Other Marine Corps BS Volume 6

Brand New Baby Devil Dog

Sgt Grit, This is a pic of my week old daughter Adyson Flynn Bullion. Figured you might get a kick outta this. Not quite sure if she'll want to join the Corps in 18 years but I'll definitely encourage it. This is a great start though!!

To all of my fellow devil dogs in the sand box, give'em hell!!

Semper Fidelis,

Cpl Jacob Bullion
USMC (0311)
1997-2005
OIF II

My Hero, Cpl. Yeram

This is my hero..Cpl James A. Yeram..Just back from Iraq, Watching our back's..oorah.

Cpl Yeram with Wife Amanda and 8Mo old son born just before he left to be deployed.

THANK YOU CYNTHIA M. YERAM

The Birdcage

This is in regard to John Tonkin's comments in the last Grit: He signed in as

John Tonkin
Birdcager 1956 - 58
A Co. 1st Plt.

When the U.S.Navy turned over the Clarksville Navy Base to Fort Campbell, KY, they also turned over a parade field/athletic field. In the corner of that field is a memorial plaque, cast in bronze and mounted on a brick pedestal that reads...

No one at Fort Campbell knows anything about PFC Tyler, or how he "died in the performance of his duty" Do you think any of the "Birdcage Marines" have any information?

Charles S. Bloodworth

Memorial Day Parade

Attached picture is of a partly restored 1952 Marine Corps Jeep in the memorial day parade, 2006 in Marietta, OH. Though you might be interested in this.

Dale Ferrell
Former Cpl. of Marines

Sign/Mural to support my brother

Cadence Nap

I just had to write and send this picture in I grew up with my dad in the Marines and now that I am grown and have a son of my own we sit around listening to cadence. When my last set of cadence cd's (ordered from sgt grit) showed up my husband downloaded them on my MP3 player and when I came in the door I see our son sound asleep on the sofa listening to the new MARINE songs. He loves doing anything that his grandpa has done!

Thanks for all that you do MARINES!

Proud Daughter of a MARINE
Melesa

She Needed A Hug

I was at the airport on Feb. 19th 2006. i had just got married 6 and a half hours prior and me and my new husband were walking to the elevators, him in his dress blues and me in my wedding dress. Just before we got to the doors i saw a young woman with a red USMC sweat shirt on. she was hiding her face and i wasnt sure why until she got closer. She had tears over flowing from her eyes. i turned as she passed behind me and asked if i could give her a hug. she turn with her tear full eyes and shook her head up and down and said yes. I walked up to her and held her and patted her back tyring to comfort her. She said her husband had got onto a plane that morning. She held me soo tight. We both cried and i told her i hoped for a safe return and she let go and thanked me and my husband. And we both went on our ways she had a flight to catch and so did we. My husband didnt understand who she was ro why i stopped to hug her and even though i explained it i dont know if he still understands. I hugged her because i knew i would want a hug if i was in her place. This is for any woman at the airport seeing her man leave a BIG hug for you to know you are not alone. OORAH SEMPER FI!!!!

wife of Cpl John Raabe

Marine Corps League

I echo the comments of James "Chino" Meade in your last letter about the Marine Corps League. The League carries on the traditions and values of the Corps. For example members of our local Detachment participated in nearly 190 funeral honor guards and over 50 civic events this last year. Its not about the numbers but rather the opportunity to display the colors, traditions and values that have been handed down to us.

On a cold, windy Saturday here in the Northeast our honor guard formed once again to administer honors to a fellow veteran who passed away. Afterward we were invited to join the family, friends and parishioners of the deceased. After a prayer the officiating priest made it a point to introduce and thank the "Marines" of the honor guard. That's what it is about...the most recognizable uniform, the most envied esprit de corps, and traditions and values that everyone should aspire to. They have been passed on to us for care and to pass on to those who succeed us.

