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My Son Daniel...from the time he could walk and talk...I knew he
was military...a Marine. No matter what I said, I knew it was
going to happen. I won't lie...its been tough...but I am OK
with it...I am extremely proud and honored. I know there are
many who do not support this or believe in the cause. My son
has been in the Marines a year now, he's a Lieutenant, and more
than likely will be deployed in January. I had been wearing my
Proud Parent and Marine Mom T-shirts to work.
Along with having decals on my car and Marine Mom license plates.
I work for a county department, I guess there are some who do not
agree with my choice of T-shirts or the cause, I could be what
my son and his comrades are doing for our country, our freedom,
our protection, and importantly the US of A. So, I was asked to
stop wearing the T-shirts. It made me sad. All I could think
was, shame on them. It didn't stop me though, I wear the
T-shirts when I am not at work. No matter what anyone attempts
to do, I am and always will be a Proud Parent and Mother of a
Marine.
I love my Son Daniel and I support his choice of career and I
support the cause. Thank you to all of you in our armed forces
for your bravery, commitment and service that you do for
you country, you risk it all for those of us at home. We need
to appreciate and honor you even more.
Debra Bowers, Sparks, Nevada
The Huntington Detachment #792 of the Marine Corps League set
up a recruiting booth for Marine veterans at Jones Beach and
handed out Marine Roses to the spectators. Suddenly dozens of
Code Pink anti-war protestors descended upon us shouting
obscenities and anti-military slogans as they read off names
of deceased Marines and soldiers KIA in the war on terror.
Spotting me in uniform they attempted to tie me up with a pink
rope.
A small group of Marine bikers calling themselves the
Gathering of Eagles came to my rescue as did the SWAT team of
the New York State Park Police, armed with M-16 assault rifles,
and they prevented any contact between the opposing groups. This
same group attempts to disrupt military funerals but the
Gathering of Eagles is always there to prevent this disgrace
from happening. Whatever happened to the true meaning of
Memorial Day?
Submitted by:
Bill Ober, Commandant
Huntington Detachment #792
Marine Corps League
Shown in photo is Sr. Vice Commandant Art McCormick distributing
the Marine Roses.
"There is nothing more real than a man's character and values.
The track record of what he has actually done is far more real
than anything he says, however elegantly he says it."
Thomas Sowell
Dear Rhonda,
I am right there beside you in the grocery store and at the post
office. It was hard to have walked in those very shoes... more
than once. It isn't any easier the second nor can I only imagine
the third or fourth time.
It is something you endure as you said it best, extra busy and
extra shifts at work.
As loved ones we do NOT need to be reminded of dates or times
our watches have dual time zones set for far away lands where
our families are stationed. We are always aware of the latest
military and postal regulations for packages. We do wake up at
odd ball hours and have visions of our loved ones. We pray daily
for their safety, sometimes hourly.
We are thrilled for the infrequent telephone calls. Just hearing
their voices, there are times we are so silent on the telephone
so that the emotionally choked voice doesn't come through. Again
we are strong for them.
We had sent and recharged so many telephone cards, thank God
there is now the Internet for a lot of communication.
Knowing that our sons and daughters have made this choice to
serve, we are of course VERY proud. They have chosen to
sacrifice for and support our nation. My prayers are for your
son and for you. They are also for all our servicemen and women
where ever they are serving.
We as the ones who sit and wait are the heart of our military.
It is our faith and our strength that allows our military to
carry on, because we believe.
Our caring is not shown in the large grandiose displays but in
the many little things we do everyday. It is NOT lip service
when we raise the American flag everyday, prayers everyday,
the bumper stickers, the pins showing our support for our
troops, the service flags in our homes, the proudly displayed
pictures, the red white and blue and yellow ribbons tied on
the trees out front and on mailboxes, sending the bulk telephone
cards, weekly visits to the post office with letters and
packages, fundraisers for someone coming home injured, needing
help. We are showing our love, support and faith. We are living
it, daily.
There was a shirt or a bumper sticker that says ... I may look
harmless, but I raised a Marine... how appropriate!
