sands. Once he was satisfied DISCIPLINE had been achieved. The bark of "Go away!" came. With your reply of "Go away aye sir. Left foot. Right foot. C lock, ease about click." If the "go away" command was not executed properly. Brother - you were back at it again until you got it right.

The last time I recall another Marine speaking of DISCIPLINE & it's definition was MCT. One of our troop handlers, Corporal Germitten (aka Curious George), had us in the bleachers at the weapons range casually lecturing us new Marines on Corps values & our lack of knowledge. He asked us what DISCIPLINE was, and out of the 50 + Marines there, I was the only one to stand & recite it to his amazement. My reward was having to push.

That little word & its definition has stayed with me for the past 17 years & will remain for the rest of my days. It is still as fresh in my mind as the day it was planted. I've never cared to look up Webster's definition as I'm sure it will be incorrect.

Semper Fi
JJ Chervinko
Cpl USMC
1991 - 1995

Honey Buckets Burning
Well, do I remember the burning events. Nothing like honey buckets burning...
Seems that one evening a "Gunner" who loved to go to the two holer and sit and smoke his cigar in peace made the mistake of dropping his lit cigar into the bucket.

Well, what fun...

One question tho, does the medal come with combat "V" attachment?

Terry Pinkerton

I Was Flabbergasted
A couple months ago, I had the opportunity to visit the New Marine Corps Museum just outside Washington D.C. Needless to say, I was pleasantly surprised by all the exhibits, info, and displays therein. The store which sold many kinds of memorabilia was well stocked and reasonably priced. Now for the main part of my story. Upon exiting, I observed a Marine Corps staff car pull up to the curb and out jumped a "Squared Away" Marine. I was in civilian clothes and had a cap with the Marine Corps Logo and he walked up to me, extended his hand and said," Hi Marine, I'm Ron Coleman." I now realized, I was shaking the hand of a "Three-Star General."

At this point in time, I was flabbergasted to say the least. Here I was an early 50's Marine Corporal not only shaking the hand of a 3-Star General, but having a conversation with him as well. He was there to Officiate a Promotion Ceremony and stopped to greet me before going inside. How he knew I was a Marine is beyond me. Perhaps it was my demeanor, the cap with the USMC logo, or whatever, I just don't know. Meeting and speaking with him was quite an experience I'll remember for a long, long time.

When I got home, I looked up Lt. General Ron Coleman on the internet and it displayed quite a respectable resume. I noted at our meeting that he wore . an array of ribbons and medals thereby impressing me even more. At this juncture, I envision him as a possible future Commandant of the Marine Corps.

Respectfully submitted,
Cpl. Joseph P Miller 1482458 USMC
1954 - 1957 - Discharged 1962

Smokey
In vietnam I was the arty fo attached to a/1/3. I always tried to meet all the new troops. I would make the rounds of the lines every night but could never remember the password so when I was challenged with "who goes there" I would respond none of your d**med business. Everyone knew it was me so they would respond "come on in Smokey". I would then sit down with the troops including the new guy. I would ask him where he was from etc. The troops were in on the set up and would eventually ask "where we going in the morning lt" you should have seen that fng jump. They were almost always right out of itr and scared to death of sgts much less a LT. After everyone had their laugh I would explain the rules. While in the field he was to refer to me as "Smokey" and never ever salute me.

DON "SMOKEY" STOVER
1965-1967 L/CPL 1967-1970 1/LT

Cuban Missile Crisis
Dear Sgt. Grit:

My name is Rich Lee and I'm a former US Marine; discharged October 1963.

During the end of my four year tour I was with VMA 225 Cherry Point, NC, and in October 1962 we were ordered aboard the USS Enterprise for the Cuban Missile crisis.

Which brings me to the reason for this email....I've been troubled for many years over why so little recognition has been given to those service men and women who served during that very critical deployment.

