I don’t like to swim in the ocean. Sand gets in places it was never meant to be. That may be ironic since I wound up in the Marines. I had never been on any water craft bigger than a 15-foot fishing boat when I joined the Corps in 1958, so I had never experienced sailing on the deep blue. By the time I shipped over to Okinawa I had only flown commercial a couple times on Bonanza Airlines between San Diego and Phoenix – the first time on a DC-3, the second on a small turbo-prop. I hadn’t experienced air sickness either time so I was unprepared for what was ahead.
Category: 1st Marine Division
50th Anniversary Of Arriving In DaNang
Sgt. Grit, I arrived in DaNang on Aug 26, 1966, 3 months shy of my 20th birthday. I still remember the flight from Okinawa and looking at my fellow Marines and wondering which one of us was coming home. Fortunately, most of us made it. I found this travel voucher from October 1966.
TAPS For Sgt George Peto Jr
Last evening Dad passed away peacefully at home after attending 4th of july fireworks and a party with his friends. A funeral is being planned for early next week.
See his biography at:
Sgt George Peto Jr., 3/1/1, Pacific Theater, WWII
1st Radio Battalion Vietnam Reunion
At one time, these ‘young’ Marines were all members of 1st Radio Battalion, most served in either Kaneohe Bay or Vietnam or both.
We just finished our 2016 1st Radio Battalion Reunion in San Diego, and a great time was had by all. Of course, we visited MCRD San Diego.
An Inspiration To Fellow Marines
Article by Salvador Rivera
FOX 5 News
A video showing retired Marine Jose Barron crawling up a steep hill on his hands and one leg has gone viral and has turned him into an online sensation.
Barron attended a reunion over the weekend at Camp Pendleton for Marines who were deployed to Afghanistan in 2010, members of the 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment.
The 5th Marines Vietnam War Memorial Monument
2,706 U.S. Marines and Sailors were killed in action during the Vietnam War while serving in the Fighting Fifth Marine Regiment. Their sacrifice is not forgotten. With your help, each and every one of them will be honored with a beautiful new Memorial Monument at the 5th Marines’ Memorial Garden, Camp San Mateo, Camp Pendleton, California.
With Bayonets Fixed – Mike 3/9
Although not officially recorded that I know of, 2nd Platoon, Mike 3/9 (my platoon) in 1966 did a bayonet charge when we were pinned down in the middle of a dry rice paddy behind a short dike and were running low on ammo. We had no attachments, so just had rifles and grenades.
Base Brig Camp Pendleton, CA
This is for all current and former Marines who served as guards at H&S Company, Corrections Battalion MCB Camp Pendleton, CA. I served there from December 1979 to July 1983. I have a lot of fond memories of that place. Some of which were: January 1980 through June 1980 – Murderers row (8 in cell block), IDIOT forms, gate silencers, signing the 509 forms, Master Control, Victor, Victor!, Section Leader SSgt Arroyo, Sgt. Reyes, Sgt. Lee (both), Sgt. Saia, Corporal Catbagan, Section Leader SSgt Helmel, Bn Commander Maj. G. A. Miller, CWO Jackson and his morning snooping (entering through the dorm rear hatch trying to catch any sleeping guard while on duty), Capt. Collins, Lt Ciamacca (WM), coyotes howling up in the hills, 100 rabbits on the front lawn, rattlesnakes, Minimum Annex, Work Annex, squirrels chewing through newly glued targets at the Work Annex because they liked the wheat paste, having Environmental Services remove a 6 foot rattle snake from the Work Annex, LCpl Bowman, relaxing in the barracks TV room, Sgt. Gade, the weasel that wasn’t afraid of walking through an open door and visiting occupied rooms, annual rifle qualification, Field Day formation, morning PT Formation, Company Formation, going up to ‘The Hill’ for duty, Duty Belts, Uniform of the Day, ‘do we call them confinees or prisoners today?’, Guard Mount, Post 4 duty, turning the flood lights on by climbing the guard towers, finding two owls in Tower 2, (one broke out a window), Rec Call, Reveille, Reveille, Reveille!, Mail Call, Code 6. We were Firm, Fair, and Professional in all our duties. We were the gate keepers to prepare Marines to be returned to duty or to be summarily discharged. You were invaluable to the Corps in which we all served. SEMPER FI!
Cigarettes And C-Rats
I joined the Corps in July 1956. Spent my time at MCRD, then Camp Pendleton and on to Asia for two tours in the Phillipines. When we were out in the boondocks, we still had c-rats from a long time before that. The Lucky Strikes and Chesterfields were so old we had to hold them upright or the tabacco would fall out. A few draws and they were burned up! The c-rat fruits were good, but the stews were a gut churner! They had a greasy layer on top that would turn your stomach.
K Co. 3/7 1st Mar Div Nov 1968
I was on hill 55 on Thanksgiving day with my plt. standing by to fly out on a Sparel Hawk! My Bn 3/7 was on hill 37 and the 7th Marines HQ was on hill 55.
We had our dinner on Hill 55 and it was great! I still have the program cover after all these 47 years.