We carry on, always faithfully,
Marine MOM Nancy
Grit,
I wanted to share this video with anyone who is interested. It was
taken at an airport last year when my friend Zander (Cpl. Behnke)
was returning to the States after months away from home. His parents
had gone to the airport to pick him up, and myself, my friend Jess,
and Kara (the Cpl's fiancée) decided to tag along and surprise him.
Kara was so jittery with excitement and while we were waiting for
him to come up from the terminal, she hid behind a plant so that
he wouldn't see her until the last moment. When he finally came up
the stairs, she squealed and bounced her way over to him. The look
on his face was priceless. They immediately embraced like they would
never let go of each other again and both of them began crying.
Zander's welcome crowd (including myself) was almost in tears as well.
I had to laugh, however, when a stranger standing behind me
suddenly said in a tear-jerked voice, "That was better than
a movie!"
We love you, Zander. Keep up the good work and stay safe!
See the YouTube Video
Semper Fi
Kate Coffman (A Proud Marine Brat)
I just wanted to say thank you to all Marines. What you do and
have done for our country can never be repaid. There are just
not enough words. My youngest has graduated high school and
she will be leaving for Parris Island in August. It's a small
school and the students can choose who they want to give them
their diploma's. They choose someone who they feel has had a
major influence in their high-school years and/or in their
future plans. My daughter chose her recruiter. We could not be
prouder of the choice she has made. My son is in the Army and
could not be prouder of his little sister. I am proud of my
children and the choice they have made to serve their country
and when other parents ask me how could you let them do that I
could never let my child go like that. First off there is no let
about it, my kids are adults and can make their own choice and
as my favorite saying goes it can't always be someone else's
son (or daughter). God Bless you all!
Future Marine Mom & Proud Of It
Rae Patterson
Colorado
"If we can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the
people, under the pretence of taking care of them, they must
become happy."
Thomas Jefferson
Patriot Today, Marine Tomorrow
Semper FI, Sgt Grit:
I just finished reading your May 28 news. While reading it. I
remembered something my father told me ( he has past on).
When WWll was declared. He was working on the railroad. Everyone
was telling him, you have no worries, you are exempt from the
draft. The second week in January 1942. On arriving home from
work there was a letter for him. It started out, Greeting from
the President of the United States. He was drafted.
I was about 6 or 7, years old. I asked my father what he did in
the war. His reply. I ran a locomotive, nothing else. End of
conversation.
When I enlisted in the Marine Corps, in 1962. He ask me if I
remembered when I asked what he did in the war. I say yes.
Sitting on the table was box I had never seen before. In it
were pictures of him in the war.
There were pictures of Berlin, Frankfort and many more cities
though out Europe. That laid in ruin. Then he showed me pictures
of human bodies wrapped in a cloth. They were being placed in a
mass grave, by men and women, in their Sunday best. Also there
were pictures of nude human bodies. That had been thrown in a
big pile.
I was dumb founded. My father then told me what he did in the
war. After it was over he would bring food, medical supplies,
clothing, clean water into the concentration camps.
After he showed me these picture. Dad said. Boy this is what I
did in the war. It is the most important thing I have ever done
in my life. Your mother and I hope you never have to see
anything like this during your time in the Marines.
I have always been thankful for what my father did during WW ll.
Proud Son, of E. H. Fields, currently serving his time with God.
Sgt Grit,
As an old Marine I was "volunteered" to escort my Mother, Cpl
Annette (Schubert) Howards, USMCWR on a pilgrimage to the Museum
of the Marine Corps in Quantico to fulfill a part of both of our
bucket lists. Responding to a request posted in Sgt Grit's
newsletter, we coordinated a side trip to the Marine Barracks at
8th and I to donate various squadron memorabilia that my Mother
had been holding on to for the last 64 years. Mother and Father
both served in Air Base Group-Two (ABG-2) at MCAS El Toro and NAS
North Island during the WWII. While at the Barracks we had the
unbelievable opportunity to meet and greet the "13th Chesty of the
Marine Corps" who was being taken though his paces by his trainer!