It wasn't until the year 2000 that it was proven the Cuban Missile Crisis put our Nation at the brink of Nuclear War, and yet our Government has not authorized some sort of visual recognition (ribbon, badge) on the uniform of those who served during that period.

Therefore, I'm going to contact Congresswoman Ginny Brown Waite of Florida on this issue.

Sgt. Grit, I'm requesting your assistance because of the wide reach of influence you have among Marines, and if you would consider assisting me in soliciting support to implement legislation for the issuance of a ribbon or badge, etc., to all those who served our Nation during that most critical time I would be most appreciative..

Please let me know if you would consider getting involved.

Semper Fi,
Rich Lee

Matty Mattels
Sarge- This is Cpl Lawrence S Edwards -0331. 03 Walk a lot. 1969-1973. 2-26Th. Of course like all of us we are wonderful bast*rds second to none. And yes I do know the nomenclature of my m14. It is a shoulder held, magazine fed -gas operated weapon. It is 7.62 mm rather than that piece if sh!t 5.56 varmint gun they tried to convince us was better that my m14. Ok the m14 was heavy compared to the 16. Matty mattels ray gun sucked. My score on qual day was - now this was with an m14, 237. Col. Gailbreath pinned my expert badge on me and only asked me one question on my final exam. He said son where did you ever learn to shoot like that. I said sir- my father was a marine. He then shook my hand and said OUT F#!KIN STANDING Private. CARRY ON MARINE!

SEMPER FI MAC!
Larry!

Scuzzy Moggots
I am fortunate, I graduated in Nov.1958 in Plt.192 on Parris Island , and ran into my Sr.D.I about a year and a half later while a member of K- 3-- 8, during some recon rubber boat training, and about 5yrs. ago found him on a Drill Instructor WEB sight. He is now living in his home state of Kan. and we keep in touch with e-mail. I consider it a great honor to call this man a friend, and now talk to him on a first name basis. He did a great job turning a lot of scuzzy maggots into Marines

LCPL Bill Hetherington
No longer on active duty

No One Looked
It was 1964, I believe and we were on "Steel Spike I", that sailed from the East Coast to the Southern Coast of Spain. I, along with 8 other Marines and Corpsman, were on an old WWII Liberty ship. "USNS George W.G.Boyce" We were a floating bomb, with Av gas in the after holds and artillery ammo in the forward holds. As a MT man, we didn't make the initial landings on the Spanish beaches. We went in at D+2 and landed at about 0030. As we drove our small convoy off the beach, we had a WO Lee from Force Troops as our convoy commander. The senior enlisted man, was MSgt Vallesano from 2nd MT Bn.

The convoy stopped and we all got out of our 6 Bys. MSgt Vallesano called me over from the rest of the Marines that were standing around and said that we were stopped by a road guard and he needed the pass word for the day. We had yesterdays password ( it changed at midnight) and it was now 0115 on D+3. He told me to sneak around the woodsand go over to the camp fire, that was obviously the road guards unit about 50 yards into the woods. I snuck around and nonchalantly walked by the fire and said, "I'm on duty in a little while, what's the pass word?" No one looked at me to see exactly who was talking, so someone told me it. I think it was something like,"Robin" and the countersign was, "Hood" . So, I snuck back to the convoy, relayed the password, Top went forward and soon, we were on our way. We reached the rest of our battalion in about an hour and I never heard anything about our little ruse after that.

As I thought about it years later, no plan is ever foolproof. As Clint Eastwood said, when he played GySgt Tom Highway, "Improvise, Adapt, Overcome". And we did just that.

Tom Brenkus
MSgt USMC Retired

Checker Board Squadron
To Sgt. Grit,
First off this is the first time I've written to you, although I have felt the desire to in the past, so many others have expressed my feelings and thoughts much more eloquently.

