US Marines Cowboy Hats

Happy New Year to All at Sgt Grit!

And…..

I just wanted to drop you a note about that U.S Marine Corps Cowboy Hat available on your web site. I rarely leave the Ranch without wearing some sort of USMC attire from Sgt Grit. So on the occasion of my wife (Barbara) and I traveling to Las Vegas for our first trip ever to the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) a couple of weeks ago, I took along my Sgt Grit, U.S. Marine Corps Black Felt Cowboy Hat, with a couple of other traditional cowboy hats. Well, from the time we got to the Airport in Seattle to the time we checked into our hotel in Las Vegas, it became clear to me that the U.S. Marine Corps Cowboy hat was a lot more special then I thought.

Every where we went, people would stare and smile and nod their heads. Some would approach me and share their Marine Corps past or family memories, some would just say Semper Fi, others would just come up and Thank me for my service to our country and a few even asked to have their pictures taken with me. A real Marine Corps Cowboy photo op I guess. Unbelievable. On one particular occasion as we were walking through the New York – New York Casino, a young Marine came up to me, shook my hand, said Semper Fi and added you know what this means, thanked me for my service and moved quickly on, leaving in my hand a Once a Marine, Always a Marine Coin. I and my wife were very moved by that young man's gesture. I was amazed at the reaction of so many people to that Hat. After the first day I was a bit embarrassed by all of the attention but my wife would NOT let me wear any other cowboy hat. We were best friends since we were 13 and married for the past 34 years of which 25 were in the Corps so she is just as proud of that hat as I am. Well, being at a Rodeo it is tough not to wear a cowboy hat, so wear it I did for the 5 days we were in Las Vegas for the NFR. I have attached a picture of the two of us at the MGM Grand.

I can not tell you the joy that hat brought to myself, my wife and those that were drawn to it. It was a special time that we will not forget.

Semper Fi,
Wayne Bell

Lieutenant Colonel of Marines, Retired