Category: 3rd 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. read more

Keepin’ The Faith

A Marine Corps Christmas Story

The story regards a small group of Marines, haggard and tired from the day’s events, sitting at their jungle outpost as night approaches and attempting to find solace after the loss of friends in battle. Ceremony, designed to sooth, and which normally surrounds loss of those close to us is not to be. Mingling among family and friends at the wake, kind words from the preacher, the funeral procession to the cemetery for more kind words and capped off with roast turkey, drinks and even a bit of laughter as the pleasant memories take over. To be able to pay respect. In a proper way, to a friend. None of this was to be. Simply there one moment, with talk of the future and, of course, tales about the incredible babes back in “The World”. And gone the next moment, with the unceremonious zipping of a body bag. read more

First Night of Tet In the MACV Tower

MACV Tower Account (with Frank Doezema Jr, Bob Robertson, Bobby Hull).

This is an eyewitness account used with permission from our friend Bob Robertson from the night of January 31st, 1968 the first night of The Battle of Hue…

Michael and I were assigned to Marine Security Detachment MACV Advisory Team #3 in Hue RVN. Though we had seen both Frank and Bobby Hull around the Compound on numerous occasions we had never been formally introduced nor spoken at length with either one until we were brought together to go through what would prove to be a life changing ordeal for everyone involved. We had no way of knowing at the time but we were only going to know Frank for six hours of his life, but I cannot think of any other type of situation one could go through where it would be possible to learn more quickly the make up of a mans character or what's in his heart than what the four of us would go through in the six hours to come. As a result I think there are probably things the four of us know about each other that many lifelong friends wouldn't know. read more

2nd Lt Support Co 3rd Service Battalion. Camp Mcterus

I put a comment on the page that seemed to be getting a few comments about 2nd lt Supt Co, and Camp Mcterus. I want to post some pictures to that page but it seems you have to start a new thread to post photos….so I am posting some photos of the facilities at Camp Mcterus. If these 4 photos are posted successfully I will post some more…I hope you find these interesting read more