I'm a viet nam vet, '70-'71, at Danang Air Base. I was a radar technician on the Phantom F-4B fighter with VMFA-115, the Silver Eagles. In reference to the letter written in the July 31 newsletter by R.M. "Zeb" Zobenica, Capt. (Ret), although I "may" have hesitated to disagree with anything a Captain said while I was on active duty, I do not feel the same hesitation now. While agreeing with him that "the Great Santini" was a very good movie about marine air and showed some of the unique spirit and personalities of the Air Wingers, one thing he indicated was in error. I was in VMFA-312, the Checker Board Squadron, depicted in the movie and we flew F-4B Phantoms not F-4Js. At least this was so when I was there at MCAS Beaufort, S.C. From Oct. '68 - June '70.

I would like to pass on my e-mail address to anyone who was with either of my squadrons and if you have anything to remember and want to communicate send me a line. E-mail usmcdale @ sbcglobal . net.

I have one final thing to add. My son is on active duty in the Corps with the 3/8 at Camp Lejeune. Proud of him would be an obvious understatement of my feelings for him and what he and his brothers in arms are doing these days. They are being deployed soon, I won't say where for security reasons, I wish everyone would continue to pray for this new generation of Marines who are carrying on the proud traditions of the United States Marine Corps.

OOOH-RAAH

Semper Fi Marines,
CPL DALE R. McNETT

Generation Kill
Sgt. Grit:

I'm still watching Generation Kill. One of your readers said that it was a movie that depicts the Corps in a way that civilians would like to see it (or words to that effect). I agree that there are many inaccuracies. However, and having not been to the sand box myself, the story does proceed pretty much as Lt. Fick's "One Bullet Away" (which I previously expressed). Lt. Fick was platoon commander with Bravo Company during the invasion of Iraq.

I mean no disrespect to anyone's perspective. However, I do see the difference between the ideals we all share, and where things go awry and we end up far from that ideal. Sh!t happens! The Marine who wrote that Marine's in Bn Recon were all squared away, was not in 1st Recon Bn (I don't think). I was. We were not all squared away. Some Marines were very squared away, and sometimes we acted like 'retards' (including some officers and senior NCOs)--and sometimes, it just depended on the day or the situation. Just like real life.

I carry some f#!ked up stories with me. Trust me; they are not sea stories that should be shared with strangers on a message board - even if to my brother and sister Marines. It is easy to forget about those things, because I need to, because the ideal is much more inspiring and heart warming than reality. I think most of us do that at least sometimes. And, I don't think there is anything wrong with it either-at the end of the day we are all hard charging Marines. Nothing can take that away - not even the fact that things are seldom the way they should be, but are only the way they are.

Sometimes a story comes a long that gives us the opportunity for self-reflection. Sometimes its good to remember what really happened to learn or re-learn its lesson. That is true, even if the story, in this case Generation Kill, is flawed. We already tend to remember our time in the Corps in the brightest light (we are all the hero of our own story) - but it is also useful to remember the rest of it too. After all, it is the grit that makes the time worth remembering in the first place.

Generation Kill, at least, is not the absurd insult that Heartbreak Ridge was.

Mark Lurtsema, Marine Rifleman, 1980-RIP

I Have Heard
I am not trying to gig you LCpl Murrell, but I never heard of a Marine, especially at Boot, wearing "PANTS" and to refer to trousers as such got one on the deck doing at least 30 4-count pushups at the Di's count. Or, worse yet, one of the DI's would suddenly turn up with a pair of over sized lacey women's undergarments for that particular recruit to wear all day long, than scrub clean on the concrete wash tables and fold properly and return for the next, God forbid, maggot that called his trousers, "PANTS".

The only Marines that ever wore or wear "PANTS" are what we referred to as the now politically incorrect terms, WM's or BAMS.

I have heard this quite a bit in the past few years, even from those home on Boot leave, so I guess the Corps has instructed DI's that now, not only Army, Air Force, Navy and women wear "PANTS", but now, God forbid, Marines wear PANTS?