What a treat for one old and one older Marine! Of course, neither
the side trip nor the meeting with Chesty could have happened without
the assistance of Cpl Aaron Clark from the Marine Barracks PAO office
who graciously took us under his wing, gave us VIP treatment, and even
politely smiled at our old sea stories all morning long.
Semper Fi Cpl Clark, and Semper Fi Chesty, where ever you are!
Jeff Howards
Sgt 73-77
Love This Country
My tattoo artist did an amazing job of capturing the things I love. I have the flag over my heart because I truly love this
country. The Eagle, Globe & Anchor is over the flag to protect
it, I replaced the continents with a bald eagle because the
freedom we provide is global. I served with 9th comm. Bn. as a
crypto tech (2881) my loyalty to the Corps will always be
through my service as a crypto tech hence the 2881 has replaced
the Semper Fidelis in the ribbon.
Thank you Sgt. Grit for providing an outstanding place for
Marines, new and old, to converge.
Cpl. Kirby
"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is
strong enough to take everything you have."
-Thomas Jefferson
Sgt Grit
Thank you and Ooorah, FYI. So far in my 36 years of teaching,
being an administrator and University Professor, 150 young men
and 121 young women have joined our Corps. I have shared with
them our fabulous history and traditions.
Dr. Rafael L. Kimo Sanchez,
Mike Co. 3/4/ 3rd Platoon, 1st sq.
Vietnam 1967-68
WCOverfelt High School
Dean of Discipline,
San Jose, California
In my life I've had the opportunity to watch many sorts of
conflicts, both small and large, from two or three people
arguing over a seemingly trivial matter, to world powers
arguing over nuclear proliferation to conflicts between nations,
including our own, that grow into full military engagement.
Through them all, I've had the luxury of observing them from
afar, usually making some sort of judgment as to who is right
and who is wrong, but from a comfortable distance. This essay
is not about world conflict on a global scale though; it is
about conflict at the micro level. To describe as best as I
can, what it is like for the people who hold the honor of being
parents to the men and women who don't talk about the world's
problems, they go solve them. To describe what it's like to be
the proud parents a US Marine.
It is a well known fact that one's perspective changes
depending on their personal involvement in the issue; when
you have, as they say, skin in the game. When Brad called me
in the spring of 2006 to tell me that he signed an intention to
join the Marine Corps, I almost burst with pride. He had
actually been listening all those years when I talked about
things like achievement, hard work and making a difference.
In one quick sentence, he proved it. I joined the Marines.
Over the next several months, while Brad was preparing his body,
Debbie and I were preparing our souls. Like it or not, Brad was
becoming a Marine, and Marines go to war.
Gradually, we grew to know other parents who also children in
the Marine Corps, as well as meeting many current and former
Marines (I know, there are no ex-Marines, but I couldn't think
of a different word) and began learning the never ending
language of acronyms and alternate verbiage such as portal for
door and cover for hat. As the son of a sailor, I was already
somewhat familiar with military family life, but this was
different. Marine families are tight with each other, and
passionate about the work their family members do. We learned
about the process of boot camp and what to expect when your
child finishes with it, and what graduation day will be like,
but none of it prepares you for what you actually see. I
watched Brad leave for Parris Island as an insecure adolescent,
and met him again on April 11, 2007 as a fully matured, self
confident man. As we walked together from the parade grounds
to his barracks to retrieve his things, it struck that our
relationship had just evolved from parent-child to a much more
complex one in less than a 2 mile walk. He'd done it. He'd
grown up, and my job had shifted. I was now there to cover his
back while he covered the rest of ours; and to be his friend.
The next step was that he reported to Camp Lejeune for Infantry
School and then to his more permanent position as a SAW operator
for the 2nd LAR (more acronyms), and this gave us a few months
to come to grips emotionally with what was about to happen. He
was going to Iraq, and to war. We got frequent phone calls to
talk about what his training was like, discussed his finances,
we made arrangements for vacations. He had a couple of block
leaves, so he came to Columbus for a couple short trips, like
Christmas. Well, almost Christmas. We had Christmas the week
after Christmas because of a unique timekeeping system that's
used in the military that seems to have little relationship with
standard calendars. In January, he headed out to California for
desert training and then one quick trip to Columbus before
heading back to Lejeune for final deployment preparations.
