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This Marine and his Corps


Jack's Son
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Jack's Son

My father joined the Marine Corps Reserve when he was seventeen, and was quickly called up when war broke out. He went through basic at Perris Island, and immediately shipped to camp Elliott, in San Diego. From there he disembarked to New Guinea, then Australia.

 

He was a member of the Third Defense Battalion, and was attached to the First Marine Amphibious Corps and went off to Guadalcanal, from there to Bougainville. After that,he bounced around the pacific until 1945, then returned home to settle down, marry and start a family. Along came Korea, and he was off again, I was born during that time. He returned home, and tried the settling down.

 

During his wartime years in the Corps, he was a hard charger, hard smoker, hard drinker and womanizer, married or not, children or not. After the wars, he was a Staff Sergeant, and began to work on his rank, and his peacetime MOS.

He served until 1963, and although he wanted to go off to Vietnam, the Corps had other plans for him. He was told to put in his papers, and join the fleet reserve, his career was over.

 

He retired a Master Sergeant, and a proud Marine. His biggest accomplishment in life was to be Marine, and until his death in 1980, he had no idea there was any other life.

You see, after the war years, he was no longer a hard charging, hard fighting Marine. But, he remained a hard smoking, hard drinking and womanizing Marine. Instead of battles to fight, there were bottles to kill (off). Instead of the pride of combat ribbons on his chest, there were withered lungs unable to fill with breath, but there was still the pride of being a Marine.

 

Marines of his day, were proud to call him brother. Marines of today would be proud to call him a Marine. My memories are of a Corps that was, not the Corps of today. My pride in him, is the pride of my Marine Father, the one that fought on the islands of the South Pacific for three years without a leave to go home. The Marines of that day were different then the Marines of today, but they are no less or no more of a Marine.

 

When I speak of the Marines, I speak of the Corps I knew, the Corps that I grew up around. The modern Marines love to speak of the glory of the Corps, past and present. But some seem to want to forget that the hard fighting, hard drinking, hard smoking and womanizing Marines of yesteryear, are part of that glorious past.

 

 

These are my memories of a Man that was, a Marine that was, and a Corps that was, and I am proud of what is the United States Marine Corps is today. I will write these words today, because my Father cannot..............Semper Fi.

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Thank you for sharing that, Robin. I understand it completely. :salute: Semper Fi......Bob

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Robin,

 

I too am a son of a Korean War Marine - the one thing I learned is "They are a tough act to follow" - My Father is now a 60 year smoker (That's what happens when the Corps gives cigarettes to 17 year olds).

 

The old timers "Cut their own path" but as Fathers they seem to have a soft side for their children and grandchildren - Sometimes I think he may be a P.I.T.A. - but I would never change anything about him

 

Bill

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m1ashooter

Thanks for the post. Marines are a complex lot. My old corps dad and uncles were the opposite of yours. My dad is a 83 year old Marine, kind, gentel, married to the same woman since 1948, doesn't smoke or drink, a vol fireman since 1958, a leader of his community and church.

 

My late uncle was married over 50 years before he passed, smoked, didn't drink, was a vol fireman and very active Boy Scout leader.

 

Both men, steady and calm during a crisis and the first to help others in need. They are and were United States Marines.

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That's a very frank and honest...and indeed personal account of your late father's service Robin. I think it just goes to show that Marines are human too have the same foibles as the rest of us.

 

:salute:

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Powerful sentiments my friend. Fathers and sons have a unique bond, your story certainly represents the uniqueness of yours and your Marine Fathers. The stories we tell ourselves about who we are and where we come from make up our realities at that moment in time and as we gain life experience we have the glorious opportunity to impart that experience into the story we tell ourselves and advance our life's story.

 

Thank you for a glimpse into your life's story.

 

D

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Jack's Son

I have received several PM's regarding the sensitive nature of this thread, and I very much appreciate the sentiment of our membership. While the subject of the thread is sensitive, I did post the thread for a reason.

If you have honest and sincere feelings to express......please do!