The terminology has stuck with me for over 44 years and it still makes my teeth grit when I hear a man, especially a Marine, call what he wears to cover his butt, "gun" and legs, "PANTS", instead of trousers or jeans or uties. Or cover his noggin, a "HAT", instead of a Cover. Or his winter green uniform top covering his "JACKET" instead of his "Blouse".

Of course Boots are no longer allowed to be called "Scumbags", "Girls", "Ladies", "Maggots", or anything other than Recruit. Surely the DI's don't have to call someone in training as a Boot, "Marine", for that is not kosher until that "Maggot" proves himself worthy and earns his EGA. The first time I was called that honorable name was in formation on the main grinder, after 14 weeks of horror and pain, when my Senior called us to attention and retorted..."Marines of Platoon 375, dismissed!" The terminology is one of the things that told a Marine he was in the presence of another Marine, no matter what he was wearing, or on active duty, formerly active, or retired. As to the A/C, we may have been in "disneyland" at PI in Third Battalion with brick barracks, but air conditioning or even a fan? And cold water from a scuttlebutt was sure and swift punishment. Milk in the mess hall was the only drink served cold. Punishment for joining the Corps, no! It was part of the conditioning to be able to stand what we surely would have to in the near future, and our DI's, all combat vets, knew it and were trying to keep us alive to back to CONUS and train the next group of civilian "MAGGOTS".

Tradition is not just the name of a piece of music from "Fiddler On The Roof", it is a form of respect for those who made the Corps what it is purported to be from its very inception. A respect for the very uniform that sets a Marine apart from the norm. History and Tradition were a major part of my training in 64 and those before. The automatic knowledge of those things are what makes the Corps separate from the other services, as well as the willingness to do one's duty. Not just for a tour, but as long as breath keeps moving in and out of our bodies and keeps that oath alive in our minds and spirits.

Semper Fidelis
a slogan, a motto? H&ll no, it's a way of life

The Command Was Repeated
Sgt. Grit,

I was re-reading one of your newsletters (7Jun08), and Sgt. William Thompson's account of doing "To The Rear March" up and down a hill at Camp Matthews reminded me of a game my Basic School Platoon Commander taught us.

I was in 2nd Platoon, "F" Company at TBS (March - August, 1966), and our Platoon Commander was Capt. Donald Myers (not sure of the spelling). He was former enlisted, and I think, an Annapolis grad. He came to us (as did several of our officers both at TBS and earlier at OCS) from a tour in 'Nam as an advisor with the Vietnamese Marine Corps, and was a "recruiting poster" Marine officer--the epitome of "A-J Squared-Away".

After one of our overnight or longer field tactics problems (forty-two years later, my memory sometimes fails me), we had to force march up and down hills back to Camp Barrett. The distance was either ten or twenty miles, but I'm not sure which, on this particular occasion. We were carrying M-14's and full "field gear," maybe including the "field transport pack" (both the haversack and rucksack fastened together with the shelter-half "horseshoe roll" strapped on top and e-tool attached). All I remember for certain was being tired when we started. We were at "Route Step" in "Column of Two's" on both sides of the road, when Capt Myers called out "Last man up!" The response was for the two men in the rear to race to the front of their respective columns. When they were at the head of the column, the command was repeated, over and over again. I didn't have any blisters on my feet until we started playing that game, but we did get back to the BOQ a little earlier than scheduled.

Thinking about Capt. Myers and The Basic School reminded me that we had several sons of Marine generals associated with TBS during my time there.

Our Training Officer was Capt. (or Maj.) Richard Weede, son of Gen. Richard G. Weede. (The General was CG of FMFLant two years later when I was assigned to H&S Bn. in Norfolk, and he honored me by pinning on one of my captain's bars, while my wife pinned on the other. I don't know if he did that with all officers promoted under his command, but I was impressed by that fine gentleman.) 4th Platoon was commanded by 1stLt.

Krulak (can't remember his first name), and I have often wondered whether it was he or his brother who was the future Commandant. (Can anybody fill me in?) I seem to remember that the sons of Commandants Greene and Shoup were at TBS during that time, as well.