With that said I would like to introduce two active members of that honor guard who were recently honored for prior active duty service. John Conklin (left), left high school at sixteen and enlisted in the Navy and served in a Seabee battalion in the Pacific during WWII. In late 1949 John joined the Marine Corps and eventually ended up in Korea north of the 38th parallel. On July 2, 1952, and while serving with the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines John was wounded while defending a position known as Bunker Hill. He was eventually evacuated to the hospital ship USS New Haven. John was recently awarded a long overdue Purple Heart. Al Rood (right) refused a deferment to finish high school and entered the Marine Corps in December, 1943. Al was part of the 3rd Battalion, 8th wave which landed on Iwo Jima. Al spent 36 days on Iwo and personally witnessed the raising of the American flag on Mount Suribachi. Al was part of assault force heading for the invasion of Japan when the atomic bomb was dropped. Al was recently presented with his long overdue combat action ribbon.

A Little More Grown Up

Smedley at his post

I hope I sent this to the right place but I love this web site and wanted to share this picture to the Sgt. Grit family and fellow Marines. Shortly after my wife put this American flag garden stake in our back yard, our English bulldog Smedley (named after the great Marine) proudly stood guard next to it. There must be something in the breed that says "mess with this flag, and you're dead!!!" There is no better mascot on the face of the earth than that of the English Bulldog.

Semper Fi,
Lcpl Everett, Jeremy and Family

P.S. When I told him to come inside, he just stared at me with this look like "Where is the next Marine to relieve me of my post?"

Marine Christmas Decorations

SGT Grit,

I wanted to share with you our Christmas decorations on our house this year. My husband retired from the Marine Corps 2 years ago and I decided this year to create a working party of Marines putting up Christmas lights on the house. We live in Havelock NC (home of Cherry Point) and enjoy the friendly competition with our neighbors each year, all of whom are also retired Marines. The Marines on the house and in the yard are about 24-30 inches tall and were recreated from the artwork of SSGT G.M. Flynn of 3rd MAR DIV Okinawa. You may be familiar with SSGT Flynn’s artwork. The Marine décor is getting quite a bit of attention this year. The theme of the décor is after the book series, “I SPY”. In case you can’t read the book below, it says “ I SPY a Semper Fi Christmas working party, I spy 17 busy Marines making Havelock shine”. Passer bys can stop and look for all 17 Marines. I will have to send the rest of the photos in another email. Look for another email to follow.

Rose Park
USMC wife retired

Marine Band Performance

The United States Marine Band played in Little Rock, Arkansas November 12, 2005, to a sell out crowd of more than 5,000.

Photos by Dub Allen, Master Sergeant of Marines retired, November 12, 2005

Marines' Hymn

The Marines' Hymn like you've never heard it before.
Click on the link to download the video. It may take a few minutes depending on the speed of your internet connection.

Three Marines

From left to right: Dan Cross, LtCol Oliver North, and Carl "Ka-Bar" Avery.

Beach Pictures...

Sgt Grit,
I'll be leaving GTMO in a couple of weeks but won't be back home until mid November. Thought you might like a photo of your stickers. Unfortunately I have to leave them behind as it's a government vehicle. Oh, gotta leave the Babe too. She's a married Army Sgt and her Sgt husband was kind enough to let me borrow her to spruce up the photo. You may post and pixie out the beers if you have to. Thanks for your support. Still waiting on two small orders from your store.
GySgt Faz

After Securing...

Recently, a Marine kissed his wife and kids good bye and left for Iraq combat duty. I can recall when we first met after much of of the paper work, hard numbers were fixed for the hotel rooms and finally the bus to transport his marines was all secured.

I am talking about Marine Gysgt. Mitch O. Martin of Cherry Point MCAW band that we brought to Chicago just this past March at the help of my boss Thomas Shirey of Shirey Cadillac.

When I found out that the Marines did not have the transportation and or housing but had an idea to come to chicago to proudly take part in the Chicago St. Patrick's Day parade as well as the South side Irish parade - we jumped in with both feet to help.

After securing all of the accomadations we were set and so was the MCCC here in Chicago to accept the check donation from Shirey cadillac.

It was great to hear and see all of the thousands of people to that were touched by the Marines and there kindness while being involved in both parades.

Finally, we wanted to say to all of them now serving as security in Iarq - be careful, be safe and most of come back to us in the spring.

We have plans to help again and we can't do it without you.