March 18, 2008 was a day like every other day but for one thing.
I was scared. Really scared. Brad was deploying that
afternoon. I tied a small yellow ribbon around the tree out
front, and tried to go about my day, but the fear was there no
matter what I did. I tried not to show it because I knew that
Debbie was having an even tougher time with this than I am, and
I didn't want her to think anything was unusual. I didn't want
her wondering why I was afraid; or thinking that I knew
something she didn't. Brad called two or three times that day,
and even had his picture taken by some supporters in Maine which
they sent to us, but then he was gone and we wouldn't hear from
him again for a few days. Once in Kuwait, we got the call from
him to let us know that he was there safely and would soon be
heading into Iraq on a helicopter, and we probably wouldn't hear
from him for a week or so. I think the few days between Kuwait
and Iraq were some of the worst. This is the period where I
really started to adjust to deployment. Wondering how and how
often we would be able to communicate, wondering if he had
everything he needed, jumping every time and unfamiliar car
drove down our street, hoping that they would drive past.
Then in mid-April, while driving in my car, the words that
every military parent dreads to hear came across the radio.
Central Ohio Marine killed in Iraq. My stomach flew into my
throat and I nearly threw up. That sentence and the events of
the next several hours define for me what it's like to be the
parent of a Marine. The rest of that day was spent in abject
terror, waiting for the Department of Defense to release the
name of the Marine. My mind was consumed with trying to put
together pieces of the puzzle. Brad called yesterday from
Korean Village, 150 miles away from the suicide attack, is it
possible that he could have made the trip to that area since
the call or is he probably still at KV? Possible, but not
likely, I decided. It didn't help. Brad enlisted in
Pennsylvania, while staying with his uncle, is it possible that
they still have that as his address? No, I changed his
permanent address to Columbus several months ago. Why aren't
they releasing the names? I knew the answer to that one
already of course; we were waiting for next of kin to be
notified. I also prayed that no strange cars would make their
way into the neighborhood that day. Please God, no dress blues
today. Finally, the DOD posted the names on their website of
the Central Ohio Marine and two others who had been killed with
him by a suicide bomber. I stared at that short list for what
seemed like an eternity. Brad's name wasn't on the list.
Someone else's names were on the list. Dear God, someone else's
children were on that d*mn list. What do you do with that
information? What is the proper emotion to feel when you're
relieved that your child is alive, but someone else's is not?
I cried -- hard. Afterwards, I tucked the emotions away as deep
as I could into my soul, and prayed again. This time for the
fallen Marines and their families, who I would never meet, but
with whom I have so much in common; and then I began to prepare
myself for the next time this would happen, because it will.
That, I think is the essence of having a child at war. All the
worlds' conflicts and difficulties are reduced to their most
basic element with two words. "Marine killed". That is what
it's like to be the proud parent of a United States Marine.
"These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier
and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the
service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves
the love and thanks of man and woman."
Thomas Paine
"I now know why men who have been to war yearn to reunite. Not
to tell stories or look at old pictures. Not to laugh or weep.
Comrades gather because they long to be with the men who once
acted at their best; men who suffered and sacrificed, who were
stripped of their humanity. I did not pick these men. They
were delivered by fate and the military. But I know them in a
way I know no other men. I have never given anyone such trust.
They were willing to guard something more precious than my life.
They would have carried my reputation, the memory of me. It was
part of the bargain we all made, the reason we were so willing
to die for one another. As long as I have memory, I will think
of them all, every day. I am sure that when I leave this world,
my last thought will be of my family and my comrades....Such
good men."
This song is entitled, "Flag in a Pawn Shop", it's touching and
one I'm quite sure you won't see on MTV or VH1.
Chris Pangalos
Rolling Thunder Productions
"Strive to be the greatest man in your country, and you may be
disappointed. Strive to be the best and you may succeed: he may
well win the race that runs by himself."