Semper Fi!
Tom Downey
Once a captain, USMCR; always a Marine
1963-76: Vietnam Dec '66-Dec '67 (FO'd from "I" 3/11, for "L" 3/7 for 6 months; and AFDO for 3rd 8" How. Btry.) CO of "D" Co, 4th Recon Bn (later combined with "C" and redesignated as "C" 1/23), Corpus Christi, TX

I Was Required
Sgt. Grit
I was once stationed at El Toro from 20 March 1973 to 22 September 1974. Although my time was brief there, I have fond memories of the Air Station. This was my first duty station right out of MCES.

I was stationed with MABS-13, MAG-13, 3rd MAW. Our 'Utilities' buildings (Quonset huts) were located on the back side of the runway, next to Motor Transport. We had the responsibility of maintaining the generators, decontamination units, shower units, and equipment for debarkation. My MOS was 1141 (Basic Electrician), however our unit was so small that we generally assisted other specialties.

I was required to received a military license to drive a Jeep and 6x6 in the Jeep School conducted just off-base out the back gate. Although young at the time and having been raised on a farm, I was quite familiar with operating equipment of this type. Our instructor, however didn't know this fact. We were driving one of the 'new' Jeeps. I think it was an M1A, the one that had a reputation for tipping over turning a corner at 9 MPH. Our instructor told me to drive up a steep incline. The Jeeps we had at that time didn't have much horsepower and there were four of us in the Jeep, the instructor riding shotgun. I attempted to climb the hill twice with no luck of making it, so the third time I backed all the way down and floored it. He didn't think I was going to stop at the top of the hill, and we all didn't know what was on the other side. I stopped right at the crest of the hill... looked at the empty seat on my right... and then saw him walking up the hill behind the Jeep. He said he didn't think I was going to stop so he jumped out.

He also said I did just what I was supposed to do.

Semper Fi,
Thomas G. Schubach
former Sgt of the U.S. Marine Corps.

Happened To Me
A common practice for all arriving Vietnam boots, it happened to me.
At the point of checking in. The first thing you were ordered to do, was to go to the supply warehouse and get measured for a body bag.
When you returned, you were then ordered to go to the motor T to get some frequency grease. "for the prick 25's" What a way to start your lovely stay in the great Vacationland of Vietnam.

J. Marr
1st Marines Recon Vietnam 69-70

Count Cadence, Count
.... MCRD San Diego, 3/58, Platoon 103: Pvt. Rujawitz (sp?) from St Louis was the platoon "superman". He could do 100 pushups, 20+ with a footlocker on his back, and 50 pull ups. The only thing that kept him from a perfect score on the PT test was that he was so muscle bound that he was a slow runner. He, also, Had the shortest boxing career in MCRD history. He was our entry in the recruit boxing match. He threw one punch during his first match, broke his opponent's jaw and his own hand. By the way, he completed the PT test with a cast on one hand and still did more than the required pull ups. He was so muscle bound that he had to use a modified sitting position on the rifle range.
Our SDI was S/Sgt. Manning and if we didn't "Count Cadence, Count" to his satisfaction the next Command was "P*ssy Cadence, Count" and we had to count cadence in a high, falsetto, voice. This happened enough times that we were known by all the other DI's by that name.

J.R. Lape
S/Sgt 1957-69

For Safety Of Course
While at Camp Schwab with India 3/4 we would get Typhoon warnings that meant we would take the boots and put them on top of the squad bay, with flak jackets and helmets for safety of course, for typhoon watch. In Echo 2/1 it was shore line while aboard ships (the Squids loved to play along) and illuminated grid squares for night ops and with Tow Co. 1st Tanks (Tow Critters) at Las Flores it was back blast remover, by far the worst because supply filled a 5 gal bucket with sand. Thanks

Paul Garrison 79-91

Someone Calling Cadence

Throughout My Life
Just my take on MARINES....