 

Thank you, to those members who have read and replied. :thumbsup:

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suwanneetrader

As I have stated here before my Dad was WWII 21st Marines 3rd Div I Co. at Guam and Iwo Jima. He went ashore at Iwo, with the first wave of replacements from the 3rd. Div. I think on Feb. 23rd (my 7th birthday). He was one of only 16 Marines with Clayton Rockmore at airfield #2 that were not killed or wounded (he was with Rockmore when the Capt was killed). Yes, he too was a hard charging "Once a Marine Always a Marine" He drank whiskey with water and smoked until the day he died. If he was a womanizer I never knew it, but I know of a few times (1946 -51) when he drank he was mean,but the last 25 - 30 years of his life he was a gentle, kind, loving and generous man. He loved my Mom and even tho in 1980 he was dieing of lung cancer and had been told by his Dr to stay home in bed. My Wife, son and I were in the small town hospital where my mom had just had her breasts removed from cancer and we heard him shuffleing up the hall to be as he said "With His Little Darlin". He had driven himself from Dunnellon to Williston,FL. and with an old hickory cane made it to her room. When I gave his eulogy entitled "There Walked A Man" that was one of the highlights. It is ironic but now at 74 I sometimes have to use the same cane. AS you can tell I'm so pround of my Dad an old tough but fair Marine.

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  • 2 weeks later...
suwanneetrader
As I have stated here before my Dad was WWII 21st Marines 3rd Div I Co. at Guam and Iwo Jima. He went ashore at Iwo, with the first wave of replacements from the 3rd. Div. I think on Feb. 23rd (my 7th birthday). He was one of only 16 Marines with Clayton Rockmore at airfield #2 that were not killed or wounded (he was with Rockmore when the Capt was killed). Yes, he too was a hard charging "Once a Marine Always a Marine" He drank whiskey with water and smoked until the day he died. If he was a womanizer I never knew it, but I know of a few times (1946 -51) when he drank he was mean,but the last 25 - 30 years of his life he was a gentle, kind, loving and generous man. He loved my Mom and even tho in 1980 he was dieing of lung cancer and had been told by his Dr to stay home in bed. My Wife, son and I were in the small town hospital where my mom had just had her breasts removed from cancer and we heard him shuffleing up the hall to be as he said "With His Little Darlin". He had driven himself from Dunnellon to Williston,FL. and with an old hickory cane made it to her room. When I gave his eulogy entitled "There Walked A Man" that was one of the highlights. It is ironic but now at 74 I sometimes have to use the same cane. AS you can tell I'm so pround of my Dad an old tough but fair Marine.

 

 

I visited his grave tody. It was 1980 when we buried him, time moves on but I'll never forget the hunting, fishing and camping trips, his love and kindness to me, my children and wife (even the first one I couldn't stay with). Nor can I forget the day he waited all day for us to get back to the hospital to die in my arms. There Walked A Man. Semper-Fi to my Dad and all the other Marines who have fought for God. Family and Country. Richard

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  • 11 months later...

On this day, I remember my father for the Marine he was, the best thing he had ever done.

Very nice tribute to your father posted above and fitting to remember him on this day. My father also served in the Corps from 1943-1946 and although he never talked much about it, in his last years before he died last year, he said a few things that truly let me know how proud he was to have been a Marine. I plan to visit his grave this afternoon and remember him and the other veterans buried nearby. Semper Fi dad!

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dave peifer

great tributes guys.......my father and best buddy served in the army landing in africa with operation torch and went the whole way to czechoslavakia.he was overseas for 30 months with the same unit, he was in recon and did mostly lp and op work for the unit along with recon as the unit moved forward.i remember him always telling me "we were cold,wet and scared to death almost all the time but it was the best time of our lives" he came through without ever being wounded and he wondered how.he also drank and smoked and my mother told me after his death in 1981 at age 62 "you know i don't think your dad ever really adjusted after coming home he just never seemed to be at peace"i believe his early death was due,i some part to the stresses he and a lot of our guys suffered in the war.i just wanted to say a few words for a great guy........cpl.carl d peifer 213th aaa..........dave

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