Benjamin Franklin
Farewell Marine - A Tribute
Sgt Grit,
While reading your June 6 Newsletter, I was surprised to see
the Grand Rapids Veteran's Facility mentioned by Donald (Bo )
Bodenshot. He mentioned visiting there in the late 1940's and
early 1950's. When I was a little girl, we lived on the grounds
of that facility because my mother and stepfather worked there.
I have very fond memories of those days..
We often had Kool-Aid stands, and the veteran's were so very
generous and kind drinking our Kool-Aid (with not enough sugar,
I'm sure) remarking how delicious it was and overpaying us--
insisting they would not take change. I believe we brought joy
and life to those wonderful men. I know they were instrumental
in building my respect for veterans at a very, very young age.
I remember being sad that some didn't have visitors. I would
try to cheer them up and sing "From the Halls of Montezuma" and
the Army, Navy and Air Force songs. (Didn't know the lyrics very
well to the last three, but had the Marine Corps Hymn nailed at
about 3 or 4 years old--Dad being a Marine.)
I also remember drawing pictures on the cinder paths and the
veterans giving me treats for my "artwork" as they wheeled
themselves past our house to go to the VFW and the Boat and
Canoe Club right there on the Grand River.
I especially remember a man named "Amos" who had no legs. I
remember Mom telling me he lost his legs in the Spanish-American
War. He used let me put my feet on the pegs sticking out of the
back of his wheelchair and we went for some wild rides down some
of those hills.
Sincerely Semper Fi,
Carolyn H. Carino
It always gives me a real sense of pride to go to the local Memorial Day parade. Here in Boonsboro Maryland.
I have enclosed 2 pictures of the color guard and the 21 gun salute formation. As for me, well my health wont permit me to
participate any longer.
But I am still good with it all, that
is until the dual Buglers played Taps.
Roy V. Casto
Cpl. US Marines 1964-1968
"Anger only dwells in the bosom of fools."
Albert Einstein
Hey Grit,
I'd like to add something to Bo Bodenshot's letter. It's about
LTC Thomas A. Richards, USMC, Ret. In addition to being the
Executive Director of the Historical Museum at MCRD, SD, he also
holds numerous other positions relating to Marine Corps and
veterans organizations. Not the least of these is the 2008
National Commander of the Legion of Valor (LOV), which is an
organization of service members who have received the Medal of
Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, Navy Cross, or Air Force
Cross. For anyone who is interested, you can go to the Legion
of Valor website and read what this stud did to receive the Navy
Cross.
When I saw this former Drill Instructor at last years LOV
convention in Florida he looked as if he could still fit into
his Dress Blues and pose for a Marine Corps poster. As this
years LOV Commander he has set up the August convention in San
Diego.I plan on wearing my MCRD Parris Island T-shirt (that I
bought from Sgt Grit) when we attend the Recruit Graduation
Ceremony on Friday 22 August at MCRD San Diego.
If any of you Leathernecks ever run into Tom Richards I think
a salute would be appropriate. Of course, that's just my
opinion, I could be wrong.
Kirk J. James
Cpl USMC '59-'63
Sgt US Army '64-'67
On May 26, a Marine died in Albuquerque. He was 83.
Not only was Jerry C. Begay Sr. a great man and an example for
us all, he served his country in a time of need in World War II.
When mission-critical communications were becoming jeopardized
by Japanese code breakers, he and fellow Navajo brothers stepped
up to the plate and helped create a more secure line of
communications to help win the battles in the Pacific.
He was a hero, a Marine and my great-uncle.
I will remember you forever, Jerry. I know you're right here by
my side in my time of service. No words can describe how proud
and thankful we all are for the life you helped create for us.
- Spc. Justin Hanson, Scottsdale
"Little progress can be made by merely attempting to repress what
is evil; our great hope lies in developing what is good."
Calvin Coolidge
Thanks, Sgt. Grit, for sending me this great list of Marine
veterans memories of various incidents, the good times and the
bad, and other trials and tribulations they experienced while
serving in the Corps. It brings back a "boat load" of memories
for me. All of what I remember is highly valued, and continues
to make me proud of my "well spent" couple of years in the
Corps; I wouldn't trade it for anything. Boot Camp in "Dago",
the balance of my service was at Camp Pendleton.