EGO - Daring to put your flag up on top of the enemy's fortress at the BEGINNING of the battle.
ATTITUDE - Daring to believe that NOBODY's gonna take it down.
ABILITY - It's STILL THERE!
My take on IWO JIMA.... (and everything else I ever learned while in the Corps).
Still carries on throughout my life since my time....
Art Glennon, USMC, 1967 - 1971
"Ego! Attitude! Ability! -- MARINES!"

A Little Salty
In reply to Sgt Zabel from another old timer, I served from mid July 52 to July 55. I recall one draftee from my platoon (475). There were probably a couple of others who wanted to keep silent about it, but I think these were the last of the draftees to pass through PI. I graduated 9/29. Its been a long time, but I vaguely remember tents near the parade ground and dental hygienic. They were gone a short time later. I was in N company 4thBn in Quonset huts.

The only wild goose chases I remember were the DIs calling for one A**hole with a pack of their favorite brand of cigarettes. I was caught a few times when others were a little late in responding. I recall the DI calling for one A**hole and I was the one closest to the door of the hut. I went through the ritual of the rapping on the door, the steps forward at attention, and announcing myself. The so and so didn't like hillbilly music and I had to find another station for him. Then the dismissal. "Get out of here a**hole! A**hole, skinhead, sh**bird, sh**tcoolie, yardbird and numbnuts were the affectionate names applied to us. After we had gotten a little salty toward the end of rifle range they would slip in the name "lad" once in a while to indicate we were nearing the end.

An October issue of Life Magazine in 1951 did a spread on maltreatment in the Marine Corps complete with illustrations that got a lot of response from parents and politicians at the time. I'm sure prospective recruits and parents and the politicians knew that Marine boot training was no "Bed of Roses. H&ll, I had heard about it in junior high school. Except for a little roughing up and harassment, I never witnessed any physical brutality to any recruit. The psychological stress, I pass that on to other readers.

After boot, it was Campen for ITR, then Korea for 15 months, and oddly enough for my last year it was HQMC at Henderson Hall. I went to the Naval Annex quite often and possible crossed paths with Sgt Zabel.

Semper Fidelis.
Sgt Frank Athis 1335915 USMC

Weigh The Trucks
Sgt Grit,
I'm sure you could fill a year's worth of newsletters with FNG stories. The best thing about FNG's are that they keep coming every couple months or so, even the PFC who went through it a month ago is in on it when a new boot arrives. There are some that claim that messing with the FNG's is hazing so we have to be careful when we do (F'ing new Corps).

A little background for my FNG story is that at MCAS Iwakuni there is a plane wash that is pressure operated, meaning that when an aircraft rolls over the pressure plate, water is shot out from holes in the ground in order to rinse the aircraft. At 'Aircraft Recovery' (7011) we have 24-on / 24-off crew hours. Around 2300 the airfield would close and we would wrap up everything for the night (tool inventories, radios charging, VIDS/MAFS filled out, etc.)

The first night on crew for a newbie while securing for the night we would have to "weigh the trucks". We would all pile into our crew vehicle, call clearance from tower (Air Traffic Control was usually in on it too so they could watch with their NVG's) and proceed to the plane wash. Once we get there, we instruct the boot to get out and ground guide us onto the "scale". He had further instruction to ensure the tires hit the plate at the exact same time, being new and not wanting to mess up, they would sometimes lay down to get a better view (even better!). As soon as the truck drove over the switch, water shot up all around them. The newbie was then unrepentantly getting soaked and so confused that they would often run in one direction and then try another back and forth until they figure out a way to get away from the water. This brought tears of laughter as we all were rolling and high & dry in the truck. They would then get into the truck soaked to the bone. "Welcome to Crew-life!" Once back to our shop, we let them dry off and then order pizza for newbie pizza night. Good fun and nobody got hurt. God Bless America and our Corps!

