My 19th Christmas was spent as a U.S. Marine in Iwakuni Japan. This was the first year I did not have the privilege of spending the holiday with my beloved family and friends. I knew that my purpose during this Christmas was to be on the ready for my country as many had done before me. I was a young, proud Marine and very honored to be serving my country as a Lance Corporal in the United States Marine Corps.
This however did not make the Christmas Day phone call to home in the middle of the night (local Japan time) any easier. My father answered my call and being an Army veteran gave me the encouragement and support that I really needed at the time. Then the conversation with my mother – one that will never be forgotten happened. My mom passed away a few years ago and that makes the Christmas conversation from 1976 an even more memorable event in my life. I will spare the readers of this post with not listing any of the sappy details of my conversation with my mother. But I will say that the conversation took place away from my fellow Marines (who were probably conducting similar calls on other phones in our Communication Center). I am sure that the other conversations did happen because quite a few of us were a little crackly voiced and had something in our eyes for a few hours during our shift that night. This is my thank you to my fellow Marines who will be doing (as I did in 1976) this Christmas Day. What you will be doing this Christmas is truly appreciated by myself and my fellow Marines who have had similar phone conversations on December 25th. Semper Fi and Merry Christmas. Corporal Joseph Wasowicz, USMC, 1975 -1978.
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26 comments
I was with G Co. 2nd Bn. 4th Marines on my 19th Christmas Dec. ‘ 67. I remember spending the day sitting in a hole I had dug the evening before watching ants in exposed tunnels rebuilding what I had disturbed. The night before I had been on a patrol and was pretty tired. I don’t recall any thoughts about much that day except for watching those ants for a couple of hours. Pretty peaceful day. Now when that time comes to mind I think, wow, Christmas 1967. Who knew what was coming at us in ‘ 68. Sgt T. Moore
Christmas at 29 Palms 82, Okinawa 83 , Lejeune 84 . There were long lines just like on Mothers Day for the payphones !! Phone bill Okinawa was $120 for 60 min . USO was great no matter what station. Mrs C and the Fonz visited us in Okinawa
My first Christmas was in Boot Camp MCRD San Diego. The only extra thing we did was marched to the movie theater to ” Scaramouche” 2nd was in Camp Pendleton finishing up war games. 3nd and 4 rd Christmas were in Da Nang RVN and did get to see 2 Bob Hope shows. Ann Margaret – what a babe!!!! Would not trade it for the world. Semper Fi and have good holidays. Sgt R.Parr
Never heard the term “heard of cats” Ray! Who was your SDI in that platoon?
I spent Christmas of 1959, on Okinawa at Camp Koza. In 1966 I spent Christmas in Chu-Li Vietnam. 1969 was spent in DaNang Vietnam. 1975 I was at Futenma Air Station on Okinawa. My last tour before retirement was at Camp Courtney Okinawa in 1981….
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The best places to go over the hill. You did not get or give it was the reward the marines paid for your return an it came out of your 92 dollars a month pay. I think it was SSGT Rodgers that herded us around March my ass we were still in the hippty hop skip stage , Platoon Commander was GySGT joe Louis Jordan , series officer was Capt. E.P.B. ONeal, we had two CPL drill instructors. 1ST battalion A company Platoon 1150 we graduated about March 18,1969 went next morning to Pendleton an with usuall luck got my short ITR at camp Horno instead of San Onafry
I served from Feb 1959 to Feb 1963 Platoon 309 at PS Island SC . Drill instructer were Sgt Wilson & Sgt Leach. Went to the second marine div. H & S Co. Was in mortars my Mos 0341. Made the Med with the 6TH fleet and spent Christmas and New year in Athens Greece. Then transferred to Rabat Morocco and served in second guards Co. Also Christmas and New year again away from home. Being away from home for the seconds time made it all the sweeter when I arrived home in January 1963. Is there any Marines who served in North Africa during this time please do hesitate to E-Mail me L/Cpl Tharp E-Mail john09751@verizon.net
CHRISTmas ’54 at ITR Pendleton. After our replacement Bn. got settled in, they had flown us out from PI to San Diego in six MC equivalents of DC-4’s. Our Co. first sergeant said that they should have left us at PI as we weren’t going to do anything until after New Years and that anybody with more than a few days leave coming could get a furlough to fly home. Of course nobody had enough as we all had had 21 days in anticipation of going overseas. So the we all stuck around. Just for Kicks I went into Oceanside to wet my feet in the warm Pacific Ocean. and see the bathing beauties. Well the water was COLD and NO bathing beauties, if there had been their nipples wouldn’t have been erect like erasures they would have been like brand new pencils. After ITR and then “Cold Weather Training’ at Pickle Meadows, just West of Bridgeport, CA, we were “Cattle Carred” to San Diego on March 17th (St. Patrick’s Day) only to wait a few hours to be transported back to Pendleton and then to return to ‘Dago” on the 19th (St. Joseph’s Day) to sail aboard the “Marine Phoenix” (actually USNS Marine Phoenix (T-AP-195) by way of Kodiak Alaska, to drop-off some Sea-Bees, to Yokohama Japan. Mom to a Marine, don’t worry about the tears that’s what all real Mom’s do, as well as Dads and to tell the truth a lot of Marines, it’s just liquid LOVE!!! As the old adage goes…”They also serve who stand and wait”.
I will never forget my first Christmas in the Corps. It was Christmas, 1966. I, along with many other Marines spent it slopping around in the mud north of Hue, Vietnam on Operation Chinook. Not much celebration except for a few Engineers blowing up 55 gallon drums. No telephones up there to call home on.
Wow, I arrived at Perris Island oct. 21 1954 assigned to the second batt. Wooden barracks that are long gone. Went back about ten years ago, a lot had changed. Cannot remember my platoon number. Your the first marine I’ve run across from those dates. After two years I rein listed for three more years. Had a great time, Kaneohe Hawaii
I spent my first Christmas 1959 at Camp Pendleton the next two in K Bay and my last at China Lake , especially liked the two at K Bay . But loved them all and would do it again in a heartbeat. Semper Fi to all my Brothers on this Christmas day.
We were in Iwakuni at about the same time. I was with MATCU 62. I left just before Christmas 1976. I did get to celebrate July 4th, 1976 in sunny Po’Hang Korea (but I started in March). While I was over their my twin sons learned to walk, talk, and get into things. I think we all have our memories, both good and bad, but I miss the esprit de corps. One of my twin sons is my brother through the Corps. The other twin is as well, as I also wore Navy blues. Merry Christmas, Chesty, where ever you are!
Waiting for a call from my 19 year old Lance Corporal son as a write this. First deployment, and Christmas away for all of us. Might skype, but then he would see me crying. 🙂 Semper Fi, and Merry Christmas to all.
Raymond Parker who were you drill instructors you said you remember all those in 1150? What Company where you in ? What Battalion? A Sergeant marched you around on the 1st evening and showed you the best spots? The best spots for what? What did you know about close order drill on the 1st night of MCRD? Where did 50 recruits get 50 dollars from for a Police fund? This is 1968 correct?
I was with MWCS-18 for Christmas 1972 at Iwakuni. I was a Sergeant and my guys went out drunk and ‘topped’ one of the trees by the streets locally so we had a tree. Scared me to death as I expected Japanese Police to bust us at any moment. They didn’t, though and we had a lot of fun!