Thanks again,
Paul D. Langford
Sgt., USMC, 1650139
1st MarDiv, 11th Marines, 3rd Bn., Hqtrs Co.
'56 - '58
LCPL. Bob Elmer sent a letter regarding the loss of LCPL
Johnston in Lancaster Pa. Bob mentioned that the former Lt.
from Calf. Flew in to assist in the search.
That former Lt. was: "lt.Ilario Pantano" Some may remember him
from the news of the Fallujah Massacre. He also started "Defend
the Defenders.com" Started so that those who are charged with
"crimes" during the war can get proper legal representation.
I knew Cpl. Johnston's good friend from his first tour in IRAQ.
Brian Sims. Brian always spoke highly of the lieutenant, and I
know this shows the type of leader he was.
Lt. Pantano also wrote a book about the 2/2's service in Iraq.
It is titled "Warlord".
Tom Flynn
Network Analyst
BSKB
"Government's first duty is to protect the people, not to run"
their lives.
Ronald Reagan
The story about the" cream of the crop" is so true about all
Marines in every war we fought. I served in the early 70's and
was in a Home Depot wearing one of my many Marine shirts( the
one with the Reagan statement) and this lady asked if I was a
Marine and I told her I used to be and still am in my heart. She
smiled and gave me a big hug and thanked me and all like me
(Marines) for protecting her and all like her. It's nice to
hear a thank you now and then.
Semper Fi. Larry
I am a 16 year old from New Jersey, and my grandfather, a
retired Major, forwards me these newsletters every week. I am
planning on joining the Marines, one way or another, after I
graduate high school, and unfortunately, I get lots of criticism
for it. It really makes me mad when people tell me that I "am
too good to be a Marine."
Excuse me!?! Did you just say that I'm too good to be a United
States Marine? Just because I consider myself relatively smart,
and I receive all A's and B's in school, I'm too good to be a
Marine? If anything, my fear is that I am not good enough to be
a Marine, but for someone who enjoys their rights and freedoms,
defended by soldiers who put themselves out on the front line
every day to defend these ungrateful people I cringe to call
"citizens of the United States", to have the guts to tell me
I'm too good for the Marines?
I'd like to take the opportunity to thank these kind
people, for letting me know that they take their freedoms that
they have as a United States citizen for granted and that they
are not worth fighting for, and think that the military is for
people who aren't smart enough to get into college or do
anything else "meaningful", because they're dumb and so it
wouldn't matter if they were killed out on the battlefield,
which, of course, is completely untrue and a quite ignorant
and disgraceful statement.
And I'd especially like to thank my Pres.-bashing, war-hating
history teacher for telling me that I can "do better" than
"the Marines", of which he had referred to quite
condescendingly, and that I would be "wasting my talent",
referring to my excellent grades in his class. This just makes
you question, what kind of effect do teachers like this have on
tractable young minds? What kind of effect do people like this
have on young minds in my high school as he tells me, in such a
way anyone present in the room who pays attention to their
surroundings can hear, that going into the United States Marine
Corps is wasting my "talent", that I can do better than that?
As I say this, I must give him credit about being a great
history teacher, side comments removed. He is the best history
teacher I've ever had, besides his comments about the
government, the war, and so on. But just because he got shipped
over to Vietnam and began questioning the war and the
government's motives (just as he does with the current war),
that does not give him the right to say such things about the
Marines, or soldiers in general. Actually, he does have the
right, because the soldiers who he so easily criticizes fought
and continue to fight for his freedom to say that.
By the way, this isn't just my teacher who says this, but also
some friends and family. I'm just glad that my parents (and my
grandfather, of course) support me, because they're a few less
arguments to engage in. Maybe I'm just overreacting, but isn't
this a disgrace? Isn't this just completely wrong, that people,
especially teachers, will make such statements, that the men
and women who work day and night to defend our freedom aren't
"smart"? Just because a person opts to enter a branch of the
military with the goal of helping to make the world safe for
the existence of democracy rather than go to college, that
person is apparently "dumb" in the eyes of many people. "Smart
people" shouldn't go into the military, because it would be a
"waste of intelligence", according to some people. For those to
say this, let me ask this: who develops strategies in order to
try to win wars? Who develops defense plans to keep the people
who criticize the military safe? The military! And who makes up
the military? Oh, yes, that's right...soldiers! But how? I
thought that they were too dumb to do anything?