Semper Fidelis,
SSgt Dale Hoeft (7011-December 1999--present)
Aircraft Recovery SNCOIC
MCAS Beaufort
PSALM 144:1

Triple Time Back
I have been reading the exploits of Marine humor and was brought back to my week of mess duty at Parris Island. I was with Platoon 3048. I had the unfortunate duty of waiting on the 3rd Batt. drill instructors. Believe it or not some of them did have a umm, sense of humor. The 3rd batt. mess hall served chocolate milk on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On this one occasion of course the DI wanted chocolate milk on Wednesday. 2nd Batt was serving on Wednesday so off I went triple time to their mess hall. Triple time back and of course no DI. On another occasion one of the DI's asked for two eggs over easy with bacon and wheat toast. I went into the kitchen and told the duty Navy cook what the DI wanted and he gave me two scrambled with sausage and white toast. He said to me "He will have to take this and like it, get the h&ll out of here." I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. I reluctantly served the DI his meal with a "Sir, the private was told by the cook that this is what he had to serve'. The next thing I knew, what I had a white tee shirt on with the distinct color of eggs and grease all across the front of it. It wasn't quite Tie Dye but it did stand out.

Semper Fi
Jim Gauthier
aka Tiny

Comm Shack
While at 2nd Amtracs at Courthouse Bay, Camp Lejeune in 1961, we were tying camouflage nets to the bumpers of the maintenance platoons vehicles with comm wire in preparation for field exercises. I was sent into the comm shack and told to get a can of squelch to pour over the comm wire to tighten it up.

Bob Doherty 1959-1963 1883578

Nothing On Your Uniform
Hey JD, nothing on your uniform sez air wing, admin, armor, we are all Marines, riflemen. I have had brothers shake my hand for the support we wingers gave in Vietnam. 24/7 Marine Air gets it there. No call unanswered. In '68 ChuLai flew so many missions Macv asked our HQ where we were getting all those aircraft from. Pilots had to change flight suits so often due to being sweat soaked from head to toe. If you don't believe ask someone who was there If they want the Air Force or Marines to fly support? Lets hear it brothers.

Bill Carey
Cpl of Marines
VMA223 Flight Line 68-69

Swim Qual
Swim qual. we had a drainage ditch (a major river, ) go past our battery area, when it rained wed block it so it was about 3 ft deep, then swim qual our boots. Of course we did that about 1030 hrs, since we went to chow at 1130 and didn't have to be back till 1300. The fun we did to boots , of course some were also done to me

Semper Fi
sgt frank thompson (78-82)
3d LAAM BN A btry
cherry point

Did Not Know
While serving as XO of the A co, 2n AmtracBn in 1974 under Major Mike Shistler,CO.. His Grandfather-in-law was visiting him and was flying back to this home up North. We had a fairly new 2nd Lt named Bob Scharctz who was one of our platoon commanders. Bob was new and sometimes a Little awkward but a good guy. When Major Shistler found 2nd Lt Bob was flying back on the same flight with his grandfather he asked Bob to Look after him. Of course, 2nd Lt Bob readily agreed, anything for the CO. What 2ndLt Bob did not know until he came back from leave was that he was taking care of grandfather, alias: General O.P.Smith, who generaled the 1st Marine Division out of Chosin Reservoir in the Korea. Submitted by, Chuck DeLorme, Former Captain of Marines from 72 to 79.

Willie The Whale
In 1966 I graduated from PR school and reported to my first command: VMCJ- 3. At that time J-3 was still flying the EF-10B (Willie the Whale) which did not have an ejection seat, so old fashioned back-pack type parachutes were in the plane. The method of bailing out was to roll the plane inverted and drop out of the entry hatch that was in the top of the canopy. Needles to say, the aircrews were not overly confident with this procedure or with the parachute even opening. So, the CO required all newly assigned aircrew to report to the loft and watch the actual packing of the parachute. During the process, one of the riggers would slip a piece of shroud line into the pack and ensure that a loop of that shroud line would be hanging out of the pack when the packing was done. One of the aircrew always pointed out the loop and the rigger would take a pair of scissors and just cut the loop away. Needless to say, that little joke was soon stopped, as well as the practice of having aircrew watch the packing process. Fortunately, Willie's days were numbered.