Semper Fi Marines

Lieut. Gene Spanos
RPD Ret. Police- Fire Fighter 72-95
Sgt. USMC 66-71
Shirey Cadillac of Oaklawn,IL

A Visit To The US

I wanted to share a very important picture with you of my 16 year old niece from England who has such admiration for United States Marines, that while on a recent visit with us, I took her to the base exchange at the USMC Reserve Station in Kansas City, Missouri, a wonderful Marine posed with her for this picture. Being a teenager, this made her trip to the United States a Dream Come True. I know she is sharing this picture with all her friends in England, and I wanted to share it with you because this is only a small instance of how proud I am to be married to a Retired Marine and know that all Marines deserve all the respect in the world for being such wonderful men and women 7 days a week, 24-hrs a day.

Thank you for allowing me to share this with you,
L. Filla

Boat in shipyard in Amelia.

These pictures were sent to me by a buddy of mine. We served together 32 years ago. They were taken around Morgan City, La.

Gavin's Cast - Marine Pride

Marine Corps Wedding

A few pictures from our wedding. You can check out more of our wedding pictures on line at www.pictage.com . Just enter my name (PANGALOS) and click "Go" then click on the "Pangalos/Beaver Wedding June 11, 2005" to view some great USMC wedding pictures. I was in my Dress Blues, we had a full sword detail, a Marine & Bride cake topper on the wedding cake, an 18 passenger stretch HUMVEE and a motorcycle escort provided by The Leathernecks Motorcycle Club

Post Boot Camp photo

(1943) Just got out of boot camp. After that it was Roinamur, Saipan, Tinian, and Iwo Jima with the 4th Division.

Pulitzer winning photograph

Sgt Grit,

I'm so thankful, I thought I would send you a photo taken of me greeting my wife at a local airport. The photographer won a pulitzer prize for the photo in 1966, when I arrived home on a leave from Bethesda Naval Hospital in Maryland.

Thanks again for such a great service.

P. Shinneman

Greetings from Don Richie

Christmas and New Years Wishes to Sgt Grit

Retired Marine in Uniform

Geez, it still fits.

Gunny Trent
Oceanside, OR

May 29, 1999 Woodstock Memorial Parade

Left to Right: Gy/Sgt Warren Coughlen, Adjutant/Paymaster B. Hipweel, Chief-of-Staff D. Irish, Det. Commandant R. Robidas, Marine M. Seaver, Jr Vice Commant L. Abbott, Color Guard - Twin State Det - MCL Lebanon

Concrete US Flag

Sgt. Grit,

Here is the picture of my father-in-laws concrete flag, it is situated at the Veterans Wall of Honor in Wasilla Alaska. This wall was established about 7 years ago and Joe (my father-in-laws name) Sweeney had a big part in this whole ordeal. Marines seem to be at the helm of quite afew Patriotic movements. I am sending other pics of the wall a.s.a.p.
Semper Fi...John

P.S. I had gotten my draft notice in fall of 66' so I went to the Marines to join up, (figured if I was going to Viet-Nam which was very likely ), and die for my country I at least wanted it to be in the service of my choice. However, I was married with one child, and my wife was pregnant with our second...I was classified as 3-A, only in time of war.

20 USMC Stars in a Row!

Here is a picture for the ages.

For the first time in history, five, four-star Marine Generals were gathered in the same location. The Generals gathered in New York City for the 10th Annual, Marine Corps Law Enforcement (MCLEF) Semper Fidelis Gala.

From Left to Right: General James Cartwright, Commander, U.S. Strategic Command; General Peter Pace, Vice-Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff; General Michael Hagee, Commandant, U.S. Marine Corps; General William Nyland, Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps, and General James Jones, Supreme Allied Commander, Europe"

War Memorial Pictures

Sgt Grit,
Here are two pictures my wife took the last time we were home in upstate New York. This War Memorial is at the State Fair Grounds in Syracuse. The first picture here is of the seal. The other is of my families tribute. Of this group of bricks, 19 of these names are family members (in include myself).

Semper Fi!

SSgt Quirk, Patrick
MALS-26 (REIN) QA
Al Asad, Iraq

Nice Picture

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