I could really just keep going on and on about my complaints
about people and society in general, but I we all have places
to be and things to do. Please let me know I'm not crazy and
completely overreacting.
-Jeremy M.
"I am well aware of the toil and blood and treasure that it will
cost to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these
States. Yet through all the gloom I can see the rays of
ravishing light and glory. I can see that the end is worth more
than all the means..."
John Adams
It is a universally accepted truth that the worst meal in
a case of C's was the Ham & Mother F...ers what read on
the meal box, "Ham & Lima Beans". The only good thing in
that meal was the can of apricots unless you were on the
DMZ where no one ate the apricots; apricots contained a
mystical power which always caused the death of a person
next to the eater. Consequently no one allowed anybody
near him to even carry a can of apricots let alone eat
them. My tank crew would rifle through all the boxes the
minute we received a new case of C's looking for the
dreaded can of Apricots; when found it was immediately
thrown off the tank.
The second worse meal and the worst to have to eat cold was
the scrambled eggs or "Puke in a Can". You had to heat
this meal to get it down and the standard way was with a
marble size of C-4 under the can. It is my belief, and I
think I am right, that more Claymores were pried open for
the C-4 to cook with than actually detonated in combat.
Bob Peavey, 1966--69, 5th & 3rd Tank Battalion
Dear Sgt. Grit,
I have been reading your news letter for quite some time now,
and I thoroughly enjoy each and every story I read in your
news letter. I wanted to write and tell you about our
grandson that is now a Marine. We are very proud of our
Marine, he is the second generation of Marines. Our grandson
graduated boot camp on Feb. 8th of 2008, and is currently in
Pensacola Florida, training for intelligence. My husband is
a Marine, he served in Vietnam from 1967-1968. I have several
family members that have served in the military.
My father
was in the army, served in WWII, two uncles served in the
air force and both made a career out of it, my husband was
in the Marines, served in the Vietnam war, one brother served
in the army in the Vietnam war, and another brother served
in the army, my son served in the army, my daughter in law
served in the army, and now my grandson is serving in the
Marines. I am a true patriot, and proud of each and every
man and woman that serves our country so that we may live
as free as we do. Here is a picture of my two generations of Marines, on our grandsons graduation day. Thanks St. Grit,
for all the joy you bring with this newsletter to so many
people
Proud granny of a U.S.M.C. P.F.C.
Diane Avans
"Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so
many to so few."
Sir Winston Churchill
Sgt Grit,
I look forward to reading your newsletter every week. Keep up
the great work.
Where I used to work, there was a former navy guy, we would kid
each other about our service. I finally shut him up one day. I
quoted him one of your bumper stickers.
He would kid me about the Marine Corps being under the
Department of the Navy. I said yes we are the Men's Department.
David Hannah
Cpl of Marines
RVN 68-69
LZ Torch June 1968
"The patriot volunteer, fighting for country and his rights,
makes the most reliable soldier on earth."
Thomas J. 'Stonewall' Jackson
In reading your news letter I read where one of my fellow
Marines talked about James Whitmore and how he got his
autograph. I also went through RTO school and had a mos of
2533. What I am getting to is that they filmed the code part
in our class room and Tab Hunter sat next to me a plus the
other actors all around the rest of our class. A friend of mine
got me the movie "Battle Cry and slowed down the class room
shot so I could pick myself out, it was really a great time
for all of us. The movie was shot in late 53, early 54. My
home office is a shrine to the Corps. Keep up the good work!
Peter Wojciechowski, Sgt.53/56.
"Liberty is not to be found in any form of government; she is
in the heart of the free man; he bears her with him everywhere."
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
God Bless America!
Semper Fi
Sgt Grit
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