Joe Bertetto

Short Rounds
I was one of the first woman to join the Marines---13 February 1943, Sent to Lakehurst NJ to learn to be a parachute rigger. After they disbanded the paramarines, I ended up as a payclerk. Was discharged from the Marines at Quantico VA. Needless to say, I have some very good stories, but doubt if they could be printed! My Dad was a Marine in WW 1 and my brother was in Korea. All I can add to this is that I loved being a Marine. Betty Coe-Mahuta

Iwo Jima Flag Raiser Gets Citizenship Papers

Just want to say thanks for your column. It encourages me when I read letters from all of these people and their trials, victories and commitment to God and country.
Thanks again

Ma B!

It's not Marine, but it is funny.

on ship a guy from your home town is looking for you charlie noble pull butts for the flame thrower range

sgt paul c mendes
2nd btn 26th Marines, vietnam 66-67

I would like to find out who invented the "squat thrust" (aka Squat motha). I do not really want to know, I just want to kick his as$.

SSgt DJ Huntsinger

Check out this link to a page from Marine Barracks Washington. It is the page on the Marine Corps Body Bearers.

In Adak Alaska we sent New Guys all over the building looking for an LRWD.
(LITTLE ROUND WOODEN DISC). It was the center from an empty roll of teletype paper.

L/CPL Harold Beasley
Special Radio Operator, 1958-1962

I remember during tet 68 we received two F N G:S. They were to be on the out post with me. Now we were in front of Bravo Btry's gun 3, they were siting in for H & I firing. well they fired a round and the FNG's started yelling in coming and started to dig a hole. Anyone can guess what happened.

Cpl. of Marines Nam 67 - 68

As a "salty LCpl", a FNG was sent off to Motor -T for a can of "beep" seeing how the air horn was getting low, as well as a bottle of "blinker fluid" for safety reasons. Seeing how I work on the airfield of a MCAS had to have work related fun. I had one looking for a important bird flying in, it's a Cg-ull (yes, a seagull), took him 6 hours top realize what it really was. The last young one, was also sent to get 100 yards of flight line from the airfield operations building.

Ali Ferguson

Reunion 2nd LAAM Bn

2nd LAAM Bn., 15-18 March 2009, Yuma, AZ.,Contact Stan Buliszyn, 799 Slate Quarry Rd., Rhinebeck,NY 12572, (845)-266-5609, sb353 @ optonline . net

Wanted to drop you a line in recognition of my good friend and hero, Pete Supplee. Pete and I were corporals together at Ammunition Supply Point (ASP) 1, Da Nang, in 1969. We stayed in touch for awhile after returning to the World but eventually lost contact with each other. Just recently I managed to reconnect with Pete and discovered something that utterly amazed me. The young Marine who was Corporal Pete Supplee in 1969, then serving his country in Vietnam, is now Chief Warrant Officer 5 Pete Supplee, on his second tour in Iraq! Need I say more? My Hero -- CWO5 Pete Supplee; I love you Brother.

Gary H. Shuler
Corporal of Marines
Vietnam '69-'70

Graduate Marine
OOORRAAHH: As a former Sgt of Marines I applaud your sons fortitude to stand up and display his and his earned rights of expression. Having been off active duty for 22 years it's always a pleasure to see Marines are always standing proud.

SEMPER FI to you and your son.

Sincerely,
David Carney SGT. 0861/MSG BN 1981-1986

Words and terms used in the Crotch: Where does "Maggies Drawers" at ITR come from?
Red Beach MT 2314275 1967-70

Fear is not an Option Decal

Crossed Swords Decal

Semper Fi
Welcome Home Marine, Job Well Done!
Sgt Grit

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