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Lee Marvin's USMC WWII Causualty Card


arclight
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Well, not actually a medal, but this was the precursor to one. The USMC WWII casualty card for Lee Marvin. This was posted on Facebook today by the USMC History Division. I thought it was pretty neat, and figured some of you might also. The USMC Division also posted the supposed interview between Marvin and Johnny Carson in which he said he was wounded in the buttock half-way up Suribachi on Iwo Jima, and praised a sergeant who later became well-known to many of us as Captain Kangaroo. The History Division quickly debunked this, stating that Marvin was wounded on Saipan, and SGT Keeshan (AKA "CPT Kangaroo") was actually still in the US during Iwo's battle, having entered the Corps too late to have shipped out to participate. In the supposed interview with Carson, Marvin is said to have claimed to have been awarded the Navy Cross for his actions on Iwo Jima, as was SGT Keeshan. The USMC History Division flatly refuted these claims as well. They also ask "if anyone has actual video footage of Lee Marvin making these claims, please forward to us at the History Division. We are always interested in making sure the historical record is correct." Someone posted that they saw the actual footage and that is has been greatly distorted and exagerated over the years, and that he did speak very matter-of-factly about his experience on Saipan. In any case, Lee Marvin was indeed a Marine, and was wounded in action on Saipan. Here's the Casualty Card:

 

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I have his complete 201 file.....courtesy of one of our members who I will ID if he allows me too. :thumbsup:

 

 

No kidding??!! I've always loved him as an actor, and my love increased exponentially when I learned a few years ago he was a WWII Marine! My mother in law actually had a serious crush on him, and still watches the Dirty Dozen whenever it's on TV just so she can see her beau.

That's a super-cool file to have access to. I would love to see it myself. To me, that would rank up there with the uniform George "Hannibal" Peppard wore, which was featured a few years ago in THE FOOTLOCKER newsletter.

 

If you are on Facebook, definitely "like" the Marine Corps History Division and the Museum of the Marine Corps. Some of the posts the make are worth it!

 

G

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No kidding??!! I've always loved him as an actor, and my love increased exponentially when I learned a few years ago he was a WWII Marine!

G

I feel much the same way, and that is why I use his quote as my "tagline". :thumbsup:

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:blink: Lee Marvin would never claim anything other than the truth....he drank alot and joked alot....I think he was a proud Marine who kidded about being laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetary. {They actually did} Distortion happens to forgetful minds.
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No kidding??!! I've always loved him as an actor, and my love increased exponentially when I learned a few years ago he was a WWII Marine! My mother in law actually had a serious crush on him, and still watches the Dirty Dozen whenever it's on TV just so she can see her beau.

That's a super-cool file to have access to. I would love to see it myself. To me, that would rank up there with the uniform George "Hannibal" Peppard wore, which was featured a few years ago in THE FOOTLOCKER newsletter.

 

If you are on Facebook, definitely "like" the Marine Corps History Division and the Museum of the Marine Corps. Some of the posts the make are worth it!

 

G

 

I hope your mother in law was Single at the time :love: :naughty:

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I have his complete 201 file.....courtesy of one of our members who I will ID if he allows me too. :thumbsup:

 

Alright Robin... cough it up... do you have something of Lee Marvin's, from his service, in your collection, or was the file autographed by him, or just a curiosity thing??? Inquiring minds want to know :lol:

 

MW

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Alright Robin... cough it up... do you have something of Lee Marvin's, from his service, in your collection, or was the file autographed by him, or just a curiosity thing??? Inquiring minds want to know :lol:

 

MW

MW,

I promised Lee I would NEVER show his boxers with the wound hole in them publicly!! :lol:

 

Actually, our friend mes sent the file to me, as we both like the actor and the man. It is not autographed, and there are no 8 x10 glosses in it. It's what you expect to find in any file you get from St.Louis.

 

If there is truly an interest, I'll be happy to post a copy! :thumbsup:

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MW,

I promised Lee I would NEVER show his boxers with the wound hole in them publicly!! :lol:

 

Actually, our friend mes sent the file to me, as we both like the actor and the man. It is not autographed, and there are no 8 x10 glosses in it. It's what you expect to find in any file you get from St.Louis.

 

If there is truly an interest, I'll be happy to post a copy! :thumbsup:

 

 

Yes, please do!!

And of course, you can't show his boxers cuz he was "commando" that fateful day ;)

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Yes, please do!!

And of course, you can't show his boxers cuz he was "commando" that fateful day ;)

Will DO, "G" ;)

I will post it later as I am with my iPad now and can't post to the forum,

 

A side note on this topic......I asked a friend to send me a copy of his CC front and back, along with whatever else is available from the Historical Command at Quantico. Let's see what happens later today. :thumbsup:

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Will DO, "G" ;)

I will post it later as I am with my iPad now and can't post to the forum,

 

A side note on this topic......I asked a friend to send me a copy of his CC front and back, along with whatever else is available from the Historical Command at Quantico. Let's see what happens later today. :thumbsup:

 

 

Thanks! The History Division also posted a pic of the back of his card (below), but they did perface by stating they had redacted portions for security's sake. Hopefully the copy you get will e complete and a nice addition to the file you have.

 

 

post-297-1329940750.jpg

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Amazing Topic i never even Knew that He actually served in the 4th Marine Div in the South Pacific During WWII

that sure is amazing that he was actually a Marine in Real Life and a Veteran Very interesting Info there :thumbsup:

 

I remember of him from watching The Dirty Dozen & The Big Red One Film as a Child.

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Here he is from his USMC days....

 

post-29885-1329948475.jpg

 

Such a great actor, in both war movies and non-war movies. The funny part is, for all of the war movies he was in, the man hated the glorification of war.

 

Hell in the Pacific has to be one of my favorites of Marvins; the ending of course being the best part. Although, one of my favorite Marvin moments is in Big Red One. The scene where the soldier goes to get some water and his testicles are blown off by a mine...The smirk Marvin gives to the camera is priceless!

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Here he is from his USMC days....

 

post-29885-1329948475.jpg

 

Such a great actor, in both war movies and non-war movies. The funny part is, for all of the war movies he was in, the man hated the glorification of war.

 

Hell in the Pacific has to be one of my favorites of Marvins; the ending of course being the best part. Although, one of my favorite Marvin moments is in Big Red One. The scene where the soldier goes to get some water and his testicles are blown off by a mine...The smirk Marvin gives to the camera is priceless!

 

Excellent Photo of him there and thanks for adding it to the topic :thumbsup:

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Here he is from his USMC days....

 

post-29885-1329948475.jpg

 

Such a great actor, in both war movies and non-war movies. The funny part is, for all of the war movies he was in, the man hated the glorification of war.

 

Hell in the Pacific has to be one of my favorites of Marvins; the ending of course being the best part. Although, one of my favorite Marvin moments is in Big Red One. The scene where the soldier goes to get some water and his testicles are blown off by a mine...The smirk Marvin gives to the camera is priceless!

 

Wonder if he had that distinctive deep, growly voice back then? He looks so boyish I can't imagine that sound coming out of his mouth! :think:

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I am told there is a lot of information in his file, and I will learn tomorrow how much of it I can get. Today I have secured a copy of the front and back of his Causality Card, and I will add what I have in my file. Depending what else I can get tomorrow, I'll add to this.

post-8213-1329956034.jpg

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