Veteran's Day Salute

[skipper]

We have many former service members on this forum. I salute you ALL on this Veteran's Day.

Skipper back in 1976 on Parris Island for the second time in his life. This time as the Drill Instructor instead of the Private.
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[Rick in Oregon]

A day late here......got a covid shot the day before, pretty fuzzy and down yesterday, never turned on the computer.

But I'll add to the thread with a pic of yours truly in Chu Lai, south RVN in the spring of 1966 at the Swift Boat base there. We spent much time on those brown water rivers, pretty much being a target from both sides of the river.



Now with about 40% of me with replacement parts, I'm still out there, still shooting and loving life. It's my hope that all my fellow veterans now have a quality life after returning to "The World".

And to Skipper: I'm wagering that your time as a DI was a much better experience for you out on that hot grinder than your time as a PFC! Tell me I'm wrong......

[skipper]

I got back from Japan in July 76 and returned to MCRD Parris Island, Drill Instructor School. Being back as a Sergeant changed my perspective a great deal. When I graduated DI School and went to an active platoon, the next day, I didn't know what to expect. My adrenalin was so high. The other hats put you through the ringer and I just learned as I went. The Privates knew exactly what was going on. They could see right through the bravado.

The drill field is where the emphasis of DI school was. You had to recite the instructions for every last marching procedure. The DI School Instructors stood on one side of the gridiron and we were on the other. They better be able to hear you regardless of conditions. That's how we developed the "frog voice". Still have it today. Physical training needed to get you to the level where you ran with abandon. Too bad I can't do that now! After graduation and assignment to a platoon, you were expected to wear the Campaign Cover EVERYWHERE!

Rick, I got nothing on you my friend. My whole enlistment, two tours, was done in peacetime. 72 - 79 Just after I got out the US invaded Grenada. You're the real deal. Combat veteran, you earned the bragging rights.

[Tom Kat]

My thanks to both of you-

Having never been in the service....Marne DI's can be funny as heck!!!! When its not you they are dogging on.

I loved Full Metal Jacket

[Rick in Oregon]

Rick, I got nothing on you my friend. My whole enlistment, two tours, was done in peacetime. 72 - 79 Just after I got out the US invaded Grenada. You're the real deal. Combat veteran, you earned the bragging rights.

Skipper, don't sell yourself short my friend. But thank you for the accolades regardless. As a Marine, you signed up for the chit, trained guys to go into the chit, and just because you were not in the chit is no reason to feel "you've got nothing on me". We were both just doing our jobs, nothing more, nothing less. I'm glad we're both here talking about rifles, loads and fun in the field. Many of us are not now. We're all brothers of a strange mother.......war. In it or not.

One of the most favorable memories I have is being able to return to the USS Tulare, our mothership after a day or two up some brown water river to the safety (relative at best), good chow and my own warm rack. Our Marines only had a week long cruise or so, then it was on the beach for them and tents, poncho's and jungle.



Marines.
I was a radioman on an amphibious assault ship during Vietnam. During One Alpha Ops (boats in the water, beach landings, river ops) we hauled Army Armored Cav and Marine elements to the beach and up rivers in RVN. I was the radioman in the Wave Commanders lead boat (target). And being a radioman I was privy to all the AAR's (After Action Reports), and saw how many of our guys were either KIA or WIA during those ops. I always felt guilty about it for years, delivering guys to their demise even through no action or fault of mine. Didn't matter, the hurt was always there. Our Marines always seemed to have the most casualties, always being first into the chit. For that reason alone, and a keen interest in history, I've always had a deep private respect for the Corps. You can always be proud of being a Marine, Skipper.

Late Edit:
I thought I'd throw in a pic of an early morning in Vietnam, preparing to put our boats in the water. Marines with their M14's mustering prior to going down the rope nets into the Mike and Papa Boats to the beach or up the river. Like I mentioned above, Marines......always in the chit.

[Tom Kat]

I got interested in the brown water navy after Apocolypse now came out. I also read up on the war exploits of one John Kerry.

Were you on the Mekong river?

[Rick in Oregon]

Not on the Mekong, as the Navy Riverine Forces had that area covered. We were used for "special ops" farther up north when needed, although SO was not our usual mission.

Apocalypse Now was a movie. The reality was much different, that I can assure you. And JK was and still is an idiot. He put himself in for THREE Purple Hearts from what was basically bumps and bruises. A doctor later told the press that if had been involved in evaluating Kerry, he would have been rejected from receiving the PH's entirely. Stolen valor from a left-wing pretender.